Coal in Different Languages
Discover 'Coal' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Coal, a black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, is a significant energy source worldwide. Its cultural importance is evident in literature, music, and visual arts, where it often symbolizes industrialization, energy, and even hardship. Understanding the translation of 'coal' in different languages can open up new cultural perspectives and demonstrate the global impact of this resource.
For instance, in German, 'coal' is 'Kohle', while in Spanish, it's 'carbón'. In French, it's 'charbon', and in Mandarin, it's '煤 ('méi')'. These translations not only help in cross-cultural communication but also highlight the global reach of this resource.
Did you know that coal has been used for thousands of years, with the earliest recorded use in China around 4000 BC? Or that there are different types of coal, such as anthracite, bituminous, and lignite, each with unique properties and uses?
Explore the many faces of coal through its translations in various languages. Keep reading to uncover more about this fascinating resource and its cultural significance around the world.
Coal
Coal in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | steenkool | ||
| Steenkool, ultimately deriving from Middle Dutch steencoele or steenkool, has additional meanings including charcoal, charred wood, coke and anthracite. | |||
| Amharic | የድንጋይ ከሰል | ||
| The Amharic word "የድንጋይ ከሰል" literally means "stone wood" and was named this because in ancient times people thought that coal was "fossilized wood". | |||
| Hausa | kwal | ||
| Hausa 'kwal' also means 'charcoal' and derives from the Bantu languages. | |||
| Igbo | unyi | ||
| The Igbo word “unyi” derives from the phrase “u n’ iyi,” meaning “something that can catch fire.” | |||
| Malagasy | arintany | ||
| The word "arintany" likely comes from the Malay root "arang", meaning "coal". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | malasha | ||
| Malasha is also used to refer to charcoal, which is obtained through the burning of wood in a low-oxygen environment. | |||
| Shona | marasha | ||
| The word "marasha" is cognate to the Ndau word "maratsha" both meaning "fire". | |||
| Somali | dhuxul | ||
| The Somali word "dhuxul" also refers to "charcoal". | |||
| Sesotho | mashala | ||
| Mashala can refer either to coal for burning or to a particular species of acacia tree. | |||
| Swahili | makaa ya mawe | ||
| The Swahili word "makaa ya mawe" can also refer to charcoal or the remains of burnt wood. | |||
| Xhosa | amalahle | ||
| The word 'amalahle' also means 'things that burn' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | edu | ||
| The Yoruba word "edu" (coal) also means "abundance" or "wealth". | |||
| Zulu | amalahle | ||
| The word "amalahle" is derived from the Nguni word "mala" meaning "to burn"} | |||
| Bambara | sarabon | ||
| Ewe | aka | ||
| Kinyarwanda | amakara | ||
| Lingala | likala | ||
| Luganda | amanda | ||
| Sepedi | malahla | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kool | ||
Coal in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | فحم | ||
| The Arabic word "فحم" (faḥm) also refers to a specific type of tree charcoal used in traditional Arabic perfumes and incense. | |||
| Hebrew | פֶּחָם | ||
| The Hebrew word "פֶּחָם" (coal) is related to the word "פַּח" (fear). | |||
| Pashto | سکاره | ||
| The term "سکاره" also refers to a black and reddish variety of grapes found in parts of Afghanistan. | |||
| Arabic | فحم | ||
| The Arabic word "فحم" (faḥm) also refers to a specific type of tree charcoal used in traditional Arabic perfumes and incense. | |||
Coal in Western European Languages
| Albanian | qymyr | ||
| The word "qymyr" is derived from the Albanian word "qer", meaning "fire," and the Proto-Albanian suffix "-myr", meaning "stone". | |||
| Basque | ikatza | ||
| The Basque word "ikatza" also means "black" and derives from the Proto-Basque root *ik- ("dark"). | |||
| Catalan | carbó | ||
| The word "carbó" is also used to refer to a type of charcoal made from cork. | |||
| Croatian | ugljen | ||
| The word "ugljen" can also mean "charcoal" or "carbon" in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | kul | ||
| In Danish, the word "kul" can also refer to a person who is strange or eccentric, or to a situation that is unexpected or unusual. | |||
| Dutch | steenkool | ||
| "Steenkool" is derived from "steen" ("stone") + "kool" ("charcoal") or from the Old Saxon word "col" meaning "fire ember". | |||
| English | coal | ||
| The word "coal" derives from the Old English word "col", meaning "a burning ember" or "a piece of burned wood". | |||
| French | charbon | ||
| In French, "charbon" can also refer to a type of plague or a piece of charcoal used in drawing. | |||
| Frisian | stienkoal | ||
| The first part of the Frisian word for coal, | |||
| Galician | carbón | ||
| In Galician, "carbón" means "coal" but also "charcoal". | |||
| German | kohle | ||
| The German word "Kohle" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "kula" and was originally used to refer to charcoal rather than coal. | |||
| Icelandic | kol | ||
| The word "kol" in Icelandic can also refer to a mineral or a type of paint. | |||
| Irish | gual | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "coal," **gual** can also mean "ash," "ember," or "cinder" in some contexts. | |||
| Italian | carbone | ||
| The Italian word "carbone" also means "carbon", referring to the chemical element. | |||
| Luxembourgish | kuel | ||
| "Kuel" is derived from Old High German and means "charcoal" or "glow". | |||
| Maltese | faħam | ||
| "Faħam" is cognate with the Arabic "faḥm" and Italian "fumo," both meaning "smoke". | |||
| Norwegian | kull | ||
| The word "kull" can also refer to something that is charred or blackened, such as a pot or other object | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | carvão | ||
| In Portuguese, "carvão" can also refer to charcoal, a solid black substance produced by burning wood or other organic materials in a closed container with a limited supply of oxygen. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | gual | ||
| The Scots Gaelic term 'gual' is also used to describe a glowing ember or a red-hot piece of metal. | |||
| Spanish | carbón | ||
| "Carbón" is the Spanish word for charcoal; it derives from the Indo-European "kar", with the same meaning as the Celtic "cor", the Germanic "hort" and the Slavic "gor". | |||
| Swedish | kol | ||
| The Swedish word "kol" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*kel-," meaning "to blacken, burn"} | |||
| Welsh | glo | ||
| The Welsh word 'glo' also refers to the black soot on a kettle or iron pot or to the black pigment in ink. | |||
Coal in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | вугаль | ||
| "Вугаль" is a masculine noun that comes from the Old English word "cole". | |||
| Bosnian | ugalj | ||
| The word "ugalj" has no alternate meanings in Bosnian, it strictly refers to coal. | |||
| Bulgarian | въглища | ||
| Bulgarian word **въглища** originates from the Proto-Slavic *ǫglь, meaning "glowing embers or charcoal" | |||
| Czech | uhlí | ||
| The word "uhlí" also carries the extended meaning of "incubus" in Czech folklore. | |||
| Estonian | kivisüsi | ||
| In botany, "kivisüsi" is also the common name for the fossil plant Lepidodendron. | |||
| Finnish | hiili | ||
| The word "hiili" is also used in Finnish to refer to charred wood, or charcoal. | |||
| Hungarian | szén | ||
| "Szén", "coal", is a cognate of the Slavic "žganъ". It is related to "sütni", "to roast", and "éget i". "to roast", and "ég", "burn". | |||
| Latvian | ogles | ||
| The term "ogles" is also related to the word "ogle" in German, which means "to look at something with great interest or curiosity." | |||
| Lithuanian | anglis | ||
| The word 'anglis' originally meant 'charcoal made from alderwood' (angliarai). | |||
| Macedonian | јаглен | ||
| "Јаглен" is also used in the name of the village Јаглене situated in Demir Kapija Municipality in North Macedonia. | |||
| Polish | węgiel | ||
| "Węgiel" (Polish for "coal") also refers to "carbon" in chemistry contexts and "charcoal" when used in drawing or grilling. | |||
| Romanian | cărbune | ||
| The word "cărbune" in Romanian derives from the Latin "carbo" and originally meant "burning charcoal". | |||
| Russian | уголь | ||
| The word "уголь" is also used in Russian to refer to a type of charcoal used in art. | |||
| Serbian | угља | ||
| The Serbian word 'угља' is also used to refer to a type of traditional charcoal made from burned oak wood. | |||
| Slovak | uhlie | ||
| The word "uhlie" in Slovak can also refer to a type of fossil fuel or a pile of burnt wood. | |||
| Slovenian | premog | ||
| The word "premog" in Slovenian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "pragъ", meaning "to burn" or "to roast". | |||
| Ukrainian | вугілля | ||
| In Ukrainian, вугілля (vuhillia) also means "embers" or "coals" | |||
Coal in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | কয়লা | ||
| The word "কয়লা" also refers to the charred remains of an offering after it has been burnt during a ritual. | |||
| Gujarati | કોલસો | ||
| In Gujarati, "કોલસો" can also refer to a large piece of burning wood or charcoal used to keep warm. | |||
| Hindi | कोयला | ||
| "कोयला" is a word of multiple etymologies and alternate meanings in Hindi, including "charred wood" and "eye medicine". | |||
| Kannada | ಕಲ್ಲಿದ್ದಲು | ||
| The word comes from the Proto-Dravidian word *kar-, meaning 'burning'. The word is also used to refer to charcoal, a black substance derived from the burning of wood or other organic materials. | |||
| Malayalam | കൽക്കരി | ||
| The word "കൽക്കരി" (kalkkari) in Malayalam may be derived from the Dravidian root word "kal" meaning "stone" or "rock" and "kari" meaning" to burn" or "to char". | |||
| Marathi | कोळसा | ||
| In Marathi, "कोळसा" (kolasa) also refers to the remnants of burnt wood or charcoal, providing an alternate term for the substance used as fuel or as an ingredient in traditional cooking. | |||
| Nepali | कोइला | ||
| The Nepali word "कोइला" is similar to "कोयला" in Hindi, both being derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *kei-, meaning "to burn". | |||
| Punjabi | ਕੋਲਾ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਕੋਲਾ" (kōlā) is also used to describe charcoal, burned coal, or embers. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ගල් අඟුරු | ||
| The word ගල් අඟුරු was originally used to refer to charcoal, not coal, and it is still used in that sense in some contexts. | |||
| Tamil | நிலக்கரி | ||
| Telugu | బొగ్గు | ||
| The word "బొగ్గు" can also refer to a type of grain or pulse, and is related to the Sanskrit word "bhaga", meaning "to divide". | |||
| Urdu | کوئلہ | ||
| The word 'کوئلہ' (coal) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'कुतल' (kutala), meaning 'black stone'. | |||
Coal in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 煤炭 | ||
| In Cantonese, the word “煤炭” is used to refer to charcoal and not coal. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 煤炭 | ||
| The Traditional Chinese character 煤炭 consists of two parts, with the first part meaning "plant" or "tree" and the second meaning "burned"} | |||
| Japanese | 石炭 | ||
| 石炭 (sekitan) originates from the Chinese term 石炭 (shítàn), where 石 means 'stone' and 炭 means 'charcoal' | |||
| Korean | 석탄 | ||
| "석탄" (coal) ultimately derives from the Middle Mongolian word *sükegen* and ultimately the Proto-Mongolic *süke* meaning 'ember' or 'charcoal'. This is reflected in the use of "석炭" in Korean to mean both "coal" and "charcoal". | |||
| Mongolian | нүүрс | ||
| The Mongolian word 'нүүрс' can also mean 'fire' or 'heat', reflecting the close association between coal and its ability to produce warmth and energy. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကျောက်မီးသွေး | ||
Coal in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | batu bara | ||
| The word "batu bara" (coal) derives from the Malay words "batu" (stone) and "bara" (embers). | |||
| Javanese | batubara | ||
| "Batubara" is also the Javanese name for a type of beetle. | |||
| Khmer | ធ្យូងថ្ម | ||
| The word "ធ្យូងថ្ម" in Khmer has its roots in Sanskrit, where it originally meant "fire" or "burning." | |||
| Lao | ຖ່ານຫີນ | ||
| The word 'ຖ່ານຫີນ' in Lao can also mean charcoal produced from wood, which is commonly used as a fuel for cooking or heating. | |||
| Malay | arang batu | ||
| The word "arang batu" in Malay literally means "stone charcoal", reflecting its solid and carbon-rich nature. | |||
| Thai | ถ่านหิน | ||
| The Thai word "ถ่านหิน" (coal) is derived from the Proto-Mon-Khmer word "*than" and is also cognate with the Sanskrit word "aṅgāra" which means "a burning ember". | |||
| Vietnamese | than đá | ||
| "Than đá" literally means "rock coal" in Vietnamese and refers to coal extracted from the ground, as opposed to vegetable coal or charcoal. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | uling | ||
Coal in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kömür | ||
| The etymology of the Azerbaijani word "kömür" is unclear, but may be related to the Persian word "kumur" or the Turkish word "kömür". | |||
| Kazakh | көмір | ||
| The Kazakh word "көмір" (coal) is derived from the Proto-Turkic word *kömür, meaning "charred wood". | |||
| Kyrgyz | көмүр | ||
| In Old Kyrgyz, "көмүр" also meant "dust" and "ashes". | |||
| Tajik | ангишт | ||
| The term "ангишт" derives from the Old Persian word "angušta-," meaning "burning". | |||
| Turkmen | kömür | ||
| Uzbek | ko'mir | ||
| "Ko'mir" is a word of Turkic origin and is also used to refer to soot. | |||
| Uyghur | كۆمۈر | ||
Coal in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lānahu | ||
| "Lānahu" is likely derived from the Proto-Polynesian word *lanu*, meaning "fire". | |||
| Maori | waro | ||
| The word 'waro' can also refer to the soot from a cooking fire or the ashes left over after the fire has burnt out. | |||
| Samoan | koale | ||
| The Samoan word 'koale' is also used to refer to a 'burnt area'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | uling | ||
| The word "uling" also means "ashes" in Tagalog. | |||
Coal in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | qhilla | ||
| Guarani | tatapỹihũ | ||
Coal in International Languages
| Esperanto | karbo | ||
| Esperanto's "karbo" derives from Latin "carbo," meaning "firewood," but it has been extended to include other solid fuels like coal. | |||
| Latin | carbo | ||
| The word "carbo" in Latin means both "coal" and "tree".} | |||
Coal in Others Languages
| Greek | κάρβουνο | ||
| The word 'κάρβουνο' is also used in Greek to refer to charcoal, which is created by burning wood in a controlled environment that limits oxygen supply. | |||
| Hmong | thee | ||
| The word "thee" can also refer to the sound of water dripping or flowing. | |||
| Kurdish | komir | ||
| The word "komir" in Kurdish is related to the Persian word "angar" (ember), indicating its connection to combustion. | |||
| Turkish | kömür | ||
| Derived from the Proto-Turkic *kömür, meaning | |||
| Xhosa | amalahle | ||
| The word 'amalahle' also means 'things that burn' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | קוילן | ||
| The Yiddish word "קוילן" (coal) is derived from the German word "Kohle" (coal). | |||
| Zulu | amalahle | ||
| The word "amalahle" is derived from the Nguni word "mala" meaning "to burn"} | |||
| Assamese | কয়লা | ||
| Aymara | qhilla | ||
| Bhojpuri | कोयला | ||
| Dhivehi | ކޯލް | ||
| Dogri | कोला | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | uling | ||
| Guarani | tatapỹihũ | ||
| Ilocano | uging | ||
| Krio | chakol | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | خەڵوز | ||
| Maithili | कोयला | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯣꯏꯂꯥ | ||
| Mizo | lungalhthei | ||
| Oromo | dhagaa cilee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କଇଲା | ||
| Quechua | killimsa | ||
| Sanskrit | अङ्गार | ||
| Tatar | күмер | ||
| Tigrinya | ፈሓም | ||
| Tsonga | malahla | ||