Complain in Different Languages
Discover 'Complain' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Complaining is a universal human experience, a way to express dissatisfaction or discomfort with a situation or thing. It holds significance in every culture, serving as a release for frustration and a call for change. But have you ever wondered how to express this sentiment in different languages?
The word 'complain' has fascinating historical contexts too. For instance, in Old French, 'complaindre' meant 'to lament' or 'to mourn'. Understanding its translation in various languages can provide insights into how different cultures approach and articulate dissatisfaction, making for a richer cross-cultural understanding.
Here are some intriguing translations of 'complain': In Spanish, it's 'quejarse'; in German, 'beschweren'; in French, 'se plaindre'; in Mandarin, 抱怨 ('bào yàn'); in Japanese, クレーム ('kureimu') or 불평 ('bulpyeon') in Korean. Explore more below!
Complain
Complain in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | kla | ||
| Kla, meaning "complain," also means "to sound a loud, piercing noise" in Afrikaans. | |||
| Amharic | አጉረመረሙ | ||
| አጉረመረሙ derives from the verb 'to murmur' and can also mean 'to complain'. | |||
| Hausa | koka | ||
| Some have suggested that the word "koka" may be related to the Fulfulde word "koko" meaning "cry". | |||
| Igbo | mee mkpesa | ||
| The word "mee mkpesa" can also mean "to express dissatisfaction" or "to make a protest." | |||
| Malagasy | hitaraina | ||
| The Malagasy word "hitaraina" is thought to be derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "hiqar", which means "to complain" or "to grumble" | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | dandaula | ||
| The word "dandaula" in Nyanja has the alternate meaning of "argue". | |||
| Shona | nyunyuta | ||
| In Karanga and other Nguni languages, 'nyunyuta' means to 'cry' and not 'complain'. | |||
| Somali | cabasho | ||
| The Somali word "cabasho" originally meant "to speak" and only later came to mean "to complain". | |||
| Sesotho | tletleba | ||
| The word 'tletleba' can also be translated as 'grumble or mutter', indicating dissatisfaction or irritation beyond mere complaining. | |||
| Swahili | kulalamika | ||
| The word "kulalamika" in Swahili originates from the Proto-Bantu word "-lalamika" meaning "whining". | |||
| Xhosa | khalaza | ||
| The word 'khalaza' also means 'the chalazae of an egg'. | |||
| Yoruba | kerora | ||
| The verb "kerora" also means "to beg" or "to entreat" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | khononda | ||
| The word “khononda” can also be used to express a feeling of discontent or dissatisfaction. | |||
| Bambara | makasi | ||
| Ewe | nyatoto | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kwitotomba | ||
| Lingala | komilela | ||
| Luganda | okwemulugunya | ||
| Sepedi | belaela | ||
| Twi (Akan) | bɔ kwaadu | ||
Complain in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تذمر | ||
| In classical Arabic, "تذمر" meant "to speak in a low voice", from "ذَمَر" which denotes a "slight noise like that of wood burning" | |||
| Hebrew | לְהִתְלוֹנֵן | ||
| The Hebrew word "לְהִתְלוֹנֵן" also means "to spy" or "to look around". | |||
| Pashto | شکایت کول | ||
| "شکایت کول" means "complain" in Pashto, but it literally means "to bear a complaint." | |||
| Arabic | تذمر | ||
| In classical Arabic, "تذمر" meant "to speak in a low voice", from "ذَمَر" which denotes a "slight noise like that of wood burning" | |||
Complain in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ankohen | ||
| The word "ankohen" also has the alternate meaning of "to become hoarse". | |||
| Basque | kexatu | ||
| The Basque word 'kexatu' has Indo-European cognates from Latin, Germanic, and Slavic language families with meanings related to 'worry' or 'anxiety'. | |||
| Catalan | queixar-se | ||
| The Catalan verb "queixar-se" derives from Latin "quaerere" (to seek or inquire), hinting at the seeking of relief or understanding through complaining. | |||
| Croatian | prigovarati | ||
| "Prigovarati" can also mean "to condemn" or "to judge" in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | brokke sig | ||
| The word "brokke sig" comes from the Old Norse word "brokka", meaning "to grumble" or "to mutter". | |||
| Dutch | klagen | ||
| The Dutch word "klagen" can also refer to mourning, wailing, or lamentation. | |||
| English | complain | ||
| The word "complain" comes from the Latin word "complangere," meaning "to lament loudly" or "to beat one's breast in grief." | |||
| French | se plaindre | ||
| In Old French, “se plaindre” meant to lament or express sadness, but gradually came to mean to express dissatisfaction. | |||
| Frisian | kleie | ||
| In Frisian, the word "kleie" not only means "complain," but also "itch," suggesting a connection between bodily and emotional discomfort. | |||
| Galician | queixarse | ||
| The Galician word "queixarse" is derived from the Latin "querellare", meaning "to make a complaint or accusation". | |||
| German | beschweren | ||
| The word "beschweren" (complain) derives from the Old High German "bisweren" (to swear), and has retained its original meaning of "to bear witness under oath". | |||
| Icelandic | kvarta | ||
| The Icelandic word 'kvarta' comes from a Danish loanword meaning 'to grumble' and is related to 'quarto', used in musical notation. | |||
| Irish | gearán a dhéanamh | ||
| The Irish phrase "gearán a dhéanamh" is cognate with the Welsh phrase "gerwyn" (''lament'') and the Breton phrase "geriañ" (''lament, cry, complain'') and is thought to derive from a Proto-Celtic verb meaning ''to cry out''. | |||
| Italian | lamentarsi | ||
| "lamentarsi" is derived from the Latin "lamentari," meaning "to wail, mourn, or lament." | |||
| Luxembourgish | beschwéieren | ||
| The verb "beschwéieren" comes from the Old High German "biswern" and originally meant "to swear" or "to make an oath." | |||
| Maltese | tilmenta | ||
| The verb 'tilmenta' (complain) originates from the Italian verb 'tormentare' meaning 'to torment'. | |||
| Norwegian | klage | ||
| Its etymology and root words are the same as "claim" in English. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | reclamar | ||
| In Portuguese, the verb "reclamar" also means "to claim" or "to demand" | |||
| Scots Gaelic | gearan | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of 'complain', 'gearan' can also mean 'noise', 'din' or 'clamour' in Scots Gaelic, reflecting its onomatopoeic origin from the sound of groaning or complaining. | |||
| Spanish | quejar | ||
| The word "quejar" is derived from the Latin word "quaerere" meaning "to ask, inquire, seek". | |||
| Swedish | klaga | ||
| The word "klaga" in Swedish originates from the Old Norse word "klægja," meaning "to weep" or "to lament." | |||
| Welsh | cwyno | ||
| The word "cwyno" can also mean "to lament" or "to mourn". | |||
Complain in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | скардзіцца | ||
| "Скардзіцца" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*skǫditi", which can mean "to slander, accuse, criticize, complain." | |||
| Bosnian | žaliti se | ||
| In addition to meaning "complain," žaliti se can also mean "to mourn" or "to grieve." | |||
| Bulgarian | оплакват | ||
| The word 'оплакват' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'oplakati', meaning 'to bewail or lament'. | |||
| Czech | stěžovat si | ||
| The word "stěžovat si" can also mean "to weigh" or "to put on scales". | |||
| Estonian | kurtma | ||
| The Estonian word "kurtma" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word *kurta, meaning "to grumble". | |||
| Finnish | valittaa | ||
| "Valittaa" can also mean "to regret" or "to grieve" in Finnish, reflecting its roots in the word "valo" (light), as in "to mourn the loss of light". | |||
| Hungarian | panaszkodik | ||
| The word "panaszkodik" comes from the word "panasz", meaning "complaint" or "grievance". | |||
| Latvian | sūdzēties | ||
| The word "sūdzēties" likely originates from the Proto-Indo-European word "sūd" meaning "to accuse". | |||
| Lithuanian | reikšti nepasitenkinimą | ||
| The word "reikšti nepasitenkinimą" also means "express dissatisfaction". | |||
| Macedonian | се жалат | ||
| The word "се жалат" can also mean "to desire" or "to long for" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | skarżyć się | ||
| "Skarżyć się" in Polish derives from the Old Polish verb "skarać," meaning "to punish". | |||
| Romanian | se plâng | ||
| The verb "se plâng" derives from a Proto-Indo-European root "*klweg," meaning "cry, scream". | |||
| Russian | жаловаться | ||
| The word "жаловаться" in Russian can also mean "to testify" or "to give an account". | |||
| Serbian | жалити се | ||
| The verb "жалити се" (zhaliti se) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*žaliti", which originally meant "to regret" or "to feel sorry". | |||
| Slovak | sťažovať sa | ||
| "Sťažovať sa" is a verb in Slovak that means "to complain", but it also means "to squeeze" or "to press" something. | |||
| Slovenian | pritožba | ||
| The word 'pritožba' in Slovenian originates from the word 'pritok', which means 'inflow' or 'complaint'. | |||
| Ukrainian | скаржитися | ||
| The Ukrainian word “скаржитися” (“complain”) is related to the word “скарга” (“complaint”), which in turn derives from the Proto-Slavic root *skorgъ (“sorrowful, angry”) | |||
Complain in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অভিযোগ | ||
| The word অভিযোগ (obhijog) comes from the Sanskrit word 'abhiyoga', which means 'accusation' or 'charge', and is used to denote a formal complaint or accusation made against someone. | |||
| Gujarati | ફરિયાદ | ||
| The word 'ફરિયાદ' can also mean 'petition,' 'application,' or 'representation,' and is ultimately derived from the Persian word 'farz,' meaning 'duty' or 'necessity.' | |||
| Hindi | शिकायत | ||
| The word "शिकायत" comes from the Persian word "shikayat" which means "to complain" or "to express grievance". | |||
| Kannada | ದೂರು | ||
| "ದೂರು" means not only "complain", but also "distance". | |||
| Malayalam | പരാതിപ്പെടുക | ||
| പരാതിപ്പെടുക, which means | |||
| Marathi | तक्रार | ||
| Derived from Sanskrit "tri-karshana" (meaning "to pull or drag in three directions") and ultimately from the root "karsh" (meaning "to pull, draw, or drag"). | |||
| Nepali | गुनासो | ||
| गुनासो derives from the Sanskrit word 'guna' meaning 'virtue' or 'quality', and has evolved to mean 'complaint' in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸ਼ਿਕਾਇਤ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਸ਼ਿਕਾਇਤ" (shikaayat) originally meant "to seek justice" or "to lodge a complaint with an authority." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පැමිණිලි | ||
| The Sinhalese word "පැමිණිලි" can also refer to a "complaint" in the sense of a formal legal document. | |||
| Tamil | புகார் | ||
| The word "புகார்" not only signifies a "complaint" but also denotes a "petition" or even a "place of pilgrimage". | |||
| Telugu | ఫిర్యాదు | ||
| The word "ఫిర్యాదు" can also refer to a legal notice or a complaint filed in court. | |||
| Urdu | شکایت | ||
| In Urdu, the word "شکایت" also means "complaint" or "grievance". | |||
Complain in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 抱怨 | ||
| 抱怨 (bàoyuàn) literally means 'to protect (报) the grievances (怨)'. Grievances were historically written on bamboo sticks. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 抱怨 | ||
| 抱怨 (bàoyuàn) literally means 'telling (訴) sorrows (怨)'. It can also refer to a 'complaint case' (告訴). | |||
| Japanese | 不平を言う | ||
| 不平を言う (fuhei wo iu): to complain, to grumble, to find fault | |||
| Korean | 불평하다 | ||
| The Korean word 불평하다 (bul-pyeong-ha-da) can also mean "grumble" or "lament." | |||
| Mongolian | гомдоллох | ||
| The word "гомдоллох" derives from "гомдол" (a complaint) and the suffix "-ллох" (to make or do something). | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တိုင်ကြား | ||
Complain in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | mengeluh | ||
| The word 'mengeluh' in Indonesian derives from the old Malay word 'gluh' which means 'to groan or murmur'. | |||
| Javanese | sambat | ||
| The word "sambat" can also mean "to ask for help", and it is related to the Sanskrit word "sambodhana" meaning "addressing someone respectfully". | |||
| Khmer | ត្អូញត្អែរ | ||
| The word "ត្អូញត្អែរ" also means to be nagging or to be constantly making small requests or demands. | |||
| Lao | ຈົ່ມ | ||
| The word "ຈົ່ມ" can also mean "to mourn" or "to cry". | |||
| Malay | mengeluh | ||
| The word "mengeluh" in Malay literally means "to let out gas" or "to fart", but it is also commonly used to mean "to complain". | |||
| Thai | บ่น | ||
| The word "บ่น" also has the alternate meaning of "to talk continuously to oneself". | |||
| Vietnamese | than phiền | ||
| The word "than phiền" can also mean "to be a nuisance" or "to be troublesome". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magreklamo | ||
Complain in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | şikayət | ||
| The word 'şikayət' also means 'petition' or 'appeal' in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | шағымдану | ||
| The word "шағымдану" in Kazakh, besides meaning "complain", also refers to "lamenting" or "regretting". | |||
| Kyrgyz | арыздануу | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "арыздануу" is derived from the Persian word "هعنارند" (arzdasht), which means "petition" or "complaint". | |||
| Tajik | шикоят кардан | ||
| The noun shikoyat derives from Arabic, and means both 'complaint' and 'lament for the dead'. | |||
| Turkmen | arz etmek | ||
| Uzbek | shikoyat qilish | ||
| The Uzbek word "shikoyat qilish" can also refer to informing someone about a crime. | |||
| Uyghur | ئاغرىنىش | ||
Complain in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻōhumu | ||
| 'Ōhumu', meaning 'complain', is also an archaic word for shark. | |||
| Maori | amuamu | ||
| The word amuamu can also refer to the act of begging or supplicating, or more figuratively, to importune someone for something. | |||
| Samoan | faitio | ||
| The Samoan word "faitio" can also mean to criticize, accuse, or find fault with someone. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | sumbong | ||
| "'Sumbong'" may also be an old term for "witch" or "fairy". | |||
Complain in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kijasiña | ||
| Guarani | chi'õ | ||
Complain in International Languages
| Esperanto | plendi | ||
| Esperanto's "plendi" is based on the Latin "plangere" (to mourn), which also gives us "plaintiff" and "complain" in English. | |||
| Latin | queri | ||
| The Latin word "queri" also means "to seek" or "to desire". | |||
Complain in Others Languages
| Greek | κανω παραπονα | ||
| In ancient Greece, "κανω παραπονα" was used to refer to calling for aid or asking for a favor | |||
| Hmong | yws | ||
| The word "yws" can also mean "to grumble" or "to mumble" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | gilîkirin | ||
| In Persian, the word "gilîkirin" also means "to get upset" and "to nag". | |||
| Turkish | şikayet | ||
| "Şikayet" is also a Turkish word for "hunting" originating from the Persian word "şikâr" for "hunted animal". | |||
| Xhosa | khalaza | ||
| The word 'khalaza' also means 'the chalazae of an egg'. | |||
| Yiddish | באַקלאָגנ זיך | ||
| The word 'בקלאגען' (baklagn or beklagen in Standard German) derives from the Middle High German verb 'klagn' (to cry, to lament). | |||
| Zulu | khononda | ||
| The word “khononda” can also be used to express a feeling of discontent or dissatisfaction. | |||
| Assamese | অভিযোগ কৰা | ||
| Aymara | kijasiña | ||
| Bhojpuri | सिकायत | ||
| Dhivehi | ޝަކުވާކުރުން | ||
| Dogri | शकैत | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magreklamo | ||
| Guarani | chi'õ | ||
| Ilocano | agreklamo | ||
| Krio | kɔmplen | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سکاڵا | ||
| Maithili | शिकायत | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯋꯥꯀꯠꯄ | ||
| Mizo | sawisel | ||
| Oromo | komachuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅଭିଯୋଗ କରନ୍ତୁ | ||
| Quechua | willarikuy | ||
| Sanskrit | अभियुनक्ति | ||
| Tatar | зарлану | ||
| Tigrinya | ምንፅርፃር | ||
| Tsonga | xivilelo | ||