motina
[¹ˈmoːtʲɪnɐ]feminine
The English word mother is translated into Lithuanian as motina. Wiktionary also lists motė.
Meaning: female (human) who gives birth to or parents a child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lithuanian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| motina | [¹ˈmoːtʲɪnɐ] (narrow) | feminine |
| motė | [¹ˈmoːtʲeː] (narrow) | feminine |
The terms are used to refer to a female human who gives birth to or parents a child.
Which one should you use?
The pack provides two forms: motė and motina, both of which are feminine nouns.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Motina is a formal term for mother. In everyday conversation, the most frequent and common informal term is mama, which is equivalent to 'mom' or 'mommy'. For an endearing and slightly informal tone, you can use motinėlė. If you want an adorable diminutive form often used by children or family members, use mamytė.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Samogitia region, the word motušė is employed instead of motina.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate possession, such as 'mother's love', you use the genitive singular form motinos.
Did you know?
- The term motina is historically linked to an archaic word for 'wife', reflecting a time when the roles of spouse and parent were linguistically intertwined.
- Traditional Lithuanian folk songs often use motina as a poetic personification of nature or the homeland.
- In Lithuanian, the word motina can be used beyond family relations to describe a 'mother' ship or a 'mother' plant used for propagation.
Examples in context
- Tėvas ir motina yra tėvai.A father and a mother are parents.This sentence shows the use of motina in a sentence about parents.Tatoeba #7346594 by glavsaltulo, translation #9039140 by renhei
- Ar ji tavo motina?Is she your mother?This sentence uses motina to ask a question about someone's mother.Tatoeba #1486689 by Balamax, translation #310268 by CK
- Aš nesu tavo motina.I'm not your mother.This sentence uses motina in a negative statement.Tatoeba #1945418 by Balamax, translation #1943924 by Spamster
- Ačiū, motina, už visą tavo meilę ir rūpestį.Thank you, mother, for all your love and care.
- Aš labai myliu tave, mama.I love you very much, mother.
- Labas, mama! Kaip tau sekasi šiandien?Hello, mom! How are you doing today?
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andrius and Austėja are looking at an old family photograph.
- AndriusKas šioje nuotraukoje yra tavo motina?Who is your mother in this photo?
- AustėjaTa moterė šalia tėvo yra mano motina.That woman next to the father is my mother.
- AndriusJi atrodo labai jauni.She looks very young.
- AustėjaMano motina visada buvo labai jauni.My mother was always very young.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother” translations and entries motina, motė, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries motina, motė, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
