# All Slavic languages: compadre/comadre vs. padrino/madrina (SP/PT/CT)



## Encolpius

Hello, so far I got the feeling Slovak is the only Slavic language which makes difference between those two words which exist only in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan among Romance languages. I am not sure about *Souther Slavic languages*.

*compadre or comadre is not the same as padrino/madrina !!!!
*
Slovak > 
padrino, madrina = krstný otec, krstná matka > Eng.: godfather, godmother (that's easy)
compadre, comadre = kmotor, kmotra (kmotrovci) > no word in most languages

Thanks. 

Slovak native-speakers will sure explain the difference. (If you want)


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## morior_invictus

Encolpius said:


> *compadre or comadre is not the same as padrino/madrina !!!!
> *
> Slovak >
> padrino, *m*adrina = krstný otec, krstná matka
> compadre, comadre = kmotor, kmotra (kmotrovci)


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## Selyd

*Ukrainian Українська:
padrino *= *хрещений батько*, або *хрещений*, або рідко *нанашко*
*madrina *= *хрещена мати*, або *хрещена*
*compadre, comadre = кум, кума (кум + кума = куми)*


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## Encolpius

Fantastic Ukrainian answer, according to the dictionary kum, kuma exists in Slovak, too...I wonder what Slovaks think about it, if they know the words...


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## Thomas1

*Polish*:
padrino -- ojciec chrzestny, chrzestny (colloquial)
madrina -- matka chrzestna, chrzestna (colloquial)
comadre -- kuma (pl. kumy)
compadre -- kum (pl. kumowie; col. kumy) 

Both 'kuma' and 'kum' are rare in Modern Polish.


Something extra that looks interesting:


> <ukr., st.-rus., z bułg. kum, które skr. zam. kumotr, z rum. kumatru ojciec chrzestny (wg kumatra matka chrzestna)>
> _Słownik wyrazów obcych_ _PWN _© Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN SA



EDIT: there are words 'kumoszka' and 'kumoter' (or more familiar to me 'kumotr') in Polish too, but their meaning is a bit different from the one of 'kuma' and 'kum' respectively (the one discussed in this thread, I mean).

EDIT2:
French, apart from the standard 'parrain' and 'marraine', also has its equivalents of Spanish 'compadre' and 'comadre':
compère
commère
Compared to the Polish 'kum' and 'kuma' respectively, it seems that they are also rather obsolete and have another meaning (a friend).

I'd risk a guess that Slavic and Romance languages have words to express the two types of godparentage relationship, whereas it does not seem to be the case in Germanic languages (feel free to correct me if the need be ).


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## morior_invictus

Encolpius said:


> Fantastic Ukrainian answer, according to the dictionary kum, kuma exists in Slovak, too...I wonder what Slovaks think about it, if they know the words...


I have never heard of "kum" and neither of "kuma," because it may be only known to someone who speaks "_šarišštinou / šarišským nárečím_."


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## Encolpius

_Yes, I've just found the Slovak word lately and since Czechs do not have it I have made a very bad conclusion....  But now the issue looks different. 
But just like kum-kum are RARE in Polish I think the same goes for French, Italian. I wonder how many Poles know the word kum-kuma. 
While, If I am not mistaken the Slovak kmotor, kmotra might be common. Native speakers make no comments.  So it is true. 
And I think the reason of the lack in German languages might be social, they just do not baptise their children any longer, but I bet, you do in Poland, so how come it is a rather rare expression?????? _


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## marco_2

I think most Poles know the words *kum / kuma *but as the form of addressing old people in rural areas _(Co powiecie, kumie / kumo?) _and it has nothing in common with the relations connected with baptising children. And the other meaning of the words can be different in different regions of Poland - e.g. my grandfather used these words when talking about his children's in-laws, not godparents.


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## Thomas1

I think that this wouldn't prevent Germanic languages from having such words. You could still find them in dictionaries. For example, the French dictionary _Le Grand Robert_, says that 'conpère' was first used in the twelfth century. As to the Polish words, I suppose that they might be more common in rural areas.

EDIT: I've just seen Marco's post.


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## Azori

Encolpius said:


> _While, If I am not mistaken the Slovak kmotor, kmotra might be common. Native speakers make no comments. _


As for how common the words "kmotor", "kmotra" are, I personally don't use them nor do I know anybody who does. But they do appear in old Slovak literature and films, not sure how common they are now. "Kum" and "kuma" don't seem to be native Slovak words. By the way, Czech has the words "kmotr" and "kmotra", too. Also "kmotřenec" (godson) and "kmotřenka" (goddaughter).


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## mmbata

Hola,



Encolpius said:


> Hello, so far I got the feeling Slovak is the only Slavic language which makes difference between those two words which exist only in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan among Romance languages. I am not sure about *Souther Slavic languages*.
> 
> *compadre or comadre is not the same as padrino/madrina !!!!*



En Serbio y Croata:
compadre > *kum*
comadre > *kuma*
padrino > *krsni kum*
madrina > *krsna kuma*
 ahijado/ahijada > *kumče*

Saludos


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## swintok

Selyd said:


> *Ukrainian Українська:
> padrino *= *хрещений батько*, або *хрещений*, або рідко *нанашко*
> *madrina *= *хрещена мати*, або *хрещена*
> *compadre, comadre = кум, кума (кум + кума = куми)*



I posted this yesterday, but for some reason it disappeared.

The terms кум and кума are quite widely used in the Ukrainian communities abroad. I've heard them less often in Ukraine itself, but would not say that they are uncommon. There is even a verb form - куматися - but I've almost never heard it used.

Interestingly, in certain parts of Ukraine and certainly outside, кумання encompasses a very wide range of relationships. For example, if your godson and my godson are brothers, then you and I are куми. Similarly, if your godfather and my godfather are brothers, then you and I are also куми. In the past there was a very strong societal prohibition on marrying a кум regardless of the degree of relationship and even though there might not be any legal or church prohibition. In practice, since you were likely to be куми with pretty much everyone in your own village, you had to look to another village for a mate. There is an interesting little book called _Sex and Society in the World of the Orthodox Slavs 900-1700 _by an American scholar named Eve Levin that goes into detail about this.


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