അച്ഛന്
acchaṉ
The English word "dad" can be translated into Malayalam using അച്ഛന് (acchaṉ). Wiktionary also lists ബാപ്പ (bāppa).
Meaning: informal: a father (noun)
Ways to say it
| Malayalam | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| അച്ഛന് | acchaṉ | ||
| ബാപ്പ | bāppa | /baːppɐ/ | Muslim |
The terms used to refer to a father in Malayalam vary based on the level of formality and the specific community of the speaker.
Which one should you use?
The term അച്ഛന് is the dative form of the standard word അച്ഛൻ. Other forms used to mean "dad" include the informal terms Acha and Appa, and the formal term Pithavu.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a standard informal way to say "dad", many speakers use acchan. If you need a more formal term, use Pithavu. Other informal options include Acha and Appa.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Within the Muslim community in Kerala, the term ബാപ്പ is specifically used to mean "dad".
How do you pronounce it?
acchaṉ
Did you know?
- The term ബാപ്പ is a false cognate of the Sinhalese word බාප්පා, meaning they sound identical but have no linguistic relationship.
- In Kerala, the choice between അച്ഛൻ, ബാപ്പ and അപ്പ often signals the speaker's religious or community background before the conversation even begins.
- Many Malayalam speakers use അച്ഛാ as a vocative, dropping the final consonant when calling out to their father.
Examples in context
- അവന് നിന്റെ അച്ഛന് അല്ല.He is not your dad.This sentence is useful for seeing how അച്ഛന് is used in a negative statement.Tatoeba #2296464 by dochash, translation #2862896 by rsankarpillai
Example conversation
Lakshmi and Arjun are talking about a gift for their father.
- ലക്ഷ്മി Lakshmiഅർജുൻ, അച്ഛന് എന്ത് സമ്മാനം വാങ്ങണം?Arjun, achhanu enthu sammanam vaanganam?Arjun, what gift should we buy for dad?
- അർജുൻ Arjunഅച്ഛന് ഒരു പുസ്തകം മതിയാകും.achhanu oru pusthakam mathiyakum.A book will be enough for dad.
- ലക്ഷ്മി Lakshmiഅത് നല്ല കാര്യമാണ്.athu nalla karyamanu.That is a good idea.
- അർജുൻ Arjunനമുക്ക് നാളെ അത് വാങ്ങാം.namukku naale athu vaangaam.Let's buy it tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dad” translations and entries ബാപ്പ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ബാപ്പ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
