French Conversation · Level 11
89 words
French word
mère
Pronunciation
IPA/mɛʁ/
Meaning
- feminine nounmother
Example
Ma mère travaille demain.
My mother works tomorrow.
More examples
Il appelle sa mère quand il a besoin d'aide.
He calls his mother when he needs help.
Core concept
A female parent whose role includes both family care and responsibility for a child's upbringing.
Common phrases
sa mère
his mother
mère poule
mother hen
Similar words
maman: A familiar, informal term for addressing or referring to one's mother.
père: A male parent involved in raising and caring for a child.
parent: A father or mother responsible for raising or protecting a child.
Definition in French
Parent féminin d'un enfant, biologique ou adoptif, qui assume la responsabilité de son éducation.
Word origin
The French noun mère descends from Latin mater through Old French mere and belongs to the same ancient word family as English mother.
Usage tips
- Maman is the familiar everyday form for mother, while mère is the standard neutral noun in descriptions and more formal contexts.