Anger in Different Languages
Discover 'Anger' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Anger is a universal emotion, yet it is expressed and understood differently across cultures. Its significance spans from personal relationships to international conflicts, making it a critical aspect of human communication. The cultural importance of anger can be seen in various art forms, literature, and philosophical texts. Understanding the nuances of anger in different languages can provide valuable insights into the emotional lives of people around the world.
For instance, the French use the term 'colère', which stems from the Latin word for bile, reflecting ancient beliefs about the physical origins of anger. Meanwhile, in Japan, anger is expressed through the term 'ikari', which can also mean passion or strong desire. These translations not only offer linguistic variations but also cultural contexts that shape how people perceive and manage anger.
Below, you will find a comprehensive list of translations of anger in different languages, providing a glimpse into the diverse ways people experience and express this powerful emotion.
Anger
Anger in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | woede | ||
| The word "woede" is derived from the Old Dutch word "woeden," meaning "to rage or be furious." | |||
| Amharic | ቁጣ | ||
| The word "ቁጣ" is also used to refer to "a quarrel" or "a dispute." | |||
| Hausa | fushi | ||
| In Hausa, "fushi" is also used to express disappointment | |||
| Igbo | iwe | ||
| The word "iwe" in Igbo refers to a type of traditional music, in addition to its primary meaning of "anger". | |||
| Malagasy | fahatezerana | ||
| "Fahatezerana" possibly derives from "hatezerana," meaning "a meeting to resolve a conflict" | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mkwiyo | ||
| Nyanja terms for "anger" include "mkwiyo", "ukali", "utsali", and "kali", the latter being a generic term that can refer to various forms of anger, displeasure, or wrath. | |||
| Shona | hasha | ||
| The word "hasha" can refer to the emotion of anger, rage or fury. | |||
| Somali | xanaaq | ||
| The Somali word "xanaaq" can also mean "rage" or "fury". | |||
| Sesotho | bohale | ||
| The word "bohale" in Sesotho refers to both "anger" and "cattle wealth", highlighting the traditional connection between livestock and social status. | |||
| Swahili | hasira | ||
| The Swahili word 'hasira' is also used to describe an intense heat, suggesting a connection between anger and physical temperature. | |||
| Xhosa | umsindo | ||
| The word "umsindo" in Xhosa is derived from the Proto-Bantu root "*-sind-a", which means "to be angry" or "to be furious". | |||
| Yoruba | ibinu | ||
| In Yoruba culture, "ibinu" also implies the manifestation of spiritual or ancestral displeasure. | |||
| Zulu | intukuthelo | ||
| The Zulu word 'intukuthelo' also means 'fire' or 'burning'. | |||
| Bambara | dimi | ||
| Ewe | dziku | ||
| Kinyarwanda | uburakari | ||
| Lingala | nkanda | ||
| Luganda | obusungu | ||
| Sepedi | pefelo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | abufuo | ||
Anger in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الغضب | ||
| The word "الغضب" in Arabic comes from the root word "غضب" which means "to boil" or "to foam", indicating the heated and intense nature of anger. | |||
| Hebrew | כַּעַס | ||
| The Hebrew word כַּעַס (ka`as) can also mean "grief" or "sorrow". | |||
| Pashto | قهر | ||
| The Pashto word 'قهر' can also refer to a person who is oppressive or cruel. | |||
| Arabic | الغضب | ||
| The word "الغضب" in Arabic comes from the root word "غضب" which means "to boil" or "to foam", indicating the heated and intense nature of anger. | |||
Anger in Western European Languages
| Albanian | zemërimi | ||
| "Zemërimi" is also used to refer to a person who is easily angered or has a short fuse. | |||
| Basque | haserrea | ||
| From late Latin **ira** (anger), influenced by **azarrea** (spear) from which it acquired the connotation of violent anger. | |||
| Catalan | ira | ||
| The word 'ira' in Catalan also means 'wrath' in Spanish and 'ire' in English. | |||
| Croatian | bijes | ||
| "Bijes" comes from the word "bijesni", which also means "mad" or "furious". | |||
| Danish | vrede | ||
| The word "vrede" in Danish does not always mean anger - it can also refer to a sense of urgency or desperation. | |||
| Dutch | woede | ||
| Woede is related to words like "wood" and "furious", both of which relate to fire and heat | |||
| English | anger | ||
| The word 'anger' derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂enǵʰ-, meaning 'to strangle' or 'constrict'. Its meaning has evolved over time to encompass feelings of hostility, irritation, or rage. | |||
| French | colère | ||
| The French word "colère" has Latin roots, originating from the word "cholera", which refers to a bodily fluid believed to cause anger. | |||
| Frisian | lilkens | ||
| The Frisian word "lilkens" is also used to refer to a sudden burst of energy. | |||
| Galician | rabia | ||
| Derived from the Latin "rabies" with the same meaning. | |||
| German | zorn | ||
| A cognate to the word 'Zorn' and its derivatives can be found in Old Norse. | |||
| Icelandic | reiði | ||
| The word "reiði" originates from the Old Norse "reiðr," meaning "hostile" or "wrathful. | |||
| Irish | fearg | ||
| The word 'fearg' can also refer to the Irish yew or red yew tree. | |||
| Italian | rabbia | ||
| "Rabbia" originally meant "frenzy" or "madness" in Italian. | |||
| Luxembourgish | roserei | ||
| The word "Roserei" in Luxembourgish originates from the word "Raserei" in German, which means "frenzy" or "rage". | |||
| Maltese | rabja | ||
| The Maltese word "rabja" is derived from the Arabic word "ġaḍab", meaning "wrath" or "rage". | |||
| Norwegian | sinne | ||
| The Norwegian word 'sinne' is derived from the Old Norse word 'sinni' meaning 'mind' or 'temperament'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | raiva | ||
| The word “raiva” also means “rabies” in both Portuguese (Portugal and Brazil) and in Spanish, and “scabies” in Galician. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fearg | ||
| "Fearg" is cognate with the Irish "fearg", which also means "wrath" or "rage", but can also refer to "manhood", "bravery", or "courage". | |||
| Spanish | ira | ||
| In Spanish, "ira" not only means "anger" but also "wrath" and "ire". | |||
| Swedish | ilska | ||
| "Ilska" comes from the Old Norse word "illzska". | |||
| Welsh | dicter | ||
| The Welsh word "dicter" is also used to refer to a "squall" or "tempest". | |||
Anger in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | гнеў | ||
| "Гнеў" is a cognate of the Old Church Slavonic word "гнѣвъ" (gněvъ), which also meant "sin" or "guilt". | |||
| Bosnian | ljutnja | ||
| The word 'ljutnja' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'ljьtь', meaning 'fierce' or 'furious'. | |||
| Bulgarian | гняв | ||
| Гняв is also the name of a traditional Bulgarian dish consisting of grilled or sautéed offal. | |||
| Czech | hněv | ||
| While "hněv" now only means "anger", originally it meant "disgust" and was onomatopoeic, related to the sound "hň". | |||
| Estonian | viha | ||
| In pre-Christian Estonian mythology, *viha* was not solely a negative emotion but also a positive force which could be used to defeat evil spirits and protect people from harm. | |||
| Finnish | suututtaa | ||
| The word can also be used as a noun meaning 'a cause of anger', and as a verb meaning 'to provoke anger'. | |||
| Hungarian | harag | ||
| The word "harag" also refers to the membrane covering animal organs or the pulp surrounding fruit pits and seeds. | |||
| Latvian | dusmas | ||
| The word “dusmas” is also a synonym for “evil spirits,” as in the phrase “keep away from evil spirits.” | |||
| Lithuanian | pyktis | ||
| The word "pyktis" is also related to the verb "pūsti" (to blow), indicating the notion of inner turmoil associated with anger. | |||
| Macedonian | гнев | ||
| The word "гнев" in Macedonian comes from the Proto-Slavic word "gněvъ", which also means "wrath" or "indignation". | |||
| Polish | gniew | ||
| The word "gniew" originated from the Proto-Slavic word *gněvъ, which means "wrath" or "indignation" | |||
| Romanian | furie | ||
| Romanian "furie" has the same root as "furor", with both words sharing the meaning of "rage" and "fury", also being etymologically linked to the Latin word "furere", meaning "to rage". | |||
| Russian | гнев | ||
| "Гнев" означало "шум," "гром," и "крик" в старорусском. | |||
| Serbian | бес | ||
| The word "бес" in Serbian can also refer to a demon or an evil spirit, similar to the English word "demon". | |||
| Slovak | hnev | ||
| Hnev derives from a Proto-Slavic root and has cognates in other Slavic languages like Russian гнев "anger" and Polish gniew "outrage". | |||
| Slovenian | jeza | ||
| The word "jeza" derives from the Proto-Slavic "*jьza" meaning "rage, fury" and is also used in Czech, Slovak, and Polish with similar meanings. | |||
| Ukrainian | гнів | ||
| In Ukrainian, "гнів" can also refer to "wrath" or "indignation." | |||
Anger in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | রাগ | ||
| The Sanskrit root of "রাগ" suggests additional meanings like "attachment" and "devotion". | |||
| Gujarati | ક્રોધ | ||
| The Gujarati word 'ક્રોધ' (anger) originates from the Sanskrit word 'क्रोध' (anger), which also means 'passion' or 'enthusiasm'. | |||
| Hindi | गुस्सा | ||
| "गुस्सा" is derived from the Sanskrit word "kuśa" meaning "coarse grass" or "straw" and "kruddha" meaning "to be angry." | |||
| Kannada | ಕೋಪ | ||
| Though the word "ಕೋಪ" primarily means "anger", it also means "heat" or "fever". | |||
| Malayalam | കോപം | ||
| The Malayalam word 'കോപം' (anger) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'क्रोध' (krodha), which also means 'anger' or 'wrath'. | |||
| Marathi | राग | ||
| The Marathi word "राग" can also refer to a musical scale or melody. | |||
| Nepali | रिस | ||
| रिस (ris) is a loanword from Sanskrit that originally meant "venom" or "poison" and is related to the word "ras" (juice). | |||
| Punjabi | ਗੁੱਸਾ | ||
| The word "ਗੁੱਸਾ" also refers to a "bad habit" or "ill-breeding" in Punjabi, a meaning derived from the Persian "gūsa". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කෝපය | ||
| The word "කෝපය" also means "jealousy" or "indignation". | |||
| Tamil | கோபம் | ||
| The Tamil word "கோபம்" also refers to a type of dance performed in temples, derived from the Sanskrit word "gopam" meaning "to protect". | |||
| Telugu | కోపం | ||
| "కోపం" (anger) also means "wrinkles" in Telugu, as it's associated with the furrowed brows and creased faces that often accompany anger. | |||
| Urdu | غصہ | ||
| The word "غصہ" in Urdu comes from the Sanskrit word "krodha" meaning "wrath". It can also refer to "indignation" or "anger" directed at a specific person or event. | |||
Anger in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 愤怒 | ||
| The word "愤怒" can also mean "resentment" or "indignation". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 憤怒 | ||
| The second character of 憤怒 (憤) originally meant 'tiger' and later 'fierce', indicating the animalistic nature of anger. | |||
| Japanese | 怒り | ||
| The word 怒り (ikari) can also refer to a sense of frustration or irritation. | |||
| Korean | 분노 | ||
| The word "분노" (anger) in Korean can also mean "indignation" or "wrath", depending on the context. | |||
| Mongolian | уур | ||
| The word "уур" can also refer to "hotness" or "heat" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အမျက်ဒေါသ | ||
Anger in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | marah | ||
| The word "marah" can also mean "to be red" or "to be hot," reflecting the physical manifestations of anger. | |||
| Javanese | nesu | ||
| The term 'nesu' also connotes 'agitation', 'annoyance' and 'disappointment' in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | កំហឹង | ||
| "កំហឹង" can also refer to a feeling of annoyance or displeasure with something or someone. | |||
| Lao | ຄວາມໃຈຮ້າຍ | ||
| This word can be used to express not only 'anger' but also 'cruelty'. | |||
| Malay | kemarahan | ||
| The word "kemarahan" in Malay is derived from the Sanskrit word "krodha", which also means "anger". | |||
| Thai | ความโกรธ | ||
| The Thai word "ความโกรธ" (khwam krot) literally means "heated heart". | |||
| Vietnamese | sự phẫn nộ | ||
| In Vietnamese, "Sự phẫn nộ" is not only used to express anger but also to convey strong indignation or righteous outrage. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | galit | ||
Anger in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | hirs | ||
| The word 'hirs' has the same root as the word 'heyrat' which means 'disappointment' and 'indignation'. | |||
| Kazakh | ашу | ||
| The Kazakh word "ашу" (anger) is also used to refer to indignation or wrath. | |||
| Kyrgyz | ачуу | ||
| The word "ачуу" has the additional meaning of "very strong" and might derive from the word "ач" ("hunger"). | |||
| Tajik | хашм | ||
| The word "хашм" in Tajik is derived from the Proto-Iranian word "*kṷaš-ma-," meaning "wrath" or "anger." | |||
| Turkmen | gahar | ||
| Uzbek | g'azab | ||
| The word "g'azab" (anger) in Uzbek originates from the Persian word "ghadab" and also means "fury" or "outrage". | |||
| Uyghur | غەزەپ | ||
Anger in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | huhū | ||
| The word "huhū" also means "owl" in Hawaiian and is thought to be onomatopoeic in origin, imitating the sound of an owl's hooting. | |||
| Maori | riri | ||
| The Maori word "riri" can also refer to a type of shark or to a state of irritation or annoyance. | |||
| Samoan | ita | ||
| The word "ita" can also be used to refer to rage or fury. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | galit | ||
| The word "galit" in Tagalog (Filipino) is derived from the Malay word "halit", meaning "fierce" or "furious". | |||
Anger in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | phiñasita | ||
| Guarani | pochy | ||
Anger in International Languages
| Esperanto | kolero | ||
| The word "kolero" in Esperanto is ultimately derived from the Greek word "cholera", meaning "bile", which was once thought to be the cause of anger. | |||
| Latin | furorem | ||
| Furorem can also mean "madness" or "frenzy" in Latin. | |||
Anger in Others Languages
| Greek | θυμός | ||
| "Θυμός" in Greek can also refer to "spirit", "courage", or even "soul". | |||
| Hmong | kev chim siab | ||
| The Hmong word "kev chim siab" has alternate meanings such as "bad luck" or "an evil omen." | |||
| Kurdish | hêrs | ||
| The word "hêrs" is also used to describe a type of venomous snake. | |||
| Turkish | öfke | ||
| "Öfke" also refers to an obsolete unit for the distance between the ploughshare to the plough handle in Anatolian Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | umsindo | ||
| The word "umsindo" in Xhosa is derived from the Proto-Bantu root "*-sind-a", which means "to be angry" or "to be furious". | |||
| Yiddish | צארן | ||
| The Yiddish word "צארן" is derived from the Hebrew word "צער" (pronounced "tzaar"), meaning pain or sorrow. | |||
| Zulu | intukuthelo | ||
| The Zulu word 'intukuthelo' also means 'fire' or 'burning'. | |||
| Assamese | খং | ||
| Aymara | phiñasita | ||
| Bhojpuri | खीस | ||
| Dhivehi | ރުޅި | ||
| Dogri | रोह् | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | galit | ||
| Guarani | pochy | ||
| Ilocano | unget | ||
| Krio | vɛks | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | تووڕەیی | ||
| Maithili | क्रोध | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯁꯥꯎꯕ | ||
| Mizo | thinrimna | ||
| Oromo | aarii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କ୍ରୋଧ | ||
| Quechua | piña | ||
| Sanskrit | क्रोध | ||
| Tatar | ачу | ||
| Tigrinya | ቑጠዐ | ||
| Tsonga | hlundzuka | ||