oče
/ɔ̀ːt͡ʃɛ/masculine
The English word "dad" can be translated into Slovenian using several forms, most commonly oče. Wiktionary also lists očka and tata.
Meaning: informal: a father (noun)
Ways to say it
| Slovenian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| oče | /ɔ̀ːt͡ʃɛ/ | masculine |
| očka | masculine | |
| tata | dialectal, masculine | |
| ata | dialectal, masculine |
The terms used to refer to a father in Slovenian range from the standard, neutral oče to more affectionate or colloquial variations like tata, očka and ata.
Which one should you use?
oče is the standard, neutral word for father. In contrast, tata is a more affectionate and informal way to say "dad". The form očka serves as a diminutive of oče to express endearment, similar to "daddy" in English. ata is a dialectal variation of tata.
Is it said differently in some regions?
ata is a dialectal form used in certain regions of Slovenia.
How does it change in a sentence?
očka is a diminutive form of oče used to express endearment.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɔ̀ːtʃɛ/
Did you know?
- While oče is the standard term, the word tata is a loanword that entered many Slavic languages via German or Hungarian influence.
- While 'dad' in English is often used by adults to refer to their fathers, using tata as an adult in Slovenia can sound much more childish or even slightly patronizing depending on the context.
- Because Slovenian is a highly inflected language, the word for 'dad' will change its ending significantly depending on whether he is the subject, the object, or the possessor in a sentence.
Examples in context
- Spoštovani oče, imate trenutek časa? Potreboval bi vaš nasvet.Respected father, do you have a moment? I would need your advice.
- Očka, ali mi lahko pomagaš z nalogo iz matematike?Dad, can you help me with the math homework?
- Moj oče je zelo prijazen.My dad is very kind.
- Kje je tvoj oče?Where is your dad?
- Oče je danes doma.Dad is home today.
Example conversation
Matic and Ana are talking about their parents.
- MaticAli tvoj oče dela v mestu?Does your dad work in the city?
- AnaNe, on dela na kmetiji.No, he works on a farm.
- MaticMoj oče je profesor.My dad is a professor.
- AnaTo je zanimivo!That is interesting!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dad” translations and entries oče, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
