Maa, Maman, Madre: How the world says ‘Mother'

Time of India

10-05-2025

A day that celebrates one of the most important bonds in the world, that between a mother and her child, is to arrive soon.
is celebrated annually in most countries including the USA on the second Sunday of May.
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This year, it's being celebrated on May 11. The day honours mothers all around the world, the one human being who literally gives her all to her child, from her flesh and blood to her tears and smiles.
Mom- A universal emotion
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'Mom' is one of the first words spoken by a baby. It was recorded in the 1800s and is probably considered to have originated from the word "mamma", which was recorded in the 1500s. Across the globe, the word mom or mother carries an unbound emotion of love, care and devotion, yet the title differs.
Maa, Maman, Madre, there are multiple ways mom is pronounced in different languages. These are the 10 different ways the world says 'mother'.
Hindi- Maa
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The Hindi word for mother is 'Maa', which is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Matr', which also means mother. This term is traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root "méh₂tēr"
French- Maman
Maman is the French word for mother. It is inherited from the Middle French word 'memmen', possibly derived from baby talk. This Mother's Day, don't forget to wish your Maman!
Spanish- Madre
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Spanish children call their mothers Madre.
The word has been derived from the Latin word 'Matre'. The word is also used to refer to mothers in Italian.
Japanese- Hahaoya
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Japanese children call their mothers 'Hahaoya'. The term is a combination of two words, 'haha' meaning mother and 'oya' meaning parent, meaning mother parent. This word is used in a more formal setting when talking about one's mother to someone. When talking to one's own mother, usually 'haha' alone is used.
Korean- Eomoni
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Eomoni is the Korean word for mother.
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The word combines two words, 'eomi' meaning mother and 'ni', the honorific particle. This is a more formal word for calling one's mom. In an informal environment, children call their moms 'eomma' which means mom.
Turkish- Anne
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In the Turkish language, the word 'Anne' means mother. The word has a Turkic origin in the Proto-Turkic root 'ana-ene' meaning mother. This Mother's Day, make sure you tell your Anne just how much you love her!
Chinese- Mǔqīn
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The Chinese use the word 'Mǔqīn' to call their mother.
It is created by joining two words, 'Mu' meaning mother and 'Qin' meaning kin or close. It is a word used to refer to your mother respectfully.
Malaysian- Ibu
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The Proto-Malayo-Polynesian language is the source of many south-eastern languages, such as Malaysian and Indonesian. In both these languages, the word 'Ibu' is used to refer to mother. The word finds its origin in this language itself.
Greek- Mitéra
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The Greek word 'Mitéra' is derived from the ancient Greek word 'meter', which itself is derived from the Proto-Hellenic word 'mater'. All three are various forms of the word mother.
Swedish- Mor
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The Swedish word for mother, 'Mor', is a short form of the Proto-Germanic word 'moder', which means mother. Wish your mor a happy Mother's Day and shower her with tons of gifts!