Updated on March 6, 2024
Airports, the bustling hubs of travel and transportation, are more than just places to catch a flight. They are symbols of global connectivity and cultural exchange, where people from all walks of life come together. From the iconic architecture of Chicago's O'Hare to the traditional tea ceremonies of Tokyo's Narita, airports offer a unique glimpse into the world's diverse cultures.
But have you ever wondered how to say 'airport' in different languages? Knowing the translation can enrich your travel experiences and help you connect with locals. For example, in Spanish, it's 'aeropuerto,' in French, 'aéroport,' and in German, 'Flughafen.' Imagine the look of surprise and delight on a local's face when you greet them with a friendly 'konnichiwa' and 'kūkō' (airport in Japanese) in Tokyo, or 'hola' and 'aeropuerto' in Madrid.
Explore the world of airports and language, and discover the beauty of global connections. Here are some translations of 'airport' in different languages to get you started on your journey.
Afrikaans | lughawe | ||
The word "lughawe" is derived from the Dutch word "lucht-haven", meaning "air-harbor". | |||
Amharic | አየር ማረፊያ | ||
The word 'አየር ማረፊያ' is derived from the words 'አየር' (air) and 'ማረፊያ' (resting place), as an airport is a place where aircraft rest and refuel. | |||
Hausa | filin jirgin sama | ||
The Hausa word "filin jirgin sama" literally means "flying vehicle field". | |||
Igbo | ọdụ ụgbọ elu | ||
The term "ọdụ ụgbọ elu" literally translates to "place where birds land" or "resting place for birds," reflecting the early perception of airplanes as airborne birds. | |||
Malagasy | airport | ||
The Malagasy word "seranam-piaramanidina" also means "aerodrome" or "landing strip". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | eyapoti | ||
The word 'eyapoti' is also used to refer to a runway or landing strip for aircraft. | |||
Shona | airport | ||
Shona has no equivalent word for the English word "airport", so it may be referred to using the loanword "airport" or the phrase "nzvimbo yendege" (literally meaning "place of airplanes"). | |||
Somali | garoonka diyaaradaha | ||
Derived from Arabic ğarūnqa 'landing', with the addition of diyaaradaha 'of aircraft'. | |||
Sesotho | boema-fofane | ||
The word "boema-fofane" is also a combination of two prefixes "boema" (place) and "fofane" (a bird), as planes fly through the air like birds, the translation would mean "a place of the birds in the air." | |||
Swahili | uwanja wa ndege | ||
"Uwanja wa ndege" literally means "field of birds" in Swahili, reflecting its original use as a landing strip for aircraft. | |||
Xhosa | kwisikhululo senqwelomoya | ||
The Xhosa word "kwisikhululo senqwelomoya" (airport) literally means "at the station of the iron bird." | |||
Yoruba | papa ọkọ ofurufu | ||
The word 'papa ọkọ ofurufu' literally translates to 'father of flying vehicles', signifying the airport's role as a base for airplanes. | |||
Zulu | isikhumulo sezindiza | ||
The word 'isikhumulo sezindiza' literally translates to 'resting place for iron birds'. | |||
Bambara | awiyɔnso | ||
Ewe | yameʋudzeƒe | ||
Kinyarwanda | ikibuga cyindege | ||
Lingala | libanda ya mpepo | ||
Luganda | ekisaawe eky'ennyonyi | ||
Sepedi | boemafofane | ||
Twi (Akan) | wiemhyɛn gyinabea | ||
Arabic | مطار | ||
The word "مطار" (airport) originates from the Arabic verb "طار" (to fly), which is also the root of several other aviation-related terms in Arabic. | |||
Hebrew | שדה תעופה | ||
"שדה תעופה" literally means "flying field" in Hebrew | |||
Pashto | هوایی ډګر | ||
هوایی ډګر is derived from the Persian word "hawai" (air) and the Pashto word "dəgər" (place). | |||
Arabic | مطار | ||
The word "مطار" (airport) originates from the Arabic verb "طار" (to fly), which is also the root of several other aviation-related terms in Arabic. |
Albanian | aeroporti | ||
The word "aeroporti" is borrowed from Italian and derives from Greek, meaning "air" and "port". | |||
Basque | aireportua | ||
The Basque word “aireportua” combines the Spanish words “aire” and “puerto” which mean “air” and “port” respectively. | |||
Catalan | aeroport | ||
The Catalan word "aeroport" is derived from the Greek words "αήρ" (air) and "λιμήν" (port). | |||
Croatian | zračna luka | ||
The word "zračna luka" literally means "air harbor" in Croatian. | |||
Danish | lufthavn | ||
The word "lufthavn" is a compound of the Danish words "luft" (air) and "havn" (harbor), reflecting the airport's function as a "harbor" for aircraft. | |||
Dutch | luchthaven | ||
"Luchthaven" literally means "air haven" or "air refuge" in Dutch, referring to its purpose as a safe haven for aircraft. | |||
English | airport | ||
The term "airport" originally referred to a place aircraft landed, took off, and were repaired, not a place where passengers boarded or disembarked. | |||
French | aéroport | ||
Aéroport, French for "airport", originated as "aérodrome" (airfield) in 1919, and acquired its current meaning in 1946. | |||
Frisian | fleanfjild | ||
The Frisian word "fleanfjild" also refers to an airfield or landing strip, in addition to an airport. | |||
Galician | aeroporto | ||
Derived from Italian "aeroporto", originally from Greek "αερολιμένας" (aerolímenas), from "αήρ" (aér) "air" + "λιμένας" (liménas) "harbor". Used in Portuguese and Spanish too. | |||
German | flughafen | ||
The word "Flughafen" literally means "flying harbor" in German, as it is derived from the words "fliegen" (to fly) and "hafen" (harbor). | |||
Icelandic | flugvöllur | ||
The Icelandic word "flugvöllur" also means "airfield". | |||
Irish | aerfort | ||
In Irish "aerfort" also means "skyway" or "airway". | |||
Italian | aeroporto | ||
The Italian word "aeroporto" derives from the Greek "aer" (air) and "poieo" (create), meaning "air creation". | |||
Luxembourgish | fluchhafen | ||
The Luxembourgish word "Fluchhafen" has two possible etymologies: one from the German word "Flughafen" and another from the French word "aéroport". | |||
Maltese | ajruport | ||
In Maltese, the word "ajruport" is a compound composed of the Maltese word "ajru" (derived from Italian "aria", meaning "air") and the English word "port". | |||
Norwegian | flyplassen | ||
Flyplassen literally means "flying place" and can also refer to a seaplane base. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | aeroporto | ||
In Portuguese, "aeroporto" can also refer to a naval air station. | |||
Scots Gaelic | port-adhair | ||
In Scots Gaelic, "port-adhair" originally meant "a harbor for ships" but now refers to an airport. | |||
Spanish | aeropuerto | ||
The word "aeropuerto" comes from the Greek "aer" (air) and the Latin "portus" (port), making it a double portmanteau of sorts. | |||
Swedish | flygplats | ||
The word "flygplats" literally means "flying place" in Swedish. | |||
Welsh | maes awyr | ||
The Welsh word for 'airport' (maes awyr) literally means 'field of air'. |
Belarusian | аэрапорт | ||
The word "аэрапорт" in Belarusian is cognate with the English word "airport" and is ultimately derived from the Greek word "αἰθήρ" (aither), meaning "upper air" or "heaven." | |||
Bosnian | aerodrom | ||
Bosnian "aerodrom" is derived from French and German, but in English, it usually refers to an airfield, not a civilian airport. | |||
Bulgarian | летище | ||
The word "летище" is derived from the Greek word "aer" (air) and the Slavic word "letishte" (place of flying). | |||
Czech | letiště | ||
"Letiště" is derived from the Slavic word "lětati", meaning "to fly". | |||
Estonian | lennujaama | ||
"Lennujaama" is a compound word that combines "lennu" (flight) and "jaam" (station), meaning literally "flying station." | |||
Finnish | lentokenttä | ||
"Kenttä" can also mean "field" or "plain", such as "urheilukenttä" (sports field), "lentokenttä" (airport), and "sotakenttä" (battlefield), which is cognate with the German word "Feld". | |||
Hungarian | repülőtér | ||
In Hungarian, "repülőtér" also means "flying square" as it is made up of the words "repülni" (to fly) and "tér" (square). | |||
Latvian | lidostā | ||
The word “lidostā” (airport) in Latvian comes from the French "lid" (flight) and the Greek "στασις" (place). | |||
Lithuanian | oro uoste | ||
The word "oro uoste" is a compound of "oras" (air) and "uostas" (port), indicating its function as a gateway for aerial transportation. | |||
Macedonian | аеродром | ||
The word "аеродром" (airport) can also refer to a military airfield or a former airport. | |||
Polish | lotnisko | ||
The word "lotnisko" originates from the French word "lot" (place) and denotes a place where aircraft can land and take off. | |||
Romanian | aeroport | ||
The Romanian word "aeroport" ultimately derives from the French word "aéroport", which in turn comes from the Greek word "ἀήρ" (aēr), meaning "air", and the Latin word "portus", meaning "harbor". | |||
Russian | аэропорт | ||
The word "аэропорт" was originally borrowed from French, but its root is Greek, meaning "air" + "harbor". | |||
Serbian | аеродром | ||
The Serbian word "аеродром" (airport) is derived from the Greek words "αήρ" (air) and "δρόμος" (course, way). | |||
Slovak | letisko | ||
The word "letisko" is derived from the Slavic word "let" meaning "to fly" and the suffix "-isko" indicating a place, hence "a place for flying". | |||
Slovenian | letališče | ||
The word 'letališče' is derived from the Slovene verb 'leteti', which means 'to fly'. | |||
Ukrainian | аеропорту | ||
The Ukrainian word "аеропорту" (airport) is derived from the Greek word "αήρ" (air) and the Latin word "portus" (harbor). |
Bengali | বিমানবন্দর | ||
The word 'airport' comes from the French word 'aéroport', meaning 'field for aircraft'. | |||
Gujarati | એરપોર્ટ | ||
એરપોર્ટ (Airport) is derived from the Greek word 'aero', meaning 'air', and 'port', meaning 'harbour', indicating a place where aircraft arrive and depart. | |||
Hindi | हवाई अड्डा | ||
The word 'हवाई अड्डा' (airport) literally means 'air step' in Hindi, indicating a place where aircraft land and take off. | |||
Kannada | ವಿಮಾನ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣ | ||
The word "airport" is derived from the Kannada word "vimāna", meaning "airplane". | |||
Malayalam | വിമാനത്താവളം | ||
In Sanskrit, the word "vimāna" primarily denotes a flying temple chariot and also an airplane, and the suffix "-sthānam" in Malayalam denotes a place or stand. | |||
Marathi | विमानतळ | ||
The word "विमानतळ" literally translates to "airplane-ground", a compound of "विमान" (airplane) and "तळ" (ground). | |||
Nepali | एयरपोर्ट | ||
The word "एयरपोर्ट" is derived from the English word "air" and the French word "port", meaning "harbor". | |||
Punjabi | ਏਅਰਪੋਰਟ | ||
ਏਅਰਪੋਰਟ is derived from English, but is also sometimes used to refer to a bus station or a place where trains stop. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ගුවන් තොටුපල | ||
The word 'ගුවන් තොටුපල' (airport) in Sinhalese is derived from the Sanskrit word 'अथर्ववेद' ('atharvaveda'), meaning 'a collection of hymns and magical formulas' or 'the knowledge of the air'. | |||
Tamil | விமான நிலையம் | ||
The word "விமான நிலையம்" literally means "a place to stay in the sky" and can also refer to the airspace above an airport. | |||
Telugu | విమానాశ్రయం | ||
The word "విమానాశ్రయం" ("airport") in Telugu is derived from the Sanskrit words "विमान" ("vimāna") meaning "flying machine" and "आश्रय" ("āśraya") meaning "shelter". | |||
Urdu | ہوائی اڈہ | ||
The word "ہوائی اڈہ" is derived from the Persian word "hawa" meaning "air" and "band" meaning "place". |
Chinese (Simplified) | 飞机场 | ||
飞机场 can also mean a woman with a big flat chest. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 飛機場 | ||
"飛機場" (airport) literally means "flying field" in Chinese, suggesting a place where flying machines land and take off. | |||
Japanese | 空港 | ||
The word "空港" (airport) in Japanese literally means "air harbor". | |||
Korean | 공항 | ||
공항 (Airport) can also mean "a flat, open space" or "a playground" in Korean. | |||
Mongolian | нисэх онгоцны буудал | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) | လေဆိပ် | ||
Indonesian | bandara | ||
The word "Bandara" originally referred to a landing strip or airfield, and not to airport terminal buildings or other associated infrastructure. | |||
Javanese | bandara | ||
Bandara is also used to refer to a large field or expanse. | |||
Khmer | ព្រលានយន្តហោះ | ||
The word ម្ម៩ភៃហះភឫ is the Khmer adaptation of the French "aéroport" which literally means “airport” or “port for airships”. | |||
Lao | ສະຫນາມບິນ | ||
Malay | lapangan terbang | ||
In the Javanese language, the term | |||
Thai | สนามบิน | ||
สนามบิน or "airport" has the etymology สนาม (field) and บิน (flying), but can also mean "field of flyers" (a military term), or "place of flying" (in a figurative sense) | |||
Vietnamese | sân bay | ||
Sân bay derives from "sân" (yard, ground) and "bay" (flight) in Vietnamese, referring to both airside and landside areas. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | paliparan | ||
Azerbaijani | hava limanı | ||
The term "hava limanı" literally means "air haven" in Azerbaijani, suggesting its role as a safe haven for aircraft and passengers. | |||
Kazakh | әуежай | ||
The word "әуежай" is derived from the Kazakh word "әуе" (air) and the Persian word "جای" (place). | |||
Kyrgyz | аэропорт | ||
The Kyrgyz word "аэропорт" also means "airfield". | |||
Tajik | фурудгоҳ | ||
In Persian, "فرودگاه" is also used to refer to a hotel. | |||
Turkmen | howa menzili | ||
Uzbek | aeroport | ||
Узбекско-русский онлайн-словарь также определяет термин как «аэропорт», «аэропорт» и «самолетный парк». | |||
Uyghur | ئايرودروم | ||
Hawaiian | kahua mokulele | ||
In Hawaiian, 'kahua mokulele' literally means 'place of flying ships' and can also refer to aircraft carriers. | |||
Maori | taunga rererangi | ||
The literal translation of "taunga rererangi" is "place where birds fly". Birds in Maori are often represented by "rere", or flight or movement in the air. | |||
Samoan | malae vaalele | ||
"Malae vaalele" literally translates to "field of flying" | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | paliparan | ||
The Tagalog word "paliparan" comes from the root word "lipad" which means "to fly". |
Aymara | awyun puriña | ||
Guarani | aviõguejyha | ||
Esperanto | flughaveno | ||
The word "flughaveno" is a compound of "flugo" (flight) and "haveno" (harbor), and is also sometimes used to refer to a spaceport. | |||
Latin | aeroportus | ||
"Aeroportus" in Latin can be used in a variety of contexts and can refer to a place where birds or the wind gather respectively, "place of birds" and "place of the wind". |
Greek | το αεροδρομιο | ||
In Greek, the word "αεροδρομιο" can also mean "airfield" or "landing strip." | |||
Hmong | tshav dav hlau | ||
The word "tshav dav hlau" literally means "a place to land airplanes" in Hmong. | |||
Kurdish | balafirgeh | ||
Balafirgeh, meaning "airplane location," in Kurdish is used as the equivalent of "airport" in English. | |||
Turkish | havalimanı | ||
The word "havalimanı" is a compound word combining the words "hava" (air) and "liman" (port). | |||
Xhosa | kwisikhululo senqwelomoya | ||
The Xhosa word "kwisikhululo senqwelomoya" (airport) literally means "at the station of the iron bird." | |||
Yiddish | אַעראָפּאָרט | ||
In Yiddish, the word "אַעראָפּאָרט" originated from the Russian "аэропорт" (airport), which itself derived from the French "aérodrome" (airfield). | |||
Zulu | isikhumulo sezindiza | ||
The word 'isikhumulo sezindiza' literally translates to 'resting place for iron birds'. | |||
Assamese | বিমান-বন্দৰ | ||
Aymara | awyun puriña | ||
Bhojpuri | हवाई अड्डा | ||
Dhivehi | އެއާރޕޯޓް | ||
Dogri | एयरपोर्ट | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | paliparan | ||
Guarani | aviõguejyha | ||
Ilocano | airport | ||
Krio | iapɔt | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | فڕۆکەخانە | ||
Maithili | हवाई अड्डा | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯦꯌꯔꯄꯣꯔꯊ | ||
Mizo | thlawhna tumhmun | ||
Oromo | buufata xiyyaaraa | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ବିମାନବନ୍ଦର | ||
Quechua | aeropuerto | ||
Sanskrit | वायुपत्तनं | ||
Tatar | аэропорт | ||
Tigrinya | መዕርፎ ነፈርቲ | ||
Tsonga | vuyima swihahampfhuka | ||