بابا
bābāeveryday, address
بابا (bābā) is how Lebanese children call their dad. When talking about him, بيي (bayyi) means "my father". The formal word is أب (ab).
Meaning: dad, father (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بابا | bābā | everyday, address |
| أب | ab | formal |
| بيي | bayyi | my father |
Use بابا (bābā) when you speak to him and بيي (bayyi) when you tell someone else about him.
Which one should you use?
أب (ab) appears in formal writing and in phrases like الأب والأم (el-ab wel-umm), "father and mother".
Did you know?
- The mother is ماما (māmā) when addressed and إمي (immi), "my mother", when talked about, matching بابا and بيي.
Examples in context
- بابا، تعا شوفbābā, taʿa shūfDad, come and look.
- بيي بالشغلbayyi bish-shogholMy dad is at work.
- بيي كتير طيبbayyi ktīr ṭayyebMy dad is very kind.
Example conversation
Little Karim asks his father Antoine to play football in the yard.
- Karimبابا، بدك تلعب معي؟bābā, biddak telʿab maʿi?Dad, do you want to play with me?
- Antoineإي حبيبي، شو بدنا نلعب؟ēh ḥabībi, shu badna nelʿab?Yes dear, what shall we play?
- Karimكورة!kūra!Football!
