Belt in Different Languages
Discover 'Belt' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Belts are more than just functional accessories. They signify status, authority, and cultural identity across the globe. From the ornate, gem-studded belts of ancient Egyptian royalty to the wide, woven belts of traditional Japanese attire, belts have held deep significance in various cultures throughout history. In the Western world, belts are often associated with rugged masculinity and hard work, while in other cultures, they may symbolize wealth, power, or religious devotion.
Given the cultural importance of belts, it's no wonder that people around the world are interested in learning the word for 'belt' in different languages. Whether you're traveling to a foreign country and want to communicate effectively with locals or simply have a passion for language and culture, knowing the translation for 'belt' can be a fun and practical way to expand your vocabulary and connect with people from different backgrounds.
Here are just a few examples of how to say 'belt' in various languages, from Spanish and French to Mandarin and Arabic:
Belt
Belt in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | gordel | ||
| The word "gordel" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word "gordel", which originally meant "girdle" or "waistband."} | |||
| Amharic | ቀበቶ | ||
| "ቀበቶ" is the name of a traditional Amharic woven belt. It can also refer to the border of a piece of clothing. | |||
| Hausa | bel | ||
| In Hausa, "bel" can also mean "to circle" or "to surround". | |||
| Igbo | belt | ||
| In Igbo, 'belt' can also refer to a type of dance performed during traditional ceremonies. | |||
| Malagasy | fehin-kibo | ||
| The word "fehin-kibo" in Malagasy translates to "belt" and its roots can be traced back to the Austronesian language family. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | lamba | ||
| The Nyanja (Chichewa) word "lamba" can also refer to a type of traditional dance or a type of drum. | |||
| Shona | bhandi | ||
| bhandi is likely cognate with Shangaan "mbani" meaning "leather or skin bag worn on back" | |||
| Somali | suunka | ||
| "Suunka" can also mean "line" or "direction" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | lebanta | ||
| The word "lebanta" in Sesotho finds its root in the Nguni languages, where it carries the same meaning of "belt". | |||
| Swahili | ukanda | ||
| "Ukanda" also means "zone" or "region" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ibhanti | ||
| The word 'ibhanti' also means 'waist' or 'midsection' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | igbanu | ||
| The word "gbànú" in Yoruba language also means "to be courageous". | |||
| Zulu | ibhande | ||
| The word 'ibhande' derives from the verb 'bhandela', meaning 'to bind' or 'to fasten'. | |||
| Bambara | sentiri | ||
| Ewe | alidziblaka | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umukandara | ||
| Lingala | mokaba | ||
| Luganda | omusipi | ||
| Sepedi | lepanta | ||
| Twi (Akan) | abɔsoɔ | ||
Belt in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حزام | ||
| حزام is derived from the root word "hzr" which means "to encircle or enclose" and can also refer to a "region" or "area" | |||
| Hebrew | חֲגוֹרָה | ||
| The word "חֲגוֹרָה" can also refer to a "circle" or "zone" in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | کمربند | ||
| The Pashto word "کمربند" derives from the Middle Persian word "kamarband", and can also refer to a "waistcoat" or "skirt". | |||
| Arabic | حزام | ||
| حزام is derived from the root word "hzr" which means "to encircle or enclose" and can also refer to a "region" or "area" | |||
Belt in Western European Languages
| Albanian | rrip | ||
| In Gheg dialects "rrip" is also used to describe the "waist". | |||
| Basque | gerrikoa | ||
| "Gerrikoa" in Basque also means "waist" or "loins", and is related to the word "gerri" (hip). | |||
| Catalan | cinturó | ||
| In the Aragonese dialect of Catalan, "cinturó" means both "belt" and "waist". | |||
| Croatian | pojas | ||
| The word "pojas" can also refer to a sash, strap, or band worn around the waist as part of a uniform, or a decorative waist-wrapping garment worn over other clothing. | |||
| Danish | bælte | ||
| The Old Norse word 'belti' originally referred to a leather strap or ribbon worn around the waist, but has since come to mean 'belt' in Danish. | |||
| Dutch | riem | ||
| The word "riem" in Dutch can also refer to a strap, a leash, or a cord. | |||
| English | belt | ||
| "Belt" can also mean a narrow strip of land, or a region or area of land. | |||
| French | ceinture | ||
| In French, the word "ceinture" can also refer to a "waistband" or a "girdle" worn by women. | |||
| Frisian | riem | ||
| In the Frisian language "riem" also refers to the rim or edge of something round. | |||
| Galician | cinto | ||
| In Galician, "cinto" also means "waistline" or "waistband" of a garment, a meaning not found in Spanish. | |||
| German | gürtel | ||
| In German, "Gürtel" can also refer to a district or neighborhood, particularly in the context of large cities. | |||
| Icelandic | belti | ||
| The Icelandic word "belti" also refers to a ribbon or a strip of fabric, and derives from the Proto-Germanic term "*beltiz". | |||
| Irish | crios | ||
| The word "crios" comes from the Old Irish "crís" which means a girdle, band or a circle. | |||
| Italian | cintura | ||
| "Cintura" originates from Latin "cingulum" and refers to a waist-tightening band but can also indicate the human waistline. | |||
| Luxembourgish | gürtel | ||
| "gürtel" in Lëtzebuergesch (Luxembourgish) not only means "belt" but also refers to a "district", especially a popular and vibrant area of a city. | |||
| Maltese | ċinturin | ||
| The word ċinturin comes from the Italian word "cintura" meaning "belt" or "girdle". | |||
| Norwegian | belte | ||
| In Norwegian, "belte" also refers to a type of fish net. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cinto | ||
| The word "cinto" in Portuguese also refers to a type of narrow ribbon or tape used for decoration or tying purposes. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | crios | ||
| In medieval Scotland, "crios" could also refer to a type of ceremonial headband worn by women or as a decoration for the horse of a knight. | |||
| Spanish | cinturón | ||
| The word "cinturón" derives from the Latin "cingulum", meaning both "belt" and "waist". | |||
| Swedish | bälte | ||
| 'Bälte' is also Swedish for 'safety belt' or 'seat belt' | |||
| Welsh | gwregys | ||
| The Welsh term "gwregys" is thought by some scholars to share an etymological root with "crwth", meaning "harp", potentially indicating an early association between music, dance and body ornamentation. | |||
Belt in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | пояс | ||
| In Belarusian, "пояс" (belt) also refers to a geographical zone, such as the "пояс лесов" (forest belt). | |||
| Bosnian | kaiš | ||
| The word "kaiš" can also refer to a type of traditional Bosnian footwear. | |||
| Bulgarian | колан | ||
| The word "колан" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*kolana", which originally meant "wheel" or "ring". | |||
| Czech | pás | ||
| The word "pás" in Czech comes from the Indo-European "*peis-," meaning "to gird." | |||
| Estonian | vöö | ||
| "Vöö" can also refer to a waistband or a specific type of sash worn by women in traditional Estonian dress. | |||
| Finnish | vyö | ||
| The word "vyö" can also refer to a strip of land or a waistline. | |||
| Hungarian | öv | ||
| Ov used to mean "girdle" instead of "belt" (as it does today) in Hungarian texts up to the 18th century. | |||
| Latvian | josta | ||
| The word "josta" in Latvian is also used to refer to a type of berry, a cross between a gooseberry and a black currant. | |||
| Lithuanian | diržas | ||
| "Diržas" may also refer to a horse saddle girth, a leather strap used to tie cows, or a strip of land. | |||
| Macedonian | појас | ||
| The word "појас" can also refer to a waist or waistband. | |||
| Polish | pas | ||
| The Polish word "pas" comes from the Old French "paas", meaning "strap" or "riband". | |||
| Romanian | centură | ||
| The Romanian word "centură" is derived from the Latin word "cingulum" meaning "girdle" and is also used to describe a type of fortification known as an "enclosure". | |||
| Russian | пояс | ||
| The word "пояс" also has the alternate meaning of "time zone" in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | каиш | ||
| "Kaiš" is also used as a slang term for "money" in Serbian | |||
| Slovak | opasok | ||
| In some Slavic languages, "opasok" means "protection amulet". | |||
| Slovenian | pasu | ||
| The word "pasu" can also mean "strap" or "bandage". | |||
| Ukrainian | ремінь | ||
| The Ukrainian word 'ремінь' ('belt') can also mean 'strap' or 'rein' in other contexts. | |||
Belt in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বেল্ট | ||
| বেল্ট শব্দটির উৎপত্তি ফরাসি শব্দ "belt" থেকে, যার অর্থ "বন্ধনী"। | |||
| Gujarati | બેલ્ટ | ||
| The Gujarati word "બેલ્ટ" can also refer to a type of fabric or a strip of land. | |||
| Hindi | बेल्ट | ||
| In some Indian languages, 'bel' refers to a creeping or climbing plant, and the plant's long stem may have given rise to the name 'belt'. | |||
| Kannada | ಬೆಲ್ಟ್ | ||
| "ಬೆಲ್ಟ್" (belt) is a versatile word with meanings spanning from a physical belt to a geographical region or even a constellation. | |||
| Malayalam | ബെൽറ്റ് | ||
| The word 'ബെൽറ്റ്' (belt) in Malayalam also refers to the 'waist region' and is a cognate of the English word 'belly'. | |||
| Marathi | बेल्ट | ||
| In Marathi, "बेल्ट" also refers to a sash or waistband worn by women. | |||
| Nepali | बेल्ट | ||
| The word "बेल्ट" can also refer to a ringworm infection. | |||
| Punjabi | ਬੈਲਟ | ||
| The word "ਬੈਲਟ" (belt) in Punjabi also refers to a waist-strengthening exercise. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පටිය | ||
| The word "පටිය" can also refer to a strip of cloth or a piece of land. | |||
| Tamil | பெல்ட் | ||
| The word பெல்ட் (belt) in Tamil derives from Portuguese, and the same word referring to the garment can also refer to the geographical concept of a strait. | |||
| Telugu | బెల్ట్ | ||
| In Telugu, "బెల్ట్" can also refer to a "girdle", "waistband", or "sash". | |||
| Urdu | بیلٹ | ||
| The Urdu word "بیلٹ" (belt) derives from the English word "belt", ultimately originating from the Old English word "bælte" meaning "a girdle". | |||
Belt in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 带 | ||
| "The Chinese word '带' literally means 'to connect'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 帶 | ||
| 帶 can also mean to lead, to bring along, or to wear. | |||
| Japanese | ベルト | ||
| ベルト (beruto) is derived from the English word "belt" which can also mean a strip of land. | |||
| Korean | 벨트 | ||
| The word 벨트 is derived from the English word "belt," but also refers to a type of fabric that can be used like a sash. | |||
| Mongolian | бүс | ||
| "Бүс" means "belt, waistband" but also may refer to any of the waist-length jackets worn by Mongols. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ခါးပတ် | ||
| The term "ခါးပတ်" is also used in Myanmar for the waist part of a traditional male attire, called "longyi", and for the waistline of a woman's dress or blouse. | |||
Belt in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | sabuk | ||
| The word "sabuk" can also refer to a belt used to tighten or hold something in place, such as a bundle of fabric. | |||
| Javanese | sabuk | ||
| The word "sabuk" in Javanese can also refer to the sash worn by a martial artist or a pregnant woman. | |||
| Khmer | ខ្សែក្រវ៉ាត់ | ||
| Lao | ສາຍແອວ | ||
| It is also called ຫູຮັກ "hūrak" for women, as the belt is used to fasten an apron, which is then tied like a bag. | |||
| Malay | tali pinggang | ||
| "Tali pinggang" derives from the Malay words "tali" (rope) and "pinggang" (waist), hence its alternate meaning of "waist rope." | |||
| Thai | เข็มขัด | ||
| The Thai word "เข็มขัด" can also mean "needle" or "pin". | |||
| Vietnamese | thắt lưng | ||
| Thắt lưng is also a Vietnamese idiom meaning "to commit suicide" when used in a figurative sense. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sinturon | ||
Belt in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kəmər | ||
| The word “kəmər” is also used to refer to a mountain pass, waist, or the zodiac | |||
| Kazakh | белбеу | ||
| The word "белбеу" originally referred to a piece of leather used to tie up animals, and later came to mean "belt". | |||
| Kyrgyz | кур | ||
| The word "кур" in Kyrgyz can also refer to a type of belt worn by men, typically made of leather or fabric and decorated with metal or other embellishments. | |||
| Tajik | камар | ||
| The word "камар" has roots in Old Persian and Sanskrit and can also mean "room" or "chamber". | |||
| Turkmen | guşak | ||
| Uzbek | kamar | ||
| "Kamar" has additional meanings such as "waist" and "area". | |||
| Uyghur | بەلۋاغ | ||
Belt in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kāʻei | ||
| "Kāʻei" can also be used to refer to a kind of tattoo worn by Hawaiian women. | |||
| Maori | whitiki | ||
| The word whitiki also refers specifically to a woven flax belt made by Maori women as a gift. | |||
| Samoan | fusipau | ||
| The word 'fusipau' in Samoan is derived from the word 'pau', meaning 'piece of wood', and 'fusi', meaning 'to tie together', indicating its original use as a wooden belt. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | sinturon | ||
| The term "sinturon" is derived from the Spanish word "cinturón", which also means "belt". In some contexts, it can also refer to a waist-worn garment similar to a sash or girdle. | |||
Belt in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | sinturuna | ||
| Guarani | ku'ajokoha | ||
Belt in International Languages
| Esperanto | zono | ||
| "Zono" is also an Esperanto word derived from the Greek "zone" that means "area of land", but this usage is uncommon and mainly seen in scientific texts. | |||
| Latin | balteum | ||
| Balteus, a belt, was also the name for a constellation we now call | |||
Belt in Others Languages
| Greek | ζώνη | ||
| The term "ζώνη" in Greek is also used in a broader sense to refer to any type of girdle, waistband, or zone. | |||
| Hmong | txoj siv sia | ||
| Historically, "txoj siv sia' has also referred to the part of a Hmong woman's skirt that wraps around her waist. | |||
| Kurdish | qayiş | ||
| The word "qayiş" has Persian, Arabic, and Syriac roots meaning "leather", "binding", or "rope". | |||
| Turkish | kemer | ||
| The word "kemer" in Turkish, meaning "belt," also refers to a "bridge" in ancient Turkish languages. | |||
| Xhosa | ibhanti | ||
| The word 'ibhanti' also means 'waist' or 'midsection' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | גאַרטל | ||
| גאַרטל also means sash, waistband, waist, or girdle. | |||
| Zulu | ibhande | ||
| The word 'ibhande' derives from the verb 'bhandela', meaning 'to bind' or 'to fasten'. | |||
| Assamese | কঁকালৰ ৰচী | ||
| Aymara | sinturuna | ||
| Bhojpuri | कमरबंद | ||
| Dhivehi | ބެލްޓު | ||
| Dogri | बेल्ट | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sinturon | ||
| Guarani | ku'ajokoha | ||
| Ilocano | barikes | ||
| Krio | bɛlt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | قایش | ||
| Maithili | क्षेत्र | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯦꯇꯤ | ||
| Mizo | kawnghren | ||
| Oromo | saqqii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବେଲ୍ଟ | ||
| Quechua | siwi | ||
| Sanskrit | पट्टक | ||
| Tatar | каеш | ||
| Tigrinya | ቐበቶ | ||
| Tsonga | bandi | ||