Adult in Different Languages
Discover 'Adult' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Adult
Afrikaans volwasse | ||
Albanian i rritur | ||
Amharic ጎልማሳ | ||
Arabic بالغ | ||
Armenian մեծահասակ | ||
Assamese adult | ||
Aymara jilïr jaqi | ||
Azerbaijani yetkin | ||
Bambara balikukalan | ||
Basque heldua | ||
Belarusian дарослы | ||
Bengali প্রাপ্তবয়স্ক | ||
Bhojpuri वयस्क के बा | ||
Bosnian odrasla osoba | ||
Bulgarian възрастен | ||
Catalan adult | ||
Cebuano hamtong na | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 成人 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 成人 | ||
Corsican adultu | ||
Croatian odrasla osoba | ||
Czech dospělý | ||
Danish voksen | ||
Dhivehi ބޮޑެތި މީހުންނެވެ | ||
Dogri वयस्क | ||
Dutch volwassen | ||
English adult | ||
Esperanto plenkreskulo | ||
Estonian täiskasvanud | ||
Ewe ame tsitsi | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) nasa hustong gulang | ||
Finnish aikuinen | ||
French adulte | ||
Frisian folwoeksen | ||
Galician adulto | ||
Georgian ზრდასრული | ||
German erwachsene | ||
Greek ενήλικας | ||
Guarani kakuaáva | ||
Gujarati પુખ્ત | ||
Haitian Creole granmoun | ||
Hausa babba | ||
Hawaiian makua | ||
Hebrew מְבוּגָר | ||
Hindi वयस्क | ||
Hmong neeg laus | ||
Hungarian felnőtt | ||
Icelandic fullorðinn | ||
Igbo okenye | ||
Ilocano nataengan | ||
Indonesian dewasa | ||
Irish duine fásta | ||
Italian adulto | ||
Japanese 大人 | ||
Javanese wong diwasa | ||
Kannada ವಯಸ್ಕ | ||
Kazakh ересек | ||
Khmer មនុស្សពេញវ័យ | ||
Kinyarwanda mukuru | ||
Konkani प्रौढ | ||
Korean 성인 | ||
Krio big pɔsin | ||
Kurdish gihîştî | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) گەورەساڵان | ||
Kyrgyz бойго жеткен | ||
Lao ຜູ້ໃຫຍ່ | ||
Latin adultus | ||
Latvian pieaugušais | ||
Lingala mokóló | ||
Lithuanian suaugęs | ||
Luganda omuntu omukulu | ||
Luxembourgish erwuessener | ||
Macedonian возрасен | ||
Maithili वयस्क | ||
Malagasy olon-dehibe | ||
Malay dewasa | ||
Malayalam മുതിർന്നവർ | ||
Maltese adult | ||
Maori pakeke | ||
Marathi प्रौढ | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯑꯦꯗꯜꯇ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
Mizo puitling | ||
Mongolian насанд хүрсэн | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) အရွယ်ရောက်သူ | ||
Nepali वयस्क | ||
Norwegian voksen | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) wamkulu | ||
Odia (Oriya) ବୟସ୍କ | ||
Oromo nama guddaa | ||
Pashto بالغ | ||
Persian بزرگسال | ||
Polish dorosły | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) adulto | ||
Punjabi ਬਾਲਗ | ||
Quechua kuraq runa | ||
Romanian adult | ||
Russian взрослый | ||
Samoan matua | ||
Sanskrit प्रौढः | ||
Scots Gaelic inbheach | ||
Sepedi motho yo mogolo | ||
Serbian одрасла особа | ||
Sesotho motho e moholo | ||
Shona mukuru | ||
Sindhi بالغ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) වැඩිහිටි | ||
Slovak dospelý | ||
Slovenian odrasla oseba | ||
Somali qaangaar ah | ||
Spanish adulto | ||
Sundanese déwasa | ||
Swahili mtu mzima | ||
Swedish vuxen | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) matanda na | ||
Tajik калонсол | ||
Tamil வயது வந்தோர் | ||
Tatar олылар | ||
Telugu వయోజన | ||
Thai ผู้ใหญ่ | ||
Tigrinya ዓቢ ሰብ | ||
Tsonga munhu lonkulu | ||
Turkish yetişkin | ||
Turkmen uly ýaşly | ||
Twi (Akan) ɔpanyin | ||
Ukrainian дорослий | ||
Urdu بالغ | ||
Uyghur قۇرامىغا يەتكەنلەر | ||
Uzbek kattalar | ||
Vietnamese người lớn | ||
Welsh oedolyn | ||
Xhosa umntu omdala | ||
Yiddish דערוואַקסן | ||
Yoruba agbalagba | ||
Zulu umuntu omdala |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | The term comes via the Dutch form of 'vole' and the Germanic 'walus' from proto-Indo-European 'wel' signifying power, dominance, maturity or age. |
| Albanian | The Albanian word “i rritur” is derived from the Latin word “adultus,” which means “grown up”. |
| Amharic | The word "ጎልማሳ" in Amharic can also refer to a "servant" or "helper". |
| Arabic | The word 'بالغ' in Arabic, while primarily denoting 'adult', also means 'having reached the age of puberty' or 'having fully matured'. |
| Armenian | 'Մեծահասակ' is a compound word that literally means 'big-aged' or 'old-aged'. In Armenian, it's also used to describe someone who is mature or responsible. |
| Azerbaijani | "Yetkin" originates from the Arabic word "yatīm" (orphan), and also refers to a "grown-up child" or "mature person". |
| Basque | The Basque word "heldua" comes from the same root as the word "heldu", meaning "to arrive, to reach", implying "one who has arrived at full maturity." |
| Belarusian | Belarusian "дарослы" shares a common root with Slavic "дорослый", meaning someone able to care for the family and "grow" their household. |
| Bengali | The word "প্রাপ্তবয়স্ক" can also mean "mature" or "developed". |
| Bosnian | The word "odrasla osoba" in Bosnian may also refer to a guardian or a person who is mature and responsible. |
| Bulgarian | The Bulgarian word "възрастен" derives from "възраст", meaning "age", and also means "mature". |
| Catalan | "Adult" derives from the Latin word "adolescere" meaning "to grow up", and is related to the words "adolescent" and "adultery." |
| Cebuano | "Hamtong na" can also mean "old" or "elderly". |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 成 means 'become', 人 means 'human'; 'adult' is literally 'one who has become a person'. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | The word "成人" (adult), when split into its characters, can mean "accomplished person," highlighting the significance of personal development in traditional Chinese culture. |
| Corsican | In Corsican, "adultu" can also mean "ripe" or "mature" when referring to fruit, especially grapes. |
| Croatian | The word "odrasla osoba" comes from the Old Slavonic word "odrostiti" meaning "to grow into maturity" |
| Czech | "Dos-pělý" comes from "to mature" while the English "adult" comes from the Latin "to grow". |
| Danish | Voksen is also used in some Danish expressions to refer to a specific animal's age group. |
| Dutch | The word "volwassen" derives from the Dutch words "vol" (full) and "wassen" (grow), indicating that an adult is fully grown. |
| Esperanto | The word "plenkreskulo" is derived from "plena" (full) and "kresko" (grow), thus meaning someone who has fully grown. |
| Estonian | The word "täiskasvanud" in Estonian is derived from the words "täis" (full) and "kasvanud" (grown), implying a state of maturity and completion. |
| Finnish | The word "aikuinen" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*aiko", meaning "time". |
| French | In French, the term "adulte" derives from Latin "adolescere," meaning "to grow" or "to reach maturity," while in English, it signifies "someone who has reached legal maturity." |
| Frisian | The word "folwoeksen" also means "grown-up" or "mature" in Frisian. |
| Galician | 'Adulto' can also mean 'elderly' in Galician. |
| Georgian | The word "ზრდასრული" is derived from the Proto-Kartvelian root "*zrd-i" meaning "to grow" and the suffix "-uli" meaning "full of" or "possessing". |
| German | The word "Erwachsene" derives from the Old High German "irwahsan," meaning "grown up" or "full-grown." |
| Greek | The original meaning of ενήλικας was an able-bodied male or, more accurately, a capable or mature male. |
| Gujarati | The word 'પુખ્ત' ('adult') in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word 'प्रौढ' ('mature') and its equivalent in some Indo-Aryan languages. |
| Haitian Creole | "Granmoun" in Haitian Creole can also mean "older person" or "elder", and its root is the French word "grand-mère" (grandmother). |
| Hausa | "babba" can also refer to a term of respect or a person of high rank. |
| Hawaiian | Makua can also refer to 'ancestor, parent or grandparent' and shares an etymology with the Marquesan 'matua' (meaning 'male ancestor'). |
| Hebrew | The word "mbugar" in Hebrew also means "respected" or "worthy of respect". |
| Hindi | The word वयस्क derives from the Sanskrit root वृध् (vṛdh), meaning "to grow" or "to increase", and originally referred to a period of transition in a person's life. |
| Hmong | The word "neeg laus" is derived from the Chinese word "年老", meaning "old age". |
| Hungarian | The word "felnőtt" originally meant "grown up" or "mature" in Hungarian, but it has also come to mean "adult" in the sense of "a person who is legally responsible for their actions". |
| Icelandic | Fullorðinn is an Old Norse derivative of the noun orð, meaning “speech, word,” suggesting someone who has reached the age of reason and may now speak for himself. |
| Igbo | Igbo word "okenye" derives from the root "-kenye" (old), implying an adult or elderly person. |
| Indonesian | The word "dewasa" (adult) in Indonesian is derived from the Sanskrit word "devas" (deity), implying a higher level of maturity and wisdom. |
| Irish | The term 'duine fásta' literally translates to 'firm person', as opposed to a child, who may still be unsteady on their feet. |
| Italian | The Italian word "adulto" derives from the Latin word "adultus", meaning "grown up" or "full-grown". |
| Japanese | The word "大人" in Japanese means more than just "adult"--it's also used to refer to someone who is mature, reliable, or a leader. |
| Javanese | The term "wong diwasa" can also be used to refer to a person of high status or authority. |
| Kannada | The word "ವಯಸ್ಕ" in Kannada originates from the Sanskrit word "वयस्क" (vayaska), which means "mature". |
| Kazakh | The Kazakh word "ересек" also means "ripe", referring to the maturity of an adult. |
| Khmer | The word “មនុស្សពេញវ័យ” can also mean "a person who is fully developed, especially a person who is mature and responsible" |
| Korean | The Korean word "성인" (adult) was originally a loanword from Chinese meaning "a person or thing that stands on its own". |
| Kurdish | The Kurdish word "gihîştî" originally meant "arrived" and only later came to be used as a noun to refer to adults |
| Kyrgyz | The word "бойго жеткен" in Kyrgyz initially referred to a person who had reached adulthood and was considered a full member of society, capable of participating in decision-making and taking on responsibilities. |
| Latin | The Latin word "adultus" originally meant "grown up" or "mature", but it has come to mean "an individual who has reached the age of majority" in modern usage. |
| Latvian | The Latvian word "pieaugušais" derives from "augt" (to grow), and it originally meant "mature", "full-grown". |
| Lithuanian | "Suaugęs" shares the root "aug" with "išaugti" ("to grow up"), implying that adults are those who have fully grown. |
| Luxembourgish | The term 'erwuessener' is derived from the German/Low Franconian/Dutch term 'erwachsen'. This is also where the German name for adult, namely 'Erwachsene(r)' derives from. |
| Macedonian | Возраст (возрасен) can also refer to a mature, grown, or seasoned individual |
| Malagasy | The Malagasy word "olon-dehibe" can also refer to a person who has reached a certain level of maturity, experience, or social status. |
| Malay | The term "dewasa" originally meant "mature" but its usage has since broadened to encompass "responsible" and "independent" as well. |
| Maltese | In Maltese, "adult" can also refer to a married person or someone of marriageable age. |
| Maori | The word 'pakeke' can also refer to an elderly person or an experienced person |
| Marathi | `प्रौढ` comes from Sanskrit and means 'grown up' or 'advanced in years' |
| Mongolian | "Насанд хүрсэн" in Mongolian can also refer to a person who has reached the age of legal majority, which is 18 years old. |
| Nepali | The Nepali word "वयस्क" can trace its roots back to the Indo-Aryan root word "vaj", which means "to be strong" or "to grow up". |
| Norwegian | "Voksen" is cognate with the English "wax" as both words originate from the Old Norse "vǫxtr" meaning "growth". |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The Nyanja word "wamkulu" can also mean "elderly person" or "respected person." |
| Pashto | The Pashto word "بالغ" also has the alternate meaning of "mature" or "developed". |
| Persian | The word بزرگسال is derived from the Old Persian word baraza, meaning 'to grow'. |
| Polish | The word "dorosły" is derived from the Slavic root "*dorti-", meaning "to be firm" or "to be solid". |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | The word "adulto" in Portuguese is derived from the Latin word "adultus," which means "grown up" or "mature." |
| Punjabi | ਬਾਲਗ can also be used to describe 'a young person, a child' |
| Romanian | In Romanian, the word "adult" can also refer to a type of flower called the marigold. |
| Russian | The word "взрослый" (adult) is derived from the Old Russian word "възрасть" (age, maturity). |
| Samoan | The word 'matua' in Samoan can refer to both a biological or adoptive parent or a person who has achieved elder status in the community. |
| Scots Gaelic | The word "inbheach" is also used to mean "mature" or "ripe." |
| Serbian | The Serbian word for “adult”, “одрасла особа”, derives from the verb “одрасти” meaning to mature and become older. |
| Sesotho | The term "motho e moholo" can be literally translated into English as "big person", highlighting the importance of age and seniority in traditional Sesotho culture. |
| Shona | Mukuru (adult) comes from the root word 'kuru' which means to be grown or mature. |
| Sindhi | بالغ in Sindhi also means "ripe" or "mature", especially when referring to fruits or crops. |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වැඩිහිටි is also used to refer to the older siblings, and especially to an elder sister. |
| Slovak | The Slovak word "dospelý" originally meant "achieved" and was first applied to adults only later. |
| Slovenian | The word "odrasla oseba" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*doraslъ", which means "fully grown". |
| Somali | The word "qaangaar ah" is derived from the Somali word "qaange", which means "to grow" or "to mature". |
| Spanish | The Spanish word 'adulto' can also be used to refer to a mature animal or a plant that has reached a certain level of growth. |
| Sundanese | The word "déwasa" in Sundanese is derived from the root word "wasa" meaning "ripe" or "mature". |
| Swahili | Mtu mzima literally translates to "complete person" in Swahili. |
| Swedish | The word 'vuxen' is derived from the Proto-Germanic word '*wuhsaz*', meaning 'grown' or 'mature'. |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | "Matanda na" is not just a descriptor for someone who is old but also an expression used to describe someone who acts in a mature manner. |
| Tajik | "Калосол" is a word for "old man" in Uzbek but it is a very rarely-used loan word in Tajik, which is instead used to mean "adult" or "grown up". |
| Tamil | The term "வயது வந்தோர்" can also refer to grown-up children or to people who have attained puberty. |
| Telugu | "వయోజన" is derived from the Sanskrit word "वयो+जन्", meaning "age" and "birth". It literally means "one who has attained the age". |
| Thai | The term "ผู้ใหญ่" in Thai can also refer to respected elders or individuals with a higher social status. |
| Turkish | The word "yetişkin" is derived from the verb "yetişmek," meaning "to mature" or "to grow up." |
| Ukrainian | "Дорослий" (adult) is derived from the verb "рости" (to grow) and means "having reached maturity". |
| Urdu | "بالغ" can also mean "mature" or "grown-up" in Urdu. |
| Uzbek | The Uzbek word "kattalar" can also be translated as "old" |
| Vietnamese | "Người lớn" (adult) in Vietnamese literally means "big person". |
| Welsh | The Welsh word "oedolyn" can also mean "grown-up", "mature", or "experienced". |
| Xhosa | The Xhosa word "umntu omdala" (adult) can also mean an "elderly person" or "ancestor". |
| Yiddish | The Yiddish word "דערוואַקסן" (adult) is derived from the German "erwachsen," which literally means "grown up." |
| Yoruba | The word "agbalagba" also means "an old and wise person" in Yoruba language. |
| Zulu | The word for "adult" in Zulu, "umuntu omdala," also connotes respect and wisdom. |
| English | The word "adult" derives from the Latin word "adultus," meaning "grown up" or "mature." |