Clean in Different Languages
Discover 'Clean' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'clean' holds a significant place in our daily lives, often representing purity, order, and hygiene. It transcends cultural boundaries, appearing in various forms in different languages, reflecting its universal importance. For instance, in Spanish, 'clean' is 'limpio' or 'limpia', while in German, it's 'sauber' or 'rein'. In Japanese, the word for 'clean' is 'きれい' (kirei), which also means 'beautiful'. This linguistic connection between cleanliness and beauty is particularly intriguing, suggesting a deep-seated cultural association.
Moreover, the concept of 'clean' has historical contexts too. In ancient times, cleanliness was often associated with spiritual purity. Today, it's a symbol of health and well-being. Given its multifaceted significance, one might wonder, 'how is the word 'clean' translated in other languages?'
Clean
Clean in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | skoon | ||
| In Afrikaans, the word "skoon" comes from the Dutch word "schoon", meaning "clean, pure, or beautiful" | |||
| Amharic | ንፁህ | ||
| In Amharic, "ንፁህ" (clean) originates from the root "ንጽ" (to wash) and also means "pure" or "innocent". | |||
| Hausa | mai tsabta | ||
| The Hausa word for 'clean,' 'mai tsabta,' can also mean 'free of witchcraft' or 'pure.' | |||
| Igbo | dị ọcha | ||
| The Igbo word "dị ọcha" also means "to be pure" or "to be innocent". | |||
| Malagasy | madio | ||
| The word "MADIO" also means "clear" or "transparent" in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | woyera | ||
| "Wo" in "woyera" relates to a place of honor | |||
| Shona | yakachena | ||
| Yakachena, in Shona, can refer to the ritual cleansing after the death of a loved one. | |||
| Somali | nadiif ah | ||
| In Somali, the word "nadiif ah" can also be used to describe someone who is well-mannered or behaves respectfully. | |||
| Sesotho | hlwekile | ||
| 'Hlwêkile' has the connotation of someone or something that is pure, free from dirt or taint. | |||
| Swahili | safi | ||
| The word "safi" in Swahili can also refer to purity, innocence, or clarity. | |||
| Xhosa | ucocekile | ||
| The word 'ucocekile' also means 'holy' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | mimọ | ||
| The Yoruba word "mimọ" also means "holy" and relates to purification, rituals, and the sacred sphere. | |||
| Zulu | kuhlanzekile | ||
| The Zulu word "kuhlanzekile" can also refer to a person who is morally upright and free from blame. | |||
| Bambara | ka jɔsi | ||
| Ewe | dzadzɛ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | isuku | ||
| Lingala | peto | ||
| Luganda | buyonjo | ||
| Sepedi | hlwekile | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ho te | ||
Clean in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نظيف | ||
| Apart from its main meaning of cleanliness, 'نظيف' (naḍīf) also means 'healthy' in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | לְנַקוֹת | ||
| The word "לְנַקוֹת" in Hebrew can also be used figuratively to mean "to purify" or "to atone for sins." | |||
| Pashto | پاک | ||
| The Pashto word پاک ultimately comes from the Persian word پاک ( | |||
| Arabic | نظيف | ||
| Apart from its main meaning of cleanliness, 'نظيف' (naḍīf) also means 'healthy' in Arabic. | |||
Clean in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i pastër | ||
| While in other Indo-European languages “paster” is used with the meaning “shepherd”, in Albanian it became “clean”. | |||
| Basque | garbi | ||
| The Basque word "garbi" can also refer to "pure", "sacred", or "holy" in some contexts. | |||
| Catalan | net | ||
| "Net" in Catalan also means "grandchild" | |||
| Croatian | čist | ||
| In Croatian, the word "čist" also means "pure" or "unadulterated". | |||
| Danish | ren | ||
| The Danish word "ren" can also refer to innocence or purity. | |||
| Dutch | schoon | ||
| The Dutch word "schoon" can also mean "beautiful" or "pure". | |||
| English | clean | ||
| The word 'clean' has roots in the Old English 'clæne' meaning 'pure' or 'unstained', as well as the Latin 'mundus' signifying 'clean or neat'. | |||
| French | nettoyer | ||
| "Nettoyer" means "to clean" in French, but it also has other meanings, such as "to purify" or "to cleanse." | |||
| Frisian | skjin | ||
| The word "skjin" in Frisian is derived from the Proto-Germanic root "*skainaz" meaning "bright" or "clear". | |||
| Galician | limpar | ||
| "Limpar" is a Portuguese verb that also has the meaning of "to file" in Galician. | |||
| German | sauber | ||
| The German word "sauber" also means "tidy", "clear", or "correct". | |||
| Icelandic | hreint | ||
| In Icelandic, hreint can also refer to purity or clarity, particularly in a spiritual or moral sense. | |||
| Irish | glan | ||
| The Irish word "glan" is a homograph, also meaning "bright" or "pure". | |||
| Italian | pulito | ||
| "Pulito" comes from the Latin word "politus", meaning "smoothed, polished, refined". | |||
| Luxembourgish | propper | ||
| Propper's alternate meaning, 'proper', derives from the French word 'propre' meaning 'one's own, individual' | |||
| Maltese | nadif | ||
| The Maltese word "nadif" ultimately derives from the Arabic "naḍīf," meaning both "clean" and "pure," and is related to the Hebrew term "nāqî," meaning "clean," "innocent," or "guileless." | |||
| Norwegian | ren | ||
| The Norwegian word "ren" not only means "clean", but also "pure", "innocent", or "chaste". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | limpar \ limpo | ||
| 'Limpar' and 'limpo' both originate from the Latin word 'limpidus', meaning 'clear,' 'bright,' or 'transparent'. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | glan | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, the word "glan" can also mean "pure" or "innocent". | |||
| Spanish | limpiar | ||
| The verb "limpiar" derives from the Latin "limpiare" meaning "to make clear or bright". | |||
| Swedish | rena | ||
| "Rena" (clean) comes from the Old Norse word "hreinn," which also means "pure" or "unblemished." | |||
| Welsh | yn lân | ||
| Yn lân may also be used to mean holy, pure or innocent in various Welsh contexts | |||
Clean in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | чысты | ||
| "Чысты" (clean) in Belarusian also refers to something that wasn't used before. | |||
| Bosnian | čist | ||
| The word "čist" in Bosnian also has the meaning of "pure", "unmixed", or "genuine". | |||
| Bulgarian | чисти | ||
| Bulgarian word 'чисти' can also mean 'plain', 'blank' or 'clear', and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'čistъ', meaning 'pure' or 'unadulterated'. | |||
| Czech | čistý | ||
| The Czech word "čistý" shares its root with "čest" ("honor"), suggesting a deeper connection between purity and integrity in Czech culture. | |||
| Estonian | puhas | ||
| "Puhas" is a cognate of Finnish "puhdas" and derives from Proto-Uralic “puhta”, meaning "to sprinkle, spray". | |||
| Finnish | puhdas | ||
| "Puhdas" in Finnish means "undefiled" or "pure" in Old Norse and "unadulterated" in Gothic. | |||
| Hungarian | tiszta | ||
| The noun form of "tiszta" is "tisztaság" which means "purity". | |||
| Latvian | tīrs | ||
| The word "tīrs" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱei- or *ḱi-, meaning to cut or purify. | |||
| Lithuanian | švarus | ||
| "Švarus" shares a root with Sanskrit "çuci" and Old Irish "suirge," both meaning "pure." | |||
| Macedonian | чист | ||
| The Macedonian word 'чист' is related to the Slavic word 'cistь', meaning 'purity' or 'honesty'. | |||
| Polish | czysty | ||
| "Czysty" can also mean "pure" or "innocent" in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | curat | ||
| The word "curat" in Romanian also means "pure" and "genuine" | |||
| Russian | чистый | ||
| The word "чистый" also means "pure", "unadulterated", or "sincere" in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | чист | ||
| The Serbian word 'чист' meaning 'clean' is related to the Sanskrit word 'शुचि' (śuci) meaning 'pure'. | |||
| Slovak | čistý | ||
| The word 'čistý' in Slovak can also mean 'pure' or 'unadulterated'. | |||
| Slovenian | čisto | ||
| The word "čisto" also has the alternate meaning of "almost" or "nearly" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | чистий | ||
| The word “чистий” derives from the Proto-Slavic word “čistъ”, meaning “clear” or “transparent”. | |||
Clean in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পরিষ্কার | ||
| The word "পরিষ্কার" is derived from the Sanskrit word "प्र (pra)" meaning "forth" and "छंद (chhanda)" meaning "to cut" or "separate". | |||
| Gujarati | ચોખ્ખો | ||
| ચોખ્ખો is also used in Gujarati to describe someone or something as honest or pure. | |||
| Hindi | स्वच्छ | ||
| The Hindi word "स्वच्छ" comes from the Sanskrit word "शुच" meaning "to purify" or "to cleanse". | |||
| Kannada | ಸ್ವಚ್ .ಗೊಳಿಸಿ | ||
| The word "ಸ್ವಚ್ .ಗೊಳಿಸಿ" literally translates to "to make self-luminous or shiny" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | വൃത്തിയായി | ||
| The term 'വൃത്തിയായി' in Malayalam also refers to good health, hygiene, and proper conduct. | |||
| Marathi | स्वच्छ | ||
| The Sanskrit word 'swochchh' (स्वच्छ) is the etymological origin of 'swachchh' (स्वच्छ) in Marathi. In Hindi, the word also means 'good' and in Telugu it means 'true'. | |||
| Nepali | सफा | ||
| In Nepali, "सफा" also refers to a turban, a headdress traditionally worn by men | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਾਫ | ||
| The word 'ਸਾਫ' ('clean') in Punjabi can also mean 'clear' or 'transparent'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පිරිසිදුයි | ||
| The term derives from the Sanskrit root 'शुच' , meaning pure which also gave rise to the words ''शु' (su-)'' - meaning ''good-'' and '''शुक्ल' (''sukla '') - meaning ''white,'' which both signify ''pure.'' In this sense, ''Pi-risidu'' carries an association with ''pallor and whiteness as symbolic of purity''. | |||
| Tamil | சுத்தமான | ||
| Telugu | శుభ్రంగా | ||
| The word శుభ్రంగా (clean) in Telugu is derived from the Sanskrit word शुभ्र (clean, white), which also means 'beautiful' or 'auspicious'. | |||
| Urdu | صاف | ||
| صاف is also used to refer to a clear or pure substance, such as صاف پانی (clean water). | |||
Clean in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 清洁 | ||
| Cleanliness in Chinese also has meanings of tidiness, order, neatness, and hygiene. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 清潔 | ||
| 清潔 (clean) literally means to "cleanse oneself" and is also used to refer to cleanliness of heart or mind. | |||
| Japanese | 掃除 | ||
| 掃除 (そうじ) literally means 'removing dirt,' from the verb 'to scrape' and the noun 'soil'. | |||
| Korean | 깨끗한 | ||
| The word 깨끗한 (kkaekktan) can also mean 'neat' or 'orderly' | |||
| Mongolian | цэвэр | ||
| The word “tsver” originates from the word “tsaav” (water) and is related to Mongolian's perception of “clean” water as something pure from nature. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သန့်ရှင်း | ||
Clean in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bersih | ||
| The Indonesian word 'bersih' can also refer to purification rituals and ceremonies or to religious or ethical purity. | |||
| Javanese | resik | ||
| In Indonesian, "resik" also means "free from harm or injury", but in Javanese it additionally means "free from supernatural danger or impurity" | |||
| Khmer | ស្អាត | ||
| The Khmer word for “clean,” ស្អាត (s'at), also means “beautiful” or “neat.” | |||
| Lao | ສະອາດ | ||
| Malay | bersih | ||
| The Malay word "bersih" also means "white" and can be used to describe someone who is innocent or pure. | |||
| Thai | สะอาด | ||
| The word ''สะอาด'' can also be used figuratively to describe something that is pure or uncorrupted. | |||
| Vietnamese | dọn dẹp | ||
| The word 'dọn dẹp' means 'clear', 'straighten up', 'tidy up'. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | malinis | ||
Clean in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | təmiz | ||
| The word "təmiz" is also used metaphorically to mean "pure" or "uncontaminated". | |||
| Kazakh | таза | ||
| The Kazakh word "таза" can also refer to a ritual purification ceremony involving water or fire. | |||
| Kyrgyz | таза | ||
| The word "таза" can also mean "pure" or "fresh" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | тоза | ||
| In Tajik, "тоза" is also referred to as "пухта", meaning "completely clean". | |||
| Turkmen | arassa | ||
| Uzbek | toza | ||
| The word "toza" in Uzbek, meaning "cleanliness", is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "toza" with the same meaning. | |||
| Uyghur | پاكىزە | ||
Clean in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | maʻemaʻe | ||
| The word 'maʻemaʻe' also means 'pure,' 'innocent,' or 'holy' in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | ma | ||
| The Māori word | |||
| Samoan | mamā | ||
| This word can mean either clean or to rub, the difference being the object that is being rubbed or cleaned. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | malinis | ||
| In Tagalog, malinis (clean) and malinis (smooth) are two separate words with different etymologies. | |||
Clean in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | q'uma | ||
| Guarani | ipotĩ | ||
Clean in International Languages
| Esperanto | pura | ||
| The Esperanto word "pura" comes from the Spanish word "puro", which means "pure" or "uncontaminated". | |||
| Latin | clean | ||
| "Mundus," the Latin word for "clean," also means "world," suggesting a connection between cleanliness and order. | |||
Clean in Others Languages
| Greek | καθαρη | ||
| The word "ΚΑΘΑΡΗ" originates from the Greek word "καθαρός" and carries additional meanings such as "pure", "undefiled", or "uncontaminated". | |||
| Hmong | huv si | ||
| The word 'huv si' can also mean 'to wash', 'to scrub', or 'to tidy up'. | |||
| Kurdish | pak | ||
| The word "pak" in Kurdish also means "pure" or "holy". | |||
| Turkish | temiz | ||
| "Temiz" also means "pure" or "unadulterated" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | ucocekile | ||
| The word 'ucocekile' also means 'holy' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | ריין | ||
| The word "ריין" ("rain") in Yiddish can also refer to wine or a heavy downpour. | |||
| Zulu | kuhlanzekile | ||
| The Zulu word "kuhlanzekile" can also refer to a person who is morally upright and free from blame. | |||
| Assamese | পৰিষ্কাৰ | ||
| Aymara | q'uma | ||
| Bhojpuri | साफ | ||
| Dhivehi | ސާފުތާހިރު | ||
| Dogri | साफ | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | malinis | ||
| Guarani | ipotĩ | ||
| Ilocano | nadalus | ||
| Krio | klin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پاک | ||
| Maithili | साफ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯦꯡꯗꯣꯛꯄ | ||
| Mizo | fai | ||
| Oromo | qulqulluu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପରିଷ୍କାର | ||
| Quechua | pichay | ||
| Sanskrit | स्वच्छम् | ||
| Tatar | чиста | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣፅሪ | ||
| Tsonga | basile | ||