Early in Different Languages
Discover 'Early' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'early' is a common term that holds great significance in our daily lives. It refers to the beginning of a period, or the start of something before the usual or expected time. This concept is universal, yet the translation of 'early' varies across different languages and cultures, reflecting the rich diversity of human communication.
Throughout history, the idea of 'early' has played a crucial role in various aspects of society. In agriculture, planting crops early can lead to a bountiful harvest, while in business, early birds often get the best deals. Moreover, in literature, the phrase 'the early bird catches the worm' highlights the value of being prompt and proactive.
Given the importance of 'early' in our globalized world, it's essential to understand its translations in different languages. For instance, in Spanish, 'early' translates to 'temprano,' while in French, it's 'tôt.' In Mandarin Chinese, 'early' is '早' (zǎo), and in Japanese, it's '早い' (hayai).
Understanding these translations can help bridge cultural gaps and foster better communication among people from different linguistic backgrounds. So, let's explore the fascinating world of language and culture through the lens of the word 'early.'
Early
Early in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vroeg | ||
| "Vroeg" in Afrikaans, originally meant “first” and was derived from the Old English word “ær” meaning “early” or “before”. | |||
| Amharic | ቀድሞ | ||
| "ቀድሞ" originated from the Ge'ez word "ቅም" in the sense of "former, ancient, primitive. It also means "before" to refer to temporal priority. | |||
| Hausa | da wuri | ||
| The Hausa word "da wuri" can also mean "morning". | |||
| Igbo | n'isi | ||
| The Igbo word "n'isi" is derived from the word "isi," meaning "head" or "top," and connotes the idea of "the beginning" or "the foremost part" | |||
| Malagasy | tany am-boalohany | ||
| "Tany am-boalohany" is a phrase consisting of "tany" which means land and "boalohany" which means morning; together it means "early in the morning". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | molawirira | ||
| The Nyanja word "molawirira" can mean "early" or, in a somewhat humorous context, "very fast or quickly." | |||
| Shona | mangwanani | ||
| The word "mangwanani" can also refer to the concept of dawn or daybreak. | |||
| Somali | goor hore | ||
| In Somali, "goor hore" can also mean "early-on" or "beforehand". | |||
| Sesotho | pele ho nako | ||
| "Pele Ho Nako" is a Sesotho phrase meaning 'early' and is also a play on the word 'peleng', meaning the morning star, 'Venus', and a symbol for early rising. | |||
| Swahili | mapema | ||
| "Mapema" also means "the day before yesterday" or "the day before that" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | kwangethuba | ||
| "Kwangethuba" is also used in Xhosa to refer to someone who is impatient or easily angered. | |||
| Yoruba | ni kutukutu | ||
| Ni kutukutu' may also refer to the period between dawn and sunrise, as the sun emerges from the east, casting a warm and inviting glow upon its surroundings. | |||
| Zulu | ekuseni | ||
| The Zulu word "ekuseni" also means "in the morning". | |||
| Bambara | joona | ||
| Ewe | kaba | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kare | ||
| Lingala | ebandeli | ||
| Luganda | mu nkeera | ||
| Sepedi | pele | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ntɛm | ||
Early in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مبكرا | ||
| The word "مبكرا" can also mean "quickly" or "hastily" in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | מוקדם | ||
| "מוקדם" can also mean "a part of an animal's foot between the hoof and the fetlock", likely from the root "קדם" meaning "in front". | |||
| Pashto | وختي | ||
| The Pashto word "وختي" (wakhtī) also means "early in the morning", particularly the time just after dawn. | |||
| Arabic | مبكرا | ||
| The word "مبكرا" can also mean "quickly" or "hastily" in Arabic. | |||
Early in Western European Languages
| Albanian | herët | ||
| Herët may also mean "the morning" or "yesterday". | |||
| Basque | goiz | ||
| "Goiz" comes from the Latin "hora sexta" meaning the sixth hour (6am). | |||
| Catalan | aviat | ||
| The word "aviat" in Catalan can also refer to a "short time". | |||
| Croatian | rano | ||
| The Croatian word "rano" originally meant "morning" or "dawn", but over time it came to be used to mean "early" in general. | |||
| Danish | tidlig | ||
| The Danish word "tidlig" is cognate with the English word "tide," both deriving from the Proto-Germanic word "*tīdiz," meaning "time." | |||
| Dutch | vroeg | ||
| "Vroeg" can also mean "in advance". | |||
| English | early | ||
| The word 'early' can also refer to the time of day just before dawn. | |||
| French | de bonne heure | ||
| De bonne heure can also mean 'very well' in the expression "s'en tirer de bonne heure" | |||
| Frisian | betiid | ||
| The word "betiid" can also mean "soon" or "by and by" in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | cedo | ||
| Galician "cedo" derives from the Latin "citus" which means "quick" or "prompt" and is related to the English word "cite" | |||
| German | früh | ||
| "Früh" is also an old word for "spring" and can refer to a morning meal, or "breakfast." | |||
| Icelandic | snemma | ||
| Snemma is cognate with the modern German word for “fast,” “schnell, | |||
| Irish | go luath | ||
| The alternate meaning of the Irish word 'go luath' is 'a fast movement', referring to its literal meaning 'fast' in Old Irish. | |||
| Italian | presto | ||
| The Italian word "presto" has an alternate meaning of "at once," likely derived from the Latin word "praesto," meaning "present." | |||
| Luxembourgish | fréi | ||
| In the Moselle Franconian dialect, the word "fréi" can also mean "quickly" or "in advance". | |||
| Maltese | kmieni | ||
| The word "kmieni" is thought to be derived from an Arabic root, meaning "to be in advance of". | |||
| Norwegian | tidlig | ||
| The word "tidlig" originally meant "in time" and is related to the German word "zeitig" meaning "ripe". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cedo | ||
| The word "cedo" also means "to give up" or "to yield" in Latin and Portuguese. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | tràth | ||
| The word "tràth" can also mean "time" or "occasion". | |||
| Spanish | temprano | ||
| Temprano can also mean "in time" or "soon" in Spanish, depending on the context. | |||
| Swedish | tidigt | ||
| "Tidigt" derives from "tid" meaning "time" and can also mean "soon" or "premature". | |||
| Welsh | yn gynnar | ||
| The word "yn gynnar" in Welsh is a compound of "yn" meaning "in" and "cynnar" meaning "first, foremost, or highest". | |||
Early in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | рана | ||
| "Рана" is also the Belarusian word for "wound". | |||
| Bosnian | rano | ||
| Rano can also refer to a small stream or a shallow, seasonal pool of water | |||
| Bulgarian | рано | ||
| In addition to "early", "рано" can also mean "before" or "too soon". | |||
| Czech | brzy | ||
| The word "brzy" also means "soon". | |||
| Estonian | vara | ||
| The word "vara" in Estonian is cognate with the word "early" in English and shares the same Proto-Indo-European root "*wer-/*wr-/*wor" meaning "to turn, bend, twist". | |||
| Finnish | aikaisin | ||
| The word "aikaisin" also shares a root with "aika" (time) and "eilinen" (yesterday), implying a connection between time and the concept of earliness. | |||
| Hungarian | korai | ||
| In ancient Egyptian, 'korai' referred to a statue of a young man, while in Japanese it means 'children' | |||
| Latvian | agri | ||
| "Agri" also means "in the morning" and is often used in compound words like "agripamakšs" (morning nap). | |||
| Lithuanian | anksti | ||
| Anksti is also the basis for the word ankstyvas, meaning 'ripe' or 'early-ripening' ('ankstus' in Latvian). | |||
| Macedonian | рано | ||
| Although the word "рано" generally means "early", it can also mean "early in the morning" or "at dawn". | |||
| Polish | wcześnie | ||
| The Polish word "wcześnie" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *včьsnъ, meaning "opportune" or "convenient". | |||
| Romanian | din timp | ||
| In Romanian, "din timp" also means "in advance", "in good time", or "prematurely" | |||
| Russian | рано | ||
| "Рано" can be derived from Slavic "orati" meaning "plow" and referring to the beginning of plowing season. | |||
| Serbian | рано | ||
| The word "рано" can also mean "in the morning" and is derived from a Proto-Slavic term denoting "dawn" or "morning. | |||
| Slovak | skoro | ||
| The word "skoro" also means "almost" and can be used in combination with negative sentences to express "hardly". | |||
| Slovenian | zgodaj | ||
| The word "zgodaj" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *zъgodъ, meaning "convenient time" or "right time". | |||
| Ukrainian | рано | ||
| The word "рано" can also mean "too early" or "in a hurry". | |||
Early in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | তাড়াতাড়ি | ||
| The word "তাড়াতাড়ি" (early) in Bengali also means "quickly". | |||
| Gujarati | વહેલી | ||
| "વહેલી" also means "quickly" in Gujarati, originating from the Sanskrit word "वेग" (vega), meaning "speed" or "velocity." | |||
| Hindi | शीघ्र | ||
| The Hindi word "शीघ्र" also means "quickly" and is related to the Sanskrit word "शीघ्रम्" (śīghram) meaning "speed". | |||
| Kannada | ಬೇಗ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಬೇಗ" can also refer to "fast" and "quickly". | |||
| Malayalam | നേരത്തെ | ||
| The word "നേരത്തെ" in Malayalam, like the word "early" in English, can also mean "beforehand", "in advance", or "previously" | |||
| Marathi | लवकर | ||
| While लवकर generally means early in Marathi, it is also a loanword from the Portuguese "laver", meaning to work, cultivate, or plow. | |||
| Nepali | प्रारम्भिक | ||
| The word "प्रारम्भिक" in Nepali is derived from the Sanskrit word "प्रारम्भ," meaning "beginning" or "commencement." | |||
| Punjabi | ਜਲਦੀ | ||
| The word "ਜਲਦੀ" in Punjabi can also mean "haste" or "quickly". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මුල් | ||
| "මුල්" (early) can also refer to "beginning" or "root". | |||
| Tamil | ஆரம்ப | ||
| "ஆரம்ப" can also refer to the beginning of a new stage or phase in life. | |||
| Telugu | ప్రారంభ | ||
| প্রারম্ভ (prāram̐bh) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'pra' (before) and 'ārambha' (beginning), hence meaning 'at the beginning'. | |||
| Urdu | جلدی | ||
| "جلدی" is also used to express a negative connotation, describing something as rushed, unrefined, or lacking attention to detail. | |||
Early in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 早 | ||
| The word “早” can also mean “to understand” or “to recognize”. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 早 | ||
| 早 can also mean morning, breakfast, or (with 人) a person in the early stages of life. | |||
| Japanese | 早い | ||
| 早い may also refer to a person's skill, talent, or experience. | |||
| Korean | 이른 | ||
| The word "이른" (ireun) can also refer to a "quick-tempered" or "hasty" person, possibly alluding to their tendency to act or respond impulsively. | |||
| Mongolian | эрт | ||
| The Mongolian word "эрт" can also refer to "yesterday" or "the day before yesterday", depending on the context. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အစောပိုင်း | ||
Early in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | dini | ||
| "Dini" is also used in Indonesian to refer to someone who is religious or pious. | |||
| Javanese | awal | ||
| "Awal" in Javanese also means "first" or "the beginning". | |||
| Khmer | ដើម | ||
| The word "ដើម" can also mean "origin", "beginning", or "source". | |||
| Lao | ຕົ້ນ | ||
| The word "ຕົ້ນ" can also refer to the beginning of something, such as the beginning of a year or the beginning of a song. | |||
| Malay | awal | ||
| The word "awal" is also the Arabic term for "first" and is used to translate "Alpha" in the Greek alphabet when used to number chapters in lists, such as an index, the outline of a book, or the headings of an encyclopedia. | |||
| Thai | ต้น | ||
| In Sanskrit, Thai 'ต้น' comes from 'tana' meaning 'to stretch' or 'to be pulled', which refers to the 'pulling' of time that occurs when something happens early. | |||
| Vietnamese | sớm | ||
| Sớm in Vietnamese also means to ripen or to become mature. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maaga | ||
Early in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | erkən | ||
| The word "erkən" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Proto-Turkic *ärk "morning" and has the alternate meaning of "dawn". | |||
| Kazakh | ерте | ||
| Ерте (erte) can also mean "morning," "dawn," or "beginning," and may be cognate to the Turkish "erkän" and "erken," and may be an ancient Turkic loanword borrowed into Mongolian as "эрүг" (erug, "early, soon") and "эрүүр" (eruur, "before"). | |||
| Kyrgyz | эрте | ||
| The word | |||
| Tajik | барвақт | ||
| Originally, this word meant the dawn or first light of day. | |||
| Turkmen | ir | ||
| Uzbek | erta | ||
| The word "erta" can also mean "morning" or "dawn" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | بالدۇر | ||
Early in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | wanaʻao | ||
| In Hawaiian mythology, Wana'ao is also the name of a demigod associated with the underworld. | |||
| Maori | moata | ||
| The word “moata” also means “beginning” or “in front” in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | vave | ||
| The word "vave" can also mean "before" or "formerly" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | maaga | ||
| The Tagalog word 'maaga' is related to the Sanskrit word 'mr̥ga,' meaning 'search' or 'hunt,' suggesting its original connection to starting the day early for activities such as hunting. | |||
Early in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | alwa | ||
| Guarani | voi | ||
Early in International Languages
| Esperanto | frue | ||
| The Esperanto word "frue" is derived from the root "fru-", meaning "fruit". Thus, "frue" can also refer to the time of fruit-ripening, typically in the summer. | |||
| Latin | mane | ||
| The Latin word "mane" is also the ablative singular form of "manus" (meaning "hand"). | |||
Early in Others Languages
| Greek | νωρίς | ||
| The word "νωρίς" also means "quickly" in Cypriot Greek, and comes from the Old French word "norrisir" which means "to nourish". | |||
| Hmong | thaum ntxov | ||
| The Hmong word "thaum ntxov" can also refer to the "past" or "former times". | |||
| Kurdish | zû | ||
| In Kurmanji Kurdish, "zû" also connotes "raw," "unripe," or "unprocessed," suggesting a broader sense of undeveloped or unrefined states of being. | |||
| Turkish | erken | ||
| The word "erken" is derived from the Old Turkic word "erk" meaning "morning". | |||
| Xhosa | kwangethuba | ||
| "Kwangethuba" is also used in Xhosa to refer to someone who is impatient or easily angered. | |||
| Yiddish | פרי | ||
| The Yiddish word "פֿרי" originally derives from the Old High German word "fruo" which literally means "first". | |||
| Zulu | ekuseni | ||
| The Zulu word "ekuseni" also means "in the morning". | |||
| Assamese | আগতীয়া | ||
| Aymara | alwa | ||
| Bhojpuri | सेकराहे | ||
| Dhivehi | ކުރިން | ||
| Dogri | सबेला | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maaga | ||
| Guarani | voi | ||
| Ilocano | nasapa | ||
| Krio | ali | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | زوو | ||
| Maithili | प्रारंभिक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯉꯟꯅ | ||
| Mizo | hma | ||
| Oromo | dursa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଶୀଘ୍ର | ||
| Quechua | chawcha | ||
| Sanskrit | शीघ्रम् | ||
| Tatar | иртә | ||
| Tigrinya | ብግዘ | ||
| Tsonga | hi nkarhi | ||