Acid in Different Languages
Discover 'Acid' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Ah, acid! A word that may bring to mind images of bubbling test tubes or retro psychedelic art. But did you know that this word has a rich history and a wide range of uses, from chemistry to music?
Acid, or more specifically, 'hydrochloric acid,' is one of the strongest acids known to humanity. It has been instrumental in various industrial applications, including the production of fertilizers, dyes, and even rubber. Moreover, it plays a crucial role in our digestive system, helping break down food in our stomachs.
In popular culture, 'acid' is often associated with the psychedelic drug LSD, which gained notoriety during the 1960s counterculture movement. The term 'acid rock' emerged to describe the music that accompanied these experiences, characterized by its intense, distorted guitar sounds.
Given its significance and cultural importance, you might be interested in learning how to say 'acid' in different languages. Here are a few translations to pique your curiosity:
- Spanish: ácido
- French: acide
- German: Säure
- Mandarin: 酸 (suān)
- Japanese: 酸性 (sansei)
Stay tuned for more fascinating translations and cultural insights about the word 'acid'!
Acid
Acid in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | suur | ||
| Also used to refer to a type of sour plum or a type of fermented milk. | |||
| Amharic | አሲድ | ||
| The word "አሲድ" (acid) in Amharic also means "sour, fermented" or "bitter". | |||
| Hausa | acid | ||
| In Hausa, the word "acid" also has the alternate meanings of "sour" and "bitter". | |||
| Igbo | acid | ||
| In Igbo, the word 'acid' also refers to a type of traditional medicine used for healing and purification rituals. | |||
| Malagasy | asidra | ||
| The word "asidra" is derived from the Arabic word "az-zad" which means "sour" or "acid". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | asidi | ||
| Etymology: Possibly from Proto-Bantu *-cid-i "to be sharp tasting, sour, biting". | |||
| Shona | acid | ||
| The word 'acid' is derived from the Latin word 'acidus,' meaning 'sour' or 'sharp,' and can also refer to a substance that tastes sour or produces a burning sensation when it comes into contact with skin or mucous membranes. | |||
| Somali | aashito | ||
| "Aashito", meaning "acid" in Somali, is cognate with the Arabic word "hashish", meaning "dry herb". | |||
| Sesotho | asiti | ||
| The word "asiti" is also used in Sesotho to refer to "sourness" or "bitterness". | |||
| Swahili | asidi | ||
| The word "asidi" in Swahili can also refer to a type of fermented porridge made from cassava flour. | |||
| Xhosa | asidi | ||
| The Xhosa word "asidi" can also mean "sour" or "bitter". | |||
| Yoruba | acid | ||
| The word "acid" in Yoruba is derived from the word "àgbàrò", which means "bitter". | |||
| Zulu | i-asidi | ||
| The word i-asidi (acid) in Zulu is derived from the French word acide, which itself originated from the Latin acidus meaning "sour, sharp". | |||
| Bambara | asidi (asidi) ye | ||
| Ewe | acid | ||
| Kinyarwanda | aside | ||
| Lingala | acide | ||
| Luganda | asidi | ||
| Sepedi | esiti ya | ||
| Twi (Akan) | acid a wɔde yɛ nneɛma | ||
Acid in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حامض | ||
| In addition to denoting "acid," "حامض" also refers to a "sour taste" or a "fermented drink." | |||
| Hebrew | חוּמצָה | ||
| "חוּמצָה" also means "sorrel" in Hebrew, a type of plant with a sour taste. | |||
| Pashto | تیزاب | ||
| The Pashto word "تیزاب" ("acid") may originate from the Persian "تیز" ("sharp") and "آب" ("water"). | |||
| Arabic | حامض | ||
| In addition to denoting "acid," "حامض" also refers to a "sour taste" or a "fermented drink." | |||
Acid in Western European Languages
| Albanian | acid | ||
| In Albanian, the word "acid" can also refer to a sour liquid or a strong taste | |||
| Basque | azidoa | ||
| The word "azidoa" (acid) in Basque comes from the same root as the word "azi" (bitter). | |||
| Catalan | àcid | ||
| In Catalan, "àcid" also means "sour" or "tart", and can be used to describe flavors or smells. | |||
| Croatian | kiselina | ||
| The Croatian word "kiselina" is derived from the Slavic word "kysly", meaning "sour". | |||
| Danish | syre | ||
| "Syre" also means "oxygen" in Danish. | |||
| Dutch | zuur | ||
| The word "zuur" can also mean "fermented vegetables", "sour", and "difficult" in Dutch. | |||
| English | acid | ||
| The word "acid" derives from the Latin word "acere", meaning "to be sharp". | |||
| French | acide | ||
| The word "acide" derives from the Greek word "oxys" which means sharp or sour | |||
| Frisian | soere | ||
| The word "soere" ultimately derives from Proto-Germanic "*sur-az", meaning "sour". | |||
| Galician | ácido | ||
| Galician's "ácido" can also refer to the acidity found in foods or liquids. | |||
| German | acid | ||
| "Sauer" is also used in German to describe something as sour or acidic. | |||
| Icelandic | sýru | ||
| The Icelandic word "sýru" is a rare example of a noun whose original meaning was "sour" rather than "acid". | |||
| Irish | aigéad | ||
| "Aigéad" is also the Irish word for vinegar, which is diluted acetic acid. | |||
| Italian | acido | ||
| The Italian word "acido" derives from the Latin word "acidus", meaning "sour" or "tart", and also refers to strong substances that can corrode or dissolve other materials. | |||
| Luxembourgish | seier | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Seier" is also used figuratively to describe a person who is sharp-tongued or sarcastic. | |||
| Maltese | aċidu | ||
| Maltese "aċidu" has the alternate meaning of "sour" and derives from the Italian "acido" meaning "acid". | |||
| Norwegian | syre | ||
| The word 'syre' in Norwegian also means 'sour' and is related to the English word 'sore'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | ácido | ||
| Originally from Latin, "ácido" derives from "acēre" (to be pungent), and also means "sharp" or "sour" in Portuguese. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | searbhag | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "searbhag" is derived from the Old Irish word "serb", meaning "bitter". | |||
| Spanish | ácido | ||
| "Ácido", a Spanish word for "acid", derives from the Latin term "acidus", meaning "sour or sharp". | |||
| Swedish | syra | ||
| Swedish "syra" (acid) originates from the Greek word "oxy" (sharp) via Latin "acere" (to be sour). | |||
| Welsh | asid | ||
| The Welsh word 'asid' can also mean 'sharp' or 'sour' | |||
Acid in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | кіслата | ||
| The word "кіслата" also means "sourness" or "acidity" in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | kiselina | ||
| Bosnian word "kiselina" also means "vinegar" or "sour". | |||
| Bulgarian | киселина | ||
| The word "киселина" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *kysъlъ, meaning "sour". It is related to the Russian word "кислота" (kislota), the Polish word "kwas", and the Serbo-Croatian word "киселина" (kiselina). | |||
| Czech | kyselina | ||
| The word “kyselina” also means “sour” in Czech, reflecting the acidic taste of many acids. | |||
| Estonian | hape | ||
| Hape, which comes from the German | |||
| Finnish | happo | ||
| Happo is also the Finnish word for 'sour' and was originally used to refer to the acidity of vinegar. | |||
| Hungarian | sav | ||
| The word "sav" in Hungarian is derived from the Proto-Finno-Ugric root *sīwa, which also means "bile". | |||
| Latvian | skābe | ||
| Despite "skābe" meaning "acid" in Latvian, it also refers to sorrel plants and sourness of fruits and vegetables. | |||
| Lithuanian | rūgštis | ||
| Rūgštis is derived from the verb rūgti, which means | |||
| Macedonian | киселина | ||
| Киселина (кисјелина) is derived from the Proto-Slavic form *kysъlъ, which also meant 'sour' and 'vinegar'. | |||
| Polish | kwas | ||
| The Polish word "kwas" also refers to sour foods and drinks. | |||
| Romanian | acid | ||
| The Romanian word "acid" is a homonym, meaning both "acid" and "sour". | |||
| Russian | кислота | ||
| The word "кислота" (acid) in Russian also has the alternate meaning of "sourness". | |||
| Serbian | киселина | ||
| The word "киселина" can also refer to a sour taste or a substance that causes a burning sensation. | |||
| Slovak | kyselina | ||
| The Slovak word "kyselina" is derived from Proto-Slavic "kyslyj" or "kysel" and related to "sour" or "bitter" (cf. "kvas" meaning "yeast"). | |||
| Slovenian | kislina | ||
| In chemistry, the word "kislina" is often used for inorganic acids, while "kiselina" is used for organic acids; in everyday language, this distinction is rarely made. | |||
| Ukrainian | кислота | ||
| Кислота, a Ukrainian-language term for acid, is cognate with similar words across Slavic languages; it stems from Proto-Indo-European roots *ḱiséh₃- and *ḱis-/*ḱei-s, referring to fermentation and sourness respectively. | |||
Acid in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অ্যাসিড | ||
| "অ্যাসিড" শব্দটির আরও একটি অর্থ হলো ক্ষার | |||
| Gujarati | તેજાબ | ||
| The Gujarati word "તેજાબ" (acid) ultimately derives from the Persian word "تيزاب" (tezab), meaning "sour liquid". | |||
| Hindi | अम्ल | ||
| The Hindi word 'अम्ल' also refers to a kind of metal which was used to extract precious metals from their ores in early metallurgy. | |||
| Kannada | ಆಮ್ಲ | ||
| It is also used to refer to the fermented dough used in making idlis and dosas. | |||
| Malayalam | ആസിഡ് | ||
| ആസിഡ് is a loan word from English, and its original meaning was 'sour taste' or 'acidity. | |||
| Marathi | आम्ल | ||
| The Marathi word "आम्ल" can also refer to a sour substance, such as a fruit or vegetable. | |||
| Nepali | एसिड | ||
| The word "एसिड" in Nepali can also mean "sour" or "tart". | |||
| Punjabi | ਐਸਿਡ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਐਸਿਡ" may also refer to the acid form of a spice or other food ingredient used in cooking. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අම්ලය | ||
| අම්ලය (amlaya) has alternate meanings of "tamarind" and "sour". The fruit of the tamarind tree also produces a sticky pulp that is used in Southeast Asian cuisine as a souring agent in foods and drinks. | |||
| Tamil | அமிலம் | ||
| The word "அமிலம்" is derived from the Sanskrit word "अम्ल" (amla), meaning "sour" or "tart". | |||
| Telugu | ఆమ్లము | ||
| "ఆమ్లము" is derived from the Sanskrit word "āmla" meaning "sour." | |||
| Urdu | تیزاب | ||
| "تیزاب" also translates to "sharpness" or "bitterness." | |||
Acid in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 酸 | ||
| In Chinese, “酸” can also mean sour, or figuratively as something that irritates or disgusts. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 酸 | ||
| The word 酸 (acid) can also mean "sour" or "fermented" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | 酸 | ||
| The original meaning of 「酸」 is "sour taste", and it came to be used to refer to "acid" later. | |||
| Korean | 산 | ||
| The Korean word "산" can also refer to a mountain, a hill, or a pass. | |||
| Mongolian | хүчил | ||
| Хүчил has other meanings, such as 'vinegar' and 'sour'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အက်ဆစ် | ||
| "အက်ဆစ်" is derived from the French word "acide" and the Latin word "acidus", both meaning "sour". | |||
Acid in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | asam | ||
| In Indonesian, asam is not only used to refer to acidic substances, but also to describe a sensation of sourness or astringency in food. | |||
| Javanese | asam | ||
| In Javanese, "asam" (acid) is also used to refer to sour or acidic fruits or plants. | |||
| Khmer | អាសុីត | ||
| The word អាសុីត can also refer to a sour taste or a corrosive substance. | |||
| Lao | ກົດ | ||
| The Lao word "ກົດ" ("acid") is cognate with the Thai word "กรด" ("acid") and traces its origins to the Sanskrit word "कृष्ण" ("dark"), due to the dark color of some acids. | |||
| Malay | asid | ||
| Asid, meaning "acid" in Malay, may also refer to sour or sharp-tasting substances. | |||
| Thai | กรด | ||
| กรด (gord): comes from the Sanskrit "krd" which also means "to eat or devour" | |||
| Vietnamese | axit | ||
| "Axit" (acid) is derived from the Latin word "acere," meaning "to be sour". It can also refer to a sharp, corrosive substance. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | acid | ||
Acid in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | turşu | ||
| In Azerbaijani, "turşu" also refers to a traditional pickled vegetable dish similar to sauerkraut. | |||
| Kazakh | қышқыл | ||
| The word "қышқыл" in Kazakh is derived from the Turkic root "ḳıš-" meaning "to become sour". | |||
| Kyrgyz | кислота | ||
| В кыргызском языке слово "кислота" является заимствованием из русского языка. | |||
| Tajik | кислота | ||
| "Кислота" (acid) derives from the Persian word "كيسله" (sour) and the Russian suffix "-ota" | |||
| Turkmen | kislotasy | ||
| Uzbek | kislota | ||
| The Uzbek word "kislota" can also mean "vinegar" or "sour taste." | |||
| Uyghur | كىسلاتا | ||
Acid in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻākika | ||
| 'Ākika may also refer to an acid taste or to the acid of a plant | |||
| Maori | waikawa | ||
| The Maori word "waikawa" can also refer to a bubbling acidic spring or geothermal pool. | |||
| Samoan | acid | ||
| In Samoan, "acid" may also refer to a type of traditional pudding made with fermented breadfruit, called "fa'ausi". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | acid | ||
| The Tagalog word 'asim' can also mean 'sour' or 'tart', while in Cebuano, 'asim' means both 'acid' and 'unripe banana'. | |||
Acid in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ácido ukaxa | ||
| Guarani | ácido rehegua | ||
Acid in International Languages
| Esperanto | acida | ||
| The original meaning of "acida" in Esperanto was "sour" specifically related to fruits, later its specific and more technical chemical use was taken from Russian | |||
| Latin | acidum | ||
| The word "acidum" is thought to derive from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "sharp" or "sour". In addition to its literal meaning, it can also refer to a person's temperament or attitude. | |||
Acid in Others Languages
| Greek | οξύ | ||
| The Greek word "οξύ" (oxy) also means "sharp" or "pointed", referring to the sour taste of acids on the tongue. | |||
| Hmong | kua qaub | ||
| The term derives from the Thai words ก๋ายาบ 'to corrode' and กรด 'acid'. | |||
| Kurdish | tirş | ||
| The word "tirş" in Kurdish can also refer to something that is sour or bitter. | |||
| Turkish | asit | ||
| 'Asit' in Turkish, comes from Arabic and originally meant 'sharp or stinging in taste'. | |||
| Xhosa | asidi | ||
| The Xhosa word "asidi" can also mean "sour" or "bitter". | |||
| Yiddish | זויער | ||
| The Yiddish word "זויער" (acid) also means "sour" in German and "sour" or "pickled" in Slavic languages. | |||
| Zulu | i-asidi | ||
| The word i-asidi (acid) in Zulu is derived from the French word acide, which itself originated from the Latin acidus meaning "sour, sharp". | |||
| Assamese | এচিড | ||
| Aymara | ácido ukaxa | ||
| Bhojpuri | एसिड के नाम से जानल जाला | ||
| Dhivehi | އެސިޑް | ||
| Dogri | एसिड | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | acid | ||
| Guarani | ácido rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | asido | ||
| Krio | asid we dɛn kɔl | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ترش | ||
| Maithili | एसिड | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯦꯁꯤꯗ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ ꯌꯥꯏ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | acid a ni | ||
| Oromo | asiidii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଏସିଡ୍ | | ||
| Quechua | ácido nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | अम्लम् | ||
| Tatar | кислотасы | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣሲድ | ||
| Tsonga | acid | ||