Dad in Different Languages
Discover 'Dad' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Dad
Afrikaans pa | ||
Albanian babi | ||
Amharic አባቴ | ||
Arabic بابا | ||
Armenian հայրիկ | ||
Assamese দেউতা | ||
Aymara awki | ||
Azerbaijani ata | ||
Bambara fa | ||
Basque aita | ||
Belarusian тата | ||
Bengali বাবা | ||
Bhojpuri बाबूजी | ||
Bosnian tata | ||
Bulgarian татко | ||
Catalan pare | ||
Cebuano amahan | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 爸 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 爸 | ||
Corsican babbu | ||
Croatian tata | ||
Czech táto | ||
Danish far | ||
Dhivehi ބައްޕަ | ||
Dogri बापू | ||
Dutch vader | ||
English dad | ||
Esperanto paĉjo | ||
Estonian isa | ||
Ewe papa | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) tatay | ||
Finnish isä | ||
French papa | ||
Frisian heit | ||
Galician papá | ||
Georgian მამა | ||
German papa | ||
Greek μπαμπάς | ||
Guarani túva | ||
Gujarati પપ્પા | ||
Haitian Creole papa | ||
Hausa uba | ||
Hawaiian makua kāne | ||
Hebrew אַבָּא | ||
Hindi पिता | ||
Hmong txiv | ||
Hungarian apu | ||
Icelandic pabbi | ||
Igbo nna | ||
Ilocano tatang | ||
Indonesian ayah | ||
Irish daidí | ||
Italian papà | ||
Japanese パパ | ||
Javanese bapak | ||
Kannada ತಂದೆ | ||
Kazakh әкем | ||
Khmer ឪពុក | ||
Kinyarwanda papa | ||
Konkani बाबा | ||
Korean 아빠 | ||
Krio papa | ||
Kurdish bav | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) باوک | ||
Kyrgyz ата | ||
Lao ພໍ່ | ||
Latin pater | ||
Latvian tētis | ||
Lingala papa | ||
Lithuanian tėtis | ||
Luganda taata | ||
Luxembourgish papp | ||
Macedonian тато | ||
Maithili पिता | ||
Malagasy dada | ||
Malay ayah | ||
Malayalam അച്ഛൻ | ||
Maltese missier | ||
Maori papa | ||
Marathi वडील | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯏꯄꯥ | ||
Mizo pa | ||
Mongolian аав | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) အဖေ | ||
Nepali बुबा | ||
Norwegian pappa | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) bambo | ||
Odia (Oriya) ବାପା | ||
Oromo abbaa | ||
Pashto پلار | ||
Persian بابا | ||
Polish tata | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) papai | ||
Punjabi ਡੈਡੀ | ||
Quechua tayta | ||
Romanian tata | ||
Russian папа | ||
Samoan tamā | ||
Sanskrit पिता | ||
Scots Gaelic athair | ||
Sepedi papa | ||
Serbian тата | ||
Sesotho ntate | ||
Shona baba | ||
Sindhi والد | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) තාත්තා | ||
Slovak ocko | ||
Slovenian očka | ||
Somali aabe | ||
Spanish papá | ||
Sundanese bapak | ||
Swahili baba | ||
Swedish pappa | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) tatay | ||
Tajik падар | ||
Tamil அப்பா | ||
Tatar әти | ||
Telugu నాన్న | ||
Thai พ่อ | ||
Tigrinya ኣቦ | ||
Tsonga tatana | ||
Turkish baba | ||
Turkmen kaka | ||
Twi (Akan) agya | ||
Ukrainian папа | ||
Urdu والد | ||
Uyghur دادا | ||
Uzbek ota | ||
Vietnamese cha | ||
Welsh dad | ||
Xhosa utata | ||
Yiddish טאַטע | ||
Yoruba baba | ||
Zulu ubaba |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | In Afrikaans, 'pa' may also refer to the father of one's spouse or to a priest. |
| Albanian | The word "babi" has been theorized to stem from ancient Roman Latin, "baba," a term of endearment for "father." |
| Amharic | The word "አባቴ" can also mean "Father" in a religious context. |
| Arabic | "Baba" is also a term of endearment in Arabic, often used to address a close friend or family member. |
| Armenian | The Armenian word "հայրիկ" can also be used to refer to a grandfather or a priest, and is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₂peh₃tḗr" meaning "father". |
| Azerbaijani | In Turkish, 'ata' originally meant 'ancestor' and was used to address respected older men, while in Azerbaijani it is used exclusively for 'father'. |
| Basque | The Basque word "aita" can also mean "master" or "lord". |
| Belarusian | Belarusian word “тата” can refer to “father” and also to an “elderly man” who is not necessarily related. |
| Bengali | The Bengali word "বাবা" may derive from the Sanskrit root "bap" or "baba", which also signifies "father" and carries connotations of protection, affection, and reverence. |
| Bosnian | In Bosnian, 'tata' can also refer to a father-in-law or a godfather. |
| Bulgarian | The word "татко" can also refer to the male parent of a pet or a young animal, or even a god or priest. |
| Catalan | The word "pare" originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *pəter-, meaning "father". |
| Cebuano | "Amahan" also means "owner" or "master" in Cebuano, and was used to refer to respected elders or superiors. |
| Chinese (Simplified) | Derived from the sound "bà", the word 爸 can also mean 'fool' or 'silly' depending on the context. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | In Cantonese, "爸" is also used as a polite address for older men. |
| Corsican | "Babbu" comes from the Latin accusative form of "avus", meaning "grandfather". |
| Croatian | The word 'tata' has multiple etymological roots, including imitative theories like its connection to the sound 'ta-ta', and its Indo-European origin, stemming from the Proto-Indo-European word 'atta'. |
| Czech | Táto can also be used as a term of endearment for an older man, and in some regions it is used to address a priest. |
| Danish | The Danish word "far" derives from the Old Norse word "fóðr," meaning "father," and can also refer to a stepfather or male parent in general. |
| Dutch | Despite the coincidence, "vader" is unrelated to the "Star Wars" villain Darth Vader, and it used to solely mean "father". Its meaning was expanded to include any male ancestor after 1300 AD, and in this context it's also used in compounds such as "overgrootvader" (great-great-grandfather). |
| Esperanto | The Esperanto word "paĉjo" also means "boss" or "chief" in some contexts. |
| Estonian | The Estonian word "isa" for "father" is etymologically related to the Sanskrit word "īśa" meaning "lord" or "ruler." |
| Finnish | Cognate to 'father' in many Uralic languages, 'isä' in Finnish is related in form and meaning to words for 'master' in some neighboring languages. |
| French | In French, papa is not just a term for one's father, but also refers to the Pope. |
| Frisian | Although 'heit' is the most common word for 'dad' in Frisian, other versions of the word are still used in some areas |
| Galician | The Galician word "papá" can also mean "potato" or "mashed potatoes". |
| Georgian | The Georgian word "მამა" is thought to originate from the Proto-Kartvelian word "*mama". In addition to its primary meaning of "father", "მამა" can also refer to a Godfather or a Priest. |
| German | The German word "Papa" is derived from the Latin word "papa," meaning "father or pope." |
| Greek | Μπαμπάς, meaning 'father' in Greek, is cognate to the Latin 'papa' and the English 'pope'. |
| Gujarati | The Gujarati word "પપ્પા" can also refer to a father's elder brother or a grandfather. |
| Haitian Creole | The word "papa" in Haitian Creole comes from the French word "papa" (pronounced "pah-pah"), which is also used to mean "father". |
| Hausa | In Hausa, the word 'uba' can also refer to a paternal uncle or a chief's elder brother. |
| Hawaiian | The term "makua kāne" is a compound word in Hawaiian, where "makua" means "parent" and "kāne" means "man" or "male". |
| Hebrew | The word "אַבָּא" originally referred to a wise man or patriarch, and only later came to specifically mean "father". |
| Hindi | The word 'पिता' derives from the Proto-Indo-European word 'pәter', meaning 'father' or 'protector', indicating its ancient origins and cross-linguistic connections. |
| Hmong | "Txiv" in Hmong can also mean "master" or "owner" |
| Hungarian | Apu, meaning 'father' in Hungarian, derived from the now archaic verb 'apálni' meaning 'to cherish,' and is related to the word 'apa,' meaning 'father.' |
| Icelandic | The word " pabbi " in Icelandic comes from the old Norse word "faðir". |
| Igbo | The word "nna" can also refer to a respected older man or a husband. |
| Indonesian | In a few local languages like Sumatran or Malayu Palembang, |
| Irish | One possible derivation of "daidí" is that it stems from the Proto-Celtic word *ta-t-ī-s, also the origin of "daddy". |
| Italian | The word "papà" in Italian also means "pope". |
| Japanese | "パパ" is also the Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound of a gunshot. |
| Javanese | In Javanese, "bapak" can also refer to "older brother," "older male relative," or "male teacher." |
| Kannada | ತಂದೆ is also used to refer to the father of a deity, such as ದೇವರ ತಂದೆ (father of the gods). |
| Kazakh | "Әкем" means "father" and is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "*eke", meaning "mother" or "father". |
| Khmer | The word "ឪពុក" (father) is derived from the Sanskrit word "pitr" meaning "father" or "ancestor". |
| Korean | The word "아빠" can also mean "father" or "daddy" in Korean, and is sometimes used as a term of endearment. |
| Kurdish | The word "bav" in Kurdish can also refer to older male relatives, such as an uncle or an older brother. |
| Kyrgyz | The Kyrgyz word for 'dad', 'ата', also carries the meaning of 'ancestor' or 'grandfather'. |
| Lao | "ພໍ່" can also mean "master" or "owner" in Lao. |
| Latin | The Latin word "Pater" has a rich etymological history, originating from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ph₂tḗr" and sharing a connection with words like "father" in English, "père" in French, and "padre" in Spanish. |
| Latvian | The word "tētis" is the diminutive form of the word "tēvs", which also means "father" in Latvian. |
| Lithuanian | The word "tėtis" is a diminutive of "tėvas," which means "father" and is also used as an affectionate term for an older man. |
| Luxembourgish | The word "Papp" in Luxembourgish is derived from the Latin "papa," meaning "father". |
| Macedonian | In Ukrainian, the word "тато" can also mean "daddy" and is considered more affectionate than "батько" |
| Malagasy | The word "Dada" in Malagasy also means "to be angry" or "to be furious." |
| Malay | The Malay word "ayah" has been borrowed from the Arabic "abu", which means "father". |
| Malayalam | The Malayalam word 'അച്ഛൻ' ('dad') derives from the Sanskrit word 'आचार्य' ('teacher'), signifying the father's role as the child's first teacher. |
| Maltese | The word "missier" in Maltese, meaning "father", is derived from the Italian word "messere," which has a similar meaning and is itself derived from the Latin word "magister," meaning "master". Both words ultimately derive from the Proto-Indo-European root *māǵʰ-, meaning "to be able," which also gave rise to the English word "master" and the French word "maître". |
| Maori | In Maori, 'papa' also means 'earth' or 'layer' and can refer to a parent, especially a father, or a platform or foundation. |
| Marathi | The word "वडील" in Marathi also means "elder" or "senior," and can refer to a respected person in general. |
| Mongolian | The Mongolian word “аав” also means “father” in the Siberian dialect of Kyrgyz and “uncle” in Buryat. |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | The term "အဖေ" in Myanmar can also be used to refer to a father-in-law or an elderly man who is respected like a father. |
| Nepali | "बुबा" is likely derived from Sanskrit भ्रातुः, meaning "brother", suggesting the word initially denoted an older male relative before becoming exclusively used for "father". |
| Norwegian | "Pappa", meaning "father" in Norwegian, likely derives from a baby's imitation of their first words or from a similar word used in many languages for father, such as "papa" or "baba." |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The Nyanja word "bambo" can also refer to an elder or person of respect. |
| Pashto | In Pashto, "پلار" (dad) is thought to be derived from Proto-Indo-European (*pe-, *pa-) meaning "to father", also found in Old Persian."پلار" can also refer to ancestors (خپلګي پلاران) or fathers in general; e.g. all other men in one's community. |
| Persian | The word "بابا" can also mean "grandfather", "teacher", or "spiritual guide" in Persian. |
| Polish | The word "tata" can also refer to a father's brother or a grandfather in Polish. |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | In some old Brazilian literature, "papai" was also used as a term of affection for boys, and as a nickname for someone who is very important or well-liked. |
| Punjabi | The word |
| Romanian | The Romanian word 'tata' for 'dad' is cognate with the Sanskrit word 'tat' meaning 'that'. |
| Russian | Russian "папа" (dad) is cognate with English "pope" and comes from Ancient Greek "πάπας" (father). |
| Samoan | The word "tamā" in Samoan can also have the general meaning of "lord" or "master", as in the term "tamā o le fale", which means "lord of the house". |
| Scots Gaelic | A'athair is the genitive and oblique form of athair (father) and can mean "one's father," "paternal," "fatherly" or "father's brother". |
| Serbian | The word 'тата' may also refer to a respected old man or a master craftsman. |
| Sesotho | The word 'ntate' is also used in Sesotho as a respectful term of address for an older man. |
| Shona | Shona's baba also means "paternal relatives" or "people of the same totem". |
| Sindhi | In Sindhi, "والد" may also refer to a father-in-law or an ancestor. |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The Sinhala word තාත්තා can also refer to paternal uncles, respected older males, and even God. |
| Slovak | The word "ocko" also refers to the eye in the Slovak language. |
| Slovenian | The Slovenian word "očka" also has the alternate meaning "daddy", used as a term of endearment. |
| Somali | The word "aabe" in Somali also means "father" or "ancestor" and is derived from the Proto-Cushitic word *ʔaːb. |
| Spanish | The word "papá" in Spanish can also refer to the Pope or a priest. |
| Sundanese | Bapak can also mean 'lord' or 'master' in Sundanese. |
| Swahili | In Swahili, "baba" originated from the Proto-Bantu word "*baaba" meaning "father" or "uncle". |
| Swedish | "Pappa" is also a term of endearment for a male friend or acquaintance, and in some contexts, it can be used to refer to a grandfather or godfather. |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | The word "tatay" can also mean "father" or "sir" in Tagalog. |
| Tajik | The term "падар" in Tajik, cognate with the Persian "پدر" (pedar), ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *ph₂tḗr. |
| Tamil | The Tamil word "அப்பா" (appa) is also used to refer to God, a teacher, or an elder out of respect. |
| Telugu | The word "నాన్న" (nanna) can also mean "parent" or "father-in-law" in Telugu. |
| Thai | The word "พ่อ" in Thai can also be used as a respectful form of address for an older man, similar to "sir" in English. |
| Turkish | In Turkish, the word "baba" can also refer to the leader of a Sufi brotherhood or a respected elder in a community. |
| Ukrainian | The word 'Папа' ('dad') in Ukrainian can also be used to refer to a priest or the Pope. |
| Urdu | The word "والد" not only means "dad" but is also an honorific title for a scholar or religious leader. |
| Uzbek | The word "ota" (dad) likely derives from the Turkic verb "od-" (to beget, to give birth) or "ut-" (to be). |
| Vietnamese | Cha is also a term of endearment for a father-in-law, a teacher or an older male figure. |
| Welsh | The word "dad" in Welsh can also mean "father" or "grandfather". |
| Xhosa | "Utata" in Xhosa may also refer to an elderly or respected man. |
| Yiddish | The Yiddish word 'טאַטע' is derived from the Aramaic word 'אַתָּא', which means 'father' or 'ancestor'. |
| Yoruba | The Yoruba word "baba" also means "master" or "head of a household", highlighting the respected role of fathers in Yoruba culture. |
| Zulu | The Zulu word "ubaba" also means "master" or "owner". |
| English | While its roots are debated, "dad" most likely emerged as a baby word originating from "dada". |