Mom in the German Language; How Do Germans Call Their Parents?
The word mom resonates with unconditional love and care that is the basic need of every child. Mothers teach their children important values and skills. Simply put, they are one of the most important persons in everyone’s life.
German moms are no different. Learning how to say mom in the German language will help you start a conversation with your German-speaking friends. You can ask how their mom is, and maybe you will get invited for a piece of homemade Kuchen (cake).
Mom in the German Language
There are several ways to say mom in German. One of the most universal translations is (die) Mama. Germans use the word Mama when they talk to their moms or about them with their close friends.
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Mama in German
It is pronounced [ˈmɑmaː] in the IPA transcription. Little children use it to address their moms because it is much more affectionate than the standard (die) Mutter (mother).
- Wenn du nicht aufhörst, sage ich es meiner Mama. – If you don’t stop, I’ll tell my mom.
- Mama, kannst du mir eine Gute-Nacht-Geschichte vorlesen? – Mom, can you read me a bedtime story?
Other Names for Mom in the German Language
Mama is not the only possible translation of mom into German. (Die) Mutti is considered a bit old-fashioned nowadays, but it is still used in certain regions and contexts. Its pronunciation is [ˈmʊti], and it is derived from (die) Mutter, which means mother.
It can also refer to a motherly type of woman. It can often be used ironically when talking about a woman whose main purpose is to take care of her family, and at the same time, she is not taking very good care of herself.
- Du erinnerst mich an meine Mutti. – You remind me of my mom.
- Meine Mutti kriegt Panik, wenn ich mich nicht melde. – My mom panics when she doesn’t hear from me.
Mütterchen or Mütterlein?
Both (das) Mütterchen and (das) Mütterlein are diminutives of (die) Mutter. The endings -chen and -lein are typical endings of German diminutives, such as (das) Töchterchen – little daughter or (das) Tischlein – little table.
Usually, both versions work – (das) Töchterlein or (das) Tischchen are also correct. Don’t forget to use an umlaut (i.e. ü, ä, ö) if possible. The gender is always neuter no matter what the original gender is.
- Wir werden Mütterchen Russland rächen. – We will avenge our Mother Russia. (Mütterchen and Mütterlein are considered a bit outdated nowadays.)
Want Something More Affectionate than Mama?
Another possible nickname little children use when talking to their moms is (die) Mami. As in Sie sind meine Mami und mein Papi, nicht deine! – They are my mommy and daddy, not yours!
You can even form a diminutive of Mama – (das) Mamachen!
- Es schmeckt anders, wenn Mamachen es macht. – It tastes different when mommy makes it.
Another Meaning of Mutter
(Die) Mutter is not only the most formal translation of mother into German, but it can also mean a nut (used in technology and engineering).
- Die Halterung mit der Mutter sichern. – Secure the holder with a nut.
- Die mittlere Mutter lockern. – Loosen the center nut.
Phrases and Compound Words with Mom in German
Let’s take a look at some common adjectives associated with mom in the German language.
- Sie ist eine sehr fürsorgliche Mama. – She is a very caring mom. (Other possible translations of fürsorglich are thoughtful, considerate, or attentive.)
- Jede werdende Mutter erlebt diesen Moment anders. – Every mother-to-be experiences this moment differently.
Werdend is an adjective formed from the verb werden – to become or to get (it is also an auxiliary verb for the future tense in German).
- Alleinerziehende Mütter bleiben weiter die Hauptopfer von Armut. – Single mothers remain the main victims of poverty. (You can also use the adjective alleinerziehend to talk about lone or single fathers.)
You can encounter various compound words containing the word mom in the German language. Let’s take a look at a quick overview of the most common or interesting ones.
- (die) Mutterliebe – motherly love – Was weiß ein Mann über Mutterliebe? (= What does a man know about motherly love?)
- (die) Muttersprache – first (or native) language – Er spricht ausgezeichnet Englisch; seine Muttersprache ist aber Französisch. (= He speaks perfect English, but his first language is French.)
- (die) Schwiegermutter – Mother-in-law – Ich verstehe mich sehr gut mit meiner Schwiegermutter. (= I get along very well with my mother-in-law.)
- Similarly, you can say (der) Schwiegervater – father-in-law, (die) Schwiegereltern – in-laws, (der) Schwiegersohn – son-in-law, or (die) Schwiegertochter – daughter-in-law
- (die) Stiefmutter – stepmother (fun fact: the diminutive of Stiefmutter, (das) Stiefmütterchen is also a German name for pansy).
The prefix Stief- means “step-“ and can be used in various other words, such as (der) Stiefbruder – stepbrother or (die) Stiefschwester – stepsister.
- (die) Rabenmutter literally means raven mother and it is used to describe a bad, neglectful mother. As in Für manche bin ich eine Rabenmutter und das tut weh. – Some people think I’m a bad mother, and that hurts.
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What Is the Male Equivalent of Mom in German?
Last but not least, we cannot forget to mention how to translate dad into German. Below is an overview of how Germans call their parents.
|
(die) Mutter |
(der) Vater |
Mother/father |
|
(die) Mama |
(der) Papa |
Mom/dad |
|
(die) Mutti |
(der) Vati |
Mom/dad |
|
(die) Mami |
(der) Papi |
Mommy/daddy |
|
(das) Mütterchen |
(das) Väterchen |
Dear mother/dear father |
|
(das) Mütterlein |
– |
Dear mother/- |
Example sentences with dad in German:
- Mein Vater wollte das geheim halten. – My father wanted to keep it a secret.
- Ich habe mit deinem Papa gesprochen und ihm alles gesagt. – I have talked to your dad and told him everything.
- Vati übernahm das Geschäft, als Opa starb. – Dad took over the shop when grandpa died.
- Papi wird es gar nicht bemerken. – Papa won’t notice at all.
- Väterchen Frost ist auch als Santa Claus bekannt. – Father Frost is also known as Santa Claus.
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