माता
mātā/mɑː.t̪ɑː/feminine
In Hindi, the English word "mother" can be expressed using several forms, most commonly माता (mātā) or मां. Wiktionary also lists मादर (mādar) and वालिदा (vālidā).
Meaning: female (human) who gives birth to or parents a child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| माता | mātā | /mɑː.t̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| मां | mā̃ | /mɑ̃ː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| मादर | mādar | /mɑː.d̪əɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| वालिदा | vālidā | /ʋɑː.lɪ.d̪ɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
The terms are used to refer to a female human who gives birth to or parents a child.
Which one should you use?
मां is the most common, everyday way to say mother or mom in spoken Hindi. माता is the formal or literary term often used in writing or formal speeches. वालिदा is a formal term for mother derived from Urdu, often used in Muslim households or poetic contexts. मादर is a root for 'mother', it is almost exclusively encountered in highly offensive or vulgar slang compounds.
Is it said differently in some regions?
वालिदा is often used in Muslim households.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of mātā is /mɑː.t̪ɑː/. It has 2 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using मादर in regular conversation, as it is almost exclusively encountered in highly offensive or vulgar slang compounds.
Did you know?
- In some Indian cultures, the word for 'mother' is etymologically linked to terms for diseases like 'smallpox', due to the historical association between the goddess Shitala and maternal protection.
- The formal Sanskrit term माता shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the English word 'mother', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *méh₂tēr.
- Because of the diverse linguistic history of the Indian subcontinent, a single concept like 'mother' can be expressed through Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic roots all within the same language.
Examples in context
- वो उसकी मां को चिट्ठी लिख रहा है।He's writing his mother a letter.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of मां.Tatoeba #11370635 by Sorcien, translation #4284630 by seltsameseeds
- वह सचमुच अपने मां पर गई है।She really takes after her mother.Tatoeba #2076898 by sabretou, translation #316951 by CK
- हमने हमारी मां को एक घड़ी दी।We gave our mother a watch.Tatoeba #2070012 by sabretou, translation #22667 by CK
- आपकी माता बहुत सम्मानीय है।Your mother is very honorable.
- क्या आपकी मातृभाषा हिंदी है?Is your mother tongue Hindi?
- मेरी माँ ने मुझे बहुत सारे प्यार और समर्पण से पाला है।My mother has raised me with lots of love and dedication.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Pooja and Aditya are talking about their parents.
- पूजा Poojaआपकी माता कहाँ हैं?Aapki mata kahan hain?Where is your mother?
- आदित्य Adityaमेरी माता घर पर हैं।Meri mata ghar par hain.My mother is at home.
- पूजा Poojaक्या मैं उनसे मिल सकती हूँ?Kya main unse mil sakti hoon?Can I meet her?
- आदित्य Adityaहाँ, वह आपका इंतज़ार कर रही हैं।Haan, vah aapka intezaar kar rahi hain.Yes, she is waiting for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother” translations and entries माता, मां, मादर, वालिदा, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries माता, मादर, वालिदा, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
