Updated on March 6, 2024
The 'Internet' has become an integral part of our daily lives, connecting us to a world of information, entertainment, and communication. It has transformed the way we work, learn, and interact with each other, making it a powerful cultural force.
Did you know that the term 'Internet' is a shortened form of 'interconnected network'? It was first used in the 1970s, during the development of ARPANET, the precursor to the modern Internet. Today, it is a global network of computers and other devices, enabling the sharing of data and resources on an unprecedented scale.
Understanding the translation of 'Internet' in different languages can provide insights into how this revolutionary technology is perceived and used around the world. For example, in Spanish, 'Internet' is translated as 'Internet', while in French, it is 'Internet'. In Mandarin Chinese, it is '网络 (wǎngluò)'.
In this article, we explore the translations of 'Internet' in various languages, shedding light on its cultural significance and the diverse ways in which it is experienced and utilized by people across the globe.
Afrikaans | internet | ||
The word "Internet" in Afrikaans is derived from the English word "Internet" and has the same meaning. | |||
Amharic | በይነመረብ | ||
The word በይነመረብ (Internet) in Amharic is derived from በይን (between) and መረብ (network), meaning "a network between [computers]" | |||
Hausa | intanit | ||
The word "Intanit" in Hausa is derived from the English word "Internet" and is also used to refer to "web" or "online platform". | |||
Igbo | ntaneti | ||
The Igbo word "Ntaneti" means "world network" and is derived from "nta" (world) and "eti" (network). | |||
Malagasy | aterineto | ||
In Malagasy, the word "aterineto" is cognate with the English word "Internet" and also means "world wide web". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | intaneti | ||
In Nyanja, Intaneti also refers to the 'world wide web' and can be likened to 'web' or even 'net'. | |||
Shona | indaneti | ||
The word 'Indaneti' is a combination of 'Inda' (network) and 'Neti' (web), highlighting both the network and webpage aspects of the internet. | |||
Somali | internetka | ||
The Somali word "Internetka" also refers to the World Wide Web. | |||
Sesotho | inthanete | ||
Inthanete is also the name of a Sesotho folk music genre, a string quartet performed on homemade instruments. | |||
Swahili | mtandao | ||
"Mtandao" literally translates to "network" in Swahili, referring to the interconnected networks that comprise the internet. | |||
Xhosa | intanethi | ||
The etymology of 'Intanethi' is unclear, potentially derived from 'intando' ('intention') and 'nethi' ('network'), or simply from English. | |||
Yoruba | intanẹẹti | ||
Intanẹẹti derives from 'interconnected networks' and also means 'a net of nets' | |||
Zulu | i-inthanethi | ||
I-inthanethi is derived from the English word "internet". | |||
Bambara | ɛntɛrinɛti kan | ||
Ewe | internet dzi | ||
Kinyarwanda | internet | ||
Lingala | internet | ||
Luganda | intaneeti | ||
Sepedi | inthanete | ||
Twi (Akan) | intanɛt so | ||
Arabic | الإنترنت | ||
The Arabic word "الإنترنت" is derived from the English word "Internet", which is a portmanteau of the words "interconnected" and "network". | |||
Hebrew | מרשתת | ||
The Hebrew word "מרשתת" (Internet) literally means "net spread out". | |||
Pashto | انټرنیټ | ||
The Pashto word "انټرنیټ" is a loanword from English and has the same meaning, "a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities". | |||
Arabic | الإنترنت | ||
The Arabic word "الإنترنت" is derived from the English word "Internet", which is a portmanteau of the words "interconnected" and "network". |
Albanian | internet | ||
The word "Internet" in Albanian comes from the Latin words "inter" and "rete" meaning "between" and "network". | |||
Basque | internet | ||
The Basque word 'Internet' is derived from the English word 'Internet', which itself is a portmanteau of the words 'inter' and 'net'. | |||
Catalan | internet | ||
Croatian | internet | ||
The Croatian word "Internet" is derived from the English word "Internet" and refers to the global network of computers. | |||
Danish | internet | ||
The word "Internet" is a portmanteau of "interconnected networks". | |||
Dutch | internet | ||
In Dutch the word "Internet" is also used to refer to the entire telecommunication infrastructure that supports the Internet, rather than just the network of interconnected computer networks. | |||
English | internet | ||
The term 'Internet' is derived from 'internetworking', a combination of 'inter' (between) and 'network'. | |||
French | l'internet | ||
The French word "l'Internet" is pronounced with a silent "t" and can also refer to the global network of computers and its associated services. | |||
Frisian | ynternet | ||
It is a Frisianization of "internet". | |||
Galician | internet | ||
"Interrede" is a word used in Galician language that has the same meaning as the word "Internet" in English. | |||
German | internet | ||
The German word for "internet" is "Internet" and it originated as an abbreviation for "Interconnected Networks". | |||
Icelandic | internet | ||
In Icelandic, "Internet" is pronounced "ínternet" and directly translates to "within networks" | |||
Irish | idirlíon | ||
The Old Irish word "idirlíon" originally referred to a "between language" that connects languages. | |||
Italian | internet | ||
La parola "Internet" deriva dal termine inglese "internetwork", che significa "rete di reti". | |||
Luxembourgish | internet | ||
Maltese | internet | ||
In Maltese, “Internet” is an abbreviated form of “interconnected networks” or “interlinked networks”. | |||
Norwegian | internett | ||
The Norwegian word "Internett" originated from "internetwork" and "Nett" is also Norwegian for "web" or "net" | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | internet | ||
Em inglês "Internet" é o resultado da fusão das palavras "inter" (entre) e "rede" (network) | |||
Scots Gaelic | eadar-lìn | ||
Eadar-lìn derives from a combination of "eadar" (between, among) and "lìn" (net). In earlier use, "lìn" could refer to the physical net of a fish, a net for trapping birds or small game, a mesh used to make clothing or blankets, a network of ropes for climbing, a network of people, or even a fishing net used on land to catch fairies. | |||
Spanish | internet | ||
La palabra "Internet" proviene del inglés "interconnected networks", que significa "redes interconectadas". | |||
Swedish | internet | ||
The word 'Internet' is a portmanteau of the words 'interconnected' and 'network'. | |||
Welsh | rhyngrwyd | ||
"Rhyngrwyd" is a compound word that literally translates as "network world". |
Belarusian | інтэрнэт | ||
Bosnian | internet | ||
Bosnian translation of "Internet" means "worldwide network" and derives from English "inter" and "net". | |||
Bulgarian | интернет | ||
The word "интернет" in Bulgarian is derived from the English word "internet" and is used to refer to a global computer network. | |||
Czech | internet | ||
"Internet" is derived from the Czech word "internetová síť," itself a calque of the English phrase "interconnected network." | |||
Estonian | internet | ||
The Estonian word for "Internet" is "internet,'' which is derived from the English word "internet." | |||
Finnish | internet | ||
The word "internet" is derived from the Latin word "inter" (between) and the English word "net" (network). | |||
Hungarian | internet | ||
The word "Internet" comes from the Latin word "inter" meaning "between" and "net" meaning "network". | |||
Latvian | internets | ||
“Internets” is Latvian for “Internets” but can also mean “the Internet” in a non-specific way. | |||
Lithuanian | internetas | ||
The word "internetas" in Lithuanian is derived from the Latin word "inter" (between) and "rete" (network), meaning "between networks". It is also the plural form of the Lithuanian word "internetas" (network). | |||
Macedonian | интернет | ||
The Macedonian word "Интернет" is derived from the English word "Internet" and has no other alternate meanings. | |||
Polish | internet | ||
W języku polskim słowo "Internet" jest również używane jako nazwa własna międzynarodowej sieci komputerowej. | |||
Romanian | internet | ||
The Romanian word "Internet" comes from the English word "internet", which in turn comes from the Latin words "inter" (between) and "net" (a net). | |||
Russian | интернет | ||
In Russian, "Интернет" (Internet) also means "network" or "web". | |||
Serbian | интернет | ||
The Serbian word "Интернет" is derived from the Latin word "interrete", meaning "among the nets." | |||
Slovak | internet | ||
"Internet" is derived from the Latin "inter" (between) and "net" (network). | |||
Slovenian | internet | ||
Slovene term "internet" can also refer to the intranet. | |||
Ukrainian | інтернет | ||
The Ukrainian word "Інтернет" ("Internet") derives from the English "internetwork" and initially referred to a computer network with connections extending outside an organization or a geographical region. |
Bengali | ইন্টারনেট | ||
"ইন্টারনেট" শব্দটি ল্যাটিন শব্দ "Inter" (মধ্যে) এবং "Net" (জাল) থেকে এসেছে। | |||
Gujarati | ઇન્ટરનેટ | ||
The word "ઇન્ટરનેટ" (Internet) is an abbreviation of the English phrase "interconnected networks". In Gujarati, it is most commonly used to refer to the global network of computers that allows for the exchange of information and data. | |||
Hindi | इंटरनेट | ||
इंटरनेट शब्द लैटिन शब्द 'Inter' और 'Net' से बना है जिसका अर्थ है 'आपस में जुड़ा हुआ नेटवर्क'। | |||
Kannada | ಇಂಟರ್ನೆಟ್ | ||
Malayalam | ഇന്റർനെറ്റ് | ||
The word "ഇന്റർനെറ്റ്" is derived from the Latin word "inter" meaning "between" and "net" meaning "network". | |||
Marathi | इंटरनेट | ||
In Marathi, 'इंटरनेट' is directly derived from the English word 'Internet', retaining its original meaning. | |||
Nepali | इन्टरनेट | ||
Internet is derived from the words "international" and "network". | |||
Punjabi | ਇੰਟਰਨੈੱਟ | ||
The word 'ਇੰਟਰਨੈੱਟ' is an abbreviation of 'interconnected networks', emphasizing its function as a global network of interlinked computer networks. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අන්තර්ජාල | ||
Tamil | இணையதளம் | ||
Telugu | అంతర్జాలం | ||
The word "అంతర్జాలం" is derived from the Sanskrit words "अन्तर्" (antar) meaning "inner" and "जाल" (jal) meaning "net", thus referring to the interconnected nature of the Internet. | |||
Urdu | انٹرنیٹ | ||
'انٹرنیٹ' is derived from the words 'inter' and 'net,' which refer to the interconnected nature of computer networks. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 互联网 | ||
互联网一词源于英文“internet”,意思是“国际联网”,最早由美国科学家温顿·瑟夫和鲍勃·卡恩在1972年提出。 | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 互聯網 | ||
The Chinese word "互聯網" (Internet) literally means "interconnected network". | |||
Japanese | インターネット | ||
インターネット (internetto) is a katakana borrowing of the English word “internet”, itself derived from the English phrase "interconnected network" | |||
Korean | 인터넷 | ||
인터넷(Internet)은 '국가 간'을 뜻하는 '인터(Inter)' 와 '망(Net)'이 합쳐진 말로, 원래는 미국 국방부가 운영하는 네트워크의 이름이었습니다. | |||
Mongolian | интернет | ||
"Интернет" (Internet) is the Latin script spelling of "Интернэт" (Internet), which means "global network" | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | အင်တာနက် | ||
Indonesian | internet | ||
In Indonesian, "Internet" can also refer to the physical network infrastructure used to connect devices and computers. | |||
Javanese | internet | ||
In Javanese, the word "Internet" is also used to refer to a "spider". | |||
Khmer | អ៊ីនធឺណិត | ||
The word អ៊ីនធឺណិត is derived from the English words "inter" and "network", and it refers to the global system of interconnected computer networks. | |||
Lao | ອິນເຕີເນັດ | ||
The Lao word ອິນເຕີເນັດ, pronounced 'in-tern-et', is derived from the English word 'Internet'. Interestingly, in Lao, it is also sometimes used to refer to a specific website or online platform. | |||
Malay | internet | ||
"Internet" in Malay is a loan word from the English language. | |||
Thai | อินเทอร์เน็ต | ||
The Thai word "อินเทอร์เน็ต" is derived from the Greek root "inter," meaning "between," and the Latin root "net," meaning "a woven fabric." | |||
Vietnamese | internet | ||
Internet là từ viết tắt của Interconnected Networks, có nghĩa là mạng lưới các mạng được kết nối với nhau. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | internet | ||
Azerbaijani | i̇nternet | ||
The word 'İnternet' in Azerbaijani is derived from the English word 'Internet' with the addition of an Azerbaijani suffix '-net' that means 'network' or 'web'. | |||
Kazakh | ғаламтор | ||
The Kazakh word "ғаламтор" (Internet) is derived from the Arabic word "غالمات" (knowledge), meaning a vast and interconnected body of information. | |||
Kyrgyz | интернет | ||
The Kyrgyz word "Интернет" is derived from the English word "Internet" and is written in the Cyrillic alphabet. | |||
Tajik | интернет | ||
Turkmen | internet | ||
Uzbek | internet | ||
The word "Internet" derives from "interconnected networks", a reference to the interconnected networks of computers that make up the Internet. | |||
Uyghur | ئىنتېرنېت | ||
Hawaiian | pūnaewele | ||
The Hawaiian word 'Pūnaewele' also refers to a spider's web, a net, or a trap. | |||
Maori | ipurangi | ||
The word "Ipurangi" is derived from "Ipua" (wave) and "Ranginui" (sky father), hence "waves from the sky" or "Internet." | |||
Samoan | initaneti | ||
Initaneti was formerly used by early Samoan Christians, and means 'The Network' | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | internet | ||
The Tagalog word "Internet" comes from the English word "Internet", which means "a network of networks that connects computers all over the world". |
Aymara | internet tuqi | ||
Guarani | internet-pe | ||
Esperanto | interreto | ||
"Interreto" is derived from "inter-" (between) and "reto" (network). It also means "interdimensional network". | |||
Latin | internet | ||
The Latin-originated word "inter" means "between" and "net" refers to a "network". |
Greek | διαδίκτυο | ||
"Διαδίκτυο" is a compound word which literally means "through networks" in Greek. | |||
Hmong | is taws nem | ||
The words “Is” and “Ntaw” do not have any meaning in Hmong, “Taws” is a homophone for “computer” and “Nem” is a homophone for “system”. | |||
Kurdish | internetnternet | ||
In Kurdish, the word "Internet" can also be used to refer to a specific type of online chat or forum. | |||
Turkish | i̇nternet | ||
The Turkish word "İnternet" is derived from the English words "international" and "network". | |||
Xhosa | intanethi | ||
The etymology of 'Intanethi' is unclear, potentially derived from 'intando' ('intention') and 'nethi' ('network'), or simply from English. | |||
Yiddish | אינטערנעט | ||
The Yiddish word "אינטערנעט" ('internet') originates from the English word 'internet', which itself is a portmanteau of 'inter-' and 'net'. | |||
Zulu | i-inthanethi | ||
I-inthanethi is derived from the English word "internet". | |||
Assamese | ইণ্টাৰনেট | ||
Aymara | internet tuqi | ||
Bhojpuri | इंटरनेट के बा | ||
Dhivehi | އިންޓަރނެޓް | ||
Dogri | इंटरनेट | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | internet | ||
Guarani | internet-pe | ||
Ilocano | internet ti internet | ||
Krio | intanɛt | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | ئینتەرنێت | ||
Maithili | इन्टरनेट | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯟꯇꯔꯅꯦꯠ꯫ | ||
Mizo | internet hmanga tih a ni | ||
Oromo | intarneetii | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଇଣ୍ଟରନେଟ୍ | | ||
Quechua | internet nisqapi | ||
Sanskrit | अन्तर्जालम् | ||
Tatar | интернет | ||
Tigrinya | ኢንተርነት | ||
Tsonga | internet | ||