Car in Different Languages
Discover 'Car' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'car' is a small but powerful part of our daily vocabulary. It represents not just a vehicle, but a symbol of freedom, mobility, and modern convenience. From the moment Henry Ford's assembly line revolutionized transportation in the early 20th century, cars have held a significant place in our cultural history.
Understanding the translation of 'car' in different languages can open up a world of cultural insights. For instance, in German, a car is called 'Auto', derived from the Greek 'autos', meaning 'self'. In Spanish, it's 'coche', which originates from the Latin 'coccia', meaning 'barrel' - a nod to the rounded shape of early carriages.
Exploring these linguistic nuances can deepen your appreciation for the global impact of the automobile. So, buckle up as we embark on this linguistic journey, starting with the English 'car' and venturing into the diverse world of 'automobile' translations.
Car
Car in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | voertuig | ||
| Voertuig is derived from the Dutch word "voertuig", which means "vehicle". | |||
| Amharic | መኪና | ||
| The word መኪና (mäkina) is derived from the Arabic word ماكينة (makina), which in turn comes from the Greek word μηχανή (mêkhanē), meaning "machine" or "device." | |||
| Hausa | mota | ||
| The word "mota" is derived from the French word "moto" and can also refer to a motorcycle or any vehicle with an engine. | |||
| Igbo | ụgbọ ala | ||
| The Igbo word `ụgbọ` can also mean `ship` or `vessel`, and `ala` means `land` or `ground`. | |||
| Malagasy | fiara | ||
| The word "fiara" in Malagasy originally meant "vehicle" but has since come to refer specifically to cars. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | galimoto | ||
| The word "galimoto" in Nyanja is derived from the word "gari" which means "wagon" in Swahili. | |||
| Shona | mota | ||
| In Shona, the word "mota" can also refer to a large pot or cauldron. | |||
| Somali | baabuur | ||
| The word "baabuur" in Somali originates from the Indian word "babur" which means "a covered vehicle drawn by horses or elephants". | |||
| Sesotho | koloi | ||
| Koloi is a noun meaning 'wheel' or 'carriage' in Sesotho and Zulu, and was chosen over the more common word 'teraka' to describe cars to reduce confusion with donkey carts. | |||
| Swahili | gari | ||
| The Swahili word 'gari' originates from the Arabic word 'qari' which means 'carrier' or 'something that carries'. | |||
| Xhosa | imoto | ||
| The word 'imoto' also means 'sibling' or 'sister.' | |||
| Yoruba | ọkọ ayọkẹlẹ | ||
| Ọkọ ayọkẹlẹ is a Yoruba word that literally means 'vehicle of joy' or 'vehicle that brings joy'. | |||
| Zulu | imoto | ||
| In Zulu, the word "imoto" has connotations with "speed" and "agility," alluding to the movement of a car. | |||
| Bambara | mɔbili | ||
| Ewe | ʋu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | imodoka | ||
| Lingala | motuka | ||
| Luganda | emmotoka | ||
| Sepedi | mmotoro | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kaa | ||
Car in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | سيارة | ||
| The word "سيارة" (car) in Arabic is derived from the root word "سار" (to move), and also refers to a "procession" or "convoy". | |||
| Hebrew | אוטו | ||
| In the Bible, the word אוטו refers to a beast of burden, which is where modern scholars believe the Yiddish אוטא (auto) and German Auto, from which the English word “automobile” derives, also came from. | |||
| Pashto | موټر | ||
| The Pashto word "موټر" ("motor") also refers to a water mill, with the connotation of a moving object. | |||
| Arabic | سيارة | ||
| The word "سيارة" (car) in Arabic is derived from the root word "سار" (to move), and also refers to a "procession" or "convoy". | |||
Car in Western European Languages
| Albanian | makina | ||
| The Albanian word "makina" is derived from the Italian word "macchina", which means "machine". | |||
| Basque | autoa | ||
| "Autoa" comes from the French word "automobile", which itself has Greek roots that mean "self-moving". | |||
| Catalan | cotxe | ||
| The Catalan word "cotxe" derives from the French "coche", originally meaning "saddle". | |||
| Croatian | automobil | ||
| The Croatian word "automobil" is derived from Greek "autos" ("self") and Latin "mobilis" ("movable"), hence meaning "self-moving". | |||
| Danish | bil | ||
| The suffix '-bil' in Danish also means 'automobile', as seen in 'cykelbil' (cyclecar) or 'motorcykelbil' (motorcycle combination) | |||
| Dutch | auto | ||
| Though it means "car" in English, "auto" means "bus" in Dutch; "car" is "automobiel". | |||
| English | car | ||
| The word “car” is short for “carriage” and can refer to a wagon, railway carriage, or baby carriage in addition to an automobile. | |||
| French | voiture | ||
| The word "voiture" derives from the Latin "vectura," meaning "the act of carrying" or "vehicle." | |||
| Frisian | auto | ||
| In Frisian, "auto" is derived from the Ancient Greek "autos" (self) and originally referred to a self-propelled vehicle. | |||
| Galician | coche | ||
| In Galician, "coche" can also mean "cradle," deriving from the Proto-Celtic *koχ-so-. | |||
| German | auto | ||
| The word "Auto" in German comes from the Greek word "αυτοκινήτον", meaning self-propelled. | |||
| Icelandic | bíll | ||
| Bíll can also refer to the letter 'B' in Icelandic sign language. | |||
| Irish | carr | ||
| The Irish word "carr" derives from the Latin "carrus" via Old French "car" and Middle English "carre," denoting a wheeled vehicle for transportation | |||
| Italian | macchina | ||
| "Macchina" comes from "machina," the feminine form of the Greek "mēkhanḗ" and originally meant any type of apparatus. | |||
| Luxembourgish | auto | ||
| The word 'Auto' in Luxembourgish also means 'bus' and is derived from the French word for 'automobile' ('automobile'). | |||
| Maltese | karozza | ||
| The word "karozza" ultimately derives from the Italian word "carrozza", meaning "carriage." | |||
| Norwegian | bil | ||
| The word "bil" is also used in Norwegian to refer to a motorcycle or a bicycle, but its original meaning is "wheelbarrow". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | carro | ||
| In Brazil, "carro" can also refer to a cart or a trolley. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | càr | ||
| Scots Gaelic 'càr' has additional meanings such as 'boat' and 'fort', stemming from its Proto-Celtic root *kar- meaning 'to bend'. | |||
| Spanish | coche | ||
| The word 'coche' in Spanish initially meant 'carriage' before evolving to mean 'car'. | |||
| Swedish | bil | ||
| In the past, 'bil' referred to a wheelbarrow, while 'automobil' meant 'car' | |||
| Welsh | car | ||
| In Welsh, "car" can also refer to a friend, or familiar person. | |||
Car in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | машына | ||
| The word "машына" can also refer to a mechanical device or a tool in general in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | auto | ||
| The word 'auto' can also be used to refer to a bicycle in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | кола | ||
| In Bulgarian, "кола" can also mean "wheel" or "bicycle". | |||
| Czech | auto | ||
| The Czech word "auto" originally meant "carriage" and later adopted its current meaning of "car". | |||
| Estonian | auto | ||
| The word "auto" comes from the Greek word "autos," meaning "self," and refers to the automobile's ability to move under its own power, without the need for an external force, such as an animal or a human. | |||
| Finnish | auto | ||
| The word “auto” is commonly used as a short form of “automobile” but it originally referred to a self-moving vehicle or automaton. | |||
| Hungarian | autó | ||
| In Hungarian, the word "autó" also means "self" or "automatic", originating from the Greek "auto" meaning "self". | |||
| Latvian | mašīna | ||
| The word "mašīna" is derived from the German word "Maschine", which means "machine" or "engine". | |||
| Lithuanian | automobilis | ||
| Automobilis is derived from the Greek words "autos" (self) and "mobilis" (movable). | |||
| Macedonian | автомобил | ||
| The word "автомобил" in Macedonian originates from the Greek word "αὐτοκίνητον", meaning "self-propelled". | |||
| Polish | samochód | ||
| In Polish, "samochód" comes from the words "sam" (self) and "chód" (walk), signifying self-propulsion. | |||
| Romanian | mașină | ||
| Originally the word "mașină" meant in Romanian "device" or "gadget". The alternate meaning of "car" appeared later, due to the most common device in a household being the car. | |||
| Russian | машина | ||
| The Russian word машина (literally 'machine') has a broader meaning than the English word 'car' and can also mean various types of engines, appliances, and mechanisms. | |||
| Serbian | ауто | ||
| The word "ауто" is of Greek origin and also refers to "self" or "automatic" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | auto | ||
| Auto, the Slovak word for car, shares the same root as "autumn," referring to the season when cars were historically produced before the invention of modern assembly lines. | |||
| Slovenian | avto | ||
| The word "avto" is an abbreviation of the French word "automobile" and can also refer to a bus or motorcycle. | |||
| Ukrainian | автомобіль | ||
| The word "автомобіль" is derived from the Greek words "αὐτός" (self) and "κίνησις" (motion), meaning "self-moving." | |||
Car in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | গাড়ি | ||
| "গাড়ি" can also refer to an aircraft, a ship, or a train in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | કાર | ||
| The Gujarati word "કાર" also means "work" or "business". | |||
| Hindi | गाड़ी | ||
| गाड़ी can also refer to an oxcart, train, chariot, or any wheeled vehicle in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಕಾರು | ||
| The word "ಕಾರು" in Kannada, meaning "car", has other meanings such as "black", "dark", or "darkness". | |||
| Malayalam | കാർ | ||
| The Malayalam word "കാർ" (kāṛ) shares its etymological roots with the Sanskrit word "कृषि" (kṛṣi), meaning "ploughing, agriculture", possibly due to the historical use of oxen-drawn carts for farming purposes. | |||
| Marathi | गाडी | ||
| In Marathi, the word 'गाडी' (gāḍī) can also refer to a bullock cart, a palanquin, or a train. | |||
| Nepali | कार | ||
| Nepali “कार” (kār), meaning "car," is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*kʷer-," which also means "wheel," and is related to the English word "car" and the Latin word "currere" (to run). | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਾਰ | ||
| The word "ਕਾਰ" (kāra) in Punjabi can also refer to a "deed" or "action". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මෝටර් රථ | ||
| Tamil | கார் | ||
| The Tamil word "கார்" can also refer to darkness, rain, clouds, or a specific time period. | |||
| Telugu | కారు | ||
| The word "కారు" (kāru) in Telugu can also refer to darkness or night. | |||
| Urdu | گاڑی | ||
| The word 'گاڑی' is derived from the Persian word 'گاردن' meaning 'to carry' and has alternate meanings like 'vehicle', 'carriage' or 'cart'. | |||
Car in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 汽车 | ||
| The word "汽车" literally means "self-moving vehicle" in Chinese. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 汽車 | ||
| 汽車 means more than just "car" in Chinese; it can also refer to trains, buses, trucks, and any other motorized vehicle. | |||
| Japanese | 車 | ||
| 車 used to be pronounced 'kuruma' and meant 'wheel' | |||
| Korean | 차 | ||
| The Korean word "차" (car) derives from the Sino-Korean word "車", meaning "vehicle". It can also refer to "tea", derived from the Middle Chinese word "茶". | |||
| Mongolian | машин | ||
| The word "машин" in Mongolian also means "engine" or "machine". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကား | ||
| The word "ကား" can also refer to a "container" or a "tray" in Myanmar (Burmese). | |||
Car in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | mobil | ||
| Mobil, meaning 'car' in Indonesian, originates from 'mobile', referring to its ability to move. | |||
| Javanese | mobil | ||
| The Javanese word "mobil" also refers to a "large object moving in place". | |||
| Khmer | ឡាន | ||
| In Khmer, “ឡាន” not only refers to “car”, but also to any wheeled vehicle such as a bicycle, a motorbike, even an airplane. | |||
| Lao | ລົດ | ||
| The Lao word "ລົດ" can also mean "vehicle", "carriage", or "cart". | |||
| Malay | kereta | ||
| The word "kereta" in Malay originally referred to a horse-drawn carriage or cart | |||
| Thai | รถยนต์ | ||
| The Thai word "รถยนต์" is derived from the Sanskrit word "रथ" (ratha), meaning "chariot", and the Pali word "ยนต์" (yanta), meaning "wheel or vehicle". | |||
| Vietnamese | xe hơi | ||
| "Xe hơi" literally means "steam engine." It can also mean "boat." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sasakyan | ||
Car in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | avtomobil | ||
| "Avtomobil" is the same word for "car" in Russian, from which it likely originates. | |||
| Kazakh | автомобиль | ||
| "Автомобиль" has Turkic origins, specifically from "oto" and "mobil," which mean "self" and "move," respectively. | |||
| Kyrgyz | унаа | ||
| The word "унаа" in Kyrgyz originally meant "carriage" or "horse-drawn vehicle" and later expanded to include motorized vehicles. | |||
| Tajik | мошин | ||
| The Tajik word "мошин" could derive from the Russian "машина" meaning "machine", or possibly from the Sanskrit "माष" meaning "bean". | |||
| Turkmen | awtoulag | ||
| Uzbek | mashina | ||
| The word "mashina" in Uzbek can also refer to a machine, engine, or apparatus. | |||
| Uyghur | ماشىنا | ||
Car in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kaʻa | ||
| The Hawaiian word "kaʻa" can also refer to a canoe or a sled. | |||
| Maori | motuka | ||
| "Motuka" derives from "waka" (canoe) and connotes movement across a surface. | |||
| Samoan | taʻavale | ||
| The word “taʻavale” derives from the Proto-Polynesian term “*tavale”. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kotse | ||
| The word "kotse" in Tagalog is derived from the Spanish word "coche," which means "vehicle" or "carriage." | |||
Car in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | k'añasku | ||
| Guarani | mba'yruguata | ||
Car in International Languages
| Esperanto | aŭto | ||
| Esperanto's "aŭto" derives from Latin "autos", "self"; Greek "auto-", "self" influences its modern meaning. | |||
| Latin | currus | ||
| While 'currus' meant 'car' in Latin, it originally referred to a two-wheeled chariot. | |||
Car in Others Languages
| Greek | αυτοκίνητο | ||
| The Greek term “αυτοκίνητο,” derived from “αυτό,” meaning “self,” and “κίνηση,” meaning “motion,” suggests its power of self-propulsion. | |||
| Hmong | tsheb | ||
| The word "tsheb" in Hmong is also used to refer to any vehicle with wheels, such as bicycles, motorcycles, and even tractors. | |||
| Kurdish | trimbêl | ||
| The word 'trimbêl' comes from the Arabic word 'ṭarabil', which means 'a saddle horse'. In some Kurdish dialects, trimbêl refers to a horse-drawn cart, rather than a car. | |||
| Turkish | araba | ||
| The word "araba" in Turkish also means "wagon" or "carriage". | |||
| Xhosa | imoto | ||
| The word 'imoto' also means 'sibling' or 'sister.' | |||
| Yiddish | מאַשין | ||
| The Yiddish word "מאַשין" (car) also means "engine" or "machine" in the broader sense. | |||
| Zulu | imoto | ||
| In Zulu, the word "imoto" has connotations with "speed" and "agility," alluding to the movement of a car. | |||
| Assamese | বাহন | ||
| Aymara | k'añasku | ||
| Bhojpuri | कार | ||
| Dhivehi | ކާރު | ||
| Dogri | कार | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sasakyan | ||
| Guarani | mba'yruguata | ||
| Ilocano | kotse | ||
| Krio | motoka | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئۆتۆمبێل | ||
| Maithili | कार | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯥꯔ | ||
| Mizo | lirthei | ||
| Oromo | konkolaataa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କାର | ||
| Quechua | carro | ||
| Sanskrit | कारयानम् | ||
| Tatar | машина | ||
| Tigrinya | መኪና | ||
| Tsonga | movha | ||