Bottle in Different Languages
Discover 'Bottle' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A bottle is a container with a narrow neck, used to store and transport liquids or small solids. Its significance spans across various cultures and industries, from the humble water bottle to the iconic wine bottle. The word 'bottle' has been woven into our language in many expressive phrases, such as 'bottling up' emotions or 'popping the bottle' to celebrate. Historically, bottles have been made from a variety of materials, including clay, glass, and plastic, each with their own cultural and environmental implications.
Understanding the translation of 'bottle' in different languages not only broadens your vocabulary but also offers a glimpse into the cultural nuances of other societies. For instance, the Spanish 'botella' and the French 'bouteille' reflect their respective languages' gendered noun system. Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'bottle' is 'ボトル (botoru)', reflecting the influence of English on modern Japanese.
Explore the world of bottles through language and culture, and discover how this simple object can reveal fascinating insights about the world around us.
Bottle
Bottle in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | bottel | ||
| In Afrikaans, "bottel" can also refer to a "small bottle" or a "tube". | |||
| Amharic | ጠርሙስ | ||
| The word "ጠርሙስ" comes from the Greek word "θερμός" (thermos), meaning "hot". | |||
| Hausa | kwalba | ||
| The word "kwalba" can also refer to a calabash gourd, a traditional container used for storing liquids. | |||
| Igbo | kalama | ||
| The Igbo word "kalama" was originally used to describe a gourd or calabash, not a glass bottle. | |||
| Malagasy | tavoahangy | ||
| The word "tavoahangy" also refers to a type of Malagasy dance and a traditional musical instrument made from a bottle. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | botolo | ||
| The word "botolo" can also refer to a container for liquids made of clay or wood. | |||
| Shona | bhodhoro | ||
| The word "bhodhoro" in Shona has a disputed etymology, possibly originating from the Portuguese word "garrafa" (bottle) or the Hindustani word "botal" (bottle). | |||
| Somali | dhalo | ||
| The word 'dhalo' in Somali is derived from the Arabic word 'dala' and also refers to a 'vessel' or 'container'. | |||
| Sesotho | botlolo | ||
| The word "botlolo" can also refer to a beer brewery or a place where traditional beer is brewed. | |||
| Swahili | chupa | ||
| The term 'chupa' can refer to a drinking gourd made of a hollowed-out piece of fruit and typically used to serve alcohol. | |||
| Xhosa | ibhotile | ||
| The word 'ibhotile' in Xhosa is ultimately derived from the English word 'bottle', but it can also refer to a container made from calabash or other materials. | |||
| Yoruba | igo | ||
| The word "igo" in Yoruba can also refer to the stomach or a person with a big stomach, and is related to the verb "gba" (to take in, to hold), and "iga" (a large container). | |||
| Zulu | ibhodlela | ||
| Ibotolo (bottle) is an isiNguni word derived from the Dutch word bottel, meaning 'a small vessel for holding liquids'. | |||
| Bambara | buteli | ||
| Ewe | atukpa | ||
| Kinyarwanda | icupa | ||
| Lingala | molangi | ||
| Luganda | kyupa | ||
| Sepedi | lebotlelo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | toa | ||
Bottle in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | زجاجة | ||
| In Arabic, "زجاجة" (bottle) ultimately derives from the Syriac "ܙܓܪܳܓܬܳܐ" (zaˊgrāgtā) which also gives us glass, and derives ultimately from an Akkadian word. | |||
| Hebrew | בקבוק | ||
| "בקבוק" is related to the Arabic word "qubbah", meaning "dome" or "vault", and may have originally referred to the shape of the bottle. | |||
| Pashto | بوتل | ||
| The Pashto word "بوتل" is derived from the English word "bottle" and also means "bubble" or "blister". | |||
| Arabic | زجاجة | ||
| In Arabic, "زجاجة" (bottle) ultimately derives from the Syriac "ܙܓܪܳܓܬܳܐ" (zaˊgrāgtā) which also gives us glass, and derives ultimately from an Akkadian word. | |||
Bottle in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shishe | ||
| The Albanian word "shishe" is derived from the Turkish word "şişe", which also means "bottle" and is ultimately of Persian origin. | |||
| Basque | botila | ||
| The Basque word "botila" comes from the Latin word "butticula", meaning "small cask or jar". | |||
| Catalan | ampolla | ||
| The word "ampolla" also means "blister" in Catalan, derived from the Latin "ampulla," meaning "flask" or "bubble." | |||
| Croatian | boca | ||
| The word "boca" ("bottle") also has the alternate meaning of "mouth" and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "bъkъ" | |||
| Danish | flaske | ||
| The word "flaske" is cognate with the German word "Flasche" and the English word "flask" | |||
| Dutch | fles | ||
| The Dutch word "fles" comes from the Old French "flesche", which originally referred to a vessel made from a gourd. | |||
| English | bottle | ||
| "Bottle" originally meant a small bundle or bunch, and is related to the word "bundle" | |||
| French | bouteille | ||
| "Bouteille" originally meant "small vault" or "small tower" in Old French, and is related to the Latin "buttis" meaning "cask" or "vessel". | |||
| Frisian | flesse | ||
| The Frisian word 'flesse' is a diminutive of the Middle Dutch word 'flisse', meaning 'wicker flask', and is also related to the Old English word 'flasce', meaning 'flask or bottle'. | |||
| Galician | botella | ||
| In Galician, "botella" also means "bubble" or "blister", derived from the Latin "bulla". | |||
| German | flasche | ||
| The word "Flasche" is derived from the Latin word "flasco", meaning "flask". | |||
| Icelandic | flösku | ||
| The word "flösku" is derived from the Old Norse word "flǫskur", meaning a flask or bottle, and is cognate with the English word "flask". | |||
| Irish | buidéal | ||
| The Irish word “buidéal” has the secondary meaning of an “insult” originating from the notion of using an empty bottle as a missile in the absence of anything better. | |||
| Italian | bottiglia | ||
| The word "bottiglia" comes from the Latin "butticula," meaning "small cask" or "jar." | |||
| Luxembourgish | fläsch | ||
| In rural areas in Luxembourg, a "Fläsch" also means a jug used for serving milk. | |||
| Maltese | flixkun | ||
| The Maltese word "flixkun" is derived from the Italian word "fiasco" and was originally used to refer to a straw-covered flask. | |||
| Norwegian | flaske | ||
| The word "flaske" can also refer to a "decanter", particularly one with a long neck | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | garrafa | ||
| The word "garrafa" in Portuguese originates from the Arabic word "qirbah", meaning "leather flask". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | botal | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "botal" can also refer to a bottle-shaped container or flask. | |||
| Spanish | botella | ||
| The word 'botella' originates from the Latin 'butticula', meaning small flask or jar. | |||
| Swedish | flaska | ||
| Cognate with English "flask"; also means "flattery" in old Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | potel | ||
| The word "potel" in Welsh can also refer to a vial, a flask, or a decanter. | |||
Bottle in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | бутэлька | ||
| The word “بوتэлька” in Belarusian can also refer to a small bottle or a flask used to store liquids. | |||
| Bosnian | boca | ||
| In Bosnian, "boca" not only means "bottle" but can also refer to a "flask" or a "jar" (or "carafe"). | |||
| Bulgarian | бутилка | ||
| "Бутилка" also means "hip flask" in colloquial Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | láhev | ||
| The word "láhev" also means "flask" and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*olьštava" meaning "made of alder wood". | |||
| Estonian | pudel | ||
| The word "pudel" also refers to a measure of volume equal to one-fifth of a liter or about 17 ounces. | |||
| Finnish | pullo | ||
| The word "pullo" can also refer to a glass or container used for drinking alcohol, especially in a festive setting. | |||
| Hungarian | üveg | ||
| The word "üveg" can also refer to the material of a bottle, namely glass, or to a drinking vessel in general. | |||
| Latvian | pudele | ||
| The Latvian word "pudele" is a borrowing from Estonian „pudel", which is also the word for "bottle" and is of Germanic origin. | |||
| Lithuanian | buteliukas | ||
| The word "buteliukas" in Lithuanian likely originates from an early form of the German word "bouteille." | |||
| Macedonian | шише | ||
| The word "шише" is cognate with the Albanian word "shishe" and the Turkish word "şişe", all originally derived from the Persian word "shīshe" (glass). | |||
| Polish | butelka | ||
| "Butelka" comes from the German "Bouteille" which ultimately originated from the Latin "butticula," meaning "small flask". | |||
| Romanian | sticla | ||
| The word "sticla" in Romanian ultimately derives from the Latin "sticla", meaning "drop", and has a secondary meaning of "glass". | |||
| Russian | бутылка | ||
| The word "бутылка" originally referred to a small barrel or flask, and is related to the word "бута" meaning "small barrel" or "keg" | |||
| Serbian | боца | ||
| In some dialects, 'боца' (bottle) means 'flask' containing a liter of alcoholic beverage; in others, it means a small jug for water or oil. | |||
| Slovak | fľaša | ||
| The word "fľaša" is derived from the German word "Flasche" and also refers to a kind of archaic musical instrument. | |||
| Slovenian | steklenico | ||
| The word "steklenico" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *sъklo, meaning "glass". | |||
| Ukrainian | пляшку | ||
| The word "пляшку" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *ploskъ, which originally meant a flat object. | |||
Bottle in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বোতল | ||
| The word "বোতল" can also refer to a type of small boat used in Bangladesh. | |||
| Gujarati | બોટલ | ||
| The word 'બોટલ' ('bottle') is likely derived from the Portuguese word 'botão' meaning 'bud' or 'knob'. | |||
| Hindi | बोतल | ||
| Hindi 'बोतल' (bottle) derives from 'बुदबुद' (bubble), suggesting a container with many bubbles within. | |||
| Kannada | ಬಾಟಲ್ | ||
| The Kannada term "ಬಾಟಲಿ," besides denoting "bottle," can also refer to a "vial" or "flask" in Ayurvedic medicine. | |||
| Malayalam | കുപ്പി | ||
| Malayalam word "കുപ്പി" (bottle) is derived from the Sanskrit word "kumbha", meaning "pot". It has alternate meanings in contexts like "flower bud" or "womb". | |||
| Marathi | बाटली | ||
| The Marathi word "बाटली" is possibly derived from the Arabic word "qabalah," meaning "flask" or "bottle." | |||
| Nepali | बोतल | ||
| बोतल is also a synonym for भैंस or भैंसी which refers to an adult female water buffalo | |||
| Punjabi | ਬੋਤਲ | ||
| The word "ਬੋਤਲ" is derived from Latin "butticula", meaning "small jar", and can also refer to a type of earthen or metal jar used in traditional Indian cooking. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | බෝතලය | ||
| The word “බෝතලය” also refers to a hollowed out coconut shell used as a drinking vessel or container. | |||
| Tamil | பாட்டில் | ||
| The Tamil word "பாட்டில்" is derived from the Portuguese word "garrafa" and can also refer to a flask or container. | |||
| Telugu | సీసా | ||
| "సీసా" means "bottle", but it is also a slang word for "gun". | |||
| Urdu | بوتل | ||
| The word 'بوتل' is derived from the French word 'bouteille,' which means 'little bottle,' and also refers to a small leather container for holding ink. | |||
Bottle in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 瓶子 | ||
| 瓶子 is a homophone of "平子", which means a flat or level object, suggesting the shape of a bottle. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 瓶子 | ||
| 瓶子 (píngzi) can also refer to the pupil of an eye. | |||
| Japanese | ボトル | ||
| The word "ボトル" (bottle) can also refer to a person who drinks too much alcohol. | |||
| Korean | 병 | ||
| "병" can also refer to a sickness, disease, or illness. | |||
| Mongolian | лонх | ||
| The word "лонх" in Mongolian is cognate with the Turkish word "longur" meaning "throat" and is also the root of the word "лонхор" meaning "to gulp down". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပုလင်း | ||
| The word "ပုလင်း" (bottle) is also used to refer to a bottle-shaped gourd used for storage or decoration. | |||
Bottle in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | botol | ||
| The Indonesian word "botol" comes from the Portuguese word "garrafa" and it can refer to a bottle as well as a tube or a tube-shaped container. | |||
| Javanese | gendul | ||
| The Javanese word 'gendul' also refers to a person with a large belly. | |||
| Khmer | ដប | ||
| Another meaning of "ដប" is a cylindrical container that holds something, often made of wood. | |||
| Lao | ຂວດ | ||
| The word "ຂວດ" also refers to a type of Laotian bamboo flute | |||
| Malay | sebotol | ||
| The word 'sebotol', meaning 'bottle' in Malay, is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *bukul, meaning 'tube' | |||
| Thai | ขวด | ||
| ขวด (khot) can also mean "a jar" or "a container" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | chai | ||
| The word "chai" in Vietnamese can also refer to a type of traditional Vietnamese teapot. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bote | ||
Bottle in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | şüşə | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "şüşə" can also refer to a "glass" or "pane of glass". | |||
| Kazakh | бөтелке | ||
| The word "бөтелке" in Kazakh is derived from the Russian word "бутылка", which itself is ultimately derived from the Latin word "butticula" meaning "small flask". | |||
| Kyrgyz | бөтөлкө | ||
| The word "бөтөлкө" (bottle) in Kyrgyz may also refer to a container or vessel in general. | |||
| Tajik | шиша | ||
| The word "шиша" (bottle) in Tajik also refers to a type of traditional musical instrument. | |||
| Turkmen | çüýşe | ||
| Uzbek | shisha | ||
| The word "shisha" also refers to the glass vessel used for smoking flavoured tobacco, originally from Persia. | |||
| Uyghur | بوتۇلكا | ||
Bottle in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻōmole | ||
| 'Ōmole' also pertains to a gourd used as a container | |||
| Maori | pounamu | ||
| The Maori word "pounamu" can also refer to "greenstone," a type of jade or nephrite stone highly valued by the Maori people. | |||
| Samoan | fagu | ||
| The word 'fagu' is also used as an abbreviation for 'fanau gaugau,' which means 'family of God.' | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | bote | ||
| The Tagalog word "bote" can also refer to a vote or a ballot. | |||
Bottle in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | wutilla | ||
| Guarani | liméta | ||
Bottle in International Languages
| Esperanto | botelo | ||
| "Botelo" is cognate with the Spanish word "botillo" (a type of sausage) and the Portuguese word "botelo" (a type of cornmeal mush). | |||
| Latin | lagenam | ||
| The Latin word "lagenam" (bottle) also referred to a type of Roman wine bottle with a narrow neck, wide base, and two handles. | |||
Bottle in Others Languages
| Greek | μπουκάλι | ||
| The Greek word "μπουκάλι" (bottle) derives from the Italian "boccale" (jug) and the Latin "buccula" (little cheek). | |||
| Hmong | lub raj mis | ||
| The Hmong word 'lub raj mis' can also mean 'jar' or 'jug' depending on the context. | |||
| Kurdish | şûşe | ||
| The word "şûşe" derives from the Persian word "shîshe" meaning "glass" and can also refer to a type of small, traditional bottle used for holding liquids in Kurdish culture. | |||
| Turkish | şişe | ||
| The word "şişe" derives from French "bouchon" and also means "cork", the stopper of a bottle. | |||
| Xhosa | ibhotile | ||
| The word 'ibhotile' in Xhosa is ultimately derived from the English word 'bottle', but it can also refer to a container made from calabash or other materials. | |||
| Yiddish | פלאַש | ||
| The Yiddish word "פלאַש" ("flash") also means "a sudden or brilliant idea" in English. | |||
| Zulu | ibhodlela | ||
| Ibotolo (bottle) is an isiNguni word derived from the Dutch word bottel, meaning 'a small vessel for holding liquids'. | |||
| Assamese | বটল | ||
| Aymara | wutilla | ||
| Bhojpuri | बोतल | ||
| Dhivehi | ފުޅި | ||
| Dogri | बोतल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bote | ||
| Guarani | liméta | ||
| Ilocano | botelya | ||
| Krio | bɔtul | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بوتڵ | ||
| Maithili | बोतल | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯤꯛꯂꯤ | ||
| Mizo | tuium | ||
| Oromo | qaruuraa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବୋତଲ | ||
| Quechua | botella | ||
| Sanskrit | कूपी | ||
| Tatar | шешә | ||
| Tigrinya | ጥርሙዝ | ||
| Tsonga | bodlhela | ||