деда
dȅda/dêda/Cyrillic, masculine
The Serbian word for grandfather is деда (dȅda) (or its various forms). Wiktionary also lists дјед (djȅd) and дед (dȅd).
Meaning: grandfather (from either side) (noun)
Ways to say it
| Serbian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| деда | dȅda | /dêda/ | Cyrillic, masculine |
| дјед | djȅd | /djêd/ | Cyrillic, masculine |
| дед | dȅd | /dêd/ | Cyrillic, masculine |
| дека | déka | /děːka/ /dêka/ |
Cyrillic, masculine |
| декица | Cyrillic, masculine | ||
| дедица | Cyrillic, masculine | ||
| djed | /djêd/ | Latin, masculine | |
| ded | /dêd/ | Latin, masculine | |
| deda | /dêda/ | Latin, masculine | |
| deka | /dêka/ /děka/ |
Latin, masculine | |
| dekica | Latin, masculine | ||
| dedica | Latin, masculine |
The term is used to refer to a grandfather from either side of the family.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form деда is a common, affectionate way to address or refer to a grandfather, similar to 'grandpa' in English.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some areas, particularly in central Serbia, the word Čiča is occasionally used to address a grandfather.
How does it change in a sentence?
In many contexts, the form деда functions as a masculine noun that takes an -a ending in the accusative case, such as when saying 'I see grandfather'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /dêda/.
Did you know?
- The word дека can be a borrowing from the German word 'Decke', which means 'blanket'.
- The term деда is often used as a respectful way to address any elderly man, even if there is no blood relation between the speakers.
- The distinction between the formal дјед and the affectionate деда is so sharp that using the former with your own grandfather might actually sound cold or overly distant in a domestic setting.
Examples in context
- Ja sam Tomov deda.I'm Tom's grandfather.This sentence is useful for identifying a relationship using the form ded.Tatoeba #6935270 by dzoja, translation #2235790 by CK
- Мој деда сакупља књиге.My grandfather collects books.This sentence is useful for describing a grandfather's hobby using the form дед.Tatoeba #8864411 by Lebad, translation #8819194 by shekitten
- Колико шешира има твој деда?How many hats does your grandfather have?This sentence is useful for asking a question about a grandfather's possessions using the form дед.Tatoeba #13577708 by cafoc64474, translation #1820780 by Amastan
- Deda je uvijek brižan prema svojoj unuci.Grandfather is always caring towards his granddaughter.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Marko and Jelena are looking at an old family photo.
- MarkoПогледај, ово је мој деда.Look, this is my grandfather.
- JelenaВау, изгледа веома млада.Wow, he looks very young.
- MarkoДа, мој деда је био спортиста.Yes, my grandfather was an athlete.
- JelenaЗаиста је занимљива слика.It really is an interesting picture.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandfather” translations and entries деда, дјед, дед, дека, djed, ded, deda, deka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries дека, дјед, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
