ma

Everyday

1. (informal) «Ma» is a homely word for mother, like «Mum» or «Mom», heard in old stories, in the USA countryside and in Ireland. tree →
2. (Mandarin, pinyin) «Mā» means «mum»; «ma» with no tone is a little word at the end of a sentence that turns it into a question: «nǐ hǎo ma?» (are you well?). tree →
3. (abbreviation) «MA» is a Master of Arts, a university degree. tree →
4. (French) «Ma» means «my» before a feminine noun: «ma mère» is «my mother»; in Italian «ma» means «but». tree →

In the lessons

In stories, «Ma» and «Pa» are what children call their parents in old American tales such as «Little House on the Prairie». In Mandarin lessons pupils learn «māma» (mum) and the question word «ma». In Ireland and Scotland «me ma» means «my mum». In science «mA» is a milliamp, a tiny unit of electric current.

Examples

• «Ma, can I go out to play?» asked the boy in the old story. tree →
• Pa fixed the fence while Ma baked bread. tree →
• In Mandarin, «nǐ hǎo ma?» means «how are you?» tree →
• «Māma» is the Mandarin word for «mum». tree →
• My aunt has an MA in history. tree →
• The tiny bulb needed only a few mA of current. tree →
• «Me ma says I have to be home for tea», said Sean. tree →
• Is you drowndid w'en yo' ma tucks you in de bed?" tree →

Note

As «mother» it is informal and old-fashioned; in a letter or essay write «mother», «mum» (UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand) or «mom» (USA, Canada). Capital M when used as a name: «Ma said no». In pinyin the tone mark changes the meaning: «mā» (mum), «mǎ» (horse), «mà» (scold). «MA» and «mA» are abbreviations, not words.

In Jewish tradition

In this text it is only a scrap of a printed word or a short piece of old print, not the word for mother. In the primary lessons: In stories, «Ma» and «Pa» are what children call their parents in old American tales such as «Little House on the Prairie». In Mandarin lessons pupils learn «māma» (mum) and the question word «ma». In Ireland and Scotland «me ma» means «my mum». In science «mA» is a milliamp, a tiny unit of electric current.

Examples

• Ma Iter for reading fitihe proof-sbeetj ; and also to i)r. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →

Note

As «mother» it is informal and old-fashioned; in a letter or essay write «mother», «mum» (UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand) or «mom» (USA, Canada). Capital M when used as a name: «Ma said no». In pinyin the tone mark changes the meaning: «mā» (mum), «mǎ» (horse), «mà» (scold). «MA» and «mA» are abbreviations, not words.