01
der Papi
daddy
A colloquial and affectionate term for one's own father. It is a pet form of Papa.
example
Papi, kannst du mir beim Fahrradreparieren helfen?
Daddy, can you help me fix my bike?
der Papi
daddy
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
Usage tips
Informal use
'Papi' (daddy) is a very informal and affectionate form of address. It is mainly used by children or in direct family communication, but not in formal situations.
EXAMPLE
Als Erwachsener würde er seinen Vater in einem Geschäftsbrief nicht „Papi“ nennen.
As an adult, he would not call his father 'Papi' (daddy) in a business letter.
Pet form with '-i'
The ending '-i' is a typical way to form pet names in German. Similar to 'Papi' (daddy) for Papa, there is also 'Mutti' (mommy) for Mama or 'Omi' (granny) for Oma.
EXAMPLE
Meine kleine Nichte nennt ihren Vater immer nur „Papi“.
My little niece only ever calls her father 'Papi' (daddy).
Use in a sentence
When addressing your father directly, you use 'Papi' (daddy) without an article. When talking about him, you usually use a possessive article such as 'mein Papi' (my daddy).
EXAMPLE
Papi, liest du mir eine Geschichte vor?
Daddy, will you read me a story?
Compare with
Papi vs Vater
father
'der Vater' and 'der Papi' both refer to the male parent. 'Vater' is neutral and fits almost all situations, including official or factual conversations. 'Papi' is affectionate, family-like, and colloquial. It is used especially by children or in a very close family setting. Learners might confuse the words because they refer to the same person. As a practical rule: in forms, reports, or normal conversations, you say 'Vater'. 'Papi' fits when speaking tenderly or childishly about one's own father.
Papi
Das Kind ruft seinen Papi, weil es Hilfe beim Anziehen braucht.
The child calls for his daddy because he needs help getting dressed.
Vater
Mein Vater kommt heute zum Elternabend in die Schule.
My father is coming to the parent-teacher meeting at school today.
In real life
Loading video examples...