moeder
/ˈmudər/formal
The Afrikaans word for mother is moeder. Wiktionary also lists ma.
Meaning: female (human) who gives birth to or parents a child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Afrikaans | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| moeder | /ˈmudər/ | formal |
| ma | informal |
The term refers to a female human who gives birth to or parents a child.
Which one should you use?
moeder is used when speaking about a mother in a respectful, detached or official manner. In contrast, ma is used in everyday conversation and when addressing one's own mother directly. Other affectionate forms include the diminutive mamma, similar to 'mommy' in English and the endearing term mammie.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
moeder is the standard formal word. ma is an informal term used for everyday speech. mamma and mammie are both informal, with mamma being a common diminutive used by children and mammie serving as an endearing and affectionate term.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmudər/
Did you know?
- In Afrikaans culture, the term ma can be used as a sign of respect for any older woman, even if she is not the speaker's biological parent.
- In some traditional Afrikaans contexts, addressing a mother by her first name is considered highly disrespectful, regardless of how modern the family is.
- The Afrikaans word moeder is a direct descendant of the Proto-Indo-European root *méh₂tēr, making it a distant relative of the English 'mother' and the Sanskrit 'mātr'.
Examples in context
- Ek moet my ma help.I have to help my mother.This sentence shows how to use ma when talking about helping a mother.Tatoeba #677977 by Matthias, translation #484051 by CK
- Hy het my ma gevra.He asked my mother.This sentence shows how to use ma when someone has asked a mother a question.Tatoeba #4332758 by Superdooperhero, translation #749761 by sctld
- Jy klink soos my ma.You sound like my mother.This sentence shows how to use ma when comparing someone's sound to a mother's.Tatoeba #4332764 by Superdooperhero, translation #3356350 by CK
- Ek is baie lief vir jou, Moeder.I love you very much, Mother.
- Dankie, Mamma, vir al jou sorg.Thank you, Mom, for all your care.
- Mammie, dis tyd om te gaan.Mommy, it's time to go.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Pieter and Liezel are discussing a family wedding invitation.
- PieterIs jou moeder ook na die troue?Is your mother also going to the wedding?
- LiezelJa, sy gaan saam met my.Yes, she is going with me.
- PieterDit is baie goed om te hoor.That is very good to hear.
- LiezelSy sien baie uit daarna, Pieter.She is looking forward to it, Pieter.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother” translations and entries moeder, ma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries moeder, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
