African in Different Languages
Discover 'African' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'African' is more than just a geographical term. It represents a diverse and vibrant continent, home to over 1.3 billion people and 2000 distinct languages. African culture is a rich tapestry of traditions, histories, and experiences, with each region contributing its unique thread to the whole.
Understanding the translation of 'African' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the continent's cultural diversity. For instance, in Swahili, a language spoken in East Africa, 'African' translates to 'Afrikaani'. Meanwhile, in Yoruba, a language spoken in Nigeria, 'African' becomes 'Ife Yoruba'. These translations not only reflect linguistic differences but also highlight the unique cultural perspectives of each language group.
Moreover, the word 'African' carries significant historical context. It has been used to describe the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, and the struggle for independence. Today, it is a symbol of pan-Africanism, a political and cultural movement that seeks to unify and empower people of African descent worldwide.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious, understanding the translation of 'African' in different languages can be a fascinating journey. Here are some translations to get you started:
African
African in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | afrikaans | ||
| Afrikaans word "Afrikaans" has two meanings; "African" and "Dutch language spoken by the Afrikaners in South Africa" | |||
| Amharic | አፍሪካዊ | ||
| The word “አፍሪካዊ” also refers to a kind of plant used as a charm in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | afirka | ||
| The word "Afirka" in Hausa also refers to the continent of Africa. | |||
| Igbo | afrika | ||
| Igbo-derived 'Afrika' (or 'Afrịka') can mean both 'of Africa' and 'white man', highlighting the region's complex history of interactions with Europeans. | |||
| Malagasy | afrikana | ||
| In Malagasy, the word "Afrikana" (African) is also used to refer to the African diaspora and the African continent. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wachiafrika | ||
| The word "Wachiafrika" in Nyanja is derived from the phrase "wa ku Africa," meaning "those from Africa." | |||
| Shona | african | ||
| The Shona word "African" derives from the Swahili word "Afrika" and refers specifically to people of South African descent. | |||
| Somali | afrikaan ah | ||
| In Somali, "Afrikaan ah" can also refer to someone who has the characteristics of an "African" such as dark skin, or someone who does not belong to a specific clan. | |||
| Sesotho | moafrika | ||
| Swahili | mwafrika | ||
| "Mwafrika," in Swahili, can also refer to someone of Bantu descent. | |||
| Xhosa | umafrika | ||
| The term 'UmAfrika' also translates to 'mother of the skies' and is associated with the ancient Xhosa belief that the stars descended from the heavens to create the first people on Earth. | |||
| Yoruba | ara afirika | ||
| The Yoruba word 'Ara Afirika' is also used in the context of people of African descent who have been separated from their homeland and/or the continent. | |||
| Zulu | umafrika | ||
| The term 'UmAfrika' not only signifies 'African' in Zulu but also connotes 'the place of the morning sun,' alluding to Africa's geographical position. | |||
| Bambara | farafinna | ||
| Ewe | afrikatɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umunyafurika | ||
| Lingala | moto ya afrika | ||
| Luganda | omufirika | ||
| Sepedi | moafrika | ||
| Twi (Akan) | afrikani | ||
African in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الأفريقي | ||
| The etymology of "الأفريقي" is uncertain, but some scholars believe it may be derived from the Berber word "ifri" meaning "cave". | |||
| Hebrew | אַפְרִיקַנִי | ||
| אַפְרִיקַנִי is also the Biblical Hebrew form of the name of the continent, Africa. | |||
| Pashto | افریقایی | ||
| The word “افریقایی” can refer to both an animal native to Africa and a person from Africa. | |||
| Arabic | الأفريقي | ||
| The etymology of "الأفريقي" is uncertain, but some scholars believe it may be derived from the Berber word "ifri" meaning "cave". | |||
African in Western European Languages
| Albanian | afrikan | ||
| The Albanian word "Afrikan" can also refer to a person from the continent of Africa, or to something related to Africa. | |||
| Basque | afrikarra | ||
| The Basque word 'Afrikarra', meaning 'African', is derived from the Arabic word 'Ifriqiyya' and originally referred to North Africa. | |||
| Catalan | africà | ||
| El termine “Africà” in català è anche sinonimo di “estraneo” o “barbaro”, a causa dell’uso dispregiativo che ne fecero i romani | |||
| Croatian | afrički | ||
| The word 'afrički' can also mean 'frizzy' or 'coarse' in Croatian, referring to hair texture. | |||
| Danish | afrikansk | ||
| The Danish word "afrikansk" can also refer to a type of African dance. | |||
| Dutch | afrikaanse | ||
| The Dutch word "Afrikaanse" can also be an adjective meaning "of or pertaining to Africa". | |||
| English | african | ||
| The word "African" derives from the Latin word "Afer," meaning "North African" or "Libyan." | |||
| French | africain | ||
| The word "africain" in French can also refer to a type of fabric with a distinctive pattern resembling African textiles. | |||
| Frisian | afrikaanske | ||
| It can also refer to the African dance performed at weddings, in which a candle is placed on the groom's head. | |||
| Galician | africano | ||
| "Africano" en gallego no solo designa a lo propio de África sino también a lo de ultramar: "ultramarino, exótico" | |||
| German | afrikanisch | ||
| Icelandic | afrískur | ||
| In Icelandic, 'Afrískur' can also refer to a type of decorative knotwork or to something that is exotic or unusual. | |||
| Irish | afracach | ||
| The term 'Afracach' in Irish, derived from 'afrach' meaning 'continent', originally applied to Europe but was later extended to Africa. | |||
| Italian | africano | ||
| "africano" in Italian can also refer to someone from a specific region, especially Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria. | |||
| Luxembourgish | afrikanesch | ||
| The word "Afrikanesch" in Luxembourgish can also refer to people or things from the African diaspora. | |||
| Maltese | afrikani | ||
| Afrikani, meaning 'African' in Maltese, is the plural form of Afrikan, meaning 'South African'. | |||
| Norwegian | afrikansk | ||
| In Norwegian, "afrikansk" also means "related to or containing the element Africa" | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | africano | ||
| In Portuguese, "africano" can also refer to the currency used in former African colonies of Portugal. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | afraganach | ||
| The word 'Afraganach' can also refer to a person from the African continent, or to someone of African descent. | |||
| Spanish | africano | ||
| In Spanish, "africano" can also mean "person of Spanish ancestry born in Africa" | |||
| Swedish | afrikansk | ||
| The word "Afrikansk" in Swedish can also refer to the Afrikaans language, spoken in South Africa and Namibia. | |||
| Welsh | affricanaidd | ||
| The name 'Affricanaidd' may mean '(person) of great strength' or possibly 'of the sun-scorched country'. | |||
African in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | афрыканскі | ||
| Bosnian | afrički | ||
| The word "Afrički" can also refer to something that is from the African continent or that is related to Africa. | |||
| Bulgarian | африкански | ||
| In Bulgarian, "Африкански" can also refer to the language and culture of the continent, and is also used in a figurative sense, e.g. "Африкански страсти" ("African passions"). | |||
| Czech | afričan | ||
| Afričan may also mean "a member of the African-American community in the Czech Republic." | |||
| Estonian | aafrika | ||
| The word also means "black" in colloquial Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | afrikkalainen | ||
| The word 'afrikkalainen' in Finnish has the additional meaning of 'non-African-American Black person'. | |||
| Hungarian | afrikai | ||
| In Hungarian, the term "afrikai" not only refers to people or things from Africa, but also to a specific shade of reddish-brown, commonly seen in horses or cattle. | |||
| Latvian | afrikānis | ||
| In Latvian, the word "afrikānis" can also mean "exotic" or "rare" | |||
| Lithuanian | afrikos | ||
| The word "Afrikos" in Lithuanian, meaning "African", has historical connections to the Phoenician "Afreh" meaning "dust" or "sand". | |||
| Macedonian | африканец | ||
| The term "Африканец" can also refer to a person from the African diaspora, particularly in the context of racial identity. | |||
| Polish | afrykanin | ||
| The word "afrykanin" can also be used to refer to a person of African descent who is not necessarily from Africa. | |||
| Romanian | african | ||
| In Romanian, "african" can also denote a member of the African ethnic group. | |||
| Russian | африканский | ||
| "Африканский" means "African" in Russian, but also refers to the genus of African Grey Parrots | |||
| Serbian | афрички | ||
| The term 'Афрички' can also refer to the indigenous African people and their cultural practices. | |||
| Slovak | africký | ||
| The word "Africký" can also mean "related to the continent of Africa" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | afriški | ||
| Afriški is derived from the Latin word 'Afer', which originally referred to the inhabitants of North Africa. | |||
| Ukrainian | африканський | ||
African in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | আফ্রিকান | ||
| আফ্রিকান শব্দটি 'আফ্রিকান' ছাড়াও 'ওয়াইন' বা 'আঙুরের' পানীয় বোঝাতে ব্যবহৃত হয়। | |||
| Gujarati | આફ્રિકન | ||
| The word "આફ્રિકન" is the Gujarati equivalent of the English word "African", meaning a person from or relating to the continent of Africa. | |||
| Hindi | अफ़्रीकी | ||
| The word "अफ़्रीकी" has a Persian origin, meaning "of or relating to Africa". | |||
| Kannada | ಆಫ್ರಿಕನ್ | ||
| Malayalam | ആഫ്രിക്കൻ | ||
| The word "ആഫ്രിക്കൻ" ("African") is derived from the Latin word "Afer", which has alternate meanings denoting Carthage or North Africa. | |||
| Marathi | आफ्रिकन | ||
| The Marathi word "आफ्रिकन" is derived from the English word "African", which in turn comes from the Latin word "Afer", referring to the inhabitants of North Africa. | |||
| Nepali | अफ्रिकी | ||
| The word "अफ्रिकी" in Nepali can also mean "a person of African descent" or "a person from Africa". | |||
| Punjabi | ਅਫਰੀਕੀ | ||
| The word 'ਅਫਰੀਕੀ' (African) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'उफरीकी' (Uparika), meaning 'north'. It can also refer to someone from the continent of Africa, or to the African diaspora. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අප්රිකානු | ||
| In addition to referring to the continent of Africa, "අප්රිකානු" can also mean "black" or "dark-skinned" in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | ஆப்பிரிக்க | ||
| The word "ஆப்பிரிக்க" (African) has its origins in the Sanskrit word "अफ्रीक" (Afreeca), which in turn is derived from an ancient Greek word meaning "without cold". | |||
| Telugu | ఆఫ్రికన్ | ||
| "ఆఫ్రికన్" (African) is an exonym derived from the Latin word "Afri," which referred to a Berber tribe in North Africa. | |||
| Urdu | افریقی | ||
| The word "افریقی" can also refer to people or things from the African diaspora, or to the African continent itself. | |||
African in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 非洲人 | ||
| 非洲人除了指出生在非洲的人以外，在中文中还可以指非洲裔人，即父母双方或一方出生在非洲的人。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 非洲人 | ||
| 非洲人除了指非洲大陆的原住民，还可以指古埃及人、古希腊人、古罗马人、古迦太基人、古犹太人、古代阿拉伯人等西亚北非地区的人民。 | |||
| Japanese | アフリカ人 | ||
| In Japanese, the word "アフリカ人" can also refer to people of African descent living in Japan. | |||
| Korean | 아프리카 사람 | ||
| The word "아프리카 사람" ("African") in Korean can also refer to a person of African descent who is not necessarily from Africa. | |||
| Mongolian | африк | ||
| The Mongolian word 'Африк' not only means 'African' but also refers to 'the continent of Africa'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အာဖရိကန် | ||
African in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | afrika | ||
| The Indonesian word "Afrika" comes from the Arabic "Ifriqiya", a term originally referring to North Africa (not Sub-Saharan Africa). | |||
| Javanese | wong afrika | ||
| The Javanese word 'Wong Afrika' can also refer to people of African descent who have settled in Java. | |||
| Khmer | អាហ្រ្វិក | ||
| The word "អាហ្រ្វិក" has several connotations in Khmer, including a person from Africa, and a style of dance inspired by African culture. | |||
| Lao | ອາຟຣິກາ | ||
| The Lao word «ອາຟຣິກາ» (African) is derived from the Thai word «แอฟริกา» (Afrika), which in turn is derived from the English word «Africa». | |||
| Malay | orang afrika | ||
| The Malay word "Orang Afrika" can also be used to refer to indigenous people of Malaysia's Sarawak and Sabah states. | |||
| Thai | แอฟริกัน | ||
| คำว่า “แอฟริกัน” นอกจากจะแปลว่า “ชาวแอฟริกัน” แล้ว ยังใช้แปลว่า “ของทวีปแอฟริกา” ได้ด้วย | |||
| Vietnamese | người châu phi | ||
| Trong tiếng Việt, "Người châu Phi" cũng có thể đề cập đến người nước ngoài không phải gốc Châu Á. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | african | ||
African in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | afrika | ||
| The word "Afrika" in Azerbaijani, aside from referring to the continent, can also mean "a person of African descent". | |||
| Kazakh | африка | ||
| The word “Африка” (Afrika) came to the Kazakh language from Arabic language, where "إفريقية" means “belonging to the tribe of Afariqs, i.e. to the Berbers, and "إفريقي" means "a native of North Africa, a Berber". | |||
| Kyrgyz | африка | ||
| The word "Africa" in Kyrgyz derives from the Persian "afraka" meaning "land without cold". | |||
| Tajik | африқоӣ | ||
| The word "Африқоӣ" in Tajik can also mean "black" or "dark-skinned". | |||
| Turkmen | afrikaly | ||
| Uzbek | afrika | ||
| Uyghur | african | ||
African in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻapelika | ||
| 'Apelikā is a loanword of 'African' and also means a 'black person or person of African heritage' in Hawaiian, as well. | |||
| Maori | awherika | ||
| In Māori, “Awherika” shares an etymological link to the word “whariki,” referring to woven mats, suggesting a connection between Africa and the significance of weaving in both cultures. | |||
| Samoan | aferika | ||
| 'Aferika' also means 'freckled' in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | africa | ||
| The Tagalog word "Aprika" is derived from the Spanish word "África", which in turn comes from the Latin word "Afer", meaning "a person from Africa". | |||
African in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | áfrica markankir jaqinakawa | ||
| Guarani | africano | ||
African in International Languages
| Esperanto | afrikano | ||
| In Esperanto, "afrikano" also denotes a person who identifies with African culture, not necessarily from the African continent. | |||
| Latin | africae | ||
| The word "Africae" in Latin can also refer to the Roman province of Africa, which encompassed parts of modern-day Tunisia and Libya. | |||
African in Others Languages
| Greek | αφρικανός | ||
| In modern Greek, "αφρικανός" can be an adjective meaning "African," but when used as a noun, can mean "Afro" (the hair texture) or "African Grey" (a type of parrot). | |||
| Hmong | neeg asmeskas | ||
| The term "Neeg Asmeskas" may also refer to people with dark skin tones from other non-African regions. | |||
| Kurdish | efrîkayî | ||
| The word "efrîkayî" in Kurdish can also refer to a dark-skinned or black person. | |||
| Turkish | afrikalı | ||
| Afrikalı, meaning “African,” also means a person of African ethnicity in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | umafrika | ||
| The term 'UmAfrika' also translates to 'mother of the skies' and is associated with the ancient Xhosa belief that the stars descended from the heavens to create the first people on Earth. | |||
| Yiddish | אפריקאנער | ||
| The Yiddish word "אַפֿריקאַנער" can also refer to a Jewish person from Africa, or, historically, to a non-Jewish person from Africa | |||
| Zulu | umafrika | ||
| The term 'UmAfrika' not only signifies 'African' in Zulu but also connotes 'the place of the morning sun,' alluding to Africa's geographical position. | |||
| Assamese | আফ্ৰিকান | ||
| Aymara | áfrica markankir jaqinakawa | ||
| Bhojpuri | अफ्रीकी के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | އެފްރިކާގެ... | ||
| Dogri | अफ्रीकी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | african | ||
| Guarani | africano | ||
| Ilocano | africano nga aprikano | ||
| Krio | afrikan pipul dɛn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئەفریقی | ||
| Maithili | अफ्रीकी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯐ꯭ꯔꯤꯀꯥꯒꯤ... | ||
| Mizo | african mi a ni | ||
| Oromo | afrikaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଆଫ୍ରିକୀୟ | ||
| Quechua | africamanta | ||
| Sanskrit | आफ्रिकादेशीयः | ||
| Tatar | африка | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣፍሪቃዊ | ||
| Tsonga | xiafrika | ||