Vater

Vater is a German noun meaning father, the male parent. It is masculine, used with the definite article der in the singular (der Vater) and with die Väter in the plural. In everyday language it refers to one’s father or to the male parent more generally, and it also appears in religious contexts to denote God the Father.

Etymology and cognates: The word derives from Proto-Germanic *faðēr, which in turn comes from Proto-Indo-European *pH₂tḗr, the root also behind English father, Dutch vader, Swedish far, and Danish far. The modern German form evolved from Old High German fater through Middle High German Vater. The standard pronunciation is typically given as /ˈfaːtɐ/.

Declension: Vater is a strong masculine noun. Singular: Nominative der Vater, Genitive des Vaters, Dative dem Vater, Accusative den Vater. Plural: Nominative die Väter, Genitive der Väter, Dative den Vätern, Accusative die Väter.

Usage and context: Beyond referring to a biological father, Vater appears in religious phrases such as Unser Vater im Himmel (the Lord’s Prayer). It occurs in a range of compounds and expressions, including Vaterland (fatherland), Vaterschaft (fatherhood), and Vaterfigur (father figure). The term can convey affection, authority, or familial roles, depending on context, and is commonly used in literature, media, and everyday speech. As a surname, Vater exists in German-speaking countries and can be found in genealogical or biographical records.