1.
mother (polite/formal)
A polite way to refer to someone's mother, including one's own when speaking to others.
お母さん、おはよう。
Good morning, Mom.
お母さんは元気ですか。
How is your mother?
お母さんに聞いてみる。
I'll ask my mother.
お母さんが作った料理は一番おいしい。
The food my mother cooks is the best.
お母さんは毎日忙しいけれど、いつも笑顔だ。
My mother is busy every day, but she's always smiling.
お母さん is the standard polite term for "mother," used both as a form of address and as a reference term.
USAGE:
- Addressing one's own mother directly: お母さん、晩ご飯は？
- Referring to someone else's mother: お母さんはお元気ですか。
- Children and adults alike use this form in everyday conversation.
FORMALITY LEVELS:
- お母さん: standard polite (most common)
- 母: humble form (used when referring to one's own mother in formal situations)
- お母さま: very formal/respectful
- ママ: casual, used by young children or in informal settings
- おふくろ: colloquial, typically used by adult men
NOTE:
In formal speech and writing, use 母 for one's own mother and お母さん (or 母上) for someone else's mother. This inside/outside (内/外) distinction is important in Japanese.
Related Words
Related:
お父さん (father)