God in different languages

God in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

The concept of 'God' holds immense significance across cultures and religions, often representing a superior being or ultimate reality. This term has been translated in various ways, reflecting the rich diversity of linguistic and cultural traditions worldwide.

For instance, in Spanish, 'God' is translated as 'Dios', while in French, it is 'Dieu'. In Mandarin Chinese, the term for 'God' is 'Shén' or 'Tiān', and in Japanese, it is 'Kami'. These translations offer a glimpse into how different cultures perceive and express the idea of a higher power.

Understanding the translation of 'God' in various languages can be insightful, especially for those interested in language, culture, or spirituality. It not only broadens one's linguistic abilities but also deepens cultural appreciation and promotes interfaith dialogue.

In the following list, explore how 'God' is translated in different languages, from common ones like Spanish and French to less familiar ones like Maori and Zulu.

God


God in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansgod
In Afrikaans, the word "God" is derived from the Middle Dutch "God", which itself originates from the Old High German "Got" and the Proto-Germanic "*ǥuđán".
Amharicእግዚአብሔር
The word "እግዚአብሔር" (Egziabeher) in Amharic is derived from the Ge'ez phrase "Egzi'e Abher" meaning "Lord of Creation"
Hausaallah
In Hausa, "Allah" is a general term for a deity, including both the Islamic God and traditional African gods.
Igbochineke
The Igbo word "Chineke" is also used as a respectful form of address for an elder or superior.
Malagasyandriamanitra
"Andriamanitra" is also used as a respectful term of address for elders, especially those in positions of authority.
Nyanja (Chichewa)mulungu
The word "Mulungu" can also refer to a tree or spirit, and is related to the word "mulunguzi," meaning "priest" or "healer."
Shonamwari
"Mwari" in the Shona language can also refer to "rain", "heavens", or "sky" and is possibly connected to the Proto-Bantu word "*mulunga*", a name applied to the supreme deity or spirit, or to thunder.
Somaliilaah
"Ilaah" is also a name used for the Somali Supreme Court.
Sesothomolimo
'Molimo' is the Sesotho translation of 'God' and may also refer to the ancestors or those deserving of respect.
Swahilimungu
The word "Mungu" may also refer to spirit, or the supernatural, in Swahili.
Xhosanguthixo
The term 'uThixo' is derived from the word 'thixo', which refers to 'heavenly bodies', 'sky', and 'a supreme being'
Yorubaọlọrun
The term can refer to multiple deities and not solely the Supreme Being.
Zuluunkulunkulu
The word 'UNkulunkulu' is also used to refer to an ancestral spirit or to thunder.
Bambarama
Ewemawu
Kinyarwandamana
Lingalanzambe
Lugandakatonda
Sepedimodimo
Twi (Akan)nyame

God in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicالله
The term "الله" (Allah) has Semitic roots, with its cognates appearing in other Semitic languages such as Hebrew and Aramaic.
Hebrewאלוהים
The name "אלוהים" (Elohim) in Hebrew means "the Powers" or "the Strong Ones".
Pashtoخدایه
The word "خدایه" in Pashto can also refer to a "master" or "lord" in a feudal or religious context.
Arabicالله
The term "الله" (Allah) has Semitic roots, with its cognates appearing in other Semitic languages such as Hebrew and Aramaic.

God in Western European Languages

Albanianzoti
"Zot" is a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to call" or “a being called upon".
Basquejainkoa
The word 'Jainkoa' in Basque may derive from the ancient Basque word 'jaiñ', meaning 'lord' or 'master', and the suffix '-koa' indicating possession.
Catalandéu
"Déu", like in romance languages, is derived from the Latin "Deus", ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *déywos, which originally meant "heavenly being" or "day, sky."
Croatianbog
The Croatian word 'bog' can also refer to a rich or powerful person, or to a deity other than the Christian God.
Danishgud
"Gud" in Danish also relates to the Old Norse word "goð," meaning "good" and "divine."
Dutchgod
"God" in Dutch can also refer to a godfather, godmother or godparent.
Englishgod
The word "God" is derived from the Old English word "god", which originally meant "a supernatural being" or "a deity". Later, it came to be used exclusively for the Christian God.
Frenchdieu
The word "Dieu" is derived from the Latin word "Deus", which means "god" or "deity".
Frisiangod
The first component of the Frisian word for “God” can alternatively mean “good” in various Germanic languages.
Galiciandeus
In Galician, "Deus" derives from the Latin word "Deus," signifying "deity," and also carries the meaning of "husband" or "master."}
Germangott
The German word "Gott" (God) is related to the English word "good" and originally referred to a divine being who protects and supports humans.
Icelandicguð
Guð can also refer to a priest, bishop, or someone highly respected.
Irishdia
Irish "Dia" can also mean "day", a "deity", a "shining one", or "the sky".
Italiandio
The term "Dio" in Italian originally referred to the Roman sky god Jupiter, also known as Zeus in Greek mythology.
Luxembourgishgott
Gott, in addition to meaning «God,» can mean «sponsor» or «godfather» in certain contexts.
Maltesealla
The word "Alla" can also be used to refer to a female goddess or a venerated woman.
Norwegiangud
The Old Norse word "guð" originally referred to a male deity or a supernatural being.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)deus
"Deus" comes from the Latin word "deus," which derives from the Proto-Indo-European word *deiwos, meaning "celestial, divine being," from the root *dei-, meaning "to shine."
Scots Gaelicdia
In place names, "dia" also signifies "a small river" or a low lying or wet place.
Spanishdios
The word "Dios" in Spanish comes from the Latin "Deus", but it also has pre-Roman, Celtic, and Indo-European roots.
Swedishgud
In Swedish, 'Gud' is a contraction of 'den gode', meaning 'the good one'.
Welshduw
"Duw" is a cognate of the Irish "Dia" and the Latin "Deus".

God in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianбожа!
The word "Божа!" is used to express emotions and can mean "God!" or "Gosh!"
Bosnianbože
The word "Bože" in Bosnian also means "my God" when used in an exclamation or prayer.
Bulgarianбог
The word "Бог" ("God") in Bulgarian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*bogъ", meaning "wealth" or "riches."
Czechbůh
{"text": "The term "Bůh" originates from the Proto-Slavic "bogъ," meaning "wealth" or "share," signifying God as the source of prosperity and abundance."}
Estonianjumal
"Jumal" originates from the Proto-Finnic word "*jumala", which could refer to many kinds of spirits, or even a person with a divine or supernatural ability.
Finnishjumala
"Jumala" also means "thunder" and "thunderer".
Hungarianisten
The word "Isten" is derived from the Proto-Uralic word "*iteŋ" ("heaven, god"), the same root as the Finnish word "Itä" ("east").
Latviandievs
Dievs is derived from an old Indo-European root meaning "heaven", and is related to the Greek Zeus, the Roman Jupiter, and the Sanskrit Dyaus.
Lithuaniandieve
The word "Dieve" originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *deiwos, meaning "heavenly". In Lithuanian mythology, Dieve is the supreme god, often associated with the sky, thunder, and lightning.
Macedonianбоже
The word "Боже" in Macedonian originally meant "lord" or "master" and can also be used to address a priest or bishop.
Polishbóg
The Polish word "Bóg" is a cognate of the Proto-Slavic word *bogъ, which referred to a generic deity or supernatural power.
Romaniandumnezeu
The Romanian word "Dumnezeu" is derived from the Vulgar Latin word "Domine Deus" meaning "Lord God".
Russianбог
The Russian word "Бог" (God) is derived from the Proto-Slavic "bogъ", which originally meant "wealth" or "fortune."
Serbianбог
The word 'Бог' ('God') is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'bogъ', which also means 'wealth', 'fortune', and 'prosperity'.
Slovakbože
The word "Bože" in Slovak is related to the word "boh" in Czech and the word "bog" in Polish, all meaning "God".
Slovenianbog
The word "bog" in Slovenian comes from the Proto-Slavic word "bogъ", which has the same root as the words "bogat" (rich) and "bogatir" (hero)
Ukrainianбоже
Etymology: from Old Slavic "bogь" meaning "riches", "abundance".

God in South Asian Languages

Bengaliসৃষ্টিকর্তা
"সৃষ্টিকর্তা" also means "creator" or "cause".
Gujaratiભગવાન
The Gujarati word for God, "ભગવાન," derives from Sanskrit, where "bhaga" signifies fortune and "van" denotes possession or ownership.
Hindiपरमेश्वर
The word "परमेश्वर" is the combination of two words: "परम" ("supreme") and "ईश्वर" ("lord"), meaning the "Supreme Lord".
Kannadaದೇವರು
The word ದೇವರು ('God') can also mean the sun, sky, light, brilliance, or heaven in Kannada.
Malayalamദൈവം
The word 'ദൈവം' ('God') in Malayalam is derived from 'देव' ('deva') in Sanskrit, and also means 'heaven' and 'sky'.
Marathiदेव
The word "देव" in Marathi can also refer to "a celestial being" or "a deity", and is derived from the Sanskrit word "deva".
Nepaliभगवान
The Nepali word "भगवान" (God) ultimately derives from the Sanskrit term "Bhagavant" (literally, "possessing opulences"), which also refers to a high spiritual master.
Punjabiਰੱਬ
The word "ਰੱਬ" (God) derives from the Sanskrit word "देव" (deva), meaning "shining one" or "heavenly being."
Sinhala (Sinhalese)දෙවියන් වහන්සේ
Tamilஇறைவன்
The word "இறைவன்" ("God" in Tamil) is derived from the root word "இற" ("to go") and can also mean "controller" or "guide."
Teluguదేవుడు
The word "దేవుడు" in Telugu can also mean "heaven" or "the state of being divine".
Urduخدا
The Urdu word "خدا" (Khuda) originates from the Persian word "خدای" (Khuday), which in turn comes from the Proto-Indo-Iranian "*h₂éw₂tās". This root word also gives rise to the Sanskrit "devá", meaning "a deity". In some contexts, "خدا" can also refer to "lord", "master", or "husband".

God in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)
"神" (God) can also mean "spirit" or "immortal".
Chinese (Traditional)
神, composed of '示' meaning 'sign' (a sign from Heaven) and '申' meaning 'extend, develop', signifies 'a sign of divine intervention'.
Japanese
The Japanese character 神 (kami) has various readings and meanings, including "spirit," "deity," "god," "sacred," and "divine."
Korean하느님
The Korean word "하느님" contains the roots "하늘" (heaven) and "님" (master), but can also mean "the Lord" or "the Father".
Mongolianбурхан
The term 'Бурхан' likely originated from the Sanskrit word 'Buddha', meaning 'enlightened one', and is used in Mongolian to refer to deities and divine entities.
Myanmar (Burmese)ဘုရားသခ
The term "ဘုရားသခ" (God) in Myanmar (Burmese) is derived from the Pali word "Bhagavā" and also refers to a "supreme being" or a "lord".

God in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiantuhan
Tuhan also means lord, master, or sovereign in Indonesian.
Javanesegusti allah
Gusti Allah is an honorific title used to refer to the Javanese Supreme God, Bathara Guru.
Khmerព្រះ
The word "ព្រះ" can also refer to a Buddha image or a monarch.
Laoພຣະເຈົ້າ
Malaytuhan
The Proto-Austronesian word for God was originally a reference to a type of ancestral shrine, suggesting that the concept of a supreme being evolved from the veneration of ancestors.
Thaiพระเจ้า
พระเจ้า (Phra Chao) also means "king" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "deva," meaning "shining one" or "heavenly being."
Vietnamesechúa trời
"Chúa Trời" is often translated as "God," but literally means "Lord of Heaven".
Filipino (Tagalog)diyos

God in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniallah
The word "Allah" in Azerbaijani is ultimately derived from the Arabic word for "God," and has no alternate meanings in Azerbaijani.
Kazakhқұдай
In Kazakh, “Құдай” can also mean “sky” and “fate”.
Kyrgyzкудай
The word "Кудай" also means "heaven" or "sky" in Kyrgyz.
Tajikхудо
In Zoroastrianism, "Khodo" refers to the wise God, Ahura Mazda, while in Islam, it is used to refer to Allah.
Turkmenhudaý
Uzbekxudo
"Xudo" is also used to refer to Buddha in Uzbek.
Uyghurخۇدا

God in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianke akua
The word “Ke Akua” also refers to the power that binds all things together, the source of all that is, within a person or within the universe.
Maoriatua
The word Atua (God) can also refer to an ancestor or a powerful being in Maori culture.
Samoanatua
"Atua" also means "spirit" or "sacred thing," and refers to anything that is powerful or has supernatural powers.
Tagalog (Filipino)diyos
"Diyos" is a Tagalog word for God that descended from the Proto-Austronesian term "*Diyos" that meant "sky father".

God in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaratata
Guaraniñandejára

God in International Languages

Esperantodio
The Esperanto word 'Dio' is derived from the French word 'Dieu', and is cognate with the English word 'deity'.
Latindeus
The word 'Deus' likely originated from the Proto-Indo-European root '*deiwos', meaning 'heavenly'.

God in Others Languages

Greekθεός
The Greek word "Θεός" (Theos) can also refer to a deity, a divine being, or a supernatural power.
Hmongvajtswv
The Hmong word for 'God', 'Vajtswv', is a compound word that literally means 'creator god' in Hmong.
Kurdishxwedê
In addition to its meaning of 'God', the term 'xwede' also signifies the Kurdish concept of the supreme deity responsible for creation and universal balance.
Turkishtanrı
The Turkish word "Tanrı" is cognate with the Mongolian word "Tengri," meaning "heaven" or "sky."
Xhosanguthixo
The term 'uThixo' is derived from the word 'thixo', which refers to 'heavenly bodies', 'sky', and 'a supreme being'
Yiddishגאָט
"גאָט" is also used in Yiddish as a euphemism for "damn" or "hell."
Zuluunkulunkulu
The word 'UNkulunkulu' is also used to refer to an ancestral spirit or to thunder.
Assameseঈশ্বৰ
Aymaratata
Bhojpuriभगवान
Dhivehi
Dogriईश्वर
Filipino (Tagalog)diyos
Guaraniñandejára
Ilocanodios
Kriogɔd
Kurdish (Sorani)خواوەند
Maithiliईश्वर
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯂꯥꯏ
Mizopathian
Oromowaaqa
Odia (Oriya)ଭଗବାନ |
Quechuataytacha
Sanskritभगवान
Tatarалла
Tigrinyaፈጣሪ
Tsongaxikwembu

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