I in Different Languages
Discover 'I' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'I' is a fundamental building block of human communication, used to refer to ourselves in both speech and writing. Its significance extends beyond mere self-reference, as it allows us to express our thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a personal and direct way. This makes 'I' a culturally important word, as it helps to shape our individual and collective identities.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'I' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultures and worldviews of people around the globe. For example, in many African languages, the word for 'I' is often related to the word for 'person' or 'human being', reflecting the importance of community and interdependence in these societies. Meanwhile, in some Asian languages, the word for 'I' can be more formal or polite, reflecting cultural norms around hierarchy and respect.
With this in mind, here are some translations of 'I' in different languages: English - I, Spanish - yo, French - je, German - ich, Mandarin - 我 (wǒ), Japanese - 私 (watashi), Arabic - أنا (ana), Swahili - ni.
I
I in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | ek | ||
| Afrikaans "Ek" from Middle Dutch "ic" (pronounced "ik") ultimately derives from Proto-Germanic "ek" (meaning "I"), related to Latin "ego" and Old Irish "mé" | |||
| Amharic | እኔ | ||
| The word "እኔ" ("I") in Amharic is closely related to the word "እኛ" ("we"), reflecting the communal nature of the society. | |||
| Hausa | ni | ||
| Alternate meanings of "Ni" in Hausa include "my" and "possessive pronoun indicating belonging to first person singular subject." | |||
| Igbo | m | ||
| "M" is also the Igbo word for "water". | |||
| Malagasy | aho | ||
| The word "aho" in Malagasy also means "here" or "in this place." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ine | ||
| In some Bantu languages like Shona or Ndebele, "Ine" is used to mean "It is I". | |||
| Shona | ini | ||
| In Shona, the word "Ini" can also mean "myself" or "my own." | |||
| Somali | aniga | ||
| The word "Aniga" can also refer to a person's self or identity. | |||
| Sesotho | ke | ||
| The word "Ke" in Sesotho can also be used as a particle that conveys emphasis or certainty | |||
| Swahili | mimi | ||
| "Mimi" also means "myself" or "personally" | |||
| Xhosa | mna | ||
| The Xhosa word "Mna" is derived from the Proto-Bantu word "-mi" and can also mean "me" or "my". | |||
| Yoruba | emi | ||
| Yoruba 'Emi' derives from a Proto-Benue-Congo root meaning 'person', also evident in Fulani 'mîi'. | |||
| Zulu | mina | ||
| The word "Mina" can also mean "me" or "myself" in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | ne | ||
| Ewe | nye | ||
| Kinyarwanda | i. | ||
| Lingala | nga | ||
| Luganda | nze | ||
| Sepedi | nna | ||
| Twi (Akan) | me | ||
I in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | أنا | ||
| The Arabic word "أنا" can also mean "ego" or "self." | |||
| Hebrew | אני | ||
| The Hebrew word 'אני' also serves as the first-person singular conjugation for most verbs. | |||
| Pashto | زه | ||
| The Pashto word "زه" has the alternate meanings: mine, of me, from me, by me, to me, for me, with me, in front of me, behind me. | |||
| Arabic | أنا | ||
| The Arabic word "أنا" can also mean "ego" or "self." | |||
I in Western European Languages
| Albanian | une | ||
| Une is both the Albanian word for “I” and a term of endearment for a loved one. | |||
| Basque | nik | ||
| The word "Nik" (I) in Basque is thought to be derived from the Proto-Basque form "*ni" or "*nig". | |||
| Catalan | jo | ||
| In Catalan, "Jo" also means "ego" and is the root of "joia" ("jewel"). | |||
| Croatian | ja | ||
| The word "Ja" can also be used as a polite form of address, similar to the French "Vous". | |||
| Danish | jeg | ||
| The word "jeg" in Danish may also refer to the act of hunting or a type of narrow strip of land. | |||
| Dutch | ik | ||
| The Dutch word "ik" is also used in various set phrases. | |||
| English | i | ||
| The letter "I" was once the first letter of the word "Ink" in Old English. | |||
| French | je | ||
| In Old French, 'je' descended from the Latin word for 'ego' but it was also used to signify the 2nd person, similar to how 'tu' (you) is used today. | |||
| Frisian | ik | ||
| The word "ik" in Frisian also means "ego" or "self". | |||
| Galician | eu | ||
| Galician “Eu” comes from the Latin “Ego” and is cognate with the Castilian “Yo” and the English “I”. | |||
| German | ich | ||
| The word "ich" is derived from the Old High German word "ih," which is related to the Latin word "ego" and the Greek word "egō." | |||
| Icelandic | ég | ||
| In the ancient Icelandic calendar, the 22nd rune (Ég) was the rune of the self and its meaning has since evolved to refer to the 'ego' in the psychological sense. | |||
| Irish | i. | ||
| The Irish word 'I' (pronounced 'Ee') can also mean 'island' or 'country'. | |||
| Italian | io | ||
| The Italian word "io" is derived from the Latin word "ego", which also means "I". | |||
| Luxembourgish | ech | ||
| Ech is derived from the Proto-Germanic word *ik, which means "I" and is cognate with the English word "I". | |||
| Maltese | jien | ||
| In the 16th and 17th centuries, 'jien' also meant 'you' in the southern part of Malta, and this meaning has survived in the Gozitan dialect. | |||
| Norwegian | jeg | ||
| The Norwegian word "Jeg" is derived from Proto-Norse "Ek," which also meant "I" and was used in other Germanic languages such as English until the late Middle Ages. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | eu | ||
| The Portuguese word 'Eu' originates from the Latin 'Ego', but in some contexts, it can also refer to 'Self' or 'Mind' | |||
| Scots Gaelic | i. | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, "I" can also mean "a" or "an" before a noun, "a person", or "he, she". | |||
| Spanish | yo | ||
| The word "yo" in Spanish is derived from the Latin "ego", meaning "I", and is also used as a term of endearment or familiarity. | |||
| Swedish | jag | ||
| Jag, the Swedish word for “I,” can also mean “hunt” or “chase” and is thought to derive from an Old Norse word with a similar meaning. | |||
| Welsh | i. | ||
| In Welsh, "I" has homophonous meanings as "I" and "we". | |||
I in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | я | ||
| The word "Я" (I) in Belarusian is spelled identically to the Russian "Я" (I) but is pronounced with an A instead of O, and the word "Я" (I) in Russian is spelled identically to the Russian word for Apple (яблоко). | |||
| Bosnian | ja | ||
| The word "Ja" in Bosnian also has a possessive form, "Moj" ("My"), used to indicate ownership or belonging. | |||
| Bulgarian | аз | ||
| The Cyrillic letter "Аз" is thought to derive from the Phoenician letter "aleph," which also meant "ox" and was the first letter of their alphabet. | |||
| Czech | já | ||
| The word "Já" in Czech has additional meanings, including "indeed" and "of course." | |||
| Estonian | mina | ||
| The word "Mina" can also refer to the first person possessive pronoun, meaning "mine" or "my". | |||
| Finnish | minä | ||
| The word "Minä" in Finnish also means "self" or "identity". | |||
| Hungarian | én | ||
| "Én" means "I" but also can mean "myself" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | es | ||
| The word "Es" can also mean "it" or "there" in Latvian, similar to the French "ça". | |||
| Lithuanian | aš | ||
| "Aš" is the Proto-Baltic reflexive pronoun akin to Latin "se" or Sanskrit "sva". | |||
| Macedonian | јас | ||
| The word "Јас" derives from the Proto-Slavic form "*azъ", also related to "ego" in Latin and "εγώ" (ego) in Ancient Greek, all of which indicate the first person singular pronoun. | |||
| Polish | ja | ||
| The Polish word 'ja' may share origins with the Sanskrit word 'aha,' meaning 'I,' indicating a long linguistic connection dating back to Proto-Indo-European. | |||
| Romanian | eu | ||
| The Romanian word "Eu" derives from the Latin "Ego" and was influenced by the Slavic languages such as Old Church Slavonic "Az" and Common Slavic "Ja". | |||
| Russian | я | ||
| The word "я" ("I") in Russian originates from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₁eǵʰ". It cognate with the English word "I" and the German word "ich". | |||
| Serbian | ја | ||
| The Serbian word "Ја" (I) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*azъ", which also meant "self" or "ego". | |||
| Slovak | ja | ||
| A variant spelling is 'jaj', a similar form of which in other Slavic languages (e.g. Russian: я) also means 'I', while a similar-looking Cyrillic Я or Ѧ actually represents 'A' or a nasal 'O'. | |||
| Slovenian | jaz | ||
| The word 'jaz' is also used to express the first-person plural in certain dialects and contexts | |||
| Ukrainian | я | ||
| The Ukrainian word "Я" is also used to denote the first person singular pronoun, "me." | |||
I in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | আমি | ||
| The word "আমি" in Bengali can also mean "mango". | |||
| Gujarati | હું | ||
| "હું" (I) in Gujarati also refers to the heart and the soul. | |||
| Hindi | मैं | ||
| The Hindi word "मैं" ("I") is also used as a possessive pronoun meaning "my" | |||
| Kannada | ನಾನು | ||
| The word 'ನಾನು' ('I') in Kannada shares its roots with the Sanskrit word 'अहम्' ('I'), showcasing a linguistic connection between the two languages. | |||
| Malayalam | ഞാൻ | ||
| The word "ഞാൻ" in Malayalam is also used as a respectful way to address an elder or a superior. | |||
| Marathi | मी | ||
| The word "मी" in Marathi can also mean "mine" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "mama". | |||
| Nepali | i | ||
| The Nepali word 'I' can also mean 'this', 'here', or 'now'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਆਈ | ||
| The word "ਆਈ" can also refer to a female buffalo in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මම | ||
| "මම" also means "self, personal, private," and "my own." | |||
| Tamil | நான் | ||
| The Tamil word 'நான்' can also mean 'to be, to exist' or 'self, essence' | |||
| Telugu | నేను | ||
| In Telugu, "నేను" not only means "I," but also refers to the soul and the divine principle within an individual. | |||
| Urdu | میں | ||
| The nominative singular form of 'main' ('I') in Urdu is 'maiN'. It can also be used as a possessive adjective, and in the oblique case, to indicate 'in me' or 'from me'. | |||
I in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 一世 | ||
| 一世 (I) is also the Sino-Japanese word for "lifetime" and is used to mean "throughout one's life" in various Chinese idioms. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 一世 | ||
| The character "一世" can also mean "a lifetime" or "all one's life". | |||
| Japanese | 私 | ||
| Although the kanji "私" means "I" in Japanese, it originally meant "secret" or "personal". | |||
| Korean | 나는 | ||
| The Korean word "나는" ("I") can also be interpreted as "hot" or "ripe" in certain contexts. | |||
| Mongolian | би | ||
| Mongolian "Би" (I) is also used as a respectful term to address an elder, a superior, or a stranger. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ငါ | ||
| In Myanmar (Burmese), "I" can also denote ownership or possession, serving as a possessive adjective. | |||
I in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | saya | ||
| In Javanese, "saya" originally meant "foot" but also came to mean "I" as a sign of humility before social superiors. | |||
| Javanese | aku | ||
| The word "Aku" in Javanese has different forms depending on the speaker's social status and the context in which it is used. | |||
| Khmer | ខ្ញុំ | ||
| The word "ខ្ញុំ" can also be used as a pronoun for a person of lower social status. | |||
| Lao | ຂ້ອຍ | ||
| The word "ຂ້ອຍ" is derived from Proto-Kadai and is related to other words for "I" in various Kadai languages. | |||
| Malay | saya | ||
| The word "Saya" comes from the Old Javanese reflexive pronoun "Sija". | |||
| Thai | ผม | ||
| ผม/Phom: 1) hair, fur; 2) first-person singular pronoun | |||
| Vietnamese | tôi | ||
| "Tôi" literally means "servant" or "slave" in Vietnamese, indicating a sense of humility or modesty. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ako | ||
I in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | mən | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "Mən" ("I") derives from the Proto-Turkic word "*men*", also meaning "I". | |||
| Kazakh | мен | ||
| While "Мен" is commonly translated as "I" in English, it can also signify "self," "ego," or "personality" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | i | ||
| The word "I" in Kyrgyz is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "men", meaning "self". | |||
| Tajik | ман | ||
| The word "Ман" also means "me" or "mine" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | men | ||
| Uzbek | men | ||
| In Uzbek, the word “Men” not only means “I”, but also refers to the first declension case in Uzbek grammar. | |||
| Uyghur | مەن | ||
I in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻo wau | ||
| Originally, ʻO wau meant "it is I", where ʻO is a possessive article, wau is first person and singular, and the verb "to be" is omitted. | |||
| Maori | ko au | ||
| Ko au, meaning "I" in Maori, is composed of "ko" (a definite article) and "au" (a possessive pronoun referring to oneself). | |||
| Samoan | o aʻu | ||
| The word "O aʻu" not only means "I" in Samoan but also signifies ownership, similar to the use of "my" in English. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | ako | ||
| "Ako" in Tagalog can also mean "me" depending on the context. | |||
I in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | naya | ||
| Guarani | che | ||
I in International Languages
| Esperanto | mi | ||
| The word 'Mi' also translates to 'My' and the possessive form of 'Me' when used after a noun. | |||
| Latin | ego | ||
| In Latin, "ego" is also used as the nominative singular pronoun "I" but in a more emphatic way. | |||
I in Others Languages
| Greek | εγώ | ||
| The Ancient Greek word "Εγώ" can also refer to 'the self' or a person's 'true identity', highlighting the subjective nature of one's existence. | |||
| Hmong | kuv | ||
| The word "Kuv" in Hmong comes from the Proto-Hmong-Mien word "*ku", which also means "I" in various other Hmong-Mien languages. | |||
| Kurdish | ez | ||
| The Kurdish word "ez” also means "me" and "mine" in the singular, and "we" and "ours" in the plural. | |||
| Turkish | ben | ||
| The word "ben" in Turkish has also been used to signify "the heart" in some dialects. | |||
| Xhosa | mna | ||
| The Xhosa word "Mna" is derived from the Proto-Bantu word "-mi" and can also mean "me" or "my". | |||
| Yiddish | איך | ||
| The Yiddish word "איך" can also mean "how" or "in what way." | |||
| Zulu | mina | ||
| The word "Mina" can also mean "me" or "myself" in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | মই | ||
| Aymara | naya | ||
| Bhojpuri | आई. के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | އަހަރެން | ||
| Dogri | में | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ako | ||
| Guarani | che | ||
| Ilocano | siak | ||
| Krio | a | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | من | ||
| Maithili | हम | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯩ | ||
| Mizo | ka | ||
| Oromo | an | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମୁଁ | ||
| Quechua | ñuqa | ||
| Sanskrit | अहम् | ||
| Tatar | мин | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣነ | ||
| Tsonga | mina | ||