Mom in Korean: 엄마
엄마 (eomma) is the Korean word for mom. Hear it, see how it changes in real speech, build it letter by letter and trace each block stroke by stroke.
How do you say mom in Korean?
Mom in Korean is 엄마 (eomma), the everyday word children and adults use to call their own mother. The more formal word is 어머니 (eomeoni), and 어머님 is the respectful word for someone else's mother or a mother-in-law.
Mom in Korean 엄마: sound, letters and strokes
엄마 Mom in KoreanKorean word · noun
엄마 is read eomma.
How 엄마 is used
Respectful: a friend's mother, your mother-in-law, a parent at school.
Formal: your own mother in speeches, letters and documents.
Everyday: calling or talking about your own mother.
엄마 is the warm, informal word for your own mother, used both when you call her (엄마!) and when you talk about her (우리 엄마). Korean adults keep using 엄마 all their lives with family and friends. In formal speech, writing or on official forms, the word becomes 어머니. When someone has a child, people may also call her by the child's name plus 엄마, as in 민수 엄마 (Minsu's mom).
Which one to use
Use 엄마 with your family and friends. In a speech or a formal letter, say 어머니. For other people's mothers, 어머님 is the polite choice; 너희 엄마 (your mom) is fine only among close friends.
How to pronounce 엄마
엄마Sound rule
Read it as written: eomma. The ㅁ at the end of 엄 and the ㅁ that starts 마 make a long "m".
엄마 letter by letter
How to write 엄마 stroke by stroke
Write 엄마 one block at a time: 엄, 마. Inside every block go from the first consonant to the vowel and then the final consonant, following the numbered strokes.
Trace eom 엄 with a finger, mouse or pen: start at the numbered dot, follow the dotted arrow, and press Clear to try again.
Print style 정자체
Follow the numbers and dotted arrows
Handwriting 필기체
Same stroke order as print style
Trace ma 마 with a finger, mouse or pen: start at the numbered dot, follow the dotted arrow, and press Clear to try again.
Print style 정자체
Follow the numbers and dotted arrows
Handwriting 필기체
Same stroke order as print style
When to say 엄마
엄마 in example sentences
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 엄마, 배고파요. | Mom, I am hungry. |
| 우리 엄마는 요리를 잘해요. | My mom is a good cook. |
| 엄마한테 전화했어요. | I called my mom. |
엄마 in a short conversation
| Who | Korean | English |
|---|---|---|
| Child | 엄마, 이거 뭐예요? | Mom, what is this? |
| Mom | 그건 김치야. | That is kimchi. |
Words and phrases with 엄마
엄마 compared with other family words
| Korean | Meaning | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| 엄마 | mom | Calling or talking about your own mother. |
| 어머니 | mother | Formal speech, letters, documents. |
| 어머님 | mother (respectful) | A friend’s mother or a mother-in-law. |
| 아빠 | dad | Calling or talking about your own father. |
| 아버지 | father | The formal word for father. |
| 부모님 | parents | Mother and father together, polite. |
A common mistake with 엄마
Learners call a friend's mother 엄마. That word is only for your own mother; greet a friend's mother as 어머님.
Culture note
Korean speakers often say 우리 엄마 (literally "our mom") even when they mean "my mom"; 우리 here expresses belonging rather than shared ownership.
How to practice
Particles with 엄마
엄마 ends in a vowel, so it takes 가 and 를: 엄마가 요리해요 (mom is cooking), 엄마를 도와요 (I help mom). In speech 엄마한테 means "to mom" and 엄마랑 means "with mom".
엄마 in other words
새엄마 is a stepmother. The slang 엄친아, short for 엄마 친구 아들 ("mom’s friend’s son"), means a person who seems perfect at everything, the one your mother always compares you with.
엄마 writing worksheet (free printable)
Worksheet · Level 3 · Words
Korean word tracing worksheet: 엄마 (mom)
One A4 page for 엄마: trace its 2 blocks (11 strokes), write words that go with it, read three sentences and find 엄.
- 1 page
- A4 · US Letter
- PDF · 88 KB
- Free · no sign-up
Want more? See all korean words
Worksheet information
- How to use
- Say 엄마 out loud, trace each block from dark to faint, then write it on the line.
Use of the worksheet:
© KoreanSheets.com · Free to print and share at home and in class. No commercial use — don’t sell it, add it to paid products or post it on other websites. The QR code on the sheet opens this page to listen and trace on screen.
What to learn next
Mom in Korean — FAQ
How do you say mom in Korean?
엄마 (eomma). The formal word is 어머니 (eomeoni).
What is the difference between 엄마 and 어머니?
엄마 is warm and informal, like "mom". 어머니 is formal, like "mother", and is used in speeches, letters and polite conversation.
How do you say dad in Korean?
아빠 (appa) is dad; the formal word is 아버지 (abeoji).
How do you write mom in Korean?
엄마 is two blocks: 엄 (ㅇ + ㅓ + ㅁ) and 마 (ㅁ + ㅏ).
What do you call a friend's mother in Korean?
어머님. 아주머니 is used for a woman you do not know, not for a friend's mother.
What does eomma mean?
Eomma is 엄마, the Korean word for mom. Children and adults use it for their own mother.
How do you say parents in Korean?
부모님 (bumonim) is the polite word for parents. 엄마랑 아빠 (mom and dad) is the everyday way to say it.
Last updated: