Meaning & use
madre
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableregional
A mother, especially in Spanish-speaking communities or Spanish-influenced English.
Grammar: Countable and usually used in regional or bilingual contexts; it can sound informal or affectionate.
Patterns
- mi madre
- his madre
- mother and madre
In the story, the boy says his madre makes the best tamales.
She calls her mother 'madre' when she speaks Spanish at home.
The festival honored mothers and madres from the neighborhood.
nouncountableregional
A title or form of address for a mother, used in some Spanish-speaking families.
Grammar: Often used like a name or title, so it can appear without 'the' or 'a' in direct address.
Patterns
- Madre, can you help me?
- Yes, Madre
Madre, can you help me with this letter?
He said, 'Yes, Madre,' and kissed her cheek.
Word forms
| plural | madres |
|---|
Common combinations
- mi madre
- He often says 'mi madre' when he talks about his mother.
- mother and madre
- The event celebrated both mother and madre in the community.
- madre de familia
- She is described as a madre de familia, the head of her household.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- madrina noun
- A Spanish word for a godmother or female sponsor, sometimes used in English in similar cultural contexts.
Commonly confused: madre or madreporite? madre or madre?
madre vs madreporite
This is a scientific term for a small opening in some sea animals, not related to 'mother'.
madre vs madre
Learners sometimes confuse Spanish madre with Italian madre, which also means 'mother' but is used in Italian contexts.
Practice
In which context is 'madre' most naturally used in English?
Choose one answer.
Madre is a Spanish loanword used mainly in Spanish-speaking or bilingual contexts, often affectionately. The other options are too formal or technical for this word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “madre”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.