Dig in different languages

Dig in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'dig' is a versatile and vital part of many languages, carrying various meanings that have shaped human communication. At its core, 'dig' signifies the act of digging or excavating, but it also extends to expressions of understanding, enthusiasm, and even food enjoyment!

Throughout history, digging has allowed us to build civilizations, unearth ancient artifacts, and grow our food. Culturally, 'dig' has inspired idioms and phrases that reflect our emotions, interests, and connections with one another. For instance, when we 'dig' someone or something, we show approval and appreciation.

Given the word's significance and cultural importance, learning its translations in different languages can enrich your conversations and understanding of various cultures. Here are a few examples:

  • Spanish: excavar, cavar
  • French: creuser, s'intéresser
  • German: graben, mögen
  • Mandarin: 挖 (wā), 喜欢 (xǐhuān)
  • Japanese: 掘る (horu), 好き (suki)

Discover more translations of 'dig' and deepen your engagement with global cultures!

Dig


Dig in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansjy
The Afrikaans word "jy" has an alternate spelling of "gy" and is cognate with the Dutch "jij" (you).
Amharicአንቺ
The word "አንቺ" in Amharic can also refer to an act of excavating or creating a hole, as well as a groove or channel.
Hausakai
In the phrase "kai maka," "kai" means "hole."
Igbogị
Igbo word "gị" can also mean "do" or "perform" an action
Malagasyianareo
The Malagasy word "ianareo" not only means "to dig" but also signifies "to bury", especially with respect to burying the dead.
Nyanja (Chichewa)inu
The word "inu" also means "to search" or "to investigate".
Shonaiwe
The Shona verb "iwe" also means "to excavate" or "to extract".
Somaliadiga
The Somali word 'adiga' can also mean 'you' in the singular second person.
Sesothouena
One possible etymology of the Sesotho word "uena" is that it originates from the Nguni word "ukumba," meaning "to dig or excavate."
Swahiliwewe
In Swahili, 'wewe' also denotes 'you', the second person singular pronoun, often used in familiar terms.
Xhosawena
The word "wena" in Xhosa can also mean "to remove" or "to separate"
Yorubaìwọ
The spelling ''ìwọ'' in Yoruba also means ''you'' in English, depending on the context of its usage in a sentence.
Zuluwena
The term "wena" may also denote a place or an event in a spatial or temporal sense.
Bambarai
Ewe
Kinyarwandawowe
Lingalayo
Lugandaggwe
Sepediwena
Twi (Akan)wo

Dig in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicأنت
"أنت" can also mean "you" and "to lead" in Arabic.
Hebrewאתה
The word "אתה" (dig) can also be a pronoun that means "you."
Pashtoتاسو
The word "تاسو" also means "to dig up" in Persian and "to hollow out" in Sanskrit.
Arabicأنت
"أنت" can also mean "you" and "to lead" in Arabic.

Dig in Western European Languages

Albanianti
"Ti" [dig] is also commonly used with the meaning of "to get into" or "to become part of" something.
Basquezuk
The Basque word 'zuk' also means 'you', and is related to the word 'zuzen', meaning 'straight'.
Catalanvostè
"Vostè" is derived from Latin "vos", used in polite third-person address.
Croatianvas
The word "vas" can also mean "village" in Croatian.
Danishdu
The Danish word "du" can also mean "you" or "thou".
Dutchu
The word "u" in Dutch is derived from the Latin "fossa", meaning "ditch". It can also mean "grave" or "pit".
Englishdig
The verb "dig" comes from the Middle English word "diken," which means "to strike or pierce."
Frenchtoi
"Toi" comes from the Old French word "tuier" which also meant to "kill" and is related to the English word "toll"
Frisianjo
The Frisian word 'jo' also means 'you' in English.
Galicianti
The word "ti" in Galician, meaning "dig," is also related to the English word "tine," referring to the prongs of a pitchfork.
Germansie
German "Sie" also means "they" like the English personal pronoun
Icelandicþú
The Icelandic word "þú" can also be used as a form of address for a familiar second-person singular, similar to the English "thou".
Irish
In Irish, "tú" can also refer to a small hill or mound.
Italiantu
"Tu" in Italian can also mean "you" (singular, informal), and comes from the Latin "tu" and the Proto-Indo-European root "*teu-."
Luxembourgishdir
The word "Dir" in Luxembourgish can also mean "you" in the formal sense or "you all" in the informal sense.
Malteseint
Maltese "int" may originate from the Arabic word "'int", meaning "to thrust", or it may have an alternate meaning of "to pick" or "to gather".
Norwegiandu
The Norwegian word "du" derives from the Old Norse term meaning "to push" or "to thrust".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)vocês
In Brazil, "vocês" is also used as a formal pronoun for politeness, but it is not the case in Portugal.
Scots Gaelicthu
In older Gaelic, 'thu' meant both 'dig' and 'cut', with 'dig' being the primary meaning.
Spanish
The Spanish word "tú" derives from the Latin word "tu" meaning "you" and is also related to the English word "thou".
Swedishdig
The Swedish word "dig" can also mean "cool" or "awesome".
Welshti
The word "ti" also means "to cover" or "to conceal" in Welsh.

Dig in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianвы
"Вы" can also mean "to dig through" or "to dig up" in Belarusian.
Bosnianti
The word "ti" in Bosnian is also used to describe the act of carving or engraving.
Bulgarianти
The word "ти" also means "you" in the second person plural in Bulgarian.
Czechvy
"Vy" can refer to the digging tool or the action of carving something
Estoniansina
The word "sina" also means "you" in the second person singular in Estonian.
Finnishsinä
Despite being derived from Germanic, "sinä" originally meant "this" or "here". Only later did it acquire its present meaning.
Hungariante
The Hungarian word "te" (dig) probably originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *dheǵʰ- (to set or fix), which is also the source of the English word "do".
Latvianjūs
The word "jūs" also means "you" (second person plural) in Latvian.
Lithuaniantu
The Lithuanian word "tu" also means "you" in the singular and informal second person, but it can also be used as a reflexive pronoun meaning "yourself".
Macedonianти
"Ти" (dig) is a verb that can also mean to poke, prod, or search.
Polishty
Ty means 'you' in Polish but was originally used as a form of address to superiors.
Romaniantu
The Romanian word "tu" also means "you" in singular accusative or nominative pronoun form.
Russianты
The word "ты" (ty) can also mean 'you' in the Russian language.
Serbianти
The Serbian word "ти" can also refer to the "body" or the "self."
Slovakty
The word "ty" can also mean "you" in the Slovak language.
Slovenianti
Slovenian 'ti' comes from Proto-Slavic *titi, meaning 'to cut, crush, strike, beat, etc.'
Ukrainianти
"Ти" in Ukrainian can also refer to "you" in the informal singular or plural.

Dig in South Asian Languages

Bengaliআপনি
"আপনি" (dig) is an onomatopoeia derived from the sound a hoe or spade makes when it hits the ground.
Gujaratiતમે
The term "તમે" can also be used to mean "you", or as a verb meaning "to eat".
Hindiआप
The Hindi word "आप" is an imperative form of the verb "आपना" (āpnā), which means "to acquire; to gain."}
Kannadaನೀವು
The Kannada verb "ನೀವು" can also mean "to push" or "to thrust".
Malayalamനിങ്ങൾ
The word "dig" in Malayalam (നിങ്ങൾ) can also mean "you" in the plural form.
Marathiआपण
The word "आपण" ("dig") in Marathi also means "one" or "self", implying the idea of self-excavation or introspection.
Nepaliतपाईं
The term 'तपाईं' can also signify deep respect for the individual.
Punjabiਤੁਸੀਂ
Sinhala (Sinhalese)ඔයා
"ඔයා" also means "you" in colloquial Sinhala.
Tamilநீங்கள்
நீங்கள் can also mean a measurement of length equal to about 1 yard.
Teluguమీరు
In Telugu, "మీరు" can also refer to 'you' as a respectful second-person singular pronoun.
Urduتم
The word "تم" in Urdu has additional meanings like "foundation" or "grave" beyond its primary meaning of "dig".

Dig in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)
您 is a respectful way to address a person in Chinese. It is often used in formal settings or when speaking to someone older or superior.
Chinese (Traditional)
The word "您" also means "you (formal)" in Chinese and is pronounced "nín" in Mandarin.
Japanese君は
君は was borrowed into Japanese from Portuguese and now has two distinct readings depending on the kanji used.
Korean당신
The Korean word "당신" can also be used as a polite form of "you".
Mongolianта
The Mongolian word "Та" can also mean "to strike" or "to carve".
Myanmar (Burmese)မင်း
In Old Burmese, "မင်း" also meant "to search for something."

Dig in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiankamu
The colloquial meaning of "kamu" in Indonesian, which means "you," is also found in its cognates in other Austronesian languages.
Javanesesampeyan
Sampeyan has several meanings in Javanese, including 'you' (formal), 'your', and 'dig' depending on context.
Khmerអ្នក
The word “អ្នក” can also mean “scoop” or “scrape” in Khmer, suggesting its diverse range of uses related to excavation or removal of substances.
Laoເຈົ້າ
The word ເຈົ້າ is also used to refer to a small hoe used for gardening.
Malayawak
"Awak" is derived from Sanskrit "udak" meaning "to dig up" and also refers to "a place where water springs up" in the Malay language.
Thaiคุณ
'คุณ' is also the Thai word for 'you', which is a homonym to the word for 'dig'.
Vietnamesebạn
In slang, **ban** can also mean "to criticize" or "to gossip."
Filipino (Tagalog)ikaw

Dig in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanisən
The Azerbaijani word "Sən" (dig) shares an etymology with the Turkic word "sindi" (break), denoting the act of breaking the ground.
Kazakhсен
The word "сен" also means "to pierce" or "to bore" in Kazakh.
Kyrgyzсен
The Kyrgyz word "сен" can also refer to a specific type of digging tool.
Tajikшумо
The word шумо, meaning "to dig," in Tajik is likely derived from the same Proto-Indo-European root as the English word "to excavate."
Turkmensen
Uzbeksiz
The word "siz" in Uzbek also means "excavate" or "dredge".
Uyghurسىز

Dig in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianʻo ʻoe
ʼO ʼoe, meaning "to dig" in Hawaiian, derives from Proto-Austronesian *ququr, which also meant "to dig".
Maorikoe
In Maori,
Samoanoe
The word "oe" also denotes the process of scooping, as in the extraction of a coconut from its husk.
Tagalog (Filipino)ikaw
The Tagalog word "ikaw" also means "you" and is related to the Malay "engkau" and Javanese "kowe".

Dig in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarajuma
Guaraninde

Dig in International Languages

Esperantovi
The Esperanto word "vi" also means "us" in Latin and "we" in Old Prussian.
Latinvos
"Vos" in Latin also means "voice" or "thou" (2nd person singular subject pronoun).

Dig in Others Languages

Greekεσείς
The word "εσείς" also means "you" in Greek, and is derived from the Old Greek word "σφέ"}
Hmongkoj
The Hmong word "koj" also means "to sow (seeds)" and "to plant (plants)".
Kurdishhûn
The Kurdish word "hûn" can also refer to "a hole dug in the ground".
Turkishsen
Its other meanings include "to understand" and "a measure of weight in Iran"
Xhosawena
The word "wena" in Xhosa can also mean "to remove" or "to separate"
Yiddishדו
The Yiddish word "דו" (dig) is also used in the sense of "to search for" or "to investigate".
Zuluwena
The term "wena" may also denote a place or an event in a spatial or temporal sense.
Assameseআপুনি
Aymarajuma
Bhojpuriरऊवाॅं
Dhivehiތިބާ
Dogriतूं
Filipino (Tagalog)ikaw
Guaraninde
Ilocanosika
Krioyu
Kurdish (Sorani)تۆ
Maithiliअहां
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯑꯗꯣꯝ
Mizonangmah
Oromoati
Odia (Oriya)ତୁମେ
Quechuaqam
Sanskritत्वम्‌
Tatarсин
Tigrinyaንስኻ
Tsongawena

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