ojciec

Ojciec is the standard Polish noun meaning father, a male parent in a family. It can refer to a biological father as well as to a broader paternal figure. In everyday speech, it sits between formal terms and affectionate forms; "tata" and "tatus" are more familiar, while "ojciec" is common in official language, legal documents, and religious contexts. The expression "ojciec chrzestny" denotes a godfather, while phrases like "ojciec biologiczny" or "ojciec adopcyjny" specify paternal roles. In religious usage, "Ojciec" is used to refer to God, as in the common prayer "Ojcze nasz" (Our Father).

Etymology: Ojciec derives from the Proto-Slavic root *otьcь and is cognate with Russian отец (otets) and Ukrainian отець (otec). The form has appeared in Polish since Old Polish and is part of a family of Slavic words for father.

Grammar: It is a masculine animate noun. In singular you have: nominative ojciec, genitive ojca, dative ojcu, accusative ojca, instrumental ojcem, locative ojcu, vocative ojcze. In plural: nominative ojcowie, genitive ojców, dative ojcom, accusative ojców, instrumental ojcami, locative ojcach, vocative ojcowie. Common collocations include "mój ojciec" (my father) and "ojciec chrzestny."