Disaster in Different Languages
Discover 'Disaster' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word disaster holds a significant place in our vocabulary, signifying a sudden calamitous event causing great and often extensive damage, destruction, and distress. Its cultural importance is evident in literature, films, and historical accounts where disasters have shaped societies and human behavior. Understanding the translation of disaster in different languages can provide unique cultural insights and foster global empathy.
For instance, the French translation of disaster, catastrophe, has a rich literary history, while the German equivalent, Katastrophe, shares similar origins but has been influenced by German philosophical and scientific thought. In Japanese, saigai (災害) encompasses both natural and human-made disasters, reflecting the country's unique relationship with natural hazards. Meanwhile, in Spanish, desastre carries a broader meaning, including not only environmental calamities but also personal or political setbacks.
Discover more translations of disaster and deepen your appreciation of the word's cultural significance. Explore the list below:
Disaster
Disaster in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | ramp | ||
| Ramp is cognate with and derived from the English word "romp", meaning "to frolic or play boisterously" | |||
| Amharic | አደጋ | ||
| The word "አደጋ" can also mean "danger" or "risk". | |||
| Hausa | bala'i | ||
| "Bala'i" comes from the Arabic word "balā", meaning "trial" or "adversity." | |||
| Igbo | ọdachi | ||
| "Ọdachi" is a versatile Igbo word that can also mean "great surprise" or "extraordinary event." | |||
| Malagasy | voina | ||
| Voina is also used in Malagasy with a negative sense to refer to a person or thing that causes trouble or misfortune. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | tsoka | ||
| The word "tsoka" in Nyanja also means "a period of scarcity" or "a calamity." | |||
| Shona | njodzi | ||
| "Njodzi" also refers to a period when the moon is not visible, a time considered unlucky and associated with evil spirits and witchcraft in Shona culture. | |||
| Somali | musiibo | ||
| The Somali word musiibo also means "punishment from God". | |||
| Sesotho | tlokotsi | ||
| Though "tlokotsi" is usually translated as "disaster" in English, it literally means "a sudden calamity that knocks one over from standing erect", suggesting a broader meaning than disaster. | |||
| Swahili | janga | ||
| The word "janga" in Swahili also means "battlefield" or "war". | |||
| Xhosa | intlekele | ||
| 'Intlekele' comes from the verb 'ukutlekelela', which means 'to cause to stumble', 'to make to fall'. | |||
| Yoruba | ajalu | ||
| The word "ajalu" in Yoruba can also mean "enemy" or "one who brings misfortune". | |||
| Zulu | inhlekelele | ||
| "Inhlekelele" in Zulu can also refer to a sudden or unexpected event, not necessarily negative. | |||
| Bambara | kojugu | ||
| Ewe | dzɔgbevɔ̃e | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ibiza | ||
| Lingala | likama | ||
| Luganda | ekibwatukiro | ||
| Sepedi | masetlapelo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | atowerɛnkyɛm | ||
Disaster in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | كارثة | ||
| The Arabic word "كارثة" (disaster) shares a root with the word "كسر" (break), referring to a catastrophic event that shatters normal conditions. | |||
| Hebrew | אסון | ||
| In ancient Hebrew, אסון also meant happiness. | |||
| Pashto | ناورین | ||
| The Pashto word "ناورین" originates from the Persian word "ناوَرد" meaning "misfortune" or "unforeseen event." | |||
| Arabic | كارثة | ||
| The Arabic word "كارثة" (disaster) shares a root with the word "كسر" (break), referring to a catastrophic event that shatters normal conditions. | |||
Disaster in Western European Languages
| Albanian | fatkeqësi | ||
| The Albanian word "fatkeqësi" has its origins in the word "fat" meaning "luck" and "keq" meaning "bad". | |||
| Basque | hondamendia | ||
| The word "hondamendia" comes from "hondo" (meaning deep) and "amendi" (meaning abyss) in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | desastre | ||
| The word "desastre" in Catalan is derived from the Italian word "disastro," which in turn is derived from the late Latin "disastrum," meaning "an evil star" or "ill fortune." | |||
| Croatian | katastrofa | ||
| "Katastrofa" comes from Ancient Greek "katastrophe," meaning "sudden downfall" and, by extension, "outcome, solution," or even "success." | |||
| Danish | katastrofe | ||
| The word 'katastrofe' stems from the late Greek word 'katástrophos', meaning 'downfall' or 'overthrow' | |||
| Dutch | ramp | ||
| In Dutch, "ramp" also means "catastrophe". | |||
| English | disaster | ||
| The word "disaster" comes from the Greek word "astron," which means "star" or "constellation," and was originally used to refer to an unfavorable alignment of the stars. | |||
| French | catastrophe | ||
| In French, the word "catastrophe" can also refer to the final event of a play, or the denouement. | |||
| Frisian | ramp | ||
| The Frisian word "ramp" is derived from the Old Frisian word "rampe", meaning "calamity" or "misfortune". | |||
| Galician | desastre | ||
| The Galician word "desastre" comes from the Latin "dis aster", meaning "bad star", and refers to a misfortune or adversity. | |||
| German | katastrophe | ||
| The German word "Katastrophe" has its roots in Ancient Greek, where it referred to a sudden and complete reversal of fortune. | |||
| Icelandic | hörmung | ||
| The word "hörmung" has the alternate meaning of "an unpleasant sensation" in Icelandic. | |||
| Irish | tubaiste | ||
| "Tubaiste" derives from the Old Irish "tobaist", meaning "a calamity" or "evil". | |||
| Italian | disastro | ||
| In Italian, the word "disastro" can also mean a "great disturbance" or a "spectacle of destruction." | |||
| Luxembourgish | katastroph | ||
| In the 17th century, “Katastroph” originally referred to a turn or change, especially a change for the worse. | |||
| Maltese | diżastru | ||
| The Maltese word "diżastru" derives from the Italian "disastro", ultimately from the Greek "astēr" meaning "star". | |||
| Norwegian | katastrofe | ||
| The Norwegian word "katastrofe" originally meant a turnaround or reversal of fate. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | desastre | ||
| The word 'desastre' comes from the Late Latin 'dis-astru' meaning 'bad star', as disasters were once thought to be caused by unfavourable astronomical events | |||
| Scots Gaelic | mòr-thubaist | ||
| The name refers to an event so awful that it's impossible to describe it. | |||
| Spanish | desastre | ||
| The word "desastre" comes from the Latin "dis" (bad) and "astrum" (star), denoting an event caused by an unlucky alignment of the stars. | |||
| Swedish | katastrof | ||
| The word "katastrof" originates from Greek "katastrefein", meaning "to overturn"} | |||
| Welsh | trychineb | ||
| The Welsh word "trychineb" also refers to a state of great confusion or chaos. | |||
Disaster in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | катастрофа | ||
| The word "катастрофа" is derived from the Greek word "καταστροφή", which means "overturn" or "ruin". | |||
| Bosnian | katastrofa | ||
| Katastrofa (disaster) comes from the Greek katastrophe "overturn," used of an army routed in battle. | |||
| Bulgarian | бедствие | ||
| The word "бедствие" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "бъдѣти" (bъděti), meaning "to watch" or "to be awake", originally referring to the vigilant waiting for a divine retribution or calamity. | |||
| Czech | katastrofa | ||
| The word "katastrofa" in Czech originally meant "overturning" or "fall". | |||
| Estonian | katastroof | ||
| The word "katastroof" in Estonian originates from the Greek word "katastrophē," meaning "overturning, overthrow, or sudden downfall." | |||
| Finnish | katastrofi | ||
| The word "katastrofi" in Finnish derives from the Greek "καταστροφή" (katastrophē), meaning "overturn" or "ruin" | |||
| Hungarian | katasztrófa | ||
| The word "katasztrófa" derives from the Greek "katastrephein", meaning "to overturn" or "to throw down." | |||
| Latvian | katastrofa | ||
| The word “katastrofa” derives from Greek and originally meant “catastrophe”, which was the final act of a Greek tragedy. | |||
| Lithuanian | nelaimė | ||
| "Nelaimė" can also mean "accident" or "misfortune" in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | катастрофа | ||
| In Macedonian, "катастрофа" is derived from the Greek "καταστροφή" and also carries the meaning of "downfall". | |||
| Polish | katastrofa | ||
| The Polish word "katastrofa" is derived from the Greek word "katastrophe," meaning "overturning," and also refers to the final act of a Greek drama. | |||
| Romanian | dezastru | ||
| The Romanian word "dezastru" derives from the Greek word "diastros," meaning "evil star" or "bad influence." | |||
| Russian | катастрофа | ||
| Russian "катастрофа" comes from Greek "katastrophe", "overturn", also used in medicine to describe a sudden relapse. | |||
| Serbian | катастрофа | ||
| The word "катастрофа" in Serbian also means "final judgment" or "end of the world" | |||
| Slovak | katastrofa | ||
| The Slovak word "katastrofa" originally meant "catastrophe" or "ruin", but can now also refer to any major mishap or failure. | |||
| Slovenian | nesreča | ||
| The word "nesreča" in Slovenian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "nesъrěti", meaning "unhappiness" or "misfortune". | |||
| Ukrainian | лиха | ||
| "Лиха" in Ukrainian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*lixъ", meaning "evil" or "bad luck". | |||
Disaster in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বিপর্যয় | ||
| বিপর্যয় originally meant 'change', but gained its current meaning through use in astrological and tantric texts. | |||
| Gujarati | આપત્તિ | ||
| "આપત્તિ" is derived from Sanskrit and literally means "to fall upon" or "to befall". | |||
| Hindi | आपदा | ||
| "आपदा" is a Hindi word meaning "disaster". It is derived from the Sanskrit word "आपद्" (āpad), meaning "misfortune" or "calamity." | |||
| Kannada | ದುರಂತದ | ||
| The word ದುರಂತದ also carries connotations of a tragic event or accident, suggesting a sense of sudden and unexpected loss or distress. | |||
| Malayalam | ദുരന്തം | ||
| The word "ദുരന്തം" can also mean "an evil omen" or "an act of wickedness". | |||
| Marathi | आपत्ती | ||
| The word "आपत्ती" (aapattī) is a cognate of the Sanskrit word "आपद्" (āpad), meaning "calamity, misfortune, or adversity". It is also related to the word "अप" (apa), meaning "away" or "off", and can thus be interpreted as something that has "gone wrong". | |||
| Nepali | प्रकोप | ||
| The word "प्रकोप" derives from the Sanskrit word "प्र" (pra), meaning "forth," and "कोप" (kopa), meaning "anger," suggesting a force of nature that arises from divine wrath. | |||
| Punjabi | ਤਬਾਹੀ | ||
| "ਤਬਾਹੀ (tabāhi)", a word of Persian origin, primarily means "destruction" but can also refer to "devastation", "ruin" or "calamity" in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ව්යසනය | ||
| The Sinhala word "ව්යසනය" (vyasanaya) shares a common root with the Sanskrit word "विपत्ति" (vipatti), which also means "disaster". | |||
| Tamil | பேரழிவு | ||
| "பேரழிவு" can also mean "destruction," "ruin," or "devastation" | |||
| Telugu | విపత్తు | ||
| The word "విపత్తు" can also refer to a “moment of great danger” or a “sudden misfortune”. | |||
| Urdu | مصیبت | ||
Disaster in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 灾害 | ||
| The first character, “災” (zāi), refers to a calamity or misfortune, and the second character, “害” (hài), means to harm or injure. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 災害 | ||
| The first character in 災害 means 'difficulty' but also can mean 'great,' and the second is a character meaning 'year.' | |||
| Japanese | 災害 | ||
| 災害's meaning of "heaven-sent hindrance" comes from a traditional belief that disasters are punishments from heaven. | |||
| Korean | 재앙 | ||
| 재앙 refers to both natural disasters, such as earthquakes or floods, and to man-made disasters, like fires or explosions. | |||
| Mongolian | гамшиг | ||
| The Mongolian word гамшиг derives from the Mongolian verb гамших, meaning 'to be shattered, broken, or destroyed'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဘေးအန္တရာယ် | ||
Disaster in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bencana | ||
| Bencana originally meant "to be ruined", but in Malay and Indonesian it shifted to mean "catastrophe" or "calamity". | |||
| Javanese | bencana | ||
| The Javanese word "bencana" originates from the Sanskrit word "vinasana", meaning "to destroy" | |||
| Khmer | គ្រោះមហន្តរាយ | ||
| Lao | ໄພພິບັດ | ||
| Malay | musibah | ||
| The Malay word 'musibah' originally referred to trials, suffering, or misfortune sent as a test by God, and still carries this connotation in religious contexts. | |||
| Thai | ภัยพิบัติ | ||
| "ภัยพิบัติ" is a compound word made up of "ภัย" (meaning danger) and "พิบัติ" (meaning destruction). | |||
| Vietnamese | thảm họa | ||
| "Thảm họa" is Sino-Vietnamese for "tragedy" and literally means "a mat that covers (or buries) a life". It's also used to refer to a natural disaster. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sakuna | ||
Disaster in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | fəlakət | ||
| The word | |||
| Kazakh | апат | ||
| The word "апат" originally referred to a natural calamity in Kazakh, but has since expanded to include man-made disasters as well. | |||
| Kyrgyz | кырсык | ||
| Tajik | офат | ||
| The word "офат" is derived from the Persian word "āfat", which means "calamity" or "misfortune". | |||
| Turkmen | betbagtçylyk | ||
| Uzbek | falokat | ||
| Falokat originated in Arabic as the plural of 'falak,' which denotes 'the upper sphere, heaven' and came to mean 'unlucky fate, mishap' in Persian. | |||
| Uyghur | ئاپەت | ||
Disaster in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pōʻino | ||
| ʻIno means "wicked" and po means "darkness" or "night". | |||
| Maori | parekura | ||
| In Maori, "parekura" also means "a great noise", referencing the tumult and chaos associated with a disaster. | |||
| Samoan | mala | ||
| The word "mala" can also mean "punishment" or "suffering" in Samoan, signifying the negative consequences associated with calamities. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | sakuna | ||
| The word "sakuna" in Tagalog is derived from the Sanskrit word "śakuna", which means "omen" or "portent", and is often associated with negative events. | |||
Disaster in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jan wali | ||
| Guarani | sarambi | ||
Disaster in International Languages
| Esperanto | katastrofo | ||
| The word comes from the Greek verb katastrefein, “to turn upside down,” and shares a root with “catastrophe.” | |||
| Latin | clade | ||
| "Clade" in Latin can also refer to a severed branch of a tree. | |||
Disaster in Others Languages
| Greek | καταστροφή | ||
| "Κatastrophe" (καταστροφή) comes from the Greek "kata" (down) and "strophe" (turn), thus describing a sudden downfall or reversal. | |||
| Hmong | kev puas tsuaj | ||
| The word "kev puas tsuaj" in Hmong can also refer to a calamity or a catastrophe. | |||
| Kurdish | filaket | ||
| The word "filaket" in Kurdish is derived from the Persian word "falākat" which can also mean "calamity", "distress", and "suffering". | |||
| Turkish | felaket | ||
| It derives from an Arabic term meaning "to turn upside down, disrupt" | |||
| Xhosa | intlekele | ||
| 'Intlekele' comes from the verb 'ukutlekelela', which means 'to cause to stumble', 'to make to fall'. | |||
| Yiddish | ומגליק | ||
| The Yiddish word "ומגליק" is derived from the Middle High German word "ungelücke", meaning "misfortune". | |||
| Zulu | inhlekelele | ||
| "Inhlekelele" in Zulu can also refer to a sudden or unexpected event, not necessarily negative. | |||
| Assamese | দুৰ্যোগ | ||
| Aymara | jan wali | ||
| Bhojpuri | विपत्ति | ||
| Dhivehi | މުޞީބާތް | ||
| Dogri | कैहर | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sakuna | ||
| Guarani | sarambi | ||
| Ilocano | didigra | ||
| Krio | bad bad tin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کارەسات | ||
| Maithili | आपदा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯃꯥꯡ ꯑꯇꯥ ꯊꯣꯛꯄ | ||
| Mizo | chhiatrupna | ||
| Oromo | balaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବିପର୍ଯ୍ୟୟ | | ||
| Quechua | llaki tukuy | ||
| Sanskrit | आपदा | ||
| Tatar | афәт | ||
| Tigrinya | እዋን ችግር | ||
| Tsonga | khombo | ||