你妈妈
nǐ māma
Your mom · trad. 你媽媽
你妈妈 (nǐ māma) is the standard way to say 'your mom' in Mandarin Chinese. It's generally neutral and polite, used in everyday conversations to refer to someone's mother.
What does 你妈妈 (nǐ māma) mean?
你妈妈 (nǐ māma) means “your mom” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “you mother.”
When to use it
Neutral and polite. For a more casual or familiar tone, especially among friends, you can shorten it to 你妈 (nǐ mā). However, be careful as 你妈 can also be used in very rude or insulting contexts, similar to 'your mom' jokes or expletives in English. For a more formal or respectful address, especially when speaking to elders or in formal settings, you might use 您的妈妈 (nín de māma).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like 'nee MAH-mah.' The '你' (nǐ) is a third tone, but when followed by a first tone (like '妈'), it often shifts to a rising tone, so it's pronounced like 'ní māma.' The second '妈' is a neutral tone.
Other ways to say it
- 你妈nǐ māyour mom (casual, can be rude)
- 您母亲nín mǔqīnyour mom (polite/formal)
- 你母亲nǐ mǔqīnyour mother (formal/literary)
Examples
你妈妈最近怎么样？
nǐ māma zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?
How has your mom been recently?
这是你妈妈给你做的饭吗？
zhè shì nǐ māma gěi nǐ zuò de fàn ma?
Is this food your mom made for you?
你妈让你早点回家。
nǐ mā ràng nǐ zǎodiǎn huíjiā.
Your mom wants you to come home early.
Pro tip: While 你妈妈 is always polite, the shortened form 你妈 can be very casual or even rude, especially if used with an aggressive tone or in certain phrases. Always consider the context and your relationship with the person.
Want to speak Chinese for real?
Start a free lesson with a native teacher →
Start a free lesson with a native teacher →