padre
/ˈpadɾe/masculine
The Spanish word for "father" is padre.
padre is the most common and general term used to refer to a male parent.
Meaning: male parent (noun)
Which one should you use?
While padre is the standard term for father, papá is the common way to say "dad" or "daddy".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form padres is used to mean "parents" (referring to both a mother and a father) when discussing a group of parents. Additionally, the capitalized form Padre can be used as a name for God, the father of Creation.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpadɾe/
Did you know?
- In Mexico, the word padre is used as slang to mean 'cool' or 'great'. For example, ¡Qué padre! translates to 'How cool!', which has nothing to do with parenthood.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to address an older man or a priest as padre as a sign of respect, even if there is no biological relationship.
- While papá is the common term for 'dad', using padre in a direct address to one's own father can signal a desire for formality or a moment of serious tension.
Examples in context
- Él es mi padre.He is my father.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as my father.Tatoeba #521900 by Shishir, translation #297979 by eS
- Él es tu padre.He's your father.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as your father.Tatoeba #1503348 by marcelostockle, translation #1109900 by Scott
- No soy tu padre.I'm not your father.This sentence is useful for stating that I am not your father.Tatoeba #1973451 by Shishir, translation #1943923 by Spamster
- Buenos días, Padre Francisco. ¿Cómo está hoy?Good morning, Father Francisco. How are you today?
- ¡Feliz cumpleaños, papá!Happy birthday, dad!
- Mi padre siempre me apoya en todoMy father always supports me in everything.
- Papá, ¿podemos ir al cine esta semana?Dad, can we go to the movies this week?
- He hablado con el Padre Antonio sobre la bodaI have spoken to Father Antonio about the wedding.
- 1316 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are looking at an old photograph.
- Javier¿Quién es este hombre, tu padre?Who is this man, your father?
- MaríaSí, es mi padre.Yes, it is my father.
- JavierTu padre parece muy simpático.Your father looks very nice.
- MaríaGracias, él es un buen hombre.Thanks, he is a good man.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “father” translations and entries padre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
