Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'band' carries a significant weight in the English language, often referring to a group of musicians who play instruments together. However, its significance extends far beyond music, also representing a strip that holds things together or a group of people with a common purpose. The cultural importance of bands is undeniable, with iconic groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones shaping music history. Understanding the translation of 'band' in different languages not only broadens your vocabulary but also offers a glimpse into various cultures.
For instance, in Spanish, 'band' translates to 'banda', which also means 'strip' or 'side' in certain contexts. In German, 'Band' translates to 'band' but can also mean 'ribbon'. In French, 'bande' translates to 'strip' or 'band', and interestingly, it's also used to describe a group of people working together on a common goal, much like the English usage of 'band'.
Explore the many translations of 'band' below and enrich your understanding of this versatile word.
Afrikaans | band | ||
In Afrikaans, "band" can also refer to a ribbon or tape used to tie or decorate. | |||
Amharic | ባንድ | ||
The word "ባንድ" also means "belt" or "strip of fabric" in Amharic. | |||
Hausa | band | ||
Although the common meaning of the word "band" in English is a group of musicians, it also refers to a strip of material used to hold something together, which is the primary meaning of the word in Hausa. | |||
Igbo | gbalaga | ||
The word "gbalaga" also refers to a "group" or a "gathering" in Igbo. | |||
Malagasy | miaramila iray toko | ||
The word "miaramila iray toko" in Malagasy can also refer to a group of people who are close friends or who share a common interest. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | gulu | ||
"Gulu" is also a term used in Malawian Nyanja to describe a traditional dance party. | |||
Shona | bhendi | ||
In Shona, "bhendi" can also refer to a type of small fish or a type of traditional drum | |||
Somali | band | ||
In Somali, "band" also means "a group of people who share a common goal or purpose." | |||
Sesotho | sehlopha | ||
The word 'sehlopha' derives from the verb 'ho lopa', meaning to gather or assemble. | |||
Swahili | bendi | ||
While "bendi" means "band" in English, it originally referred to strings of beads worn on the head, neck, or waist. | |||
Xhosa | band | ||
The Xhosa word 'band' is derived from the Zulu word 'iband' which means 'a group of people' or 'a gathering'. | |||
Yoruba | band | ||
In Yoruba, "band" can also refer to a group of people working together or a portion of land. | |||
Zulu | ibhendi | ||
The Zulu word 'ibhendi' can also refer to a group of musicians or dancers. | |||
Bambara | bandi | ||
Ewe | hadziha | ||
Kinyarwanda | band | ||
Lingala | etuluku | ||
Luganda | ekisiba | ||
Sepedi | lepanta | ||
Twi (Akan) | nnwontokuo | ||
Arabic | فرقة | ||
The original word فرقة in Arabic can also refer a sect in theology, a political or economic group, or part of army. | |||
Hebrew | לְהִתְאַגֵד | ||
The word להתאגד also means "to unite" or "to associate". | |||
Pashto | بانډ | ||
The Pashto word "بانډ" can also refer to a type of musical ensemble or a group of people united for a common purpose. | |||
Arabic | فرقة | ||
The original word فرقة in Arabic can also refer a sect in theology, a political or economic group, or part of army. |
Albanian | bandë | ||
Albanian word "bandë" also means "group" or "company" and derives from the Latin word "bandum", meaning "proclamation" or "decree". | |||
Basque | banda | ||
The Basque word for a band, banda, derives from the French 'bande' and Spanish 'banda', but also refers to a group of friends or musicians and to the act of tying up livestock. | |||
Catalan | banda | ||
In Catalan, "banda" can also mean "side", "strip", or "scarf". | |||
Croatian | bend | ||
The Croatian word "bend" can also refer to a group of people or a political party. | |||
Danish | bånd | ||
Bånd is a Danish term that can also refer to a tie or ligament. | |||
Dutch | band | ||
In Dutch, "band" can also mean "tie", "bond", or "binding." | |||
English | band | ||
"Band" originally referred to a bond or tie, and was later used for a group of musicians, as they are bound together by their shared purpose. | |||
French | bande | ||
In French, “bande” can also mean a strip of land or a group of soldiers. | |||
Frisian | band | ||
In Frisian, "band" can also refer to a hoop, or a volume or part of a book. | |||
Galician | banda | ||
No Galician, "banda" also means "side", "edge" or "strip" in a variety of contexts. | |||
German | band | ||
In German, the word "Band" can also refer to a ribbon, tape, or headband. | |||
Icelandic | hljómsveit | ||
The word "hljómsveit" in Icelandic can also mean "orchestra" or "choir", depending on the context. | |||
Irish | banda | ||
The Irish word "banna" also means "troop" or "company". | |||
Italian | gruppo musicale | ||
The Italian word 'gruppo musicale' can also mean a 'musical ensemble' or 'orchestra', while the English word 'band' can refer to a 'stripe' or 'tie'. | |||
Luxembourgish | band | ||
In Luxembourgish, "band" could also mean "string" or "bond". | |||
Maltese | faxxa | ||
In its original sense, "faxxa" specifically refers to a band worn around the head, which is distinct from other meanings of "faxxa" (as a type of cloth or a belt) | |||
Norwegian | bånd | ||
The word "bånd" in Norwegian can also mean "tape" or "bond". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | banda | ||
Portuguese word “banda” ultimately derives from the “bende” of the Gothic language, meaning “flag” or “sign”. | |||
Scots Gaelic | còmhlan | ||
Còmhlan, meaning "community" but commonly translated as "band", finds its roots in kinship rather than performance. | |||
Spanish | banda | ||
The Spanish word "banda" can also refer to a group of musicians or a strip of fabric. | |||
Swedish | band | ||
The word "band" in Swedish can also mean "lace" or "tape". | |||
Welsh | band | ||
The Welsh word 'band' can also refer to a boundary or limit. |
Belarusian | гурт | ||
The word "гурт" in Belarusian can also refer to a group of animals grazing together or a circle of people standing close together. | |||
Bosnian | bend | ||
In Bosnian, the word "bend" also means "to bind" or "to tie up". | |||
Bulgarian | банда | ||
The Russian word "банда" (gang) comes from the Latin word "bandum" (flag) via Polish, where it originally denoted a military unit. | |||
Czech | kapela | ||
The Czech word "kapela" originally referred to a group of musicians playing at weddings and other celebrations, and is cognate with the English word "chapel". | |||
Estonian | bänd | ||
The word "bänd" in Estonian can also mean "group" or "team". | |||
Finnish | yhtye | ||
The word "yhtye" also means "unity" or "ensemble" in Finnish, implying a collective effort in music-making. | |||
Hungarian | zenekar | ||
In Hungarian, "Zenekar" means "band," and can be separated into "zene" (music) and "kar" (army, group). | |||
Latvian | grupa | ||
The word "grupa" in Latvian also has the alternate meaning of "a group of people". | |||
Lithuanian | juosta | ||
The word "juosta" is also used to refer to a ribbon, a strip of land, or a race. | |||
Macedonian | бенд | ||
Словото "бенд" е с персиски произход и означава "у връзка" или "пътека". | |||
Polish | zespół muzyczny | ||
The Polish word "zespół muzyczny" translates to "musical ensemble" in English and can refer to a group of musicians playing together, regardless of their genre or the size of the group. | |||
Romanian | grup | ||
The Romanian word "grup" derives from "grupare," meaning "gathering" and also refers to the concept of a collective of artists. | |||
Russian | группа | ||
"Группа" can also mean a "bunch" or a "set" of something in Russian. | |||
Serbian | трака | ||
"Трака" originally meant "noise" or "clamor", but it came to mean "band" in the early 20th century. | |||
Slovak | pásmo | ||
Pásmo also means zone or belt | |||
Slovenian | pasu | ||
The word 'pasu' in Slovenian is derived from the Latin word 'passus' meaning 'a step' or 'a pace'. | |||
Ukrainian | гурт | ||
"Гурт" in Ukrainian can also refer to a group of animals grazing together or a ridge on a horsewhip handle. |
Bengali | ব্যান্ড | ||
In Bengali, "ব্যান্ড" means both "band" in terms of music and "tied" or "bound" | |||
Gujarati | બેન્ડ | ||
The word "બેન્ડ" in Gujarati can also refer to a group of people engaged in a common activity, such as a group of musicians or singers. | |||
Hindi | बैंड | ||
Hindi ''band'' (बैंड) can also refer to a person or people or to a musical sound. | |||
Kannada | ಬ್ಯಾಂಡ್ | ||
The Kannada word "ಬ್ಯಾಂಡ್" also means "rope" or "chain" used to tie animals or for agricultural purposes. | |||
Malayalam | ബാൻഡ് | ||
The word "band" derives from the Portuguese word banda, originally meaning "army music" before later referring to groups of musicians. | |||
Marathi | बँड | ||
The word "बँड" in Marathi, meaning "bond" or "connection", also has an alternate meaning of "partition" or "boundary". | |||
Nepali | ब्यान्ड | ||
The Nepali word "ब्यान्ड" has many meanings, including "to bind" and "a group of people who perform music together." | |||
Punjabi | ਜਥਾ | ||
The word "ਜਥਾ" can also refer to a group or assembly of people, especially a group of religious pilgrims or a group of people traveling together. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සංගීත කණ්ඩායම | ||
The word 'band' can also refer to a group of musicians who play together, or to a strip of material used to bind or hold something. | |||
Tamil | இசைக்குழு | ||
இசைக்குழு (īcaikkuḻu) is also used in Tamil to refer to a group of musicians who play together. | |||
Telugu | బ్యాండ్ | ||
The word "బ్యాండ్" comes from the English word "band", which can also refer to a group of musicians or a strip of material used to hold something together. | |||
Urdu | بینڈ | ||
The word "بینڈ" can also refer to a group of people who are united by a common purpose or goal. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 带 | ||
In Chinese, the character "带" also means "to wear, to lead, or to bring, which implies the concept of "accompanying" and "connecting". | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 帶 | ||
The character "帶" can also mean "zone", "belt", or "to lead" in Chinese. | |||
Japanese | バンド | ||
In Japanese, "バンド" can also refer to a group of people working together, such as a construction crew or a team of musicians. | |||
Korean | 밴드 | ||
The Korean word 밴드 can also refer to a type of adhesive bandage or a small rubber band. | |||
Mongolian | хамтлаг | ||
The word "хамтлаг" can also refer to a group of people working together, such as a team or a committee. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | တီးဝိုင်း | ||
Indonesian | pita | ||
The word "pita" can also mean a ribbon, headband or sash in Indonesian. | |||
Javanese | band | ||
In Javanese, "band" also means "string", "rope", or "tied-up animal". | |||
Khmer | ក្រុមតន្រ្តី | ||
ក្រុមតន្រ្តី is derived from the Sanskrit word "kumbha" meaning "pot" or "vessel", and "tāni" meaning "sound". It was originally used to refer to a group of musicians who played at religious ceremonies. | |||
Lao | ວົງ | ||
The word "ວົງ" can also refer to a ring or a circle, indicating the circular formation of a band. | |||
Malay | pancaragam | ||
The word "pancaragam" originally referred to a specific type of ensemble that played Indian classical music, but its meaning has since expanded to include any type of musical ensemble. | |||
Thai | วงดนตรี | ||
The word "วงดนตรี" (band) can also refer to a group of people who play music together, or a group of musicians who perform together. | |||
Vietnamese | ban nhạc | ||
Ban nhạc in Vietnamese can be translated as "group" or "collective". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | banda | ||
Azerbaijani | qrup | ||
The word "qrup" in Azerbaijani can also mean "group" or "team". | |||
Kazakh | топ | ||
The word "топ" in Kazakh can also mean "group" or "crowd". | |||
Kyrgyz | топ | ||
The word "топ" is also used to refer to a group of people who work together, such as a team or a crew. | |||
Tajik | банд | ||
The word "band" in Tajik can also mean "fetters" or "chains", which is likely related to its original meaning of "to bind" or "to tie". | |||
Turkmen | topary | ||
Uzbek | guruh | ||
In Uzbek, "guruh" also means "group" or "team". | |||
Uyghur | band | ||
Hawaiian | pēpē | ||
Pēpē is also a Hawaiian word that can refer to an infant or an adult that is cherished and protected. | |||
Maori | pēne | ||
Also known as "pehe" or "pepehe" meaning to chant, sing or recite. | |||
Samoan | fusi | ||
The word "fusi" in Samoan can also refer to a bunch of bananas. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | banda | ||
In Tagalog, "banda" can also refer to a festive group playing brass or percussion instruments. |
Aymara | wanta | ||
Guarani | mbopuha'aty | ||
Esperanto | bando | ||
The Esperanto word "bando" also means "group of criminals". | |||
Latin | cohors | ||
The word "cohors" in Latin can also refer to a group of people or animals, or a division of the Roman army. |
Greek | ζώνη | ||
In Ancient Greek "ζώνη" also referred to a garment worn around the waist by both men and women and as a girdle or belt. | |||
Hmong | qhab | ||
The Hmong word "qhab" derives from the Austroasiatic root for "to bind" and can also refer to a group of people or a family. | |||
Kurdish | koma | ||
In Kurdish, "koma" also means "gatherings of people for social activities or discussions". | |||
Turkish | grup | ||
The word "grup" has a wider scope of meanings than just "band" and can also include groups, teams, units, and organizations. | |||
Xhosa | band | ||
The Xhosa word 'band' is derived from the Zulu word 'iband' which means 'a group of people' or 'a gathering'. | |||
Yiddish | באַנדע | ||
"באַנדע" also means "gang" in Yiddish. | |||
Zulu | ibhendi | ||
The Zulu word 'ibhendi' can also refer to a group of musicians or dancers. | |||
Assamese | বেণ্ড | ||
Aymara | wanta | ||
Bhojpuri | बैंड | ||
Dhivehi | ބޭންޑް | ||
Dogri | बैंड | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | banda | ||
Guarani | mbopuha'aty | ||
Ilocano | banda | ||
Krio | band | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | دەستە | ||
Maithili | बैन्ड | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯨꯖꯤ | ||
Mizo | pawl | ||
Oromo | wadaroo | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ବ୍ୟାଣ୍ଡ | ||
Quechua | huñu | ||
Sanskrit | गण | ||
Tatar | төркем | ||
Tigrinya | ባንድ | ||
Tsonga | ntlawa | ||