German in different languages

German in Different Languages

Discover 'German' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

German, the language of Goethe and Kafka, holds a significant place in the world's cultural and historical context. As the official language of Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein, it is spoken by over 130 million people worldwide. Its influence extends beyond these borders, with German-speaking communities present in countries such as Switzerland, Italy, and Denmark.

But why should you know the translation of 'German' in different languages? Understanding this term in various tongues can open doors to new cultural experiences, broaden your linguistic horizons, and foster global connections. For instance, in Spanish, 'German' translates to 'alemán,' while in French, it becomes 'allemand.' In Mandarin, the word takes on a completely different sound, transforming into '德国' (Déguó).

Stay tuned as we delve deeper into how diverse languages across the globe refer to this important language and its rich cultural heritage.

German


German in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansduits
The word "Duits" can also refer to the language of the Germans, or to Germany itself.
Amharicጀርመንኛ
The word "ጀርመንኛ" in Amharic also refers to the language of the Tigray and Tigre peoples, both of whom have a strong cultural affinity with the German people.
Hausabajamushe
The Hausa word 'Bajamushe' is likely derived from the Hausa phrase 'Bajan Jamushi', meaning 'to kill a fly'.
Igbogerman
The Igbo word
Malagasyanarana
The word "Anarana" in Malagasy is derived from the French word "Allemand", meaning "German". It also refers to the white population of Madagascar, regardless of their nationality.
Nyanja (Chichewa)chijeremani
The word 'Chijeremani' in Nyanja (Chichewa) is derived from the Swahili word 'jerumani', which in turn comes from the Arabic word 'al-ajam' meaning 'foreigners'.
Shonachijerimani
The word "ChiJerimani" in Shona may also refer to the color "grey" or "dark grey".
Somalijarmal
The word "Jarmal" in Somali may also refer to "Europe" or "Westerners" in general.
Sesothosejeremane
The word "Sejeremane" can also refer to a type of dance popular in Lesotho, South Africa.
Swahilikijerumani
Kijerumani derives from the Arabic word jarman for "German" and is a related form of the word in various other languages, including Karmani, Jarmani, and Jarimani.
Xhosaisijamani
The word "IsiJamani" can also refer to something very good, especially if it is very modern or up to date.
Yorubajẹmánì
While the word "Jẹmánì" commonly refers to "Germans" in Yoruba, it also denotes "people of the forest" or "fair-skinned people" in a broader sense.
Zuluisijalimane
IsiJalimane literally means "the language of the Jalimani tribe".
Bambaraalemaɲikan na
Ewegermanygbe me tɔ
Kinyarwandaikidage
Lingalaallemand
Lugandaomugirimaani
Sepedisejeremane
Twi (Akan)german kasa

German in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicألمانية
كلمة ألمانية (German) في العربية مشتقة من كلمة
Hebrewגֶרמָנִיָת
גֶרמָנִיָת' is also the name of the Germanium element in Hebrew
Pashtoجرمني
Arabicألمانية
كلمة ألمانية (German) في العربية مشتقة من كلمة

German in Western European Languages

Albaniangjermanisht
The Albanian word for "German" is derived from the Illyrian word "Germani", which originally referred to farmers and herdsmen.
Basquealemana
Alemana is a Basque word derived from Latin Alemannus, meaning "German". It can also refer to a traditional Basque dance and a type of pie.
Catalanalemany
The word 'Alemany' can also refer to the Alemany dialect group spoken in southern Italy, or to someone from that region.
Croatiannjemački
The word 'njemački' in Croatian can also refer to the German language or to someone who is from Germany.
Danishtysk
The Danish word "tysk" originates from the Old Norse word "þýzkr", which originally referred to a people living in what is now northern Germany.
Dutchduitse
Duitse is derived from the word "Duits", which means "people" in Old Dutch.
Englishgerman
The word "German" can also refer to the language spoken in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Frenchallemand
In fencing, “l’allemande” refers to a guard position with the sword raised near the head.
Frisiandútsk
Besides 'German', the word 'Dútsk' can also mean 'Dutch' in Frisian
Galicianalemán
Alemán can also mean 'wild' or 'outside of the cultivated land' in Galician.
Germandeutsche
The word 'Deutsche' comes from the Old High German word 'diutisc', which originally meant 'the people'. It has evolved to mean 'German' but can also refer to 'the common people'.
Icelandicþýska, þjóðverji, þýskur
The term "Þjóðverji" in Icelandic ultimately derives from the Gothic word "þiudisks", which also gave rise to the English words "Dutch" and "Deutsch".
Irishgearmáinis
"Gearmáinis" is derived from the Latin word "Germanus", meaning "brother" or "closely related".
Italiantedesco
Italian 'Tedesco' meant 'native of Tyrol' before coming to mean 'German'
Luxembourgishdäitsch
In the Moselle region, 'Däitsch' can also refer to the Franconian dialect of Luxembourgish spoken there, while in the rest of the country it refers to Standard German.
Malteseġermaniż
The word 'Ġermaniż' can also refer to a type of flower, a species of geranium.
Norwegiantysk
The word "tysk" can also refer to the Danish island of Tycho Brahe, whose Latin name is "insula Tychonis".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)alemão
The word "alemão" (German) in Portuguese has other meanings, such as "fool" (in Portugal) and "mute" (in Brazil).
Scots Gaelicgearmailteach
The Scots Gaelic word 'Gearmailteach' is a phonetic adaptation of 'German' and is pronounced 'gear-mahl-teach'.
Spanishalemán
The word "alemán" also means "mute" or "disabled" in Spanish, and is often used to describe someone who is unable to speak or move.
Swedishtysk
Tysk is an abbreviation of tysker, the Swedish word for Germans, which stems from the Old Norse word for people.
Welshalmaeneg
In Welsh, 'Almaeneg' ('German') is an amalgamation of the words 'all' (foreign) and 'man' (people).

German in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianнямецкая
"Нямецкая" has a double meaning in Belarusian, referring to Germany and "mute" people.
Bosniannjemački
In the past, the word "njemački" was also used to refer to the Ottoman Empire because the Ottomans' ethnic origin was not known for sure.
Bulgarianнемски
"Немски" in Bulgarian can also mean "mute" or "someone who cannot speak".
Czechněmec
The word "Němec" in Czech originally derived from "něm" - silent, with its original meaning being "the one who doesn't speak" in reference to German merchants who often didn't know Czech.
Estoniansaksa keel
The word "Saksa" in "Saksa keel" likely originates from the name of the Saxon tribes who inhabited parts of modern-day Germany centuries ago.
Finnishsaksan kieli
Saksan kieli is a Finnish calque of the Latin word "lingua Saxonica," which refers to the language of the Saxons, who were a Germanic people.
Hungariannémet
The verb "németek" in Hungarian can mean both "to become mute" and "to become German".
Latvianvācu
The word “Vācu” in Latvian can also refer to a certain type of fabric.
Lithuanianvokiečių kalba
In Old Prussian, "vokis" meant "a stranger", and "vokitan" meant "to speak a foreign language".
Macedonianгермански
The word "Германски" can also refer to the Germanic languages or the Germanic peoples.
Polishniemiecki
In the Polish language, the word 'Niemiecki' is used not only as an adjective ('German') but also as a noun meaning 'a German person'.
Romanianlimba germana
The word "limba germana" can also refer to the English language in Romanian, as German was used as the language of trade and administration in Transylvania when the word was borrowed.
Russianнемецкий
The word "Немецкий" derives from the Old Church Slavonic term "нѣмьць", meaning "mute, barbarian".
Serbianнемачки
Originally "Немачки" in Serbian meant "unable to speak" rather than referring specifically to the people of Germany.
Slovaknemecky
Alternately, "Nemecky" refers to the deaf and mute in Slovak sign language as German was the common language of instruction in schools for the deaf and mute in the former Czechoslovakia.
Sloveniannemško
The Slovenian word 'Nemško' is derived from the old Germanic word 'Nemetes', which means 'the mute' or 'the foreigner'. This term was applied to the Germanic tribes by the Romans, who did not understand their language.
Ukrainianнімецька
The word "Німецька" has its origin in the Old High German word "diutisc," which was used to refer to the language and culture of the Germanic tribes.

German in South Asian Languages

Bengaliজার্মান
The word 'জার্মান' can also refer to a type of cloth made from a mixture of cotton and linen.
Gujaratiજર્મન
Hindiजर्मन
जर्मन शब्द की व्युत्पत्ति लैटिन शब्द 'जरमानी' से हुई है, जिसका अर्थ है 'सच्चे लोग'.
Kannadaಜರ್ಮನ್
Malayalamജർമ്മൻ
Marathiजर्मन
Nepaliजर्मन
The word "जर्मन" in Nepali can also mean "germs" or "bacteria".
Punjabiਜਰਮਨ
Sinhala (Sinhalese)ජර්මානු
The word "ජර්මානු" (German) in Sinhala also refers to the German people and the German language.
Tamilஜெர்மன்
In Tamil, "ஜெர்மன்" can also mean "one who is strong" or "a warrior".
Teluguజర్మన్
The word "జర్మన్" (German) may also refer to the language spoken in Germany or to the people of Germany.
Urduجرمن
The word "جرمن" can also refer to a strong or powerful person.

German in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)德语
德语除了表示德语外,还可以表示美德和道义。
Chinese (Traditional)德語
德語在中文裡原意為"美德",後借用為"德國"的名稱。
Japaneseドイツ人
In Japanese, "ドイツ人" (German) can also mean "Doitsu-jin", referring to a person from the Japanese city of Doitsu in Aichi Prefecture.
Korean독일 사람
독일 사람 in Korean, pronounced as Dok-il-sa-ram, means "a person from Germany" but also has an alternate meaning, "a person with blonde hair and blue eyes."
Mongolianгерман
The word “Герман” also refers to an old Mongol name that was given to males and means “brave”.
Myanmar (Burmese)ဂျာမန်

German in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianjerman
"Jerman" dalam bahasa Indonesia juga dapat merujuk pada "jerami" atau "rumput kering".
Javanesejerman
"Jerman" in Javanese also means 'to make something worse', 'to deteriorate', or anything that worsens a situation.
Khmerអាឡឺម៉ង់
The word "អាឡឺម៉ង់" can also refer to a type of fabric or a particular shade of blue.
Laoເຢຍລະມັນ
Malaybahasa jerman
In Malay, "Bahasa Jerman" translates to "German" but can also refer to the "German language" or "German people".
Thaiเยอรมัน
คำว่า "เยอรมัน" ในภาษาไทยยังมีความหมายว่า "ใหญ่โต" หรือ "แข็งแรง" ด้วย
Vietnamesetiếng đức
Tiếng Đức còn có nghĩa là "mùi hôi" hoặc "vật có mùi hôi" trong tiếng Việt.
Filipino (Tagalog)aleman

German in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanialman
The word "Alman" also means "mute" in Azerbaijani.
Kazakhнеміс
The word "Неміс" can also refer to other Germanic nations, such as Sweden, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Kyrgyzнемисче
Also referred to as "Нимыс", the word originated from the ethnonym of the Volga Germans of the 18th century.
Tajikолмонӣ
Олмонӣ also means "free, liberated, independent" in Tajik.
Turkmennemes
Uzbeknemis
In Uzbek,
Uyghurgerman

German in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianalemania
In Hawaiian, "Alemania" derives from the term "Alemaina", which referred to the country of Scotland.
Maoritiamana
Tiamana is also the Maori word for the German state of Bavaria, after early immigrants from that region.
Samoansiamani
The word 'Siamani' is thought to be derived from the word 'Germania' referring to Germany, or perhaps to the name of a 19th-century German settler family named Seemahn.
Tagalog (Filipino)aleman
The word "Aleman" in Tagalog is derived from the Spanish word "alemán". It can also refer to people from Germany or German-speaking countries.

German in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraalemán aru
Guaranialemán ñe’ẽ

German in International Languages

Esperantogermana
Latingermanica
"Germanica" derives from the Celtic "Germanus," meaning "neighbor, brother-in-law," and the Germanic "Germ," meaning "neighbor or relative."

German in Others Languages

Greekγερμανός
The term originated in Latin from *Germānus, itself taken from a Celtic ethnonym; the root meaning is "neighbor", reflecting the fact that Celts living in Gaul considered *Germānus to refer to the peoples living just east of their territory, across the Rhine.
Hmonggerman
Hmong derives the word “German” from the Chinese word 德意志 (Déyìzhì), which itself derives from the Latin word Teutonicus.
Kurdishalmanî
The word "Almanî" in Kurdish can also refer to the Alemanni tribe of Germany or generally to West Germanic peoples.
Turkishalmanca
Almanca kelimesi aynı zamanda 'dilsiz' anlamına da gelir.
Xhosaisijamani
The word "IsiJamani" can also refer to something very good, especially if it is very modern or up to date.
Yiddishדײַטש
The Yiddish word "דײַטש" not only means "German", but is also synonymous with "Jewish" when used in a religious context.
Zuluisijalimane
IsiJalimane literally means "the language of the Jalimani tribe".
Assameseজাৰ্মান
Aymaraalemán aru
Bhojpuriजर्मन भाषा के बा
Dhivehiޖަރުމަނު ބަހުންނެވެ
Dogriजर्मन
Filipino (Tagalog)aleman
Guaranialemán ñe’ẽ
Ilocanoaleman nga aleman
Kriojaman langwej
Kurdish (Sorani)ئەڵمانی
Maithiliजर्मन
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯖꯔꯃꯅꯤꯒꯤ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫
Mizogerman tawng a ni
Oromojarmanii
Odia (Oriya)ଜର୍ମାନ୍
Quechuaalemán simipi
Sanskritजर्मन
Tatarнемец
Tigrinyaጀርመንኛ
Tsongaxijarimani

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