ama de casa
/ˌama de ˈkasa/
The English phrase "stay-at-home mom" is translated into Spanish as ama de casa.
This phrase refers to a mother who manages the home and cares for children instead of working outside the house.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ama de casa literally translates to "mistress of the house".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you can use mamá que se dedica al hogar to express this meaning.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ama de casa is grammatically feminine and is used specifically for women. To make the phrase plural, only the first word changes: amas de casa.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌama de ˈkasa/
Did you know?
- The term ama de casa is so deeply tied to gender in Spanish grammar that using the masculine amo de casa for a father can sometimes sound humorous or ironic to native speakers due to the strong association with traditional female roles.
- The word ama in ama de casa originally meant 'wetnurse' in Old Spanish.
- There is a subtle emotional shift when replacing casa with hogar. While ama de casa focuses on the physical property, ama de hogar emphasizes the heart and warmth of the family unit.
Examples in context
- Mi hermana es una mamá de tiempo completo y siempre está disponible para sus hijos.My sister is a full-time mom and is always available for her children.
- Mi amiga es una mamá que no trabaja pero se dedica al cuidado de su familia.My friend is a mom who doesn't work but takes care of her family.
- Ella es ama de casa.She is a stay-at-home mom.
- Mi madre es ama de casa.My mother is a stay-at-home mom.
- Ser ama de casa es difícil.Being a stay-at-home mom is difficult.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking about their family backgrounds.
- JavierTú trabajas en el banco, ¿verdad?You work at the bank, right?
- ElenaSí, pero mi madre siempre fue ama de casa.Yes, but my mother was always a stay-at-home mom.
- JavierQué bueno, ella podía cuidar a todos.That's great, she could take care of everyone.
- ElenaSí, ella disfrutaba mucho estar en el hogar.Yes, she really enjoyed being at home.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ama de casa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ama, casa, de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
