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))

1. (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
	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
	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

1. (childish) papa, daddy, father

Declension

Declension of noun بَابَا (bābā)

singular	singular invariable
	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))

1. 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)

1. Arabic spelling of bâba (“father”)

Declension

Declension of بابا

	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)

1. 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)

1. papa, daddy, father

   Synonyms: پدر (peder), والد (vâlid), آتا (ata)

2. 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)

Further reading

• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–), “baba”, in Nişanyan Sözlük
• Redhouse, James W. (1890), “بابا”, in A Turkish and English Lexicon‎^[1], Constantinople: A. H. Boyajian, page 314

Pashto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɑˈbɑ/

Noun

بابا • (bābā́) m

1. (informal) dad, daddy
2. 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]

• (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

Dari	بابا
Iranian Persian
Tajik	бобо

بابا • (bâbâ)

1. (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."

2. (colloquial) grandpa, grandfather

   Synonyms: بابابزرگ (bâbâ-bozorg), پدربزرگ (pedar-bozorg, “grandfather”)

3. (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

See also

Iranian Persian dialectal kinship terms

Iranian Persian dialectal kinship terms واژگان لهجه‌های فارسی ایرانی برای خویشاوندان نسبی 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	خواهربزرگ (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	برادربزرگ (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)

1. 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 واژگان لهجه‌های فارسی دری برای خویشاوندان نسبی 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	خواهرکلان (xāhar-kalān)		آغا (āġā) باجی (bājī)		دده (dada)
brother	برادر (barādar)	بیادر (biyādar)	برار (birār)
older brother	برادرکلان (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)

1. When referring to older family members, both بزرگ (buzurg) and کلان (kalān) are correct, but the latter is more common in Afghanistan.
2. In many dialects, cases of word final ـا (-ā) may be optionally shortened to ـه (-a), e.g. بابا (bābā) > بابه (bāba).
3. 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

1. (Christianity) pope
2. (popularly) patriarch, priest

Etymology 2

From baby talk.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bˤaː.bˤa/, [ˈbˤɑː.bˤɑ]

• Audio (Ramallah):

  (file)

Noun

بابا • (ḅāḅa) m

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

Alternative forms

• يابا (yāba)

See also

• أب (ʔabb, “father”)
• ماما (ṃāṃa, “mom”)

Urdu

Noun

بابا • (bābā) m (Hindi spelling बाबा)

1. papa, daddy, father

Ushojo

Etymology

From Pashto بابا (bābā).

Noun

بابا (bābā)

1. elder, grandfather