Spanish words for kids · Family
How to say “dad” in Spanish
Dad is a short, easy word that kids can use straight away, and like mom it's close to the English sound in most languages.
Dad in Spanish
papá
Sounds like ≈ pah-PAH
Good to know: Like mamá, the stress goes on the end. Papi is a common affectionate form.
Hear it in a song
Real lines from our Spanish songs, with the English meaning shown in the app:
¡Mi papá, papá!
My dad, dad!
from Mi Familia (My Family)
¡Mamá y papá!
Mom and dad!
from Mamá y Papá (Mom and Dad)
Veo a papá.
I see Dad.
from Mi Casa (My House)
2 songs that teach it
“Dad” is one of the key words in these songs. Every line is shown in Spanish with its English meaning.
Also sung in: Te Quiero, Mi Casa.
Practice ideas for parents
- 1Play "where's dad?": hide behind the sofa and let your child find papá.
- 2Name everyone's shoes by the door: these are papá's, these are mom's.
- 3Sing the family song together and do a big wave on the dad line.
Related Spanish words
“Dad” in other languages
Sing it in Spanish, free
The first unit, 6 greeting songs with lyrics and English translation, is free forever. No card needed. Premium unlocks all 134 songs.
About the pronunciation: the “sounds like” spellings are rough English approximations for parents (capital letters show the stressed syllable). Spanishhas sounds English doesn't, so treat them as a starting point and let the songs be the model. Songs are original and produced with AI music tools. Ideas for using Spanish songs with your family.