THE Spanish word for ‘mother’, madre, occurs in a number of common combinations, as in English. These include ‘mother-to-be’, futura madre, ‘biological mother’, madre biológica or madre genética, and ‘adoptive mother’, madre adoptiva.  A ‘surrogate mother’ is either una madre de alquiler or una madre nodriza. A ‘single mum’ is una madre soltera and a ‘working mum’ una madre trabajadora. ‘Mother-in-law’, however, is la suegra and ‘stepmother’ is la madrastra.

In the Church la madre de Dios is the ‘mother of God’, unless used as an exclamation, when it means ‘Good Heavens!’ The ‘Mother Superior’ in a convent is la Madre Superior.
In medicine la madre means ‘the womb’, while in the natural world ‘Mother Nature’ is la Madre Naturaleza, madreperla is ‘mother of pearl’ and madreselva ‘honeysuckle’.
Used as an adjective madre has the sense of ‘main’, as in acequia madre, ‘main channel’, alcantarilla madre ‘main sewer’, and buque madre, ‘mother ship’.  Similarly, el color madre is the ‘dominant colour’ and la cuestión madre is the ‘central problem’. One’s ‘mother tongue’ is lengua materna.
Madre also occurs in lots of idioms.  Como su madre le echó al mundo means ‘in his birthday suit’ or ‘starkers’, ahí está la madre del cordero means ‘that’s just the trouble’, ¡ni madre! means ‘not a dicky bird’.
Madre is commonly used in insults too, from the comparatively mild ¡Tu madre! (‘Up yours!’), to Él no tiene madre (‘he’s a real swine’) and the very vulgar Me cago en la madre que te parió (‘F**k off!’ or ‘You bastard!’).
But the expression which sounds like it ought to be the worst of the lot is not at all! Es de puta madre means either ‘it’s terrific!’ or ‘it’s bloody awful!’ depending on the context.
Supplementary Glossary
Cagar – to shit
Parir – to give birth
Puta - whore

© Don Pablo

Don Pablo is Paul Whitelock, a graduate in Spanish and German, a retired Ofsted school inspector and former UK languages teacher. He now lives with his German wife near Ronda and is a freelance journalist, translator and interpreter. Paul can be contacted by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by telephone on (+34) 952 87 40 38 or (+34) 636 52 75 16. www.a1-solutions-spain.com 

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Don Pablo: ¡Madre mía!
Friday, 05 November 2010
THE Spanish word for ‘mother’, madre, occurs in a number of common combinations, as in English. These include...

© 2012 - Secret Andalucia - Guadiaro Valley, near Ronda

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