papi
/pa.pi/
papi is the French way to say grandpa.
papi is an informal and affectionate term used by children to address their grandfather.
Which one should you use?
While papi is a diminutive and more affectionate form than the standard grand-père, the spelling papy is a common alternative to papi, though both are pronounced the same way.
How do you pronounce it?
/pa.pi/
Did you know?
- In modern French slang, the term papi is sometimes used ironically among young adults to describe a friend who behaves like an old man or prefers quiet evenings to partying.
- In German, the word Papi is a common affectionate term for 'father', whereas in French it is reserved for a grandfather.
- In some French families, papi is used as a nickname for a grandfather who is not actually old, often starting the moment the first grandchild is born regardless of the man's age.
Examples in context
- Je vais donner un dessin à mon papi.I am going to give a drawing to my papi.
- Est-ce que papi vient nous voir ?Is papi coming to see us?
Example conversation
Two children are talking about their grandfather in the living room.
- NathanLéa, est-ce que tu as vu papi ?Léa, have you seen papi?
- LéaNon, mais il est dans le jardin.No, but he is in the garden.
- NathanJe veux aller jouer avec lui.I want to go play with him.
- LéaMoi aussi, Nathan !Me too, Nathan!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry papi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries papi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
