Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| お父さん | otōsan | [o̞to̞ːsã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| パパ | papa | [pa̠pa̠] (narrow) |
| 父 | chichi | [t͡ɕi̥t͡ɕi] (narrow) [te̞te̞] (narrow) |
In Japanese, the word used for "dad" or "father" changes based on whether you are addressing your own father, talking about someone else's father or speaking to someone outside your family.
What does it mean word for word?
In the term お父さん, the prefix お and the suffix さん function as honorific markers to show respect to the person being addressed.
Which one should you use?
Use 父 when referring to your own father to someone outside your family. In contrast, お父さん is used when addressing your father directly or when referring to someone else's father. パパ is a more casual and childish way to say dad compared to the standard お父さん.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
お父さん is the standard, polite way to address a father. パパ is a childish form primarily used by young children or in very intimate, casual settings. 父 is a formal, humble way to refer to your own father when speaking to others.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form お父さん uses the honorific markers お and さん to express respect.
How do you pronounce it?
otōsan
Did you know?
- The common term お父さん is actually a linguistic oddity. Its pronunciation underwent an artificial shift in the early Meiji period to meet government-mandated educational standards, rather than following natural language evolution.
Examples in context
- パパ、大好き。I love you, Dad.This sentence shows how a child might express affection using パパ.Tatoeba #10053039 by small_snow, translation #5128475 by Barra
- お父さんは何て？What did dad say?This sentence demonstrates the use of お父さん when asking about a father.Tatoeba #11049516 by small_snow, translation #2565624 by Hybrid
- パパ、おやすみ。Good night, Dad.This sentence shows a common way for a child to say good night using パパ.Tatoeba #11848293 by small_snow, translation #11790316 by CM
- 本日は、お父様にお会いできて光栄です。Today, it is an honor to meet your father.
- お父さん、夕食の支度を手伝ってくれる？Dad, can you help with preparing dinner?
- 142 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are talking about their plans for the weekend.
- 蓮 Renお父さんと買い物に行くの？Otōsan to kaimono ni iku no?Are you going shopping with your dad?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、明日一緒に行くよ。Un, ashita issho ni iku yo.Yes, I'm going with him tomorrow.
- 蓮 Renいいな。お父さんは優しいね。Ii na. Otōsan wa yasashii ne.That's nice. Your dad is kind.
- 結衣 Yuiありがとう。そう思うよ。Arigatō. Sō omou yo.Thanks. I think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dad” translations and entries お父さん, パパ, 父, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries お父さん, パパ, 父, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
