mama
The Lithuanian word for mom is mama.
mama is an informal word used to refer to a female parent.
Which one should you use?
mama is the common informal term, whereas the more formal or biological term for mother is motina. You may also use the diminutive mamytė to say 'mommy' or to express extra affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes depending on its role in a sentence. Use the genitive case mamos to indicate possession, such as 'mom's'. Use the accusative case mamą when the word is the direct object of a verb, such as 'I see mom'. Use the dative case mamai when the word is the indirect object, such as 'I gave it to mom'.
Did you know?
- The Lithuanian word mama shares a distant common ancestor with the German word Muhme, which means 'aunt'.
- Although mama is the standard informal term, using the more formal motina in a casual setting might make you sound like a character from a 19th-century novel.
- Lithuanian is one of the most conservative living languages, meaning its word mama retains an ancient structure from the Proto-Indo-European era.
Examples in context
- Aš Tomo mama.I'm Tom's mom.This sentence shows how to use the form mama to indicate a relationship.Tatoeba #12142196 by glavsaltulo, translation #2235792 by CK
- Mama yra vyresnė už tėtį.Mom is older than Dad.This sentence uses the form mama to compare her age to someone else's father.Tatoeba #1663308 by fanty, translation #482368 by adjusting
- Ačiū, mamaThank you, mom.
- Mano mama labai gerai gamina.My mom cooks very well.
Example conversation
Rūta and Mantas are talking about their plans for the weekend.
- RūtaAr tavo mama važiuoja į miestą?Is your mom going to the city?
- MantasTaip, ji važiuoja rytoj ryte.Yes, she is going tomorrow morning.
- RūtaGalėčiau paprašyti jos kažko atnešti?Could I ask her to bring something?
- MantasŽi Course, mama mielai padės.Sure, mom will be happy to help.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mama, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mama, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
