पापा (paapaa)

noun A single-sense, affectionate term meaning 'dad/papa', used to address or refer to one's father.
Sense 1 : father (affectionate/informal)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: पिता (pitaa, formal), बाबा (baabaa, regional/older-generation use), डैडी (daidii, colloquial)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: पापा (paapaa) is the warm, everyday word kids and adults alike use across North Indian urban households, sitting comfortably alongside पिता (pitaa) for formal writing or introductions and डैडी (daidii) as an English-flavored alternative in more Westernized families. You'll hear pापा (paapaa) used both to call out to one's father directly and to talk about him in the third person, much like 'dad' in English.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use पापा (paapaa) only as a term of address and forget it also works as a regular noun in sentences, e.g. मेरे पापा डॉक्टर हैं (mere paapaa doktar hain, 'my dad is a doctor'). 2) Like other kinship nouns, पापा (paapaa) stays masculine and does not change form for the possessor's gender -- मेरे पापा (mere paapaa) is correct whether the speaker is male or female.
Sample Sentences:
पापा, आज ऑफिस से जल्दी आ जाना। Dad, come home early from the office today.
(paapaa, aaj ophis se jaldii aa jaanaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
मेरे पापा एक स्कूल में पढ़ाते हैं। My dad teaches at a school.
(mere paapaa ek skool men padhaate hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पापा अभी बगीचे में पौधों को पानी दे रहे हैं। Dad is watering the plants in the garden right now.
(paapaa abhii bagiiche men paudhon ko paanii de rahe hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पापा ने कल मेरे लिए नई साइकिल खरीदी। Dad bought me a new bicycle yesterday.
(paapaa ne kal mere lie naii saaikil khariidii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पापा कल शाम तक वापस आ जाएँगे। Dad will be back by tomorrow evening.
(paapaa kal shaam tak vaapas aa jaaenge।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
काश पापा इस वीकेंड घर पर होते। I wish dad were home this weekend.
(kaash paapaa is viikend ghar par hote।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अगर पापा को पता चल जाता, तो वे बहुत नाराज़ होते। If dad had found out, he would have been very angry.
(agar paapaa ko pataa chal jaataa, to ve bahut naaraaz hote।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
शायद पापा को यह गाना पसंद आ जाए। Maybe dad will end up liking this song.
(shaayad paapaa ko yah gaanaa pasand aa jaae।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
पापा, ज़रा देखिए तो, टीवी काम नहीं कर रहा। Dad, please take a look, the TV isn't working.
(paapaa, zaraa dekhie to, tiivii kaam nahiin kar rahaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पापा की गाड़ी मैकेनिक के पास ठीक करवाई जा रही है। Dad's car is being repaired at the mechanic's.
(paapaa kii gaadii maikenik ke paas thiik karvaaii jaa rahii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
पापा हमेशा कहते हैं कि मेहनत का कोई विकल्प नहीं है। Dad always says there's no substitute for hard work.
(paapaa hameshaa kahte hain ki mehnat kaa koii vikalp nahiin hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): पापा (paapaa)
(sg.m.oblique): पापे (paape)
(pl.m.direct): पापे (paape)
(pl.m.oblique): पापों (paapon)