tu mamá
/tu mama/from spelling rules
The English phrase "your mom" can be translated into Spanish as tu mamá.
tu mamá is also used as a general-purpose insult.
Meaning: a general-purpose insult (intj)
Which one should you use?
tu mamá is the standard way to say "your mom" in an informal context. In very casual settings among friends, you might also hear the expression tu vieja, which literally means "your old lady."
Is it said differently in some regions?
Tu vieja is an expression often used among close friends in Latin America to refer to "your mom."
How do you pronounce it?
/tu mama/
Did you know?
- The word mamá requires a written accent on the final 'a' to distinguish it from the word mama, which refers to a breast or a teat in Spanish.
- While 'your mom' is often a joke in English, using tu mamá as a direct insult in many Spanish-speaking cultures can be taken much more seriously and may trigger an aggressive physical confrontation.
- The word mamá is nearly identical to the English 'mom' because both rely on the same universal 'ma' sound common to many human infant-directed languages.
Examples in context
- ¿Qué dijo tu mamá?What did your mom say?This sentence is useful for asking what the person's mother said regarding tu mamá.Tatoeba #6673570 by UsuarioX, translation #3573387 by Hybrid
- ¿Sabe manejar tu mamá?Does your mom know how to drive?This sentence is useful for asking if the person's mother knows how to drive regarding tu mamá.Tatoeba #1495231 by hayastan, translation #10851976 by Luornu
- ¡No hables así de tu mamá!Don't talk like that about your mom!This sentence is useful for telling someone not to speak about their mother in a certain way regarding tu mamá.Tatoeba #12293392 by Serrot, translation #12772280 by rul
- ¡Saludos a tu mami!Say hi to your mom!
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two teenagers arguing during a video game match.
- Lucía¡No puedo creer que hayas perdido!I can't believe you lost!
- Alejandro¡Tu mamá!Your mom!
- Lucía¡Qué inmaduro eres, Alejandro!You are so immature, Alejandro!
- AlejandroNo me importa.I don't care.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
