The culture associated with people in each region is the way of calling names in the family, especially the way of calling mother and child in each region in Vietnam. Therefore, in this article, VTJ will learn together “How to say mom in Vietnamese” and better understand the meaning of these ways of calling.
How to say mom in Vietnamese?
Origin of the word “mom” in Vietnamese
In fact, “mom” is a modern way of calling. Because the word “Mom” is directly transformed from the French word “mère”, meaning a woman who gives birth.
In many languages around the world, words to call “mom” begin with the sound m such as mère, maman (French), mother, mom (English), мать (Russian)…
Linguists explain that the sounds m and b are labial sounds, easy to pronounce by opening the lips, and thus easy for children to remember and use. For children, the sound m is very easy when they first start to babble. Therefore, words to call relatives and close people such as grandmother, father, and mother all begin with these two sounds.
Read more: Saying “My name is” in Vietnamese means more than just introducing yourself
How to say mom in Vietnamese?
The word “mom” can be pronounced as “mẹ” in Northern Vietnam and “má” in Southern Vietnam, while in rural or archaic contexts, it’s referred to as “u”. These variations are but a glimpse into a broader lexicon that encompasses diverse relational terms, making Vietnamese family vocabulary both complex and fascinating.
Currently, “mẹ” is used in the North, “mạ” in the Center, and “má” in the South. In addition, the pronunciation of “mạ” is also “mệ”, these ways of calling are often used in the localities of Thanh – Nghe – Tinh and Hue.
The meaning of the word “mom” in Vietnamese culture
The sacred and noble maternal love, as mothers must carry their children for nine months and ten days before giving birth. In Vietnam, there are folk songs and proverbs to express the feelings of parents:
Đi khắp thế gian không ai tốt bằng Mẹ,
(Traveling around the world, no one is as good as Mother,)
Gánh nặng cuộc đời không ai khổ bằng Cha.
(The burden of life, no one is as hard as Father.)
Therefore, the word mother has a special meaning for Vietnamese children:
- The symbol of the mother, suffering a lot, sacrificing for her children
- The person who gives the best things to her children
- The house and warm home for her children to return to after tiring work
- The person who always forgives the mistakes of immature children.
Read more: Very Good In Vietnamese: When to Use and Its Role in Culture
Some exclamations with the word “mother” in Vietnamese
Some exclamations with the word “mother” in Vietnamese
To express your feelings in a sentence, just the word “mom” (mẹ) cannot fully express the love of a child for his mother. Some sentences you can refer to are:
- Mẹ ơi! Con yêu mẹ! (Mom! I love you!)
- Con nhớ mẹ nhiều lắm! (I miss you so much!)
- Mẹ ơi! Mẹ có khỏe không? (Mom! Are you well?)
- Trong mắt con, mẹ là người tuyệt vời nhất! (In my eyes, you are the most wonderful person!)
- Tất cả thế giới của con là nụ cười hạnh phúc của mẹ. (My whole world is your happy smile.)
- Mẹ à! Con đi làm ở xa, mẹ nhớ giữ gìn sức khỏe nhé! (Mom! I’m working far away, remember to take care of your health!)
Mother’s Day – Gratitude and deep thanks to mothers
The second Sunday of May is a special day for children to express their hearts and gratitude to their mothers who have raised and nurtured them. Give meaningful gifts in person, and spend time together to have a meaningful and happy day.
For children who live far away, it is not possible to directly say “Mẹ ơi! Đối với con mẹ là tất cả!” (Mom! To me, you are everything!). Instead, asking and encouraging each other from afar is enough to warm a mother’s heart.
No matter what you call it, the word “mom” (mẹ) is a familiar, intimate, but also very emotional and sacred word to call the most important person in each person’s life. Through this article, you have learned a lot about the culture and many different ways of calling through each period in Vietnam.
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