Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'carry' holds a significant place in our daily lives, often used to describe the act of transporting objects or ideas from one place to another. This simple action holds deep cultural importance, symbolizing responsibility, burden, and progress. From a historical context, 'carry' has been a crucial part of human evolution, enabling us to hunt, gather, and migrate.
Moreover, the word 'carry' has fascinating translations in different languages, shedding light on how cultures around the world view this action. For instance, in Spanish, 'carry' translates to 'llevar,' while in German, it's 'tragen.' In Japanese, the word 'tsuuchou' (通帳) means 'carry a ledger,' reflecting their meticulous record-keeping culture. Meanwhile, in Zulu, 'hlala' means 'to carry in the mind or memory,' highlighting the emotional weight of carrying something.
Discovering the translations of 'carry' in various languages offers a unique insight into different cultures and their values. Below, you'll find a comprehensive list of 'carry' translations in multiple languages, providing a linguistic journey across the globe.
Afrikaans | dra | ||
Although 'dra' is pronounced the same in Afrikaans as in Dutch, it is probably derived from Malay rather than Dutch. | |||
Amharic | ተሸከም | ||
The Amharic word "ተሸከም" can also mean "to shoulder" or "to bear a burden". | |||
Hausa | kawo | ||
The word "kawo" in Hausa, meaning to transport or bear something, also denotes an offering that is presented to a higher power or authority. | |||
Igbo | buru | ||
The verb "buru" in Igbo can be used to refer to carrying physically, taking, or leading. | |||
Malagasy | entana | ||
The word “entana” can either mean “to carry” or “to transport” (people or things) in the Malagasy language. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | kunyamula | ||
The word "kunyamula" can also mean "to pick up" or "to hold". | |||
Shona | takura | ||
The Shona word 'takura' can also refer to the act of planning or plotting. | |||
Somali | qaado | ||
"Qaado" also means "to transport" or "to take something with you." | |||
Sesotho | jara | ||
The word 'jara' also denotes the concept of 'carrying' a person's reputation. | |||
Swahili | kubeba | ||
"Kubeba" also means "to be on the move" or "to travel"} | |||
Xhosa | thwala | ||
In Xhosa, 'thwala' also means to bear a burden, endure, withstand, sustain, tolerate, or handle something difficult. | |||
Yoruba | gbee | ||
The word "gbee" in Yoruba can also mean "to lead" or "to guide." | |||
Zulu | thwala | ||
Thwala means "carry" in Zulu. However, the Zulu word "thwala" also has a figurative meaning, referring to "bearing" a burden or responsibility. | |||
Bambara | ka ta | ||
Ewe | tsᴐ | ||
Kinyarwanda | gutwara | ||
Lingala | komema | ||
Luganda | okusitula | ||
Sepedi | rwala | ||
Twi (Akan) | soa | ||
Arabic | احمل | ||
The word "احمل" (carry) also means "to bear the burden of something"} | |||
Hebrew | לשאת | ||
The Hebrew verb 'לשאת' ('lasa't') carries the additional connotation of 'bearing' or 'tolerating' a burden, extending beyond physical transportation to encompass emotional or psychological weight. | |||
Pashto | وړل | ||
The word "وړل" ("carry") in Pashto can also be used to mean "manage" or "take care of". | |||
Arabic | احمل | ||
The word "احمل" (carry) also means "to bear the burden of something"} |
Albanian | mbart | ||
The Albanian word "mbart" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*bher-," meaning "to bear, carry." | |||
Basque | eraman | ||
The verb "eraman" also means "to give birth" or "to gain revenue" | |||
Catalan | portar | ||
In Catalan, "portar" also means "to wear" or "to have on oneself", similar to its origins in Latin "portare". | |||
Croatian | nositi | ||
"Nosi" also refers to a person with a distinctive feature or quality, such as "žuta nosi": a blonde, or "crna nosi": a brunette | |||
Danish | bære | ||
"Bære" is also used figuratively in Danish, e.g. to "bære en byrde" (bear a burden). | |||
Dutch | dragen | ||
The Dutch word "dragen" is derived from Old High German "tragan", meaning "to carry" or "to wear". | |||
English | carry | ||
The word 'carry' derives from the Middle English term 'carien', meaning 'to transport' or 'to bring'. It also has connotations of 'supporting' or 'bearing'. | |||
French | porter | ||
Porter comes from the Latin portare and has several alternate meanings in French, including « porter » (to wear), « porter » (to behave), and « porter » (to propose). | |||
Frisian | drage | ||
The Frisian word "drage" also means to pull, draw, or drag. | |||
Galician | levar | ||
Galician “levar” is cognate with Portuguese and Catalan “levar”, meaning “take”, from Latin “levare” (“lift”, “remove”, “take away”). | |||
German | tragen | ||
German "tragen" relates to "drag" and "trudge" from Old High German "dragan" and Indo-European "dhergh" "long". | |||
Icelandic | bera | ||
Icelandic 'bera' carries connotations of enduring a burden or responsibility and alludes to 'bar' in 'barricade'. | |||
Irish | iompar | ||
Iomaireacht (the state of being carried) is the word used in Irish for 'pregnancy'. | |||
Italian | trasportare | ||
In Italian, "trasportare" also means "to move" or "to transfer". | |||
Luxembourgish | droen | ||
In the Middle Ages the word "droen" also had the meaning of "to bear the costs". | |||
Maltese | iġorru | ||
The word "iġorru" can also refer to the act of supporting or protecting someone or something. | |||
Norwegian | bære | ||
The Old Norse word "bera" has the same root as the word "bear". In Norwegian "bære" is a cognate of the English "birth". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | carregar | ||
The Portuguese word "carregar" (from the Latin "carricare") also means "to load" or "to recharge" batteries. | |||
Scots Gaelic | giùlan | ||
Spanish | llevar | ||
The verb "llevar" in Spanish also means "to wear" or "to take (someone) somewhere". | |||
Swedish | bära | ||
The Swedish word "bära" can also mean "to give birth". | |||
Welsh | cario | ||
The word 'cario' can also mean 'to bear or endure', as in the phrase 'cario bawb' (to endure hardship). |
Belarusian | несці | ||
Belarusian word "несці" comes from the same Proto-Slavic root as "нести" in Russian and "nieść" in Polish, meaning "to carry" or "to bear". It can also mean "to endure" or "to suffer". | |||
Bosnian | nositi | ||
In Bosnian, "nositi" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "nes-," meaning "to bear" or "to carry." | |||
Bulgarian | носете | ||
The word "носете" can also mean "to bear" or "to sustain" in some contexts. | |||
Czech | nést | ||
The Czech word "nést" originally meant "to endure" and was related to the Sanskrit word "ni-bar" with the same meaning. | |||
Estonian | kandma | ||
"Kandma" is also used in Estonia to mean bearing or holding up something heavy. | |||
Finnish | kantaa | ||
The word "kantaa" in Finnish shares a common etymology with "kantti" (edge), suggesting a connection between carrying and the boundaries of something. | |||
Hungarian | visz | ||
"Visz" also means "transport", "take" and even "lead" depending on context. | |||
Latvian | nest | ||
"Nests" may also refer to a "nest pocket" in an article of clothing, where an armhole would connect in garment-making. | |||
Lithuanian | nešiotis | ||
The Lithuanian word "nešiotis", meaning "to carry", also has the archaic meaning of "to wear" as clothing or accessories. | |||
Macedonian | носат | ||
The word "носат" can also refer to a person who carries something. | |||
Polish | nieść | ||
The verb "nieść" (carry) was originally a variant of "nosić" (wear), which explains its dual meaning: bearing an object, and giving birth. | |||
Romanian | transporta | ||
The word "transporta" also has the archaic meaning of "to transform". | |||
Russian | нести | ||
The word "нести" can also mean "to lay eggs" in Russian. | |||
Serbian | носити | ||
The verb "носити" also means "wear" or "dress" in Serbian. | |||
Slovak | niesť | ||
In Slovak, the word niesť has an Old Slavic origin (нести), but also an alternate meaning "to lay (an egg)." | |||
Slovenian | nositi | ||
It is derived from Proto-Slavic *nositi, from *nesti, with the derivational suffix *-iti | |||
Ukrainian | нести | ||
The Ukrainian term "нести" not only means "to carry," but also "to bear," "to endure," "to suffer," or "to undergo." |
Bengali | বহন | ||
বহন (carry) also means 'tolerate' or 'suffer'. | |||
Gujarati | વહન | ||
In Gujarati, the word "વહન" ("carry") can also refer to "bear" or the act of "transferring or taking something from one place to another." | |||
Hindi | कैरी | ||
The Hindi word "कैरी" can also refer to a type of raw mango. | |||
Kannada | ಒಯ್ಯಿರಿ | ||
ಒಯ್ಯಿರಿ (oyyari) also means 'to transport' or 'to move something from one place to another'. | |||
Malayalam | ചുമക്കുക | ||
The word 'ചുമക്കുക' can also mean 'to bear a burden' or 'to endure something difficult'. | |||
Marathi | वाहून नेणे | ||
The word 'वाहून नेणे' in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word 'वाहन' (vehicle) and literally means 'to make ride' | |||
Nepali | बोक्नु | ||
The word "बोक्नु" can also mean "to bear the weight of responsibility" or "to endure". | |||
Punjabi | ਲੈ | ||
In Punjabi, the word "ਲੈ" not only means "to carry" but also serves as a form of address, signifying intimacy or respect. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | රැගෙන යන්න | ||
The word 'රැගෙන යන්න' ('carry') in Sinhala (Sinhalese) also carries the meanings of 'to bring,' 'to take,' and 'to lead'. | |||
Tamil | எடுத்துச் செல்லுங்கள் | ||
Telugu | తీసుకువెళ్ళండి | ||
Urdu | لے جانا | ||
"لے جانا" can also mean to lead, guide, or take away from a place. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 携带 | ||
携带 (xiedai) can also mean a "container for things" such as a "briefcase" or a "bag" or a "suitcase". | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 攜帶 | ||
In ancient Chinese, 攜帶 meant 'carry a child on one's back'. The character 攜 combines 'hand' and 'clothes' to represent a child on one's back. | |||
Japanese | 運ぶ | ||
運ぶ can also mean 'to work' or 'to operate' when used with certain objects (e.g. 運ぶ when used with 機械 means 'to operate machinery'). | |||
Korean | 나르다 | ||
"나르다◆ (nanda) is derived from an old Korean word 왜복력 ("n완인rda"), which was synonymous with 가소 ("육세", “move", "change location") and 알리 ("찾개", "convey", “deliver" or "transmit")◇. | |||
Mongolian | авч явах | ||
The word "авч явах" in Mongolian can also mean "to transport" or "to convey". | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | သယ်ဆောင်သည် | ||
Indonesian | membawa | ||
"Membawa" can also refer to the concept of "taking over" a role, responsibility, or possession. | |||
Javanese | nggawa | ||
The Javanese word “nggawa” (pronounced [ŋgawa]) also means “take place” referring to holding events. | |||
Khmer | កាន់ | ||
The Khmer word "កាន់" (kaan) also means to hold, support, or maintain something. | |||
Lao | ແບກ | ||
The word "แบก" (แบก) can also mean to support or endure something difficult in Lao. | |||
Malay | membawa | ||
Membawa, meaning "carry" in Malay, is also used to express the notion of "bring" or "wear" (clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc.). | |||
Thai | พก | ||
พก (phák) can also refer to something that is included, attached, or accompanies something else. | |||
Vietnamese | mang | ||
Mang derives from Proto-Mon-Khmer, and is cognate with Khmer 'mong and Proto-Austronesian *baŋaŋ. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | dalhin | ||
Azerbaijani | daşımaq | ||
The verb "daşımaq" is derived from the Persian word "daštan","which also means to have or to contain." | |||
Kazakh | тасу | ||
The word 'тасу' also refers to the movement of animals in a herd. | |||
Kyrgyz | ташуу | ||
In the Kypchak language, ташуу means both "carry" and "to take something into account", implying that taking responsibility for carrying is a form of accounting. | |||
Tajik | бардоштан | ||
The word "бардоштан" in Tajik is derived from the Persian word "برداشتن" (bardāštan), meaning "to carry, to lift, to take up". | |||
Turkmen | götermek | ||
Uzbek | olib yurmoq | ||
The word "olib yurmoq" can mean to carry physically, to tolerate, or to fulfill a duty or responsibility. | |||
Uyghur | ئېلىپ يۈرۈش | ||
Hawaiian | hāpai | ||
While usually associated with carrying people, "hāpai" can also mean "to raise" in the sense of raising a child or tending a crop. | |||
Maori | kawe | ||
The Maori word "kawe" also refers to the act of taking someone with you or bringing something to someone. | |||
Samoan | amoina | ||
In Samoan, 'amoina' can also mean 'to support' or 'to protect'. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | dalhin | ||
The Tagalog word "dalhin" is also used to mean "to bring" or "to take" something somewhere. |
Aymara | apaña | ||
Guarani | raha | ||
Esperanto | porti | ||
The word "porti" also has the alternate meanings "to have on oneself", "to wield a weapon", or "to carry out in thought". | |||
Latin | gesturum | ||
The word "gesturum" is derived from the Latin verb "gero, gerere," meaning "to carry, to bear, or to conduct." |
Greek | μεταφέρω | ||
In ancient Greek, "μεταφέρω" could mean "to translate" or "to use a metaphor." | |||
Hmong | nqa | ||
The Hmong word "nqa" can also mean "to raise" or "to support". | |||
Kurdish | hilgirtin | ||
The word 'hilgirtin' in Kurdish can also mean 'to lift up' or 'to elevate' something. | |||
Turkish | taşımak | ||
The word 'Taşımak' also means 'to move' or 'to transport' in Turkish. | |||
Xhosa | thwala | ||
In Xhosa, 'thwala' also means to bear a burden, endure, withstand, sustain, tolerate, or handle something difficult. | |||
Yiddish | פירן | ||
Yiddish "פירן" also means "to lead" (a group or an orchestra), "to take" (oneself somewhere), and "to bring" (a guest or a dish). | |||
Zulu | thwala | ||
Thwala means "carry" in Zulu. However, the Zulu word "thwala" also has a figurative meaning, referring to "bearing" a burden or responsibility. | |||
Assamese | কঢ়িওৱা | ||
Aymara | apaña | ||
Bhojpuri | ढोअल | ||
Dhivehi | އުފުލުން | ||
Dogri | लेई जाओ | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | dalhin | ||
Guarani | raha | ||
Ilocano | awiten | ||
Krio | kɛr | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | هەڵگرتن | ||
Maithili | ल चलू | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯨꯕ | ||
Mizo | phur | ||
Oromo | baachuu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ବହନ କର | | ||
Quechua | apay | ||
Sanskrit | वहति | ||
Tatar | алып бару | ||
Tigrinya | ተሸከም | ||
Tsonga | rhwala | ||