Air in Different Languages
Discover 'Air' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Air, the invisible yet essential substance that surrounds us, is a fundamental aspect of life. It is a mixture of gases, including oxygen that we breathe, nitrogen that makes up about 78% of the air, and trace amounts of other gases. The significance of air goes beyond its chemical composition, as it holds great cultural importance across the globe.
For instance, in many ancient cultures, air was personified as a god or goddess, emphasizing its vital role in sustaining life. In Greek mythology, the god of the west wind, Zephyros, was associated with spring and gentle winds, symbolizing new beginnings and growth. Similarly, in Hinduism, Vayu is the god of wind, air, and breath, representing the life force.
Given air's universal presence and significance, it's no surprise that people might want to know its translation in different languages. After all, understanding the word for air in various languages can help facilitate communication and foster cross-cultural connections.
Here are some translations of the word 'air' in different languages: English - air; Spanish - aire; French - air; German - Luft; Italian - aria; Japanese - 空 (sora); Chinese - 空气 (kōngqì); Arabic - هوا (hawa); Hindi - वायु (vāyu); and many more.
Air
Air in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | lug | ||
| The word "lug" in Afrikaans, meaning "air," also has the alternate meaning of "mood" or "atmosphere." | |||
| Amharic | አየር | ||
| The word 'አየር' in Amharic can also refer to 'weather' or 'climate'. | |||
| Hausa | iska | ||
| The word iska "air" in Hausa can also refer to life and the soul. | |||
| Igbo | ikuku | ||
| In some Igbo dialects, 'ikuku' refers to 'the breath of life', rather than simply 'air' | |||
| Malagasy | rivotra | ||
| The word "rivotra" is cognate to Malay "angin" and Javanese "angin" (wind), all of which may derive from Proto-Austronesian *ŋaŋiŋ. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mpweya | ||
| The word "mpweya" likely originated from the Proto-Bantu word \*mphepho\*, and can also mean "spirit". | |||
| Shona | mhepo | ||
| The Shona word for 'air' is also used to mean 'wind', 'breath' or 'spirit'. | |||
| Somali | hawada | ||
| The word "hawada" in Somali also refers to space or the sky, as well as the atmosphere. | |||
| Sesotho | moea | ||
| Moea also means wind, or an imaginary wind | |||
| Swahili | hewa | ||
| The Swahili word 'hewa' is also used to mean 'weather', 'climate' or 'atmosphere'. | |||
| Xhosa | umoya | ||
| In Xhosa, the word "umoya" not only means "air" but also "breath, spirit, or life force." | |||
| Yoruba | afẹfẹ | ||
| 'Afẹfẹ' can also be figuratively used to mean 'windstorm', 'breeze' or 'gust of wind'. | |||
| Zulu | umoya | ||
| The Zulu word for 'air,' 'umoya,' also means 'spirit' or 'soul.' | |||
| Bambara | fiɲɛ | ||
| Ewe | ya | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umwuka | ||
| Lingala | mopepe | ||
| Luganda | empewo | ||
| Sepedi | moya | ||
| Twi (Akan) | mframa | ||
Air in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الهواء | ||
| The word "الهواء" in Arabic also refers to the space between heaven and earth, or the atmosphere. | |||
| Hebrew | אוויר | ||
| The word "אוויר" can also refer to the sky, or to a specific atmosphere or climate. | |||
| Pashto | هوا | ||
| The Pashto word for "air," "هوا," is often used to refer to both the physical substance and the weather. | |||
| Arabic | الهواء | ||
| The word "الهواء" in Arabic also refers to the space between heaven and earth, or the atmosphere. | |||
Air in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ajri | ||
| Derived from the Proto-Albanian form *ajr, related to the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂ér- "to lift, raise". | |||
| Basque | airea | ||
| The Basque word airea is a loanword from Spanish, and originally meant 'threshing floor'. | |||
| Catalan | aire | ||
| In meteorology, «aire» refers exclusively to wind in Catalan, while air in general is «aer» with a closed «e». | |||
| Croatian | zrak | ||
| The Croatian word 'zrak' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'zьrakъ', meaning both 'air' and 'sky'. | |||
| Danish | luft | ||
| In Danish, "luft" can also refer to a gentle breeze or a pleasant atmosphere. | |||
| Dutch | lucht | ||
| The word "lucht" is derived from Middle Dutch "lucht", which is related to Old High German "luft" and Proto-Germanic "*lufti" meaning "height" or "space". | |||
| English | air | ||
| The word "air" comes from the Latin word "aer," which also means "atmosphere" or "sky." | |||
| French | air | ||
| "Air" in French means "melody" as well and comes from Latin "aer," meaning "air" or "atmosphere." | |||
| Frisian | loft | ||
| Frisian 'loft' is a doublet of the English word 'lift' and German 'Luft', and means both 'air' and 'above' or 'up'. | |||
| Galician | aire | ||
| Galician's 'aire' can also mean 'wind', 'weather', 'manner' or 'melody'. | |||
| German | luft | ||
| In some contexts, 'Luft' can refer to a particular atmosphere or mood, such as 'gute Luft' (a positive atmosphere) or 'schlechte Luft' (a negative atmosphere). | |||
| Icelandic | loft | ||
| The Icelandic word "loft" has the alternate meaning of "ceiling" which is a more direct translation for the word "loft" than "air". | |||
| Irish | aer | ||
| In Irish, "aer" can also mean "height" or "sky" and is related to the Welsh word "awyr" with the same meanings. | |||
| Italian | aria | ||
| The word "aria" in Italian can also refer to a melody or a musical piece sung by a single voice. | |||
| Luxembourgish | loft | ||
| In Luxembourgish, the word "Loft" can also mean "attic" or "hayloft". | |||
| Maltese | arja | ||
| Maltese "arja" derives from the Sicilian and Italian word for air, possibly cognate with Latin *aer- and ultimately Greek ἀήρ (aer) | |||
| Norwegian | luft | ||
| The Norwegian word "luft" can also refer to a light breeze, a draft of air, or even a strong wind. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | ar | ||
| "Ar" is of Latin origin (aer), with cognates in most Indo-European languages. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | adhair | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "adhair" has been proposed to be cognate with the Proto-Indo-European root "awer" (to blow), thus "adhair" would be cognate with the Sanskrit वायु "vāyu" (wind) | |||
| Spanish | aire | ||
| The word "aire" in Spanish also means "area" or "space", and derives from the Latin word "aer". | |||
| Swedish | luft | ||
| "Luft" can refer to "atmosphere" in a metaphysical sense, such as the mood of a place or the "spirit" of an organization. | |||
| Welsh | aer | ||
| The word 'aer' is cognate with Old Irish 'aer', Gaulish 'aer', Latin 'aēr' and Sanskrit 'vā́yu', all derived from Proto-Indo-European root *h₂ér-, meaning to move, blow or stir. | |||
Air in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | паветра | ||
| The word "паветра" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *povĕtrъ, which also means "weather" or "climate". | |||
| Bosnian | zrak | ||
| The word "zrak" is shared with other Slavic languages and derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *"h₂ér-/*"h₂er-", which also gave rise to the word "aer" in Greek and "air" in English. | |||
| Bulgarian | въздух | ||
| The word "въздух" can also figuratively refer to "empty space", "void", or "emptiness". | |||
| Czech | vzduch | ||
| The word "vzduch" derives from the Proto-Slavic "vъzduхъ", meaning "breath" or "spirit". | |||
| Estonian | õhk | ||
| "Õhk" can mean both "air" and "atmosphere" in Estonian, and it is related to the Finnish word "ilma" meaning "weather". | |||
| Finnish | ilmaa | ||
| The word "ilmaa" also means "free of charge" or "gratis" in Finnish. | |||
| Hungarian | levegő | ||
| "Levegő" originally meant "breathing" or "what makes something alive" in the Proto-Uralic language. | |||
| Latvian | gaiss | ||
| In Latvian, the word “gaiss” can also refer to a spirit or a ghost. | |||
| Lithuanian | oro | ||
| In some Lithuanian dialects, "oro" can also refer to the outside air or space between objects. | |||
| Macedonian | воздухот | ||
| "Воздухот" in Macedonian also means "spirit" and is cognate with the Old Slavonic "vъzduchъ" which means both "air" and "breath". | |||
| Polish | powietrze | ||
| The word 'powietrze' not only refers to 'air', but also to a plague or other contagious disease. | |||
| Romanian | aer | ||
| The suffix "-aer" (ex: ""pompier"" = fireman) derives from the French ending "-ier", which comes from the Latin "-arius", an agent suffix, denoting a person who does or produces something. | |||
| Russian | воздух | ||
| "Воздух" is also a colloquial term for helium-filled party balloons in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | ваздух | ||
| The word "vazduh" in Serbian has its roots in the Proto-Slavic word "vъzduхъ", which originally meant "steam" or "vapor". | |||
| Slovak | vzduch | ||
| In Slovak, the word "vzduch" also means "atmosphere" or "space". | |||
| Slovenian | zrak | ||
| The Slovenian word 'zrak' also means 'space' and is related to 'vzrok', meaning 'cause'. | |||
| Ukrainian | повітря | ||
| "Повітря" is related to "вітер" (wind) and the Sanskrit "vāta" (wind) | |||
Air in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বায়ু | ||
| The Bengali word "বায়ু" derives from Sanskrit and also refers to one of the five elements (air), a deity, or the vital energy of life. | |||
| Gujarati | હવા | ||
| In Gujarati, "હવા" (pronounced "huv-aa") literally means "that which moves" or "wind," but it also figuratively refers to "atmosphere" or "ambiance." | |||
| Hindi | वायु | ||
| "वायु" can also refer to the Hindu deity known as the "God of Wind". | |||
| Kannada | ಗಾಳಿ | ||
| The word 'ಗಾಳಿ' also means 'wind' or 'breeze' in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | വായു | ||
| The word "വായു" (air) in Malayalam is derived from Sanskrit and also refers to "wind" and the "vital breath" in the body. | |||
| Marathi | हवा | ||
| In Marathi, "हवा" (hawa) also means "desire" or "wish". | |||
| Nepali | हावा | ||
| This word also means "wind" which is the movement of air. | |||
| Punjabi | ਹਵਾ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਹਵਾ" (hawa) also means "hope" or "desire". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වායු | ||
| වායු (“air”) also refers to the element air in the Ayurvedic medical system. | |||
| Tamil | காற்று | ||
| "காற்று" can mean wind, breeze, air, breath, smell, direction, or side. | |||
| Telugu | గాలి | ||
| The word గాలి ('air') in Telugu is derived from Sanskrit 'वायु' ('vayu') meaning 'to blow', and is cognate with English 'wind'. | |||
| Urdu | ہوا | ||
| The word 'ہوا' is derived from the Arabic word 'هواء' meaning 'wind' or 'open space'. | |||
Air in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 空气 | ||
| The character “气” in “空气” can also mean “breath”, “energy”, “gas”, “odor”, “weather” and “spirit”. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 空氣 | ||
| The word "空氣" also means "atmosphere" or "environment". | |||
| Japanese | 空気 | ||
| In addition to its literal interpretation, “空気” also holds cultural significance in Japanese, often denoting an ambiance, an unspoken understanding, or a social norm. | |||
| Korean | 공기 | ||
| The word 공기 is derived from the Chinese word 空气, meaning 'empty space' or 'atmosphere'. | |||
| Mongolian | агаар | ||
| The Mongolian word "агаар" (air) is cognate with the Sanskrit word "ākāśa" (sky) and the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂éḱs-. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လေ | ||
| The word လေ also means "wind" in the Myanmar language, similar to how the word "air" in English can also refer to "wind" or currents of air. | |||
Air in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | udara | ||
| The word "udara" in Indonesian also refers to the atmosphere, or the layer of gases that surrounds the Earth. | |||
| Javanese | hawa | ||
| The word “hawa” in Javanese not only means “air” but also refers to the “mood” or “atmosphere” of a place or situation. | |||
| Khmer | ខ្យល់ | ||
| "ខ្យល់" is a homonym that can also mean "to speak". It's derived from the Sanskrit word "khila", meaning "open" or "expanded". | |||
| Lao | ອາກາດ | ||
| The Lao word ອາກາດ derives from a Sanskrit word for "atmosphere, sky, space" and is related to Greek "aither" as in "ether" and Old Norse "goð" as in "good". | |||
| Malay | udara | ||
| The Malay word "udara" also means "atmosphere" or "sky". | |||
| Thai | อากาศ | ||
| "อากาศ" (air) is also used figuratively to refer to one's health or state of being. | |||
| Vietnamese | không khí | ||
| The word "không khí" can also mean "atmosphere" or "environment". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | hangin | ||
Air in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | hava | ||
| The term "hava" is often associated with the word "hawa" in Arabic, and the term "hauwa," meaning "space, atmosphere, sky," is used in the Azerbaijani language. | |||
| Kazakh | ауа | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "air," "ауа" can also refer to "weather" or "atmosphere." | |||
| Kyrgyz | аба | ||
| In some dialects of Kyrgyz "аба" can also mean "breath" or "spirit", and may have originated from the Persian word "abaad" meaning "prosperity" or "well-being". | |||
| Tajik | ҳаво | ||
| The word “хаво” has Indo-Iranian and Sogdian origin. | |||
| Turkmen | howa | ||
| Uzbek | havo | ||
| The Uzbek word "havo" can also refer to the sky, atmosphere, weather, or space. | |||
| Uyghur | ھاۋا | ||
Air in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ea | ||
| The Hawaiian word "ea" can also refer to the breath of life, the spirit, or the soul. | |||
| Maori | hau | ||
| The word hau can also refer to the breath of life, the space between things, or a hole | |||
| Samoan | ea | ||
| Ea can also mean the vital force or soul that enters a baby at birth. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | hangin | ||
| The word "hangin" in Tagalog (Filipino) is derived from the Tagalog word "hangin", which means "wind", and is ultimately derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "*haŋiŋ". | |||
Air in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ayri | ||
| Guarani | yvytu | ||
Air in International Languages
| Esperanto | aero | ||
| "Aero" is also used in Esperanto to refer to aeroplanes or other flying machines. | |||
| Latin | caeli | ||
| "Caelum" can also mean "the heavens" or "the celestial sphere". | |||
Air in Others Languages
| Greek | αέρας | ||
| The word 'αέρας' also means 'breeze' or 'wind' in Greek. | |||
| Hmong | huab cua | ||
| The Hmong word for "air", "huab cua", also refers to space; the area outside and all around something. | |||
| Kurdish | hewa | ||
| "Hewayê" is the word for "hope" or "soul" and it is derived from the word "hewa" (air) | |||
| Turkish | hava | ||
| Despite originally meaning "desire" or "aspiration," the Turkish word "hava" now only refers to the atmosphere. | |||
| Xhosa | umoya | ||
| In Xhosa, the word "umoya" not only means "air" but also "breath, spirit, or life force." | |||
| Yiddish | לופט | ||
| The Yiddish word "לופט" (air) shares its etymology with the German word "Luft" (air) and the Latin word "levare" (to raise). It also bears a metaphorical meaning, referring to the elevated or lofty realm of the mind or spirit. | |||
| Zulu | umoya | ||
| The Zulu word for 'air,' 'umoya,' also means 'spirit' or 'soul.' | |||
| Assamese | বতাহ | ||
| Aymara | ayri | ||
| Bhojpuri | हवा | ||
| Dhivehi | ވައި | ||
| Dogri | ब्हा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | hangin | ||
| Guarani | yvytu | ||
| Ilocano | angin | ||
| Krio | briz | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | هەوا | ||
| Maithili | हवा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯨꯡꯁꯤꯠ | ||
| Mizo | boruak | ||
| Oromo | qilleensa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବାୟୁ | ||
| Quechua | wayra | ||
| Sanskrit | वायु | ||
| Tatar | һава | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣየር | ||
| Tsonga | moya | ||