father
gb/fˈɑðɚ/ us/fˈɑðɚ/
A1
English
~ 500
apa, atya, alapító atya, nemz
NOUN
A1
1
apa
A1
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s father
My father taught me how to ride a bike.
Apám tanított meg biciklizni.
He became a father at the age of 25.
25 évesen lett apa.
Her father works as a doctor.
The bride was walked down the aisle by her father.
Learner examples
My father is very kind.
Az apám nagyon kedves.
Her father is a teacher.
Az apja tanár.
I live with my father and mother.
His father drives a bus.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'father' with 'dad'; 'dad' is more informal and common in speech.
Meaning
A man who has a child
Collocations
biological father
|single father
|become a father
|proud father
|father figure
Synonyms
dad (Informal and affectionate term for father.)
|
parent (Gender-neutral term; can refer to either mother or father.)
Antonyms
mother (Female parent, opposite in gender to father.)
Themes
family
|daily life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A man who has a son or daughter.
A male parent, especially in relation to his child or children.
NOUN
B1
2
atya
B2
alapító atya
C1
Usage pattern:
the father of [something]
George Washington is often called the father of the United States.
George Washingtont gyakran az Egyesült Államok atyjaként emlegetik.
Sigmund Freud is known as the father of psychoanalysis.
Sigmund Freudot a pszichoanalízis atyjaként ismerik.
He is considered the father of modern computing.
Learner examples
George Washington is called the father of America.
George Washingtont Amerika atyjaként emlegetik.
Newton is the father of modern physics.
Newtont a modern fizika atyjaként tartják számon.
He is the father of this company.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this figuratively without realizing it implies great importance or origin.
Meaning
A man who started something important
Collocations
founding fathers
|father of the nation
|father of modern science
Synonyms
founder (Neutral term for someone who starts something; not gender-specific.)
|
patriarch (Often used for the male head of a family or group; can be formal.)
Antonyms
successor (Someone who comes after the founder or leader.)
Themes
history
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A man who started or created something important like a country or idea.
A man who is considered the founder or originator of an idea, movement, organization, or nation.
VERB
B2
3
nemz
C1
Usage pattern:
to father [a child]
He fathered three children during his first marriage.
Az első házassága alatt három gyermeke született.
The king fathered an heir to the throne.
A király trónörököst nemzett.
She claims he fathered her baby.
Learner examples
He fathered two children.
Két gyermeke született.
The man fathered a baby with his wife.
A férfinak és a feleségének kisbabája született.
My uncle fathered twins.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'father' as a verb with 'raise'; 'father' refers to biological paternity, not necessarily upbringing.
Meaning
To be the male parent of a child
Collocations
father a child
|father twins
Synonyms
beget (Formal or old-fashioned term for causing a child to be born.)
Antonyms
mother (To give birth to a child; female equivalent.)
Themes
family
|relationships
Definition
To be the man who has a child with someone.
To cause a child to be born by being its male parent.
NOUN
A2
FORMAL
4
atya
B2
Usage pattern:
Father [name]
Father Michael will lead the mass today.
Ma Mihály atya vezeti a misét.
We spoke to Father Thomas about our wedding plans.
Tamás atyával beszéltünk az esküvői terveinkről.
Father Benedict has served this parish for 20 years.
Learner examples
Father John is our priest.
János atya a papunk.
We talked to Father Paul.
Pál atyával beszéltünk.
Father Peter works in our church.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'Father' as a title with 'father' meaning male parent; capitalization helps distinguish them.
Meaning
Title for certain priests
Collocations
Father John
|Father Superior
Synonyms
pastor (General term for a Christian minister; not limited to Catholicism.)
|
priest (More general term for an ordained minister in certain Christian churches.)
Themes
religion
Definition
A name used to call some Christian priests.
A respectful title used for some Christian priests, especially in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
Grammar
Dictionary form
father
IPA
GB/fˈɑðɚ/
US/fˈɑðɚ/
Syllables & stress
fath - er (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fath)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: father
- Plural: fathers
Verb
- Base: father
- 3rd Person Singular: fathers
- Present Participle: fathering
- Past: fathered
Word family
Forms
fathers
noun
fathering
verb
fathered
verb
Core family
fatherly
adjective
grandfather
noun A1
Related words
fatherhood
noun
stepfather
noun A2
Negative and opposite forms
fatherless
adjective
Advanced or less common
paternal
adjective B2
paternity
noun
Expressions
father figure
1/fˈɑðɚ fˈɪɡjɚ/
fixed phrase
Man acting like a father to someone
A man who treats and guides someone like their own child, even if not related by blood.
Examples
- After his own dad died, his coach became a father figure to him.
- She saw her uncle as a father figure.
forefathers
1/fˈɔɹfˌɑðɚz/
fixed phrase
Male ancestors from long ago
Men from past generations in your family or nation.
Examples
- Our forefathers fought for our freedom.
- We honor our forefathers' traditions.
founding fathers
1/fˈaʊndɪŋ fˈɑðɚz/
fixed phrase
Men who started a nation or group
The men who started and built an important nation or group, especially the United States.
Examples
- The Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
- We studied the Founding Fathers in history class.
like father, like son
1/lˈaɪk fˈɑðɚ | lˈaɪk sˈʌn/
idiom
Son is similar to his father
A son often acts or looks like his father.
Examples
- He loves fishing just like his dad—like father, like son.
- He loves fishing, just like his dad. Like father, like son.
- He loves fishing just like his dad. Like father, like son.
- He loves fixing cars, just like his dad. Like father, like son.
- They both have the same laugh. Like father, like son.
- Both are stubborn—like father, like son.
- They both have the same laugh—like father, like son.