nantli
The Nahuatl word for mom is nantli.
The term is used to refer to a female parent.
Which one should you use?
While nantli is the standard form, māmā is a specific informal term used to say mom.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Central Nahuatl dialect, the term nana is used for mom.
Did you know?
- In many Nahuatl dialects, the word for 'mother' is also the word used to refer to the 'Earth' or 'Mother Earth'.
- In Classical Nahuatl, the suffix -tli in nantli is an absolutive marker, a grammatical feature that does not exist in English or Spanish.
- The term māmā sounds very similar to the English 'mama', but it is a distinct part of the Nahuatl linguistic structure rather than a loanword.
Examples in context
- Nantli ne nican.Mom is here.
Example conversation
Yolanda and Xicoténcatl are at home.
- YolandaNantli, ¿amo tlacuiah?Mom, aren't we eating?
- XicoténcatlAmo, Yolanda, tlacuiah mion.No, Yolanda, we are eating soon.
- YolandaNantli, nictemoti no tlacualli.Mom, I'm looking for my food.
- XicoténcatlTlacualli ca tlanon.The food is over there.
