French word

dada

Pronunciation

IPA/dada/

Meaning

  • masculine nounhobby

Example

Mon dada, c'est le jardinage.

My hobby is gardening.

Illustration for dada (hobby)

More examples

Elle a un dada pour la couture.

She has a particular interest in sewing.

Core concept

A favored activity or subject that someone returns to with conspicuous enthusiasm.

Common phrases

  • avoir un dada

    have a particular interest

  • parler de son dada

    talk about one's particular interest

Similar words

loisir: An activity enjoyed during breaks from work or study.
passe-temps: A casual activity for passing free time or having fun.
passion: A deeply felt interest pursued with great time and effort.
goût: A tendency to like certain things or a sense of personal preference.

Definition in French

Goût particulier et personnel pour quelque chose, exprimant une préférence parfois jugée originale ou excessive.

Word origin

Dada first referred in child language to a horse or toy horse, then came to name an adult's favorite interest or recurring preoccupation.

Usage tips

  • Dada often introduces a light personal confession or boast, so its tone is more conversational than neutral terms such as goût.

Other meanings

  • pet subjectnoun

Opposites

  • désintérêtlack of interestnoun

Word lists with this word