Dad in Different Languages
Discover 'Dad' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'dad' is a universal term of endearment and respect, used by children and adults alike to refer to a father figure. Its significance extends beyond mere labeling, as it embodies the unique bond, love, and guidance that a father provides throughout one's life. This cultural importance is reflected in various languages and dialects around the world.
Delving into the translations of 'dad' unveils a rich tapestry of cultural nuances and linguistic diversity. For instance, in Spanish, 'dad' is 'papá', while in French, it becomes 'papa'. In Mandarin Chinese, the term 'bàba' is used, and in Japanese, 'chichi' denotes 'dad'. These translations not only offer insight into the linguistic aspects of different cultures but also highlight the global reverence for the role of a father.
Understanding the translations of 'dad' can be a fascinating journey that broadens one's cultural horizons and fosters a deeper appreciation for the diverse ways in which people express their affection and respect for their fathers.
Dad
Dad in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | pa | ||
| In Afrikaans, 'pa' may also refer to the father of one's spouse or to a priest. | |||
| Amharic | አባቴ | ||
| The word "አባቴ" can also mean "Father" in a religious context. | |||
| Hausa | uba | ||
| In Hausa, the word 'uba' can also refer to a paternal uncle or a chief's elder brother. | |||
| Igbo | nna | ||
| The word "nna" can also refer to a respected older man or a husband. | |||
| Malagasy | dada | ||
| The word "Dada" in Malagasy also means "to be angry" or "to be furious." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | bambo | ||
| The Nyanja word "bambo" can also refer to an elder or person of respect. | |||
| Shona | baba | ||
| Shona's baba also means "paternal relatives" or "people of the same totem". | |||
| Somali | aabe | ||
| The word "aabe" in Somali also means "father" or "ancestor" and is derived from the Proto-Cushitic word *ʔaːb. | |||
| Sesotho | ntate | ||
| The word 'ntate' is also used in Sesotho as a respectful term of address for an older man. | |||
| Swahili | baba | ||
| In Swahili, "baba" originated from the Proto-Bantu word "*baaba" meaning "father" or "uncle". | |||
| Xhosa | utata | ||
| "Utata" in Xhosa may also refer to an elderly or respected man. | |||
| Yoruba | baba | ||
| The Yoruba word "baba" also means "master" or "head of a household", highlighting the respected role of fathers in Yoruba culture. | |||
| Zulu | ubaba | ||
| The Zulu word "ubaba" also means "master" or "owner". | |||
| Bambara | fa | ||
| Ewe | papa | ||
| Kinyarwanda | papa | ||
| Lingala | papa | ||
| Luganda | taata | ||
| Sepedi | papa | ||
| Twi (Akan) | agya | ||
Dad in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | بابا | ||
| "Baba" is also a term of endearment in Arabic, often used to address a close friend or family member. | |||
| Hebrew | אַבָּא | ||
| The word "אַבָּא" originally referred to a wise man or patriarch, and only later came to specifically mean "father". | |||
| Pashto | پلار | ||
| 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. | |||
| Arabic | بابا | ||
| "Baba" is also a term of endearment in Arabic, often used to address a close friend or family member. | |||
Dad in Western European Languages
| Albanian | babi | ||
| The word "babi" has been theorized to stem from ancient Roman Latin, "baba," a term of endearment for "father." | |||
| Basque | aita | ||
| The Basque word "aita" can also mean "master" or "lord". | |||
| Catalan | pare | ||
| The word "pare" originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *pəter-, meaning "father". | |||
| Croatian | tata | ||
| 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'. | |||
| Danish | far | ||
| 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 | vader | ||
| 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). | |||
| English | dad | ||
| While its roots are debated, "dad" most likely emerged as a baby word originating from "dada". | |||
| French | papa | ||
| In French, papa is not just a term for one's father, but also refers to the Pope. | |||
| Frisian | heit | ||
| Although 'heit' is the most common word for 'dad' in Frisian, other versions of the word are still used in some areas | |||
| Galician | papá | ||
| The Galician word "papá" can also mean "potato" or "mashed potatoes". | |||
| German | papa | ||
| The German word "Papa" is derived from the Latin word "papa," meaning "father or pope." | |||
| Icelandic | pabbi | ||
| The word " pabbi " in Icelandic comes from the old Norse word "faðir". | |||
| Irish | daidí | ||
| One possible derivation of "daidí" is that it stems from the Proto-Celtic word *ta-t-ī-s, also the origin of "daddy". | |||
| Italian | papà | ||
| The word "papà" in Italian also means "pope". | |||
| Luxembourgish | papp | ||
| The word "Papp" in Luxembourgish is derived from the Latin "papa," meaning "father". | |||
| Maltese | missier | ||
| 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". | |||
| Norwegian | pappa | ||
| "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." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | papai | ||
| 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. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | athair | ||
| A'athair is the genitive and oblique form of athair (father) and can mean "one's father," "paternal," "fatherly" or "father's brother". | |||
| Spanish | papá | ||
| The word "papá" in Spanish can also refer to the Pope or a priest. | |||
| Swedish | pappa | ||
| "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. | |||
| Welsh | dad | ||
| The word "dad" in Welsh can also mean "father" or "grandfather". | |||
Dad in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | тата | ||
| Belarusian word “тата” can refer to “father” and also to an “elderly man” who is not necessarily related. | |||
| Bosnian | tata | ||
| In Bosnian, 'tata' can also refer to a father-in-law or a godfather. | |||
| Bulgarian | татко | ||
| The word "татко" can also refer to the male parent of a pet or a young animal, or even a god or priest. | |||
| Czech | táto | ||
| 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. | |||
| Estonian | isa | ||
| The Estonian word "isa" for "father" is etymologically related to the Sanskrit word "īśa" meaning "lord" or "ruler." | |||
| Finnish | isä | ||
| Cognate to 'father' in many Uralic languages, 'isä' in Finnish is related in form and meaning to words for 'master' in some neighboring languages. | |||
| Hungarian | apu | ||
| Apu, meaning 'father' in Hungarian, derived from the now archaic verb 'apálni' meaning 'to cherish,' and is related to the word 'apa,' meaning 'father.' | |||
| Latvian | tētis | ||
| The word "tētis" is the diminutive form of the word "tēvs", which also means "father" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | tėtis | ||
| The word "tėtis" is a diminutive of "tėvas," which means "father" and is also used as an affectionate term for an older man. | |||
| Macedonian | тато | ||
| In Ukrainian, the word "тато" can also mean "daddy" and is considered more affectionate than "батько" | |||
| Polish | tata | ||
| The word "tata" can also refer to a father's brother or a grandfather in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | tata | ||
| The Romanian word 'tata' for 'dad' is cognate with the Sanskrit word 'tat' meaning 'that'. | |||
| Russian | папа | ||
| Russian "папа" (dad) is cognate with English "pope" and comes from Ancient Greek "πάπας" (father). | |||
| Serbian | тата | ||
| The word 'тата' may also refer to a respected old man or a master craftsman. | |||
| Slovak | ocko | ||
| The word "ocko" also refers to the eye in the Slovak language. | |||
| Slovenian | očka | ||
| The Slovenian word "očka" also has the alternate meaning "daddy", used as a term of endearment. | |||
| Ukrainian | папа | ||
| The word 'Папа' ('dad') in Ukrainian can also be used to refer to a priest or the Pope. | |||
Dad in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বাবা | ||
| 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. | |||
| Gujarati | પપ્પા | ||
| The Gujarati word "પપ્પા" can also refer to a father's elder brother or a grandfather. | |||
| Hindi | पिता | ||
| The word 'पिता' derives from the Proto-Indo-European word 'pәter', meaning 'father' or 'protector', indicating its ancient origins and cross-linguistic connections. | |||
| Kannada | ತಂದೆ | ||
| ತಂದೆ is also used to refer to the father of a deity, such as ದೇವರ ತಂದೆ (father of the gods). | |||
| Malayalam | അച്ഛൻ | ||
| The Malayalam word 'അച്ഛൻ' ('dad') derives from the Sanskrit word 'आचार्य' ('teacher'), signifying the father's role as the child's first teacher. | |||
| Marathi | वडील | ||
| The word "वडील" in Marathi also means "elder" or "senior," and can refer to a respected person in general. | |||
| Nepali | बुबा | ||
| "बुबा" is likely derived from Sanskrit भ्रातुः, meaning "brother", suggesting the word initially denoted an older male relative before becoming exclusively used for "father". | |||
| Punjabi | ਡੈਡੀ | ||
| The word | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තාත්තා | ||
| The Sinhala word තාත්තා can also refer to paternal uncles, respected older males, and even God. | |||
| Tamil | அப்பா | ||
| The Tamil word "அப்பா" (appa) is also used to refer to God, a teacher, or an elder out of respect. | |||
| Telugu | నాన్న | ||
| The word "నాన్న" (nanna) can also mean "parent" or "father-in-law" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | والد | ||
| The word "والد" not only means "dad" but is also an honorific title for a scholar or religious leader. | |||
Dad in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 爸 | ||
| Derived from the sound "bà", the word 爸 can also mean 'fool' or 'silly' depending on the context. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 爸 | ||
| In Cantonese, "爸" is also used as a polite address for older men. | |||
| Japanese | パパ | ||
| "パパ" is also the Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound of a gunshot. | |||
| Korean | 아빠 | ||
| The word "아빠" can also mean "father" or "daddy" in Korean, and is sometimes used as a term of endearment. | |||
| Mongolian | аав | ||
| The Mongolian word “аав” also means “father” in the Siberian dialect of Kyrgyz and “uncle” in Buryat. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အဖေ | ||
| 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. | |||
Dad in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | ayah | ||
| In a few local languages like Sumatran or Malayu Palembang, | |||
| Javanese | bapak | ||
| In Javanese, "bapak" can also refer to "older brother," "older male relative," or "male teacher." | |||
| Khmer | ឪពុក | ||
| The word "ឪពុក" (father) is derived from the Sanskrit word "pitr" meaning "father" or "ancestor". | |||
| Lao | ພໍ່ | ||
| "ພໍ່" can also mean "master" or "owner" in Lao. | |||
| Malay | ayah | ||
| The Malay word "ayah" has been borrowed from the Arabic "abu", which means "father". | |||
| Thai | พ่อ | ||
| The word "พ่อ" in Thai can also be used as a respectful form of address for an older man, similar to "sir" in English. | |||
| Vietnamese | cha | ||
| Cha is also a term of endearment for a father-in-law, a teacher or an older male figure. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tatay | ||
Dad in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ata | ||
| In Turkish, 'ata' originally meant 'ancestor' and was used to address respected older men, while in Azerbaijani it is used exclusively for 'father'. | |||
| Kazakh | әкем | ||
| "Әкем" means "father" and is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "*eke", meaning "mother" or "father". | |||
| Kyrgyz | ата | ||
| The Kyrgyz word for 'dad', 'ата', also carries the meaning of 'ancestor' or 'grandfather'. | |||
| Tajik | падар | ||
| The term "падар" in Tajik, cognate with the Persian "پدر" (pedar), ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *ph₂tḗr. | |||
| Turkmen | kaka | ||
| Uzbek | ota | ||
| The word "ota" (dad) likely derives from the Turkic verb "od-" (to beget, to give birth) or "ut-" (to be). | |||
| Uyghur | دادا | ||
Dad in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | makua kāne | ||
| The term "makua kāne" is a compound word in Hawaiian, where "makua" means "parent" and "kāne" means "man" or "male". | |||
| Maori | papa | ||
| In Maori, 'papa' also means 'earth' or 'layer' and can refer to a parent, especially a father, or a platform or foundation. | |||
| Samoan | tamā | ||
| 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". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tatay | ||
| The word "tatay" can also mean "father" or "sir" in Tagalog. | |||
Dad in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | awki | ||
| Guarani | túva | ||
Dad in International Languages
| Esperanto | paĉjo | ||
| The Esperanto word "paĉjo" also means "boss" or "chief" in some contexts. | |||
| Latin | pater | ||
| 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. | |||
Dad in Others Languages
| Greek | μπαμπάς | ||
| Μπαμπάς, meaning 'father' in Greek, is cognate to the Latin 'papa' and the English 'pope'. | |||
| Hmong | txiv | ||
| "Txiv" in Hmong can also mean "master" or "owner" | |||
| Kurdish | bav | ||
| The word "bav" in Kurdish can also refer to older male relatives, such as an uncle or an older brother. | |||
| Turkish | baba | ||
| In Turkish, the word "baba" can also refer to the leader of a Sufi brotherhood or a respected elder in a community. | |||
| Xhosa | utata | ||
| "Utata" in Xhosa may also refer to an elderly or respected man. | |||
| Yiddish | טאַטע | ||
| The Yiddish word 'טאַטע' is derived from the Aramaic word 'אַתָּא', which means 'father' or 'ancestor'. | |||
| Zulu | ubaba | ||
| The Zulu word "ubaba" also means "master" or "owner". | |||
| Assamese | দেউতা | ||
| Aymara | awki | ||
| Bhojpuri | बाबूजी | ||
| Dhivehi | ބައްޕަ | ||
| Dogri | बापू | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tatay | ||
| Guarani | túva | ||
| Ilocano | tatang | ||
| Krio | papa | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | باوک | ||
| Maithili | पिता | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯄꯥ | ||
| Mizo | pa | ||
| Oromo | abbaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବାପା | ||
| Quechua | tayta | ||
| Sanskrit | पिता | ||
| Tatar | әти | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣቦ | ||
| Tsonga | tatana | ||