How do you say dad in Spanish?

Dad in Spanish is papá (pah-PAH). It is the standard informal word used in everyday speech. The formal word for father is padre.

What is the difference between papá and padre?

Papá is informal and affectionate — what you call your dad at home. Padre is formal and used in official documents, religious contexts (a Catholic padre), and respectful or literary speech. Think of it like the difference between 'dad' and 'father' in English.

Can papi be used outside of family contexts?

In many Caribbean and Latin American countries, papi extends well beyond family — it doubles as a casual term of endearment between romantic partners and even a friendly way to address a male stranger (similar to 'buddy'). Context and tone make the intended meaning clear.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Dad in Spanish: Papá, Padre, Papi, and More

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Papá · noun (masculine) · pah-PAH

Dad in Spanish is papá (pah-PAH), the standard informal term used by children and adults alike when referring to their father. Padre is the formal or literary equivalent — it appears on official documents, in religious contexts (God the Father, a Catholic priest), and in respectful speech. Papi is an affectionate diminutive common in the Caribbean and Latin America, roughly equivalent to 'daddy.' In Argentina and parts of South America, viejo ('old man') is a warm, colloquial way to refer to one's father.

Papá is pah-PAH, two syllables with the stress firmly on the second syllable. Be careful not to confuse it with papa (PAH-pah, stress on the first syllable), which means 'potato' in Latin America or 'pope' when capitalized (el Papa).

Mi papá me enseñó a andar en bicicleta cuando tenía cinco años.

My dad taught me to ride a bike when I was five years old.

Dad in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for dad, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
papá	dad	pah-PAH	Default, widely understood
padre	dad		formal, universal
papi	dad		affectionate/daddy, Caribbean & Latin America
viejo	dad		colloquial for 'old man/dad,' Argentina & parts of South America

How Native Speakers Use Papá

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Casual family conversation

Papá, ¿me prestas el carro este fin de semana?

Dad, can you lend me the car this weekend?

Papá is used as a direct form of address, similar to 'Dad' in English. It takes no article when used as a vocative.

Talking about your father

Mi padre trabajó como ingeniero durante treinta años.

My father worked as an engineer for thirty years.

Padre is the choice for formal or respectful speech, especially when talking to strangers or in professional contexts.

Affectionate use

¡Papi, mira lo que dibujé en la escuela!

Daddy, look what I drew at school!

Papi is common among young children across Latin America. In some Caribbean countries, papi is also used between romantic partners as a term of endearment.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Papá

Stress on the wrong syllable

Incorrect: Mi papa cocina muy bien. (PAH-pah = potato)

Correct: Mi papá cocina muy bien. (pah-PAH = dad)

The written accent on the second a is essential. Without it, papa means 'potato' in most of Latin America. The accent shifts the stress and changes the meaning entirely.

Using padre in casual speech

Incorrect: Oye, padre, ¿vamos al cine? (sounds stiff in everyday speech)

Correct: Oye, papá, ¿vamos al cine?

While padre is not grammatically wrong, it sounds overly formal or distant in casual conversation. Native speakers almost always use papá or papi when speaking directly to their father.

Lock in Dad Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Papá used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using papá in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Mi papá me enseñó a andar en bicicleta cuando tenía cinco años. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Dad in Spanish

How do you say dad in Spanish?: Dad in Spanish is papá (pah-PAH). It is the standard informal word used in everyday speech. The formal word for father is padre.
What is the difference between papá and padre?: Papá is informal and affectionate — what you call your dad at home. Padre is formal and used in official documents, religious contexts (a Catholic padre), and respectful or literary speech. Think of it like the difference between 'dad' and 'father' in English.
Can papi be used outside of family contexts?: In many Caribbean and Latin American countries, papi extends well beyond family — it doubles as a casual term of endearment between romantic partners and even a friendly way to address a male stranger (similar to 'buddy'). Context and tone make the intended meaning clear.