お父さん
otōsan[o̞to̞ːsã̠ɴ]
The English word 'dad' can be translated into Japanese using several forms such as お父さん (otōsan), パパ or 父.
Meaning: informal: a father (noun)
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) |
Which one should you use?
お父さん is the standard, polite way to address one's father or to refer to another person's father. In contrast, use 父 when speaking about your own father to someone outside your family. While お父さん is polite, パパ is a highly informal, childish term.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
お父さん is a common formal way to say dad in Japanese. パパ is a highly informal, childish term used primarily by young children or within very close-knit, casual families. 父 is used when speaking about your own father to someone outside your family. Note that Tōsan (父さん) is a casual way to say dad in Japanese.
How do you pronounce it?
otōsan
Did you know?
- The common modern pronunciation of お父さん, /otoosan/, was actually an artificial creation of the Meiji period. It was standardized through government-mandated educational materials rather than evolving naturally through standard sound changes.
Examples in context
- パパ、大好き。I love you, Dad.This sentence is useful for expressing 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 is useful for asking a question about お父さん.Tatoeba #11049516 by small_snow, translation #2565624 by Hybrid
- パパ、おやすみ。Good night, Dad.This sentence is useful for saying good night using パパ.Tatoeba #11848293 by small_snow, translation #11790316 by CM
- 142 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A brother and sister are talking about their father's arrival.
- 大翔 Hirotoお父さん、もうすぐ帰ってくるよ。Otōsan, mōsugu kaette kuru yo.Dad will be home soon.
- 陽葵 Himari本当？楽しみだな！Hontō? Tanoshimi da na!Really? I'm excited!
- 大翔 Hirotoお父さんに何かお願いしよう。Otōsan ni nanika onegai shiyō.Let's ask Dad for something.
- 陽葵 Himariいい考えだね！Ii kangae da ne!That's a great idea!
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.
