[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/tatu/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [T](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/t/) / tatu

# tatu

noun (Ukrainian: тату, vocative "Tatu!"); also other languages

«tatu» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (Ukrainian) "Tatu" is the Ukrainian word for Dad when you call him or speak to him directly: "Tatu!" means "Dad!". The ordinary form is "tato" (тато) — dad. It sounds like "TAH-too" to an English ear. It is not an English word. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/#m1)
2. (Swahili) "Tatu" means the number three. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/#m2)
3. (Portuguese) "Tatu" means armadillo. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/#m3)
4. t.A.T.u. was the name of a Russian pop duo. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/#m4)

### In the lessons

In lessons on Ukrainian heard on the street and at home, a child calls "Tatu!" to their father, just as an English child calls "Dad!"; "Mamo!" is "Mum!". Ukrainian changes the ending of a name or noun when you call someone (the vocative case), something English does not do. In Swahili counting: moja, mbili, tatu (one, two, three).

### Examples

- (Ukrainian) "Tatu, look at my drawing!" Olenka shouted. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/#x1)
- (Ukrainian) "Tatu" means "Dad!" when you call him. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/#x2)
- (Ukrainian) When talking about him, Ukrainian children say "tato" — dad. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/#x3)
- (Ukrainian) "Dobranich, tatu!" means "Good night, Dad!" [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/#x4)
- (Swahili) Moja, mbili, tatu — one, two, three. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/#x5)
- (Portuguese) In Brazil, "tatu" is an armadillo. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/#x6)
- Ukrainian has a special calling form, so "tato" becomes "tatu". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/#x7)

### Note

Not an English word. In Ukrainian it is the calling (vocative) form of "tato" (dad), written тату in Cyrillic letters; stress on the first syllable, "TAH-too". Do not confuse with "tattoo" (a picture on the skin), which sounds a bit like it.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «tatu» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tatu/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«tatu» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tatu.html) on Mova free.