Cold in Different Languages
Discover 'Cold' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Cold
Afrikaans koud | ||
Albanian i ftohtë | ||
Amharic ቀዝቃዛ | ||
Arabic البرد | ||
Armenian ցուրտ | ||
Assamese ঠাণ্ডা | ||
Aymara thaya | ||
Azerbaijani soyuq | ||
Bambara nɛnɛ | ||
Basque hotza | ||
Belarusian халодная | ||
Bengali ঠান্ডা | ||
Bhojpuri ठंढा | ||
Bosnian hladno | ||
Bulgarian студ | ||
Catalan refredat | ||
Cebuano bugnaw | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 冷 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 冷 | ||
Corsican fretu | ||
Croatian hladno | ||
Czech studený | ||
Danish kold | ||
Dhivehi ފިނި | ||
Dogri ठंडा | ||
Dutch verkoudheid | ||
English cold | ||
Esperanto malvarma | ||
Estonian külm | ||
Ewe fa | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) malamig | ||
Finnish kylmä | ||
French du froid | ||
Frisian kâld | ||
Galician frío | ||
Georgian ცივი | ||
German kalt | ||
Greek κρύο | ||
Guarani ho'ysã | ||
Gujarati ઠંડા | ||
Haitian Creole frèt | ||
Hausa sanyi | ||
Hawaiian anuanu | ||
Hebrew קַר | ||
Hindi सर्दी | ||
Hmong txias heev | ||
Hungarian hideg | ||
Icelandic kalt | ||
Igbo oyi | ||
Ilocano nalammiis | ||
Indonesian dingin | ||
Irish fuar | ||
Italian freddo | ||
Japanese コールド | ||
Javanese kadhemen | ||
Kannada ಶೀತ | ||
Kazakh суық | ||
Khmer ត្រជាក់ | ||
Kinyarwanda imbeho | ||
Konkani थंड | ||
Korean 춥다 | ||
Krio kol | ||
Kurdish sarma | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) سارد | ||
Kyrgyz суук | ||
Lao ເຢັນ | ||
Latin frigus | ||
Latvian auksts | ||
Lingala malili | ||
Lithuanian šalta | ||
Luganda obutiti | ||
Luxembourgish kal | ||
Macedonian ладно | ||
Maithili ठंडा | ||
Malagasy hatsiaka | ||
Malay sejuk | ||
Malayalam തണുപ്പ് | ||
Maltese kiesaħ | ||
Maori makariri | ||
Marathi थंड | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯏꯪꯕ | ||
Mizo vawt | ||
Mongolian хүйтэн | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) အအေး | ||
Nepali चिसो | ||
Norwegian kald | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) kuzizira | ||
Odia (Oriya) ଥଣ୍ଡା | ||
Oromo diilallaa'aa | ||
Pashto ساړه | ||
Persian سرد | ||
Polish zimno | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) frio | ||
Punjabi ਠੰਡਾ | ||
Quechua chiri | ||
Romanian rece | ||
Russian холодно | ||
Samoan malulu | ||
Sanskrit शैत्यम् | ||
Scots Gaelic fuar | ||
Sepedi tonya | ||
Serbian хладно | ||
Sesotho batang | ||
Shona kutonhora | ||
Sindhi ڀڌ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) සීතල | ||
Slovak chladný | ||
Slovenian mraz | ||
Somali qabow | ||
Spanish frío | ||
Sundanese tiis | ||
Swahili baridi | ||
Swedish kall | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) malamig | ||
Tajik хунук | ||
Tamil குளிர் | ||
Tatar салкын | ||
Telugu చలి | ||
Thai เย็น | ||
Tigrinya ቁሪ | ||
Tsonga titimela | ||
Turkish soğuk | ||
Turkmen sowuk | ||
Twi (Akan) nwunu | ||
Ukrainian холодний | ||
Urdu سردی | ||
Uyghur سوغۇق | ||
Uzbek sovuq | ||
Vietnamese lạnh | ||
Welsh oer | ||
Xhosa kuyabanda | ||
Yiddish קאַלט | ||
Yoruba tutu | ||
Zulu kubanda |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | "Koud" also means "known" in Old Frisian and Dutch, and comes from the Proto-Germanic word "*kunþaz" meaning "known or famous". |
| Albanian | The word "i ftohtë" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰel- meaning "to freeze" and is related to the Latin word "gelu" meaning "frost". |
| Amharic | "ቀዝቃዛ" is also used to describe someone who is not hospitable. |
| Arabic | The Arabic word البرد originally meant "hail" before coming to mean "cold" in general. |
| Armenian | The word "ցուրտ" has the literal meaning of cold, but it can also be used figuratively to mean harsh, cruel, or oppressive. |
| Azerbaijani | The word "soyuq" in Azerbaijani ultimately derives from Old Turkic "soγuq" (cold), and it also has meanings of "cool" and "indifferent" in the modern language. |
| Basque | The Basque word "hotza" can also figuratively refer to someone who is unfeeling. |
| Belarusian | The word "халодная" derives from the Proto-Slavic "*xolodь". In Russian, "холодный" also means "unemotional or unfriendly". |
| Bengali | The Bengali word "ঠান্ডা" (cold) comes from the Sanskrit word "sthanda" meaning frozen, and is also used in Punjabi and Hindi. |
| Bosnian | "Hladno" can also mean 'indifferent' or 'emotionless' in Bosnian. |
| Bulgarian | In some Slavic languages, "студ" originally meant "stiffness" or "numbness," as in Old Church Slavonic "styděti," meaning "to be ashamed," or the Russian "stydnut," meaning "to grow cold and stiff. |
| Catalan | The Catalan word "refredar" is derived from the Latin verb "refrigerare", meaning "to cool down". |
| Cebuano | "Bugnaw" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "*buŋawŋ" meaning "dew, mist, or frost." |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 冷 can also mean 'calm', 'indifferent', or 'deserted'. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | The character 冷 literally means 'ice', and is also used as the word for 'icy'. |
| Corsican | The word "fretu" also means "fright" or "fear" in Corsican. |
| Croatian | The word "hladno" can also refer to a feeling of indifference or apathy. |
| Czech | In some contexts, the word "studený" can also refer to a state of sobriety or emotional detachment. |
| Danish | The word "kold" can also refer to a head cold, as opposed to a body cold. |
| Dutch | The word "verkoudheid" is derived from the Middle Dutch "verkoude," meaning "to catch a cold," and is related to the German word "Verkühlung," which also means "common cold." |
| Esperanto | The Esperanto word "malvarma" is derived from the Latin "male" (bad) and "calere" (to be warm), implying "bad warmth" or "not warm enough". |
| Estonian | The Estonian word "külm" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word *külmä "frost, ice" while the Finnic word *külvä "to sow" is its distant kin |
| Finnish | "Kylmä" can also mean "calm, peaceful" in Finnish. |
| French | The word "du froid" in French can also mean "indifference" or "aversion" |
| Frisian | The Frisian word 'kâld' is cognate with the English word 'cold' and the Dutch word 'koud'. |
| Galician | In Galician, the word "frío" also means "cold-hearted" or "unfeeling". |
| Georgian | ცივი can also refer to "cool" when describing a person's personality or the temperature of a room. |
| German | In German, the word "kalt" can also refer to a person who is insensitive or indifferent. |
| Greek | The word "κρύο" is also used to describe something that is emotionally cold or indifferent. |
| Gujarati | The word “ઠંડા” can also mean “peaceful” or “calm” in Gujarati, in addition to its primary meaning of “cold”. |
| Haitian Creole | The word "frèt" also means "anger" in Haitian Creole and is derived from the French word "froid" meaning "cold". |
| Hausa | Hausa "sanyi" originated from "sanyin" which also means the cold season between November to February. |
| Hawaiian | The word `anuanu` also means `pleasant, refreshing`, `solace`, or `consolation` in Hawaiian. |
| Hebrew | The word "קַר" (cold) stems from the root ק.ר.ר, which also means "freeze" or "curdle". |
| Hindi | "सर्दी" का अर्थ बुखार भी हो सकता है, और यह संस्कृत "सैरंध्री" से निकला है, जिसका अर्थ है "देवी इंद्राणी का।" |
| Hmong | It is a metaphor for someone who doesn't smile or engage with others, with no derogatory connotation. |
| Hungarian | The Hungarian word "hideg" meaning "cold" is related to the word "hide" in English, possibly due to the sensation of wanting to hide away from the cold. |
| Icelandic | The Icelandic word “kalt” can also refer to one’s state of mind or health. |
| Igbo | Igbo word oyi, meaning 'cold' relates to the state of being wet and soft. |
| Indonesian | "Dingin" is onomatopoetic, similar to the English words "ting" or "sing" |
| Irish | Derived from the Proto-Celtic root *woretos (meaning 'cold'), fuar also signifies 'unripe' and 'impure' in Irish |
| Italian | The word 'freddo' comes from the Latin word 'frigidus' meaning 'cold' and also shares a root with the word 'frigid' in English. |
| Japanese | The word "コールド" (cold) also has the alternate meaning of "completely" or "thoroughly" in Japanese. |
| Javanese | In Old Javanese, 'kadhemen' also meant 'darkness', as suggested by its connection to 'keḍap', which means 'dark' or 'dim'. |
| Kannada | "ಶೀತ" means "a cold" in Kannada, but it also means "the cold season" or "the winter season". |
| Kazakh | The Kazakh word 'суық' is also used figuratively to describe a person's indifference or lack of emotion, much like the English phrase 'cold shoulder'. |
| Korean | "춥다" is derived from the Proto-Koreanic root *təp- "to be cold" and is likely cognate with the Japanese "samui" and the Mongolic "tsübgü". |
| Kurdish | The word “sarma” can refer to a state of being cold as well as a state of being sick in Kurdish. |
| Kyrgyz | The term 'суук' can also refer to the northern region of Kyrgyzstan, a region known for its harsh winters, where the average temperature drops below -10°C during the coldest months. |
| Lao | The Lao word "ເຢັນ" (cold) is also used to describe a person who is calm and collected. |
| Latin | Frigus is used in Latin poetry to describe the feeling of fear as well as physical coldness, likely due to the physical sensations of fear mimicking the physiological responses to cold. |
| Latvian | "Auksts" (cold) in Latvian is also related to the word "auss" (outside), and has a similar etymology to the English word "icy" (from Old English "isig" or "ise" (ice)) |
| Lithuanian | The Proto-Baltic word *šaltas "cold" is cognate with Slavic *xolodŭ, both words being derived from a Proto-Indo-European root *ḱel- "to freeze". |
| Luxembourgish | "Kal" also means "goal" or "purpose" in Luxembourgish. |
| Macedonian | The word 'ладно' ('cold') in Macedonian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *xladъ, which also means 'shade' or 'shelter'. |
| Malagasy | The word "hatsiaka" may also refer to a type of rice cultivated in the highlands of Madagascar. |
| Malay | ‘Sejuk’ comes from the Proto-Austronesian *sijuk meaning ‘cool’, and also means ‘calm, peaceful, or quiet’. |
| Malayalam | "തണുപ്പ്" (cold) in Malayalam also refers to the shade or cover of a tree, highlighting the close connection between coolness and shelter from the sun. |
| Maltese | “Kiesaħ” likely derives from the Arabic word “qarsh” meaning frost, ice, or “to shake violently” (as when one shivers). |
| Maori | The word "makariri" in Maori can also mean "chilly" or "freezing". |
| Marathi | The Marathi word "थंड" (cold) is derived from the Sanskrit word "शीत" (cold). |
| Mongolian | The word "хүйтэн" can also mean "cool" or "indifferent" in Mongolian. |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | The word "အအေး" (pronounced ah-eh) can also mean "darkness" or "shade" in Burmese. |
| Nepali | The word "चिसो" in Nepali comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰei- "to be cold". |
| Norwegian | Norwegian "kald" comes from Proto-Germanic "*kaldaz", influenced by Old Norse "kol" (charcoal). |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The word kuzizira, meaning "to be cold", is a derivative of the verb kuzizira (to catch a cold), hence the connection to coldness. |
| Pashto | The word "ساړه" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *ser- "to flow, run," which is also the origin of the English word "serene" |
| Persian | The word "سرد" can also mean "numb" or "dull". |
| Polish | Although zimno comes from the Proto-Slavic word ‘zьma’ or ‘winter,’ it can be used for ‘cold’ in all four seasons. |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | In Portuguese, the word "frio" can also describe a lack of emotion or excitement, like a "cold shoulder". |
| Punjabi | "ਠੰਡਾ" can also mean 'cold-hearted', 'indifferent', or 'relaxed'. |
| Romanian | The word "rece" (cold) in Romanian comes from the Latin word "glacies" (ice). |
| Russian | The word "холодно" can also mean "lonely" or "sad" |
| Samoan | In Samoan, 'malulu' can refer to both physical coldness and a sense of sadness or loneliness. |
| Scots Gaelic | "Fuar" in Scots Gaelic is cognate with the Irish "fuar" and Welsh "oer", both meaning "cold", and is the root of various other Gaelic terms related to coldness, such as "fuaran" (cold water) and "fuachd" (chill). |
| Serbian | "Хладно" can also mean "cool" in the sense of "indifferent, unemotional" or "calm" in the sense of "not excited or worried". |
| Sesotho | The word "batang" can also refer to a person who is cold or unfriendly. |
| Shona | The root word 'tonhora' can also mean 'quietness' or 'calmness', suggesting a connection between coldness and a sense of tranquility. |
| Sindhi | The word "ڀڌ" originates from the Sanskrit word "शीत" (śīta), meaning "cold" or "frosty". |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | "සීතල" is also used to describe something refreshing, calming or soothing. |
| Slovak | In physics, _chladný_ can also mean 'cool'. |
| Slovenian | The Slovene word 'mraz' likely derives from the Proto-Slavic term '*mr̥znǫti', meaning 'to freeze'. |
| Somali | "Qabow" is a term also applied to anything raw, including food and liquids. |
| Spanish | In Spanish, "frío" can also mean "unfavorable" or "unwelcoming." |
| Sundanese | The word "tiis" in Sundanese also refers to the feeling of being numb or shivering. |
| Swahili | The Swahili word "baridi" is related to the Proto-Bantu root *baɾid-, meaning "fresh" or "new." |
| Swedish | The Swedish word "kall" can also be used to describe someone or something as being unemotional, indifferent, or harsh. |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | "Malamig" also refers to an emotion, signifying aloofness or unfriendliness. |
| Tajik | The word “хунук” (cold) may also refer to an emotionless or unenthusiastic person. |
| Tamil | "குளிர்" in Tamil can also refer to the sensation caused by the entry of a soul into one’s body. |
| Telugu | The word "చలి" in Telugu is also used to describe the feeling of emptiness or loneliness, similar to the English term "cold shoulder". |
| Thai | เย็น means 'afternoon,' 'evening,' 'late,' and in Thai astrology 'the element air'. |
| Turkish | In Turkish, the word "soğuk" also has alternate meanings such as "uninterested" and "indifferent." |
| Ukrainian | The word "холодний" can also refer to a type of Ukrainian dance. |
| Urdu | The word "سردی" in Urdu also refers to a lack of emotions or enthusiasm. |
| Uzbek | The Uzbek word for cold, "sovuq," may also mean "chill" or "indifferent." |
| Vietnamese | The word "lạnh" in Vietnamese, despite its primary meaning of "cold", also holds the extended meaning of "gloomy" or "withered." |
| Welsh | The Welsh word oer derives its meaning from an ancient Celtic root meaning 'to freeze' or 'to chill'. |
| Xhosa | Kuyabanda shares its root with the word for 'winter' (iimbasa) |
| Yiddish | 'קאַלט' in Yiddish can also figuratively mean 'unfeeling' or 'indifferent'. |
| Yoruba | It can also mean `to be silent, unsociable or unfriendly' |
| Zulu | The Zulu word "kubanda" is also used to refer to the cold season or the winter months. |
| English | The word "cold" is derived from the Old English word "ceald", which originally meant "numb" or "stiff". |