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Questions & Answers about Доброе утро, мама!
Why is the ending of the word for "good" -ое (Доброе) instead of -ый or -ая?
In Russian, adjectives change their endings to match the gender of the noun they describe. The word for morning, утро, ends in -о, which tells us it is a neuter noun. Because of this, the adjective takes the neuter ending -ое.
I learned that the Russian word for "good" is хороший. Why do we use a different word here?
You are right that хороший usually means "good." However, for standard time-of-day greetings like "Good morning" or "Good afternoon," Russian always uses forms of the word добрый. Literally, this word means "kind," so you are actually wishing your mom a "kind morning"!
Do I need to change the ending of мама because I am speaking directly to her?
In standard Russian grammar, no. When you address someone, you generally just use the basic dictionary form. However, in casual, everyday speech, you will often hear Russians drop the final vowel to get someone's attention, so calling out Мам! instead of Мама! is also very common and perfectly natural.
How do I pronounce the two "о" vowels in Доброе?