"Mutter" is feminine in German — the correct article is die. The plural is die Mütter (with Umlaut). In English, Mutter means "mother"."Die Mutter" is one of the first family vocabulary words every German learner picks up — essential A1 vocabulary alongside der Vater (father). Even though "Mutter" ends in -er (which is often a masculine tendency), the "female person" rule takes priority here and makes it feminine. Be careful though: this doesn't mean natural gender always wins — suffixes like -chen override it entirely, which is why it's das Mädchen (neuter), not die Mädchen. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.
Gender rule: Female persons are always feminine in German — no exceptions. The plural adds an Umlaut (u → ü) but no extra ending: Mutter → Mütter. Note that "Mutter" ends in -er, which is often a masculine tendency — but here the "female person" rule takes priority. See all patterns in the German Article Rules.
Mutter — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Mutter | die Mütter |
| Genitive | der Mutter | der Mütter |
| Dative | der Mutter | den Müttern |
| Accusative | die Mutter | die Mütter |
Example Sentences with Mutter
Die Mutter bringt die Kinder zur Schule.
(The mother takes the children to school.) — Nominative
Ich rufe die Mutter heute Abend an.
(I'm calling the mother this evening.) — Accusative
Das Kind gibt der Mutter einen Kuss.
(The child gives the mother a kiss.) — Dative
Das Geschenk der Mutter war wunderschön.
(The mother's gift was beautiful.) — Genitive
Die Mütter organisieren ein Schulfest.
(The mothers are organizing a school party.) — Nominative Plural
Der Lehrer dankt den Müttern für ihre Hilfe.
(The teacher thanks the mothers for their help.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): der Vater (father), die Eltern (parents — plural only), mütterlich (motherly — adjective), die Mutterschaft (motherhood/maternity), bemuttern (to mother/fuss over — verb)
Common compounds (Komposita): die Großmutter (grandmother), die Stiefmutter (stepmother), die Schwiegermutter (mother-in-law), die Muttersprache (mother tongue/native language), der Muttertag (Mother's Day), der Mutterschutz (maternity protection)
Common Mistake with Mutter
❌ Common mistake: Ich gebe des Mutters ein Geschenk.
✅ Correct: Ich gebe der Mutter ein Geschenk.
💡 Why: Feminine nouns never add -s in the genitive or dative — only the article changes. The dative and genitive of "die Mutter" is der Mutter (not "des Mutters"). The -s ending in the genitive only applies to masculine and neuter nouns (des Vaters, des Kindes).
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. ___ Mutter ist sehr nett.
- A) Der
- B) Die
- C) Das
Check Answer
"Die Mutter" — Female persons are always feminine in German. In the nominative, the article is die. Don't be confused by the -er ending — the "female person" rule takes priority here.
2. Das Baby lächelt ___ Mutter an.
- A) die Mutter
- B) der Mutter
- C) den Mutter
Check Answer
"Anlächeln" takes an accusative object (whom?). Feminine accusative = die, same as the nominative. The noun doesn't change: die Mutter.
3. Die liebevoll___ Mütter kümmern sich um die Kinder.
- A) -e
- B) -er
- C) -en
Check Answer
After a definite article in the nominative plural, the adjective ending is always -en: die liebevollen Mütter, die stolzen Väter, die kleinen Kinder.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns — including family vocabulary and Umlaut plurals.
More People & Family Nouns
- der Vater — the father
- der Sohn — the son
- die Tochter — the daughter
- der Bruder — the brother
- die Schwester — the sister
- das Kind — the child
- der Junge — the boy
- das Baby — the baby
For more A1 vocabulary, explore the full vocabulary overview or test yourself with the vocabulary quizzes.
Is it der, die, or das Mutter? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — including family vocabulary and tricky Umlaut plurals. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mutter masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Mutter is feminine — the correct article is die. Female persons are always feminine in German, regardless of the noun ending. Even though "Mutter" ends in -er (which is often a masculine tendency), the "female person" rule takes priority. The same applies to die Schwester, die Tochter. See all gender rules in the Article Rules.
What is the plural of Mutter?
The plural is die Mütter — the vowel changes from u to ü (Umlaut), but no ending is added. This is the same Umlaut-only pattern as der Vater → die Väter and der Bruder → die Brüder.
What is the difference between Mutter and Mama?
Die Mutter is the standard, neutral word for "mother" — used in formal contexts, documents, and general conversation. Die Mama is the informal equivalent, similar to "mom" or "mum" in English. Both are feminine. Children typically say "Mama" or "Mutti," while "Mutter" is more common in writing and when talking about someone else's mother.
What does Muttersprache mean?
Die Muttersprache means "mother tongue" or "native language" — literally "mother language." It's feminine because the last word in the compound, Sprache, is feminine. For example: "Meine Muttersprache ist Deutsch" (My native language is German). This is one of the most common German compounds with "Mutter."
