Basket in Different Languages
Discover 'Basket' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Baskets have been an essential part of human life for thousands of years, used for carrying, storing, and even serving food. The significance of baskets extends beyond their practical uses, as they also hold cultural importance in many societies around the world. For instance, Native American tribes have been known to weave intricate baskets that tell stories and reflect their beliefs. Similarly, in many African cultures, baskets are used in ceremonies and rituals, symbolizing prosperity and fertility.
Given the global importance of baskets, it's no wonder that the word for basket in different languages is just as fascinating. In Spanish, for example, the word for basket is 'canasta,' which comes from the Latin word 'cana' meaning reed. Meanwhile, in Japanese, the word for basket is 'kaban,' which is written with the characters for 'box' and 'carry.'
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious, learning the translation of basket in different languages can open up a whole new world of understanding and appreciation for the diverse ways in which people live and communicate.
Basket
Basket in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | mandjie | ||
| The word 'mandjie' is derived from the Portuguese word 'マンドー' which means 'basket' and also 'a small boat'. | |||
| Amharic | ቅርጫት | ||
| The word "ቅርጫት" can also refer to a "container" or a "vessel" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | kwanduna | ||
| "Kwanduna" (basket) comes from the Hausa word "kwana" (to sleep), as baskets were traditionally used for sleeping in. | |||
| Igbo | nkata | ||
| "Nkàtá" also means "case", "matter", "affair", "problem","quarrel", or "situation" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | harona | ||
| The word "harona" has a second meaning of "basket" in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | dengu | ||
| The word "dengu" in Nyanja is a homonym, also meaning "a type of fish". | |||
| Shona | tswanda | ||
| The Shona word 'tswanda' also refers to the traditional dance in which girls sing while balancing baskets on their heads. | |||
| Somali | dambiil | ||
| The Somali word "dambiil" (basket) is derived from the Proto-Somali word "*dambi", meaning "to carry, to hold". | |||
| Sesotho | baskete | ||
| The word 'baskete' can also refer to a 'basketful' or a 'basket-shaped object'. | |||
| Swahili | kikapu | ||
| Kikapu can also refer to a type of traditional Swahili dance or a basket used to collect and winnow crops. | |||
| Xhosa | ibhaskiti | ||
| The word "ibhaskiti" can also refer to a type of traditional Xhosa hat. | |||
| Yoruba | agbọn | ||
| A variant meaning of the word "agbọn" is "intelligence" or "wisdom". | |||
| Zulu | ubhasikidi | ||
| The word 'ubhasikidi' originates from the Proto-Bantu word '*bakadi-' signifying a plaited bag, container or bowl. | |||
| Bambara | basigi | ||
| Ewe | kusi me | ||
| Kinyarwanda | agaseke | ||
| Lingala | kitunga | ||
| Luganda | ekisero | ||
| Sepedi | seroto | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kɛntɛn | ||
Basket in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | سلة | ||
| The Arabic word "سلة" can also refer to a group of people, especially one that is considered to be disorderly or disorganized. | |||
| Hebrew | סַל | ||
| The word "סַל" can also mean "threshold" or "foundation" in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | باسکی | ||
| The word "باسکی" can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root "*bhesko-", meaning "to weave" or "to plait". This word is related to the English word "basket". | |||
| Arabic | سلة | ||
| The Arabic word "سلة" can also refer to a group of people, especially one that is considered to be disorderly or disorganized. | |||
Basket in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shporta | ||
| In certain areas of Albania, "shporta" can also refer to the handle of a basket rather than the basket itself. | |||
| Basque | saskia | ||
| The Basque word "saskia" can also mean "the act of weaving baskets" or "the material used to weave baskets." | |||
| Catalan | cistella | ||
| The Latin word 'cistella' also means 'small box' and is related to the word 'cista', meaning 'chest'. | |||
| Croatian | košara | ||
| The word ''košara'' also refers to a traditional wicker cradle or crib-like basket. | |||
| Danish | kurv | ||
| The Danish word 'kurv' is ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *kwerp-, meaning 'to bend' or 'to curve', and is related to words for 'basket' in many other Indo-European languages, including Latin 'corbis', Ancient Greek 'κόρφινος' (kórphinos), and Russian 'корзина' (korzina). | |||
| Dutch | mand | ||
| The word "mand" in Dutch is derived from the Old Dutch word "manda," which originally meant "vessel" or "container." | |||
| English | basket | ||
| The word 'basket' comes from the Old English word 'basce' meaning "a container made of woven twigs". | |||
| French | panier | ||
| Panier, a French word for "basket" comes from the Latin word "panis" which means "bread". This reflects the historical use of baskets primarily to carry food, especially bread. | |||
| Frisian | koer | ||
| The word "koer" also means "to choose" or "to prefer" in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | canastra | ||
| In Portuguese Galician, "canastra" also has meanings of "big belly", "chest of drawers" or "place for throwing garbage". | |||
| German | korb | ||
| The word "Korb" derives from the Old High German word "korb", meaning "a container of woven wicker or straw" | |||
| Icelandic | körfu | ||
| The Icelandic word "körfu" can refer not only to a basket but also to a fish trap woven from willow branches. | |||
| Irish | ciseán | ||
| Ciseán also means 'chest' or 'coffer' and shares its origins with 'cista' in Latin, 'cista' in Welsh, and 'cist' in Cornish. | |||
| Italian | cestino | ||
| The word 'cestino' also means 'wastebasket' and shares its etymology with the word 'cista', a Latin term referring to a box, basket or receptacle used in ancient Rome. | |||
| Luxembourgish | kuerf | ||
| The word "Kuerf" is derived from the Latin word "corbis", meaning "basket" or "container", and is related to the German word "Korb" and the English word "curb". | |||
| Maltese | basket | ||
| The Maltese word "basket" is derived from the French word "panier" and the Italian word "canestro" and is used to refer to a basket. | |||
| Norwegian | kurv | ||
| The word “kurv” can also refer to a “curve” or a “bend,” and is related to the English word “curve”. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cesta | ||
| "Cesta" means "basket" in different Portuguese speaking countries, but in Brazil it is also used to refer to a special kind of Christmas gift basket filled with food, drinks, and other goodies. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | basgaid | ||
| Gaidhlig Alba derives basgaid from Old Norse bǫstr, but it also uses it to mean 'a large fish trap of wickerwork'. | |||
| Spanish | cesta | ||
| In some Spanish-speaking countries, "cesta" refers to a type of woven hat. | |||
| Swedish | korg | ||
| The word 'korg' has its origins in the Old Norse word 'korgr', which referred to a type of wicker basket or crate. | |||
| Welsh | basged | ||
| The Welsh word "basged" derives from the Brythonic "bascawt", meaning "something woven". | |||
Basket in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | кошык | ||
| The Belarusian word "кошык" (basket) likely comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *kors-, which means "to braid or twist." | |||
| Bosnian | košara | ||
| The word "košara" has several meanings in Bosnian, including "basket", "cage", "pen", and "stable" | |||
| Bulgarian | кошница | ||
| "Кошница" in Bulgarian can also mean "basket" in the sense of a group of people or things. | |||
| Czech | košík | ||
| In Czech, košík also means "small shopping cart", which is likely derived from the fact that it used to be made out of the same materials. | |||
| Estonian | korv | ||
| "Korv" also means "case" in Estonian, as in "korv õlut" (a case of beer). | |||
| Finnish | kori | ||
| The word "kori" can also refer to a wicker or mesh container used for catching fish. | |||
| Hungarian | kosár | ||
| In Hungarian, the word "kosár" not only refers to a basket but can also mean a "goal" in sports, particularly in basketball. | |||
| Latvian | grozs | ||
| The word "grozs" could be linked to the Old Prussian "kursis" (basket) or Lithuanian "karšas" (hot embers), suggesting its use for carrying or holding items. | |||
| Lithuanian | krepšelis | ||
| In old Lithuanian, "krepšelis" referred to a small woven bag used to carry grain. | |||
| Macedonian | корпа | ||
| The word "корпа" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *korbъ, which also means "basket" or "container." | |||
| Polish | kosz | ||
| The Polish word "kosz" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "košь" and also exists in other Slavic languages. | |||
| Romanian | coş | ||
| The word "coş" in Romanian, meaning "basket," derives from the Latin "cophinus," and is related to the German "Korb" and Russian "корзина." | |||
| Russian | корзина | ||
| The Russian word "корзина" derives from an Old Slavonic word meaning | |||
| Serbian | корпа | ||
| The word корпа also has figurative meanings, such as "a group of similar things, typically large and unmanageable," in the expressions "кадрова корпа" (staff basket) and "финансијска корпа" (financial basket). | |||
| Slovak | košík | ||
| The Slovak word "košík" is a diminutive form of "kôš", meaning "basket" in Czech and Slovak, and "kopka", meaning "heap" in Polish. | |||
| Slovenian | košara | ||
| The word košara is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *košь, meaning "basket" or "box". | |||
| Ukrainian | кошик | ||
| Кошик (basket) originates from Polish "koszyk", which in turn stems from the German word "Korb" (basket, wicker basket) | |||
Basket in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ঝুড়ি | ||
| The word "ঝুড়ি" (basket) originates from the Sanskrit word "कुशि" (kushi), which means "to cut" or "to weave". | |||
| Gujarati | ટોપલી | ||
| "ટોપલી" is derived from "तप," meaning "to heat," as baskets were traditionally used to keep food warm. | |||
| Hindi | टोकरी | ||
| The word 'tokri' is derived from the Prakrit word 'tokka' and also means a 'bag'. | |||
| Kannada | ಬುಟ್ಟಿ | ||
| The word "ಬುಟ್ಟಿ" can also refer to a type of traditional Indian headgear. | |||
| Malayalam | കൊട്ടയിൽ | ||
| The word 'കൊട്ടയിൽ' in Malayalam can also refer to a large, open vessel or a container for storing or carrying things. | |||
| Marathi | टोपली | ||
| The word 'टोपली' in Marathi comes from the Prakrit word 'टोपरी', which itself is derived from the Sanskrit word 'टोप', meaning 'crown'. It can also refer to a woman's headdress or a type of flower arrangement. | |||
| Nepali | टोकरी | ||
| The word टोकरी (tokari) also refers to a type of metal utensil used for serving food. | |||
| Punjabi | ਟੋਕਰੀ | ||
| In Punjabi, ਟੋਕਰੀ can also refer to a specific type of measuring container used for grain or other commodities. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කූඩය | ||
| The word "කූඩය" also refers to a cage or an enclosure in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | கூடை | ||
| The word "கூடை" in Tamil also means "a place where something is kept" or "a group of people assembled for a particular purpose." | |||
| Telugu | బుట్ట | ||
| The word "బుట్ట" (basket) in Telugu is derived from the Sanskrit word "बुधि" (buddhi), meaning "intelligence" or "wisdom". This is because baskets were traditionally used in India to store and transport food and other essential items, which were considered to be valuable and important. | |||
| Urdu | ٹوکری | ||
| The word "ٹوکری" (basket) is also used to mean a small container or a compartment in Urdu. | |||
Basket in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 篮 | ||
| 篮 can also mean "a round, concave or flat object with a raised rim, such as a shield or a tray". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 籃 | ||
| 籃 can also mean "shield" or "tray" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | バスケット | ||
| The word バスケット can also refer to an arcade basketball game or the backboard in basketball. | |||
| Korean | 바구니 | ||
| "바구니" is derived from the Mongolian word "баг" (bag), and also means "handbag" in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | сагс | ||
| The Mongolian word "сагс" (basket) possibly derives from the word "сахих" (to cover, to wrap), indicating its primary function as a container. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တောင်း | ||
| A related word, တောင်း (taung), means "to ask". In some contexts, "asking" has the same sense as "basket" as in the "Asking for Alms" tradition. | |||
Basket in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | keranjang | ||
| The word "keranjang" can also refer to a birdcage, a cradle, or a stretcher. | |||
| Javanese | kranjang | ||
| The Javanese word 'kranjang' can also refer to a traditional Indonesian woven bamboo tray or a carrying case. | |||
| Khmer | កន្ត្រក | ||
| In the 16th-18th centuries, "កន្ត្រក" also referred to a small round box or container made of metal, used to store betel nuts or other precious items. | |||
| Lao | ກະຕ່າ | ||
| The term "ກະຕ່າ" also refers to a type of wickerwork that is used to create objects like boxes and hats.} | |||
| Malay | bakul | ||
| In Old Javanese, "bakul" referred primarily to a woven palm leaf container for storing rice, salt, or other dry goods. | |||
| Thai | ตะกร้า | ||
| The word "ตะกร้า" is derived from the Sanskrit word "करण्ड," meaning "receptacle," and can also refer to a specific type of headdress worn by Thai women. | |||
| Vietnamese | cái rổ | ||
| The word "cái rổ" can also mean a small, flat basket used for winnowing rice. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | basket | ||
Basket in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | səbət | ||
| The word "səbət" in Azerbaijani comes from the Middle Persian word "spat" meaning "basket" or "tray". | |||
| Kazakh | себет | ||
| Себет (basket) also means a "large flat dish" | |||
| Kyrgyz | себет | ||
| In Kyrgyz, “себет” can also be a slang term for “a place where a lot of things are hidden” like a closet or drawer. | |||
| Tajik | сабад | ||
| The word "сабад" can also refer to a kind of fish trap made of willow or reed. | |||
| Turkmen | sebet | ||
| Uzbek | savat | ||
| In Uzbek, "savat" also means "a large clay vessel for storage" and "a type of pottery used in traditional Uzbek cuisine, especially for cooking rice". | |||
| Uyghur | سېۋەت | ||
Basket in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hinai | ||
| The Hawaiian word "hinai” can also refer to a canoe, a sled, or a hammock. | |||
| Maori | kete | ||
| The word "kete" also means "bag" or "container" in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | ato | ||
| The word "ato" can also refer to a "heap" or "pile" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | basket | ||
| The Tagalog word "basket" originated from the Spanish word "basquet" through the trade relationship between the Philippines and Spain during the Spanish colonial era. | |||
Basket in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | canasta ukaxa | ||
| Guarani | canasta rehegua | ||
Basket in International Languages
| Esperanto | korbo | ||
| The Esperanto word "korbo" derives from the German word "Korb" meaning "basket" and, by extension, "basket case" or "helpless person". | |||
| Latin | cartallum | ||
| The Latin word 'cartallum' is related to the Sanskrit word 'kartala', which means 'hand', suggesting the use of hands for weaving baskets. | |||
Basket in Others Languages
| Greek | καλάθι | ||
| "Καλάθι" means "basket" in Greek, but it also has a more figurative meaning of "goal" or "target". | |||
| Hmong | pob tawb | ||
| The word pob tawb, meaning "basket" in Hmong, is also used to describe a type of container used to hold or transport items. | |||
| Kurdish | sellik | ||
| Sellik derives from the Persian word 'sal', meaning basket or bowl. | |||
| Turkish | sepet | ||
| "Sepet" is thought to have originated from the Latin word "sporta" meaning "basket" or "container". | |||
| Xhosa | ibhaskiti | ||
| The word "ibhaskiti" can also refer to a type of traditional Xhosa hat. | |||
| Yiddish | קאָרב | ||
| In Yiddish, "קאָרב" can also refer to an offering basket used in synagogues, or a coffin. | |||
| Zulu | ubhasikidi | ||
| The word 'ubhasikidi' originates from the Proto-Bantu word '*bakadi-' signifying a plaited bag, container or bowl. | |||
| Assamese | ঝুৰি | ||
| Aymara | canasta ukaxa | ||
| Bhojpuri | टोकरी के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ބާސްކެޓެވެ | ||
| Dogri | टोकरी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | basket | ||
| Guarani | canasta rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | basket ti basket | ||
| Krio | baskɛt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سەبەتە | ||
| Maithili | टोकरी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯕꯥꯁ꯭ꯀꯦꯠ ꯇꯧꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | basket a ni | ||
| Oromo | baaskitii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଟୋକେଇ | | ||
| Quechua | canasta | ||
| Sanskrit | टोकरी | ||
| Tatar | кәрзин | ||
| Tigrinya | መሶብ | ||
| Tsonga | xirhundzu | ||