mother tongue
The language one first learnedThe language one first learned; the language one grew up with; one's native language.
» French isn't my mother tongue.
Meaning
4 sensesThe language one first learned; the language one grew up with; one's native language.
His mother tongue is a relatively conservative dialect of Aramaic.
Muttersprache, Erstsprache
родно́й язы́кrodnój jazýk, родна́я речьrodnája rečʹ
рі́дна мо́ваrídna móva
one's native language; the language learned by children and passed from one generation to the next
The language spoken by one’s ancestors.
The language spoken by one's mother, when it differs from that spoken by one's father.
Informal speech, as opposed to educated language.
Examples
131 sentencesFrench isn't my mother tongue.
English is not my mother tongue.
Англійська - не рідна мені мова. — sadxaka
ruАнглийский - не мой родной язык. — Vokabre
deEnglisch ist nicht meine Muttersprache. — MUIRIEL
I do not have a mother tongue.
У мене немає рідної мови. — deniko
ruУ меня нет родного языка. — marafon
deKeine Sprache ist meine Muttersprache. — Inego
I don't want my son to forget his mother tongue.
Я не хочу, щоб мій син забув свою рідну мову. — oromashka
ruЯ не хочу, чтобы мой сын забыл родной язык. — marafon
Not all Americans speak English as their mother tongue.
ruНе все американцы говорят на английском языке как на родном. — odexed
deNicht alle Amerikaner sprechen Englisch als Muttersprache. — al_ex_an_der
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English mother tonge, modyr tong, equivalent to mother + tongue. Compare Old NFrom Middle English mother tonge, modyr tong, equivalent to mother + tongue. Compare Old Norse móðurtunga (“mother tongue”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: mother tongues| Singular | mother tongue |
|---|---|
| Plural | mother tongues |
regular
Synonyms
6 synonyms- one's native language; the language learned by children and passed from one generation to the next:maternal languagefirst language