Education

How Do You Say Dad in Spanish

January 24, 2023

For example, “papá” is a common way to refer to “dad” in Spanish. There are other ways to pronounce “dad” in Spanish, but this is one of them. In truth, there are other expressions that are more commonly used by Spanish speakers when addressing or calling upon their fathers.

How Do You Say Dad in Spanish

The question now is, how many ways are there to pronounce “dad” in Spanish? There are several official and informal ways to express “dad” in Spanish, each of which can be used in different Spanish-speaking countries.

You can pronounce “dad” in many different ways, but here are a few of the most prevalent ones:

Papá
Padre
Jefe
Tata / Taita
Pá
Apá
Papaíto
Papi

Each of these can be used interchangeably with “dad” in Spanish. Their prevalence and level of formality, however, may change depending on where in the Spanish-speaking world you find yourself. Since this is the case, we’ve included some definitions in the following sections to help flesh out your understanding of these terms.

1: Jefe – Dad

Although jefe literally translates to “boss” in English, Mexicans commonly use it as a term of endearment for their fathers. Jefe is a common slang term among young males and can only be used in informal settings. Women use it too, although more often in conversations with close friends and relatives.

¡Qué onda, jefe! ¿Cómo estás?
What’s up, dad! How are you?
El jefe de mi novia nos invitó a comer
My girlfriend’s dad invited us to have lunch
Má, ¿le dices a mi jefe que me voy a llevar el carro?
Mom, can you tell dad that I’m taking the car?

2: Papá – Dad

If you want to say “dad” in Spanish, you say “papá,” as you probably already know. This term is used as the standard and most frequent alternative to “dad” in Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America. For these Spanish speakers, however, “papá” may sound too cutesy and childlike, even though in Spain, the word “papá” is reserved for children.

Papá, ¿quieres jugar conmigo?
Dad, do you want to play with me?
No sé si pueda ir, güey, tengo que ayudarle a mi papá
I don’t know if I can go, dude, I have to help dad
El cumpleaños de papá es mañana, ¡no se les vaya a olvidar!
Dad’s birthday is tomorrow, don’t forget it!

3: Papi – Daddy

The Spanish word for “daddy” is “Papi.” The Spanish word equivalent of “daddy” is also an endearing term of endearment for one’s father. Women and young girls use this word frequently. Men tend to avoid using this word because of its connotations.

Extraño mucho a mi papi
I miss my daddy very much
Mamá, ¿a qué hora llega mi papi?
Mom, what time does my daddy get home?
Mira, le compré un reloj a mi papi por el Día del Padre
Look, I bought daddy a watch for Father’s Day

4: Tata / Taita – Pops / Dad

Pops and dad are both referred to as tata or its variant taita in Spanish. It’s excellent to say these words with your dad because they’re spoken with an elderly man who commands a great deal of respect. Used to be more widespread in the country, these phrases are now widely used by native Spanish speakers elsewhere. The informal forms ta and taita are widely used throughout the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America: