Ma is an informal word for mother, used in several kinds of English, including American English. You might call out “Ma, what's for dinner?” or tell someone “My ma taught me how to ride a bike.” It's warmer and more casual than “mother” but not as playful as “mama” or “mommy.”

The word has a friendly, down-to-earth feeling to it. When you hear someone say “ma” in a story or movie, it often suggests a close, comfortable relationship. In older American stories, especially those set on farms or in small towns, children frequently called their mothers “ma” and their fathers “pa.”

Ma can also be part of names or titles in some cultures. In Mandarin Chinese, mā means mother, so you might hear someone respectfully call their mother “māma.” In some Chinese family names, “Ma” is also a surname.

Today, whether someone says “ma,” “mom,” “mama,” or “mother” usually depends on their family traditions and what feels natural to them.