Couch in different languages

Couch in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

The humble couch, a staple of living rooms and lounges worldwide, is more than just a piece of furniture. It's a symbol of relaxation, comfort, and community. The couch is where we gather with family and friends to watch movies, play games, and share stories. It's where we unwind after a long day, curling up with a good book or our favorite streaming show. In many ways, the couch is the heart of the home.

But did you know that the word 'couch' has roots in old French and means 'to lie down'? Or that in some cultures, the couch is a place of honor, reserved for honored guests or the head of the household?

Understanding the translation of 'couch' in different languages can give us insight into the cultural significance of this versatile piece of furniture. For example, in Spanish, a couch is called 'sofá,' while in German it's 'Couch' and in French 'canapé'.

Join us as we explore the many translations of 'couch' and delve into the fascinating history and cultural importance of this beloved piece of furniture.

Couch


Couch in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansrusbank
The word 'rusbank' may have originated from the Dutch word 'rustbank', which means 'resting bench'.
Amharicሶፋ
In the Amharic-English dictionary by Charles Richard Lepsius, the word "sofa" is also translated as "bed".
Hausakujera
The word "kujera" in Hausa shares the same root as "kujera" in Fulani, meaning "to lie down."
Igbon'ihe ndina
N'ihi ndina means "to rest on" in Igbo, hence the translation to "couch".
Malagasyfandriana
The word "fandriana" in Malagasy can also mean "bed" or "sitting mat," depending on the context.
Nyanja (Chichewa)kama
The word "kama" in Nyanja can also refer to a garden bed or a small field.
Shonamubhedha
The word 'mubhedha' in Shona is derived from the verb 'kubhedha' which means 'to spread out' or 'to make a flat surface'.
Somalisariir
In Somali, "sariir" is also used to refer to one of the three main prayers in Islam.
Sesothosetulo se kang bethe
Sesotho se 'setulo se kang bethe' (couch) means a place to sit and rest, similar to the Zulu word 'isitulo'
Swahilikitanda
The word "kitanda" in Swahili derives from the Proto-Bantu *ki-tanda, meaning "sleeping place".
Xhosaisingqengqelo
Isingqengqelo comes from the word ingqengqe, which means 'to be bent or arched'
Yorubaakete
The word "akete" also denotes a "bed" or "mattress" in Yoruba.
Zuluusofa
"Usofa" comes from the word "sofa" in Portuguese, which is derived ultimately from the Arabic word "suffah," meaning a bench or a couch.
Bambaradilan
Ewexɔmezikpui legbe
Kinyarwandauburiri
Lingalakiti ya divan
Lugandaentebe
Sepedisofa
Twi (Akan)akonnwa

Couch in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicأريكة
أريكة (couch) is derived from the French word
Hebrewסַפָּה
The Hebrew word for 'couch', 'ספה', also means 'a threshold or boundary'
Pashtoتخته
The word "تخته" in Pashto can also refer to a wooden plank or a bed frame.
Arabicأريكة
أريكة (couch) is derived from the French word

Couch in Western European Languages

Albaniandivan
In Albanian, the word "divan" can also refer to a council or an administrative body.
Basquesofan
The Basque word “sofan” evolved from “sof,” the word for bench or table that is placed before a house, and “kanpo,” which refers to the open air.
Catalansofà
"Sofà" is a loanword from Arabic "Suffah" (bench, platform) via Spanish "sofá".
Croatiankauč
The word 'kauč' is derived from the Hungarian word 'kács', which means 'oven' or 'furnace'.
Danishsofa
In Danish, the word "sofa" is a loanword from Italian "sofa" and French "sofa", which both stem from Arabic "suffa", meaning "bench" or "platform".
Dutchbankstel
The word "bankstel" originated from the Dutch words "bank" (bench) and "stoel" (chair) and originally referred to a bench with a back and armrests.
Englishcouch
The word 'couch' originates from French and was originally used to describe a physical bed, but over time its meaning shifted to refer to a long, upholstered piece of furniture designed for seating.
Frenchcanapé
Canapé, meaning "couch" in French, comes from the Latin word "canopus", which referred to a type of Egyptian boat with a raised deck
Frisianbank
Historically, the word "bank" in Frisian could also refer to a bench or a sleeping area on a ferry.
Galiciansofá
The word «sofá» has many etymologies, among them that of «divan» that referred to the raised sitting area used by the Arabs and on which it was customary to eat while reclining.
Germancouch
The German word "Couch" can also refer to a sofa bed, a sleeping couch, or a day bed.
Icelandicsófinn
According to the Íslensk Orðabók, the word "sófinn" can refer to a type of couch called a "chesterfield".
Irishtolg
In Irish slang, "tolg" can also refer to a sofa, armchair, or similar piece of furniture.
Italiandivano
The word "divano" comes from the Persian word "dīvān", meaning "council" or "court".
Luxembourgishcanapé
The Luxembourgish word "Canapé" can also refer to a small open sandwich.
Maltesecouch
In Maltese, the word "couch" can also refer to a mattress, bed, or cot.
Norwegiansofa
In Norwegian, "sofa" also refers to a cozy corner or nook in a room.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)sofá
The word "sofá" originally referred to a bed or seat in an Eastern-style room.
Scots Gaeliccouch
In Scots Gaelic, the word 'couch' can also mean a hut or shelter.
Spanishsofá
In Spanish, 'sofá' originates from the Arabic word 'suffa,' meaning 'long bench,' referring to its traditional form.
Swedishsoffa
In Swedish, the word "soffa" can also refer to a type of sofa bed.
Welshsoffa
Although the word 'sofa' means 'easy chair' in Welsh, its literal translation is 'six foot'

Couch in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianканапа
The word "канапа" derives from the French "canapé" through Polish and means both "couch" and "sofa".
Bosniankauč
The word 'kauč' in Bosnian is ultimately derived from Turkish ('kahvec'), from which it retains alternate meaning 'coffeehouse'.
Bulgarianдиван
The word "диван" in Bulgarian originates from the Persian word "dīvān" meaning "a collection of poems."
Czechgauč
The word "gauč" in Czech is derived from the French word "couche", meaning "bed". In some contexts, it can also refer to a sofa or a divan.
Estoniandiivan
The word “diivan” derives from the Turkish word “divan”, which originally referred to a council, a collection of ministers, and can also refer to a set of poems written by one author in the Divan literary genre.
Finnishsohva
The word 'sohva' has been suggested to derive from the Latin 'sufficere' meaning 'to support' but this etymology is uncertain.
Hungariankanapé
In Hungarian, "kanapé" comes from the French word "canapé" which originally referred to a small sofa or couch, but its meaning has since expanded to include larger and more elaborate pieces of furniture.
Latviandīvāns
The etymology of the Latvian word "dīvāns" is traced back to the Persian word "divān", meaning "council chamber" or "collection of poems, anthology".
Lithuaniankušetė
The Lithuanian word "kušetė" comes from the French word "couchette" and originally referred to a small bed or sleeping berth on a train.
Macedonianкауч
In Russian, the word кауч is used not only for furniture, but also for a type of therapy.
Polishsofa
In Polish, the word "sofa" has two additional meanings: a "bench" and a "divan".
Romaniancanapea
The Romanian word "canapea" originates from the Greek "kanape" and ultimately from the Arabic "qanafa" meaning "couch" or "divan".
Russianдиван
In Russian, the word "диван" can also refer to an administrative division or a type of financial document.
Serbianкауч
The Serbian word "кауч" may also refer to a type of traditional Ottoman sofa or daybed.
Slovakgauč
The word "gauč" in Slovak is cognate to the German word "Kauz", meaning "owl".
Sloveniankavč
"Kavč" likely derives from "kafja", meaning "cage", alluding to its latticework or upholstered sides.
Ukrainianдиван
The word "диван" is derived from the Persian word "dīvān", which originally meant "collection of poems" or "court of justice".

Couch in South Asian Languages

Bengaliপালঙ্ক
"Palang" is a borrowing from the Persian "palank", the seat or cushion of a saddle.
Gujaratiસો ફા
The word "સો ફા" in Gujarati is similar to the Hindi word "सोफ़ा" (sofa) and has the same meaning.
Hindiसोफ़ा
The word "सोफ़ा" ultimately derives from the Arabic word "suffa", meaning "bench".
Kannadaಮಂಚದ
The word "ಮಂಚದ" (manchada) in Kannada also means "bedstead" or "mattress".
Malayalamകിടക്ക
"കിടക്ക" is derived from the root "കിട" (kid) which means to lie down or sleep, and the suffix "-ക്ക" (-kka) which denotes a place or thing used for the purpose of the root word.
Marathiपलंग
The origin of 'पलंग' might have originated from the word 'फलाँगा' meaning a wooden frame
Nepaliपलंग
The word "पलंग" is derived from the Sanskrit word "पर्यंक" (paryanka), meaning "a bed or couch".
Punjabiਸੋਫੇ
The word "ਸੋਫੇ" (sofa) in Punjabi is of Persian origin, likely derived from the word "sufi" meaning "coarse woolen cloth".
Sinhala (Sinhalese)යහන
The Sinhala word "යහන" is derived from the Sanskrit word "यशस" (yaśas), meaning "fame" or "reputation".
Tamilபடுக்கை
"படுக்கை" or padukkai can mean "bedstead", "couch" or "bed" depending on the context and dialect.
Teluguమంచం
The word "మంచం" is also used to refer to a bed or a platform on which to sleep.
Urduسوفی
In Arabic, the word "صوفة" (ṣūfa) originally meant "wool" or "sheepskin". When used in reference to a piece of furniture, it typically implies a type of bench or long chair with no back or arms.

Couch in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)长椅
长椅,古时也指棺材,现今引申有供人睡觉或休息用的长条形家具之意。
Chinese (Traditional)長椅
"長椅" (couch) comes from its original meaning as a "long bench."
Japaneseソファー
Japanese "ソファー" is pronounced the same as "sofa" in western languages but it originated from a Turkish word "sofa" that meant sitting place.
Korean침상
The word "침상" can also refer to a stretcher or a deathbed.
Mongolianбуйдан
The noun "буйдан" also means "cushion" or "blanket spread over a bed for warmth".
Myanmar (Burmese)အိပ်ရာ
The word "အိပ်ရာ" can also refer to a sleeping mat or a bed, and is derived from the Pali word "seyyā" meaning "bed".

Couch in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiansofa
The Indonesian word 'sofa' is derived from the Arabic word 'suffah', meaning 'bench'.
Javanesekursi
Other than referring to a 'couch', 'kursi' also refers to a 'chair' or a 'throne' in Javanese.
Khmerសាឡុង
The Khmer word "សាឡុង" has a Sanskrit origin and also means "hall" or "meeting room".
Laoຕຽງ
The word "ຕຽງ" in Lao has its origins in Sanskrit and also means "bed" or "mat".
Malaysofa
The word "sofa" is derived from the Arabic "suffah", meaning "bench" or "divan".
Thaiโซฟา
The word "โซฟา" (couch) is derived from the Arabic word "suffa"}
Vietnameseđi văng
"Đi văng" is also used to refer to a daybed, a piece of furniture that can be used for both sitting and sleeping.
Filipino (Tagalog)sopa

Couch in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanitaxt
"Taxt" in Azerbaijani not only means "couch," but also "shelf" in the northern part of the country.
Kazakhкушетка
"Кушетка" is the Russian word for "couch", while in Kazakh it also refers to a small bed frame without legs.
Kyrgyzкушетка
Кушетка (от фр. coucher — лежать), одно- или двухместный диван, используемый для отдыха в положении полусидя-полулёжа
Tajikдиван
The word "диван" can also refer to a collection of poems or a high-ranking official in Ottoman Turkey.
Turkmendüşek
Uzbekdivan
In Uzbek, "divan" also refers to a collection of poems or literary works
Uyghurcouch

Couch in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianwahi moe
Wahi moe is the Hawaiian word for 'couch' but also means 'sleeping place' and can refer to a bed or other sleeping arrangement.
Maorimoenga
The word "moenga" in Māori can also refer to sleeping arrangements or a bed.
Samoannofoa umi
"Nofoa Umi" literally means a chair that cannot be moved due to its heavy weight.
Tagalog (Filipino)sopa
In some older dialects, "sopa" also means "soft" or "delicate", as in the softness of a couch.

Couch in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraqunuña
Guaraniapykaguasu

Couch in International Languages

Esperantokanapo
The word 'kanapo' is derived from the Japanese word 'kanapē', which in turn comes from the French word 'canapé'.
Latintoro
"Toro" is also used to refer to a type of bull in Spanish, as the word is derived from the Latin word "taurus" meaning "bull."

Couch in Others Languages

Greekκαναπές
The word "καναπές" in Greek also has the alternate meaning "mosquito net".
Hmongcouch
In Hmong, the word "couch" also means "a place to sleep or rest".
Kurdishnivîn
The Kurdish word "nivîn" is also used to refer to a "seat" or "chair" in some dialects.
Turkishkanepe
In some regional dialects of Turkish, 'kanepe' can also refer to a bed or a type of Ottoman-style sofa.
Xhosaisingqengqelo
Isingqengqelo comes from the word ingqengqe, which means 'to be bent or arched'
Yiddishקאַנאַפּע
"קאַנאַפּע" originated as the German word "Kanapee" and entered Yiddish through Slavic languages.
Zuluusofa
"Usofa" comes from the word "sofa" in Portuguese, which is derived ultimately from the Arabic word "suffah," meaning a bench or a couch.
Assameseশয্যা
Aymaraqunuña
Bhojpuriसोफा
Dhivehiސޯފާ
Dogriसोफा
Filipino (Tagalog)sopa
Guaraniapykaguasu
Ilocanopagtugawan
Kriosɛti chia
Kurdish (Sorani)قەنەفە
Maithiliपलंग
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯄꯣꯊꯥꯐꯝ
Mizothu mu
Oromosoofaa
Odia (Oriya)ବିଛଣା
Quechuasofa
Sanskritशय्या
Tatarдиван
Tigrinyaዓራት
Tsongasofa

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