German · People & Family
"Father" in German: Vater
der Vater
Father in German is der Vater, a masculine noun. At home people usually say Papa. The plural Väter takes an umlaut, like Mutter → Mütter.
About family
Mein Vater kocht sehr gerne.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Vater
Say it
FAH-ter
/ˈfaːtɐ/
FAH-ter. The a is open as in "father". The final -er sounds like a soft uh in standard German. Stress the first syllable.
"Father" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| der Vater | father Neutral standard word. | Neutral standard word. |
| der Papa | dad Affectionate everyday form. | Affectionate everyday form. |
| der Vati | daddy Warm, slightly old-fashioned or childish. | Warm, slightly old-fashioned or childish. |
| der Stiefvater | stepfather Step-father. | Step-father. |
How to use Vater in real life
- 1About family
Mein Vater kocht sehr gerne.
My father really likes cooking.
Mein matches masculine Vater.
- 2On the phone
Kann ich bitte mit meinem Vater sprechen?
May I please speak with my father?
After mit use dem/meinem: dative.
- 3Childhood memory
Als Kind bin ich oft mit Vater in den Park gegangen.
As a child I often went to the park with father.
Mit Vater without mein sounds a bit literary; mit meinem Vater is more usual.
Mistakes English speakers make with Vater
Incorrect: meine Vater
Correct: mein Vater
Vater is masculine, so nominative mein Vater, not meine.
Incorrect: die Vaters
Correct: die Väter
Plural is Väter with ä. Do not add English -s.
Good to know
Vatertag (Father's Day) in Germany falls on Ascension Day and has a different public image than Mother's Day: groups of men often go on outdoor day trips. In everyday family talk, Papa remains the default warm form.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Talking about weekend plans
ChatPal
Siehst du deinen Vater am Wochenende?
Are you seeing your father this weekend?
You
Ja, mein Vater kommt zu Besuch.
Yes, my father is coming to visit.
ChatPal
Schön. Was macht ihr mit deinem Vater?
Nice. What are you doing with your father?
You
Wir kochen zusammen. Mein Vater bringt Pasta mit.
We're cooking together. My father is bringing pasta.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Father" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Father" in German
What is the difference between Vater and Papa?
Vater is the neutral word. Papa is affectionate and common at home, similar to dad.
What is the plural of Vater?
Die Väter, with ä. Remember the umlaut change.
How do you say father-in-law?
Der Schwiegervater. The Schwieger- prefix marks in-laws.
How does mein change after mit?
Mit takes the dative: mit meinem Vater. The -em ending marks masculine dative.
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
