What is the difference between a mother tongue and a native language?

A mother tongue refers to the first language a person learns at home from their parents or caregivers. A native language, on the other hand, is the language spoken by a person from birth or from a very young age, regardless of where they learned it. In essence, a mother tongue is specifically tied to the home environment, while a native language is more broadly associated with a person's upbringing and cultural background.