妈妈，我爱你
māma, wǒ ài nǐ
I love you mom · trad. 媽媽，我愛你
妈妈，我爱你 (māma, wǒ ài nǐ) is the standard and most heartfelt way to express 'I love you, Mom' in Mandarin Chinese. It is used to convey deep affection and gratitude to one's mother.
What does 妈妈，我爱你 (māma, wǒ ài nǐ) mean?
妈妈，我爱你 (māma, wǒ ài nǐ) means “I love you mom” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “Mom, I love you.”
When to use it
Neutral and deeply affectionate. This is the direct and common way to say it. For a more general 'I love you,' just say 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ). To express love to your father, use 爸爸，我爱你 (bàba, wǒ ài nǐ).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “MAH-mah, WOH eye NEE.” 妈妈 has two first tones, 我 is a third tone, 爱 is a fourth tone, and 你 is a third tone.
Other ways to say it
- 我爱你wǒ ài nǐI love you (general)
- 我爱妈妈wǒ ài māmaI love mom (a general statement of affection)
Examples
妈妈，我爱你！
Māma, wǒ ài nǐ!
Mom, I love you!
妈妈，我爱你，谢谢你为我做的一切。
Māma, wǒ ài nǐ, xièxie nǐ wèi wǒ zuò de yíqiè.
Mom, I love you, thank you for everything you've done for me.
每年母亲节，我都会对妈妈说：妈妈，我爱你。
Měinián mǔqīnjié, wǒ dōu huì duì māma shuō: māma, wǒ ài nǐ.
Every Mother's Day, I tell my mom: Mom, I love you.
Pro tip: In Chinese, it's natural to address the person first before expressing a sentiment. Placing '妈妈' at the beginning makes the phrase a direct address, which is common and natural.
Related phrases
我爱你 · I love you我太爱你了 · I love you so much我非常爱你 · I love you very much
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