tua madre
/ˈtu.a ˈma.dre/word by word
The English phrase "your mom" is translated into Italian as tua madre.
While tua madre literally means "your mother," when used as a standalone retort or part of a vulgar sentence, it functions as a generic, highly offensive insult similar to 'your mom' in English slang.
Meaning: a general-purpose insult (intj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Lombardy dialect of Northern Italy, tua mamma may be replaced by ta mama.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase tua madre, the possessive adjective tua is used in the singular feminine form to agree with the feminine noun madre.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In some Southern Italian dialects, insults involving the mother are so culturally charged that they can lead to genuine physical altercations more quickly than insults directed at the person themselves.
- In many parts of Italy, switching from the formal madre to the more affectionate mamma when making an insult actually increases the level of vulgarity and disrespect.
- In Italy, insults targeting the mother are considered far more severe than in the US because of the deep cultural value placed on mammismo, the strong emotional bond between Italian children and their mothers.
Examples in context
- Fotti tua madre.Fuck your mom.This example shows how to use tua madre in a vulgar sentence.Tatoeba #4472263 by Guybrush88, translation #434764 by lukaszpp
- Cosa dice tua madre?What does your mom say?This example shows how to use tua madre in a non-insulting, literal question.Tatoeba #13899751 by rul, translation #12362180 by rul
- Mi sono scopato tua madre.I fucked your mom.This example shows how to use tua madre in a vulgar, sexual context.Tatoeba #13940733 by rul, translation #13940622 by rul
- Hai visto cosa ha cucinato tua mamma ieri?Did you see what your mom cooked yesterday?
- Tua mamma è davvero simpatica!Your mom is really nice!
- Ho incontrato la tua mamma al supermercato oggi.I met your mom at the supermarket today.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two teenagers are arguing after a video game match.
- GiuliaHai perso di nuovo, che scarso!You lost again, you're so bad!
- AlessandroTua madre!Your mom!
- GiuliaNon iniziare con queste scuse.Don't start with those excuses.
- AlessandroÈ stata una partita sfortunata.It was an unlucky game.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (tua, madre) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
