Captain in Different Languages
Discover 'Captain' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'captain' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, symbolizing leadership, authority, and command. From maritime expeditions to sports teams, a captain is a vital figure who leads, motivates, and makes crucial decisions. The cultural importance of this word is undeniable, as it transcends borders and languages, embodying the spirit of leadership in various contexts.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'captain' in different languages can provide fascinating insights into cultural nuances and historical contexts. For instance, the French equivalent, 'capitaine,' reflects the country's rich naval history, while the German 'Kapitän' mirrors its strong military traditions. In Japan, the term 'hosa' is used to denote a captain, reflecting the nation's unique language and culture.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a history buff, or someone with a fascination for leadership and culture, exploring the translations of 'captain' can be an enriching experience. Here's a list of translations of the word 'captain' in various languages:
Captain
Captain in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | kaptein | ||
| The word "kaptein" in Afrikaans can also refer to a police officer or a leader of a group. | |||
| Amharic | ካፒቴን | ||
| The word 'ካፒቴን' ('captain') derives from the French word 'capitaine', which itself comes from the Vulgar Latin 'capitaneus' meaning 'chieftain'. | |||
| Hausa | kyaftin | ||
| From Portuguese 'capitão', from Latin 'capitaneus' meaning 'chief'. | |||
| Igbo | onyeisi | ||
| "Onyeisi nile" literally translates to "everyone is master". | |||
| Malagasy | lehiben'ny mpiambina | ||
| The word "lehiben'ny mpiambina" also means "chief of the guards" or "captain of the guard." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kapitawo | ||
| "Kapitawo" is a word used in some cases to refer to the leader of a group of witches. | |||
| Shona | kaputeni | ||
| The word "kaputeni" is derived from the English word "captain" and also means "headman" or "chief" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | kabtan | ||
| In the Somali language, "kabtan" is derived from the English word "captain" and has the alternate meaning of "leader". | |||
| Sesotho | molaoli | ||
| The word "molaoli" comes from the root "laola," which means "to lead" or "to guide." | |||
| Swahili | nahodha | ||
| "Nahodha" derives from the Arabic word "nahhid" meaning "one who directs or guides". | |||
| Xhosa | umphathi | ||
| The word 'umphathi' also has the meaning of 'conductor', referencing the idea of leading and guiding a group of people. | |||
| Yoruba | balogun | ||
| The word "balogun" is composed of the words "ba" (to confront), "olu" (the one who possesses), and "ogun" (war), making it mean "the one who confronts (or leads) war." | |||
| Zulu | ukaputeni | ||
| In Zulu, the word 'ukaputeni' is likely a loanword from French 'capitaine' or Portuguese 'capitão,' both ultimately deriving from the Latin 'capitaneus.' | |||
| Bambara | kapitɛni ye | ||
| Ewe | ʋumefia | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kapiteni | ||
| Lingala | kapitɛni ya kapitɛni | ||
| Luganda | kapiteeni | ||
| Sepedi | molaodi wa sekepe | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔsraani panyin | ||
Captain in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | قائد المنتخب | ||
| قائد المنتخب in Arabic, deriving from قاد (to lead, command), can also refer to a leader or commander in general, not necessarily in a sporting context. | |||
| Hebrew | סֶרֶן | ||
| In the plural form, "סרנים" (seranim), the word can refer to the mast of a ship | |||
| Pashto | کپتان | ||
| In Pashto, "کپتان" (captain) is also used to refer to a person who solves difficult problems or handles complex situations. | |||
| Arabic | قائد المنتخب | ||
| قائد المنتخب in Arabic, deriving from قاد (to lead, command), can also refer to a leader or commander in general, not necessarily in a sporting context. | |||
Captain in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kapiten | ||
| In some Albanian military contexts the word 'kapiten' can also refer to a lieutenant. | |||
| Basque | kapitaina | ||
| In Basque, “kapitaine” originally meant head of a band of pirates. | |||
| Catalan | capità | ||
| "Capità" in Catalan can also refer to the head or leader of a group or organization. | |||
| Croatian | kapetan | ||
| The Croatian word 'kapetan' has its etymology in the Ancient Greek root that also produced 'kefale' ('head') and 'kraneion' ('skull'). | |||
| Danish | kaptajn | ||
| In Danish, the word 'kaptajn' ('captain') ultimately derives from the Late Latin word 'capitaneus', meaning 'chieftain'. | |||
| Dutch | gezagvoerder | ||
| The Dutch word "gezagvoerder" literally translates to "authority bearer" and could thus refer to any person or even a document with the authority to make decisions. | |||
| English | captain | ||
| The word "captain" comes from the Latin word "caput", meaning "head", and originally referred to the leader of a group or company of people. | |||
| French | capitaine | ||
| The French word "capitaine" derives from the Latin word "capitaneus," meaning "chief" or "leader." | |||
| Frisian | kaptein | ||
| The Frisian word "kaptein" can also refer to a type of military rank or a leader of a group of people. | |||
| Galician | capitán | ||
| In Galician, "capitán" (captain) also means "head of a household" or "leader of a group." | |||
| German | kapitän | ||
| The word "Kapitän" comes from the Old French word "capitaine" which in turn comes from the Latin word "caput", meaning "head". | |||
| Icelandic | skipstjóri | ||
| Skipstjóri is cognate with the English word "steersman" | |||
| Irish | captaen | ||
| Captaen is the anglicized spelling of the Irish word 'captaen' which means 'head of a group' or 'leader'. | |||
| Italian | capitano | ||
| Capitano is derived from the Latin word "caput" meaning "head", which refers to someone in a leadership position. | |||
| Luxembourgish | kapitän | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Kapitän" can also refer to a type of beetle known as the "click beetle". | |||
| Maltese | kaptan | ||
| Maltese "kaptan" is derived from Turkish "kaptan", which itself is derived from Byzantine Greek "kapetanios". | |||
| Norwegian | kaptein | ||
| "Kaptein" originates from the Dutch word "kapitein", which in turn derives from the Latin "capitaneus" meaning "chief" or "head". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | capitão | ||
| In Portuguese, the word "capitão" originated from the Latin word "caput," meaning "head" or "leader." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | caiptean | ||
| The word "caiptean" is derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "caib" (chief) and "tenn" (cord), referring to the leader who held the steering cord of the ship. | |||
| Spanish | capitán | ||
| Capitán ultimately derives from the Latin word "caput" meaning "head" and originally referred to the head of a household or clan, similar to the English word "chieftain." | |||
| Swedish | kapten | ||
| The word 'kapten' is derived from the French 'capitaine', ultimately from Latin 'caput' ('head'), making it a cognate of the English 'captain' and 'chieftain'. | |||
| Welsh | capten | ||
| The Welsh word "capten" is derived from the Latin word "capere", meaning "to take". It can also mean "chief" or "leader". | |||
Captain in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | капітан | ||
| The word "капітан" in Belarusian comes from the French word "capitaine" and originally meant "head of a group of people". | |||
| Bosnian | kapetane | ||
| The term 'kapetane' in Bosnian is of Turkish origin and holds alternate meanings such as 'head of a group' or 'leader'. | |||
| Bulgarian | капитан | ||
| The word "капитан" also means "chief" or "leader" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | kapitán | ||
| The word "kapitán" in Czech is of German origin and is cognate with the Hungarian word "kapitány". | |||
| Estonian | kapten | ||
| "Kapten" is cognate with the word "kapten" in German, Russian "капитан" and the word "captain" in English, coming from Late Latin "capitaneus", from "caput" (head). | |||
| Finnish | kapteeni | ||
| The word "kapteeni" derives from the French word "capitaine" and can also refer to the chief of a tribe or village. | |||
| Hungarian | kapitány | ||
| The word "kapitány" comes from the Latin "capitaneus", which means "chief" or "leader". | |||
| Latvian | kapteinis | ||
| The word "kapteinis" comes from the German word "Kapitän", which means "captain". In modern Latvian, the word "kapteinis" can also refer to the head of a police department. | |||
| Lithuanian | kapitonas | ||
| In Lithuanian, “kapitonas” can also mean “chief” of various groups, reflecting the original meaning of “head of a military unit” in Latin. | |||
| Macedonian | капетан | ||
| The word "капетан" (captain) is borrowed from Turkish "kaptan". In Russian, "капитан" means not only a captain but also a commander of a rank in the navy or air force. | |||
| Polish | kapitan | ||
| The word 'kapitan' is a loan from the Italian 'capitano' through German, which is derived from the Late Latin 'capitaneus,' meaning 'head' or 'chief'. | |||
| Romanian | căpitan | ||
| "Căpitan" comes from Hungarian "kapitány" and refers to military leaders or ships' masters. | |||
| Russian | капитан | ||
| The word "капитан" in Russian is derived from the Latin word "capitaneus", meaning "chieftain". It also has a more informal meaning in Russian as a form of respectful address to an elderly man. | |||
| Serbian | капетане | ||
| The word 'капетане' in Serbian, derived from the Greek word 'kapetanios', originally referred to a leader or a chief. | |||
| Slovak | kapitán | ||
| In Slovak, "kapitán" also refers to the leader of a gang or a group of criminals. | |||
| Slovenian | kapitan | ||
| In Slovenian, 'kapitan' can also refer to a commander in certain sports or a leader of a criminal gang. | |||
| Ukrainian | капітан | ||
| The word “капітан” (“captain”) derives from the Middle Dutch word “capitein,” which in turn comes from the French word “capitaine,” which is the same source for the English word “captain.” | |||
Captain in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অধিনায়ক | ||
| অধিনায়ক is a composite term derived from | |||
| Gujarati | કેપ્ટન | ||
| The word "કેપ્ટન" is derived from the Latin word "caput", meaning "head". | |||
| Hindi | कप्तान | ||
| कप्तान derives from the Sanskrit term 'karpatan' meaning the 'holder of the helm'. | |||
| Kannada | ನಾಯಕ | ||
| ನಾಯಕ" can also mean leader, chief, or head of an organization in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ക്യാപ്റ്റൻ | ||
| In Malayalam, "ക്യാപ്റ്റൻ" (captain) is a loanword from English and is used to refer to leaders in various contexts, including those in charge of a ship, a sports team, or an organization | |||
| Marathi | कर्णधार | ||
| The word 'कर्णधार' (pronounced 'karnadhar') in Marathi, meaning 'captain,' is derived from the Sanskrit words 'karna' ('ear') and 'dhar' ('holder'). This is because the captain of a ship is often considered the 'ear' of the vessel, receiving information and instructions from various sources and making decisions accordingly. | |||
| Nepali | कप्तान | ||
| "कप्तान" (captain) originates from the French "capitaine" and ultimately derives from the Latin "caput", meaning "head." | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਪਤਾਨ | ||
| "ਕਪਤਾਨ" is the Punjabi word for "leader" or "master" and comes from the Sanskrit "kapitana" meaning "chief". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කැප්ටන් | ||
| Sinhala "කැප්ටන්" comes from English "captain" but can also refer to a school principal or company manager. | |||
| Tamil | கேப்டன் | ||
| The Tamil word 'கேப்டன்' (captain) is likely derived from the Sanskrit word 'kapitana', meaning a commander or chief. | |||
| Telugu | కెప్టెన్ | ||
| The word "కెప్టెన్" (captain) is derived from the Latin word "caput", meaning "head". | |||
| Urdu | کپتان | ||
| In Urdu, "کپتان" is also used to refer to the leader of a political party, or to a respected or influential person in a particular community, such as the "captain" of an industry or profession. | |||
Captain in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 队长 | ||
| In Chinese, 队长 (captain) can refer to a team leader or a police station chief. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 隊長 | ||
| 隊長 can also be a Japanese name (Taichou) and may mean "big chief" or "great lord". | |||
| Japanese | キャプテン | ||
| The word キャプテン (kyaputen) is derived from the English word "captain" and also means "coach" or "leader" in a non-military context. | |||
| Korean | 선장 | ||
| The word "선장" "captain" in Korean ultimately derives from the Sanskrit word "senapati" meaning "army leader". | |||
| Mongolian | ахмад | ||
| "Ахмад" is similar to the name "Акмат" which means "a person who manages a particular thing" | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ခေါင်းဆောင် | ||
Captain in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kapten | ||
| In Indonesian, "Kapten" can also refer to a leader of a group or organization, similar to the English "chief" or "head". | |||
| Javanese | kapten | ||
| In Javanese, "kapten" can also refer to a traditional village leader or a military commander. | |||
| Khmer | ប្រធានក្រុម | ||
| In sports, it is the person in charge of a team, while in the military, it is an officer in command of a company. | |||
| Lao | ກັບຕັນ | ||
| In Lao, | |||
| Malay | kapten | ||
| Kapten shares its origin with the Tamil word 'kaptan', an officer in charge of a ship's cargo. | |||
| Thai | กัปตัน | ||
| The word กัปตัน comes from the French word “capitaine”, which in turn derives from the Latin word “caput” meaning “head”. | |||
| Vietnamese | đội trưởng | ||
| "Đội trưởng" (captain) literally means "head of the team" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kapitan | ||
Captain in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kapitan | ||
| 'Kapitan' (captain) is also colloquially used in Azerbaijan to address someone who is highly respected or has good leadership skills, regardless of their official position or rank. | |||
| Kazakh | капитан | ||
| In Turkic languages the word "капитан" can also mean "headman" or "chief". | |||
| Kyrgyz | капитан | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "капитан" can also refer to a "chief" or a "leader" of a group or organization. | |||
| Tajik | капитан | ||
| The word "капитан" can also mean "conductor" or "skipper" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | kapitan | ||
| Uzbek | kapitan | ||
| The word "kapitan" originates from the Russian word “kапитан", which was derived from the Dutch "kapitein" and ultimately from the Latin 'caput, meaning “head". | |||
| Uyghur | كاپىتان | ||
Captain in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kāpena | ||
| In Hawaiian, "kāpena" also refers to "a chief over many, a head officer" or "a governor". | |||
| Maori | kāpene | ||
| In Maori, the word "kāpene" can also refer to a chief, a leader, or a person in charge. | |||
| Samoan | kapeteni | ||
| Samoan "kapeteni" (captain) is derived from English "captain" and can also refer to a ship's pilot or a team's leader. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kapitan | ||
| In Tagalog, 'kapitan' also refers to a neighborhood leader or a leader of a group. | |||
Captain in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | capitan satawa | ||
| Guarani | capitán ramo | ||
Captain in International Languages
| Esperanto | kapitano | ||
| The Esperanto word 'kapitano' originates from the Italian word 'capitano', which itself derives ultimately from the Latin word 'caput' (head). | |||
| Latin | princeps | ||
| In addition to meaning "captain or leader", "princeps" can mean "emperor", "prince", "ruler", or "chief magistrate". | |||
Captain in Others Languages
| Greek | καπετάνιος | ||
| The word "Καπετάνιος" (captain) derives from the Italian word "capitano" and the Venetian word "capetanio". | |||
| Hmong | tus nom | ||
| Tus nom roughly translates to 'owner' or 'master', likely referring to the head of the family or clan. | |||
| Kurdish | kaptan | ||
| The Kurdish word 'kaptan' is derived from the Persian word 'khodāvand' meaning 'master' or 'lord'. | |||
| Turkish | kaptan | ||
| Kaptan is derived from the Persian "khodāvand" (master) and originally meant "chief" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | umphathi | ||
| The word 'umphathi' also has the meaning of 'conductor', referencing the idea of leading and guiding a group of people. | |||
| Yiddish | קאַפּיטאַן | ||
| The Yiddish word "קאַפּיטאַן" ("captain") also means "coach" or "team leader" in various sports. | |||
| Zulu | ukaputeni | ||
| In Zulu, the word 'ukaputeni' is likely a loanword from French 'capitaine' or Portuguese 'capitão,' both ultimately deriving from the Latin 'capitaneus.' | |||
| Assamese | কেপ্তেইন | ||
| Aymara | capitan satawa | ||
| Bhojpuri | कप्तान के ह | ||
| Dhivehi | ކެޕްޓަން އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | कप्तान जी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kapitan | ||
| Guarani | capitán ramo | ||
| Ilocano | kapitan | ||
| Krio | kapten | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کاپتن | ||
| Maithili | कप्तान | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯦꯞꯇꯦꯟ ꯑꯣꯏꯅꯥ ꯊꯧ ꯄꯨꯈꯤ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | captain a ni | ||
| Oromo | kaappiteenii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅଧିନାୟକ | ||
| Quechua | capitan | ||
| Sanskrit | कप्तानः | ||
| Tatar | капитан | ||
| Tigrinya | ሓለቓ ጋንታ | ||
| Tsonga | mukaputeni | ||