тато
tato[ˈtatɔ]masculine
The Macedonian word for dad is тато (tato). Wiktionary also lists тате (tate) and татко (tatko).
Meaning: informal: a father (noun)
Ways to say it
| Macedonian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| тато | tato | [ˈtatɔ] (narrow) | masculine |
| тате | tate | [ˈtatɛ] (narrow) | masculine |
| татко | tatko | [ˈtatkɔ] (narrow) | masculine |
Which one should you use?
татко is the most common and standard way to say dad or father in a neutral context. The forms тато and тате are more affectionate or diminutive variations of dad, often used by children or in very close family settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The base forms are masculine. However, if you are using a neuter-gendered grammatical construction to refer to a specific dad, such as saying 'the dad's name', the form changes to таткото.
How do you pronounce it?
tato
Did you know?
- The word тато is part of a massive family of Indo-European 'nursery words' that sound similar in many different languages, including the English 'papa' or 'dada'.
- Macedonian has a specific word for 'father-in-law' that is completely different from татко, reflecting the strict kinship distinctions in Balkan family structures.
- While English speakers often use 'dad' or 'daddy' only for children or in very informal settings, a Macedonian speaker might use the diminutive тато or тате to express deep affection towards an adult father.
Examples in context
- Тоа е татко ми.That's my dad.This sentence shows how to use the form татко to identify someone.Tatoeba #4399556 by Lepotdeterre, translation #4397567 by CK
- Како е татко ти?How's your dad?This sentence uses the form татко to ask about someone's father.Tatoeba #4083772 by Lepotdeterre, translation #4083733 by CK
- Во кујна ли е тато?Is dad in the kitchen?This sentence uses the form тато to ask about a person's location.Tatoeba #4057778 by Lepotdeterre, translation #1487693 by marshmallowcat
- Тате, можеш да ми помогнеш со домашната задача?Dad, can you help me with my homework?
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Milana is asking Ivan about his father's arrival.
- Милана MilanaКога ќе дојде тато?Koga ќe dojde tato?When will dad come?
- Иван IvanТој треба да дојде сега.Toj treba da dojde sega.He should be coming now.
- Милана MilanaДали тато носи подароци?Dali tato nosi podaroci?Is dad bringing gifts?
- Иван IvanДа, тој носи нешто за тебе.Da, toj nosi neshto za tebe.Yes, he is bringing something for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dad” translations and entries тато, тате, татко, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries татко, тато, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
