Battle in Different Languages
Discover 'Battle' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'battle' carries a weight of significance and cultural importance that extends far beyond its simple definition. A battle is a confrontation between two opposing forces, a struggle for victory or survival that has been a constant theme throughout human history. From ancient wars fought with swords and shields to modern conflicts waged with advanced technology, the concept of battle has been a central aspect of our collective human experience.
Understanding the translation of 'battle' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and historical contexts that shape our understanding of this powerful word. For example, in Spanish, 'battle' is translated as 'batalla,' while in German, it becomes 'Schlacht.' In Russian, the word 'битва' (bitva) carries a sense of epic struggle, reflecting the country's rich history of military conflict and resistance.
By exploring the many translations of 'battle' around the world, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the complexity and diversity of human culture and history. Here are just a few of the many ways that 'battle' is translated in different languages:
Battle
Battle in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | geveg | ||
| The word "geveg" in Afrikaans is cognate with the words "gefecht" in German and "fight" in English. | |||
| Amharic | ጦርነት | ||
| The word ጦርነት, meaning "battle" in Amharic, also carries the alternate meaning of "competition" in some contexts. | |||
| Hausa | yaƙi | ||
| The word 'yaƙi' is also used to refer to a violent confrontation or competition. | |||
| Igbo | agha | ||
| Agha also means 'to work on something', hence the term 'oji agha' for a farm. | |||
| Malagasy | battle | ||
| Malagasy battle, 'ady', also means 'match' and 'game'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | nkhondo | ||
| The word "nkhondo" also means "war" and is derived from the Proto-Bantu word "nkondo". | |||
| Shona | hondo | ||
| The Shona word "hondo" also means "war" or "conflict". | |||
| Somali | dagaal | ||
| "Dagaal," derived from Arabic "da'wa", denotes not only combat but any fierce contest. | |||
| Sesotho | ntoa | ||
| The word "ntoa" can also refer to a dispute or argument. | |||
| Swahili | vita | ||
| "Vita" in Swahili can also mean "life", a reflection of the often violent struggles for survival in the history of the Swahili people. | |||
| Xhosa | idabi | ||
| The word "idabi" can also refer to a "war party" or a "band of warriors" | |||
| Yoruba | ogun | ||
| "Ogun" also refers to the Yoruba god of war, iron, and blacksmithing | |||
| Zulu | impi | ||
| The Zulu word 'impi' can also refer to a regiment or group of soldiers. | |||
| Bambara | kɛlɛ | ||
| Ewe | aʋa | ||
| Kinyarwanda | intambara | ||
| Lingala | bitumba | ||
| Luganda | olutalo | ||
| Sepedi | tlhabano | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔko | ||
Battle in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | معركة | ||
| The word "معركة" is derived from the Arabic root ع ر ك, which means "to fight" or "to contend," and is often used to refer to a military conflict or a physical struggle. | |||
| Hebrew | קרב | ||
| קרב can also mean a sacrifice brought to the Temple in the Bible, especially an animal sacrifice. | |||
| Pashto | جګړه | ||
| The Pashto word "جګړه" derives from the Old Iranian term *vīgra- and can also mean "dispute" or "argument". | |||
| Arabic | معركة | ||
| The word "معركة" is derived from the Arabic root ع ر ك, which means "to fight" or "to contend," and is often used to refer to a military conflict or a physical struggle. | |||
Battle in Western European Languages
| Albanian | beteja | ||
| The word 'beteja' is derived from the Latin word 'bellum', meaning 'war', and also has the alternate meaning of 'fight' or 'struggle'. | |||
| Basque | bataila | ||
| The Basque word "bataila" is likely derived from the Latin word "batalia", but it can also refer to a game of cards similar to bridge. | |||
| Catalan | batalla | ||
| The word "batalla" can also mean "argument" or "debate" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | bitka | ||
| The Croatian word for “battle,” “bitka,” shares its etymology with “biti,” meaning “to be. | |||
| Danish | kamp | ||
| The Danish word "kamp" originates from the Old Norse word "kamp", meaning "contest" or "fight". | |||
| Dutch | strijd | ||
| In Dutch, the word "strijd" can also refer to a personal struggle or a fight against a disease. | |||
| English | battle | ||
| The word 'battle' originally meant 'to fight' or 'to contend', and is derived from the Middle English word 'bataille', which in turn comes from the Old French word 'bataille' and the Latin word 'batuere', meaning 'to beat'. | |||
| French | bataille | ||
| The word 'bataille' can also refer to a type of playing card or a game played with these cards. | |||
| Frisian | fjildslach | ||
| The word "fjildslach" can also refer to the outcome of a battle or to the battlefield itself. | |||
| Galician | batalla | ||
| In Galician, "batalla" can also mean "a crowd of people" or "a quarrel".} | |||
| German | schlacht | ||
| The word "Schlacht" is derived from the Old High German word "slaht", which means "blow" or "stroke". It can also refer to a "slaughter" or a "defeat". | |||
| Icelandic | bardaga | ||
| In addition to meaning 'battle', 'bardaga' can also mean 'strife', 'contention' or 'quarrel'. | |||
| Irish | cath | ||
| The word 'cath' can also refer to a war goddess, a cat, or a combat. | |||
| Italian | battaglia | ||
| The Italian word "battaglia" derives from the Late Latin "battalia," meaning "line of battle," likely influenced by the earlier "battere" (from the Proto-Indo-European root *bhet-, "to strike"). | |||
| Luxembourgish | schluecht | ||
| The word "Schluecht" derives from the Old High German "slahta," meaning "killing, slaughter" or "kindred, tribe." | |||
| Maltese | battalja | ||
| The word "battalja" is derived from the Italian word "battaglia" and also bears the alternate meaning of "a large argument or dispute". | |||
| Norwegian | slag | ||
| The Norwegian word "slag" also means "waste" or "refuse" and is related to the English word "slag" which refers to a waste product of metalworking. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | batalha | ||
| In Portugal, "batalha" can also refer to a type of monastery or convent founded after a famous military victory. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | blàr | ||
| "Blàr," a variant of the Welsh word "blawr," also means "a blast of wind or a gale." | |||
| Spanish | batalla | ||
| The Spanish word "batalla" derives from the Latin "battalia", meaning "a battalion". It has also come to mean "a struggle or contest" more generally. | |||
| Swedish | slåss | ||
| The Old Norse form is 'slá' and is related to English word "slay" | |||
| Welsh | brwydr | ||
| Welsh 'brwydr' derives from Proto-Celtic *brigantī- 'great height' or 'eminent place', related to 'bry' 'hill' and 'brân' 'raven' | |||
Battle in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | бітва | ||
| The word "бітва" derives from Old Church Slavonic and is cognate with the terms "battle" and "бой" in other Slavic languages | |||
| Bosnian | bitka | ||
| The word "bitka" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*bitьka", which also means "to beat" or "to strike". | |||
| Bulgarian | битка | ||
| "Битка" (battle in Bulgarian) comes from the word "бия" (hit in Bulgarian), denoting a violent collision. It can sometimes also refer to a debate | |||
| Czech | bitva | ||
| The word "bitva" ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *bhew-, meaning "to strike". | |||
| Estonian | lahing | ||
| The word "lahing" also means "fight" or "contest" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | taistelu | ||
| The word "taistelu" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*taist-," meaning "conflict" or "strife." | |||
| Hungarian | csata | ||
| The word "csata" also refers to a traditional Hungarian dish made with pasta, cabbage, and pork. | |||
| Latvian | cīņa | ||
| The word "cīņa" also means "struggle" or "fight" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | mūšis | ||
| The word "mūšis" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*meugh-", meaning "to fight" or "to strive." | |||
| Macedonian | битка | ||
| The word "битка" (battle) in Macedonian is also used to refer to a type of traditional Macedonian stew. | |||
| Polish | bitwa | ||
| The Polish word for battle, 'bitwa,' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'bitva,' which means 'battle' or 'fight' and is cognate with words in other Slavic languages such as Russian and Czech. | |||
| Romanian | luptă | ||
| "Lupte" means "struggle" in Romanian, not just "battle". In fact, some say that the word is related to Latin "lupus" ("wolf"), symbolizing "the wolf's struggle for survival". | |||
| Russian | боевой | ||
| "Боевой" can also mean "martial" or "combat-ready". | |||
| Serbian | битка | ||
| Битка is also the informal name for the traditional Serbian breaded and fried rolled pork cutlet. | |||
| Slovak | bitka | ||
| In Polish "bitka" means also "frying pan." | |||
| Slovenian | bitka | ||
| The word 'bitka' also means 'a blow' or 'a fight' in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | битва | ||
| The word "битва" can also refer to a large gathering of people or a fierce debate. | |||
Battle in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | যুদ্ধ | ||
| In Sanskrit, युद्ध (yuddha) also means strife, quarrel, or fight. | |||
| Gujarati | યુદ્ધ | ||
| The Gujarati word "યુદ્ધ" (yuddha) is also used to refer to any kind of conflict, including non-violent ones. | |||
| Hindi | लड़ाई | ||
| The word "लड़ाई" in Hindi not only refers to a battle but also to a fight or a quarrel between individuals. | |||
| Kannada | ಕದನ | ||
| The word “ಕದನ” can also refer to “quarrel, fight or struggle.” | |||
| Malayalam | യുദ്ധം | ||
| The word 'യുദ്ധം' (battle) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'युध्' (fight) and also means 'competition' or 'contest'. | |||
| Marathi | लढाई | ||
| The word “लढाई” (“battle”) in Marathi derives from the Sanskrit word “लढति” (“fight”) and also means “quarrel” or “dispute”. | |||
| Nepali | लडाई | ||
| In Nepali, the word "लडाई" also refers to a dispute or an altercation, showcasing its broader semantic range. | |||
| Punjabi | ਲੜਾਈ | ||
| The word "ਲੜਾਈ" can also refer to a fight or quarrel between two individuals or groups. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සටන | ||
| Derived from Sanskrit, the word “සටන” can also mean “argument” or “dispute”. | |||
| Tamil | போர் | ||
| போர் (pōr) derives from the Proto-Dravidian word *pōr which also means 'fight' or 'war'. | |||
| Telugu | యుద్ధం | ||
| The word "యుద్ధం" can be etymologically traced to the Sanskrit word "যুদ্ধ" (yuddha) meaning fight or war. | |||
| Urdu | جنگ | ||
| In addition to “battle”, the word جنگ (“jang”) in Urdu can also refer to a quarrel, a dispute, or a contest. | |||
Battle in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 战斗 | ||
| The word "战斗" also means "to fight" or "to struggle". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 戰鬥 | ||
| The character "鬥" in "戰鬥" also means "to quarrel", | |||
| Japanese | 戦い | ||
| "戦い" also means "contest" or "competition" in Japanese, and it can be used in a wide variety of contexts beyond just physical battles. | |||
| Korean | 전투 | ||
| The Korean word "전투" can also refer to a "fight" or "quarrel". | |||
| Mongolian | тулаан | ||
| The word "тулаан" also refers to a traditional Mongolian wrestling match where the objective is to bring down the opponent to the ground. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စစ်တိုက် | ||
Battle in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pertarungan | ||
| The word "pertarungan" also means "contest" or "competition". | |||
| Javanese | perang | ||
| The word "perang" in Javanese has a wider meaning than just "battle"; it can also refer to conflicts and competitions. | |||
| Khmer | សមរភូមិ | ||
| សមរភូមិ also denotes the location where battles are fought, as in its literal meaning, "fighting grounds". | |||
| Lao | ຮົບ | ||
| The Lao word "ຮົບ" can also mean "to attack" or "to fight". | |||
| Malay | pertempuran | ||
| Pertempuran is also the Malay word for 'fighting', derived from the Old Javanese 'partampuran'. It was later influenced by the Dutch 'vechten' meaning 'to fight'. | |||
| Thai | การต่อสู้ | ||
| The Thai word "การต่อสู้" ("battle") also refers to a legal battle or a contest between two sides. | |||
| Vietnamese | trận chiến | ||
| "Trận chiến" has an alternate meaning of "great effort" or "struggle". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | labanan | ||
Battle in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | döyüş | ||
| In Azerbaijani, the word "döyüş" not only means "battle" but also refers to a type of martial art similar to kickboxing. | |||
| Kazakh | шайқас | ||
| The word "шайқас" is derived from the Persian word "شكست" (shikast), meaning "defeat" or "breach." | |||
| Kyrgyz | согуш | ||
| The word "согуш" not only means "battle", but also can have the meaning of "competition" or "dispute". | |||
| Tajik | ҷанг | ||
| The word "ҷанг" in Tajik can also mean "quarrel" or "dispute", and is derived from the Old Persian "ҷang". | |||
| Turkmen | söweş | ||
| Uzbek | jang | ||
| In addition to its literal meaning, "jang" can also refer to a campaign, a dispute, or a war. | |||
| Uyghur | جەڭ | ||
Battle in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kaua | ||
| The word "kaua" also means "competition" and is used in the names of various sports and competitions, such as surfing competitions. | |||
| Maori | pakanga | ||
| The word 'pakanga' also signifies the concept of 'struggle' or 'competition' in a broader sense, extending beyond the realm of physical warfare. | |||
| Samoan | taua | ||
| The Samoan word "taua" is also used to describe competitions, such as sports or debates. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | labanan | ||
| The word "labanan" can also mean "competition" or "contest" in the context of sports or games. | |||
Battle in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ch'axwa | ||
| Guarani | ñorairõ | ||
Battle in International Languages
| Esperanto | batalo | ||
| The Esperanto word "batalo" comes from the French word "bataille", meaning "battle". | |||
| Latin | proelium | ||
| Proelium in Latin also refers to a preliminary or prelude to a battle, especially a gladiatorial contest that precedes the main event. | |||
Battle in Others Languages
| Greek | μάχη | ||
| Its other meaning and etymological root means the action of preparing wool through a process of cutting and pressing. | |||
| Hmong | sib ntaus sib tua | ||
| The term "sib ntaus sib tua" also refers to a "struggle between relatives". | |||
| Kurdish | şer | ||
| The word "şer" also means "evil" in Kurdish, possibly due to the destructive nature of battles. | |||
| Turkish | savaş | ||
| "Savaş" originally meant "distress" and "tribulation" in Turkish, but later took on the exclusive meaning of "battle". | |||
| Xhosa | idabi | ||
| The word "idabi" can also refer to a "war party" or a "band of warriors" | |||
| Yiddish | שלאַכט | ||
| The etymology of the Yiddish word "שלאַכט" is likely from the Old High German word "slaht" or "slahta" (kindred, race, or lineage), which in turn comes from the Proto-Germanic word "slahtaz". | |||
| Zulu | impi | ||
| The Zulu word 'impi' can also refer to a regiment or group of soldiers. | |||
| Assamese | যুদ্ধ | ||
| Aymara | ch'axwa | ||
| Bhojpuri | लड़ाई | ||
| Dhivehi | ހަނގުރާމަ | ||
| Dogri | जंग | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | labanan | ||
| Guarani | ñorairõ | ||
| Ilocano | laban | ||
| Krio | fɛt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | جەنگ | ||
| Maithili | लड़ाय | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯥꯟꯐꯝ | ||
| Mizo | indona | ||
| Oromo | waraana | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଯୁଦ୍ଧ | ||
| Quechua | maqanakuy | ||
| Sanskrit | जंगं | ||
| Tatar | сугыш | ||
| Tigrinya | ውግእ | ||
| Tsonga | nyimpi | ||