Bank in different languages

Bank in Different Languages

Discover 'Bank' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'bank' holds immense significance in our daily lives, often associated with finance, savings, and security. But did you know that the term has a rich cultural and historical context too? Derived from the Italian 'banca' meaning 'bench', it originally referred to the benches where moneylenders in medieval Italy conducted their business. Over time, the word has evolved, taking on various connotations across different cultures and languages.

Given its global importance, it's no surprise that the word 'bank' has been translated into numerous languages, reflecting unique cultural nuances. For instance, in Spanish, it translates to 'banco', in French to 'banque', and in German to 'Bank'. These translations not only help in cross-cultural communication but also provide fascinating insights into the history and evolution of banking around the world.

So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious, exploring the translations of the word 'bank' offers an engaging journey into the world of finance, culture, and linguistics.

Bank


Bank in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansbank
The Afrikaans word "bank" can also refer to a bench, ledge, or embankment, derived from Middle Dutch "banke" with the same meaning
Amharicባንክ
In Amharic, the word "ባንክ" is also synonymous with "chair".
Hausabanki
The word "banki" can also mean "riches" or "wealth" in Hausa.
Igboụlọ akụ
The Igbo term 'ụlọ akụ' originally denoted a storage place where seeds and dried fruit were kept
Malagasybanky
The Malagasy word "banky" has no other meanings beyond "bank" in English.
Nyanja (Chichewa)banki
In Nyanja, "banki" may also refer to a small mound of earth or sand.
Shonabank
In Shona, "bhangi" can also refer to a type of traditional beer made from sorghum.
Somalibangiga
The word "bangiga" in Somali is derived from the English word "bank" and has the alternate meaning of "financial institution".
Sesothobanka
The word "banka" in Sesotho originated from the word "bank" in English or Dutch, and it can also refer to a bench or seat.
Swahilibenki
It is likely that the Swahili word Benki may have been borrowed from one of the Niger-Congo languages, like Hausa, Songhay or Manding, where it means 'vault'.
Xhosaibhanki
The word "ibhanki" in Xhosa can also mean "the place where money is kept" or "the place where money is exchanged".
Yorubabanki
The word "banki" also means "river" in Yoruba and derives from the Proto-Benue-Congo language.
Zuluibhange
The word ibhange derives from the Zulu word ibhamu, meaning "hut" or "shelter."
Bambarawaribon
Ewegadzraɖoƒe
Kinyarwandabanki
Lingalabanki
Lugandabanka
Sepedipanka
Twi (Akan)sikakorabea

Bank in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicمصرف
In Arabic, the word "مصرف" ("masraf") originally referred to a place for exchanging coins or money, and its root "صرف" ("sarf") means "exchange" or "expenditure."
Hebrewבַּנק
The Hebrew word "בַּנק" (bank) stems from the Italian word "banca", both meaning "bench".
Pashtoبانک
The word "بانک" also means "side; edge; margin" in Pashto.
Arabicمصرف
In Arabic, the word "مصرف" ("masraf") originally referred to a place for exchanging coins or money, and its root "صرف" ("sarf") means "exchange" or "expenditure."

Bank in Western European Languages

Albanianbankë
The word "bankë" in Albanian also means "edge" or "slope", referring to the raised land along a river or the edge of a hill.
Basquebankua
The Basque word "bankua" also means "bench" or "table".
Catalanbanc
"banc" in Catalan can also refer to a sandbank, bench, or curbstone, reflecting its Latin origins in "bancus," meaning "bench".
Croatianbanka
Croatian word 'banka' derives not from 'banco', but Slavic word for box, chest or vault.
Danishbank
The word "bank" in Danish also means "slope" or "edge", and originates from the Old Norse word "bakki".
Dutchbank
In Dutch, "bank" can also refer to a "dike" or a "bench".
Englishbank
The word "bank" originally referred to a long, flat area of land along a river, where people could store their valuables during floods.
Frenchbanque
The word "banque" in French, meaning "bank", is derived from the Italian word "banco", meaning "table" or "bench".
Frisianbank
The word "bank" in Frisian can also refer to a sandbank or a dike.
Galicianbanco
The Galician word "banco" can also refer to a sandbank or to a group of fish swimming together.
Germanbank
The German word "Bank" also means "bench" or "sofa".
Icelandicbanka
The word "banka" in Icelandic has been used since the 15th century, with its origin possibly derived from the Old Norse word "banki" meaning "table" or the German word "bank" signifying "bench".
Irishbanc
The Irish word "banc" also means a "table", "bench", and "judge's seat" and is derived from Old Irish "bennach".
Italianbanca
The Italian word "banca" derives from the Proto-West Germanic "bank" meaning "bench" or "counter", and was later used for the financial institution where money was exchanged and deposited.
Luxembourgishbank
The word 'Bank' also means 'slope' or 'side' in Luxembourgish, referring to the sloping embankments of a river.
Maltesebank
The word "bank" in Maltese can also refer to a "bench" or a "heap" of something.
Norwegianbank
The Norwegian word "bank" can also refer to a sandbank or a slope on a road.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)banco
The word "banco" in Portuguese derives from the Germanic word "banki" and the Latin "bancus," both meaning "bench" or "table."
Scots Gaelicbanca
In Scots Gaelic, 'banca' means 'hill' or 'peak', and may have its origins in the Latin word 'bancus', meaning 'table'.
Spanishbanco
Banco can also mean: table, shelf, bench, sandbank, or reef.
Swedishbank
In Swedish, "bank" can also refer to a steep slope or hillside.
Welshbanc
The word 'banc' in Welsh can also refer to a bench or a mound of earth.

Bank in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianбанк
The word "банк" (bank) in Belarusian can also refer to a bench or a row of objects.
Bosnianbanka
The word "banka" in Bosnian can also refer to a pile of banknotes.
Bulgarianбанка
'Банка' in Bulgarian, besides 'bank', can also mean 'jar' or 'tin can'.
Czechbanka
The word "banka" has multiple meanings in Czech, including "bank", "bench", and "table".
Estonianpank
The word "pank" in Estonian comes from the German word "bank", which means "bench" or "table".
Finnishpankki
The word "pankki" in Finnish comes from the Italian word "banca", meaning "table" or "counter", and ultimately derives from the Latin word "bancus", meaning "bench".
Hungarianbank
The Hungarian word "part" can also refer to a shore or the side of a river.
Latvianbanka
In Latvian, "banka" can also refer to a small bench or a type of traditional Latvian boat.
Lithuanianbankas
Bankas is derived from the Italian word "banca" which means "counter". The term "bank" can also refer to a bench or table.
Macedonianбанка
In Russian, банка can also refer to a 'jar', 'can', or 'tin'.
Polishbank
The word "bank" in Polish can also mean "jar" or "container".
Romanianbancă
In Romanian, "bancă" can also refer to a bench, making it a homonym with the financial institution.
Russianбанка
"Банка" (bank) can also refer to a can or jar.
Serbianбанка
The word "банка" in Serbian can also refer to a glass jar or a can, and is derived from the Italian word "banca" meaning "bench".
Slovakbreh
The word "breh" can also mean "shore" or "riverbank".
Slovenianbanka
"Banka" originally referred to a bench or table used for money exchange, and was derived from the Italian word "banca" meaning "bench".
Ukrainianбанку
The word "банку" (bank) in Ukrainian also refers to a glass jar.

Bank in South Asian Languages

Bengaliব্যাংক
The word "ব্যাংক" (bank) in Bengali originally meant "a heap of earth", later becoming associated with "a depository for money" due to the practice of safeguarding valuable materials in such mounds.
Gujaratiબેંક
The Gujarati word "બેંક" can also mean "a row" or "a series."
Hindiबैंक
The word "बैंक" can also refer to a collection of objects or a large amount of something.
Kannadaಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್
The word "ಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್" can also refer to a river bank or a raised platform.
Malayalamബാങ്ക്
"ബാങ്ക്" also means "sound" or "announcement" in Malayalam.
Marathiबँक
The Marathi word "बँक" (bank) originates from the Portuguese word "banca", meaning "table" or "counter".
Nepaliबैंक
The Nepali word "बैंक" (bank) derives from the Sanskrit word "वणिज्" (vanij), meaning "trade" or "commerce."
Punjabiਬੈਂਕ
In Punjab, the term 'Bank' also refers to a raised area next to a river often made to prevent flooding
Sinhala (Sinhalese)බැංකුව
The Sinhala word "බැංකුව" (bank) originates from the Portuguese word "banco" meaning "bench" or "table."
Tamilவங்கி
The word "வங்கி" (vanki) also means a bracelet or an armlet in Tamil, emphasizing its traditional role as a place for safekeeping valuable items.
Teluguబ్యాంక్
The word "బ్యాంక్" in Telugu also refers to a bench or the raised platform in a field used for transplantation.
Urduبینک
The Urdu word "بینک" ('bank') is derived from the Persian word "بنگ" ('shop, storehouse'), which in turn comes from the Sanskrit word "वाणिज्य" ('commerce, trade')

Bank in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)银行
The Chinese character 行 ("bank") originally referred to the embankments of rivers to prevent flooding; only later did it take on its financial meaning.
Chinese (Traditional)銀行
銀行, literally "a storehouse of silver or money," derives from the silver and gold stored in vaults by ancient Chinese merchants.
Japaneseバンク
The word "バンク" (bank) in Japanese can also refer to a "banked turn" in skateboarding or snowboarding.
Korean은행
은행(銀行)은 원래 흙을 모아둔 둑을 의미했으나, 나중에 돈을 모아 관리하는 기관을 의미하게 되었다.
Mongolianбанк
The Mongolian word "банк" not only refers to financial institutions, but can also mean "bench" or "shore" in various contexts.
Myanmar (Burmese)ဘဏ်
ဘဏ် can also mean "to store" or "to put away" in Myanmar (Burmese).

Bank in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianbank
In Indonesian, "bank" derives from the French word "banque" and also means "shore" or "riverbank".
Javanesebank
The Javanese word "bank" can also refers to the river embankment.
Khmerធនាគារ
"ធនាគារ" originally meant "a warehouse for treasures" or "a place to store money and valuables".
Laoທະນາຄານ
In Thai, the word "bank" (ธนาคาร) is derived from the Sanskrit word "nagara" meaning "city", referring to the urban location of these institutions.
Malaybank
The word 'bank' in Malay can also refer to the edge of a river or stream, or a high embankment.
Thaiธนาคาร
The word "ธนาคาร" in Thai derives from Sanskrit and literally means "storehouse of money" or "treasury".
Vietnamesengân hàng
"Ngân hàng" is a compound noun consisting of "ngân" (silver) and "hàng" (store)
Filipino (Tagalog)bangko

Bank in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanibank
"bank" in Azerbaijani also means the side of a river or a place where plants are grown
Kazakhбанк
The Kazakh word "банк" may also refer to "a steep river bank" or "the side of a ravine".
Kyrgyzбанк
The Kyrgyz term "банк" comes from the Russian word "банк" and originally meant "usury".
Tajikбонк
The word “бонк” also means “slope” in Tajik.
Turkmenbank
Uzbekbank
In Uzbek, the word "bank" is borrowed from the Persian word "bānkah", which also means "bench" or "table".
Uyghurبانكا

Bank in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianpanakō
The Hawaiian word "panakō" is borrowed from the English word "bank" and has the same meaning.
Maoripeeke
The Maori word "peeke" derives from the Proto-Polynesian term "*paki" meaning "cliff" or "steep bank".
Samoanfaletupe
It could also mean a storehouse, treasury or depository.
Tagalog (Filipino)bangko
The word "bangko" in Tagalog also refers to a wooden bench or platform used for seating or sleeping.

Bank in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarawanku
Guaraniviruñeñongatuha

Bank in International Languages

Esperantobanko
In Esperanto, "banko" can also refer to a lottery game similar to bingo.
Latinripae
The word "ripae" is cognate with "rivus" (stream), suggesting a connection between riverbanks and flowing water.

Bank in Others Languages

Greekτράπεζα
'Τράπεζα' originated from the 'trápeza' a table where Athenian bankers (trapezitai) transacted business.
Hmongtxhab nyiaj
The term 'txhab nyiaj' in Hmong is a literal translation of 'money house'; it means both a physical bank building and the concept of a bank.
Kurdishbanke
The word "banke" can also refer to a "hill" or "slope" in Kurdish, highlighting its connection to elevated terrain and the concept of a vault or treasury.
Turkishbanka
The Turkish word "banka" is derived from the Italian word "banca", which means money changer or bench. In Italian, "banco" also means table, so "banka" originally referred to the table where money was exchanged.
Xhosaibhanki
The word "ibhanki" in Xhosa can also mean "the place where money is kept" or "the place where money is exchanged".
Yiddishבאַנק
The Yiddish word for 'bank', 'באַנק', can also refer to a gambling table, bench, or a collection of items.
Zuluibhange
The word ibhange derives from the Zulu word ibhamu, meaning "hut" or "shelter."
Assameseবেংক
Aymarawanku
Bhojpuriबैंक
Dhivehiބޭންކް
Dogriबैंक
Filipino (Tagalog)bangko
Guaraniviruñeñongatuha
Ilocanobangko
Kriobank
Kurdish (Sorani)بانک
Maithiliबैंक
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯁꯤꯡꯂꯨꯞ
Mizoluikam
Oromobaankii
Odia (Oriya)ବ୍ୟାଙ୍କ
Quechuabanco
Sanskritकोश
Tatarбанк
Tigrinyaባንኪ
Tsongabangi

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