Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "mother" in Russian

This Russian word is one of the top 1000 words in Russian. The complete list of most common Russian words is available here.

мать

Meaning: mother, lady, genetrix, Mother (relig.)

Pronunciation: [maht']

Part of speech: noun (feminine noun)

Rank: #207 (see frequency list)

Example sentences:

Я уве́рен, что люба́я мать всегда́ прости́т своего́ ребёнка.
I’m sure that any mother will always forgive her child.
Андре́й совсе́м не уважа́ет свою́ мать!
Andrey has no respect at all for his mother!
Они́ лиши́лись ма́тери, когда́ бы́ли совсе́м ма́ленькими.
They lost their mother when they were very small.
Учи́телю пришло́сь поговори́ть с ма́терью хулига́на.
The teacher had to talk to the hooligan’s mother.
В про́шлом году́ я подари́л ма́тери на День рожде́ния цветы́ и фарфо́ровую ва́зу.
Last year I gave my mother flowers and a porcelain vase for her birthday.
В День ма́тери мы поздравля́ем матере́й, ба́бушек, праба́бушек.
On Mother’s Day we congratulate our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers.
Вчера́ весь ве́чер мы говори́ли о ма́тери и об отце́.
Yesterday we talked about our mother and father the whole evening.
К сожале́нию, в Росси́и сего́дня мно́го матере́й-одино́чек.
Unfortunately, in Russia today there are many unmarried mothers.
Та́ня ста́ла ма́терью в 25 лет.
Tanya became a mother at the age of 25.
Я восхища́юсь терпе́нием и му́жеством ва́шей ма́тери.
I admire your mother’s patience and courage.

Idioms and set expressions:

мать-одино́чка = unmarried (unwedded) mother, single mother
мать-герои́ня = Mother-Heroine
крёстная мать = godmother
приёмная мать = foster mother
многоде́тная мать = mother having many children
Ро́дина-мать (folklore, poetic) = Mother Motherland
мать родна́я не узна́ет (кого́-то) = smb's own mother wouldn't recognize smb
мать честна́я! (used as interjection) = Holy Mother! / Good heavens!
в чём (как) мать родила́ (col.) = in one's birthday suit; absolutely naked
literal in what the mother bore (somebody)
показа́ть ку́зькину мать кому́-то (col.) = to make it hot for smb / to show smb what is what / to fix one’s wagon
впита́ть (всоса́ть) с молоко́м ма́тери = to imbibe (take in) with one's mother's milk

Related words:

ма́ма = mother
матери́нский = maternal, motherly
ма́терин = mother's
ма́тушка = mother (old-fash., affect.); priest's wife (col.); mother (relig.)
маму́ля (col., affect.) = mother

Proverbs and sayings:

Повторе́нье — мать уче́нья.
Repetition is the mother of learning (skill). / Practice (rehearsal) makes perfect.
literal Repetition is the mother of learning.
Лень (пра́здность) — мать всех поро́ков.
Idleness is the mother (root) of all evil.
Роди́мая сторона́ — мать, а чужа́я — ма́чеха.
The native land (shore) is a mother, the foreign one is a stepmother.
Одна́ у челове́ка Ро́дина, одна́ у него́ и мать.
The person has one motherland and one mother.
Родны́х мно́го, а мать родне́е всего́.
There are many relatives, but the mother is the closest one.

Case

Singular

Plural

Vocabulary lesson: By RT: Learn Russian exclusively for MasterRussian

Phrase recordings: Copyright(c) 2011 MasterRussian.com. All rights reserved.
Word recordings: Copyright(c) 2006 Streit Goulnara, Streit Eric, Vion Nicolas. Copyright(c) 2007 S. Sakhno, N. Vion. Distributed under CC-BY.

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