Electric in Different Languages
Discover 'Electric' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'electric' has had a profound impact on our world, shaping the course of history and revolutionizing the way we live. Derived from the Latin 'electrum' and Greek 'elektron,' meaning 'amber,' electric refers to the physical phenomenon of electricity, a form of energy resulting from the existence of charged particles such as electrons or protons, either statically as an accumulation of charge or dynamically as a current. This force of nature has been harnessed to create life-changing inventions, from the light bulb to the electric car.
Beyond its scientific significance, electric carries a sense of excitement and innovation, embodying the spirit of progress and the thrill of discovery. Its influence extends beyond science and technology, seeping into our language and culture. For instance, we describe charismatic individuals as having an 'electric' personality, and we refer to pulsating, energetic music as 'electric'.
Given its importance and cultural impact, it's no wonder that people might be interested in learning the translations of electric in different languages. Here are a few examples:
Electric
Electric in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | elektries | ||
| The Afrikaans word "elektries" originates from the Dutch word "elektrisch" and can also mean "static" or "electrostatic" in Afrikaans. | |||
| Amharic | ኤሌክትሪክ | ||
| The word 'ኤሌክትሪክ' is derived from the Greek word 'ἤλεκτρον' (elektron), meaning 'amber'. | |||
| Hausa | lantarki | ||
| Alternate origins of Hausa 'lantarki' suggest connections to 'lightning' and 'metal' from Arabic and Berber. | |||
| Igbo | eletrik | ||
| The Igbo word "eletrik" is also used figuratively to describe something extraordinary or surprising. | |||
| Malagasy | elektrika | ||
| The word "elektrika" in Malagasy is derived from the French word "électrique" and can also refer to electricity or electrical appliances. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zamagetsi | ||
| Zamagetsi, an electric current, derives from "jamagetsi", meaning a line of ants in Chichewa. | |||
| Shona | magetsi | ||
| The word 'magetsi' is derived from the Shona word 'magetsa', meaning 'to sparkle' or 'to glow' | |||
| Somali | koronto | ||
| The word "koronto" is cognate with the Arabic "kahrubaʾ" (amber), highlighting the historical connection between electricity and the static charge generated by rubbing amber. | |||
| Sesotho | motlakase | ||
| The word "motlakase" is derived from the word "motho" meaning "person" and the word "lako" meaning "lightning". | |||
| Swahili | umeme | ||
| "Umeme" derives from the Luganda word "ememe," meaning "spark," and can also refer to "lightning." | |||
| Xhosa | zombane | ||
| The word "zombane" in Xhosa is derived from "izinyembezi" (tears), likely due to the sparks and flashes associated with electricity resembling tears. | |||
| Yoruba | itanna | ||
| "Itanna" also means "lamp" and derives from the verb "tan", meaning "to shine". | |||
| Zulu | kagesi | ||
| 'Kagesi' can mean 'light' (usually from electricity) or 'lightning' depending on the context. | |||
| Bambara | kuran ye | ||
| Ewe | elektrik-ŋusẽ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | amashanyarazi | ||
| Lingala | électrique | ||
| Luganda | amasannyalaze | ||
| Sepedi | motlakase | ||
| Twi (Akan) | anyinam ahoɔden | ||
Electric in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | كهربائي | ||
| كهربائي also refers to electromagnetism or a person proficient in the science and applications of electricity. | |||
| Hebrew | חשמלי | ||
| The Hebrew word "חשמלי" also refers to the sense of "electric" in the context of excitement. | |||
| Pashto | برقي | ||
| The Pashto word "برقي" ("barqee") is derived from the Arabic word "برق" ("barq"), which means "lightning". | |||
| Arabic | كهربائي | ||
| كهربائي also refers to electromagnetism or a person proficient in the science and applications of electricity. | |||
Electric in Western European Languages
| Albanian | elektrike | ||
| In Albanian, the word "elektrike" also refers to a type of fish called electric eel. | |||
| Basque | elektrikoa | ||
| The word "elektrikoa" is a loanword from Spanish that derives from the Latin word "ēlectricus", which in turn comes from the Greek word "ἤλεκτρον" (ēlektron), meaning "amber". | |||
| Catalan | elèctric | ||
| In Catalan, 'elèctric' also means 'frightening' or 'causing fear'. | |||
| Croatian | električni | ||
| The word 'električni' in Croatian also means 'electrified', 'charged with electricity', or 'full of electricity'. | |||
| Danish | elektrisk | ||
| In Danish, "elektrisk" can also mean "electrifying" or "exciting". | |||
| Dutch | elektrisch | ||
| The Dutch word "elektrisch" is related to the Greek word "elektron", meaning "amber". | |||
| English | electric | ||
| The word "electric" comes from the Greek "elektron," meaning "amber," due to the static electricity produced when amber is rubbed. | |||
| French | électrique | ||
| Électrique can also relate to a person's electrifying personality or magnetism. | |||
| Frisian | elektrysk | ||
| "Elektrysk" comes from the Ancient Greek word "ḗlektron", meaning "amber", as this material was used to generate static electricity in early experiments. | |||
| Galician | eléctrica | ||
| In Galician, "eléctrica" is also used to refer to the electric guitar, especially in the context of traditional Galician music. | |||
| German | elektrisch | ||
| The word "elektrisch" in German can also mean "stately", "dignified", or "solemn". | |||
| Icelandic | rafmagns | ||
| Raf, which is the first part of the word rafmagns, means amber and was the source of static electricity. | |||
| Irish | leictreach | ||
| The word "Leictreach" (electric) in Irish also refers to amber, which was believed to have electrical properties in the past. | |||
| Italian | elettrico | ||
| In Italian, "elettrico" can also refer to "electrifying" or "exciting," especially in a literary context. | |||
| Luxembourgish | elektresch | ||
| The word "elektresch" is derived from the Ancient Greek word "elektron", meaning "amber". | |||
| Maltese | elettriku | ||
| The Maltese word "elettriku" derives from the Italian word "elettrico" and ultimately from the Greek word "ēlektron" (amber). | |||
| Norwegian | elektrisk | ||
| The word "elektrisk" is derived from the Greek word "ēlektron," which means "amber" or "shining object." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | elétrico | ||
| In Portuguese, "elétrico" also means "tram" or "trolleybus". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | dealain | ||
| "Dealainn" also refers to a type of small, freshwater crustacean found in lochs and rivers. | |||
| Spanish | eléctrico | ||
| The Spanish word "eléctrico" can also refer to a type of fabric made from a mixture of wool and silk. | |||
| Swedish | elektrisk | ||
| The word 'elektrisk' is cognate with the German word 'elektrisch' and was first used in the 16th century. | |||
| Welsh | trydan | ||
| The word "trydan" shares a root with "tyrnu" (to break) and "darnau" (to thunder), suggesting its ancient association with destructive and awe-inspiring natural phenomena. | |||
Electric in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | электрычны | ||
| Bosnian | električni | ||
| The word "električni" also means "electrician" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | електрически | ||
| Bulgarian "електрически" means electric, but was derived from Greek "ήλεκτρον", meaning amber. | |||
| Czech | elektrický | ||
| The word "elektrický" can also mean "sparkling (wine)", derived from the crackling sound it makes when poured. | |||
| Estonian | elektriline | ||
| The word "elektriline" comes from the Greek word "ēlektron", which means "amber". Amber is a material that can generate static electricity when rubbed. | |||
| Finnish | sähköinen | ||
| The word "sähköinen" derives from the Finnish word "sähkö," which means "lightning." | |||
| Hungarian | elektromos | ||
| The Hungarian word “elektromos” comes from the Greek word “ēlektron,” meaning “amber”. | |||
| Latvian | elektrisks | ||
| The Latvian word "elektrisks" is derived from the Greek word "ēlektron", which means "amber". | |||
| Lithuanian | elektrinis | ||
| In Lithuanian, the word "elektrinis" also means "electromagnetic". | |||
| Macedonian | електрични | ||
| The word for "electric" in Macedonian, "електрични," is derived from the Greek word "ηλεκτρόν," which means "amber," as the ancients believed that electricity was created by rubbing amber. | |||
| Polish | elektryczny | ||
| "Elektryczny" also means "electrified" or "electrocuted" in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | electric | ||
| In Romanian, "electric" can also refer to a trolleybus or its driver, due to the use of electric power by these vehicles. | |||
| Russian | электрический | ||
| The word "электрический" ultimately comes from the Greek word "elektron," which means "amber." | |||
| Serbian | електрични | ||
| The Serbian word 'електрични' derives from the Greek 'ēlektron,' referring to amber, the first material observed to possess electric properties. | |||
| Slovak | elektrický | ||
| In Slovak, "elektrický" can also refer to "electric shock" or a "short circuit". | |||
| Slovenian | električni | ||
| The word 'električni' in Slovenian is derived from the Greek word 'ēlektron', which originally meant 'amber', a material that can generate static electricity when rubbed. | |||
| Ukrainian | електричний | ||
| The Ukrainian word "електричний" ('electric') comes from the Greek word "ήλεκτρον" ('amber'), referring to the static electricity produced when rubbing amber. | |||
Electric in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বৈদ্যুতিক | ||
| The word "বৈদ্যুতিক" is derived from the Sanskrit word "विद्युत्" (vidyut), which means "lightning" or "electricity". | |||
| Gujarati | ઇલેક્ટ્રિક | ||
| Hindi | बिजली | ||
| "बिजली" in Hindi also means lightning and power. | |||
| Kannada | ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ | ||
| The word 'ವಿದ್ಯುತ್' also refers to the Hindu deity Indra, who is associated with rain, lightning, and thunder. | |||
| Malayalam | വൈദ്യുത | ||
| The word 'വൈദ്യുത' (vaidyuta) in Malayalam originates from the Sanskrit root 'विद्युत' (vidyut), which means 'lightning' or 'electricity', and also refers to the Hindu deity Indra, who is associated with thunder and rain. | |||
| Marathi | विद्युत | ||
| The word "विद्युत" also means "lightning" in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | बिजुली | ||
| Nepali word 'बिजुली' is derived from Sanskrit, meaning 'lightning' and is also used to denote 'electricity'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਬਿਜਲੀ | ||
| The word "ਬਿਜਲੀ" (bijlī) comes from the Sanskrit word "विद्युत्" (vidyut), meaning "shining" or "flashing." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | විද්යුත් | ||
| Tamil | மின்சார | ||
| The word "மின்சார" comes from the Sanskrit word "vidyut", meaning "to shine" or "to flash", and it is also related to the Latin word "fulgur", meaning "lightning". | |||
| Telugu | విద్యుత్ | ||
| Urdu | بجلی | ||
| The word “بجلی” is also used colloquially to refer to lightning which is a natural occurrence of atmospheric electricity. | |||
Electric in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 电动 | ||
| "电动" also means the verb "to energize" or "to activate". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 電動 | ||
| 電動 can be used to refer to motorized vehicles, such as electric cars and wheelchairs. | |||
| Japanese | 電気の | ||
| Electricity translates to "denki" in Japanese, which also refers to lightning. | |||
| Korean | 전기 같은 | ||
| 전기 같은 has a secondary meaning of "exciting" which is related to its meaning of "electric" because electricity can be exciting. | |||
| Mongolian | цахилгаан | ||
| The word "цахилгаан" can also refer to "lightning" or "electricity" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လျှပ်စစ် | ||
Electric in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | listrik | ||
| The Indonesian word 'listrik' is derived from the Dutch word 'elektriciteit' and the Malay word 'listrik', both meaning 'electricity'. | |||
| Javanese | listrik | ||
| The Javanese word "listrik" originates from the Dutch word "electriciteit" and also means "bright" or "shiny." | |||
| Khmer | អគ្គិសនី | ||
| Lao | ໄຟຟ້າ | ||
| The term "ໄຟຟ້າ" in Lao is derived from the Sanskrit words "vi" (moving) and "dyut" (heaven), and also refers to lightning. | |||
| Malay | elektrik | ||
| The word 'elektrik' also refers to 'electrocution' or 'electric shock' in Malay. | |||
| Thai | ไฟฟ้า | ||
| The word ไฟฟ้า can also refer to lightning or electricity as a natural phenomenon. | |||
| Vietnamese | điện | ||
| The word "điện" also means "lightning" and "telegram" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | electric | ||
Electric in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | elektrik | ||
| The word “elektrik” could also mean “amber” in Azerbaijani as it relates to the original Greek word “elektron”. | |||
| Kazakh | электр | ||
| In Kazakh, the word "электр" can also refer to a person who is very energetic or active. | |||
| Kyrgyz | электр | ||
| In addition to “electric”, “электр“ in Kyrgyz can also refer to amber or electricity. | |||
| Tajik | барқ | ||
| The word “барқ” also refers to lightning, thunderbolt or flash in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | elektrik | ||
| Uzbek | elektr | ||
| The word "elektr" has Greek and Arabic roots and also refers to amber or electricity, as in a car or a radio. | |||
| Uyghur | توك | ||
Electric in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | uila | ||
| The word "uila" also means "lightning" or "thunder" in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | hiko | ||
| The word | |||
| Samoan | eletise | ||
| In Samoan, "eletise" also means "lightning" and is derived from the Proto-Polynesian word "*leki" meaning "to shine". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | elektrisidad | ||
| The term "elektrisidad" originated from the Greek word "ēlektron", meaning "sun" or "amber", which is the source of static electricity when rubbed. | |||
Electric in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | electricidad tuqitwa | ||
| Guarani | eléctrico rehegua | ||
Electric in International Languages
| Esperanto | elektra | ||
| The word “elektra” in Esperanto is a cognate of the Greek word for amber and derives from the ability of statically charged amber to attract light objects. | |||
| Latin | electrica | ||
| In Latin, "electrica" was also used to refer to amber, as it has the ability to generate static electricity when rubbed. | |||
Electric in Others Languages
| Greek | ηλεκτρικός | ||
| The Ancient Greek word “ηλεκτρικός” (ēlektrikós) originally referred to anything related to amber (particularly its ability to attract small objects when rubbed), and to substances and phenomena that have similar properties. | |||
| Hmong | hluav taws xob | ||
| Hmong: "hluav taws xob" is also an idiom meaning "fast moving" in reference to a person or object. | |||
| Kurdish | elatrîkî | ||
| The Kurdish word "elatrîkî" is borrowed from the Greek word "ēlektron" which means "amber" and is the origin of the word "electricity" in many languages. | |||
| Turkish | elektrik | ||
| Elektrik can also mean "amber" in Turkish, as its etymology derives from the Greek word for amber, "elektron" | |||
| Xhosa | zombane | ||
| The word "zombane" in Xhosa is derived from "izinyembezi" (tears), likely due to the sparks and flashes associated with electricity resembling tears. | |||
| Yiddish | עלעקטריש | ||
| The Yiddish word 'עלעקטריש' ('electric') is likely derived from the German word 'elektrisch' or the English word 'electric'. | |||
| Zulu | kagesi | ||
| 'Kagesi' can mean 'light' (usually from electricity) or 'lightning' depending on the context. | |||
| Assamese | বৈদ্যুতিক | ||
| Aymara | electricidad tuqitwa | ||
| Bhojpuri | बिजली के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ކަރަންޓުންނެވެ | ||
| Dogri | इलेक्ट्रिक | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | electric | ||
| Guarani | eléctrico rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | de koriente | ||
| Krio | ilɛktrik | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کارەبایی | ||
| Maithili | इलेक्ट्रिक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯂꯦꯛꯠꯔꯤꯛ ꯑꯣꯏꯅꯥ ꯑꯦꯝ.ꯑꯦꯁ.ꯑꯦꯝ.ꯏ | ||
| Mizo | electric hmanga siam a ni | ||
| Oromo | elektirikii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବ electric ଦ୍ୟୁତିକ | ||
| Quechua | electricidad nisqawan | ||
| Sanskrit | विद्युत् | ||
| Tatar | электр | ||
| Tigrinya | ብኤሌክትሪክ ዝሰርሕ | ||
| Tsonga | gezi | ||