Es mi madre.
She's my mother.
A doctor tells a colleague why she's so tense: the patient is her mother, and madre is the neutral word for talking about her at work.
From Dr. House · Spanish audio
Spanish vocabularyA1 · Beginner
How to say "mother" in Spanish
la madre
nounfeminineplural: las madres
"Mother" in Spanish is la madre. It's the standard word adults use to talk about their mother, Mi madre trabaja en una oficina, and the one printed on forms. When people talk to her they say mamá, and ¡Madre mía! is an exclamation that means good heavens.
Hear "madre" in real movie scenes
Two calm, respectful answers. Each video starts and stops on that line.
Mi madre.
My mother.
Asked who gave him an old favorite of his, he answers in two warm words, and mi madre keeps it simple and respectful.
From Un buen día en el vecindario · Spanish audio
Madre in everyday Spanish
Set phrases where madre, or its adjective, shows up.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| mi madre | my mother |
| el Día de la Madre | Mother's Day |
| ¡Madre mía! | Good heavens! Oh my! |
| una madre soltera | a single mother |
| por parte de madre | on my mother's side |
| la lengua materna | mother tongue |
Tip: In Mexico, madre turns up in plenty of strong slang, so most people say mi mamá when they mean their own mother.
Grammar: la madre, las madres
Four points about the neutral word for mother.
Feminine, with an -e
la madre, una madre, las madres. Adjectives about her take -a: una madre cariñosa.About her or to her
Use madre to talk about her: Mi madre trabaja en una oficina. Use mamá to talk to her: Mamá, ¿dónde estás?Whose mother
mi madre, tu madre, su madre. With a name, add de: la madre de Ana.The adjective is materno
For things that come from a mother, Spanish uses materno or materna: la lengua materna, el amor materno.Example sentences
Sentences from the Wordy Spanish course. Tap to listen.
Mi madre trabaja en una oficina.
My mother works in an office.
Es mi madre.
She's my mother.
¡Madre mía!
Good heavens!
Mi madre es una persona muy interesante.
My mother is a very interesting person.
Common mistakes
Mistakes learners make with this word, and how to fix them.
✗Este es mi madre
✓Esta es mi madre
Este is the masculine form. To introduce your mother, switch to the feminine esta.
✗Hola, madre (greeting your own mother)
✓Hola, mamá
Madre works for talking about her. Said to her face, it sounds stiff, almost like a line from an old play.
✗MAH-dray (pronunciation)
✓MAH-dreh
Finish on a short, pure e, without the y glide of English day.
Practice: 3 quick exercises
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How to remember it
Say madre and mother side by side: the same m up front, and a d where English has th. Picture the word on a card: Para mi madre.
Questions about "mother" in Spanish
How do you say mother in Spanish?
La madre. For your own mother, say mi madre: Mi madre trabaja en una oficina.
What's the difference between madre and mamá?
Madre is the neutral word you use when you talk about her, at work or on paper. Mamá is what you call her, and what most families say at home.
What does ¡Madre mía! mean?
It's an exclamation of surprise, close to oh my goodness or good heavens. Nobody's mother is involved.
When is Mother's Day in Spanish-speaking countries?
El Día de la Madre falls on the first Sunday of May in Spain and on May 10 in Mexico.
