French · People & Family
"Dad" in French: papa
papa
Dad in French is papa, said pah-PAH. Call him papa, or say mon papa when talking about him. Le père is the neutral word for father.
Asking for a ride
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How to pronounce papa
Say it
pah-PAH
/pa.pa/
Pah-PAH, both syllables open ah vowels. Stress the second syllable lightly. No strong English "pop" sound.
"Dad" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| papa | dad Direct address and informal reference. | Direct address and informal reference. |
| mon papa | my dad Tender or childlike; still heard from adults. | Tender or childlike; still heard from adults. |
| papa ! | dad! Calling him from another room. | Calling him from another room. |
| père | father More neutral or formal. | More neutral or formal. |
How to use papa in real life
- 1Asking for a ride
Papa, tu peux me déposer à la gare ?
Dad, can you drop me at the station?
Bare papa for direct address.
- 2Telling a classmate
Mon papa prépare des crêpes le dimanche.
My dad makes crêpes on Sundays.
Mon papa sounds affectionate.
- 3Weekend plans
Je vais chez papa demain.
I'm going to dad's tomorrow.
Chez papa = at dad's place.
Mistakes English speakers make with papa
Incorrect: Ma papa est là.
Correct: Mon papa est là. / Papa est là.
Papa is masculine; use mon, or just papa.
Incorrect: Dad arrive bientôt.
Correct: Papa arrive bientôt.
Prefer papa over English dad in French sentences.
Good to know
Like maman, papa stays normal for adult children. Sports commentary and ads still use papa as a warm everyday word. Official papers will switch to père.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Waiting for a parent outside school
ChatPal
Ton papa vient te chercher ?
Is your dad coming to get you?
You
Oui, papa finit le travail à cinq heures.
Yes, dad finishes work at five.
ChatPal
Cool. Mon papa aussi.
Cool. My dad too.
You
Tiens, voilà papa !
Look, there's dad!
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Dad" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Dad" in French
Papa or père—which should I learn first?
Learn both. Papa for family chat; père for neutral description and forms.
Is papa masculine?
Yes. Say mon papa, not ma papa.
What does chez papa mean?
At dad's home.
How do you pronounce papa?
Pah-PAH, two even ah sounds.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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