come to papa
- idiom
- Informal
:
ven aquí
- Finally, the package has arrived! Come to papa!
Examples
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He finally spotted the last piece of pizza and reached for it with a triumphant 'come to papa.'
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When I saw the new game console, I couldn't help but say, come to papa!
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As the waiter brought the dessert tray over, she grinned and said, 'Come to papa.'
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When the winning lottery numbers were announced, he shouted, 'Come to papa!'
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As the waiter brought the dessert tray over, she grinned and said, 'Come to papa.'
-
He finally spotted the last piece of pizza and reached for it with a triumphant 'come to papa.'
-
When the winning lottery numbers were announced, he shouted, 'Come to papa!'
Synonyms
615
7.9
A small hand movement that asks someone to move closer
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal composition 'come' + 'to' + 'papa' conveys 'come to (your) father' and thus readily suggests an invitation or command for someone or something to approach, so the basic sense is inferable. However, the exclamatory, playful nuance meaning eagerness to receive something (or a joking claim of possession) is a pragmatic extension and partly idiomatic/cultural, so the exact usage and tone may not be fully predictable for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Come to papa comes from the picture of a father or pet owner calling a child or a dog to him by saying come to papa. That's why people use it as an excited shout when something they want is coming, meaning 'wanting something' or 'here it comes'.