بابا

See also: بابو, بابه, and پاپا

Arabic

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /baː.baː/

Etymology 1

From Latin pāpa.

Noun

بَابَا • (bābā) m (plural بَابَوَات (bābawāt))

(Christianity) pope, patriarch

Usage notes

The Bishop of Rome is often specified as بَابَا ٱلْفاتِيكان (bābā l-fātīkān, literally “Pope of the Vatican”) to distinguish him from the Coptic pope.

Declension

Declension of noun **بَابَا** (bābā)
singular	singular invariable
singular	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	بَابَا bābā	الْبَابَا al-bābā	بَابَا bābā
nominative	بَابَا bābā	الْبَابَا al-bābā	بَابَا bābā
accusative	بَابَا bābā	الْبَابَا al-bābā	بَابَا bābā
genitive	بَابَا bābā	الْبَابَا al-bābā	بَابَا bābā
dual	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	بَابَوَيْن bābawayn	الْبَابَوَيْن al-bābawayn	بَابَوَيْ bābaway
nominative	بَابَوَانِ bābawāni	الْبَابَوَانِ al-bābawāni	بَابَوَا bābawā
accusative	بَابَوَيْنِ bābawayni	الْبَابَوَيْنِ al-bābawayni	بَابَوَيْ bābaway
genitive	بَابَوَيْنِ bābawayni	الْبَابَوَيْنِ al-bābawayni	بَابَوَيْ bābaway
plural	sound feminine plural
plural	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	بَابَوَات bābawāt	الْبَابَوَات al-bābawāt	بَابَوَات bābawāt
nominative	بَابَوَاتٌ bābawātun	الْبَابَوَاتُ al-bābawātu	بَابَوَاتُ bābawātu
accusative	بَابَوَاتٍ bābawātin	الْبَابَوَاتِ al-bābawāti	بَابَوَاتِ bābawāti
genitive	بَابَوَاتٍ bābawātin	الْبَابَوَاتِ al-bābawāti	بَابَوَاتِ bābawāti

Related terms

بَابَوِيّ (bābawiyy)
بَابَوِيَّة (bābawiyya)

Etymology 2

From baby talk.

Noun

بَابَا • (bābā) m

(childish) papa, daddy, father

Declension

Declension of noun **بَابَا** (bābā)
singular	singular invariable
singular	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	بَابَا bābā	الْبَابَا al-bābā	بَابَا bābā
nominative	بَابَا bābā	الْبَابَا al-bābā	بَابَا bābā
accusative	بَابَا bābā	الْبَابَا al-bābā	بَابَا bābā
genitive	بَابَا bābā	الْبَابَا al-bābā	بَابَا bābā

Hijazi Arabic

Etymology

From baby talk.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /baː.ba/, [bɑː.bɑ]

Noun

بابا • (bāba) m (plural بَابَوَات (bābāwāt) or بَابَهات (bābāhāt))

papa, daddy, father
Synonyms: أبو (abu), والد (wālid)

Usage notes

The mentioned plurals are rarely used, while the most common plural is أَبَّهات (abbahāt) which stems from the Classical Arabic word أَبْ (ʔab).

Khalaj

Noun

بابا (definite accusative باباݧ, plural بابالار)

Arabic spelling of bâba (“father”)

Declension

Declension of
	singular	plural
nominative	بابا	بابالار
genitive	باباݧ	بابالارؽݧ
dative	باباقا	بابالارقا
definite accusative	باباݧ	بابالارؽ
locative	باباچا	بابالارچا
ablative	بابادا	بابالاردا
instrumental	بابالا	بابالارلا
equative	باباواره	بابالارواره

Old Anatolian Turkish

Noun

بَابَا • (baba)

alternative form of بَبَا (baba)
- 14th Century, anonymous author, Bursa Manuscript: Kitāb-ı Dedem Ḳorḳud Alā Lisān-ı Tāife-i Oġuzān:
  اُوغُلْ دَخيٖ نَيْلَسُونْ بَابَا اُولُوبْ مَالْ قَالْمَسَه
  oġul daḫı näyläsün baba ölüp māl qalmasa
  what is for a son to do if [his] father dies and leaves no goods

Ottoman Turkish

Etymology

Inherited from Old Anatolian Turkish بَبَا (baba), of onomatopoeic origin.

Noun

بابا • (baba)

papa, daddy, father
Synonyms: پدر (peder), والد (vâlid), آتا (ata)
a post of stout timber set upright, a stanchion

Declension

Declension of بابا (baba)

	singular	plural
nominative	بابا (baba)	بابالر (babalar)
definite accusative	بابایی (babayı)	بابالری (babaları)
dative	بابایه (babaya)	بابالره (babalara)
locative	باباده (babada)	بابالرده (babalarda)
ablative	بابادن (babadan)	بابالردن (babalardan)
genitive	بابانك (babanıñ)	بابالرك (babalarıñ)

Possessive forms
1st person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	بابام (babam)	بابالرم (babalarım)
definite accusative	بابامی (babamı)	بابالرمی (babalarımı)
dative	بابامه (babama)	بابالرمه (babalarıma)
locative	بابامده (babamda)	بابالرمده (babalarımda)
ablative	بابامدن (babamdan)	بابالرمدن (babalarımdan)
genitive	بابامك (babamıñ)	بابالرمك (babalarımıñ)
2nd person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	باباك (babañ)	بابالرك (babalarıñ)
definite accusative	باباكی (babañı)	بابالركی (babalarıñı)
dative	باباكه (babaña)	بابالركه (babalarıña)
locative	باباكده (babañda)	بابالركده (babalarıñda)
ablative	باباكدن (babañdan)	بابالركدن (babalarıñdan)
genitive	باباكك (babañıñ)	بابالركك (babalarıñıñ)
3rd person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	باباسی (babası)	بابالری (babaları)
definite accusative	باباسنی (babasını)	بابالرینی (babalarını)
dative	باباسنه (babasına)	بابالرینه (babalarına)
locative	باباسنده (babasında)	بابالرنده (babalarında)
ablative	باباسندن (babasından)	بابالرندن (babalarından)
genitive	باباسنك (babasınıñ)	بابالرینك (babalarınıñ)
1st person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	بابامز (babamız)	بابالرمز (babalarımız)
definite accusative	بابامزی (babamızı)	بابالرمزی (babalarımızı)
dative	بابامزه (babamıza)	بابالرمزه (babalarımıza)
locative	بابامزده (babamızda)	بابالرمزده (babalarımızda)
ablative	بابامزدن (babamızdan)	بابالرمزدن (babalarımızdan)
genitive	بابامزك (babamızıñ)	بابالرمزك (babalarımızıñ)
2nd person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	باباكز (babañız)	بابالركز (babalarıñız)
definite accusative	باباكزی (babañızı)	بابالركزی (babalarıñızı)
dative	باباكزه (babañıza)	بابالركزه (babalarıñıza)
locative	باباكزده (babañızda)	بابالركزده (babalarıñızda)
ablative	باباكزدن (babañızdan)	بابالركزدن (babalarıñızdan)
genitive	باباكزك (babañızıñ)	بابالركزك (babalarıñızıñ)
3rd person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	بابالری (babaları)	بابالری (babaları)
definite accusative	بابالرینی (babalarını)	بابالرینی (babalarını)
dative	بابالرینه (babalarına)	بابالرینه (babalarına)
locative	بابالرنده (babalarında)	بابالرنده (babalarında)
ablative	بابالرندن (babalarından)	بابالرندن (babalarından)
genitive	بابالرینك (babalarınıñ)	بابالرینك (babalarınıñ)

Derived terms

آق بابا (ak baba, “vulture”)

Related terms

انا (ana, “mother”)

Descendants

Turkish: baba
- → German: baba
→ Albanian: baba
→ Armenian: (Constantinople) պապա (papa), (Van) բաբա (baba)
→ Laz: ბაბა (baba)

Pashto

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bɑˈbɑ/

Noun

بابا • (bābā́) m

(informal) dad, daddy
grandfather

Declension

Declension of **بابا**
	singular	plural
direct	بابا (bābā)	باباګان (bābāgān)
oblique	بابا (bābā)	باباګانو (bābāgāno)
vocative	بابا (bābā)	باباګانو (bābāgāno)

Synonyms

(father): پلار

Persian

Alternative forms

بابو (bâbo) (dialectal, Shiraz)
ببا (bobâ) (dialectal)
بوا (bovâ) (dialectal, Kazerun, Bushehr, Khesht, Konartakhteh, Dashtestan)
ببو (bobo) (dialectal, Abadeh)
بو (bow) (dialectal, Kazerun)

Etymology

Originally from baby talk, see mama and papa.

Pronunciation

(Classical Persian) IPA^(key): /baː.ˈbaː/

(Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [bɑː.bɑ́ː], [bɑː.bɑ́ːj]
- (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [bɑː.bɑ́ː], [bɑː.bɑ́ːj]
- (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [bɔː.bɔ́ː], [bɔː.bɔ́ːj]

(Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [bɒː.bɒ́ː]

(Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [bɔ.bɔ́]

Readings
Classical reading^?	bābā
Dari reading^?	bābā, bābāy
Iranian reading^?	bâbâ
Tajik reading^?	bobo

Audio (Iran): (file)

Noun


Iranian Persian	بابا
Dari	بابا
Tajik	бобо

بابا • (bâbâ)

(colloquial) dad, daddy, father
Synonym: پدر (pedar, “father”)
- c. 1260s, Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, translated by Reynold A. Nicholson, مثنوی معنوی [Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi], volume III, verse 1174:
  بعد از آن گفتند ای مادر بیا / گور بابا کو تو ما را ره نما
  ba'd az ân goftand ey mâdar biy-â / gur-e bâbâ ku to mâ râ rah namâ
  Afterwards they said, "Come, O mother, where is our father's grave? Do thou show us the way."
(colloquial) grandpa, grandfather
Synonyms: بابابزرگ (bâbâ-bozorg), پدربزرگ (pedar-bozorg, “grandfather”)
(colloquial) fellow

Derived terms

ای بابا (ey bâbâ)
بابا نوئل (Bâbâ No'el)
بابابزرگ (bâbâ-bozorg)
برو بابا (boro bâbâ)
نه بابا (na bâbâ)

Descendants

→ Khalaj: bâba

Iranian Persian dialectal kinship terms
Iranian Persian dialectal kinship terms vâžegân-e lahja-hâ-ye fârsi-ye irâni barâ-ye xišâvandân-e nasabi
Family member	Standard Iranian Persian	Tehrani dialect	Abadani dialect	Kashani dialect	Shirazi dialect
mother	مادر (mâdar)	مامان (mâmân)	ننه (nene)		مامو (mâmo)
grandmother	مادربزرگ (mâdar-bozorg)	مامان‌بزرگ (mâmân-bozorg)	بی‌بی (bi-bi)	ماجون (mâjun)	بی‌بی (bi-bi)
father	پدر (pedar)	بابا (bâbâ)	دده (dede)	بابا (bâbâ)	بابو (bâbo)
grandfather	پدربزرگ (pedar-bozorg)	بابابزرگ (bâbâbozorg)			بو‌بزرگ (bovobozorg) آقوبزرگ (âġobozorg)
sister	خواهر (xâhar)	آبجی (âbji)	دده (dade)	—	آباجی (âbâji)
older sister	خواهر بزرگ (xâhar-bozorg)	آق‌‌باجی (âġ-bâji)	—	باجی (bâji)	شاباجی (šâbâji)
brother	برادر (barâdar)	داداش (dâdâš)	کا (kâ)	وردار (vardâr)	کاکو (kâko) داچی (dâčči) (younger brother)
older brother	برادر بزرگ (barâdar-bozorg)	—			آکاکو (âkâko)
maternal aunt (mother's sister)	خاله (xâle)
maternal uncle (mother's brother)	دایی (dâyi)		خالو (xâlu)	—	دئی (do'i) خان‌دوی (xân-doy) (more respectful)
paternal aunt (father's sister)	عمه (amme)
paternal uncle (father's brother)	عمو (amu)		آمو, عامو (âmu)	—	آمو, عامو (âmu)

When referring to older family members, both بزرگ (bozorg) and کلان (kalân) are correct, but the former is more common in Iran.

Dari Persian dialectal kinship terms
Dari Persian dialectal kinship terms wāžagān-i lahja-hā-yi fārsī-yi darī barā-yi xēšāwandān-i nasabī
Family member	Standard Dari	Kabuli dialect	Hazaragi dialect	Herati dialect	Qandahari dialect
mother	مادر (mādar)	ننه (nana)	آبه (āba)	ننه (nana)	آیه (āya)
grandmother	مادرکلان (mādar-kalān)	بی‌بی (bī-bī)	آجه (āja) بی‌بی (bī-bī)	بی‌بی (bī-bī)	آنه (āna)
father	پدر (padar)	بابا (bābā)	آته (āta)	پیر (piyar) بابا (bābā)
grandfather	پدرکلان (padar-kalān)	باباجی (bābājī) آغا (āġā)	بابا (bābā)	بابو (bābū)
sister	خواهر (xāhar)	خوار (xwār, xār)
older sister	خواهر کلان (xāhar-kalān)		آغا (āġā) باجی (bājī)		دده (dada)
brother	برادر (barādar)	بیادر (biyādar)	برار (birār)
older brother	برادر کلان (barādar-kalān)	لالا (lālā)
maternal aunt (mother's sister)	خاله (xāla)
maternal uncle (mother's brother)	ماما (māmā)		ماما (māmā) تغایی (taġāyī)	ماما (māmā)
paternal aunt (father's sister)	عمه (amma)
paternal uncle (father's brother)	کاکا (kākā)

When referring to older family members, both بزرگ (buzurg) and کلان (kalān) are correct, but the latter is more common in Afghanistan.
In many dialects, cases of word final ـا (-ā) may be optionally shortened to ـه (-a), e.g. بابا (bābā) > بابه (bāba).
In many dialects, terms ending in ـه (-a) or ـا (-ā) may have an epenthetic ـی (-y) added (unrelated to ezafe), e.g. عمه (amma) > عمی (ammay).

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

From Latin pāpa.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bˤaː.bˤa/, [ˈbˤɑː.bˤɑ]
Audio (Ramallah): (file)

Noun

بابا • (ḅāḅa) m

(Christianity) pope
(popularly) patriarch, priest

Etymology 2

From baby talk.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bˤaː.bˤa/, [ˈbˤɑː.bˤɑ]
Audio (Ramallah): (file)

Noun

بابا • (ḅāḅa) m

dad, papa
an affectionate form of address used by a father to his child

Alternative forms

يابا (yāba)

Urdu

Noun

بابا • (bābā) m (Hindi spelling बाबा)

papa, daddy, father

Ushojo

Etymology

From Pashto بابا (bābā).

Noun

بابا (bābā)

elder, grandfather

Arabic

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Noun

Usage notes

Declension

Related terms

Etymology 2

Noun

Declension

Hijazi Arabic

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Usage notes

Khalaj

Noun

Declension

Old Anatolian Turkish

Noun

Ottoman Turkish

Etymology

Noun

Declension

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

Further reading

Pashto

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

Synonyms

Persian

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Derived terms

Descendants

See also

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Noun

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Noun

Alternative forms

See also

Urdu

Noun

Ushojo

Etymology

Noun