Dance in Different Languages
Discover 'Dance' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Dance
Afrikaans dans | ||
Albanian vallëzimi | ||
Amharic ዳንስ | ||
Arabic الرقص | ||
Armenian պարել | ||
Assamese নৃত্য | ||
Aymara thuqhu | ||
Azerbaijani rəqs edin | ||
Bambara dɔ̀n | ||
Basque dantza | ||
Belarusian танцаваць | ||
Bengali নাচ | ||
Bhojpuri नाच | ||
Bosnian ples | ||
Bulgarian танц | ||
Catalan dansa | ||
Cebuano sayaw | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 舞蹈 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 舞蹈 | ||
Corsican ballà | ||
Croatian ples | ||
Czech tanec | ||
Danish dans | ||
Dhivehi ނެށުން | ||
Dogri डांस | ||
Dutch dans | ||
English dance | ||
Esperanto danci | ||
Estonian tantsima | ||
Ewe ɖu ɣe | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) sayaw | ||
Finnish tanssi | ||
French danse | ||
Frisian dûnsje | ||
Galician danza | ||
Georgian ცეკვა | ||
German tanzen | ||
Greek χορός | ||
Guarani jeroky | ||
Gujarati નૃત્ય | ||
Haitian Creole danse | ||
Hausa rawa | ||
Hawaiian hulahula | ||
Hebrew לִרְקוֹד | ||
Hindi नृत्य | ||
Hmong kev seev cev | ||
Hungarian tánc | ||
Icelandic dans | ||
Igbo agba egwu | ||
Ilocano sala | ||
Indonesian menari | ||
Irish damhsa | ||
Italian danza | ||
Japanese ダンス | ||
Javanese joget | ||
Kannada ನೃತ್ಯ | ||
Kazakh би | ||
Khmer រាំ | ||
Kinyarwanda kubyina | ||
Konkani नाच | ||
Korean 댄스 | ||
Krio dans | ||
Kurdish dans | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) سەما | ||
Kyrgyz бийлөө | ||
Lao ເຕັ້ນ | ||
Latin exultant lusibus | ||
Latvian dejot | ||
Lingala kobina | ||
Lithuanian šokis | ||
Luganda okuzina | ||
Luxembourgish danzen | ||
Macedonian танцување | ||
Maithili नाच | ||
Malagasy mandihy | ||
Malay menari | ||
Malayalam നൃത്തം | ||
Maltese żfin | ||
Maori kanikani | ||
Marathi नृत्य | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯖꯒꯣꯏ | ||
Mizo lam | ||
Mongolian бүжиглэх | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ကခုန် | ||
Nepali नृत्य | ||
Norwegian danse | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) kuvina | ||
Odia (Oriya) ନୃତ୍ୟ | ||
Oromo shubbisa | ||
Pashto نڅا | ||
Persian برقص | ||
Polish taniec | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) dança | ||
Punjabi ਨਾਚ | ||
Quechua tusuy | ||
Romanian dans | ||
Russian танцевать | ||
Samoan siva | ||
Sanskrit नृत्यं | ||
Scots Gaelic dannsa | ||
Sepedi tantsha | ||
Serbian плес | ||
Sesotho motjeko | ||
Shona kutamba | ||
Sindhi نچڻ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) නර්තනය | ||
Slovak tancovať | ||
Slovenian ples | ||
Somali dheelid | ||
Spanish danza | ||
Sundanese jogét | ||
Swahili kucheza | ||
Swedish dansa | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) sayaw | ||
Tajik рақс кардан | ||
Tamil நடனம் | ||
Tatar бию | ||
Telugu నృత్యం | ||
Thai เต้นรำ | ||
Tigrinya ሳዕስዒት | ||
Tsonga cina | ||
Turkish dans | ||
Turkmen tans ediň | ||
Twi (Akan) sa | ||
Ukrainian танцювати | ||
Urdu رقص | ||
Uyghur ئۇسسۇل | ||
Uzbek raqs | ||
Vietnamese nhảy | ||
Welsh dawns | ||
Xhosa umdaniso | ||
Yiddish טאַנצן | ||
Yoruba ijó | ||
Zulu umdanso |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | "Dans" is the Afrikaans word for "dance" and is derived from either the French word "danser" or the Dutch word "dansen". |
| Albanian | The word "Vallëzimi" in Albanian is derived from the Latin word "valsalia" meaning a dance movement or a ballroom dance |
| Amharic | The word 'ዳንስ' is likely of Ge’ez origin, possibly from 'ደንደሰ', meaning 'to stomp'. |
| Arabic | The word "رقص" in Arabic also means "swaying" or "jerking". |
| Armenian | 'Պարել' is a loanword from Persian 'پایدن' (payidan), which means 'to last, endure, stand'. In Armenian this word acquired the extended meaning 'to dance', maybe due to the fact that dancing requires endurance and stamina. |
| Azerbaijani | The word "rəqs edin" is derived from the Persian word "raqs", which means "dance" or "to dance." |
| Basque | The word "dantza" comes from an Indo-European root meaning "shake" or "vibrate". |
| Belarusian | "Танцаваць" derives from a word meaning "beat time" and is related to words meaning "thunder" and "knock". |
| Bengali | The word "নাচ" (dance) in Bengali shares an etymological root with "naṭya" (drama) in Sanskrit. |
| Bosnian | The word "ples" can also refer to a song that accompanies a dance. |
| Bulgarian | The word "танц" in Bulgarian comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "тънецъ", which means "step" or "motion". |
| Catalan | In Catalan, the word "dansa" also refers to a type of traditional music, often played on the flabiol (a wooden flute) and accompanied by a drum. |
| Cebuano | The Cebuano word 'sayaw' is derived from the Proto-Austronesian root '*sa:jaw' or '*sa:juw,' meaning 'to move the body rhythmically to music'. |
| Chinese (Simplified) | In ancient Chinese, 舞蹈 was also used to describe a type of military formation used to intimidate the enemy. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 舞蹈, as a noun, also means "choreography" or "dance movement". |
| Corsican | The Corsican word "ballà" derives from the Italian "ballare" (to dance) but also refers to couples singing in a polyphonic ensemble. |
| Croatian | The word 'ples' can also refer to the venue where dancing takes place in Croatian. |
| Czech | The word "tanec" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *teth-," which means "to beat" or "to thresh." |
| Danish | In Danish, "dans" can also refer to a specific type of folk dance performed by couples. |
| Dutch | The Dutch word "dans" (dance) has alternate archaic meanings such as "a path", "a journey", and "a way". |
| Esperanto | Although "danci" means "dance", it can also refer to any rhythmical movement of the body. |
| Estonian | The Estonian word "tantsima" has also been used to refer to the art of fencing |
| Finnish | The word "tanssi" also means "to dance" in Estonian, and is related to the Latin word "tenere" meaning "to hold". |
| French | The word "danse" comes from the Old French word "danser", which in turn comes from the Latin word "saltare", meaning "to jump". |
| Frisian | The word "dûnsje" may derive from "dînsje" ("to rush, dart"), or via Old Frisian and Old Saxon from Proto-Germanic "dinsan" ("to strike, swing") |
| Galician | In Galician, "danza" also refers to a type of folk dance from the region. |
| Georgian | The Georgian word "ცეკვა" can also refer to "movement" in a general sense. |
| German | "Tanzen" can be traced back to the Middle High German word "tenzen", meaning "to stretch" or "to spin." |
| Greek | The Greek word "χορός" can also refer to a specific type of traditional Greek folk dance performed in a circle. |
| Gujarati | The word "નૃત્ય" is derived from the Sanskrit word "nritya", which means "to dance" or "to move rhythmically". It can also refer to a specific type of Indian classical dance, typically performed by women. |
| Haitian Creole | The Haitian Creole word "danse" is derived from the French word "danse" and also means "to have fun". |
| Hausa | The word 'rawa' in Hausa can also mean 'a dance party' or 'a dance competition'. |
| Hawaiian | In Hawaiian, the word 'hula' can also refer to a type of spiritual chant and prayer. |
| Hebrew | "רקד" in Hebrew comes from a word for a type of grape vine and means to step lightly and spring. |
| Hindi | The word "नृत्य" is also used in Hindi to refer to a type of religious ritual dance, typically performed in temples or other sacred spaces. |
| Hmong | Kev seev cev has a similar meaning to the word "move" and is composed of two smaller words "kev seev" (to move your body) and "cev" (to turn). |
| Hungarian | The word "tánc" also means "row" or "order" in Hungarian. |
| Icelandic | Icelandic 'dans' means 'dance,' whereas French 'dans', from Latin deintus, means 'inside'. |
| Igbo | "Agba egwu" also means "to play" or "to perform" in Igbo. |
| Indonesian | The word "menari" in Indonesian originates from the Sanskrit word "nrt" meaning "to leap" or "to move rhythmically". |
| Irish | The word "damhsa" can mean either "dance" or "a game" in Irish. |
| Italian | The word 'danza' comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *dens-, meaning 'to stretch' or 'to move rhythmically'. |
| Japanese | The word "ダンス" (dance) in Japanese is derived from the English word "dance", but it can also refer to a specific type of Japanese music with a strong beat. |
| Javanese | The word "joget" in Javanese is derived from the Sanskrit word "yoga", meaning "union" and "to join", and it refers to a traditional Javanese dance that is characterized by its graceful and fluid movements. |
| Kannada | In Kannada, the word "ನೃತ್ಯ" (dance) can also mean "a graceful movement or gesture". |
| Kazakh | The word "би" can also mean "to jump" or "to leap" in Kazakh. |
| Khmer | The word "រាំ" ("dance") in Khmer comes from the Sanskrit word "राम्" (rām), meaning "to play" or "to frolic." |
| Korean | The word 댄스 (dance) in Korean can refer to the physical activity or the musical genre, as in English. |
| Kurdish | Dans is a loanword from French meaning 'dance', and is also a colloquial word for 'party'. |
| Kyrgyz | The word "бийлөө" is derived from the verb "бий" (to jump, to leap), and shares a common root with the word "бий" (leader, chief). |
| Lao | The word "ເຕັ້ນ" in Lao can also be used to refer to a type of traditional dance performed by young Lao women during courtship. |
| Latin | The Latin phrase "exultant lusibus" translates as "leaping joyfully" in English. |
| Latvian | The Latvian word "dejot" has Indo-European roots and is cognate with the Sanskrit "damsu" and the Greek "demō," both of which refer to "dancing". |
| Lithuanian | The word "šokis" in Lithuanian originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *k̂ei-, meaning "to jump" or "to hop". |
| Luxembourgish | The word "danzen" also refers to the act of moving rhythmically to music, especially in a celebratory or social context. |
| Macedonian | The word "танцување" in Macedonian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *tantь, meaning "to stretch". |
| Malagasy | The Malagasy word "mandihy" can also mean a "song" or a "story", emphasizing the interconnectedness of these forms of oral tradition in Malagasy culture. |
| Malay | "Menari" also derives from "tari" (dance) from Sanskrit and can mean to behave or to play (an instrument or game). |
| Malayalam | The word 'നൃത്തം' is derived from the Sanskrit root 'नृत्' meaning 'to dance', and also refers to a specific type of Indian classical dance. |
| Maltese | "Żfin" has an Arabic etymology and also means "to jump" in Maltese. |
| Maori | In Maori, 'kanikani' can also refer to any form of lively or vigorous movement, including sports, games, or even certain types of work. |
| Marathi | The word "नृत्य" (dance) in Marathi originates from the Sanskrit word "नृत्त" (movement, dance), which is derived from the root "नृत्" (to dance). |
| Mongolian | The Mongolian word "бүжиглэх" can refer to both dancing and juggling. |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | "ကခုန်" can also mean "to move around actively", "to be busy", or "to have fun". |
| Nepali | The word "नृत्य" (dance) in Nepali is derived from the Sanskrit word "नृत्त" (dance), which in turn comes from the root "नृत्" (to dance). |
| Norwegian | The word "danse" in Norwegian originated from the French word "danse" and the old Norse word "dans" |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The Nyanja word "kuvina" can also refer to a type of dance performed by women. |
| Pashto | The word "نڅا" derives from Old Iranian and has cognates in other Indo-European languages like Sanskrit "nṛtya-" (dance). |
| Persian | The Persian word "برقص" also has the meanings "leap" and "jump". |
| Polish | The word "taniec" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *tantьcь, which is of unknown origin. |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | In Brazil, "dançar" can also refer to a specific traditional music and dance style from the state of Minas Gerais. |
| Punjabi | The word "ਨਾਚ" (naach) in Punjabi is derived from Sanskrit "nṛtya", meaning "to act" or "to gesture," suggesting its origins in theatrical performances. |
| Romanian | The Romanian word for dance, dans, derives from the French word danse, ultimately coming from the Latin saltare, meaning "to jump". |
| Russian | The word "танцевать" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *tьnčiti, meaning "to stretch". It is related to the English word "tense" and the Latin word "tendere", meaning "to stretch" or "to strain". This suggests that the original meaning of "танцевать" was "to move rhythmically", rather than specifically "to dance". |
| Samoan | The word "siva" can also refer to a specific type of dance performed by a group of men or women. |
| Scots Gaelic | The Scots Gaelic word "dannsa" also refers to a specific type of Highland dance performed at weddings and other celebrations. |
| Serbian | The word "плес" is also used in Russia to denote a wide part of a river. |
| Sesotho | The word "motjeko" also means "a small bundle of grass used for thatching" in Sesotho. |
| Shona | Kutamba in Shona means 'to gather', which is why it is now more commonly used to refer to a gathering with music and dancing. |
| Sindhi | The Sindhi word 'nachun' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'nrit', which also means to dance. |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | "නර්තනය" comes from the Sanskrit word "නෘත" meaning "to leap or jump". In Sinhala, it can also refer to a religious ceremony or ritual. |
| Slovak | The etymological root of "tancovať" is from the Proto-Slavic word *tǫkati, meaning "to strike, pound". |
| Slovenian | The word 'ples' in Slovenian ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European root *plē- 'to fill, be full', and is related to the words 'plenty' and 'plenitude'. |
| Somali | The term "dheelid" can also refer to a specific type of traditional Somali music. |
| Spanish | In Italian, "danza" originally meant "tension", "stretching", or "strain". |
| Sundanese | The word "jogét" can refer to both a traditional Sundanese dance as well as a more informal type of dance party. |
| Swahili | The Swahili word 'kucheza' not only means 'to dance' but also carries the broader connotation of 'to play' or 'to have fun'. |
| Swedish | Dansa (dance) is cognate with English dance and Norwegian dans, and is derived from Old Norse dans, meaning 'dance'. |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | The word "sayaw" in Tagalog also means "movement" or "swaying". |
| Tajik | The word "рақс кардан" can also mean "to shake" or "to move rhythmically" in Tajik. |
| Tamil | The Tamil word நடனம் derives from the root 'nat' meaning 'to make a pleasing sound', hinting at the harmonious rhythms associated with dance. |
| Telugu | The word "నృత్యం" can also refer to a specific group of eight types of Indian classical dance described in the Natyashastra. |
| Thai | เต้นรำ derives from Sanskrit त्रि ताल, or 'tri tāla': 'three' + 'rhythm'. |
| Turkish | The word "dans" in Turkish also has the alternate meaning of "a kind of tax collected on animals or livestock". |
| Ukrainian | In Ukrainian, |
| Urdu | The word "رقص" in Urdu originated from the Persian word "رقص" meaning "to make a dance movement." |
| Uzbek | "Raqs" can also mean "joyful" or "happy" in Uzbek. |
| Vietnamese | The word "nhảy" also means to "jump" or "leap". |
| Welsh | In Welsh, the word "dawns" can also mean "beginning" or "origin" |
| Xhosa | "UmDaniso" (dance) derives from the verb "ukudanisa" (to cause to dance), which also means "to shake" or "to move rapidly." |
| Yiddish | The Yiddish word "טאַנצן" (dance) is derived from the Germanic "dansen," the French "danser," or the Romanian "ţintari" |
| Yoruba | The Yorùbá word "ijó" can also refer to a "dance festival" or a "dance troupe." |
| Zulu | "Umdanso" is also used to refer to a traditional Zulu dance accompanied by singing and drumming. |
| English | The word 'dance' originates from the Old French word 'danser', which in turn derives from the Late Latin verb 'dantiare', meaning 'to beat time'. |