Indian in Different Languages
Discover 'Indian' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word Indian holds a profound significance, representing a rich and diverse culture that has evolved over thousands of years. Originating from the Indus Valley Civilization, the term 'Indian' has been used to describe the people, traditions, and landscapes of the Indian subcontinent. It is a word that embodies the spirit of unity in diversity, encompassing a multitude of languages, religions, and customs.
Understanding the translation of Indian in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and historical contexts of various regions. For instance, in Spanish, 'Indian' translates to 'Indio,' while in French, it is 'Indien.' In German, the word is 'Inder,' and in Chinese, it is '印度人 (Yìndù rén).'
By exploring these translations, we can deepen our appreciation for the richness and complexity of Indian culture, and gain a better understanding of the global community. Keep reading to discover more fascinating translations of the word Indian in various languages!
Indian
Indian in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | indiër | ||
| In South Africa, the term 'Indiër' can also refer to someone of Indian descent, reflecting the country's history of Indian immigration. | |||
| Amharic | ህንድኛ | ||
| In Amharic, ህንድኛ (Indian) can also refer to the Hindustani language, which is spoken in northern India and Pakistan. | |||
| Hausa | ba'indiye | ||
| This term can also connote 'paganism,' indicating both a particular set of beliefs and an identity as an outsider who does not belong among Muslims. | |||
| Igbo | onye india | ||
| The word “Onye India” in Igbo originates from the Igbo word “India” meaning “East”. | |||
| Malagasy | indian | ||
| The Malagasy word "Indian" can also refer to someone from the Americas or someone of mixed Malagasy and Indian ancestry. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mmwenye | ||
| The term 'Mmwenye' is also used to refer to 'Asian' people, specifically those of Indian origin, and may be derived from the Swahili word 'Mnyamwezi', which means 'people of the moon'. | |||
| Shona | indian | ||
| In Shona, 'Indian' (mhindi) means a person of Indian descent, not only a citizen of India. | |||
| Somali | hindi ah | ||
| The word "Hindi ah" in Somali also refers to the language of India, Hindi. | |||
| Sesotho | moindia | ||
| The word "Moindia" in Sesotho can also mean "someone who comes from the East". | |||
| Swahili | muhindi | ||
| Muhindi was also the term used to describe Indian immigrants before they became known as "Wahindi" (people of India) | |||
| Xhosa | umindiya | ||
| The term "UmIndiya" (or 'Umalayisha' in Zulu) also refers to a type of traditional beadwork originating from India. | |||
| Yoruba | ara ilu india | ||
| The word "Ara ilu India" has a Yoruba origin meaning "people of the Indian continent". | |||
| Zulu | indiya | ||
| The word "Indiya" in Zulu can also mean "person from India" or "Indian culture". | |||
| Bambara | ɛndiyɛnw | ||
| Ewe | indiatɔwo ƒe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umuhinde | ||
| Lingala | mondele | ||
| Luganda | omuyindi | ||
| Sepedi | moindia | ||
| Twi (Akan) | indianifo | ||
Indian in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | هندي | ||
| The word "هندي" has several meanings in Arabic, including "Indian", "related to India", "a person from India", and "the Hindi language" | |||
| Hebrew | הוֹדִי | ||
| The word "הוֹדִי" in Hebrew comes from the Persian word "هندی" (hindi), which means "from India". | |||
| Pashto | هندي | ||
| The word "هندي" can also refer to the Hindi language or the Devanagiri script. | |||
| Arabic | هندي | ||
| The word "هندي" has several meanings in Arabic, including "Indian", "related to India", "a person from India", and "the Hindi language" | |||
Indian in Western European Languages
| Albanian | indiane | ||
| In Albanian, "Indiane" can also refer to a specific type of cotton fabric. | |||
| Basque | indiarra | ||
| Indiarra (Indian) means 'turkey' in Basque because the bird was originally thought to have come from the East Indies. | |||
| Catalan | índia | ||
| "Índia" (Indian) comes from the Greek "Ἰνδία" and originally referred to the Indus River valley, which is now in modern Pakistan and India | |||
| Croatian | indijanac | ||
| The word "Indijanac" in Croatian can also refer to a Native American or person of Native American descent. | |||
| Danish | indisk | ||
| The Danish word "Indisk" (Indian) comes from the Latin word "indicus" (Indian), and it can also mean "red" or "crimson" in reference to the natural dye produced from the "Indigofera" plant native to India. | |||
| Dutch | indisch | ||
| The Dutch word "Indisch" can also refer to the people and culture of the former Dutch East Indies, in present-day Indonesia. | |||
| English | indian | ||
| The term "Indian" has also been used to refer to Native Americans, the indigenous people of North America. | |||
| French | indien | ||
| The French word "Indien" can also refer to the native peoples of North and South America. | |||
| Frisian | yndiaanske | ||
| Galician | indio | ||
| German | indisch | ||
| "Indisch" also refers to spices, fabrics and other imported goods in an oriental style known in German as "Indische Waren" or in English "Indic marchandises" | |||
| Icelandic | indverskur | ||
| The term 'Indverskur' can also refer to a person from India or someone of Indian descent. | |||
| Irish | indiach | ||
| The Irish word "Indiach" can also refer to a person from the Indian subcontinent or a Native American. | |||
| Italian | indiano | ||
| In Italian, | |||
| Luxembourgish | indesch | ||
| "Indesch" derives from Latin "India", describing a geographical area that included present-day Pakistan and India, and referred to by the Greeks to describe peoples and cultures they encountered in their eastern campaigns | |||
| Maltese | indjan | ||
| The Maltese word "Indjan" can also refer to a native American | |||
| Norwegian | indisk | ||
| The word "Indisk" in Norwegian also means "Indian" as in relating to the country India or its people. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | indiano | ||
| In Portuguese, "indiano" can also refer to a person from the state of Bahia, Brazil, known for its strong African influence in culture and history. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | innseanach | ||
| It's actually 'Innseachanach' which derives from 'Innse nan Each' (Island of Horses). | |||
| Spanish | indio | ||
| The Spanish word "indio" is ultimately derived from the Latin "indicus", referring to the inhabitants of India, but in Spanish and Portuguese it has come to mean "native American". | |||
| Swedish | indisk | ||
| The word "Indisk" in Swedish can also mean "busy" or "difficult to understand", unrelated to the nationality or origin. | |||
| Welsh | indiaidd | ||
| The word 'Indiaidd' in Welsh can also mean 'Hindu' or 'Buddhist'. | |||
Indian in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | індыйскі | ||
| Bosnian | indijski | ||
| U Bosni i Hercegovini, riječ „Indijski“ može se odnositi i na stanovnike Indije i na pripadnike Indijanaca, domorodačkog stanovništva Amerike. | |||
| Bulgarian | индийски | ||
| The word Индийски also refers to items made from Turkey red, a type of cotton dyed with roots of the madder plant, which was grown in the Indian subcontinent. | |||
| Czech | indický | ||
| This term does not have any other meanings or an etymology in the Czech language. | |||
| Estonian | indiaanlane | ||
| The Estonian word "indiaanlane" can also refer to Native Americans. | |||
| Finnish | intialainen | ||
| Although intialainen means 'Indian' in Finnish, it also has the archaic meaning of 'Native American'. | |||
| Hungarian | indián | ||
| The Hungarian word "indián" originated from the Latin word "indus", which meant "person from the Indus River region". | |||
| Latvian | indiānis | ||
| The Latvian word "indiānis" can also refer to a Native American, or to someone from India. | |||
| Lithuanian | indėnas | ||
| The word "Indėnas" in Lithuanian can also refer to any indigenous person from the Americas. | |||
| Macedonian | индиски | ||
| The word "Индиски" is also the Macedonian word for "American Indian". | |||
| Polish | indyjski | ||
| The word "indyjski" is also used to refer to Native Americans in Polish, reflecting the historical confusion between the two groups. | |||
| Romanian | indian | ||
| In Romanian, "indian" can also refer to a South Asian person or the country of India. | |||
| Russian | индийский | ||
| The Russian word "Индийский" can also refer to the indigo color or to India ink. | |||
| Serbian | индијанац | ||
| The Serbian word "Индијанац" can also refer to a Native American or Indigenous American person. | |||
| Slovak | indický | ||
| Indický is derived from Sanskrit, meaning "from India", but is also used as a synonym for "American Indigenous". | |||
| Slovenian | indijski | ||
| Indijski oreh means “walnut” in Slovenian, as does indijski trpotec mean “plantain” while indijska trava means “hemp”. | |||
| Ukrainian | індійський | ||
| “Індійський” also means “Turkey” in Ukrainian. | |||
Indian in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ইন্ডিয়ান | ||
| In Bengali, the word "ইন্ডিয়ান" (Indian) is often used to refer to Native Americans as well as people from India. | |||
| Gujarati | ભારતીય | ||
| In Sanskrit, "Bharat" means "the land of the Bharatas", and is used in Indian mythology to refer to ancient India. | |||
| Hindi | भारतीय | ||
| भारतीय can also refer to a group of people in the Americas called the West Indies. | |||
| Kannada | ಭಾರತೀಯ | ||
| The word "ಭಾರತೀಯ" can also refer to a person who knows or practices Indian music or traditional medicine. | |||
| Malayalam | ഇന്ത്യൻ | ||
| The word | |||
| Marathi | भारतीय | ||
| In Marathi, "भारतीय" not only means "Indian" but also refers to a specific astrological sign in the Hindu zodiac. | |||
| Nepali | भारतीय | ||
| भारतीय is also derived from the Sanskrit word 'Bharat' meaning 'one who loves art'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਭਾਰਤੀ | ||
| ਭਾਰਤੀ (Bhārati) also refers to the goddess of wisdom in Hindu mythology, known as the goddess of learning, literature, art and music. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ඉන්දීය | ||
| The Sinhala word ඉන්දීය (Indian) is derived from the Sanskrit word सिन्धु (Sindhu), which originally referred to the Indus River. | |||
| Tamil | இந்தியன் | ||
| "இந்தியன்" has alternative meanings of someone or something belonging to India, a Native American, and a person of South Asian descent who has been living in a European colony for a long time. | |||
| Telugu | భారతీయుడు | ||
| "భారతీయుడు" (Indian) also means 'a member of any of a group of peoples whose home is around the Indian Ocean'. | |||
| Urdu | ہندوستانی | ||
Indian in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 印度人 | ||
| 印度人的本义为“靛青色的人”，明朝时期才开始用于称呼“印度人”。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 印度人 | ||
| 印度人 (Indian) 一詞在中文 (繁體) 中也可指來自印度的原住民，而不是來自印度的現代公民。 | |||
| Japanese | インド人 | ||
| "インド人" can also refer to Native American or a person from India in Chinese, Burmese or Thai | |||
| Korean | 인도 사람 | ||
| In Korean, "인도 사람" (Indian) can also refer to Native Americans. | |||
| Mongolian | энэтхэг | ||
| The word "Энэтхэг" (Indian) in Mongolian is derived from the Persian word "Hind" and can also refer to a person from India. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အိန္ဒိယ | ||
Indian in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | indian | ||
| The term | |||
| Javanese | wong india | ||
| Wong india or Indian in Javanese, refers to the people of the country of India, not Native Americans. | |||
| Khmer | ឥណ្ឌា | ||
| Some scholars believe that the Khmer word "ឥណ្ឌា" (Indian) is derived from the Sanskrit word "Indra" (a Vedic god), while others suggest it may come from the Persian word "Hind" (India). | |||
| Lao | ຄົນອິນເດຍ | ||
| The Lao word ຄົນອິນເດຍ can also refer to people from other indigenous groups in Southeast Asia. | |||
| Malay | orang india | ||
| In the context of Indonesia's diverse demographics, "Indian" can also refer to indigenous peoples inhabiting certain areas of the archipelago. | |||
| Thai | อินเดีย | ||
| In Thai, the word "อินเดีย" also refers to American Indians, native Americans, and indigenous peoples of the Americas. | |||
| Vietnamese | người ấn độ | ||
| The word "người Ấn Độ" in Vietnamese not only means "Indian" but also refers to Native Americans as well as other indigenous peoples in the Americas | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | indian | ||
Indian in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | hindistan | ||
| The word "Hindistan" can also refer to the "land of the Indus River" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | үнді | ||
| The word "Үнді" in Kazakh can also refer to someone from India or the subcontinent, or to the Romani people. | |||
| Kyrgyz | индия | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "Индия" can also refer to the continent of India, or to the people of India. | |||
| Tajik | ҳиндустон | ||
| 'Ҳиндустон' is also used to refer to any foreign country in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | hindi | ||
| Uzbek | hind | ||
| In Uzbek, "Hind" can also refer to a legendary Indian sage or a mythical river. | |||
| Uyghur | indian | ||
Indian in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻnia | ||
| The term ʻNia' also means 'one who is different' or 'one who is not Hawaiian' in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | inia | ||
| The Maori word "Inia" has multiple meanings, including "shadow" and "reflection". | |||
| Samoan | initia | ||
| The word "Initia" in Samoan can also refer to the concept of "initiation" or the "beginning" of something. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | indian | ||
| The word "Indian" in Tagalog (Filipino) can also mean "Native American" or "American Indian". | |||
Indian in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | indian ukax mä jach’a uñacht’äwiwa | ||
| Guarani | indio | ||
Indian in International Languages
| Esperanto | indiano | ||
| }Indiano} is also used in a colloquial way to describe a wealthy person who has returned from making a fortune abroad (in that sense, a cognate of the English word "nabob"). | |||
| Latin | indian | ||
| In Latin, Indianus refers to both the people of India and Native Americans, due to Christopher Columbus's error in believing he had reached the East Indies. | |||
Indian in Others Languages
| Greek | ινδός | ||
| The term 'Ινδός' in Greek can also refer to the River Indus and its people, who were called 'Ινδοί' by the ancient Greeks. | |||
| Hmong | khab | ||
| The Hmong word "Khab" may also refer to a type of traditional knife or a particular style of dance. | |||
| Kurdish | îndîyan | ||
| The word "îndîyan" is also used to refer to people from the subcontinent of India, not just Native Americans. | |||
| Turkish | hintli | ||
| Hintli is also used in Turkish to refer to the color crimson. | |||
| Xhosa | umindiya | ||
| The term "UmIndiya" (or 'Umalayisha' in Zulu) also refers to a type of traditional beadwork originating from India. | |||
| Yiddish | ינדיאַן | ||
| The Yiddish word "ינדיאַן" is derived from the Hebrew word "יוד" (Judah) and was originally used to refer to Jews, but its meaning later shifted to denote Native Americans. | |||
| Zulu | indiya | ||
| The word "Indiya" in Zulu can also mean "person from India" or "Indian culture". | |||
| Assamese | ভাৰতীয় | ||
| Aymara | indian ukax mä jach’a uñacht’äwiwa | ||
| Bhojpuri | भारतीय के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | އިންޑިއާ... | ||
| Dogri | भारतीय | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | indian | ||
| Guarani | indio | ||
| Ilocano | indian | ||
| Krio | indian pipul dɛn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | هیندی | ||
| Maithili | भारतीय | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯚꯥꯔꯇꯀꯤ ꯑꯦꯟ.ꯗꯤ.ꯑꯦ | ||
| Mizo | indian a ni | ||
| Oromo | hindii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଭାରତୀୟ | ||
| Quechua | indio | ||
| Sanskrit | भारतीय | ||
| Tatar | indianиндстан | ||
| Tigrinya | ህንዳዊ | ||
| Tsonga | muindiya | ||