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Korean
How to Say "Mom" in Korean (with Pronunciation Tips) Download Article Learn all the ways to politely address your mother in Korean Co-authored by Bailey Cho
Last Updated: July 22, 2024 Fact Checked
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Standard Way to Say “Mother” in Korean
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Informal
|
Formal
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How to Improve Your Pronunciation
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Video
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Q&A
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Tips
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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Bailey Cho. Bailey Cho is an Editing Fellow at wikiHow, based in Dallas, TX. She has over 2 years of editorial experience, with work published in student journals and lifestyle publications. Bailey graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Advertising and a Minor in Business. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 360,472 times. Learn more...
Whether you’re casually interested in the Korean language or are working your way up to fluency, “mother” is a basic word you’ll need to add to your vocabulary arsenal. In this article, we’ll teach you how to say “mother" in both formal and informal situations, plus provide you with the Korean written form and example sentences. We’ll also explain when to use each form and how to improve your overall pronunciation in the Korean language.
“Mother,” “Mom,” or “Mommy” in Korean: Quick Translations
어머니 (eomeoni) is the standard way to say “mother” in Korean, whether you’re talking about your mother or someone else’s mother.
엄마 (eomma) is the informal way to say “mother” in Korean, which is similar to “mom” or “mommy” in English.
어머님 (eomeonim) is the formal way to say “mother” in Korean, and it’s used when you want to be extra polite and respectful.
Steps
Section 1 of 4:
Standard Way to Say “Mother” in Korean
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Say 어머니 (eomeoni) when talking about your mom or someone else’s mom. This is the most common way to say “mother” among adults.[1]XResearch source You can use the standard form when talking about your mother to someone else, or when referring to someone else’s mother. Older and middle-aged generations use this form when talking with their parents, but newer generations use both the standard and informal forms.
Pronunciation: uh-muh-ni
Example: 어머니는 어떻게 지내세요? / eomeonineun eotteohge jinaeseyo? / How is your mother doing?
If you’re talking about your own mother, preface 어머니 (eomeoni) with the word 우리 (uri), meaning “our” in English. Korean people use “our” when talking about a group that they’re a part of, or a person or object they’re strongly attached to.[2]XResearch source
Advertisement Section 2 of 4:
Informal Way to Say “Mother” in Korean
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Say 엄마 (eomma) when talking about your own mother. This is the informal version of “mother” in Korean, which is similar to saying “mom” or “mommy” in English.[3]XResearch source It’s most commonly used among children, but adults can still use it when talking to their mother directly, or when speaking fondly about her to their friends.
Pronunciation: um-ma
Example: 우리 엄마는 정말 피곤해요. / uri eommaneun jeongmal pigonhaeyo. / My mom is really tired.
Some people spell “eomma” as “umma” or “omma.”
Section 3 of 4:
Formal Way to Say “Mother” in Korean
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Say 어머님 (eomeonim) when addressing a mother in a formal situation. Korean people add the honorific 님 (nim) to the end of kinship terms, titles, and names to show respect. It is reserved for people who are older or of higher status, especially if you are meeting them for the first time.[4]XResearch source If you’re addressing your mother or someone else’s mother, 어머님 (eomeonim) is the most polite and respectful form.
Pronunciation: um-ma
Example: 우리 남자친구 어머님이 김치를 맛있게 만드시네요. / uri namjachingu eomeonim-i gimchileul mas-issge mandeusineyo. / My boyfriend’s mother makes really good kimchi.
Adults mainly use 어머님 (eomeonim) when meeting a friend or partner’s mom for the first time.
Advertisement Section 4 of 4:
How to Improve Your Pronunciation of Korean Words
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1 Listen to Koreans pronounce the word. If you know Korean people, ask them to say “mother” to you and coach you on the right inflection. Otherwise, look for YouTube videos, voice recordings, and other speaking samples on the Internet. There are tons of tutorials that can help you get the pronunciation down, and you may find that it is much easier to imitate the language if you hear it aloud.[5]XResearch source
Watch K-dramas to improve your overall pronunciation. While you may not hear the word "mother" often, you might find that it's easier to say the word if you understand the context.[6]XResearch source
2 Start slow and build up speed. The inflection on the word might be different from what you're used to, so take your time to fully grasp each syllable. String the syllables together once you can confidently and correctly pronounce each of them, then say it quickly.[7]XResearch source Native Korean speakers tend to speak quickly, so you will sound more authentic if you follow suit.
3 Consider learning Korean. You can call your mother "eomma" out of context, whether or not you’re a fluent Korean speaker, but you will be able to use the word more effectively if you can speak more of the language. Learn the Korean alphabet (Hangul), explore online resources, buy a guide to learn basic Korean, and try to practice the language whenever you have the opportunity.[8]XResearch source
Popular language-learning apps like Duolingo and Busuu may be a great place to start learning Korean.
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Question How do I say "I love you" in Korean? Community Answer You can say I love you in Korean by saying "sa-rang-hae." Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 15 Helpful 88
Question How can I learn my name in Korean? Community Answer Usually, your name in Korean is just how you sound out your name in English. Korean is based off of phonetics, for the most part. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 14 Helpful 79
Question How do I say "father" in Korean? Community Answer You can say 'Appa' (아빠), which means 'father' or 'dad'. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 8 Helpful 60
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Don't say the word very slowly if you already understand the pronunciation. Most Koreans speak quickly, and you might sound out of place if you're struggling to enunciate each syllable. Thanks Helpful 20 Not Helpful 0
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Co-authored by: Bailey Cho wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Bailey Cho. Bailey Cho is an Editing Fellow at wikiHow, based in Dallas, TX. She has over 2 years of editorial experience, with work published in student journals and lifestyle publications. Bailey graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Advertising and a Minor in Business. This article has been viewed 360,472 times. 2 votes - 50% Co-authors: 17Updated: July 22, 2024 Views: 360,472 Categories: Korean In other languages Spanish Russian Portuguese German Italian French Indonesian
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Bailey Cho wikiHow Staff Writer 2 votes - 50% Click a star to vote 50% of people told us that this article helped them. Co-authors: 17Updated: July 22, 2024 Views: 360,472
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Feb 23, 2019
"This article really helped me, as it is quite detailed. All questions that came to mind were already answered in the article."..." more
Rachel Denise Mira
Oct 22, 2017
"I understand here is how to call my mother like umma, pronounced ohma, and call my father appa, or father or dad."
Mohamed Tambiah Ndaloma
Jan 12, 2017
"It helped to know how to pronounce mommy (umma)."
Banji Mary
Jun 24, 2016
"This article helped me with the pronunciation."
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Jul 13, 2016
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Download Article Learn all the ways to politely address your mother in Korean Co-authored by Bailey Cho 
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Co-authored by: Bailey Cho wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Bailey Cho. Bailey Cho is an Editing Fellow at wikiHow, based in Dallas, TX. She has over 2 years of editorial experience, with work published in student journals and lifestyle publications. Bailey graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Advertising and a Minor in Business. This article has been viewed 360,472 times. 2 votes - 50% Co-authors: 17 Updated: July 22, 2024 Views: 360,472 Categories: Korean In other languages Spanish Russian Portuguese German Italian French Indonesian 
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Say 어머니 (eomeoni) when talking about your mom or someone else’s mom. This is the most common way to say “mother” among adults.[1] You can use the standard form when talking about your mother to someone else, or when referring to someone else’s mother. Older and middle-aged generations use this form when talking with their parents, but newer generations use both the standard and informal forms. 
Say 엄마 (eomma) when talking about your own mother. This is the informal version of “mother” in Korean, which is similar to saying “mom” or “mommy” in English.[3] It’s most commonly used among children, but adults can still use it when talking to their mother directly, or when speaking fondly about her to their friends. 
Say 어머님 (eomeonim) when addressing a mother in a formal situation. Korean people add the honorific 님 (nim) to the end of kinship terms, titles, and names to show respect. It is reserved for people who are older or of higher status, especially if you are meeting them for the first time.[4] If you’re addressing your mother or someone else’s mother, 어머님 (eomeonim) is the most polite and respectful form. 
1 Listen to Koreans pronounce the word. If you know Korean people, ask them to say “mother” to you and coach you on the right inflection. Otherwise, look for YouTube videos, voice recordings, and other speaking samples on the Internet. There are tons of tutorials that can help you get the pronunciation down, and you may find that it is much easier to imitate the language if you hear it aloud.[5] 
2 Start slow and build up speed. The inflection on the word might be different from what you're used to, so take your time to fully grasp each syllable. String the syllables together once you can confidently and correctly pronounce each of them, then say it quickly.[7] Native Korean speakers tend to speak quickly, so you will sound more authentic if you follow suit. 
3 Consider learning Korean. You can call your mother "eomma" out of context, whether or not you’re a fluent Korean speaker, but you will be able to use the word more effectively if you can speak more of the language. Learn the Korean alphabet (Hangul), explore online resources, buy a guide to learn basic Korean, and try to practice the language whenever you have the opportunity.[8] 
Community Answer You can say I love you in Korean by saying "sa-rang-hae." Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 15 Helpful 88 
Community Answer Usually, your name in Korean is just how you sound out your name in English. Korean is based off of phonetics, for the most part. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 14 Helpful 79 
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