Earth in different languages

Earth in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'earth' holds a profound significance beyond its geological definition as the third planet from the sun. It represents the very ground we stand on, the home we all share, and the foundation of life as we know it. Throughout history and across cultures, the earth has been a powerful symbol of stability, fertility, and connection to our roots.

For those with a passion for language and cultural exploration, understanding the translations of 'earth' can offer fascinating insights into the diverse ways human communities perceive and interact with our natural world. From the Romance languages like Spanish (tierra) and French (terre) to the Germanic languages like Dutch (aarde) and English (earth), the term carries a rich tapestry of meanings and connotations.

Delving even further, the word 'earth' takes on new dimensions in languages such as Chinese (diqiu), Japanese (tsuchi), and Swahili (ardhi), reflecting the unique cosmologies and worldviews of these cultures. Join us as we embark on a global journey to uncover the many faces of 'earth' in different languages.

Earth


Earth in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansaarde
In addition to its literal meaning, 'aarde' can also figuratively refer to 'land', as in 'my home country' or 'my homeland'.
Amharicምድር
The word
Hausaƙasa
The Hausa word ƙasa is also used to refer to a country or region.
Igboụwa
"Uwa" in Igbo also means "time", "age", "era", or "a period of life."
Malagasyeto an-tany
The Malagasy word "eto an-tany" has another meaning: "the universe".
Nyanja (Chichewa)dziko lapansi
The word "dziko lapansi" can also mean "the world" or "the universe".
Shonapasi
'Pasi' originated from Proto-Bantu '*masi' ('earth, dust').
Somalidhulka
"Dhulka" can also refer to a land dispute or a piece of property.
Sesotholefats'e
'Lefats'e' shares its root with the word 'fa' meaning 'to give' as soil is a giver of life.
Swahilidunia
The word 'dunia' in Swahili is derived from the Arabic word 'dunyā', which means 'the present world' or 'the temporal world'.
Xhosaumhlaba
Xhosa word 'umhlaba' also means 'ground', 'soil', 'land', 'area', 'region', 'country', 'nation', 'world', 'universe', and 'earth'.
Yorubaayé
The Yoruba word "ayé" can also refer to the world or to a person's lifetime.
Zuluumhlaba
The literal translation of "umhlaba" is "that which sustains"}
Bambaradugukolo
Eweanyigba
Kinyarwandaisi
Lingalamabele
Lugandaensi
Sepedilefase
Twi (Akan)asase

Earth in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicأرض
While the Arabic word أرض (ard) primarily means 'earth', its root word also refers to 'firmness' and 'steadfastness'.
Hebrewכדור הארץ
The word "earth" has different meanings depending on the context: a planet ("" כדור הארץ ""), soil ("אדמה") or a direction ("" ארצה").
Pashtoځمکه
The Pashto word "ځمکه" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰǵʰom, meaning "land" or "earth."
Arabicأرض
While the Arabic word أرض (ard) primarily means 'earth', its root word also refers to 'firmness' and 'steadfastness'.

Earth in Western European Languages

Albaniantoka
Toka, in Albanian, can also mean "foundation" or "base" of a structure or object.
Basquelurra
The Basque word "lurra" may originate from the Proto-Basque word "*lurre" or "*luṟe," meaning "ground" or "soil."
Catalanterra
The Catalan word "terra" also means "land" or "country".
Croatianzemlja
In Croatian mythology, 'Zemlja' was a goddess of the Earth, mother of the sun, moon, and the stars.
Danishjorden
The word "jorden" in Danish derives from the same root as the English word "year" and suggests the yearly revolution of the Earth around the Sun.
Dutchaarde
The Dutch word "aarde" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *h₂er-, meaning "ground, soil, earth, world".
Englishearth
The word "earth" can also refer to the soil or ground, as well as the world or planet we live on.
Frenchterre
The French word 'Terre' derives from the word 'Tellus' in Latin, the Goddess of the land.
Frisianierde
The word 'ierde' in Frisian also means 'soil' or 'ground'.
Galicianterra
In Galician, "terra" can mean "earth" or "land," including agricultural land.
Germanerde
In some dialects of German, "Erde" also refers to a type of ceramics or earthenware.
Icelandicjörð
In Old Norse, "jörð" also refers to the soil or the surface of the land
Irishdomhain
The Irish word "domhain" can also mean "the world" or "the universe".
Italianterra
The word "terra" in Italian can also refer to a pottery or earthenware object, such as a vase or a flower pot.
Luxembourgishäerd
The word "Äerd" in Luxembourgish shares Germanic roots with the English word "earth," as well as similar words in other languages like German ("Erde") and Dutch ("aarde").
Malteseart
In Maltese, the word "art" means "heavenly body", including the moon and stars, or any celestial phenomenon.
Norwegianjord
"The Old Norse word "jǫrð," from which "jord" derives, also referred to the Greek goddess Gaia or Terra."
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)terra
"Terra" also means "land" in Portuguese, referring to a specific geographical area, such as a country or a region.
Scots Gaelictalamh
The Gaelic word "talamh" is also used metaphorically to refer to homeland or territory.
Spanishtierra
In Spanish, "tierra" can also refer to land, territory, homeland, soil, or dust.
Swedishjorden
The Swedish word "jorden" derives from the Old Norse "jorð", which meant "gravel" or "sandy soil".
Welshddaear
Ddaear can also refer to the ground, soil, or land, and is related to the Breton word douar, the Cornish word dor, and the Irish word talamh.

Earth in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianзямля
The word "зямля" can also mean "land" or "soil" in Belarusian.
Bosnianzemlja
The word "zemlja" in Bosnian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "zemlja", meaning "land" or "ground".
Bulgarianземя
The word "земя" in Bulgarian also means "land" or "soil".
Czechzemě
The word "Země" is also used to refer to the Czech Republic, the native name of which is "Česká republika".
Estonianmaa
The word "maa" in Estonian can also refer to the land or the country, as well as being used in a figurative sense to mean "home" or "motherland".
Finnishmaa
The Finnish word "maa" also means "country" and is related to the Estonian word "maa" ("land") and the Hungarian word "magyar" ("Hungarian").
Hungarianföld
"Föld" (earth) can also refer to a land area, soil or dirt, or the world.
Latvianzeme
The word “zeme” can also refer to a country or a region.
Lithuanianžemė
"Žemė" shares the same root as the word "žmogus" (human) and refers to the substance and essence out of which life springs.
Macedonianземјата
The word "земјата" also means "country" in Macedonian.
Polishziemia
"Ziemia" is also an archaic Polish spelling of the name "Zbigniew"
Romanianpământ
The Romanian word "Pământ" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*dʰǵʰóm̥" meaning "earth" or "soil."
Russianземля
The word "Земля" (Earth) in Russian also refers to the land, soil, or ground, and is related to the Proto-Slavic word *zemlja* with the same meaning.
Serbianземља
The Serbian word "земља" also means "country" and is cognate with the Russian word "земля".
Slovakzem
The word "zem" in Slovak comes from the Proto-Slavic word *zemь, which also means "ground" and "land".
Slovenianzemlja
The word "zemlja" in Slovenian can also mean "soil", "country", or "land".
Ukrainianземлі
The Ukrainian word "землі" derives from the Proto-Slavic "or-mъ" meaning "arable land".

Earth in South Asian Languages

Bengaliপৃথিবী
"পৃথিবী" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Prthvi", meaning "wide" or "broad", referring to the Earth's vastness.
Gujaratiપૃથ્વી
The word पृथ्वी can also refer to a square or rectangle, or to a type of sacrifice.
Hindiपृथ्वी
The word पृथ्वी comes from Sanskrit and literally means "broad" or "wide" referring to its vast expanse.
Kannadaಭೂಮಿ
The word "ಭೂಮಿ" (bhoomi) in Kannada is derived from Sanskrit and also means "the ground" or "soil".
Malayalamഭൂമി
The word "ഭൂമി" can also mean "globe" or "planet".
Marathiपृथ्वी
The word पृथ्वी in Marathi not only means 'earth' but also refers to 'a large or heavy object' or 'something that is broad and flat'.
Nepaliपृथ्वी
The word पृथ्वी (earth) in Nepali, derived from the Sanskrit word 'prithvi', also holds the alternate meaning of 'expansive' or 'wide' in the context of physical space or quantity.
Punjabiਧਰਤੀ
The word "ਧਰਤੀ" (dhartī) in Punjabi also refers to the "land" or "soil" that one owns.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)පොළොවේ
පොළොවේ may also mean 'ground', 'land', 'soil', 'the world', 'the universe' or 'an abode' in Sinhala.
Tamilபூமி
பூமி (bhūmi) also means "ground" and "land" and is cognate with Skt. "bhūmi" and Pkt. "bhūmi" with the same meanings.
Teluguభూమి
The word 'భూమి' can also refer to 'soil' or 'land' in Telugu.
Urduزمین
زمین's alternate meaning is a 'flat surface'.

Earth in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)地球
The Chinese word "地球" can also mean "the world" and, in the context of ancient astrology, the "central star".
Chinese (Traditional)地球
The Chinese character "地球" can also mean "spherical object" or "globe".
Japanese地球
The first character of the Japanese word "地球" (earth) means "big" or "great," and the second character means "ball" or "planet."
Korean지구
지구 (earth) is also used as a prefix in names of planets and satellites, such as 지구권 (geospheres), 지구 과학 (geoscience), 지구물리학 (geophysics), 지구화학 (geochemistry), and 지구학 (earth science).
Mongolianдэлхий
"Дэлхий" also refers to "the world of human society, the human world, mankind"
Myanmar (Burmese)ကမ္ဘာမြေ
The word "ကမ္ဘာမြေ" in Myanmar (Burmese) is ultimately derived from Sanskrit "Kumbha" or "Kumbhera" ("potter" or "earthen pot") or "Bhuma" ("earth"), signifying the material for creating pottery, i.e., earth.

Earth in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianbumi
"Bumi" is derived from Sanskrit "bhumi", which means "ground", "soil", but also "world" or "universe".
Javanesebumi
The Javanese word 'bumi' is also used to refer to one's homeland or birthplace.
Khmerផែនដី
The Khmer word "ផែនដី" can also mean "universe" or "world".
Laoແຜ່ນດິນໂລກ
Malaybumi
The word "bumi" in Malay also means "native inhabitant" or "indigenous person".
Thaiโลก
The word โลก (earth) is derived from the Sanskrit word
Vietnamesetrái đất
Trái đất derives from the Classical Chinese word 地 (địa), meaning landmass, terrain, soil, or earth element.
Filipino (Tagalog)lupa

Earth in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniyer
{"text": "The word "yer" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Proto-Turkic word *yert, meaning "land, country, homeland". It also has the alternate meaning of "floor" or "ground" in Azerbaijani."}
Kazakhжер
The Kazakh word "жер" can also refer to "land as a territory" or "surface".
Kyrgyzжер
"Жер" is also used in Kyrgyz to mean "world", "country", or "land".
Tajikзамин
The Tajik word "замин" is cognate with Avestan "zam-", which has the same meaning, and Persian "زمین".
Turkmenýer
Uzbeker
As an alternate meaning, "er" can also refer to a specific type of plow used in agriculture.
Uyghurيەر

Earth in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianhonua
"Honua" also means "large" and was used in reference to the land mass "honua-nui-o-Hawaii" meaning "Big Island"
Maoriwhenua
Maori word
Samoanlalolagi
"Lalolagi" also translates to "the great expanse that stretches on all sides.
Tagalog (Filipino)daigdig
The word “daigdig” in Tagalog is derived from the root word “dig,” which means “to till” or “to cultivate.”

Earth in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarauraqi
Guaraniyvy

Earth in International Languages

Esperantotero
The Esperanto word "tero" not only means "earth" but also "soil" and "ground."
Latinterra
Latin "terra" also means "dry land" or "continent" and appears in names like "terra firma" or "Terra Australis".

Earth in Others Languages

Greekγη
Its meaning can be extended to include not only literal ground, but also a person’s native town or country, or the world as a whole.
Hmonglub ntiaj teb
The Hmong word "lub ntiaj teb" (earth) can also refer to the entire natural world, including both the physical and spiritual realms.
Kurdisherd
The word "erd" in Kurdish is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *er-, meaning "earth" or "ground".
Turkishdünya
Dünya', which denotes the Earth, derives from "dön", meaning circle, implying the Earth's orbit around the Sun.
Xhosaumhlaba
Xhosa word 'umhlaba' also means 'ground', 'soil', 'land', 'area', 'region', 'country', 'nation', 'world', 'universe', and 'earth'.
Yiddishערד
"ערד" in Yiddish can also refer to a city in Israel, meaning "fiery" in Hebrew.
Zuluumhlaba
The literal translation of "umhlaba" is "that which sustains"}
Assameseপৃথিৱী
Aymarauraqi
Bhojpuriधरती
Dhivehiދުނިޔެ
Dogriधरत
Filipino (Tagalog)lupa
Guaraniyvy
Ilocanolubong
Kriodunya
Kurdish (Sorani)زەوی
Maithiliधरती
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯄ꯭ꯔꯤꯊꯤꯕꯤ
Mizokhawvel
Oromodachee
Odia (Oriya)ପୃଥିବୀ
Quechuatiqsimuyu
Sanskritपृथ्वी
Tatarҗир
Tigrinyaመሬት
Tsongamisava

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