How to Say Happy Mother's Day in Korean (어버이날 축하드려요)

What you'll learn

• Say 어버이날 축하드려요 aloud as [어버이날 추카드려요].
• Choose between 어머니 and 엄마, and between formal and polite endings, for a parent.
• Explain why Korea has one Parents' Day on 8 May.
• Add a sentence of thanks that fits the day.

Before you start: knowing thank you in Korean helps, because Parents' Day is about gratitude. Time: about 12 minutes.

How Do You Say Happy Mother's Day in Korean?

The best way to say happy mother's day in Korean is 어버이날 축하드려요 (eobeoinal chukadeuryeoyo). 어버이날 (Eobeoinal) is Parents' Day, 축하 (chukha) is congratulation, and 드려요 is the humble form of "give". Together, the sentence means "I respectfully offer congratulations on Parents' Day".

The word for mother changes the tone: 어머니 (eomeoni) is respectful and a little formal, and 엄마 (eomma) is warm and everyday. For a father, use 아버지 (abeoji) and 아빠 (appa). The next section explains why the day has this name.

Why Is There No Separate Mother's Day in Korea?

Korea celebrates mothers and fathers on one day, 어버이날 (Eobeoinal, Parents' Day), on 8 May every year. The word 어버이 (eobeoi) is an old native word for "parents", and 날 (nal) means "day". Korea once marked a Mother's Day on the same date, and the combined day replaced it in 1973.

This fact answers the common searches for "father's day in Korean" and "parents day in Korean": the greeting is the same, and you simply change the title of the parent you are speaking to. A typical day includes a card, a red carnation, a meal and a phone call. The sentences below show how to say each part.

What Are the Formal and Polite Ways to Say Happy Mother's Day?

Parents' Day phrases follow the speech levels, the endings that change with the listener, explained in the guide to Korean speech levels. Because the listener is a parent, the phrases lean polite or formal, and the casual forms appear mainly at home.

Polite: 어버이날 축하드려요 (eobeoinal chukadeuryeoyo)

어버이날 축하드려요 is the standard greeting. The verb 드리다 (deurida) is the humble form of 주다 (to give), which lowers the speaker and raises the parent. It suits mothers, fathers, in-laws and any older person you greet on this day. The formal form is 어버이날 축하드립니다.

Formal: 어머니, 사랑합니다 (eomeoni saranghamnida)

어머니, 사랑합니다 uses the formal ending -ㅂ니다 and the respectful word 어머니. It is what many Koreans write on cards and say on solemn occasions. It sounds heartfelt rather than distant, because many families rarely say "I love you" aloud.

Polite: 엄마 사랑해요 (eomma saranghaeyo)

엄마 사랑해요 is the warm polite version. 엄마 is the everyday word for "mom", and 사랑해요 is the polite "I love you". Many adults keep this register with their mothers even when they use casual speech for other things. The page I love you in Korean covers every level of the phrase.

Formal: 감사합니다, 어머니 (gamsahamnida, eomeoni)

감사합니다, 어머니 places thanks first and the title second. On Parents' Day, thanks matter as much as congratulations, and a longer sentence is common on cards: 낳아 주시고 길러 주셔서 감사합니다 (thank you for giving birth to me and raising me). The pattern -(아/어) 주시다 is the honorific "do for me".

Four forms rest on two choices: the family title and the register. Saying them clearly is next.

How Do You Pronounce 어버이날 축하드려요?

어버이날 축하드려요 is pronounced eo-beo-i-nal chu-ka-deu-ryeo-yo, in nine syllables with a flat, even rhythm.

1. 어버이날 (eo-beo-i-nal): "uh-buh-ee-nahl", with a short final l.
2. 축하 (chu-ka): the ㄱ and ㅎ merge into a k sound.
3. 드려요 (deu-ryeo-yo): "duh-ryuh-yo", with a light r.

Sound Changes to Listen For

These details follow the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) Standard Pronunciation rules (표준 발음법):

• ㄱ + ㅎ becomes ㅋ. 축하 is said [추카], so the greeting is [어버이날 추카드려요].
• ㅂ + ㄴ becomes ㅁ + ㄴ. In 사랑합니다 and 감사합니다, the ㅂ before ㄴ turns into ㅁ: [사랑함니다], [감사함니다]. See ㅂ-to-ㅁ nasalization.
• Soft ㅎ in 사랑해요. The ㅎ after ㅇ is weak in everyday speech, so the word can sound close to "sa-rang-ae-yo".

Pronunciation is only half of a good greeting, so the next section covers who hears which form.

When Should You Use These Phrases, and When Should You Not?

Use 어버이날 축하드려요 for your parents and any older relative on 8 May, and switch to a casual form only if your family speaks casually at home. Each situation changes the form.

Situations Where It Fits

• A call on 8 May. 어머니, 어버이날 축하드려요, then a short thank-you.
• A card with a carnation. Write 사랑합니다 and your thanks.
• A family dinner. Say the greeting as you give the gift.
• In-laws. Use 어머님/아버님, 어버이날 축하드립니다.

Situations to Avoid

• A teacher or coworker. Parents' Day greetings are for parents. Teachers have their own day, 스승의 날 (15 May).
• Casual 사랑해 with in-laws. Too familiar; use 감사합니다.
• Using 축하해 with a parent. Casual congratulation lacks respect.
• A bereaved parent. If your parent has lost a spouse, a gentle visit may fit better than a cheerful card.

Two short conversations show how the phrases sound in real life.

What Does Parents' Day Sound Like in a Real Conversation?

Parents' Day conversations are short and warm: a greeting, a thanks and a wish for health. Notice how the speaker's form shows both respect and closeness.

What to notice: the daughter keeps the humble 드려요, and the father answers in plain speech, as an older person would.

What to notice: at home, many families use casual speech. The polite forms above are always safe, and the casual forms follow the family's own habit. The customs behind the day explain the gifts.

What Should You Know about the Culture behind Parents' Day?

Parents' Day is about gratitude, shown with small gifts and time together. These customs shape the phrases.

• The carnation. The classic gift is a red carnation (카네이션, kaneisyeon), pinned to a parent's clothes. Children say 달아 드릴게요 (I will pin it for you).
• Cards. Handwritten cards with a thank-you message are common, especially from children at school.
• Meals and money. Families often share a meal, and adult children may give money in an envelope (용돈, yongdon).
• Distance. Children who live far away call, send flowers or send a message on 8 May.
• Thanks over cheers. The tone is grateful rather than festive, so the sentence 감사합니다 matters as much as 축하드려요.

An expert insight: learners often search for "Mother's Day" and look for a May Sunday. In Korea the date is fixed and the focus is on both parents, so planning a gift for only one parent can feel odd. The mistakes below come from the same assumption.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with Happy Mother's Day in Korean?

Most mistakes come from expecting the English holiday structure or from choosing the wrong register.

Learners often assume the day is simply Mother's Day with a Korean name. Actually, 어버이날 honours both parents together and also centres on thanks, so one card that names both parents is the better choice. The next section collects the other searches.

Is It the Same as Happy Mothers Day?

Almost. The greeting covers mothers, and the same day covers fathers. The short answers below cover the searches around it.

• Happy mothers day in Korean: 어머니, 어버이날 축하드려요, or 엄마 사랑해요.
• Happy father's day in Korean: 아버지, 어버이날 축하드려요, or 아빠 사랑해요.
• Parents day in Korean: 어버이날.
• Mother's day in Korean: 어버이날 for the holiday. 어머니 means mother, but no separate day exists now.
• Father's day in Korean: 어버이날 as well.
• Happy parents day in Korean: 어버이날 축하드려요.

Now practise.

Practice: Say It Aloud

Play the slow clip of 어버이날 축하드려요 and repeat it three times, then try 엄마 사랑해요. Next choose the form for each case. Answers follow.

1. You call your father on 8 May.
2. You write a card to your mother-in-law.
3. Your mother is at home with you.
4. You want to add thanks to a card.

Answers

1. 아버지, 어버이날 축하드려요.
2. 어머님, 어버이날 축하드립니다.
3. 엄마, 사랑해요, or 엄마, 사랑해 if your family speaks casually.
4. 낳아 주시고 길러 주셔서 감사합니다.

The phrase flashcards drill these phrases with audio.

Related Phrases to Learn Next

Parents' Day phrases connect to other family and gratitude phrases.

• I love you in Korean: 사랑해요 at every level.
• Thank you in Korean: 감사합니다 and 고마워요.
• Happy birthday in Korean: the greeting for a parent's 생신.

This guide belongs to the Korean celebration phrases collection. What this page does not cover: in-law titles in depth and Teachers' Day. Choose 어버이날 축하드려요 for both parents, 엄마 사랑해요 for warmth and 감사합니다 for thanks, and you can say happy mother's day in Korean the way Korean families do.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Mother's Day in Korea?

Korea has no separate Mother's Day today. Both parents are honoured on 어버이날 (Eobeoinal, Parents' Day), every year on 8 May. Korea once marked a separate Mother's Day on the same date, and the combined day replaced it in 1973. Greet both parents on the day, in person or by phone.

How do you say happy Father's Day in Korean?

Use the same greeting, because 어버이날 covers both parents: 아버지, 어버이날 축하드려요 (father, happy Parents' Day). You can also say 아버지, 사랑합니다 (father, I love you) or 아빠, 감사해요 (dad, thank you). Replace 어머니 or 엄마 with 아버지 or 아빠 in every sentence on this page.

Is 축하 the right word for Parents' Day?

축하 (congratulations) is common on cards, but many Koreans prefer thanks, because the day is about gratitude. A safe pair is 어버이날 축하드려요 followed by 낳아 주시고 길러 주셔서 감사합니다 (thank you for giving birth to me and raising me). The second line shows the feeling behind the first.

What do Koreans give their parents on Parents' Day?

The classic gift is a red carnation (카네이션, kaneisyeon), often pinned to the parent's clothing, together with a handwritten card. Many families add a meal out or cash in an envelope (용돈, yongdon, allowance). Children living far away call or send a message and a gift on the day.

Can I say 사랑해요 to my mother in Korean?

Yes. 엄마 사랑해요 is polite and warm, and many families use the casual 엄마 사랑해 at home. Some Korean families rarely say it aloud, so the words feel special on Parents' Day. If saying it feels awkward, write it on a card, where it is easier and still meaningful.

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