MAMA

English translation and Korean lesson with the lyrics of MAMA by BTS, from the 2016 album Wings.

Produced by: Primary, Pdogg
Written by: j-hope, Primary, Pdogg

Find it here: Youtube • Spotify • Apple Music • Amazon Music

Verse 1:

Time travel 2006년의 해

Time travel. The year 2006.

년 = a year

-의 = indicates possession, like ‘s in English (년의)

해 = year (Used differently than 년. Use 년 to say “for 7 years” “in 3 years”, etc. Use 해 to say “this year”, “the year is almost over” etc.)

춤에 미쳐 엄마 허리띠를 졸라맸지

I was crazy for dance. Mom tightened her belt.

(To tighten one’s belt is an expression meaning to be determined to live frugally when one’s economic situation isn’t great.)

춤 = dance

-에 at, on, in X (춤에)

미치다 = to be crazy

엄마 = mom

허리띠 = a belt

졸라매다 = to tighten

-지 = adds a nuance of “you know”, “isn’t it?” (졸라맸지)

아빠 반대에도 매일 달려들 때

When I threw myself into it every day, despite Dad’s objections,

아빠 = dad

반대 = opposition, objection

-도 = in spite of X (반대에도)

매일 = every day

달려들다 = to fling oneself into, to pounce at

때 = the point in time where something happens

아랑곳하지 않고 띄워주신 꿈의 조각배

she paid no heed, and set my little boat of dreams afloat.

아랑곳하다 = to concern oneself with, to heed

-지 않다 = to not do X (아랑곳하지 않고)

띄우다 = to launch, to set afloat, to let fly

-어주다 / -아주다 = adds a nuance of “for” or “as a favour to” the person to/for whom the action is being done. (띄워주신)

-시 = added to verbs/adjective when the person you’re speaking about deserves high respect (띄워주신)

꿈 = a dream

조각배 = a small boat

But 몰랐지 엄마의 큰 보탬이

But I didn’t realize Mom’s huge support

모르다 = to not know

크다 = to be big

보탬 = aid, support

펼쳐 있는 지름길 아닌 빚을 쥔 이 꿈의 길

wasn’t a shortcut laid before us, but this path of dreams fill with debt.

펼치다 = to spread open, unfold

-어 있다 / -어 있다 = conjugates a verb into a passive state. IE: Not “This door is being unlocked.” but “this door is unlocked” (펼쳐 있는)

지름길 = a shortcut (지름 = diameter + 길 = path/road)

아니다 = to not be X (X being the preceding word

빚 = debt

쥐다 = to grasp, to clutch

이 = this, these

길 = a road, a path

(Always) 문제의 money 어머닌 결국

(Always) The problem was money. In the end, mother

문제 = a problem

어머니 = mother

결국 = finally, in the end

(Go away) 타지로 일하러 가셨어

(Go away) went out of town to work.

타지 = a different province, a different part of the country

-로 = to X (타지로)

일하다 = to work

-러 / -으러 = to go to do X (일하러)

가다 = to go

전화로 듣는 엄마의 목소리는 선명하고

Mom’s voice was so clear on the phone, and

전화 = a phone, a phone call

듣다 = to hear

목소리 = a voice

선명하다 = to be clear, distinct

-고 = X and (선명하고)

기억나는 건

what I remember

기어나다 = to remember

그때 엄마의 강인함이 내겐 변화구.

is that Mom’s strength was a breaking ball for me back then.

그 = that, those

강인함 = strength, tenacity

내 = I, me, my

에게 = to X, for X (내게)

변화구 = a breaking ball

정말로 꼭 성공해야겠다고 결심하고

Seriously, I resolved to succeed no matter what, and

정말로 = really, truly

꼭 = for sure, without fail, no matter what

성공하다 = to succeed

결심하다 = to decide, to resolve

그 다짐 하나로

with that one promise

다짐 = a pledge, a promise, a resolution

하나 = one

-로 / -으로 = with, via X (하나로)

지금의 아들로

I became the son I am now.

지금 = now

아들 = a son

-로 / -으로 = into X (as in, to turn into) (아들로)

Chorus:

Hey mama

이젠 내게 기대도 돼 언제나 옆에

Now you can lean on me. Always by your side.

이제 = now

기대다 = to lean on, to depend on

-아도 되다 / -어도 되다 = “You can do X”, “It’s ok if you do X” (기대도 돼)

언제나 = always

옆 = beside

Hey mama

내게 아낌없이 주셨기에 버팀목이었기에

Because you gave to me unsparingly. Because you were my pillar.

아낌없이 = generously, unsparingly

주다 = to give

-기에 = “because X”, used to explain a reason why one is doing something (주셨기에)

버팀목 = a wooden support, a brace

Hey mama

이젠 아들내미 믿으면 돼 웃으면 돼

Now you can trust your little boy. You can smile.

아들내미 = an affectionate way to refer to one’s son

믿다 = to trust, believe in

-으면 되다 / -면 되다 = Used to suggest one can or should do X (믿으면 돼)

웃다 = to smile, to laugh

Hey mama

Hey mama

Verse 2:

Hey mama

I’m sorry mama

하늘같은 은혜 이제 알아서 mama

for only realizing your sky-high goodness now, mama.

하늘 = a sky

-같다 = to be like X (하늘같다)

은혜 = favour, kindness, grace

알다 = to know

-아서 / -어서 = because X (알아서)

Hey mama

So thanks mama

내게 피와 살이 되어주셔서 mama

For becoming my flesh and blood, mama.

피 = blood

-와 / -과 = “and” when followed by an accompanying noun. “with” in all other cases. (피와)

살 = flesh, fat

되다 = to become

기억해 mom?

Do you remember, mom?

기억하다 = to remember

문흥동 히딩크 PC방, 브로드웨이 레스토랑

Munheungdong Hiddink Internet Cafe, Broadway Restaurant?

가정 위해 두 발 뛰는 베테랑

A veteran of being run off her feet for her family.

가정 = family

위하다 = to be for X, for the benefit of X (X being the preceding noun)

두 = two

발 = a foot

뛰다 = to run, to jump

베테랑 = a veteran

실패는 성공의 어머니 어머니

Failure is the mother, mother of success.

실패 = failure

성공 = success

그런 열정과 성심을 배워

I’m following your example of passion and sincerity.

그렇다 = to be like that

열정 = passion, ardor

성심 = sincerity

배우다 = to learn, to emulate

Wanna be wanna be

이제 나도 어른이 될 때

Now it’s time for me to become an adult too.

-도 = X too, even X (나도)

어른 = an adult

새싹에 큰 거름이 되었기에

Because you were such a great fertilizer to this sprout,

(새싹 mean “sprout”, but also “child” or “children” like the English expression “little sprouts”)

새싹 = a sprout, a shoot

거름 = fertilizer

꽃이 되어 그대만의 꽃길이 될게

I become a flower. I’ll become a path of flowers just for you.

(꽃길, or “flower path” is a Korean expression very similar to “a bed of roses”. To walk down a flower path means to have a happy future free from trouble.)

You walking on way way way.

꽃 = a flower

그대 = “you” affectionately

-만 = just X, only X(그대만의)

꽃길 = a flower path.

-게 / -을게 = “I’ll do X” with an added nuance of “unless you object” or “if that’s ok with you” (될게)

Chorus:

Hey mama

이젠 내게 기대도 돼 언제나 옆에

Now you can lean on me. Always by your side.

Hey mama

내게 아낌없이 주셨기에 버팀목이었기에

Because you gave to me unsparingly. Because you were my pillar.

Hey mama

이젠 아들내미 믿으면 돼 웃으면 돼

Now you can trust your little boy. You can smile.

Hey mama

Hey mama

Bridge:

세상을 느끼게 해준 그대가 만들어준 숨

The breath you gave me that allowed me to experience the world.

세상 = a world

느끼다 = to feel, to experience

-게 하다 = to make/let X happen (느끼게 하다)

만들다 = to make

숨 = a breath

오늘따라 문득 더 안고 싶은 품

The embrace that today I suddenly want to return even more.

오늘따라 = today of all days, today especially

문득 = suddenly

더 = more

안다 = to hug

-고 싶다 = to want to do X (안고 싶은)

품 = bosom/embrace (a word really only used into connection with embracing)

땅 위 그 무엇이 높다 하리오

What is higher than anything on land?

땅 = land

위 = the top of something

무엇 = what, something, anything (context-dependent)

높다 = to be high

하늘 밑 그 무엇이 넓다 하리오

What’s wider than anything under the sky?

밑 = the bottom of something, the area under something

넓다 = to be wide, broad

오직 하나 엄마 손이 약손

The one and only, “Mom’s hand is a hand of healing.”

(엄마 손이 약손 are the first words of a song sometimes sung by mothers in Korea while rubbing their child’s belly when the child has a stomachache)]

오직 = exclusively, only

손 = a hand

약 = medicine

그대는 영원한 나만의 placebo

You’re an eternal placebo just for me.

I love mom

영원하다 = to be unchanging, to be eternal

Chorus:

Hey mama

이젠 내게 기대도 돼 언제나 옆에

Now you can lean on me. Always by your side.

Hey mama

내게 아낌없이 주셨기에 버팀목이었기에

Because you gave to me unsparingly. Because you were my pillar.

Hey mama

이젠 아들내미 믿으면 돼 웃으면 돼

Now you can trust your little boy. You can smile.

Hey mama

Hey mama

Hey mama

이젠 내게 기대도 돼 언제나 옆에

Now you can lean on me. Always by your side.

Hey mama

내게 아낌없이 주셨기에 버팀목이었기에

Because you gave to me unsparingly. Because you were my pillar.

Hey mama

이젠 아들내미 믿으면 돼 웃으면 돼

Now you can trust your little boy. You can smile.

Hey mama

Hey mama