svekrva
/sʋêkr̩ʋa/Latin, feminine
The English phrase "mother-in-law" is translated into Croatian as svekrva. Wiktionary also lists tašta.
Meaning: spouse's mother (noun)
Ways to say it
| Croatian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| svekrva | /sʋêkr̩ʋa/ | Latin, feminine |
| tašta | /tâʃta/ | Latin, feminine |
The term is used to refer to a person's mother-in-law, specifically the mother of one's husband.
Which one should you use?
The standard term is svekrva, which refers specifically to a husband's mother. In contrast, tašta is a colloquial or regional alternative. Do not confuse svekrva with maćeha, which means stepmother.
Is it said differently in some regions?
tašta is a common colloquial or regional term used in parts of the Balkans, including Croatia.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of svekrva is svekrve.
How do you pronounce it?
/sʋêkr̩ʋa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse svekrva (mother-in-law) with maćeha (stepmother).
Did you know?
- In Croatian folk culture, the svekrva is a classic comedic figure, often portrayed in jokes as a strict or domineering woman fighting for household control.
- Unlike in English, Croatian uses different words based on whose mother is being discussed: svekrva is the husband's mother and tašta is the wife's mother.
- The root of svekrva is related to the word for 'relative' or 'kin' in several other Slavic languages.
Examples in context
- Dragi gospodine Jenkins, ovo je moja svekrva.Dear Mr. Jenkins, this is my mother-in-law.
- Upoznajte majku mog supruga, Ana.Meet the mother of my husband, Ana.
- Moja svekrva je vrlo ljubazna.My mother-in-law is very kind.
- Svekrva mi je poslala paket.My mother-in-law sent me a package.
Example conversation
Mateo and Ana are talking about family plans.
- MateoHoće li tvoja svekrva doći na večeru?Will your mother-in-law come to dinner?
- AnaDa, ona dolazi sutra.Yes, she is coming tomorrow.
- MateoTo je baš lijepo.That is very nice.
- AnaHvala, ona se jako raduje.Thanks, she is looking forward to it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother-in-law” translations and entries svekrva, tašta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
