majka
Latin, feminine
The English word "mother" is translated into Croatian as majka. Wiktionary also lists mati and roditeljica.
Meaning: female (human) who gives birth to or parents a child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Croatian | Note |
|---|---|
| majka | Latin, feminine |
| mati | Latin, feminine |
| roditeljica | Latin, feminine |
The terms used to refer to a female human who gives birth to or parents a child vary depending on the desired level of affection or formality.
Which one should you use?
majka is the standard, most common word used in everyday speech and writing. While majka is used for personal connections, roditeljica is a formal, administrative term meaning "female parent" and is less common in emotional contexts. Additionally, mama serves as the common informal and affectionate term for "mom" used by both children and adults.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Istrian Dialects, the word mater is used for "mother".
Did you know?
- While majka is the standard term, in many parts of Croatia you might hear the word mater, which is also used in the phrase mater joj to express shock or frustration.
- The word mati is the direct distant cousin of the English word 'mother' and the Latin 'mater', as both trace back to the same ancient Indo-European root.
- Using the word majka instead of mama when speaking directly to one's mother can signal a sudden shift to a serious or disciplined tone.
Examples in context
- Moja majka voli glazbu.My mother loves music.This sentence shows the use of majka to express a personal preference.Tatoeba #2424527 by Myushiro, translation #251835 by CK
- Prvo što mi je majka rekla je bilo: "Je si li ti lud?"The first thing my mother said was: "Are you crazy?"This sentence uses majka to recount something a mother said.Tatoeba #5733499 by puzz, translation #3382760 by Hybrid
- Mirno smo večerali kad je iznenada moja majka najavila da se vraća u školu.We were having a quiet supper when out of the blue my mother announced she was going back to school.This sentence uses majka within a narrative context about a mother's announcement.Tatoeba #6385995 by psoldo, translation #23502 by papabear
- Mama, kako si danas?Mother, how are you today?
- Volim te, mama!I love you, Mom!
- Poštovana majkoDear mother
- Materinski instinktMaternal instinct
- MajčinstvoMotherhood
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Ivana are talking about their families.
- MateoGdje je tvoja majka danas?Where is your mother today?
- IvanaMoja majka je na poslu.My mother is at work.
- MateoJe li ona učiteljica?Is she a teacher?
- IvanaDa, ona je jako dobra majka i učiteljica.Yes, she is a very good mother and teacher.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries majka, mati, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
