परदादाPardadaPaternal Great-Grandfather
Pardada (परदादा) is your paternal great-grandfather in Hindi — your dada's father, three generations above you in your father's line. The prefix par- pushes a relationship one generation further back, so pardada stands one step beyond dada on the family tree.
Who is your Pardada?
Few people meet their pardada, but he looms large in how Hindi-speaking families understand themselves: he is the ancestor whose village, occupation, or migration story usually opens the family's oral history. In Hindu households, ancestors of his generation are honored during shraddh, the annual days of remembrance, and family lineages recited at weddings and naming ceremonies typically reach back to him. When four generations do overlap, a photograph of pardada holding his great-grandson becomes a treasured heirloom.
How it's used
Pardada is mostly referential — spoken about rather than to — though a child lucky enough to know his is addressed as Pardadaji with full honors. For example: "Hamare pardada ne yeh haveli 1920 mein banwai thi." — "Our great-grandfather had this mansion built in 1920."
Pardada vs similar terms
Pardada is on the father's side; the maternal great-grandfather — your nana's father — is parnana. And do not confuse pardada with dada himself: the par- prefix always adds exactly one generation, the same way it turns pota into parpota going down the tree.
Frequently asked questions
What does Pardada mean in Hindi?
Pardada means paternal great-grandfather in Hindi — the father of your dada, your paternal grandfather. The prefix par- adds a generation, placing him three generations above you in your father's line.
What is the difference between Pardada and Parnana?
Both are great-grandfathers, but pardada belongs to your father's line (your dada's father) while parnana belongs to your mother's line (your nana's father). Hindi keeps the paternal-maternal split intact even three generations up.
Related terms
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