Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'domestic' holds a significant place in our lives, often referring to the familiar comforts of home and family. Its cultural importance is paramount, shaping our relationships and daily routines. But did you know that the term's origins can be traced back to the Latin word 'domus,' meaning 'house?'
As we delve into the translations of 'domestic' in different languages, we uncover fascinating insights into global cultures. For instance, in Spanish, 'doméstico' signifies not only 'home-related' but also 'tamed' or 'trained,' reflecting the language's rich history and cultural nuances. Similarly, in German, 'hausgemacht' captures the essence of 'homemade,' emphasizing the value of craftsmanship and personal touch.
Understanding the translations of 'domestic' in various languages can enrich your cultural knowledge and enhance your communication skills. Explore the list below to discover how this simple term takes on new dimensions in various corners of the world.
Afrikaans | binnelandse | ||
The word "binnelands" (domestic) in Afrikaans originally meant "located within a medieval fortification". | |||
Amharic | የአገር ውስጥ | ||
The word 'domestic' derives from the Latin root 'domus,' meaning 'home.' | |||
Hausa | na gida | ||
The compound word "na gida" (domestic) in Hausa is composed of the Hausa locative preposition "na" and the noun "gida" (house). | |||
Igbo | ụlọ | ||
'Ụlọ' also means 'home' or 'house', suggesting a strong connection between domesticity and the physical space in which it occurs. | |||
Malagasy | ao an-tokantrano | ||
The word 'ao an-tokantrano' in Malagasy can also mean 'private' or 'personal'. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | zoweta | ||
The word "zoweta" in Nyanja (Chichewa) means "domestic" and it is closely related to the word "zoweta" which means "to house". | |||
Shona | zvipfuwo | ||
The word "zvipfuwo" can also refer to "household chores" or "domestic animals". | |||
Somali | gudaha ah | ||
The word "gudaha ah" in Somali contains the root "gud", meaning "home" or "house", and the suffix "-ah", which indicates a state or condition, hence "domestic". | |||
Sesotho | malapeng | ||
In traditional Sesotho culture, the term "malapeng" also refers to the living area in a homestead, often consisting of a fireplace and sleeping arrangements. | |||
Swahili | ya ndani | ||
In Swahili, 'ya ndani' can also refer to the traditional family unit or household. | |||
Xhosa | ekhaya | ||
The word "Ekhaya" in Xhosa can also refer to a person's home or birthplace. | |||
Yoruba | abele | ||
"Abele" can also mean to "take care of" or "raise" something or someone. | |||
Zulu | ezifuywayo | ||
The Zulu word "ezifuywayo" can also refer to "something which has been made or created". | |||
Bambara | sokɔnɔna | ||
Ewe | aƒe me | ||
Kinyarwanda | murugo | ||
Lingala | ya ndako | ||
Luganda | ebya waka | ||
Sepedi | ka nageng | ||
Twi (Akan) | afisɛm | ||
Arabic | المنزلي | ||
المنزلي also means **of the house** | |||
Hebrew | בֵּיתִי | ||
"בֵּיתִי" also means "my home" in Hebrew. | |||
Pashto | کورني | ||
"كورني" (domestic), also means "native," "local," "inside (a boundary),""houseborn" | |||
Arabic | المنزلي | ||
المنزلي also means **of the house** |
Albanian | shtëpiak | ||
The word "shtëpiak" in Albanian also refers to something that is native to one's home country. | |||
Basque | etxekoak | ||
The word also means the same household members or 'family', 'home', 'house', and even 'the place where you were born'. | |||
Catalan | domèstic | ||
In Catalan, "domèstic" can also mean "domestic animals" or "household tasks." | |||
Croatian | domaće | ||
"Domaće" in Croatian can also be used to refer to the home team or to homemade food. | |||
Danish | indenlandske | ||
The original meaning of "indenlandske" was "within the country". Only later did it come to mean "domestic". | |||
Dutch | huiselijk | ||
The word "huiselijk" also refers to a cozy atmosphere or a homely environment. | |||
English | domestic | ||
"Domestic" derives from Latin "domus" (house), with cognates in Slavic languages such as the Russian word "дом" (dom) meaning "home". | |||
French | national | ||
In French, the word « national » can also refer to domestic or native productions, rather than just international. | |||
Frisian | húshâldlik | ||
The suffix '-lik' suggests that the word is derived from the noun 'hús' meaning 'house'. This is also the case in other Germanic languages, such as German 'Häuslichkeit' and English 'household'. | |||
Galician | doméstico | ||
German | inländisch | ||
"Inländisch" (domestic) is derived from the Old High German word "īnlanti" (inland), originally referring to an area of one's own settlement or country. | |||
Icelandic | innanlands | ||
Innanlands can also mean 'from within the country' or 'homely'. | |||
Irish | baile | ||
The Irish word baile can also refer to a town or settlement and is related to the English word 'bailiff'. | |||
Italian | domestico | ||
The Italian word 'domestico' derives from the Latin word 'domesticus,' which refers to both household matters and tamed animals. | |||
Luxembourgish | doheem | ||
Doheem derives from the Old High German word "heim" (home) and can also refer to the home as a place or the household. | |||
Maltese | domestiċi | ||
The Maltese word "domestiċi" originally meant "belonging to the house" but now also means "national" or "local". | |||
Norwegian | innenlands | ||
"Innenlands" also means "on the inside" in Norwegian. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | doméstico | ||
In Portuguese, "doméstico" can mean "relating to the home" or "servant." | |||
Scots Gaelic | dachaigheil | ||
"Dachaigheil" is also used to refer to a "tame animal" or "person" in Scots Gaelic. | |||
Spanish | doméstico | ||
The word "Doméstico" comes from the Latin word "domesticus", which means "belonging to the house" and derives from "domus", meaning "house" | |||
Swedish | inhemsk | ||
Ordet "inhemsk" kommer från det forntida svenska ordet "hem" och betyder "som hör till hemmet". | |||
Welsh | domestig | ||
The Welsh word "domestig" also means "tamed" or "subdued". |
Belarusian | айчынныя | ||
The word | |||
Bosnian | domaće | ||
Bosnian word 'domaće' (domestic) shares the same Slavic root as the word 'dom' (home), meaning 'related to home'. | |||
Bulgarian | вътрешен | ||
The word "вътрешен" also means "inner" or "internal" in Bulgarian. | |||
Czech | domácí | ||
"Domácí" can also mean "homemade" or "local" in Czech. | |||
Estonian | kodumaine | ||
Kodumaine, meaning "domestic", in Estonian, is derived from "kodu", the word for "home." | |||
Finnish | kotimainen | ||
Derived from 'koti' ('home') using the suffix '-mainen', it can also mean 'homely' or 'down-to-earth'. | |||
Hungarian | belföldi | ||
Bel"földi" contains the word "föld" which means "land", as it literally means "inside the land". | |||
Latvian | iekšzemes | ||
Iekšzemes, which means “domestic” in Latvian, is derived from “iekšzemnieks”, meaning “someone living inland” or “a countryman”. | |||
Lithuanian | vidaus | ||
The word "vidaus" is derived from the Proto-Balto-Slavic word "*veid-ā-s", meaning "inside" or "interior". | |||
Macedonian | домашни | ||
In some contexts, "домашни" can also refer to "homework". | |||
Polish | krajowy | ||
The word "krajowy" was derived from the old Slavic word "kraj", meaning "region" or "country." | |||
Romanian | intern | ||
The Romanian word "intern" can also refer to a person who lives in a dormitory, especially a student. | |||
Russian | внутренний | ||
The word "внутренний" (domestic) in Russian, comes from the Old Russian word "вънъ" (inside), and is related to the words "внутрений" (internal) and "вне" (outside). | |||
Serbian | домаће | ||
The word "домаће" can also refer to traditional Serbian cuisine or homemade products. | |||
Slovak | domáci | ||
In Slovak, "domáci" can also mean "homemade" or "local". | |||
Slovenian | domače | ||
The word "domače" in Slovenian can also refer to homemade food, especially traditional dishes. | |||
Ukrainian | вітчизняний | ||
"Вітчизняний" in Ukrainian literally means "of the Fatherland" and is related to the word "вітчизна", meaning "homeland" or "Fatherland". |
Bengali | গার্হস্থ্য | ||
Garhasthya in Bengali is derived from the Sanskrit word "grihastha" meaning "householder" | |||
Gujarati | ઘરેલું | ||
The Gujarati word "ઘરેલું" not only means "domestic" but also refers to something "handmade" or "made at home," reflecting the importance of home-based crafts and textiles in Gujarati culture. | |||
Hindi | घरेलू | ||
The word "घरेलू" (domestic) in Hindi also refers to something that is related to the family or to the house. | |||
Kannada | ಗೃಹಬಳಕೆಯ | ||
In the context of ancient Indian texts, 'ಗೃಹಬಳಕೆಯ' referred to religious practices restricted to certain sections of the society. | |||
Malayalam | ആഭ്യന്തര | ||
The word "ആഭ്യന്തര" comes from Sanskrit and refers to a family or tribe, and is cognate with the word "home". | |||
Marathi | घरगुती | ||
The word "घरगुती" also means "related to the home or family" in Marathi. | |||
Nepali | घरेलु | ||
The word घरेलु originated from संस्कृत, meaning 'belonging to the house'. | |||
Punjabi | ਘਰੇਲੂ | ||
The word "gharēlu" (ਘਰੇਲੂ) in Punjabi traces its origins to the Sanskrit word "griha" and can also refer to "housework" in some contexts. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | දේශීය | ||
The word "දේශීය" (domestic) in Sinhala also means "native" or "local". | |||
Tamil | உள்நாட்டு | ||
Did you know that the Tamil word "உள்நாட்டு" also means "of or relating to a country"? | |||
Telugu | దేశీయ | ||
The word "దేశీయ" also means "native", "indigenous", or "of one's own country". | |||
Urdu | گھریلو | ||
Urdu "گھریلو" derives from Hindi ghar-elū, itself from Sanskrit grhya- and ā-lū, meaning "pertaining to or fit for a house" |
Chinese (Simplified) | 国内 | ||
In the past, the Chinese word "国内" also meant the part of one's body that's between the waist and the knees (now called "下身"). | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 國內 | ||
In Chinese, 國內 (guónei) also means "within the country" or "internal". | |||
Japanese | 国内の | ||
"国内の" can refer to both domestic and international relations depending on the context. | |||
Korean | 하인 | ||
The word "하인" can also refer to a servant or a person of low social status. | |||
Mongolian | дотоодын | ||
"дотоодын" is also used to refer to a household or family. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ပြည်တွင်း | ||
Indonesian | lokal | ||
"Lokal" is an Indonesian word with the primary meaning of "domestic", but can also be used to refer to "local" or "indigenous." | |||
Javanese | domestik | ||
The Javanese word "domestik" also refers to people who are not from the same ethnic group but live in the same area. | |||
Khmer | ក្នុងស្រុក | ||
Lao | ພາຍໃນປະເທດ | ||
Malay | dalam negeri | ||
Literally meaning "inside country", dalam negeri can refer to domestic affairs, politics, or a local news section. | |||
Thai | ในประเทศ | ||
The word "ในประเทศ" can also refer to "within the country" or "internal". | |||
Vietnamese | trong nước | ||
The Vietnamese word "trong nước" literally means "inside water", with "nước" being the Sino-Vietnamese word for water. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | domestic | ||
Azerbaijani | daxili | ||
"Daxili" shares the same root word as "daxil" (inside), thus meaning "pertaining to the inside" or "internal". | |||
Kazakh | ішкі | ||
In ancient Turkic, "ішкі" meant both "domestic" and "internal, intimate, innermost, one's own". It is likely a cognate with the Mongolian "-ик" suffix that forms nouns that describe people's relationships, and possibly with other words for "inside": in Mongolian ("дотор"), Turkish ("iç") and Kyrgyz ("ички"). | |||
Kyrgyz | ички | ||
The word "ички" can also mean "inner" or "private" in Kyrgyz. | |||
Tajik | дохилӣ | ||
The word "дохилӣ" in Tajik has multiple meanings and is rooted in the Persian word "dahliz" (meaning "threshold"). | |||
Turkmen | içerki | ||
Uzbek | ichki | ||
The word "ichki" comes from the Old Turkic word "ič" meaning "inside" or "internal". | |||
Uyghur | دۆلەت ئىچىدە | ||
Hawaiian | kūloko | ||
This term also meant “inner room” in ancient Hawaii; the outer room where men worked and ate was known as “waho”. | |||
Maori | kāinga | ||
"Kāinga" can also refer to a home or community. | |||
Samoan | aiga | ||
The word 'aiga' can also refer to a family, tribe, or any closely knit group of people. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | domestic | ||
In Tagalog, "domestic" also means "household" or "family-related." |
Aymara | utankiri | ||
Guarani | ogayguáva | ||
Esperanto | hejma | ||
Hejma can also mean "of one's own country" or "familiar". | |||
Latin | domesticis | ||
The word "domesticis" can also refer to the members of one's household or servants. |
Greek | οικιακός | ||
The word "οικιακός" comes from the Ancient Greek word "οίκος" (house) and means "belonging to the house". | |||
Hmong | nyeg | ||
The word "nyeg" can also mean "village" or "community" in Hmong. | |||
Kurdish | malî | ||
The word `malî` also means `cattle` in Kurdish, which shares its root with `mal` meaning property or wealth. | |||
Turkish | yerli | ||
In Turkish, "yerli" can also refer to indigenous populations or native resources. | |||
Xhosa | ekhaya | ||
The word "Ekhaya" in Xhosa can also refer to a person's home or birthplace. | |||
Yiddish | דינער | ||
The Yiddish word דינער "domestic" comes from the German word "dienen" meaning "to serve" and also means "servant." | |||
Zulu | ezifuywayo | ||
The Zulu word "ezifuywayo" can also refer to "something which has been made or created". | |||
Assamese | ঘৰুৱা | ||
Aymara | utankiri | ||
Bhojpuri | घरेलू | ||
Dhivehi | އެތެރޭގެ | ||
Dogri | घरेलू | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | domestic | ||
Guarani | ogayguáva | ||
Ilocano | naamo | ||
Krio | na os | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | ناوخۆیی | ||
Maithili | घरेलू | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯌꯨꯃꯒꯤ ꯑꯣꯏꯕ | ||
Mizo | inlam | ||
Oromo | kan mana keessaa | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଘରୋଇ | ||
Quechua | wasiyuq | ||
Sanskrit | गृहज | ||
Tatar | көнкүреш | ||
Tigrinya | ዘቤት | ||
Tsonga | xikaya | ||