noun
mother tongue
B1
Muttersprache (die) means 'mother tongue' or 'native language' — a person's first language. Feminine noun; plural 'Muttersprachen'. Common phrases: 'in der Muttersprache' (in one's mother tongue) or 'als Muttersprache sprechen'. Regular declension for compounds; no irregular plural beyond standard formation.
Examples
Meine Muttersprache ist Deutsch.
My native language is German.
Die Schule bot Kurse in der Muttersprache an, weil viele Schüler Unterstützung beim Lernen benötigten.
The school offered courses in the native language because many students needed support with learning.
Meine Muttersprache ist Deutsch.
My native language is German.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine your mother speaking — the language she uses at home is your mother tongue.
Feminine: many nouns ending in '-sprache' are feminine; think 'die Sprache' to remember 'die Muttersprache'.
Notes
Muttersprache refers to the language learned at home first (native language). Alternatives like 'Erstsprache' or 'Vatersprache' exist but 'Muttersprache' is very common.