اَبّا
abbāmasculine
The English word daddy can be translated into Urdu using several terms, most commonly اَبّا (abbā). Wiktionary also lists بابا (bābā) and باپ (bāp).
Meaning: (informal, usually childish) father (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| اَبّا | abbā | masculine | |
| بابا | bābā | /bɑː.bɑː/ (Standard, Urdu) | masculine |
| باپ | bāp | /bɑːp/ (Standard, Urdu) | masculine |
| دادا | dādā | /d̪ɑː.d̪ɑː/ (Standard, Urdu) | masculine |
These terms are used to refer to a father in an informal or childish manner.
Which one should you use?
While all these forms refer to a father, they carry different nuances. اَبّا is a highly affectionate term used by young children. بابا is a common, affectionate way for children to address their father in Urdu-speaking households. پاپا is a warm and informal term for "dad" or "daddy" in Urdu.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
اَبّا is a highly affectionate and informal term used by young children for their father. بابا is used in a more casual context between family members, similar to "dad."
How does it change in a sentence?
All provided forms are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
abbā
Did you know?
- The term بابا can also be used to refer to an old, wise man or a holy person in certain spiritual contexts.
- While باپ refers to a father, using it as a direct address to one's own father can be seen as blunt or disrespectful in many Urdu-speaking cultures.
- The word بابا is a cognate with many other languages across Asia and Africa, as the 'ba-ba' sound is one of the first sounds human infants produce.
Examples in context
- اَبّا کہاں ہیں؟abba kahan hain?Where is daddy?
- میرے اَبّا بہت اچھے ہیں۔mere abba bohat achay hain.My daddy is very good.
- اَبّا بازار جا رہے ہیں۔abba bazaar ja rahay hain.Daddy is going to the market.
Example conversation
Two children are playing in the living room.
- علی Aliاَبّا کب آئیں گے؟abba kab ayen gay?When will daddy come?
- زینب Zainabوہ جلد ہی آئیں گے۔woh jald hi ayen gay.He will come soon.
- علی Aliکیا اَبّا میرے لیے کھلونا لائیں گے؟kya abba mere liye khilona layen gay?Will daddy bring a toy for me?
- زینب Zainabہاں، علی، وہ ضرور لائیں گے۔haan, Ali, woh zaroor layen gay.Yes, Ali, he will definitely bring it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “daddy” translations and entries بابا, باپ, دادا, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
