ma mère
The English phrase "my mother" is translated into French as ma mère.
The phrase is used to refer to the female parent of the speaker.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While ma mère is a standard way to refer to your mother, you might use maman if you want to say "mom" or "mommy" in a more affectionate and informal way.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase ma mère, the possessive adjective ma is used because mère is a feminine singular noun.
Did you know?
- The word mère is a homonym for the French word for 'sea', which is mer. They sound identical but have different spellings.
- In French, the word mère can also be used as a title for a nun, so saying ma mère could occasionally be misheard as 'my nun' if the context is not clear.
- In older French cinema and literature, you may hear characters address their mother as ma mère directly, whereas modern speakers almost always use maman when speaking to her.
Examples in context
- Où est ma mère ?Where's my mother?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of ma mère.Tatoeba #3641911 by sacredceltic, translation #2254647 by CK
- Ma mère va bien.My mother is fine.This sentence is useful for stating that ma mère is doing well.Tatoeba #9165769 by Julien_PDC, translation #9161445 by CK
- Mary est ma mère.Mary is my mother.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as ma mère.Tatoeba #5814312 by Aiji, translation #2280385 by CK
- J'adore ma mère.I love my mother.
- Ma mère prépare un délicieux dîner.My mother is preparing a delicious dinner.
- Je suis très fier de ma maman.I am very proud of my mother.
- Ma maman me comprend toujours.My mother always understands me.
- 515 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are talking about family over coffee.
- EmmaMa mère adore ce restaurant.My mother loves this restaurant.
- HugoElle est très sympa, ta mère.Your mother is very nice.
- EmmaMerci, elle est très gentille.Thank you, she is very kind.
- HugoC'est vrai, elle est adorable.It's true, she is lovely.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
