مامان

What it means

مامان (mâmân) means “mom, mommy.” Affectionate, colloquial term used to address one’s mother. The everyday word in spoken Persian, though formal contexts use مادر (mâdar). A1 vocabulary, learned by Iranian children before any other word.

How to use it

• مامان! (mâmân!) “Mom!” (calling out)
• مامان جان (mâmân jân) “dear mom” (endearing form)
• مامان من معلم است (mâmân-e man mo’allem ast) “My mom is a teacher”

Common pairings

• مامانی (mâmâni) “mommy” (extra affectionate, also slang for “cute”)
• مامان‌بزرگ (mâmân-bozorg) “grandma”
• مامان جون (mâmân jun) “dear mommy” (Tehrani spoken)
• قربون مامان (qorbun-e mâmân) “I would die for mom” (term of endearment)

Cultural note

The word مامان is universally felt as warm and intimate. Even adult Iranians address their mothers this way for life. Calling someone مامانی as a compliment (“you are mâmâni”) means “you are adorable”, drawing on the warmth of the maternal word.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab