How to say Mother in Korean|Korean word for Mom

Every language on the planet has its own way of saying “mom”.After all, it’s many people’s very first word. 

Wouldn’t learning to address your mother in Korean be a sweet gift?

Just like dad, Koreans have ways to refer to mom in Korean, and there’s a good reason for that.

Whether you’re using the Korean word for mother 엄마 [eom-ma]  or a more polite term 어머니 [eom-eo-ni] ,” knowing how to pronounce and use it can be a big help if you’re in Korea.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to say mom in Korean language in informal, polite, and formal situations and all about parents’ day with examples and exercises. 

Let’s dive in. 

Mother in Korean|What do Koreans call their mom in Korean?

Here’s how to say mother in Korean in informal, polite, and formal situations. 

• 엄마 [eom-ma] – Informal
• 어머니 [eom-eo-ni] – Polite
• 어머님 [eom-eo-nim] – Formal

Standard “Mother” in Korean| what is 어머니 [eom-eo-ni].

어머니 [eom-eo-ni] is the standard way to say mother in Korean.You can use it in most situations and you will never sound rude. 

Again, if you wanted to say “my mom” in a polite way, you could use 우리 어머니 (our mother).

When to use

• Older/middle-aged generations usually use this form while talking with their parents. 
• But the newer generation doesn’t use this when talking directly to their own parents. 
• Instead, it’s more common for Koreans to talk to or about someone else’s parents. 

How to use 

She looks just like her mother. 

그녀는 어머니를 꼭 닮았다.

His mother passed away last year. 

그의 어머니는 작년에 돌아가셨다.

Have you sent your mother a postcard yet? 

너 어머니께 엽서를 벌써 보냈니?

Her mother was a lovely woman. 

그녀의 어머니는 정말 인자한 분이셨다.

She gave her mother a big hug. 

그녀는 어머니를 한 번 크게 안아드렸다

The watch was a gift from my mother. 

그 시계는 우리 어머니께서 주신 선물이었다

I want to buy a present for my mother and father. 

저의 어머니 아버지께 드릴 선물을 사려고 해요.

We need to visit her mother in the hospital. 

수진이 어머니의 병문안을 가야 하거든요.

“Mom” in Korean| the meaning of 엄마 [eom-ma]

The informal way to say mother/mom in Korean is 엄마 [eom-ma]. you can use it with your own mother. 

If you want to say “My mom” in Korean, just say the word 우리 엄마 [u-ri eom-ma] which means ‘our mom’ where  “우리(uri)” means “our”.

When to use

You can use this form while Talking to your own parents or talking about your own parents with friends.

How to use 

Mummy, I’ve got a tummy ache. 

엄마, 나 배 아파요.

I’m going now, ma. 

저 지금 가요, 엄마.

Mum, I’m still hungry! 

엄마, 나 아직 배고파요!

Why are you so rude to your mother? 

넌 네 엄마께 왜 그렇게 버릇없이 구니?

Do you live with your mum or your dad? 

넌 너네 엄마랑 사니 아니면 아빠랑 사니?

My mother vacuums the floor every morning. 

엄마는 매일 아침 마루를 청소하신다.

My father bought a coral necklace for my mom. 

아빠는 엄마에게 산호 목걸이를 사 주셨다.

He’s got his mother’s eyes. 

그는 자기 엄마랑 눈이 똑같아.

I miss my mom’s cooking so much. 

우리 엄마 요리가 정말 많이 그리워

My mother forced me to learn English. 

엄마는 내게 강제로 영어를 배우도록 하셨다

Formal “Mother” in Korean-어머님 [eom-eo-nim].

The formal way to say mother in Korean is 어머님 [eom-eo-nim]. As this is a formal word, you can use it when addressing your mother in formal situations, or in situations when you just want to sound extra respectful.

When to use

You can use this form when meeting a friend’s parents for the first time. If you are meeting your girlfriend or boyfriend’s mom for the first few times, you can use “eomeoni” (어머니) to address them with respect. 

How to use 

Mother’s health is excellent. 

어머님의 건강은 아주 좋습니다.

My mother has been nagging me a lot lately. 

요새 어머님이 잔소리를 많이 하세요.

My mother raised five kids, so she was busy. 

어머님은 아이 다섯을 키우느라 바쁘셨어요.

How is your mom doing since your dad passed away? 

너희 아버지 돌아가신 후 어머님은 어떻게 지내셔?

How is your mother doing? 

어머님은 좀 어떠세요?

Say hello to your mother for me. 

어머님께 안부 좀 전해 주세요

My father is a farmer and my mother has her own store. 

아버님은 농사를, 어머님은 가게를 하고 계십니다.

My father works at an office, and my mother is a housewife. 

아버님은 회사에 다니시고, 어머님은 전업주부입니다.

How to say ‘My mother’ in Korean

If you want to say ‘my mom/dad’ in Korean. You would think that you should just say 내/제 엄마( ‘nae/jeh eomma’). 

However, Koreans don’t like to say it this way.

You should say (우리 엄마)‘uri eomma’, when you want to say my mother which literally translates to ‘our mom’. Here ‘uri’ (우리) directly means “we”.

Parent’s day in Korea

Now you may ask, “Is there a Mother’s Day or a Father’s Day in Korea?”

The answer is yes and no.

Both mothers and fathers share a special holiday called “Parent’s Day” (어버의날) in May.

It’s a pretty big day for parents, and they are usually given flowers, taken out to dinner, and given money.

How To Memorize Mother in Korean & Never Forget It?

Anki Isn’t The Only Game In Town. watch a drama

Did you know you can do a mini-series and master how to say mom in Korean language?

Well, what could be better than that?

Here is how Koreans do it all the time (now you can do it too!!!)

Use Flashcard And Test

Maybe drama is not your thing. What about flashcards?

I know it’s an old thing(you might be using Anki too)

But When it comes to mastering Korean vocabulary, you will never regret using these fellas. 

Here is the list 

https://www.studystack.com/flashcard-100728

https://quizlet.com/417771054/korean-family-terms-maternal-pt-6-flash-cards/

https://www.etsy.com/market/flashcard_mom

Other Online Resources

We live in the era of the 20th century. 

And I bet you  love to surf (well, who doesn’t?)

The internet is full of free stuff and language resources that you haven’t explored yet.Here is what i found when i was learning day of the week in Korean

Here is a list (I hope it might help you)

https://www.wikihow.com/Say-Mother-in-Korean

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-right-way-to-say-mom-in-Korean

https://www.soompi.com/article/1166759wpp/celebrate-mothers-day-9-korean-songs-moms-will-move-tears

Conclusion

Great job. You finally know how to say mom in Korean.

If you are ever unsure of how to say mother in Korean, then it is best to stick with what you know and use 괜찮아요 (Gwaenchanayo),괜찮아 (Gwaenchana),알았어 (arasseo),네 (ne)

All these words are widely used and accepted in Korea.

Well, it’s time for you to apply it in real life and improve your pronunciation.

So go out and next time you got a chance to say mother in Korean, just use any of these as much as you can.

Koreans will understand you even if you got it wrong. 

Looking for more Korean phrases and when to use them you can check out our other articles on this topic.

Here are some recommended lessons:

• A Complete Guide to say Good Night In Korean
• The Common Ways To Say No In Korean
• Ready To Learn Korean ways to say Thank You In Korean?
• How To Say  Sorry In Korean
• How To Say Goodbye In Korean
• How Korean Celebrate New Year And Wish Happy New Year In Korean
• How to say happy birthday in Korean

Got any doubts? Don’t forget to mention it in the comment below. I will definitely answer it as soon as possible.

Thanks for reading it. Goodbye, guys. See you in the next lesson.