Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'ally' holds great significance in various cultures and languages around the world. An ally is a person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose. This concept has been crucial in forming alliances in times of war, diplomacy, and trade. The importance of alliances can be seen throughout history, such as the World War II Allies or the NATO alliance today.
Moreover, the word 'ally' has been used to promote social justice and inclusivity, particularly in the context of LGBTQ+ rights and other marginalized communities. By forming alliances, these groups aim to create a safer and more equitable world for everyone.
Given the cultural importance of alliances, it's no wonder that people might want to know the translation of 'ally' in different languages. By learning this term in various languages, we can better understand and appreciate the diverse cultures that make up our global community.
Here are some translations of 'ally' in different languages to get you started:
Afrikaans | bondgenoot | ||
The Afrikaans word "bondgenoot" is cognate with the Dutch "bondgenoot", meaning "covenant-mate" or "confederate". | |||
Amharic | አጋር | ||
The Amharic word 'አጋር' ('ally') is also sometimes used to refer to a neighbor or close friend. | |||
Hausa | aboki | ||
The Hausa word 'aboki' initially meant 'friend', but it is often pejoratively used to mean 'non-Hausa speaker' or 'outsider'. | |||
Igbo | mmekorita | ||
{"text": "The Igbo word "mmekorita" originally meant "those who share kola nuts," indicating close companionship and trust."} | |||
Malagasy | mpiara | ||
The Malagasy word "mpiara" can also mean "husband" or "father of a child." | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | wogwirizana | ||
The word 'wogwirizana' comes from the verb 'kugwirizana', meaning 'to unite' or 'to be connected'. | |||
Shona | mubatsiri | ||
Mubatsiri can also mean 'friend', 'comrade', or 'partner' | |||
Somali | isbahaysi | ||
"Isbahaysi" also means "to become friends"} | |||
Sesotho | motsoalle | ||
In some contexts, "motsoalle" can also refer to a friend or companion. | |||
Swahili | mshirika | ||
The Swahili word "mshirika" can also refer to a partner in business or marriage. | |||
Xhosa | umanyene | ||
The word "umanyene" can also refer to a close friend or companion. | |||
Yoruba | ore | ||
"Ore" is a common name for males and the word for friend or ally in the Yoruba language. | |||
Zulu | umlingani | ||
The word "umlingani" comes from the Zulu word "umli" meaning "one" and "ngani" meaning "belonging to". | |||
Bambara | jɛɲɔgɔn | ||
Ewe | ally | ||
Kinyarwanda | umufasha | ||
Lingala | ally | ||
Luganda | ally | ||
Sepedi | modirišani | ||
Twi (Akan) | ally | ||
Arabic | حليف | ||
The word "حليف" (ally) in Arabic also has the alternate meaning of "companion" or "friend with whom one shares a covenant or agreement". | |||
Hebrew | ברית | ||
The word "ברית" can also mean "covenant" or "agreement" in Hebrew, emphasizing the reciprocal nature of the relationship. | |||
Pashto | ملګری | ||
ملګری also means a partner, friend, or associate. | |||
Arabic | حليف | ||
The word "حليف" (ally) in Arabic also has the alternate meaning of "companion" or "friend with whom one shares a covenant or agreement". |
Albanian | aleat | ||
The word "aleat" in Albanian can also refer to a "friend" or "companion". | |||
Basque | aliatua | ||
Although it is often translated as "ally", the term "aliatua" also carries the meaning of "associate" and "companion" in Basque. | |||
Catalan | aliat | ||
The word “aliat” has an alternate meaning in Catalan, but it's not related to the military sense of “ally”. | |||
Croatian | saveznik | ||
The word "saveznik" in Croatian comes from the Old Slavic word "savuz", meaning "a bond or union". | |||
Danish | allieret | ||
The word "allieret" has two meanings in Danish: "ally" and "related". | |||
Dutch | bondgenoot | ||
In older Dutch the word "bondgenoot" literally meant "someone who shares a bond". | |||
English | ally | ||
The word "ally" comes from the Latin word "alligare", which means "to bind" or "to unite". | |||
French | allié | ||
Allié in French can also mean "married". | |||
Frisian | bûnsgenoat | ||
The first element, 'bûn', refers to a bond or alliance, while 'genoat' means companion or comrade. | |||
Galician | aliado | ||
In Galician, the word "aliado" can also mean "kinsman" or "relative". | |||
German | verbündete | ||
The term 'Verbündete' can refer to allies in politics, law, or the military. | |||
Icelandic | bandamann | ||
The term "bandamann" comes from "bandamannsdóttir" (ally-daughter) and "bandamannsson" (ally-son), denoting an ally of a chieftain's daughter or son. | |||
Irish | ally | ||
Irish 'ailí' 'ally' derives from Latin 'ala' 'wing' and thus originally meant 'side' or 'flank' | |||
Italian | alleato | ||
The word "alleato" comes from the Latin "alligatus" meaning 'tied together'. | |||
Luxembourgish | alliéierten | ||
In Luxembourgish, "Alliéierten" is not only a reference to the "allied powers" of World War II, but also serves as a general term for "foreigners" in the wider context of history and politics. | |||
Maltese | alleat | ||
The term 'alleat' is also used to denote 'kinsman', 'relative' or 'family' | |||
Norwegian | alliert | ||
The word "alliert" in Norwegian also means a verb form of "to alloy". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | aliado | ||
"Aliado" (ally) comes from the Latin *alligatus*, meaning "bound together". | |||
Scots Gaelic | ally | ||
The Scots word "ally" also means "elbow" in Gaelic. | |||
Spanish | aliado | ||
The word "aliado" in Spanish ultimately derives from the Latin "alligare," meaning "to bind together." | |||
Swedish | alliera | ||
In the Swedish-speaking part of Finland, alliera can also mean an alley or a narrow street. | |||
Welsh | cynghreiriad | ||
"Cynghreiriad" originally referred to a warband of relatives in medieval Wales. |
Belarusian | саюзнік | ||
The term "саюзнік" can also refer to a union or an alliance in Belarusian. | |||
Bosnian | saveznik | ||
"Saveznik" in Bosnian also means "federation" or "association". | |||
Bulgarian | съюзник | ||
The word "съюзник" is formed from the root "съюз" (union) and the suffix "-ник" (agent), denoting a person who participates in a union or alliance. | |||
Czech | spojenec | ||
"Spojenec" is also used in Czech to refer to a device that connects two things together. | |||
Estonian | liitlane | ||
Liitlane in Estonian comes from the word liit, which has multiple meanings like union or league. | |||
Finnish | liittolainen | ||
The Finnish word "liittolainen" comes from the old word "litto" meaning "union" or "connection" and the suffix "-lainen", which denotes "belonging to". | |||
Hungarian | szövetséges | ||
The Hungarian word "szövetséges" originally meant "confederate", and is derived from the verb "szöv", meaning "to weave". | |||
Latvian | sabiedrotais | ||
Sabiedrotais means not simply ally (the usual definition), but specifically ally for battle | |||
Lithuanian | sąjungininkas | ||
The word "sąjungininkas" in Lithuanian comes from the word "sąjunga", which means "union" or "alliance". | |||
Macedonian | сојузник | ||
The word "сојузник" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *sъjuzъ, which also means "union" or "agreement". | |||
Polish | sprzymierzyć | ||
The Polish word "sprzymierzyć" is related to "przysięgać", which means "to swear", implying the mutual oath that allies make to each other. | |||
Romanian | aliat | ||
The Romanian word "aliat" is derived from the French word "allié" and the Latin word "alius", both meaning "other". | |||
Russian | союзник | ||
The word "союзник" ultimately derives from the Old Church Slavonic word "съюзъ" (sъjuzъ), meaning "conjunction" or "union". | |||
Serbian | савезник | ||
"Савезник" can also refer to the members of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1945-1992. | |||
Slovak | spojenec | ||
The word "spojenec" in Slovak also means "connection" or "joint". | |||
Slovenian | zaveznik | ||
The word "zaveznik" in Slovenian derives from the Old Slavic word "zaveza," meaning "covenant" or "alliance." | |||
Ukrainian | союзник | ||
In Slavic languages "союзник" or "союзи" can also refer to sausages or a traditional Eastern Slavic dish of cabbage rolls |
Bengali | মিত্র | ||
The word "মিত্র" comes from Sanskrit and can also refer to a friend, a sun god, or a Vedic deity of friendship. | |||
Gujarati | સાથી | ||
The Gujarati word "સાથી" is derived from the Sanskrit word "साथी," a type of medicinal plant. | |||
Hindi | मित्र | ||
"मित्र" (mitra) originally meant 'friend', but due to Indo-Aryan cognate words like the Persian 'mitra', it came to mean 'ally'. | |||
Kannada | ಮಿತ್ರ | ||
The word "ಮಿತ್ರ" in Kannada derives from the Sanskrit word "mitra", meaning "friend" or "companion", and has been used since at least the Classical Kannada period. | |||
Malayalam | സഖ്യകക്ഷി | ||
The Sanskrit term "sakhyak" means friend and can refer to an alliance, confederacy, or league. | |||
Marathi | सहयोगी | ||
It is also used to denote a colleague or coworker in Marathi. | |||
Nepali | सहयोगी | ||
The word सहयोगी (ally) in Nepali comes from the Sanskrit word सहयोग, meaning "cooperation" or "assistance." | |||
Punjabi | ਸਹਿਯੋਗੀ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මිතුරා | ||
"මිතුරා" can also mean "friend", "companion" or a "fellow" in a non-political sense. | |||
Tamil | நட்பு | ||
The term “நட்பு” means "friendship" in Tamil and is derived from the root word "நடு", meaning "middle." | |||
Telugu | మిత్ర | ||
The word "మిత్ర" (mitra) in Telugu can also refer to a friend or companion. | |||
Urdu | اتحادی | ||
The Urdu word “اتحادی” can also mean “relating to the Union.” |
Chinese (Simplified) | 盟友 | ||
盟友 (盟 yīng, covenant; 友 yǒu, friend) | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 盟國 | ||
「盟」字本義為「誓約」、「同盟」,「盟國」即指「同盟國家」 | |||
Japanese | 味方 | ||
The word "味方" has roots in the words "味" (taste) and "方" (direction), suggesting that allies are those who share the same 'taste' or perspective. | |||
Korean | 동맹국 | ||
"동맹국"은 동일한 목표를 가진 집단을 의미하며, 문맥에 따라 군사적 동맹국을 지칭하기도 하며, 넓은 의미에서는 상호 협력 관계에 있는 집단을 가리킬 수 있습니다. | |||
Mongolian | холбоотон | ||
Холбоотон (ally) is a derivative of холбох (to connect, to join), and is cognate with the Turkic "kol" (hand). | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | မဟာမိတ် | ||
မဟာမိတ် (ma-ha-met) is derived from Sanskrit महामित्र (mahāmitra), meaning 'great friend', and can also refer to a trusted advisor or confidant. |
Indonesian | sekutu | ||
"Sekutu" comes from the Arabic word for "help" and "support." | |||
Javanese | sekutu | ||
"Sekutu" in Javanese also means a group of people who carry out a task together. | |||
Khmer | សម្ព័ន្ធមិត្ត | ||
The word សម្ព័ន្ធមិត្ត (ally) originates from the Pali word 'sama', meaning 'equal', and 'bandh', meaning 'bind', signifying a relationship of mutual obligation and support. | |||
Lao | ພັນທະມິດ | ||
Malay | sekutu | ||
The word "sekutu" is derived from the Arabic word "shaqah", meaning "union" or "concord". | |||
Thai | พันธมิตร | ||
The word "พันธมิตร" (ally) is derived from Pali and Sanskrit words meaning "union" or "bond". | |||
Vietnamese | đồng minh | ||
The word đồng minh (ally) in Vietnamese has various meanings, including 'confederate', 'accomplice', 'partisan', and 'companion'. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | kakampi | ||
Azerbaijani | müttəfiq | ||
The word "müttəfiq" derives from Arabic "mu`āhid" or Persian "muttafiq". | |||
Kazakh | одақтас | ||
"Одақтас" is of Persian origin, meaning "one" or "united". | |||
Kyrgyz | союздаш | ||
The word "союздаш" also means "confederate" in Kyrgyz. | |||
Tajik | иттифоқчӣ | ||
In the Pamir languages, ittifoqchӣ often means 'helper' rather than 'ally'. (In Wakhi, 'wuk' often means 'ally' instead). | |||
Turkmen | soýuzdaş | ||
Uzbek | ittifoqchi | ||
The term "ittifoqchi" can also refer to a person who establishes or maintains alliances, or a member of an alliance. | |||
Uyghur | ئىتتىپاقداش | ||
Hawaiian | pili | ||
'Pili' also means 'stick' or 'to stick' in Hawaiian, referencing the close bond between allies. | |||
Maori | hoa piri | ||
The term 'hoa piri' is a compound of two words: 'hoa,' which means friend or companion, and 'piri,' which means to bind, connect, or accompany. | |||
Samoan | uo | ||
The Samoan word "uo" can also mean "to follow one person for the purpose of protection or safety". | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | kakampi | ||
"Kakampi" means "ally" in Tagalog, but it also refers to a companion or a comrade. |
Aymara | aliado ukax mä juk’a pachanakanwa | ||
Guarani | aliado rehegua | ||
Esperanto | aliancano | ||
“Aliancano” is a loanword from German, where “Allianz” means “league”, “coalition” or “alliance”. | |||
Latin | socius | ||
The Latin word "socius" not only means "ally," but also "companion" or "partner." |
Greek | σύμμαχος | ||
Σύμμαχος (ally) is derived from the verb "συνάγω" (to gather together), sharing an etymology with the word "συναγωγή" (synagogue). | |||
Hmong | pab pawg | ||
Pawg means both "leg" and "ally" in Hmong, so a "pab pawg" is literally an "ally-leg". | |||
Kurdish | hevkar | ||
In the Kurmancî dialect of Kurdish, "hevkar" can also refer to a friend, comrade, or colleague | |||
Turkish | müttefik | ||
The word "müttefik" comes from the Arabic word "mu'ahed", meaning "one who has made a treaty". | |||
Xhosa | umanyene | ||
The word "umanyene" can also refer to a close friend or companion. | |||
Yiddish | אַליירט | ||
The Yiddish word "אַליירט" (ally) comes from the German word "Alliierter" (ally), which in turn comes from the Latin word "alligare" (to bind together). | |||
Zulu | umlingani | ||
The word "umlingani" comes from the Zulu word "umli" meaning "one" and "ngani" meaning "belonging to". | |||
Assamese | মিত্ৰ | ||
Aymara | aliado ukax mä juk’a pachanakanwa | ||
Bhojpuri | सहयोगी के बा | ||
Dhivehi | އެކުވެރިއެކެވެ | ||
Dogri | सहयोगी | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | kakampi | ||
Guarani | aliado rehegua | ||
Ilocano | alyado | ||
Krio | ally | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | هاوپەیمان | ||
Maithili | सहयोगी | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯦꯂꯥꯏ ꯇꯧꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
Mizo | ally a ni | ||
Oromo | michuudha | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ସହଯୋଗୀ | ||
Quechua | aliado | ||
Sanskrit | मित्रम् | ||
Tatar | союздаш | ||
Tigrinya | መሓዛ | ||
Tsonga | ally | ||