Aids in Different Languages
Discover 'AIDS' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
AIDS, an acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is a global health concern that has significantly impacted millions of lives worldwide. First recognized in the early 1980s, AIDS is a pandemic caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which attacks the body's immune system, leaving it vulnerable to various opportunistic infections and cancers. Despite the widespread availability of antiretroviral therapy, AIDS remains a major global health issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The significance and cultural importance of AIDS extend beyond the medical realm, as it has shaped societal attitudes, policies, and cultural narratives. Learning about AIDS in different languages can foster cross-cultural understanding and enhance global efforts to combat the disease. For instance, the Spanish translation of AIDS is 'SIDA' (Síndrome de Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida), while in French, it is 'SIDA' (Syndrome d'Immunodéficience Acquise). In Mandarin Chinese, AIDS is translated as 'AIDEZI' (AIDS综合征), and in Japanese, it is 'AIDS' (エイDS).
Stay tuned for a comprehensive list of AIDS translations in various languages, shedding light on the global reach and impact of this devastating syndrome.
AIDS
Aids in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vigs | ||
| The acronym VIGS is an abbreviation of the Afrikaans term "virus-immuniteitsgebreksindroom", which is the equivalent of "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome" (AIDS) in English. | |||
| Amharic | ኤድስ | ||
| "ኤድስ" (AIDS) is derived from the first letters of the phrase "Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome". | |||
| Hausa | cutar kanjamau | ||
| Cutar kanjamau is a Hausa term that translates to "a disease that spreads," alluding to the virus's transmission through bodily fluids. | |||
| Igbo | ọrịa aids | ||
| In its literal Igbo interpretation, "Ọrịa" is "sickness or illness," while "AIDS" is an acronym for "Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome". | |||
| Malagasy | sida | ||
| In Malagasy, "SIDA" can also refer to a type of divination or sorcery. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | edzi | ||
| "Edzi" also has the alternate meaning of "evil spirit" in Nyanja (Chichewa). | |||
| Shona | aids | ||
| The Shona word "AIDS" (pronounced "ay-ids") is not an acronym | |||
| Somali | aids-ka | ||
| AIDS-ka is the Somali word for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, and is a term that is used to describe the condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). | |||
| Sesotho | aids | ||
| The word 'AIDS' has no direct translation in Sesotho, as the disease was unknown before its arrival in southern Africa. | |||
| Swahili | ukimwi | ||
| The word 'UKIMWI' in Swahili is derived from the initials of 'Ukosefu wa Kinga Mwilini' meaning 'Lack of body immunity' | |||
| Xhosa | ugawulayo | ||
| "UGawulayo" means "a disease that makes you thin" in Xhosa, and is derived from the words "gawula" (to scrape) and "-yo" (diminutive suffix). | |||
| Yoruba | arun kogboogun eedi | ||
| The Yoruba phrase "Arun Kogboogun Eedi" translates to "the disease that wastes the body", highlighting its devastating effects. | |||
| Zulu | ingculaza | ||
| The Zulu word "Ingculaza" is also used to describe a person who is stubborn or difficult to deal with. | |||
| Bambara | sida bana | ||
| Ewe | aids dɔlékuiwo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | sida | ||
| Lingala | sida | ||
| Luganda | mukenenya | ||
| Sepedi | aids | ||
| Twi (Akan) | aids | ||
Aids in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الإيدز | ||
| The word "الإيدز" (AIDS) in Arabic does not have any alternate meanings or etymological roots beyond its medical definition as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. | |||
| Hebrew | איידס | ||
| The Hebrew acronym "איידס" (AIDS) is also a word for "witnesses" or "testimony" (עֵדִים). | |||
| Pashto | ايډز | ||
| The word "ايډز" in Pashto is an acronym for "Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome" just like its English counterpart. | |||
| Arabic | الإيدز | ||
| The word "الإيدز" (AIDS) in Arabic does not have any alternate meanings or etymological roots beyond its medical definition as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. | |||
Aids in Western European Languages
| Albanian | sida | ||
| SIDA is the Albanian abbreviation for “Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome” as well as the Albanian word for 'AIDS'. | |||
| Basque | hiesa | ||
| The Basque word "HIESA" does not have the meaning of "AIDS" in the Basque language. | |||
| Catalan | sida | ||
| In Catalan, the word "SIDA" also refers to the ancient Greek underworld or realm of the dead from mythology. | |||
| Croatian | aids-a | ||
| In Croatian, the word "AIDS-a" ("AIDS") can also mean "that which is acquired", referring to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. | |||
| Danish | aids | ||
| In Danish AIDS is also an abbreviation, not for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome but "Almen Idræt for Damer og Seniorer" (General Athletics for Women and Seniors). | |||
| Dutch | aids | ||
| In Dutch, "AIDS" is the acronym for "Auto-Immuniteit Deficiëntie Syndroom", which translates to "Auto-Immune Deficiency Syndrome". | |||
| English | aids | ||
| AIDS is an acronym for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, but AIDS also can mean "assists" in the context of sports. | |||
| French | sida | ||
| In French, the acronym "SIDA" is also used to refer to the "Syndrome immuno-déficient acquis" (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). | |||
| Frisian | aids | ||
| AIDS is de afkorting van Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome en is in het Fries bekend als FERS, oftewel Ferworven Immuno Defisiënty Syndroom. | |||
| Galician | sida | ||
| The Galician term "SIDA" also refers to a mythical creature in Galician folklor | |||
| German | aids | ||
| The acronym AIDS stands for "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome" in English while it means "acquired immune deficiency" in German. | |||
| Icelandic | aids | ||
| In Icelandic, "AIDS" is also a term used to describe the condition of being penniless or extremely poor. | |||
| Irish | seif | ||
| The Irish word "SEIF" is taken from the Latin word "SIDA", which is an acronym for "Syndrome d'Immuno-Déficience Acquise" (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). | |||
| Italian | aids | ||
| "Aiuti" is the Italian word for "assistance", "aid" or "help" and, in the acronym AIDS, it stands for "Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome". | |||
| Luxembourgish | aids | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "AIDS" is also an acronym for "Association Internationale pour le Développement de l'Éducation et de la Santé" (International Association for the Development of Education and Health). | |||
| Maltese | aids | ||
| The Maltese word "AIDS" is derived from the English word "AIDS", which is an acronym for "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome". | |||
| Norwegian | aids | ||
| AIDS ( acquired immune deficiency syndrome ) is also the Norwegian word for "monkey wrench" or "spanner". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | aids | ||
| The Portuguese word "Aids" has multiple meanings, including "help" (ajuda), "support" (apoio), and "assistance" (assistência). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | aids | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, the abbreviation "AIDS" also means "the side of the hill".} | |||
| Spanish | sida | ||
| In Spanish, SIDA (AIDS) is used to refer to both Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and the Spanish National Intelligence Center. | |||
| Swedish | aids | ||
| AIDS is an abbreviation for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome in both English and Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | aids | ||
| In Welsh, AIDS is known as "Sgil" which also means "a shadow". | |||
Aids in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | снід | ||
| The Belarusian word "СНІД" is derived from the Russian acronym "СПИД", which stands for "синдром приобретённого иммунодефицита", meaning "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome". | |||
| Bosnian | aids | ||
| AIDS, u bosanskom jeziku, je skraćenica za Stečeni Imunodeficijenski Sindrom. | |||
| Bulgarian | спин | ||
| "СПИН" comes from the Cyrillic abbreviation for "синдром приобретённого иммунодефицита." | |||
| Czech | aids | ||
| The name AIDS came from the CDC's proposal in 1982 of a new term, lymphadenopathy associated or AIDS-related complex (LAS or ARC). | |||
| Estonian | aids | ||
| In Estonian, "AIDS" is an acronym for "acquired immunodeficient syndrome" (omandatud immuunpuudulikkuse sündroom). | |||
| Finnish | aids | ||
| The word "aids" is Finnish means "help" or "assistance." | |||
| Hungarian | aids | ||
| A betűszó magyarul az „AIDS” szóval egyezik meg. | |||
| Latvian | aids | ||
| In Latvian, AIDS is also an acronym for "iegūtais imūndeficīta sindroms," meaning "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome." | |||
| Lithuanian | aids | ||
| The Lithuanian word for "AIDS" is "ŽIV", which comes from the initials of the Lithuanian phrase "Žmogaus Imunodeficito Virusas" ("Human Immunodeficiency Virus"). | |||
| Macedonian | сида | ||
| СИДА (AIDS) is an abbreviation that comes from English, but in Macedonian it can also refer to the "сид" (vinegar) plant. | |||
| Polish | aids | ||
| The Polish acronym AIDS is also an informal term for a person who is infected with the virus. | |||
| Romanian | sida | ||
| The Romanian acronym SIDA is derived from "sindromul imunodeficienței dobândite", meaning "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome" | |||
| Russian | спид | ||
| The acronym СПИД (SPID) is an acronym for "синдром приобретённого иммунного дефицита", which translates to "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome" in English. | |||
| Serbian | аидс | ||
| In Serbian, the word "АИДС" can also refer to a type of fish or a type of fruit. | |||
| Slovak | aids | ||
| The Slovak term "AIDS" stands for "Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome" and is an acronym that is identical to the English counterpart. | |||
| Slovenian | aids | ||
| AIDS is an acronym for "acquired immune deficiency syndrome". | |||
| Ukrainian | снід | ||
| The Ukrainian term "снід", which denotes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), is also used colloquially to refer to an annoying person, thing or situation. | |||
Aids in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | এইডস | ||
| The word "AIDS" is an acronym for "acquired immune deficiency syndrome" | |||
| Gujarati | એડ્સ | ||
| 'એડ્સ' is an acronym for 'Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome' in English. | |||
| Hindi | एड्स | ||
| The Hindi word "एड्स" is derived from the English acronym AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. | |||
| Kannada | ಏಡ್ಸ್ | ||
| AIDS is an acronym for 'acquired immune deficiency syndrome'. | |||
| Malayalam | എയ്ഡ്സ് | ||
| AIDS is an acronym for "Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome". | |||
| Marathi | एड्स | ||
| In Marathi, "एड्स" also means "help" or "aid". | |||
| Nepali | एड्स | ||
| एड्स (AIDS) को पूरा नाम अधिग्रहित प्रतिरक्षा कमी सिंड्रोम (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) है। | |||
| Punjabi | ਏਡਜ਼ | ||
| The word "ਏਡਜ਼" is derived from the English acronym AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ඒඩ්ස් | ||
| The word 'AIDS' stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, a condition characterized by severe damage to the body's immune system. | |||
| Tamil | எய்ட்ஸ் | ||
| The Tamil word "எய்ட்ஸ்" (AIDS) is derived from the English abbreviation for "Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome". | |||
| Telugu | ఎయిడ్స్ | ||
| AIDS is an acronym for 'Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome' and comes from the Greek words 'aids' meaning 'to help or assist' and 'syndrome' meaning 'a group of symptoms that occur together' | |||
| Urdu | ایڈز | ||
| The Urdu word "ایڈز" derives from the English acronym "AIDS" (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). | |||
Aids in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 艾滋病 | ||
| 艾滋病在泰语中表示“帮助” | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 艾滋病 | ||
| "艾滋病" 源自英文 Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (後天免疫缺乏症候群) 之縮寫 | |||
| Japanese | aids | ||
| エイズ (eizu) - "acquired immune deficiency syndrome", literally "acquired immune deficiency syndrome." | |||
| Korean | 보조기구 | ||
| 보조기구 is the Korean word for a device that helps a person with a disability, but it can also mean "assistance" or "support". | |||
| Mongolian | дох | ||
| The Mongolian word 'ДОХ' has additional meanings, including 'death' and 'bad luck'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အေ့ဒ်စ် | ||
| The word "အေ့ဒ်စ်" is derived from the English word "AIDS", which stands for "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome." | |||
Aids in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | aids | ||
| AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in Indonesian is called "AIDS" (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), which has the same meaning as in English. | |||
| Javanese | aids | ||
| The word 'AIDS' (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) has no direct translation in Javanese but is often referred to using the term 'penyakit AIDS' or 'penyakit HIV' (HIV disease). | |||
| Khmer | អេដស៍ | ||
| The word "អេដស៍" (AIDS) is derived from the French "syndrome d'immunodéficience acquise". | |||
| Lao | ໂລກເອດສ | ||
| Malay | bantuan | ||
| "Bantuan" in Malay can also mean "assistance" or "help." | |||
| Thai | เอดส์ | ||
| Thai word เดญ หรือ เดญนิเซ้า also means "suffering" or "hardship". | |||
| Vietnamese | aids | ||
| AIDS là viết tắt của hội chứng suy giảm miễn dịch mắc phải (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), còn được gọi là hội chứng suy giảm miễn dịch (HIV). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | aids | ||
Aids in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qi̇çs | ||
| The term "QİÇS" is derived from the initials of the words "Qazanılmış İmmun Defisit Sendromu," which translates to "Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome" in English, the medical term for AIDS. | |||
| Kazakh | житс | ||
| Kyrgyz | спид | ||
| The word "СПИД" in Kyrgyz is derived from the Russian acronym for "синдром приобретённого иммунодефицита" | |||
| Tajik | спид | ||
| Слово "СПИД" в таджикском языке означает не только синдром приобретенного иммунодефицита, но и "распространять, высеивать". | |||
| Turkmen | aids | ||
| Uzbek | oits | ||
| OITS (pronounced oy-its) is the Uzbek word for "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome". In addition to this medical meaning, the word can also be used figuratively to describe something that is negative or undesirable | |||
| Uyghur | ئەيدىز | ||
Aids in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | aids | ||
| In Hawaiian, AIDS is also known as "pōmaika'i 'ole,'' which translates to "unfortunate disease." | |||
| Maori | tuhinga o mua | ||
| Tuhinga o mua is a Maori phrase that can also mean 'ancient writings' or 'manuscripts' | |||
| Samoan | aids | ||
| AIDS is a direct acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, and also means 'demon' or 'devil' in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | aids | ||
| In Tagalog (Filipino), "AIDS" can also refer to the "Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome". | |||
Aids in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | sida sat usumpiw usuntapxi | ||
| Guarani | sida rehegua | ||
Aids in International Languages
| Esperanto | aidoso | ||
| Latin | donec | ||
| The Latin word "donec" means "until" or "until that time" and is not related to the acronym "AIDS" used for the disease. | |||
Aids in Others Languages
| Greek | aids | ||
| In Greek, the word "AIDS" can also refer to a "demon" or "deity". | |||
| Hmong | aids | ||
| In Hmong, the word "AIDS" is synonymous with "HIV" or "AIDS". | |||
| Kurdish | aids | ||
| "AIDS" (AIDS) er en forkortelse for "Erhvervet Immundefekt Syndrom". | |||
| Turkish | aids | ||
| The Turkish word "AIDS" derives from the English acronym AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). | |||
| Xhosa | ugawulayo | ||
| "UGawulayo" means "a disease that makes you thin" in Xhosa, and is derived from the words "gawula" (to scrape) and "-yo" (diminutive suffix). | |||
| Yiddish | aids | ||
| In Yiddish, "AIDS" is an acronym for "Af Ikh Darp Shlof" meaning "When I Fall Asleep" | |||
| Zulu | ingculaza | ||
| The Zulu word "Ingculaza" is also used to describe a person who is stubborn or difficult to deal with. | |||
| Assamese | এইডছ | ||
| Aymara | sida sat usumpiw usuntapxi | ||
| Bhojpuri | एड्स के बेमारी बा | ||
| Dhivehi | އެއިޑްސް އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | एड्स दा रोग | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | aids | ||
| Guarani | sida rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | aids | ||
| Krio | aids | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئایدز | ||
| Maithili | एड्स के रोग | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯦꯗꯁ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | aids vei a ni | ||
| Oromo | aids | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଏଡସ୍ | ||
| Quechua | sida unquy | ||
| Sanskrit | एड्सः | ||
| Tatar | спид | ||
| Tigrinya | ኤይድስ ዝበሃል ሕማም | ||
| Tsonga | aids | ||