Citizen in Different Languages
Discover 'Citizen' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Citizen
Afrikaans burger | ||
Albanian qytetar | ||
Amharic ዜጋ | ||
Arabic مواطن | ||
Armenian քաղաքացի | ||
Assamese নাগৰিক | ||
Aymara markachiri | ||
Azerbaijani vətəndaş | ||
Bambara jamanaden | ||
Basque herritarra | ||
Belarusian грамадзянін | ||
Bengali নাগরিক | ||
Bhojpuri नागरिक | ||
Bosnian građanin | ||
Bulgarian гражданин | ||
Catalan ciutadà | ||
Cebuano lungsuranon | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 公民 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 公民 | ||
Corsican citatinu | ||
Croatian građanin | ||
Czech občan | ||
Danish borger | ||
Dhivehi ރައްޔިތުން | ||
Dogri शैह्री | ||
Dutch inwoner | ||
English citizen | ||
Esperanto civitano | ||
Estonian kodanik | ||
Ewe dumevi | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) mamamayan | ||
Finnish kansalainen | ||
French citoyenne | ||
Frisian boarger | ||
Galician cidadán | ||
Georgian მოქალაქე | ||
German bürger | ||
Greek πολίτης | ||
Guarani tavayguára | ||
Gujarati નાગરિક | ||
Haitian Creole sitwayen ameriken | ||
Hausa ɗan ƙasa | ||
Hawaiian kamaʻāina | ||
Hebrew אֶזרָח | ||
Hindi नागरिक | ||
Hmong pej xeem | ||
Hungarian polgár | ||
Icelandic ríkisborgari | ||
Igbo nwa amaala | ||
Ilocano umili | ||
Indonesian warganegara | ||
Irish saoránach | ||
Italian cittadino | ||
Japanese 市民 | ||
Javanese warga negara | ||
Kannada ನಾಗರಿಕ | ||
Kazakh азамат | ||
Khmer ពលរដ្ឋ | ||
Kinyarwanda umuturage | ||
Konkani नागरीक | ||
Korean 시민 | ||
Krio sitizin | ||
Kurdish hembajarî | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) هاوڵاتی | ||
Kyrgyz жаран | ||
Lao ພົນລະເມືອງ | ||
Latin civis | ||
Latvian pilsonis | ||
Lingala mwana-mboka | ||
Lithuanian pilietis | ||
Luganda omutuuze | ||
Luxembourgish bierger | ||
Macedonian граѓанин | ||
Maithili नागरिक | ||
Malagasy olom-pirenena | ||
Malay warganegara | ||
Malayalam പൗരൻ | ||
Maltese ċittadin | ||
Maori tangata whenua | ||
Marathi नागरिक | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯅꯥꯒ꯭ꯔꯤꯛ | ||
Mizo rammi | ||
Mongolian иргэн | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) နိုင်ငံသား | ||
Nepali नागरिक | ||
Norwegian borger | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) nzika | ||
Odia (Oriya) ନାଗରିକ | ||
Oromo lammii | ||
Pashto اتباع | ||
Persian شهروند | ||
Polish obywatel | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) cidadão | ||
Punjabi ਨਾਗਰਿਕ | ||
Quechua llaqta masi | ||
Romanian cetăţean | ||
Russian гражданин | ||
Samoan sitiseni | ||
Sanskrit नागरिक | ||
Scots Gaelic saoranach | ||
Sepedi modudi | ||
Serbian грађанин | ||
Sesotho moahi | ||
Shona mugari | ||
Sindhi شهري | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) පුරවැසියා | ||
Slovak občan | ||
Slovenian državljan | ||
Somali muwaadin | ||
Spanish ciudadano | ||
Sundanese warga nagara | ||
Swahili raia | ||
Swedish medborgare | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) mamamayan | ||
Tajik шаҳрванд | ||
Tamil குடிமகன் | ||
Tatar гражданин | ||
Telugu పౌరుడు | ||
Thai พลเมือง | ||
Tigrinya ዜጋ | ||
Tsonga muakatiko | ||
Turkish vatandaş | ||
Turkmen raýaty | ||
Twi (Akan) manba | ||
Ukrainian громадянин | ||
Urdu شہری | ||
Uyghur پۇقرا | ||
Uzbek fuqaro | ||
Vietnamese người dân | ||
Welsh dinesydd | ||
Xhosa ngummi | ||
Yiddish בירגער | ||
Yoruba ara ilu | ||
Zulu isakhamuzi |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | The Afrikaans word 'burger' has various meanings including a resident of a town (an urbanite) and a male animal used for breeding (a stud). |
| Albanian | The word "qytetar" ('citizen') derives from Latin "civitas" ('city'), while also being the root of "qytet" ('city') and "qytetërim" ('civilization') in Albanian. |
| Amharic | ዜጋ is derived from the root word 'זג' in Biblical Hebrew, meaning "to go out". It was originally used to describe those who lived outside the city walls and thus not subject to its laws. |
| Arabic | The word "مواطن" in Arabic is derived from the root "وطن," which means "homeland" or "place of origin." |
| Azerbaijani | The Azerbaijani word "vətəndaş" comes from the Persian word "vatan", meaning "homeland" or "fatherland". |
| Basque | The word "herritarra" likely originates from the verb "erri" ("town"), as it denotes a person who belongs to a specific town or territory. |
| Bengali | The word 'নাগরিক' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'नगर' (nagar), meaning 'city' or 'town'. |
| Bosnian | The word 'građanin' derives from 'graditi', meaning 'to build', so it originally meant 'homeowner' or 'builder' and only gradually took on its current meaning. |
| Bulgarian | The word "гражданин" shares its root with "город" (city), which is reflected in its original meaning of "townsman". |
| Catalan | The word 'ciutadà' is derived from the Latin word 'civitas', meaning 'city' or 'state'. |
| Cebuano | The term "lungsuranon" is derived from the Spanish word "residente", meaning "resident" or "inhabitant". |
| Chinese (Simplified) | In ancient Chinese philosophy, '公民' meant people with moral integrity who participated in public affairs. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | The word "公民" (citizen) in Traditional Chinese was originally a term denoting a person who lived in a city that was directly under the emperor's control. |
| Corsican | The term "citatinu" can refer to a native or inhabitant of a specific place, and can also be used metaphorically to denote one's affiliation with a particular group or community. |
| Croatian | The Croatian term 'građanin' originally denoted a city-dweller and has cognates in many Slavic languages. |
| Czech | "Občan" in Czech does not only mean "citizen" but also "ordinary person" or "private person". |
| Danish | The word "borger" in Danish is derived from the Old Norse word "býrgarr", which means "one who lives in a town or city." |
| Dutch | Dutch word "inwoner" literally means an "inner dweller" or a "dweller". |
| Esperanto | Esperanto's "civitano" is derived from the Latin "civis", meaning both "citizen" and "civilian", and also has a third meaning of "lay member of a religious order." |
| Estonian | Kodanik shares its root "kod" with "kodu" (home), indicating a connection between citizenship and belonging to a place. |
| Finnish | The word kansalainen derives from the word 'kansa' meaning 'people'. |
| French | The French word 'citoyenne,' meaning 'citizen,' derives from the Latin 'civitas,' referring to the citizenry. |
| Frisian | In East Frisian, 'boarger' also means 'peasant' or 'farmer' |
| Galician | In Galician, "cidadán" has an alternate meaning referring to a member of a rural community, similar to the English "countryman". |
| Georgian | The Georgian word "მოქალაქე" ("citizen") likely derives from the Old Persian word "mitrakar," meaning "friend of the king," and can also refer to "townsman" or "city-dweller." |
| German | The word "Bürger" in German derives from the Old High German "burc" meaning "castle" or "fortified settlement", hence its original meaning of "one who lives in a fortified settlement". |
| Greek | In Ancient Greek, 'politēs' referred not only to citizens but also to members of the city's community, including foreigners and slaves. |
| Gujarati | 'નાગરિક' ('citizen' in Gujarati) ultimately derives from Sanskrit 'नगर' ('town'), signifying a person belonging to a town or city, later extended to mean 'citizen of a state'. |
| Haitian Creole | In Haitian Creole, the word "sitwayen ameriken" derives from "citizen" through French, as well as "sited", meaning "sit", and "wayin", meaning "American". |
| Hausa | "Ɗan ƙasa" also means "descendant" or "son of the land" in Hausa. |
| Hawaiian | The term 'kamaʻāina' is used to denote those of Hawaiian ancestry and those who have lived in Hawaii for an extended period. |
| Hebrew | In Biblical Hebrew, the word "אֶזרָח" originally meant "an inhabitant" or "resident of a town". |
| Hindi | The Sanskrit-derived word नागरिक "citizen" originated from the root word "नागर" (town), implying a person residing in an urban settlement or a town. |
| Hmong | The Hmong word "pej xeem" can also refer to a person who is married or has a family. |
| Hungarian | The Hungarian word "polgár" is a loanword from Latin civis through French "citoyen" and it can also mean "bourgeois" or "burgher" in some historical contexts. |
| Icelandic | The word 'ríkisborgari' literally means 'person of the realm'. |
| Igbo | The word "nwa amaala" in Igbo can also mean "child of the land" or "son of the soil". |
| Indonesian | The word "warganegara" in Indonesian is derived from the Sanskrit words "warga" (group) and "nagara" (country), indicating belonging to a nation. |
| Irish | Saoránach comes from the Irish word “saor,” meaning “free” or “noble,” and originally referred to a person of independent means. |
| Italian | The Italian word "cittadino" (citizen) derives from the Latin word "civitas" (city), indicating the citizen's connection to their urban community. |
| Japanese | "市民" can also refer to "the general public" in Japanese. |
| Javanese | The word 'warga negara' in Javanese can also mean 'native', 'inhabitant', or 'member of a community'. |
| Kannada | The Kannada word "ನಾಗರಿಕ" (nāgarik) has dual meanings: "citizen" and "civilized." |
| Kazakh | The Kazakh word "азамат" derives from the Arabic "aziz" meaning "respected," but it also refers to a hero, warrior, or an elite cavalry unit. |
| Khmer | ពលរដ្ឋ is ultimately derived from Sanskrit, where it refers to a person's strength or power. |
| Korean | The Korean word "시민" (citizen) originally meant "one who lives in a city" and has since expanded to include all citizens of a country. |
| Kurdish | The word "hembajarî" comes from the Kurdish word "bajar" meaning "market" or "town" and the suffix "î" indicating a person or inhabitant. |
| Kyrgyz | The word "жаран" in Kyrgyz is derived from the Persian word "jarān" meaning "companion, comrade" or "inhabitant of a city". |
| Latin | "Civis" in Latin not only referred to citizens but also to members of a community bound by shared beliefs or goals. |
| Latvian | The word "pilsonis" is derived from the Old German word "burgison" which means "citizen" or "townsman". |
| Lithuanian | The word "pilietis" (citizen) in Lithuanian ultimately derives from the same Proto-Indo-European root *pleth₂- as the English "plebeian". |
| Luxembourgish | The word 'Bierger' was originally used in Luxembourgish to refer to a member of the bourgeoisie, a class of wealthy and influential citizens. |
| Macedonian | "Građanin" is a loanword from Serbian and Bulgarian, where it means "city dweller". In Macedonian, it can also refer to a member of a community or a participant in a social or political movement. |
| Malagasy | Derived from the word "omby," meaning "bull" and "pirenena," meaning "great," "Olom-pirenena" signifies the importance of cattle in Malagasy society. |
| Malay | "Warga negara" is derived from Sanskrit and can also mean "a member of a state or community". |
| Malayalam | The word "പൗരൻ" can also mean "guest" or "a person who is not a native of a place" in Malayalam. |
| Maltese | The Maltese word "ċittadin" is borrowed from the Italian "cittadino", which comes from "civitas" (city), from Latin "civis" (citizen). |
| Maori | Tangata whenua is plural and refers to a group of people rather than an individual. It can also mean 'the people of the land', 'the indigenous people', or 'the landowners'. |
| Marathi | 'नागरिक' (nāgarik) stems from 'नगर' (nagar) meaning 'city' and originally meant 'urban dweller' or 'city denizen' in Marathi. |
| Mongolian | The word "иргэн" (citizen) was originally also used to refer to a "commoner," who was below a prince's level but above that of a slave. |
| Nepali | The word "नागरिक" in Nepali can be traced back to the Sanskrit word "Nagara", meaning "city" and originally referred to urban dwellers. |
| Norwegian | The Norwegian word "borger" is derived from the Old Norse "borgari", meaning "dweller in a town" or "townsman". |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The word "nzika" also refers to a person who has been naturalized and granted citizenship. |
| Pashto | The Pashto word "اتباع" can also mean "followers" or "dependents". |
| Persian | The word شهروند ("citizen") in Persian originates from the word شهر ("city"), indicating its historical association with urban life. |
| Polish | The term "obywatel" also carries the connotation of "commoner" and has historically denoted a subject of a monarchy. |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | "Cidadão" derives from the Latin word "cīvis" that means "member of the state". |
| Punjabi | The word 'ਨਾਗਰਿਕ' originally meant a city-dweller and was derived from the Sanskrit words 'nagara' (city) and 'vasi' (dweller) and also referred to the status of a person or group of persons that are legally recognized as belonging to a country, society, or state, usually by birth or naturalization. |
| Romanian | "Cetăţean" derives from the Latin "civitas" meaning "city" or "town" and the Slavic suffix "-ean". |
| Russian | The word "гражданин" originates from the old Slavic word "град" meaning "city" or "fort" and denotes a person who is a member of a particular urban community. |
| Samoan | The word sitiseni can also refer to a commoner or a person of low social status. |
| Scots Gaelic | The Gaelic word 'saoranach' can also refer to a freeholder or someone who is not enslaved. |
| Serbian | In Serbian, "грађанин" (citizen) originated from "град" (city), implying a person's membership in an urban community. |
| Sesotho | "Moahi" in Sesotho can also mean a person who belongs to a particular country by birth or choice, or a native of any place. |
| Shona | The word 'mugari' is also used to refer to a person who is respected and admired within their community. |
| Sindhi | The term "شهري" in Sindhi is derived from the Persian word "شهر" meaning "city", alluding to the urban nature of citizenship. |
| Slovak | The term "občan" in Slovak originally meant "dweller" or "resident" of a municipality, rather than a specific legal or political status. |
| Slovenian | The word "državljan" comes from the Old Slavic word "deržava", meaning "state" or "country". |
| Somali | The word "muwaadin" in Somali is derived from the Arabic word "muwāțin," which has connotations of friendship, support, and protection. |
| Spanish | The Spanish word "ciudadano" derives from the Latin word "civitas," meaning "city-state," and originally referred to urban dwellers who possessed certain rights and privileges. |
| Sundanese | "Warga nagara" is a loanword from Sanskrit meaning "people of the city" or "urban dwellers". |
| Swahili | The word "raia" in Swahili also means "subject" or "taxpayer". |
| Swedish | The Swedish word 'medborgare' (citizen) derives etymologically from the words for 'with' (med) and 'castle town' (borg), as the rights of citizenship originally extended only to inhabitants of castle towns. |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | The root word 'mamamay' of 'mamamayan' means 'to bear' or 'to give birth to,' signifying citizens as the 'bearers' of the nation. |
| Tajik | The etymological root of "шаҳрванд" is the same as the Persian word "شهروند" and it also shares a similar meaning. |
| Telugu | The word "పౌరుడు" can also refer to a member of a town or city, a resident, or an inhabitant. |
| Thai | The word "พลเมือง" is derived from Sanskrit and means "one who dwells in a city". |
| Turkish | Vatandaş is also colloquially used to refer to a person from the same town or village |
| Ukrainian | The word "громадянин" is derived from the word "громада", which means a community of people. |
| Urdu | The word "شہری" is derived from the Persian word "شهر" meaning "city" and denotes "one who belongs to a city" or "an urban dweller." |
| Uzbek | The word "fuqaro" in Uzbek originates from the Arabic word "faqīr" meaning "poor" and can also refer to a religious person. |
| Vietnamese | Người dân derives from "người" (man) and "dân" (people), thus meaning people of the land. |
| Welsh | Despite its etymology, 'dinesydd' (citizen) refers to all those living in an area, not just city dwellers. |
| Xhosa | 'Ngu' is the Xhosa equivalent of 'mu' in Swahili, and 'mi' in Shona, and means 'person of'. |
| Yiddish | The Yiddish word 'בירגער' (citizen), derived from Middle High German, also means 'burgher' and 'city-dweller'. |
| Yoruba | The phrase 'ara ilu' in Yoruba has two meanings: citizen and inhabitant. |
| Zulu | In Zulu, the word 'isakhamuzi' can also refer to a person who belongs to a particular community or nation. |
| English | The word 'citizen' derives from the Latin 'civis', meaning an inhabitant of a city, and has connotations of urban life and civic rights. |