Climb in different languages

Climb in Different Languages

Discover 'Climb' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'climb' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, representing the action of ascending or moving upwards, often with great effort. It's a word that transcends cultural boundaries, resonating with people all over the world who have experienced the thrill of reaching new heights.

Climbing has been a part of human culture for millennia, from the ancient practice of mountain worship in Tibet to the more recent development of extreme sports like rock climbing and bouldering. The word 'climb' itself has been used in various forms since the 12th century, reflecting our long-standing fascination with reaching for the skies.

Understanding the translation of 'climb' in different languages can open up new cultural horizons. For example, in Spanish, 'climb' is 'escalar', while in German, it's 'klettern'. In French, 'climb' is 'grimper', and in Mandarin, it's '攀 escalader'.

Explore the world of climbing through the lens of language and culture. Discover how this simple word can connect us to people and places in unexpected ways.

Climb


Climb in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansklim
The Afrikaans word "klim" can also refer to a hill or mountain slope.
Amharicመውጣት
"መውጣት" can also mean to step down from a vehicle such as a bus or car.
Hausahau
"Hau" also means "to grow taller" (of plants).
Igborịgoro
"Rịgoro" can also mean "to lift". Its diminutive form "rigọro" means "to hop".
Malagasymiakatra
The Malagasy word 'miakatra' is a cognate of the Indonesian 'naik', 'to go up'.
Nyanja (Chichewa)kukwera
The word "kukwera" can be used to mean "to go up" or "to rise" in Nyanja.
Shonakwira
The word 'kwira' in Shona can also mean 'to crawl' or 'to move on all fours'.
Somalifuulid
The word "fuulid" also means "to ascend" or "to mount" in Somali.
Sesothohloella
The word "hloella" can also mean "to ascend" or "to go up".
Swahilikupanda
The root of Kupanda (climb) is panda, meaning 'to spread out', suggesting the horizontal and vertical movement involved in climbing.
Xhosakhwela
The Xhosa word "khwela" can also refer to "to get on or into a vehicle or on a horse, boat, carriage, etc."
Yorubangun
"Ngùn" also means "to be arrogant", and has the alternate spelling "ngunnu"
Zulukhuphuka
The word 'khuphuka' has an additional meaning of 'to ascend' in Zulu.
Bambaraka yɛlɛ
Ewelia dzi
Kinyarwandakuzamuka
Lingalakomata
Lugandaokulinnya
Sepedinamela
Twi (Akan)foro

Climb in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicتسلق
The word 'تسلق' is derived from 'سَلَفَ', meaning to precede or ascend.
Hebrewלְטַפֵּס
The word also has the alternate meanings "to ascend," "to rise," "to mount," and "to go up."
Pashtoختل
In Persian, the word “ختل” also means “cheat” or “deception”
Arabicتسلق
The word 'تسلق' is derived from 'سَلَفَ', meaning to precede or ascend.

Climb in Western European Languages

Albanianngjitem
The Albanian word "ngjitem" also means "to rise" and "to ascend".
Basqueigoera
The word 'igoera' can also refer to an exit, passage, or opening.
Catalanescalar
The verb "escalar" in Catalan can also mean "to scale" in English, such as when scaling a fish.
Croatianpenjati se
The word "penjati se" in Croatian can also mean "to ascend" or "to go up".
Danishklatre
The word 'klatre' also means 'to grapple' or 'to struggle', and is derived from the Old Norse word 'klāðra', which had a similar meaning.
Dutchbeklimmen
"Klimmen" is derived from the Old Dutch word "klimban," meaning "to rise up".
Englishclimb
The English word "climb" comes from the Old English word "climban," meaning "to ascend," and is related to the German word "klimmen," meaning "to climb."
Frenchmontée
The word 'montée' can also refer to a staircase, a slope, or a small hill.
Frisianklimme
The Frisian word "klimme" also refers to climbing plants and means "to cling to" in the sense of holding onto something with the hands.
Galiciansubir
In Galician, "subir" comes from Latin "superire" meaning "exceed" or "surmount" and can also refer to climbing up or going against the current of a river.
Germansteigen
"Steigen" is also used in the sense of "to increase" (e.g. "die Preise steigen" = "the prices are rising").
Icelandicklifra
The Icelandic word "klifra" comes from the Old Norse word "klifra," which also means "to cut" or "to split."
Irishtóg
The Irish word "tóg" also refers to a "lifting up," or the act of carrying someone on your shoulder.
Italianscalata
"Scalata" originally meant "ladder" and still has this meaning when used to describe siege warfare.
Luxembourgishklammen
The word 'klammen' may have originated from the Middle High German 'klieben', meaning 'to cleave'.
Maltesejitilgħu
The verb "jitilgħu" is derived from the Arabic word "ṭalaʕa", meaning "to ascend".
Norwegianklatre
"Klatre" can be traced back to a Proto-Indo-European root that also gave rise to the Sanskrit word "krand" (leap).
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)escalar
The verb "escalar" in Portuguese is also used in a slang context to mean "to chat" or "to flirt".
Scots Gaelicsreap
The verb 'sreap' also means 'to creep, crawl', or 'to sneak'.
Spanishescalada
In Spanish, "escalada" has also been used in the contexts of escalation and military conflict.
Swedishklättra
The Swedish verb "klättra" is derived from the old Norse word "klaftra"," meaning "to climb" or "to grapple".
Welshdringo
The Welsh word 'dringo' has an alternative meaning relating to the shape of the letter 'c'

Climb in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianпадняцца
The word "падняцца" also means "to rise", "to lift", or "to go up"
Bosnianuspon
The word 'uspon' is cognate with the Latin word 'super' and the Old Church Slavonic word 'vъzdъti', all of which mean 'to raise' or 'to lift up'.
Bulgarianизкачвам се
The word "изкачвам се" can also refer to the act of ascending a social or economic ladder, or to the gradual accumulation of knowledge or skills.
Czechšplhat
The Czech word "šplhat" also refers to a type of gymnastic exercise in which a rope is climbed using the hands and feet.
Estonianronima
The word "ronima" can also refer to "creeping" or "crawling".
Finnishkiivetä
"Kiivetä" is a Finnish word related to "kävellä" (walk) and "kulku" (movement), indicating a connection between climbing and locomotion.
Hungarianmászik
The Hungarian word "mászik" ("climb") also means "creeps" or "crawls".
Latviankāpt
"Kāpt" not only means "climb" but also "increase" in Latvian.
Lithuanianlipti
The word "lipti" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *leip- ("to stick"), which is also the source of the English word "leap".
Macedonianискачување
The word "искачување" also has a figurative meaning, referring to an unexpected and sudden event.
Polishwspinać się
The Polish word for "climb" "wspinać się" originally meant "to rise" and is related to the word "wysoki" (high).
Romaniana urca
"a urca" comes from the Latin verb "*ascendere*" with the same meaning
Russianподняться
The Russian word "подняться" can also mean "to ascend" or "to rise".
Serbianпопети се
The verb "попети се" derives from the Proto-Slavic root *рьр-t-, meaning "to creep, to crawl".
Slovakvyliezť
The verb 'vyliezť' is related to the word 'liezť' ('crawl') and can also mean 'to emerge' or 'to get out'.
Slovenianvzpon
The word 'vzpon' is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *vъzpǫti ('ascent'), and is related to the Russian word 'voskhod' ('sunrise').
Ukrainianпідйом
"Підйом" in Ukrainian can also mean "awakening", "rise", or "ascent"

Climb in South Asian Languages

Bengaliআরোহণ
আরোহণ (orohon) is derived from the Sanskrit word "aruha" meaning "to mount or ascend".
Gujaratiચ .ી
The Gujarati word "ચ .ી" can also refer to the act of climbing up a tree.
Hindiचढना
"चढना" derives from the Sanskrit word "चर्ध्" meaning "to grow, ascend, or attach"}
Kannadaಏರಲು
The Kannada word "ಏರಲು" is also used to refer to "mounting", "ascending", or "getting onto" something, such as a horse or vehicle.
Malayalamകയറുക
The word "കയറുക" in Malayalam also means to "mount" or "ascend".
Marathiचढणे
The Marathi word "चढणे" can also refer to the act of ascending a social hierarchy or gaining power.
Nepaliचढाई
"चढाई" is a noun derived from the verb "चढ्नु," which means "to ascend," "to mount," "to ride," or "to increase."
Punjabiਚੜ੍ਹਨਾ
ਚੜ੍ਹਨਾ can also refer to boarding a vehicle, getting on a horse, or applying cosmetics to the face.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)නගින්න
Its synonym, "නගින්න" (climb), also means "to emerge," "to go up," "to rise," "to ascend," and "to rise to a higher level or position."
Tamilஏறு
Teluguఎక్కడం
The word "ఎక్కడం" ("climb") also means "to board a vehicle" in Telugu.
Urduچڑھنا
چڑھنا can also mean to 'attach' or 'hang' onto something, or to 'mount' or 'sit' on something.

Climb in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)
In Chinese, "爬" can also mean "to crawl" or "to creep", indicating movement close to the ground.
Chinese (Traditional)
"爬", when repeated twice in sequence (as "爬爬"), can also refer to reptiles, such as snakes or lizards.
Japanese登る
登る can also mean "to advance" in the context of social status or rank.
Korean상승
"상승" is also used to refer to the act of a politician or celebrity gaining popularity or influence.
Mongolianавирах
The Mongolian word "авирах" can also mean "to ascend" or "to go up".
Myanmar (Burmese)တက်ပါ
The word "တက်ပါ" is the imperative form of the verb "တက်" (taik), which means "to go up" or "to ascend". It can also be used in a figurative sense, such as "to climb the social ladder".

Climb in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianmendaki
The root word of _mendaki_ is the Malay word _daki_, meaning 'to rise up' or 'to ascend'.
Javanesemenek
The word "menek" can also mean 'ascend' in the context of social status or rank.
Khmerឡើង
The word ឡើង 'climb' can also mean to increase, ascend, advance, board, mount, get on.
Laoຂຶ້ນ
The Lao word "ຂຶ້ນ" (climb) originated from the Proto-Tai word "*khəːŋ", which also meant "up", "ascend", and "high".
Malaymemanjat
The Malay word "memanjat" not only means to climb, but also to ascend, scale, or mount.
Thaiปีน
"ปีน" (pronounced "peen") is the Thai word for "climb." It also shares its pronunciation and a similar meaning with "บิน" (pronounced "bin"), the Thai word for "fly."
Vietnameseleo
The word "leo" can also refer to a kind of climbing tree found in the northern region of Vietnam called "cây leo".
Filipino (Tagalog)umakyat

Climb in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanidırmaşmaq
The word "dırmaşmaq" is a derivative of the Turkic root "tır" which means "to rise" and is related to the Proto-Turkic verb "dır" which means "to rise, climb".
Kazakhкөтерілу
"Көтерілу" can also be used to refer to a rise in something abstract, like the price or the temperature.
Kyrgyzчыгуу
The word "чыгуу" can also mean "to go or get out"}
Tajikбаромадан
The word "баромадан" may be related to the Persian word "baromadadن" meaning "to rise" or "to climb".
Turkmendyrmaşmak
Uzbekko'tarilish
Ko'tarilish derives from 'ko'tarish' (to lift) with the suffix '-ish' (to become).
Uyghurيامىشىش

Climb in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianpiʻi aʻe
The word "piʻi aʻe" (climb) in Hawaiian literally means "to go up".
Maoripiki
The Maori word "piki" also means "to rise" or "to ascend".
Samoanaʻe
The verb "aʻe" also means "to be above" when used to describe a person who is on top.
Tagalog (Filipino)umakyat
The term "umakyat" also referred to moving to a higher social level.

Climb in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarawayllunk'uña
Guaranijejupi

Climb in International Languages

Esperantogrimpi
The word "grimpi" derives from the Latin "gradus" (step, grade) and originally meant to ascend with difficulty.
Latinscandunt
Scandunt also means "ascend" or "mount" in Latin, and is related to the word "scala" (ladder)

Climb in Others Languages

Greekαναρρίχηση
The Greek word "αναρρίχηση" comes from the verb "αναρριχώμαι," which means "to climb up" or "to ascend," and is also associated with the concept of "conquering" or "reaching the summit".
Hmongnce
The word "nce" can also mean "to go up to a house on stilts" or "to go upstairs".
Kurdishrapelikandin
"Rapelikandin" derives from "rapê" "road, way." as well as "kandin" "go", meaning both "to climb" and "take the road."
Turkishtırmanış
Tırmanış also refers to an Ottoman musical style.
Xhosakhwela
The Xhosa word "khwela" can also refer to "to get on or into a vehicle or on a horse, boat, carriage, etc."
Yiddishקריכן
The Yiddish word "קריכן" (climb) is related to the German word "kriechen" (crawl, creep).
Zulukhuphuka
The word 'khuphuka' has an additional meaning of 'to ascend' in Zulu.
Assameseবগোৱা
Aymarawayllunk'uña
Bhojpuriचढ़ाई
Dhivehiއެރުން
Dogriचढ़ना
Filipino (Tagalog)umakyat
Guaranijejupi
Ilocanoumuli
Krioklem
Kurdish (Sorani)سەرکەوتن
Maithiliचढ़नाइ
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯀꯥꯕ
Mizolawn
Oromoyaabuu
Odia (Oriya)ଚଢିବା
Quechuawichay
Sanskritरोहति
Tatarменү
Tigrinyaደይብ
Tsongakhandziya

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