Mutterland
/ˈmʊtərˌlant/
The German word for motherland is Mutterland.
Mutterland can refer to a person's country of origin, but it is very frequently used figuratively to describe the place where a specific concept, invention or sport originated.
Meaning: country of origin (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of Mutter (mother) and Land (land/country).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bavaria, the colloquial term Hoamat is used as a variation of Heimat.
How does it change in a sentence?
Mutterland is a neuter noun, so it is used with the article das. The plural form is Mutterländer.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmʊtərˌlant/
Did you know?
- While Mutterland refers to origin, Germans often use Heimat to describe a feeling of belonging that does not necessarily align with a legal border or a single country.
- In German, using Mutterland to describe a country can sometimes carry a more poetic or intensely nationalistic tone than the more common and neutral term Heimatland.
- The same linguistic logic used in Mutterland appears in the word Muttersprache, which means 'mother tongue' or 'native language'.
Examples in context
- Kanada ist das Mutterland des Eishockeys.Canada is the motherland of ice hockey.This sentence shows how Mutterland can describe the origin of a sport.Tatoeba #4242910 by Valodnieks, translation #4242928 by Valodnieks
- Das Mutterland ist mehr wert als das Königreich des Himmels.The motherland is worth more than the Kingdom of Heaven.This sentence uses Mutterland in a comparative context.Tatoeba #4954922 by Esperantostern, translation #9019943 by Rawrren
- England gilt als Mutterland des Fußballs.England is considered the motherland of (association) football.This sentence shows how Mutterland is used to describe the origin of a sport.
- Ich liebe mein Vaterland.I love my motherland.
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura are talking about their families' origins.
- MaximilianBesuchst du oft dein Mutterland?Do you visit your motherland often?
- LauraJa, ich fliege jedes Jahr dorthin.Yes, I fly there every year.
- MaximilianIch würde auch gerne dein Mutterland sehen.I would like to see your motherland too.
- LauraDann komm mich doch nächsten Sommer besuchen!Then come visit me next summer!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Mutterland, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
