Alcohol in Different Languages
Discover 'Alcohol' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Alcohol
Afrikaans alkohol | ||
Albanian alkooli | ||
Amharic አልኮል | ||
Arabic كحول | ||
Armenian ալկոհոլ | ||
Assamese সুৰা | ||
Aymara alkula | ||
Azerbaijani spirt | ||
Bambara dɔlɔ | ||
Basque alkohola | ||
Belarusian алкаголь | ||
Bengali অ্যালকোহল | ||
Bhojpuri शराब | ||
Bosnian alkohol | ||
Bulgarian алкохол | ||
Catalan alcohol | ||
Cebuano alkohol | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 醇 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 醇 | ||
Corsican alcolu | ||
Croatian alkohol | ||
Czech alkohol | ||
Danish alkohol | ||
Dhivehi ރާ | ||
Dogri शराब | ||
Dutch alcohol | ||
English alcohol | ||
Esperanto alkoholo | ||
Estonian alkohol | ||
Ewe ahasesẽ | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) alak | ||
Finnish alkoholia | ||
French de l'alcool | ||
Frisian alkohol | ||
Galician alcohol | ||
Georgian ალკოჰოლი | ||
German alkohol | ||
Greek αλκοόλ | ||
Guarani kaguy | ||
Gujarati દારૂ | ||
Haitian Creole alkòl | ||
Hausa barasa | ||
Hawaiian ʻalekohola | ||
Hebrew כּוֹהֶל | ||
Hindi शराब | ||
Hmong cawv | ||
Hungarian alkohol | ||
Icelandic áfengi | ||
Igbo mmanya | ||
Ilocano arak | ||
Indonesian alkohol | ||
Irish alcól | ||
Italian alcol | ||
Japanese アルコール | ||
Javanese alkohol | ||
Kannada ಆಲ್ಕೋಹಾಲ್ | ||
Kazakh алкоголь | ||
Khmer សុរា | ||
Kinyarwanda inzoga | ||
Konkani सोरो | ||
Korean 알코올 | ||
Krio rum | ||
Kurdish alkol | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) کحول | ||
Kyrgyz алкоголь | ||
Lao ເຫຼົ້າ | ||
Latin vocatus | ||
Latvian alkohols | ||
Lingala masanga | ||
Lithuanian alkoholio | ||
Luganda omwenge | ||
Luxembourgish alkohol | ||
Macedonian алкохол | ||
Maithili दारु | ||
Malagasy alikaola | ||
Malay alkohol | ||
Malayalam മദ്യം | ||
Maltese alkoħol | ||
Maori waipiro | ||
Marathi दारू | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯌꯨ | ||
Mizo zu | ||
Mongolian согтууруулах ундаа | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) အရက် | ||
Nepali रक्सी | ||
Norwegian alkohol | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) mowa | ||
Odia (Oriya) ମଦ୍ୟପାନ | ||
Oromo dhugaatii nama macheessu | ||
Pashto الکول | ||
Persian الکل | ||
Polish alkohol | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) álcool | ||
Punjabi ਸ਼ਰਾਬ | ||
Quechua alcohol | ||
Romanian alcool | ||
Russian алкоголь | ||
Samoan 'ava malosi | ||
Sanskrit मद्यसार | ||
Scots Gaelic deoch làidir | ||
Sepedi alkhoholo | ||
Serbian алкохол | ||
Sesotho joala | ||
Shona doro | ||
Sindhi الڪوحل | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) මත්පැන් | ||
Slovak alkoholu | ||
Slovenian alkohol | ||
Somali aalkolo | ||
Spanish alcohol | ||
Sundanese alkohol | ||
Swahili pombe | ||
Swedish alkohol | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) alak | ||
Tajik машрубот | ||
Tamil ஆல்கஹால் | ||
Tatar спирт | ||
Telugu మద్యం | ||
Thai แอลกอฮอล์ | ||
Tigrinya ኣልኮል | ||
Tsonga swipyopyi | ||
Turkish alkol | ||
Turkmen alkogol | ||
Twi (Akan) nsaden | ||
Ukrainian алкоголь | ||
Urdu شراب | ||
Uyghur ھاراق | ||
Uzbek spirtli ichimliklar | ||
Vietnamese rượu | ||
Welsh alcohol | ||
Xhosa utywala | ||
Yiddish אַלקאָהאָל | ||
Yoruba ọti-waini | ||
Zulu utshwala |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | "Alkohol" can refer to the substance alcohol or an alcoholic beverage in Afrikaans. |
| Albanian | The word "alkooli" (alcohol) in Albanian also means "spirits" or "strong drink". |
| Amharic | In Amharic, "አልኮል" also means "essence" or "spirit". |
| Arabic | In modern Persian (Farsi), 'کحول' refers to kohl, while it is used synonymously with alcohol ('الکحول') in Arabic. |
| Armenian | The Armenian word "ալկոհոլ" (alcohol) derives from the Arabic "الكحول" (al-kuḥūl), meaning "the kohl" (a black powder used as an eyeliner). |
| Azerbaijani | The word "spirt" in Azerbaijani has a double meaning: an evil spirit or an alcoholic spirit. |
| Basque | The word "alkohola" in Basque has its origin in the Arabic word "al-kohl", which means "the essence". |
| Belarusian | The word "алкаголь" can also refer to a specific type of alcoholic drink, namely brandy. |
| Bengali | The word "অ্যালকোহল" (alcohol) comes from the Arabic word "الكحول" (al-kuḥūl), which originally meant "fine powder" or "essence" but was later used to refer to the substance we now know as alcohol. |
| Bosnian | The word "alkohol" in Bosnian can also refer to a type of eye drops used to treat conjunctivitis. |
| Bulgarian | The word "алкохол" in Bulgarian derives from Arabic "al-kuhl," meaning fine powder, specifically antimony powder for blackening eyelids. |
| Catalan | In Catalan, "alcohol" can also mean "spirit" or "soul", derived from the Arabic word "al-kuhl" which originally referred to a fine powder used in cosmetics or medicine. |
| Cebuano | The Cebuano word |
| Chinese (Simplified) | The word 醇 (chún) also means "mellow" or "pure" and was originally a term for refined wine. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | The Chinese character 醇 also refers to purity or richness, as in 醇厚 (chún hòu, "rich and mellow"). |
| Corsican | Corsican word "alcolu" means "alcohol" and comes from Arabic word "al-kohl" which means "powdered antimony" used as an eye cosmetic. |
| Croatian | In Croatian, "alkohol" also refers to a specific type of liquor derived from fermented fruit. |
| Czech | In Czech, "alkohol" also refers to any liquid containing ethanol, not just beverages |
| Danish | The Danish word "alkohol" comes from the Arabic word "al-kuḥl," originally meaning "powdered antimony" used as an eye cosmetic. |
| Dutch | In Dutch, "alcohol" can also refer to a type of spirits, such as jenever. |
| Esperanto | The word "alkoholo" can also mean "spirit" or "essence" in some contexts. |
| Estonian | "Alkohol" in Estonian also means "ghost". |
| Finnish | Alkoholia is derived from the Arabic word "al-kuḥl", meaning "powdered antimony" used as eye makeup. |
| French | The term "de l'alcool" in French has multiple meanings, including the colorless volatile liquid ethanol, a class of chemical compounds, and a beverage containing ethanol. |
| Frisian | Frisian "alkohol" also translates as "eyewater." |
| Galician | In Galician, "alcohol" refers to the purified residue after distillation or the substance produced by alcoholic fermentation (also called "alcohol puro"). |
| Georgian | The Georgian word "ალკოჰოლი" (alcohol) originates from the Arabic word "الكحول" (al-kuḥūl), which originally meant "kohl": a black powder used for makeup or medicine, produced from antimony. |
| German | Alkohol is cognate with the Arabic al-kuḥl (الْكُحْل), meaning "fine powder of antimony sulfide", which was used as an eye cosmetic. |
| Greek | The Greek word "αλκοόλ" derives from the Arabic word "al-kuḥūl", meaning "the Kohl". In Arabic and other Semitic Languages, the word "kohl" mainly refers to a dark powder used as eyeliner, however it can also refer to the distillation process. |
| Gujarati | "દારૂ" also refers to an alcoholic beverage, and is cognate with the Hindi "daaru" and the Marathi "daar". |
| Haitian Creole | Alkòl is derived from the Arabic word الكحول al-kuḥūl, meaning "the kohl", a fine black powder used as eyeliner. |
| Hausa | In Hausa, "barasa" means "a drink". It can also mean "beer" or "wine". |
| Hawaiian | 'Alekohola' in Hawaiian derives from the 16th-century Arabic 'al-kuḥl', meaning 'the kohl', originally a black powder used as eye makeup. |
| Hebrew | The Hebrew word 'כוהל' also means 'mascara' or 'eyeliner' in Modern Hebrew. |
| Hindi | The word 'शराब' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'सुर' meaning 'god' or 'divine' and is also used to refer to wine or spirits. |
| Hmong | “Cawv” is also a Hmong word for a “type of rice plant” and a “place where rice plants are grown”. |
| Hungarian | In Hungarian, the word "alkohol" has an alternate meaning of "any volatile fluid". |
| Icelandic | The Icelandic word "áfengi" is derived from the Old Norse words "andfang" (acceptance) and "engi" (without), meaning "that which is not accepted". |
| Igbo | "Mmanya" also refers to any drink that gives the sensation of heat in the body such as tea when it's hot. |
| Indonesian | Alkohol or etanol is a type of organic compound that contains a hydroxyl group bonded to a carbon atom in an alkyl group. |
| Irish | Alcól can also mean 'echo' or 'sound'} |
| Italian | The Italian word "alcol" comes from the Arabic word "al-kohl" meaning "powdered antimony" which was used as an eye cosmetic in ancient times. |
| Japanese | In Japanese, the word "アルコール" can also refer to spirits containing a high concentration of alcohol. |
| Javanese | Javanese "alkohol" also refers to a traditional liquor distilled from palm or coconut blossom sap. |
| Kannada | The word "ಆಲ್ಕೋಹಾಲ್" (alcohol) is derived from the Arabic word "al-kuḥl" (antimony), which was used in ancient times as an eyeliner and medicine. |
| Kazakh | The Kazakh word "алкоголь" (alcohol) is borrowed from the Russian word "алкоголь", which in turn comes from the Arabic word "الكحول" (al-kuḥūl), meaning "fine powder" or "powdered antimony". |
| Khmer | The word "សុរា" in Khmer shares an etymological root with the Sanskrit word "sura" meaning "god". It could also refer to "water" or "liquid" in some contexts. |
| Korean | The word 알코올 in Korean also refers to spirits, liquors, and intoxicants in general. |
| Kurdish | In Kurdish, "alkol" also means "essence" or "spirit". |
| Kyrgyz | The word “алкоголь” comes from the Arabic word “al-kuhl”, which means “fine powder” or “kohl”. |
| Lao | The etymology of the word "ເຫຼົ້າ" is unclear, but it may be of Sanskrit origin and related to the word "sura", meaning "alcohol" or "wine". It is also used in Lao to refer to traditional fermented beverages such as "lao-lao" and "som-bai". |
| Latin | The word "vocatus" in Latin is also used to mean "called" or "invited." |
| Latvian | Latvian "alkohols" comes from Arabic "al-kohl", meaning "fine powder", which was originally used as an eyeliner. |
| Lithuanian | The word "alkoholio" originates from the Arabic word "al-kuhl", meaning "fine powder of antimony sulfide," which was used as an eye cosmetic. |
| Luxembourgish | In Luxembourgish, the word "Alkohol" also means "spirit" or "liquor". |
| Macedonian | The word "алкохол" originates from the Arabic word "الكحل" (al-kuḥl), originally referring to a fine powder used as eye makeup and medicine. |
| Malagasy | Malagasy "alikaola," from Arabic "al-kuhul," may also refer to other liquids like oil or ink. |
| Malay | In Malay, "alkohol" specifically refers to traditional medicinal liquors. |
| Malayalam | The word "മദ്യം" is derived from the Sanskrit word "मद्य" which means "fermented liquor". It can also refer to "honey" and "anything intoxicating". |
| Maltese | "Alkoħol" derives from Arabic "al-kuḥl" meaning "the powdered antimony". |
| Maori | The word 'waipiro' can also refer to traditional Maori fermented beverages made from sweet potatoes or flax roots. |
| Marathi | The Marathi word "दारू" (dārū) is derived from the Sanskrit word "दुरु" (durū), meaning 'far away' or 'distant'. |
| Mongolian | The Mongolian word 'согтууруулах ундаа' also refers to other types of alcoholic drinks such as beer and vodka. |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | "အရက်" also means "medicine" in Myanmar, suggesting its early use as a healing potion. |
| Nepali | The Nepali word रक्सी (alcohol) is derived from the Sanskrit word रसा (essence), and also refers to a traditional alcoholic beverage made from fermented grains. |
| Norwegian | In Norwegian, "alkohol" can also refer to a specific type of liquor, typically with a high alcohol content. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The word “mowa” is a derivative of the verb “kumwa”, which means “to drink”. |
| Pashto | The Pashto word "الکول" derives from the Arabic "al-kuḥl", which originally referred to eye salve or antimony powder. |
| Persian | The word "alcohol" in Persian, "الکل", is derived from the Arabic word "الكحل", meaning "kohl", a type of eye makeup. |
| Polish | In Polish, "alkohol" is the name of both the chemical class of alcohols and specifically ethanol, the type of alcohol present in alcoholic drinks. |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | In Portuguese, the word "álcool" refers not only to alcohol in the chemical sense, but also to traditional distilled spirits like rum, whiskey, and vodka. |
| Punjabi | The word "ਸ਼ਰਾਬ" (sharaab) in Punjabi originates from the Persian word "شراب" (sharab), which means "wine" or "alcoholic beverage." |
| Romanian | The Romanian word "alcool" is derived from the Arabic word "al-kuhl", meaning "the black powder". It also refers to kohl, a cosmetic used to darken the eyelids. |
| Russian | The word "алкоголь" ultimately derives from the Arabic word "الكحل" (al-kuḥl), which means "kohl" (a type of eye makeup). |
| Samoan | 'Ava malosi derives from 'ava, a mildly intoxicating drink made from the root of the kava plant, and malosi, meaning strong or severe. |
| Scots Gaelic | "Deoch làidir" literally means "strong drink" in Scots Gaelic and is often used to refer specifically to whisky. |
| Serbian | The word 'алкохол' in Serbian comes from the Arabic word الكحول ('al-kuḥūl), meaning 'the kohl' or 'the antimony powder'. |
| Sesotho | The word "joala" in Sesotho has its roots in the Bantu language family and is related to the word "jola," meaning "to drink." |
| Shona | The word "doro" in Shona refers to any traditional alcoholic beverage and is derived from the root "-doro" meaning "to brew or ferment". |
| Sindhi | The Sindhi word "الڪوحل" (alcohol) derives from the Arabic word "الكحل" (koḥl), meaning "eye paint" or "antimony powder". |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The Sinhala word "මත්පැන්" (alcohol) originally meant "intoxicating drink", deriving from the Sanskrit "mada" (intoxication) and "pāna" (drink). |
| Slovak | The word "alkoholu" in Slovak comes from the Arabic word "al-kuḥl" meaning "fine powder" or "kohl" (eye makeup). |
| Slovenian | In Slovenian, 'alkohol' also refers to the substance called 'spirit of wine' in English. |
| Somali | The Somali word 'aalkolo' is derived from the Arabic word 'al-kohl', meaning 'powdered antimony', and is also used to refer to traditional medicines. |
| Spanish | In the Spanish language, alcohol can also be a verb meaning “to sterilize” |
| Sundanese | The Sundanese word "alkohol" also means "essence" or "extract". |
| Swahili | The Swahili word "pombe" is likely derived from the Proto-Bantu word "*-ombe", meaning "to drink", and is cognate with the word "ubhabe" in isiZulu, which also means "alcohol". |
| Swedish | The Swedish word 'alkohol' comes from Arabic, meaning 'fine powder' and originally denoting the chemical kohl. |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | The word "alak" is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "al-kahol", meaning "the kohl", as alcohol was first used as eye makeup. |
| Tajik | The word "машрубот" derives from the Persian word "مَشک" (meshk), meaning "wineskin". |
| Telugu | The Telugu word "మద్యం" (madhyam) traces its roots to the Sanskrit word "मध्य" (madhya), which means "middle" or "intermediate". |
| Thai | The word "แอลกอฮอล์" comes from the Arabic word "الكحول" (al-kuḥūl), which originally meant "powdered antimony" or "kohl". |
| Turkish | The word "alkol" in Turkish is derived from the Arabic word "al-kuhl", meaning "fine powder" or "kohl", a substance used as an eye cosmetic. |
| Ukrainian | The word "алкоголь" derives from Arabic الكحل (al-kuḥl), which originally meant fine antimony powder used as an eye cosmetic. |
| Urdu | "شراب" in Urdu can also mean 'syrup', 'juice', or 'drink'. |
| Uzbek | The Uzbek word for alcohol, "spirtli ichimliklar," derives from the Persian word "espirt," meaning "spirit," and the Turkish word "içimlik," meaning "drinkable." |
| Vietnamese | Rượu was adopted into Vietnamese from Chinese rượu (酒), which can also refer to alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. |
| Welsh | The Welsh word alcohol is derived from the Arabic word al-kuḥl, meaning "kohl" or "antimony powder". |
| Xhosa | In Xhosa, the word 'utywala' is derived from the verb 'ukutywala' meaning 'to pour out'. |
| Yiddish | The word "אַלקאָהאָל" (alcohol) in Yiddish derives from the Arabic word "الكحل" (al-kuḥl), which originally referred to a fine black powder used as an eyeliner. |
| Yoruba | The word "ọti-waini" can also mean "palm wine" or alcoholic drinks in general. |
| Zulu | The word "utshwala" in Zulu also means "something that makes one forget". |
| English | In Medieval Latin and Arabic, alcohol (الكحل – al-kuḥl) described a fine powder used in cosmetics, but became associated with distilled spirits later. |