pappa
In Norwegian, the English phrase 'papa' is translated as pappa.
pappa is an informal way to say 'Dad' in Norwegian.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
pappa is an informal term, serving as the equivalent of the more formal Norwegian word far (father).
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural, use pappaer for 'dads'. To specify 'the dad', add the definite suffix -en to the word to get pappaen.
Did you know?
- The word pappa also refers to 'cardboard' or 'paperboard' in Norwegian, meaning you could technically describe a cardboard box as being made of pappa.
- In Norway, the word pappa is used in the term pappa-perm to describe the legally mandated paternity leave fathers take to bond with their newborns.
- The Latin root of pappa is thought to be an onomatopoeic imitation of the easy sounds a baby makes when first learning to speak.
Examples in context
- Tusen takk, far, for at du alltid er der for meg.Thank you very much, father, for always being there for me.
- Kan du hjelpe meg med leksene, pappa?Can you help me with my homework, Dad?
- Jeg elsker pappaen min.I love my dad.
- Kan pappa hjelpe meg?Can dad help me?
- Pappa er i hagen nå.Dad is in the garden now.
Example conversation
Ingrid and Magnus are talking about their weekend plans.
- IngridSkal pappa bli med oss?Is dad coming with us?
- MagnusJa, han kommer på lørdag.Yes, he is coming on Saturday.
- IngridDet blir kjempebra!That will be great!
- MagnusJeg gleder meg til å se pappa.I am looking forward to seeing dad.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pappa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pappa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
