Dirt in different languages

Dirt in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

Dirt: it's a simple word, but one that carries a world of meaning. To some, it's merely the soil beneath our feet, the stuff that grows our food and flowers. To others, it's a symbol of hard work, of honest toil and getting one's hands dirty in the pursuit of a better life. And in certain cultural contexts, dirt can even take on spiritual or ritual significance.

Given its importance and ubiquity, it's no surprise that the word 'dirt' has been translated into countless languages around the world. In Spanish, for example, 'dirt' becomes 'tierra' - a word that also means 'land' or 'country'. In German, it's 'Schmutz', a term that can also refer to grime or filth. And in Japanese, 'dirt' is 'tsuchi', a character that also denotes 'earth' or 'ground'.

Clearly, the word 'dirt' carries with it a wealth of cultural and linguistic significance. Whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural scholar, or simply someone with a fascination for the world around us, exploring the many translations of 'dirt' can be a rewarding and enlightening experience.

Dirt


Dirt in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansvuil
In Old French, "vuil" also meant "vile or worthless," which later became "vuil" in Afrikaans
Amharicቆሻሻ
The Amharic word "ቆሻሻ" is also used to refer to waste or garbage.
Hausadatti
The word 'datti' can also refer to a type of traditional Hausa pudding made from millet flour and fermented milk.
Igbounyi
Igbo word 'unyi' originates from the word 'ni', meaning 'to be' or 'to exist', and refers to the natural state of soil or earth.
Malagasyvovoka
The Malagasy word "vovoka" can also refer to "a small piece of land enclosed in a house".
Nyanja (Chichewa)dothi
Dothi can also mean a type of dance performed by the Tumbuka people in Malawi.
Shonatsvina
In Shona, the word 'tsvina' can also mean 'dust' or 'rubbish'.
Somaliwasakh
The word "wasakh" in Somali can also refer to "filth" or "impurity", and is derived from the Arabic word "wasikh", meaning "dirty" or "unclean".
Sesotholitšila
The word "litšila" is also used in Sesotho to describe a person who is clumsy or untidy.
Swahiliuchafu
The Swahili word "uchafu" not only denotes "dirt" but also figuratively represents "immoral" and "wrong".
Xhosaubumdaka
The word 'ubumdaka' in Xhosa has alternate meanings of 'dust' and 'ashes'.
Yorubaeruku
The word 'eruku' (or 'iruku' and 'uruku' depending on dialect and region) can also refer to 'sand'.
Zuluukungcola
The word `ukungcola` can also refer to a type of traditional beer made of sour maize meal
Bambaranɔgɔ
Eweɖi
Kinyarwandaumwanda
Lingalabosoto
Lugandaettaka
Sepeditšhila
Twi (Akan)efi

Dirt in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicالتراب
The Arabic word "التراب" ("dirt") also means "dust" and is related to the root word "ترب" ("to be dry").
Hebrewעפר
The Hebrew word "עפר" (dirt) has its roots in the Arabic word "غبار" (dust) and also means "ashes" in Biblical Hebrew.
Pashtoچټل
In Persian, the word چټل also refers to a type of earthenware pottery, similar to terracotta.
Arabicالتراب
The Arabic word "التراب" ("dirt") also means "dust" and is related to the root word "ترب" ("to be dry").

Dirt in Western European Languages

Albaniani poshtër
The Albanian word "i poshtër" is derived from the Latin word "postis" meaning "doorpost" or "threshold".
Basquezikinkeria
The Basque word "zikinkeria" can also refer to "grease" or "filth".
Catalanbrutícia
The word "brutícia" in Catalan shares its etymology with the word "brutality" in English, both deriving from the Latin word "brutus" meaning "heavy" or "dull."
Croatianprljavština
The word "prljavština" also means "obscenity" in Croatian.
Danishsmuds
The Danish word 'smuds' is derived from the Proto-Germanic root *smuttaz, meaning 'stain' or 'smudge'
Dutchaarde
The Dutch word "aarde" is cognate with the English word "earth" and originally referred to the ground, soil, or land.
Englishdirt
The word
Frenchsaleté
The word "saleté" also means "nastiness" or "indecency" in French.
Frisiansmoargens
The Frisian word "smoargens" is derived from the Old Frisian word "smarnegon" meaning "grease" or "dirt", and is related to the Dutch word "smeer" meaning "grease" or "lard".
Galiciansucidade
The word "sucidade" in Galician comes from the Latin word "societas", meaning "companionship" or "society", and is unrelated to the English word "dirt".
Germanschmutz
The Yiddish "shmutz” for “dirt” is related to the German “Schmutz” and the Dutch “smetten”, all derived from “smite.”
Icelandicóhreinindi
In Icelandic, óhreinindi can also refer to something unclean or impure.
Irishsalachar
The Irish word "salachar" can also refer to a "dirty or untidy person" or a "disorderly place".
Italiansporco
Originating from the Greek "sporgos," meaning "basket," the term "sporco" in Italian also signifies "freight" or "cargo" when used in nautical contexts
Luxembourgishdreck
The Luxembourgish word "Dreck" is closely related to the German "Dreck", both stemming from the Frankish word "drek" meaning "excrement" or "filth."
Malteseħmieġ
The Maltese word
Norwegianskitt
"Skitt", meaning "dirt" in English, derives from Old Norse "skit", meaning a "dung of an animal", and from the Proto-Germanic root "*skit-", from which also stems the German word "Scheiße", meaning "shit", and the English "shit". It also has the meaning of "shit" and "trash" and is commonly used in the phrase "det er skitt" meaning "this is trash or useless".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)sujeira
"Sujeira" is thought to be of Arabic origin (from the word "suq") as in "marketplace", and may have originally indicated trash or dirt that accumulated in public places.
Scots Gaelicsalachar
The Gaelic word "salachar" can also mean "dirtiness" or "uncleanliness".
Spanishsuciedad
The noun 'suciedad' derives from the Latin 'sordidus', which means 'dirty', but also 'unclean', 'mean' or 'vile'.
Swedishsmuts
Smuts is the plural form of the Swedish word "smut", which means "dirt" or "grime".
Welshbaw
The Welsh word "baw" can also refer to dung or excrement.

Dirt in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianбруд
The Belarusian word “бруд” has the same root as the Russian word “грязь”, meaning “mud”.
Bosnianprljavština
The word "prljavština" can also mean "filth" or "impurity".
Bulgarianмръсотия
The word "мръсотия" is also used figuratively to refer to something that is morally or ethically wrong.
Czechšpína
In Czech, the word "špína" also means "dishonesty" or "meanness".
Estonianmustus
The word "mustus" also means "black" in Estonian, and is related to the Finnish word "musta" meaning the same.
Finnishlika
The word "lika" also has a slang meaning of "bad" or "immoral"
Hungarianpiszok
The Hungarian word "piszok" can mean impurity or contamination in a moral or physical sense.
Latviannetīrumi
The word "netīrumi" also means "trash" or "filth" in Latvian.
Lithuanianpurvas
"Purvas" is also a synonym for "purvynas" ("swamp") and "žemė" ("earth").
Macedonianнечистотија
Macedonian "нечистотија" is derived from Proto-Slavic "nečistъ", meaning "unclean", and is cognate with Bulgarian "нечистота", Ukrainian "нечистота", Russian "нечисть", and Polish "nieczystość".
Polishbrud
The word "brud" is also used in Polish to refer to a stain or discoloration on a surface.
Romanianmurdărie
The etymological root of "murdărie" is unknown, but it might originate from the Hungarian word "morda", meaning "mud" or "dirt".
Russianгрязь
Грязь"'s root is reconstructed as "*gordь" which also meant "fence" and "border" in Proto-Slavic, and is related to Latin "hortus" - "garden"
Serbianпрљавштина
The word "прљавштина" can also refer to something that is morally wrong or immoral.
Slovakšpina
The word "špina" also means "soot" and "rust" in Slovak.
Slovenianumazanijo
The word "umazanijo" has another meaning, namely "unhappiness or misery".
Ukrainianбруд
The word "бруд" can also refer to "sediment" or "silt".

Dirt in South Asian Languages

Bengaliময়লা
"ময়লা" has a secondary meaning of "rust".
Gujaratiગંદકી
The word "ગંદકી" (dirt) in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word "गन्द" (gand), meaning "to smell bad" or "to be dirty".
Hindiगंदगी
The word "गंदगी" also has the alternate meanings of "filth", "soil" and "impurity" in Hindi.
Kannadaಕೊಳಕು
In Kannada, "ಕೊಳಕು" (dirt) also refers to moral impurity or contamination.
Malayalamഅഴുക്ക്
The Sanskrit origin of the word അഴുക്ക് means not only dirtiness, but also laziness and dullness.
Marathiघाण
The Marathi word 'घाण' ( dirt ) also means 'bad smell'.
Nepaliफोहोर
The word "फोहोर" also means "trash" or "garbage".
Punjabiਮੈਲ
The Punjabi word "ਮੈਲ" can also refer to sin or impurities in the body, mind, or spirit.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)අපිරිසිදු
Tamilஅழுக்கு
The word 'அழுக்கு' also means "stain" or "blemish" in some contexts.
Teluguదుమ్ము
In Telugu, 'దుమ్ము' primarily means 'dirt', but also has secondary meanings such as 'dust' or 'grime'.
Urduگندگی
The word "گندگی" can also mean "rottenness" or "putrefaction".

Dirt in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)污垢
"污垢" can also mean "filth" or "impurity".
Chinese (Traditional)污垢
The Chinese character for "dirt" (污垢) is a combination of the character for "water" (氵) and the character for "black" (乌). This suggests that the original meaning of the character was "water that has been contaminated with something black".
Japanese
While the kanji "泥" literally translates to “mud” or “silt,” it can also convey a sense of impurity or immorality.
Korean더러운
The word 더러운 (deoreoun) can also mean 'unclean', 'impure', or 'filthy' in Korean.
Mongolianшороо
The word "шороо" (dirt) in Mongolian is thought to be related to the verb "шорох" (to rub or scratch), suggesting a connection between dirt and the process of erosion or abrasion.
Myanmar (Burmese)ဖုန်
The word "ဖုန်" can also refer to "dust" or "powder" in Myanmar (Burmese).

Dirt in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiankotoran
The word "kotoran" can also mean "excrement" or "filth".
Javaneserereget
Rereget is used to refer to anything that sticks to the feet, including mud, dirt, or tar.
Khmerភាពកខ្វក់
Phâp khvak can also mean "vulgarity".
Laoຝຸ່ນ
The Lao word "ຝຸ່ນ" also means "ashes" and is likely derived from the Proto-Tai word *pʰuːŋᴬ, meaning "fine powder" or "dust".
Malaykotoran
The word 'kotoran' derives from the Old Javanese word 'kotor', meaning 'impure' or 'unclean'.
Thaiสิ่งสกปรก
สิ่งสกปรก in Thai can also be used to refer to moral impurity or corruption.
Vietnamesechất bẩn
"Chất bẩn" can also mean "pollutant" or "impurity".
Filipino (Tagalog)dumi

Dirt in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanikir
The word "kir" in Azerbaijani can also refer to "dust" or "soot".
Kazakhкір
"Kіr" also means a horse or camel that has a dark color of the hair, which is also considered a good sign of a strong horse or a valuable camel.
Kyrgyzкир
The Kyrgyz word “кир” (dirt) is cognate with the Old Turkic word “кiр” meaning "stain", "spot", "filth", or "sin".
Tajikлой
The word "лой" can also mean "earth" or "ground" in Tajik.
Turkmenkir
Uzbekaxloqsizlik
In Kazakh, Uzbek, and Kyrgyz the cognate of the word 'axloqsizlik' is also used to describe a person with no shame.
Uyghurتوپا

Dirt in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianlepo
The word "lepo" can also refer to volcanic ash or cinders.
Maoriparu
The word "paru" can also refer to the lungs, a dark colour, the skin, or the inside of the body.
Samoanpalapala
In Samoan, 'palapala' means 'dirt' but also refers to documents, writings, or education.
Tagalog (Filipino)dumi
In some dialects, dumi also refers to

Dirt in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraq'añu
Guaranimba'eky'a

Dirt in International Languages

Esperantomalpuraĵo
Latinlutum
From the Proto-Indo-European *pleu- (“to clean”), *lut- (“to wash”), and *leux- (“to break”), related to English “lute” and “lotion”.

Dirt in Others Languages

Greekβρωμιά
The word 'βρωμιά' in Greek may also refer to a nasty smell or odor.
Hmongav
The word "av" can also mean "soil" or "earth" in addition to "dirt".
Kurdishgemmar
The word “gemmar” can also refer to a type of mineral or stone in Kurdish.
Turkishkir
The word "kir" is also used figuratively to mean "fault" or "sin" in Turkish.
Xhosaubumdaka
The word 'ubumdaka' in Xhosa has alternate meanings of 'dust' and 'ashes'.
Yiddishשמוץ
Yiddish 'shmutz' may derive from 'smut'—charcoal dust, or from Hebrew 'shemetz,' meaning 'leaven.'
Zuluukungcola
The word `ukungcola` can also refer to a type of traditional beer made of sour maize meal
Assameseময়লা
Aymaraq'añu
Bhojpuriगंदगी
Dhivehiކިލާ
Dogriगलाजत
Filipino (Tagalog)dumi
Guaranimba'eky'a
Ilocanorugit
Kriodɔti
Kurdish (Sorani)پیسی
Maithiliमैला
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯑꯃꯣꯠ ꯑꯀꯥꯏ
Mizobal
Oromoxurii
Odia (Oriya)ମଇଳା
Quechuaqacha
Sanskritमल
Tatarпычрак
Tigrinyaጓሓፍ
Tsongathyaka

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