I in Different Languages
Discover 'I' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
I
Afrikaans ek | ||
Albanian une | ||
Amharic እኔ | ||
Arabic أنا | ||
Armenian ես | ||
Assamese মই | ||
Aymara naya | ||
Azerbaijani mən | ||
Bambara ne | ||
Basque nik | ||
Belarusian я | ||
Bengali আমি | ||
Bhojpuri आई. के बा | ||
Bosnian ja | ||
Bulgarian аз | ||
Catalan jo | ||
Cebuano ako | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 一世 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 一世 | ||
Corsican i | ||
Croatian ja | ||
Czech já | ||
Danish jeg | ||
Dhivehi އަހަރެން | ||
Dogri में | ||
Dutch ik | ||
English i | ||
Esperanto mi | ||
Estonian mina | ||
Ewe nye | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) ako | ||
Finnish minä | ||
French je | ||
Frisian ik | ||
Galician eu | ||
Georgian მე | ||
German ich | ||
Greek εγώ | ||
Guarani che | ||
Gujarati હું | ||
Haitian Creole mwen | ||
Hausa ni | ||
Hawaiian ʻo wau | ||
Hebrew אני | ||
Hindi मैं | ||
Hmong kuv | ||
Hungarian én | ||
Icelandic ég | ||
Igbo m | ||
Ilocano siak | ||
Indonesian saya | ||
Irish i. | ||
Italian io | ||
Japanese 私 | ||
Javanese aku | ||
Kannada ನಾನು | ||
Kazakh мен | ||
Khmer ខ្ញុំ | ||
Kinyarwanda i. | ||
Konkani हांव | ||
Korean 나는 | ||
Krio a | ||
Kurdish ez | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) من | ||
Kyrgyz i | ||
Lao ຂ້ອຍ | ||
Latin ego | ||
Latvian es | ||
Lingala nga | ||
Lithuanian aš | ||
Luganda nze | ||
Luxembourgish ech | ||
Macedonian јас | ||
Maithili हम | ||
Malagasy aho | ||
Malay saya | ||
Malayalam ഞാൻ | ||
Maltese jien | ||
Maori ko au | ||
Marathi मी | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯑꯩ | ||
Mizo ka | ||
Mongolian би | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ငါ | ||
Nepali i | ||
Norwegian jeg | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) ine | ||
Odia (Oriya) ମୁଁ | ||
Oromo an | ||
Pashto زه | ||
Persian من | ||
Polish ja | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) eu | ||
Punjabi ਆਈ | ||
Quechua ñuqa | ||
Romanian eu | ||
Russian я | ||
Samoan o aʻu | ||
Sanskrit अहम् | ||
Scots Gaelic i. | ||
Sepedi nna | ||
Serbian ја | ||
Sesotho ke | ||
Shona ini | ||
Sindhi مان | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) මම | ||
Slovak ja | ||
Slovenian jaz | ||
Somali aniga | ||
Spanish yo | ||
Sundanese abdi | ||
Swahili mimi | ||
Swedish jag | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) ako | ||
Tajik ман | ||
Tamil நான் | ||
Tatar мин | ||
Telugu నేను | ||
Thai ผม | ||
Tigrinya ኣነ | ||
Tsonga mina | ||
Turkish ben | ||
Turkmen men | ||
Twi (Akan) me | ||
Ukrainian я | ||
Urdu میں | ||
Uyghur مەن | ||
Uzbek men | ||
Vietnamese tôi | ||
Welsh i. | ||
Xhosa mna | ||
Yiddish איך | ||
Yoruba emi | ||
Zulu mina |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | Afrikaans "Ek" from Middle Dutch "ic" (pronounced "ik") ultimately derives from Proto-Germanic "ek" (meaning "I"), related to Latin "ego" and Old Irish "mé" |
| Albanian | Une is both the Albanian word for “I” and a term of endearment for a loved one. |
| Amharic | The word "እኔ" ("I") in Amharic is closely related to the word "እኛ" ("we"), reflecting the communal nature of the society. |
| Arabic | The Arabic word "أنا" can also mean "ego" or "self." |
| Armenian | The word «Ես» («I») originated as a demonstrative pronoun with a similar sound and meaning («this») in classical Armenian. |
| Azerbaijani | The Azerbaijani word "Mən" ("I") derives from the Proto-Turkic word "*men*", also meaning "I". |
| Basque | The word "Nik" (I) in Basque is thought to be derived from the Proto-Basque form "*ni" or "*nig". |
| Belarusian | 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). |
| Bengali | The word "আমি" in Bengali can also mean "mango". |
| Bosnian | The word "Ja" in Bosnian also has a possessive form, "Moj" ("My"), used to indicate ownership or belonging. |
| Bulgarian | 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. |
| Catalan | In Catalan, "Jo" also means "ego" and is the root of "joia" ("jewel"). |
| Cebuano | The Cebuano word "Ako" also means "leader" or "chief" and is cognate with the Tagalog word "Ako" meaning "king" or "ruler." |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 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) | The character "一世" can also mean "a lifetime" or "all one's life". |
| Corsican | Corsican "Iu" (or "I" in some dialects) derives from Latin "Ego". Alternatively it can mean "eye" in the plural. |
| Croatian | The word "Ja" can also be used as a polite form of address, similar to the French "Vous". |
| Czech | The word "Já" in Czech has additional meanings, including "indeed" and "of course." |
| Danish | The word "jeg" in Danish may also refer to the act of hunting or a type of narrow strip of land. |
| Dutch | The Dutch word "ik" is also used in various set phrases. |
| Esperanto | The word 'Mi' also translates to 'My' and the possessive form of 'Me' when used after a noun. |
| Estonian | The word "Mina" can also refer to the first person possessive pronoun, meaning "mine" or "my". |
| Finnish | The word "Minä" in Finnish also means "self" or "identity". |
| French | 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 | The word "ik" in Frisian also means "ego" or "self". |
| Galician | Galician “Eu” comes from the Latin “Ego” and is cognate with the Castilian “Yo” and the English “I”. |
| Georgian | The word "მე" in Georgian can also mean "self" or "ego". |
| German | 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." |
| Greek | 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. |
| Gujarati | "હું" (I) in Gujarati also refers to the heart and the soul. |
| Haitian Creole | The word "Mwen" in Haitian Creole can also mean "me" or "mine". |
| Hausa | Alternate meanings of "Ni" in Hausa include "my" and "possessive pronoun indicating belonging to first person singular subject." |
| Hawaiian | 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. |
| Hebrew | The Hebrew word 'אני' also serves as the first-person singular conjugation for most verbs. |
| Hindi | The Hindi word "मैं" ("I") is also used as a possessive pronoun meaning "my" |
| Hmong | The word "Kuv" in Hmong comes from the Proto-Hmong-Mien word "*ku", which also means "I" in various other Hmong-Mien languages. |
| Hungarian | "Én" means "I" but also can mean "myself" in Hungarian. |
| Icelandic | 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. |
| Igbo | "M" is also the Igbo word for "water". |
| Indonesian | In Javanese, "saya" originally meant "foot" but also came to mean "I" as a sign of humility before social superiors. |
| Irish | The Irish word 'I' (pronounced 'Ee') can also mean 'island' or 'country'. |
| Italian | The Italian word "io" is derived from the Latin word "ego", which also means "I". |
| Japanese | Although the kanji "私" means "I" in Japanese, it originally meant "secret" or "personal". |
| Javanese | The word "Aku" in Javanese has different forms depending on the speaker's social status and the context in which it is used. |
| Kannada | The word 'ನಾನು' ('I') in Kannada shares its roots with the Sanskrit word 'अहम्' ('I'), showcasing a linguistic connection between the two languages. |
| Kazakh | While "Мен" is commonly translated as "I" in English, it can also signify "self," "ego," or "personality" in Kazakh. |
| Khmer | The word "ខ្ញុំ" can also be used as a pronoun for a person of lower social status. |
| Korean | The Korean word "나는" ("I") can also be interpreted as "hot" or "ripe" in certain contexts. |
| Kurdish | The Kurdish word "ez” also means "me" and "mine" in the singular, and "we" and "ours" in the plural. |
| Kyrgyz | The word "I" in Kyrgyz is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "men", meaning "self". |
| Lao | The word "ຂ້ອຍ" is derived from Proto-Kadai and is related to other words for "I" in various Kadai languages. |
| Latin | In Latin, "ego" is also used as the nominative singular pronoun "I" but in a more emphatic way. |
| Latvian | The word "Es" can also mean "it" or "there" in Latvian, similar to the French "ça". |
| Lithuanian | "Aš" is the Proto-Baltic reflexive pronoun akin to Latin "se" or Sanskrit "sva". |
| Luxembourgish | Ech is derived from the Proto-Germanic word *ik, which means "I" and is cognate with the English word "I". |
| Macedonian | 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. |
| Malagasy | The word "aho" in Malagasy also means "here" or "in this place." |
| Malay | The word "Saya" comes from the Old Javanese reflexive pronoun "Sija". |
| Malayalam | The word "ഞാൻ" in Malayalam is also used as a respectful way to address an elder or a superior. |
| Maltese | 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. |
| Maori | Ko au, meaning "I" in Maori, is composed of "ko" (a definite article) and "au" (a possessive pronoun referring to oneself). |
| Marathi | The word "मी" in Marathi can also mean "mine" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "mama". |
| Mongolian | Mongolian "Би" (I) is also used as a respectful term to address an elder, a superior, or a stranger. |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | In Myanmar (Burmese), "I" can also denote ownership or possession, serving as a possessive adjective. |
| Nepali | The Nepali word 'I' can also mean 'this', 'here', or 'now'. |
| Norwegian | 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. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | In some Bantu languages like Shona or Ndebele, "Ine" is used to mean "It is I". |
| Pashto | 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. |
| Persian | The Persian word "من" (I) is also used to refer to "the self" and "the ego". |
| Polish | 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. |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | The Portuguese word 'Eu' originates from the Latin 'Ego', but in some contexts, it can also refer to 'Self' or 'Mind' |
| Punjabi | The word "ਆਈ" can also refer to a female buffalo in Punjabi. |
| Romanian | 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 | 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". |
| Samoan | The word "O aʻu" not only means "I" in Samoan but also signifies ownership, similar to the use of "my" in English. |
| Scots Gaelic | In Scots Gaelic, "I" can also mean "a" or "an" before a noun, "a person", or "he, she". |
| Serbian | The Serbian word "Ја" (I) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*azъ", which also meant "self" or "ego". |
| Sesotho | The word "Ke" in Sesotho can also be used as a particle that conveys emphasis or certainty |
| Shona | In Shona, the word "Ini" can also mean "myself" or "my own." |
| Sindhi | The Sindhi word "مان" can also mean "mind" or "heart". |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | "මම" also means "self, personal, private," and "my own." |
| Slovak | 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 | The word 'jaz' is also used to express the first-person plural in certain dialects and contexts |
| Somali | The word "Aniga" can also refer to a person's self or identity. |
| Spanish | The word "yo" in Spanish is derived from the Latin "ego", meaning "I", and is also used as a term of endearment or familiarity. |
| Sundanese | In Old Sundanese, "abdi" was a word referring to an official of the palace, but in contemporary Sundanese, it means "I" in reference to self. |
| Swahili | "Mimi" also means "myself" or "personally" |
| Swedish | 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. |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | "Ako" in Tagalog can also mean "me" depending on the context. |
| Tajik | The word "Ман" also means "me" or "mine" in Tajik. |
| Tamil | The Tamil word 'நான்' can also mean 'to be, to exist' or 'self, essence' |
| Telugu | In Telugu, "నేను" not only means "I," but also refers to the soul and the divine principle within an individual. |
| Thai | ผม/Phom: 1) hair, fur; 2) first-person singular pronoun |
| Turkish | The word "ben" in Turkish has also been used to signify "the heart" in some dialects. |
| Ukrainian | The Ukrainian word "Я" is also used to denote the first person singular pronoun, "me." |
| Urdu | 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'. |
| Uzbek | In Uzbek, the word “Men” not only means “I”, but also refers to the first declension case in Uzbek grammar. |
| Vietnamese | "Tôi" literally means "servant" or "slave" in Vietnamese, indicating a sense of humility or modesty. |
| Welsh | In Welsh, "I" has homophonous meanings as "I" and "we". |
| Xhosa | The Xhosa word "Mna" is derived from the Proto-Bantu word "-mi" and can also mean "me" or "my". |
| Yiddish | The Yiddish word "איך" can also mean "how" or "in what way." |
| Yoruba | Yoruba 'Emi' derives from a Proto-Benue-Congo root meaning 'person', also evident in Fulani 'mîi'. |
| Zulu | The word "Mina" can also mean "me" or "myself" in Zulu. |
| English | The letter "I" was once the first letter of the word "Ink" in Old English. |