Customer in Different Languages
Discover 'Customer' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'customer' holds immense significance in the world of business and commerce. It refers to a person who purchases goods or services from a store or a company. The concept of a customer is not only crucial for the success of a business but also plays a vital role in shaping our economy and society.
The importance of customers extends beyond the economic sphere and is deeply embedded in our cultural values. In many cultures, taking care of customers is seen as a sacred duty, and businesses that prioritize customer satisfaction are often held in high regard. For instance, in Japan, the concept of 'Okyaku' or customer is deeply ingrained in the culture, and businesses go to great lengths to ensure their customers' needs are met.
Knowing the translation of the word 'customer' in different languages can be helpful for businesses looking to expand their operations globally. It can also be a fun and interesting way to learn about different cultures and languages.
Here are some translations of the word 'customer' in various languages:
Customer
Customer in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | kliënt | ||
| In the context of insurance, the word 'kliënt' may refer to the policyholder or the person whose life is insured under a policy. | |||
| Amharic | ደንበኛ | ||
| "ደንበኛ" (customer) is derived from the verb "ደንቦ" (to wait), indicating a person who waits to be served. | |||
| Hausa | abokin ciniki | ||
| The word “abokin ciniki” can also imply a friend, comrade, or even a family member. | |||
| Igbo | ahịa | ||
| The word "ahịa" in Igbo also means "market" and is derived from the verb "ahia" meaning "to trade" or "to buy and sell." | |||
| Malagasy | mpanjifa | ||
| The Malagasy word "mpanjifa" is derived from the root "fanja" meaning to desire or to long for something, suggesting that a customer is someone who has a desire for a particular product or service. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kasitomala | ||
| The word "kasitomala" in Nyanja has its origins in the prefix "ka" meaning "of" and the word "sitomala" meaning "one who buys". | |||
| Shona | mutengi | ||
| In Shona, "mutengi" also means "one who wants something" or "one who is in need of something". | |||
| Somali | macmiil | ||
| Somali "macmiil" (customer) is originally an Arabic word derived from the root "m-q-m" with meanings "to stay," "to reside," or "to abide," later denoting concepts "place or location" and "residence" and "settlement" | |||
| Sesotho | moreki | ||
| The word "moreki" in Sesotho may also refer to a person who requests a service or a buyer in a commercial transaction. | |||
| Swahili | mteja | ||
| The word "mteja" can also mean "client" or "patron" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | umthengi | ||
| The word "umthengi" in Xhosa also means "buyer", as it is derived from the verb "thenga" which means "to buy". | |||
| Yoruba | alabara | ||
| In Ijebu Yoruba, the term "alabara" can also refer to a client, a buyer, or a patron of a business or service. | |||
| Zulu | ikhasimende | ||
| The word 'ikhasimende' is derived from the Zulu verb 'ukukhasimula', meaning 'to negotiate'. This suggests that customers were originally seen as people who negotiated with businesses. | |||
| Bambara | sannikɛla | ||
| Ewe | asisi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umukiriya | ||
| Lingala | kiliya | ||
| Luganda | omuguzi | ||
| Sepedi | modiriši | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adetɔni | ||
Customer in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الزبون | ||
| The word "الزبون" in Arabic derives from the root "ذبن" meaning "to draw near" or "to approach". | |||
| Hebrew | צרכן | ||
| The Hebrew word "צרכן" (tsarkan) is derived from the verb "לצרוך" (latsrukh), meaning "to consume" or "to spend". | |||
| Pashto | پيرودونکی | ||
| The word "پيرودونکی" (customer) in Pashto is derived from the Persian word "پيرو" (follower), indicating the relationship between a business and its patrons. | |||
| Arabic | الزبون | ||
| The word "الزبون" in Arabic derives from the root "ذبن" meaning "to draw near" or "to approach". | |||
Customer in Western European Languages
| Albanian | konsumatori | ||
| The Albanian word "konsumatori" is derived from the Latin word "consumere," which means "to use up," and is related to the English word "consume." | |||
| Basque | bezeroa | ||
| "Bezaroa" comes from the Basque word "bezer" (calf), likely because calves were used as currency or payment in the past. | |||
| Catalan | client | ||
| The Catalan word "client" also means "hanger" in a wardrobe | |||
| Croatian | kupac | ||
| The word "kupac" in Croatian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "kupiti", meaning "to buy", and also has the alternate meaning of "buyer". | |||
| Danish | kunde | ||
| The word "kunde" in Danish also means "knowledge," and derives from the Proto-Germanic word "kunnjan"} | |||
| Dutch | klant | ||
| The Dutch word "klant" ultimately derives from the Latin "cliens", meaning "dependent" or "follower". | |||
| English | customer | ||
| The word 'customer' derives from the Middle French word 'coustume,' meaning 'custom' or 'habit,' and originally referred to a person who regularly patronized a business. | |||
| French | client | ||
| In French, “client” can also refer to a person who seeks professional advice or assistance, particularly in the legal or medical fields. | |||
| Frisian | klant | ||
| Klant comes from the Old Frisian word 'klantia', meaning 'follower or attendant' | |||
| Galician | cliente | ||
| In Galician, "cliente" is derived from the Latin "cliens," meaning "dependent" or "follower," and also refers to a person who rents land. | |||
| German | kunde | ||
| In Medieval Low German, "Kunde" originally signified a 'person known or made known' | |||
| Icelandic | viðskiptavinur | ||
| Viðskiptavinur in Icelandic means both "customer" and "business partner." | |||
| Irish | custaiméir | ||
| Italian | cliente | ||
| The Italian word "cliente" derives from the Latin word "cliens," meaning "dependent" or "retainer." | |||
| Luxembourgish | client | ||
| "Kleng" is the Luxembourgish word for "small" while "Client" is used to refer to a customer. | |||
| Maltese | klijent | ||
| The word "klijent" is derived from the Italian word "cliente" which means "client, patron, or dependent." | |||
| Norwegian | kunde | ||
| The word "kunde" in Norwegian derives from the Old Norse word "kunnr," meaning "acquaintance" or "friend." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cliente | ||
| In Portuguese, the word "cliente" derives from Latin "cliens" meaning "dependent" or "follower". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | neach-ceannach | ||
| "Neach-ceannach" is thought to come from the Old Gaelic terms for "guest" or "stranger". | |||
| Spanish | cliente | ||
| The word 'cliente' is derived from the Latin 'cliens', which originally meant a dependent or retainer. | |||
| Swedish | kund | ||
| "Kund" is a Swedish word for "customer" that originally meant a person who sought protection or patronage. | |||
| Welsh | cwsmer | ||
| "Cwsmer" is derived from the Welsh word "cwsg," meaning "peace," and was used to refer to regular patrons of a business who could be trusted to pay their bills on time, creating a sense of peace for the business owner. | |||
Customer in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | кліент | ||
| The word "кліент" is derived from the Latin word "cliens", meaning "dependent" or "retainer". | |||
| Bosnian | kupac | ||
| In Old Church Slavonic, the word "kupac" meant "buyer", but later its meaning expanded to include "customer". | |||
| Bulgarian | клиент | ||
| The word "клиент" is also used in Bulgarian to refer to a defendant in a court case. | |||
| Czech | zákazník | ||
| In Czech, the word "zákazník" can also be used to refer to a client or patron. | |||
| Estonian | klient | ||
| The word 'klient' also means 'client' in the sense of a person receiving professional services, such as a lawyer or therapist. | |||
| Finnish | asiakas | ||
| "Asiakas" originates from the Proto-Uralic word for "trader, guest" and "guest", which has cognates in many other Uralic languages, like *ačča in Proto-Samoyedic and *aske in Proto-Ugric. | |||
| Hungarian | vevő | ||
| Its origin is the Hungarian verb "venni" (to buy), so it is literally "a buyer". Originally, it meant merchant, and it had negative connotations (buyer, usurer) but from the 16th century it started to refer to a customer. | |||
| Latvian | klientu | ||
| Klientu is also the word for | |||
| Lithuanian | klientas | ||
| "Klientas" derives from the Latin "cliēns" meaning "dependent, follower, or client". | |||
| Macedonian | клиент | ||
| The word "клиент" is also used metaphorically in Macedonian to refer to a dependant, a weak individual in need of support. | |||
| Polish | klient | ||
| The word "klient" in Polish comes from the Latin word "cliens", which originally meant "a dependent or follower of a patron". | |||
| Romanian | client | ||
| A client in Romanian law was historically a dependent person under the patronage of another, like a vassal under a feudal lord. | |||
| Russian | покупатель | ||
| "Покупатель" in Russian comes from the verb "купить" (to buy), and can also refer to a client or consumer | |||
| Serbian | купац | ||
| The word "купац" (kupac) in Serbian derives from the verb "купити" (kupiti), meaning "to buy". | |||
| Slovak | zákazník | ||
| The word "zákazník" in Slovak is derived from the verb "zakazovat" (to prohibit), and originally meant "the one who is prohibited (from entering)". | |||
| Slovenian | stranko | ||
| The Slovenian word "stranko" originates from the Old Church Slavonic word "storona" meaning "side", referring to the customer being on the other side of the transaction. | |||
| Ukrainian | замовника | ||
| The Ukrainian word "замовник" (customer), derived from "замовляти" (order), also means "contractor" and, historically in western Ukrainian dialects, a "client of fortune tellers or soothsayers." | |||
Customer in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ক্রেতা | ||
| The word 'ক্রেতা' ('kreta') in Bengali derives from Sanskrit and means 'buyer' or 'purchaser'. In some contexts, it can also refer to a 'client' or 'patron'. | |||
| Gujarati | ગ્રાહક | ||
| The Gujarati word "ગ્રાહક" also means "receiver" or "acceptor" in Sanskrit. | |||
| Hindi | ग्राहक | ||
| The word "ग्राहक" (customer) shares its etymology with "ग्रहण" (to receive), suggesting that customers are those who accept or receive goods or services. | |||
| Kannada | ಗ್ರಾಹಕ | ||
| The term 'ಗ್ರಾಹಕ' (customer) derives from the Sanskrit word 'ग्राहक' (one who seizes or holds), implying the act of purchasing and possessing an item. | |||
| Malayalam | ഉപഭോക്താവ് | ||
| The word "ഉപഭോക്താവ്" (customer) in Malayalam can be split into two parts: "ഉപ" (sub) and "ഭോക്താവ്" (consumer), indicating someone who consumes or uses a product or service. | |||
| Marathi | ग्राहक | ||
| ग्राहक (grāhaka) comes from the Sanskrit word ग्रह (graha), meaning "to seize" or "to grasp". It originally referred to a deity who seized or possessed someone, but later came to mean a customer or buyer. | |||
| Nepali | ग्राहक | ||
| The word 'ग्राहक' derives from the Sanskrit word 'ग्रह' meaning 'to take' and 'क' meaning 'to do'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਗਾਹਕ | ||
| 'ਗਾਹਕ' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'ग्राहक' (grāhaka), which means 'one who seizes or takes'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පාරිභෝගික | ||
| Tamil | வாடிக்கையாளர் | ||
| The word "வாடிக்கையாளர்" in Tamil can also mean a "regular customer" or a "patron", highlighting the ongoing relationship and loyalty between a business and its clients. | |||
| Telugu | కస్టమర్ | ||
| The word "customer" comes from the Telugu word "kastam", meaning "custom" or "habit". | |||
| Urdu | صارف | ||
| The word **'صارف'** is etymologically related to the word **'صرف'** (exchange) as customers engage in exchange of money for goods and services. | |||
Customer in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 顾客 | ||
| 顾客 in Chinese is derived from “顾”, meaning “to look at”, and “户”, referring to a household or family, thus originally signifying someone who visits a shop or establishment. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 顧客 | ||
| In Chinese, '顧客' combines the characters for 'guest' and 'keeper' and is often used in a more polite context than '客人' (guest). | |||
| Japanese | お客様 | ||
| The second kanji, 客, means 'outsider' or 'guest' | |||
| Korean | 고객 | ||
| 고객 (고, 客) is a Korean word composed of two Chinese characters: 고 (고, 客) meaning "guest" or "visitor" and 객 (객, 客) meaning "customer". Originally, 고객 referred to guests who were treated with hospitality and respect, but its meaning has evolved over time to include customers in a commercial context. | |||
| Mongolian | үйлчлүүлэгч | ||
| The word 'үйлчлүүлэгч' is also used in Mongolian to refer to a contractor or subcontractor involved in the construction industry. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဖောက်သည် | ||
Customer in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pelanggan | ||
| The word 'pelanggan' is derived from the Malay word 'langgan', which means 'to subscribe' or 'to pay regularly'. The word first entered the Indonesian language in the 16th century and was originally used to describe people who subscribed to a newspaper or magazine. | |||
| Javanese | pelanggan | ||
| In Javanese, "pelanggan" can also mean "buyer" or "trader". | |||
| Khmer | អតិថិជន | ||
| Lao | ລູກຄ້າ | ||
| The term 'ລູກຄ້າ' is formed from two words in Lao, 'ລູກ' meaning 'child' or 'offspring' and 'ຄ້າ' meaning 'to do business'. Thus, it could be interpreted to imply a nurturing role in the relationship between the buyer and seller. | |||
| Malay | pelanggan | ||
| The Malay word pelanggan, meaning "customer," is derived from the Sanskrit word pra-lamba meaning "to hang," signifying a person who waits at a shop. | |||
| Thai | ลูกค้า | ||
| The word "ลูกค้า" can also be used to refer to a guest, a visitor or a client | |||
| Vietnamese | khách hàng | ||
| 'Khách hàng' ('customer') literally means 'visitor buying goods' ('visitor' = 'khách', 'buying goods' = 'hàng'). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | customer | ||
Customer in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | müştəri | ||
| The word "müştəri" in Azerbaijani ultimately derives from the Arabic word "mustaqriḍ" meaning "borrower" or "one who takes a loan". | |||
| Kazakh | тапсырыс беруші | ||
| Kyrgyz | кардар | ||
| The term 'кардар', meaning 'customer' in Kyrgyz, holds additional significance in Persian, where it signifies 'tailor'. | |||
| Tajik | муштарӣ | ||
| The word «муштарӣ» is derived from the Arabic word «مستتري» which means someone who buys something. | |||
| Turkmen | müşderi | ||
| Uzbek | mijoz | ||
| The word "mijoz" may also mean "guest" or "person" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | خېرىدار | ||
Customer in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mea kūʻai aku | ||
| Literally meaning "one who buys things," mea kūʻai aku originally referred to a shopper who visited markets with a specific purpose in mind. | |||
| Maori | kaihoko | ||
| "Kaihoko" originally meant "to make a bargain or transaction." | |||
| Samoan | tagata faʻatau | ||
| The word 'tagata faʻatau' derives from 'tagata' ('person') and 'faʻatau' ('to buy, trade, purchase, or barter'), and can also signify a buyer or patron of a business enterprise. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kostumer | ||
| The Tagalog word 'kostumer' shares etymological roots with the Spanish word 'costumbre', meaning 'habit' or 'custom' | |||
Customer in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kliyinti | ||
| Guarani | ñemuhára | ||
Customer in International Languages
| Esperanto | kliento | ||
| The word "kliento" is a derivative of the verb "klienti", meaning "to become a client; to make friends (with)". | |||
| Latin | lorem | ||
| Lorem was used as a generic name in banking records of ancient Rome, often in the plural 'Lores,' indicating a customer who bought on credit. | |||
Customer in Others Languages
| Greek | πελάτης | ||
| The word "πελάτης" in Greek derives from the verb "πλέω," which means to sail, hinting at its maritime origins. | |||
| Hmong | qhua tuaj noj mov | ||
| In Hmong, "qhua tuaj noj mov" directly translates to "the one who comes to buy things". | |||
| Kurdish | miştirî | ||
| The word 'miştirî' in Kurdish originates from the Persian word 'miistar', which means 'buyer' or 'purchaser'. | |||
| Turkish | müşteri | ||
| Müşteri derives from the Arabic word 'mushtari', meaning 'buyer' or 'purchaser'. | |||
| Xhosa | umthengi | ||
| The word "umthengi" in Xhosa also means "buyer", as it is derived from the verb "thenga" which means "to buy". | |||
| Yiddish | קונה | ||
| 'קונה' ('customer') is also used as a Yiddish noun meaning 'buyer' or 'purchaser'. | |||
| Zulu | ikhasimende | ||
| The word 'ikhasimende' is derived from the Zulu verb 'ukukhasimula', meaning 'to negotiate'. This suggests that customers were originally seen as people who negotiated with businesses. | |||
| Assamese | গ্ৰাহক | ||
| Aymara | kliyinti | ||
| Bhojpuri | गहकी | ||
| Dhivehi | ކަސްޓަމަރ | ||
| Dogri | गाह्क | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | customer | ||
| Guarani | ñemuhára | ||
| Ilocano | kostumer | ||
| Krio | kɔstɔma | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کڕیار | ||
| Maithili | ग्राहक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯁꯇꯃꯔ | ||
| Mizo | dawrtu | ||
| Oromo | maamila | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଗ୍ରାହକ | ||
| Quechua | rantiq | ||
| Sanskrit | ग्राहकः | ||
| Tatar | клиент | ||
| Tigrinya | ዓሚል | ||
| Tsonga | khasimende | ||