Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'angry' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, as it allows us to express a wide range of emotions, from mild irritation to intense fury. Anger is a universal emotion, and understanding its expression in different languages can help us connect with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
Throughout history, anger has played a crucial role in shaping human behavior and societal norms. From ancient philosophers like Aristotle, who believed that anger could be a force for good when used wisely, to modern psychologists who study the impact of anger on mental health, this emotion has fascinated and challenged us for centuries.
Moreover, exploring the translation of 'angry' in different languages can reveal fascinating insights into cultural nuances and differences. For instance, in German, 'angry' translates to 'wütend,' which also implies a sense of chaos and destruction. Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'angry' becomes 'お勧めします' (okoru), a word that can also mean 'excited' or 'passionate' in certain contexts.
Below, you'll find a list of translations of the word 'angry' in various languages, from Afrikaans to Zulu. We hope this exploration of language and emotion inspires you to learn more about the rich cultural traditions that underpin our shared human experience.
Afrikaans | kwaad | ||
The word "kwaad" may also refer to a person's character or disposition, particularly when it is negative or harmful. | |||
Amharic | ተናደደ | ||
The word 'ተናደደ' originally meant 'to be filled with rage' but now also means 'to be disappointed or frustrated'. | |||
Hausa | fushi | ||
Hausa has two homophonous words spelled "fushi": one meaning "angry" and one meaning "to spit". | |||
Igbo | iwe | ||
The word 'iwe' can also refer to 'a state of being annoyed or irritated' in Igbo. | |||
Malagasy | tezitra | ||
The word "TEZITRA" in Malagasy also referred to the feeling of being frustrated or annoyed. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | wokwiya | ||
The word "wokwiya" also refers to a type of tree whose bark is used to make traditional medicine. | |||
Shona | hasha | ||
Shona word "hasha" initially meant "to grind," evolving to today's meaning through metaphors of "rough" or "irritating" things "grinding" on you. | |||
Somali | xanaaqsan | ||
The word 'xanaaqsan' has Indo-European roots, and is cognate with words such as 'canine' and 'canine tooth'. | |||
Sesotho | koatile | ||
The word "koatile" also means "to be hot" or "to be spicy" in Sesotho. | |||
Swahili | hasira | ||
The word 'hasira' in Swahili can also refer to firewood, meaning someone who is 'hasira' is 'hot' or 'fiery' like firewood. | |||
Xhosa | enomsindo | ||
The word 'enomsindo' in Xhosa comes from the root word 'nmsindo', which means 'anger'. | |||
Yoruba | binu | ||
"Binu" can also mean "to be hot," as in weather or temperature. | |||
Zulu | uthukuthele | ||
The word "uthukuthele" in Zulu can also refer to a state of extreme irritation or frustration. | |||
Bambara | dimilen | ||
Ewe | kpᴐ dziku | ||
Kinyarwanda | arakaye | ||
Lingala | nkanda | ||
Luganda | okunyiiga | ||
Sepedi | befetšwe | ||
Twi (Akan) | abufuo | ||
Arabic | غاضب | ||
The word "غاضب" in Arabic derives from the same root as "water" and can also mean "flooding" or "overflowing." | |||
Hebrew | כּוֹעֵס | ||
The Hebrew word "כּוֹעֵס" (kote'es), meaning "angry", is derived from the root "כוע" (ko'a), which also means "strength" or "power". | |||
Pashto | قهرجن | ||
The word "قهرجن" in Pashto can also mean "to be defeated" or "to be overpowered". | |||
Arabic | غاضب | ||
The word "غاضب" in Arabic derives from the same root as "water" and can also mean "flooding" or "overflowing." |
Albanian | i zemëruar | ||
"i zemëruar" (angry) is also an idiom used to refer to an | |||
Basque | haserre | ||
"Haserre" comes from the verb "hasi" (to laugh) and the suffix "-erre" (to make do). | |||
Catalan | enfadat | ||
"Enfadat" comes from the Latin "infatus", meaning "blown up with wind" or "puffed up with anger". | |||
Croatian | ljut | ||
The word 'ljut' also means 'spicy' in Croatian, possibly due to the shared sensation of burning. | |||
Danish | vred | ||
The word "vred" in Danish derives from the Proto-Germanic root "*wræð-", meaning "wroth" or "angry". | |||
Dutch | boos | ||
The word "boos" in Dutch can also mean "evil" or "wicked". | |||
English | angry | ||
The word "angry" comes from the Middle English word "anger," which is derived from the Old Norse word "angr," meaning "grief" or "sorrow." | |||
French | fâché | ||
The French word "fâché" originates from the Latin "fastidium" (disgust), suggesting an emotional state of annoyance and frustration. | |||
Frisian | lilk | ||
The Frisian word "lilk" is likely cognate with the Old English word "lytle", meaning "small" or "insignificant", as is found in the Old English poem "Beowulf" | |||
Galician | enfadado | ||
In Galician, the word "enfadado" also means "bored" or "annoyed", depending on the context. | |||
German | wütend | ||
The word "wütend" is derived from the Old High German word "wuoten", meaning "to rage" or "to be furious". | |||
Icelandic | reiður | ||
The word "reiður" originates from an Old Norse word meaning "well-prepared" or "ready for battle." | |||
Irish | feargach | ||
The word "feargach" in Irish is derived from the Old Irish word "fearchu"," meaning "a man" and "-ach", a suffix meaning "full of", so "feargach" literally means "full of manliness". | |||
Italian | arrabbiato | ||
The term "arrabbiato" can also refer to a spicy Italian pasta sauce. | |||
Luxembourgish | rosen | ||
The word "rosen" also means "red" in Luxembourgish, possibly due to its association with the color of anger. | |||
Maltese | irrabjat | ||
The word 'irrabjat' in Maltese comes from the Arabic word 'rabb', meaning 'to tie up', and is often used to describe someone who is 'tied up' with anger. | |||
Norwegian | sint | ||
The Norwegian word "sint" is related to the word "sinder", which means "ashes", suggesting an intense emotional state that is as hot and consuming as fire. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | bravo | ||
In Portuguese, "bravo" also means "wild" or "fierce", like a "brave" animal | |||
Scots Gaelic | feargach | ||
The Scots Gaelic word "feargach" shares a common root with the Old Irish word "ferg" meaning "anger" and can also mean "furious" or "irritable". | |||
Spanish | enojado | ||
The word 'enojado' comes from the Latin verb 'ininiare', which means 'to grow dark with anger'. | |||
Swedish | arg | ||
The word "arg" can also mean "bad" or "evil" in Swedish, and is cognate with the English word "arch". | |||
Welsh | yn ddig | ||
The word 'yn ddig' derives from the PIE root *dheig-, from which English 'throe' also originates. |
Belarusian | раззлаваны | ||
The literal meaning of this noun is "stirred up" as a liquid which has settled is stirred after some time. | |||
Bosnian | ljut | ||
The word "ljut" can also mean "hot" or "spicy" in Bosnian. | |||
Bulgarian | ядосан | ||
"Ядосан" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *jędъ, meaning "poison" or "venom". | |||
Czech | rozzlobený | ||
The word "rozzlobený" is derived from the verb "rozzlobit se", which means "to get angry". | |||
Estonian | vihane | ||
The word vihane likely comes from the verb vihata, which meant to hate, dislike or persecute someone. | |||
Finnish | vihainen | ||
Although the Finnish word vihainen means "angry," it was originally used to describe feelings of pity or grief. | |||
Hungarian | mérges | ||
The word "mérges" in Hungarian also means "poisonous", and it shares a similar root with the word "méreg" (poison). | |||
Latvian | dusmīgs | ||
The word "dusmīgs" can also mean "foggy" in Latvian, which may reflect an association between anger and the obscuring effects of fog. | |||
Lithuanian | piktas | ||
In the 16th and 17th century Lithuanian texts, piktas often referred to the stinginess and greediness of a person. | |||
Macedonian | лут | ||
The word "лут" is also used in Macedonian to refer to "the heat of the sun" or "the heat of a fire." | |||
Polish | zły | ||
"Zły" in Polish besides meaning "angry" can also mean "evil". | |||
Romanian | furios | ||
In Romanian, "furios" has a second, archaic meaning: "thief". | |||
Russian | сердитый | ||
Russian "сердитый" initially meant "poor" or "unhappy" and only later acquired the meaning of "angry". | |||
Serbian | љут | ||
The word љут (angry) is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *leudh- (to grow, increase). | |||
Slovak | nahnevaný | ||
"Nahnevaný" also means "leaning forward" in Slovak. | |||
Slovenian | jezen | ||
Beside the most common meaning "angry", "jezen" can also mean "autumn" or "north wind" in Slovenian. | |||
Ukrainian | злий | ||
The word "злий" can also mean "bad" or "evil" in Ukrainian. |
Bengali | রাগান্বিত | ||
A popular Bengali saying goes 'রাগ আগুন' (anger is fire), which refers to anger as a volatile emotion. | |||
Gujarati | ગુસ્સો | ||
The term "ગુસ્સો" is also used in Gujarati to describe a person who is stubborn or obstinate. | |||
Hindi | गुस्सा | ||
The word "गुस्सा" (Hindi) is derived from the Sanskrit word "कुषा" (straw), as it is said that when a person is angry, their temper flares up like dry straw. | |||
Kannada | ಕೋಪಗೊಂಡ | ||
The word "ಕೋಪಗೊಂಡ" (kopagonda) in Kannada can also mean "to be in a rage" or "to be enraged". | |||
Malayalam | ദേഷ്യം | ||
In some contexts, "ദേഷ്യം" can also mean "anger", "resentment", or "wrath". | |||
Marathi | राग | ||
राग, a common word for 'anger' in Marathi, has alternate meanings including 'musical melody' and 'passion'. | |||
Nepali | रिसाउनु | ||
The verb 'रिसाउनु' can also be used to mean 'to be sensitive' or 'to be easily offended'. Unlike 'क्रोधित हुनु', 'रिसाउनु' refers to a less intense or fleeting anger. | |||
Punjabi | ਗੁੱਸਾ | ||
In Punjabi, the word 'ਗੁੱਸਾ' ('angry') also means 'hot' or 'spicy' when used in the context of food. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තරහයි | ||
The word "තරහයි" can also mean "jealousy" or "envy" in Sinhala. | |||
Tamil | கோபம் | ||
The word | |||
Telugu | కోపం | ||
Derived from Sanskrit "kopas", meaning strong or severe, "కోపం" (kopam) connotes intense displeasure, ire, or irritation in Telugu. | |||
Urdu | ناراض | ||
The word "ناراض" can also mean "displeased" or "upset" in Urdu. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 愤怒 | ||
愤怒 is also used as a literary term for the genre of political satire or lampoon. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 憤怒 | ||
The original meaning of "憤怒" is a feeling of indignation due to humiliation. | |||
Japanese | 怒っている | ||
怒っている is a compound of 怒る (okoru, "to get angry") and いる, the progressive form of the verb いる (iru, "to be"). | |||
Korean | 성난 | ||
The word "성난" can also mean "furious" or "enraged" in Korean, though its literal translation is "to be hot." | |||
Mongolian | ууртай | ||
The word "ууртай" can also refer to someone who is "hasty" or "impetuous" in Mongolian. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | စိတ်ဆိုးတယ် | ||
Indonesian | marah | ||
The word also means 'bitter,' especially in Biblical usage. | |||
Javanese | nesu | ||
The term "nesu" can also refer to a feeling of discomfort or dissatisfaction. | |||
Khmer | ខឹង | ||
The Khmer word "ខឹង" (angry) is derived from the Sanskrit word "कृष्ण" (dark), referring to the darkening of one's face when angry. | |||
Lao | ໃຈຮ້າຍ | ||
Malay | marah | ||
The word "marah" in Malay can also mean "to scold" or "to reprimand" | |||
Thai | โกรธ | ||
The Thai word "โกรธ" can also refer to irritation, exasperation, or resentment. | |||
Vietnamese | bực bội | ||
The word "bực bội" also means "stuffy" or "irritated". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | galit | ||
Azerbaijani | hirsli | ||
The word "hirsli" may derive from the Turkic word "hyrs" meaning "fierce, angry" or the Persian word "hirsu" meaning "bear". | |||
Kazakh | ашулы | ||
The word "ашулы" also means "irritated" or "annoyed" in Kazakh. | |||
Kyrgyz | ачууланган | ||
The word "ачууланган" is derived from the verb "ачуулоо," which means "to embitter". It can also refer to a person who is easily angered. | |||
Tajik | хашмгин | ||
The word "хашмгин" in Tajik could also refer to someone who is passionate or energetic. | |||
Turkmen | gaharly | ||
Uzbek | badjahl | ||
The word "badjahl" is derived from the Arabic word "badjaha" meaning "to be angry". | |||
Uyghur | ئاچچىقلاندى | ||
Hawaiian | huhū | ||
"Huhū" derives from the word for "owl, | |||
Maori | riri | ||
The word "riri" in Maori also means "a tremor" or "a shiver". | |||
Samoan | ita | ||
The word "ita" can also mean "jealous" or "envious". | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | galit | ||
The word "galit" can also mean "mad" or "furious" in Tagalog. |
Aymara | phiñasita | ||
Guarani | pochy | ||
Esperanto | kolera | ||
The word "kolera" is related to the word "koleriko", or "choleric" in English. | |||
Latin | iratus | ||
The word "Iratus" derives from the Indo-European root "*rei-**, meaning "to move violently". It originally referred to a state of violent anger, but gradually came to mean simply "angry". |
Greek | θυμωμένος | ||
In addition to 'angry,' in the context of an argument 'θυμωμένος' might mean 'indignant' or 'outraged'. | |||
Hmong | chim siab | ||
In the Hmong language the word "chim siab" can be traced back to the word "siab" meaning "heart". | |||
Kurdish | hêrsbû | ||
The word "hêrsbû" also refers to "furious" in Kurdish. | |||
Turkish | kızgın | ||
"Kızgın" also means "hot" in Turkish, sharing the same root with the word "kızarmak" (to blush). | |||
Xhosa | enomsindo | ||
The word 'enomsindo' in Xhosa comes from the root word 'nmsindo', which means 'anger'. | |||
Yiddish | בייז | ||
The Yiddish word "bayz" ('angry') derives from the Middle High German "böse" ('evil') and the Old English "bysg" ('busy'), giving it connotations of chaos and frustration. | |||
Zulu | uthukuthele | ||
The word "uthukuthele" in Zulu can also refer to a state of extreme irritation or frustration. | |||
Assamese | খঙাল | ||
Aymara | phiñasita | ||
Bhojpuri | खीसियाइल | ||
Dhivehi | ރުޅިއައުން | ||
Dogri | गुस्सा | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | galit | ||
Guarani | pochy | ||
Ilocano | agung-unget | ||
Krio | vɛks | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | تووڕە | ||
Maithili | क्रोधित | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯥꯎꯕ | ||
Mizo | thinrim | ||
Oromo | aaraa | ||
Odia (Oriya) | କ୍ରୋଧିତ | ||
Quechua | piñasqa | ||
Sanskrit | क्रुद्धः | ||
Tatar | ачулы | ||
Tigrinya | ዝተናደደ | ||
Tsonga | hlundzukile | ||