pappa
masculine
The English word "daddy" is translated into Norwegian as pappa.
pappa is an informal noun used to refer to one's father. It is the standard way for children and even adults to say "dad" in Norwegian.
Meaning: (informal, usually childish) father (noun)
Which one should you use?
While pappa is the equivalent of "daddy", it is also the standard informal way for children and even adults to say "dad" in Norwegian. The word pappa is much more informal and affectionate than the formal term for father, far.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'the daddy' in the definite singular form, you add the suffix '-en' to get pappaen. To indicate possession (e.g., 'daddy's car'), you add an '-s' to the end of pappa to get pappas.
Did you know?
- The term pappakurs refers to a 'daddy course' where expectant fathers learn about pregnancy and childcare.
- If you were to call someone pappa in a non-familial, romantic context, it would carry a very different, often slangy connotation than it does in English.
- The word pappa shares the same Latin root as the English 'papa' and the Spanish 'papá', making it part of a global family of 'baby talk' words.
Examples in context
- Jeg er stolt av deg, farI am proud of you, father
- Hei pappaHi dad
- Pappi, kan du hjelpe meg?Dad, can you help me?
- Takk for alt du gjør, pappiThank you for everything you do, dad
- Kjære pappi, min beste vennDear dad, my best friend
- Pappa er her.Daddy is here.
- Kan pappa komme nå?Can daddy come now?
- Jeg elsker pappa.I love daddy.
Example conversation
A small child is talking to his sister about their father.
- KristofferHvor er pappa?Where is daddy?
- SofiePappa er på jobb.Daddy is at work.
- KristofferKommer pappa snart hjem?Is daddy coming home soon?
- SofieJa, Kristoffer, han kommer snart.Yes, Kristoffer, he is coming soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “daddy” translations and entries pappa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pappa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
