Hindi · People & Family

"Parents" in Hindi: माता-पिता

माता-पिताmaata-pita

Say it: MAA-taa-PEE-taamasculine noun/mɑːt̪ɑːpɪt̪ɑː/

Parents in Hindi is माता-पिता (maata-pita), treated as a pair. Everyday speech also says माँ-पापा (maa-paapa). Keep the full hyphenated form in careful Hindi.

School form

माता-पिता के नाम लिखिए।

maata-pita ke naam likhiye.

Please write the parents’ names.
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How to pronounce माता-पिता

Say it

MAA-taa-PEE-taa

/mɑːt̪ɑːpɪt̪ɑː/

Maata-pita is MAA-taa PEE-taa. Hold both long aa/ii vowels; keep the hyphen pause light.

"Parents" in Hindi: quick reference

HindiEnglish
माता-पिताmaata-pitaparents

Standard pair noun.

माँ-पापाmaa-paapamom and dad

Casual home talk.

माता-पिता जीmaata-pita jiparents (respectful)

Extra respect.

अभिभावकabhibhaavakguardian; parents (forms)

School forms.

How to use माता-पिता in real life

  1. 1School form

    माता-पिता के नाम लिखिए।

    maata-pita ke naam likhiye.

    Please write the parents’ names.

    Full hyphenated headword.

  2. 2Introducing home

    मेरे माता-पिता दिल्ली में रहते हैं।

    mere maata-pita Dilli mein rahte hain.

    My parents live in Delhi.

    Mere with the pair.

  3. 3Permission

    माता-पिता से पूछना ज़रूरी है।

    maata-pita se poochna zaroor hai.

    Asking parents is necessary.

    Se with maata-pita.

Mistakes English speakers make with माता-पिता

Incorrect: Only pita for both parents.

Correct: Use maata-pita / माता-पिता for parents.

The headword is the full pair माता-पिता.

Incorrect: Dropping the hyphen: maata pita as unrelated words only.

Correct: Write माता-पिता together as the parents term.

Keep the hyphenated headword intact.

Good to know

School diaries and wedding cards print maata-pita. At home, kids shift to maa-paapa, while formal thanks still address maata-pita ji.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Talking about visiting family

  1. ChatPal

    आपके माता-पिता कहाँ हैं?

    aapke maata-pita kahaan hain?

    Where are your parents?

  2. You

    माता-पिता इस हफ़्ते रहे हैं।

    maata-pita is hafte aa rahe hain.

    Parents are coming this week.

  3. ChatPal

    माता-पिता को नमस्ते कहिएगा।

    maata-pita ko namaste kahiye ga.

    Please say namaste to your parents.

  4. You

    ज़रूर, माता-पिता खुश होंगे।

    zaroor, maata-pita khush honge.

    Sure — parents will be happy.

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"Parents" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Parents" in Hindi

Can I say maa-paapa instead?

Yes at home. Maata-pita is the careful standard form.

Is it singular or plural?

It names a pair and usually takes plural verbs: hain, rahte hain.

What do school forms use?

Maata-pita or abhibhaavak.

How do I show respect?

Add ji: maata-pita ji.

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