How to Say “Mother” in Japanese: From お母さん to ママ – Real Life Usage Explained

Table of contents

How to Say “Mother” in Japanese: From お母さん to ママ – Real Life Usage Explained
Ways to Say “Mother” in Japanese
What Is a “ママ友（ままとも）”？
Conclusion
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How to Say “Mother” in Japanese: From お母さん to ママ – Real Life Usage Explained

こんにちは！I’m Miyabi, a mother of two young sons living in Japan. Today, I want to share how we say “mother” in Japanese — not just textbook terms, but what we actually use in real life.

Personally, I used to call my own mom 母さん（かあさん）. It’s a common and gentle way to refer to one’s mother. Now, I have my children call me 母ちゃん（かあちゃん）. I chose it because it sounds warm and cute — I just love that vibe!

Among my mom friends, I notice many households prefer the word ママ. It might be because “Mama” is easy for young children to pronounce. Since my kids are still little, maybe that’s why I hear it more often now — I’m not entirely sure if it’s a generational change or age-related.

Ways to Say “Mother” in Japanese

Common and Polite Forms

お母さん（おかあさん） – Most widely used term.
母（はは） – Used in writing or when referring to your own mother formally.
母親（ははおや） – Slightly more objective expression.

Casual or Friendly Expressions

かあさん – Casual but still respectful.
かあちゃん – Affectionate; also commonly used by the Showa generation.
おかん – Used mainly in the Kansai region.
ママ – Common among younger kids and modern families.

Respectful or Traditional Terms

母上（ははうえ） – Very formal; used in historical contexts. I’ve only heard that in dramas; no one I know actually uses it.
おふくろ – Often used by middle-aged to older men. It has a nostalgic tone and may be a way to hide embarrassment about saying “Mom” in public.
お母様（おかあさま） – Refined and very polite; often used in formal or upper-class settings. I’ve only heard that in dramas; no one I know actually uses it.

Other Useful Terms

実母（じつぼ） – Refers specifically to one’s biological mother.
義母（ぎぼ） – Refers to one’s mother-in-law. In daily speech, people often say:
- 「旦那（だんな）のお母さん」
- 「夫（おっと）の親(おや)」
In novels, you might see お義母さん（おかあさん） written with furigana to clarify the relationship.

After getting married, it’s extremely common in Japan to refer to your spouse’s parents as お母さん and お父さん, even though they are not your own. Probably 80–90% of Japanese people do this naturally.

What Is a “ママ友（ままとも）”？

ママ友(ままとも) is short for ママ + 友（とも／friend）, meaning “mom friends” — other mothers you meet through your kids, school, or community. We rarely say パパ友 in Japan.

Parenting is still largely seen as the mother’s responsibility in Japan. Even in dual-income families, many fathers say things like:

「手伝（てつだ）うよ！」 (“I’ll help!”)

To which many moms respond: 「自分の子供なのに、“手伝う”っておかしいでしょ！？」
“It’s your own child — it’s not just ‘helping’!”

As for my husband… yes, sometimes I sense that kind of attitude. But I don’t get too angry because I actually enjoy parenting and housework. I’m doing fine, and I appreciate him too.

Conclusion

There are so many ways to say “mother” in Japanese. Each carries its own nuance and emotional tone — from polite to casual, modern to traditional. I hope this article gives you a feel for how we really use these words in daily life!

What do people call their moms in your culture? Feel free to share or comment!