djed
/djêd/Latin, masculine
The Croatian word for grandfather is djed. Wiktionary also lists ded and deda.
Meaning: grandfather (from either side) (noun)
Ways to say it
| Croatian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| djed | /djêd/ | Latin, masculine |
| ded | /dêd/ | Latin, masculine |
| deda | /dêda/ | Latin, masculine |
| deka | /dêka/ /děka/ |
Latin, masculine |
| dekica | Latin, masculine | |
| dedica | Latin, masculine |
All forms refer to a grandfather from either the maternal or paternal side.
Which one should you use?
While djed is the standard dictionary term, deda is much more frequent in everyday spoken language. Other forms include ded, deka, dekica and dedica.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
djed is the standard, formal or neutral way to refer to a grandfather. deda is a common, informal way to say 'grandpa'. For an affectionate or diminutive tone, such as when children are speaking, you can use dekica (grandpa/grampy).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Dalmatian region, the term nono is used. In the northwestern parts of Croatia, the term dedo is used to address a grandfather.
How do you pronounce it?
/djêd/
Did you know?
- In the coastal Dalmatian region, people use nono instead of djed, a term borrowed from the Venetian language.
- The word djed comes from the Proto-Slavic root *dědъ, making it a linguistic relative to the English word 'grandfather' via the ancient Indo-European root for 'grandfather'.
- Unlike some languages that have different words for maternal and paternal grandfathers, Croatian uses djed for both sides of the family.
Examples in context
- Gdje je moj djed?Where's my grandfather?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of one's djed.Tatoeba #3457811 by teaizm, translation #2645628 by CK
- On sliči na svog djeda.He resembles his grandfather.This sentence uses the form djed to describe a resemblance.Tatoeba #659008 by billy_boomo_2, translation #300797 by CK
- Moj djed uvijek sjedi na ovoj stolici.My grandfather always sits in this chair.This sentence uses the form djed to describe a habitual action.Tatoeba #13917139 by mervert1, translation #273861 by CK
- Molim vas, gospodine, jeste li Vi moj djed?Excuse me, sir, are you my grandfather?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ivana and Mateo are looking at an old family photograph.
- IvanaTko je ovaj čovjek na slici?Who is this man in the picture?
- MateoTo je moj djed iz Dalmacije.That is my grandfather from Dalmatia.
- IvanaIzgledaš baš kao on.You look just like him.
- MateoSvi kažu da sam sličan kao djed.Everyone says I am similar to my grandfather.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandfather” translations and entries djed, ded, deda, deka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deka, djed, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
