Electricity in Different Languages
Discover 'Electricity' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Electricity is a fundamental aspect of modern life, powering our homes, businesses, and infrastructure. It has transformed the world, making possible countless technological advancements and shaping the course of human history. From the ancient Greeks' early experiments with static electricity to the harnessing of electrical power in the Industrial Revolution, electricity has been a source of endless fascination and exploration.
Beyond its practical uses, electricity holds a special place in our cultural imagination, symbolizing innovation, energy, and even the mysteries of life itself. Consider, for instance, the electrifying charge of a first kiss or the spark of a new idea!
Given its global significance, it's no wonder that people around the world have sought to translate the word 'electricity' into their own languages. Below, you'll find a list of translations that reflect the rich diversity of human languages and cultures.
Electricity
Electricity in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | elektrisiteit | ||
| The word "elektrisiteit" comes from the Greek word "elektron", meaning "amber". | |||
| Amharic | ኤሌክትሪክ | ||
| "ኤሌክትሪክ" comes from the Greek word "ἤλεκτρον" (elektron), which means "amber". | |||
| Hausa | wutar lantarki | ||
| The Hausa word for electricity, “wutar lantarki,” literally translates to “fire of the lantern”. | |||
| Igbo | ọkụ eletrik | ||
| Malagasy | herinatratra | ||
| The Malagasy word "herinatratra" is derived from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian word "*qiRiŋ" meaning "lightning". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | magetsi | ||
| The term 'magetsi' is a loanword from the English 'electricity' which is originally derived from the Greek term ἤλεκτρον, which meant both 'amber' and 'electricity'. | |||
| Shona | magetsi | ||
| The word "magetsi" is derived from the verb "kugeza", meaning "to revive" or "to invigorate". | |||
| Somali | koronto | ||
| The word "koronto" is derived from the Italian word "corrente", meaning "current". | |||
| Sesotho | motlakase | ||
| The term 'motlakase', derived from the Sesotho word 'motlakase', originally referred to 'lightning' before being adopted for 'electricity'. | |||
| Swahili | umeme | ||
| "Umeme" also means "lightning" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | umbane | ||
| The Xhosa word 'umbane' also refers to 'light' and 'lightning'. | |||
| Yoruba | itanna | ||
| Itanna (electricity) derives from 'itã' (fire) and 'ínà' (flash), referring to the flashes of lightning and fire associated with electricity. | |||
| Zulu | ugesi | ||
| In Zulu, the term “ugesi” originally referred to the force or energy found in traditional African medicines. | |||
| Bambara | kuran ye | ||
| Ewe | elektrikŋusẽ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | amashanyarazi | ||
| Lingala | kura | ||
| Luganda | amasannyalaze | ||
| Sepedi | mohlagase | ||
| Twi (Akan) | anyinam ahoɔden | ||
Electricity in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | كهرباء | ||
| كهرباء comes from the Greek ἤλεκτρον, which originally meant amber; the static electric charge on amber gives the root word's connection to its modern-day understanding. | |||
| Hebrew | חַשְׁמַל | ||
| The Hebrew word "חַשְׁמַל" (electricity) can also refer to angels or a vision of God in the Bible, according to some interpretations. | |||
| Pashto | بریښنا | ||
| The word "بریښنا" also refers to lightning, illumination, spark, flash, flame in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | كهرباء | ||
| كهرباء comes from the Greek ἤλεκτρον, which originally meant amber; the static electric charge on amber gives the root word's connection to its modern-day understanding. | |||
Electricity in Western European Languages
| Albanian | elektricitet | ||
| In the Albanian language, the word "elektricitet" derives from Latin word electricitas, which is itself derived from the Ancient Greek word elektron, which means "amber". Amber is a fossilized resin that, when rubbed, produces static charges, giving it the ability to attract lightweight objects. | |||
| Basque | elektrizitatea | ||
| 'Elektrizitatea' is derived from the Greek term 'elektron', meaning 'amber', a substance known for its static electric properties. | |||
| Catalan | electricitat | ||
| The word "electricitat" in Catalan comes from the Latin word "electricus", meaning "like amber", which refers to the static electricity that can be generated by rubbing amber against a cloth. | |||
| Croatian | struja | ||
| The word "struja" also refers to a current (in water, wind, etc.) or a flow (of liquid). | |||
| Danish | elektricitet | ||
| The Danish word "elektricitet" is derived from the Greek word "elektron" meaning "amber", as amber was one of the first substances to be studied for its electrical properties. | |||
| Dutch | elektriciteit | ||
| The Dutch word "elektriciteit" comes from the Greek word "elektron", which means "amber". | |||
| English | electricity | ||
| The word 'electricity' comes from the Greek word 'elektron', meaning 'amber', which was the first material in which the phenomenon was observed. | |||
| French | électricité | ||
| Électricité derives from the Greek word 'ēlektron,' which means amber, a material that attracts small objects when rubbed. | |||
| Frisian | elektrisiteit | ||
| It is based on the New Latin word "ēlectricus", which derives from the Greek word "ēlektron", meaning "amber". | |||
| Galician | electricidade | ||
| German | elektrizität | ||
| "Elektrizität" ultimately derives from the Greek word for amber, "ήλεκτρον" (ēlektron), because the Greeks first observed static electricity by rubbing amber. | |||
| Icelandic | rafmagn | ||
| The word "rafmagn" is derived from the words "raf" (amber) and "magn" (force), referring to the static electricity generated when amber is rubbed. | |||
| Irish | leictreachas | ||
| "Leictreachas" derives from the Greek word for amber ("ēlektron") which attracted small objects when rubbed. | |||
| Italian | elettricità | ||
| In Italian, | |||
| Luxembourgish | stroum | ||
| Stroum is descended from the French word "courant", meaning current, or a flowing substance. | |||
| Maltese | elettriku | ||
| The word 'elettriku' in Maltese originates from the Greek word 'elektron', meaning 'amber', which was the first known material to exhibit electrical properties. | |||
| Norwegian | elektrisitet | ||
| The word 'elektrisitet' has Greek roots: 'elektron,' meaning amber or a related resin having the ability to attract small particles when rubbed, and 'statikos,' meaning standing. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | eletricidade | ||
| The word "eletricidade" derives from the Greek word "ἤλεκτρον" (elektron), meaning "amber", as electricity was first observed in amber. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | dealan | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "dealan" also means "element". | |||
| Spanish | electricidad | ||
| La palabra "electricidad" proviene del griego "elektron", que significa "ámbar", debido a la capacidad del ámbar para atraer pequeños objetos cuando se frota. | |||
| Swedish | elektricitet | ||
| The word "elektricitet" in Swedish comes from the Greek word "elektron", which means "amber" - a fossil resin that can build up a negative electrostatic charge when rubbed. | |||
| Welsh | trydan | ||
| The etymology of the Welsh word "trydan" is still debated but may relate to a Proto-Celtic *tredno, meaning "tremble". | |||
Electricity in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | электрычнасць | ||
| The word "электрычнасць" is derived from the Greek word "ήλεκτρον"," which means "amber". Amber is a fossilized tree resin that has the property of attracting small objects when rubbed. | |||
| Bosnian | struja | ||
| The word "struja" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *struga, meaning "current" or "flow". | |||
| Bulgarian | електричество | ||
| The word "електричество" is derived from the Greek word for "amber," which was known for its ability to generate static electricity. | |||
| Czech | elektřina | ||
| In Czech Republic, the word also means amber, which was called elektron by Greeks after it was found out that amber could become electrified. | |||
| Estonian | elekter | ||
| The Estonian word 'elekter' derives from the Greek word 'elektron', which refers to amber, a substance that produces static electricity when rubbed. | |||
| Finnish | sähköä | ||
| "Sähköä" is derived from the word "sähäkkä", meaning "lively" or "vigorous" | |||
| Hungarian | elektromosság | ||
| The word "elektromosság" is derived from the Greek words "electron" (meaning "amber") and "mosság" (meaning "ability"), referring to the ability of amber to attract small objects when rubbed. | |||
| Latvian | elektrība | ||
| The word "elektrība" (electricity) in Latvian comes from the Greek word "ḗlektron" (amber), referring to the static electricity generated by rubbing amber. | |||
| Lithuanian | elektros | ||
| In Lithuanian, “elektros” is related to the Indo-European root “alek-” meaning “to shine” or “to burn”. | |||
| Macedonian | електрична енергија | ||
| The word "електрична енергија" ultimately derives from the Greek word for "amber", "ήλεκτρον" (ēlektron), because amber was observed to attract small objects when rubbed. | |||
| Polish | elektryczność | ||
| The word "Elektryczność" in Polish derives from the Greek word "elektron", meaning "amber", where ancient people first observed static electricity. | |||
| Romanian | electricitate | ||
| In Romanian, the word "electricitate" comes from the Greek word "ēlektron", meaning "amber", as amber was the first material in which electric charge was observed. | |||
| Russian | электричество | ||
| The Russian word "электричество" (electricity) derives from the Greek word ήλεκτρον (amber). | |||
| Serbian | електрична енергија | ||
| The Serbian word for "electricity", "електрична енергија", is rooted in the Greek word "ηλεκτρον" (elektron), meaning "amber". | |||
| Slovak | elektrina | ||
| The word "elektrina" is a Slovak form of the Greek "elektron", which refers to amber and the static charge it can generate when rubbed. | |||
| Slovenian | elektrika | ||
| In Slovenian, 'elektrika' can also refer to electrical appliances or installations. | |||
| Ukrainian | електрика | ||
| The Ukrainian word "електрика" also refers to electrical devices or systems. | |||
Electricity in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বিদ্যুৎ | ||
| In Bengali, "বিদ্যুৎ" can also mean "lightning" or "electrical current" | |||
| Gujarati | વીજળી | ||
| "વીજળી" also means "lightning" in Gujarati, reflecting its link to atmospheric phenomena. | |||
| Hindi | बिजली | ||
| "बिजली" also refers to a lightning flash and the god Indra's thunderbolt in Hinduism. | |||
| Kannada | ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ | ||
| The term "vidyut" originates from the Sanskrit root "vidyut" meaning "to shine", and also refers to lightning. | |||
| Malayalam | വൈദ്യുതി | ||
| In Ayurvedic medicine, "വൈദ്യുതി" also refers to a type of massage performed with medicated oils. | |||
| Marathi | वीज | ||
| In Marathi, 'वीज' also denotes 'lightning' and was likely derived from the Prakrit word 'vijjā' or the Sanskrit word 'vidyut' which both mean 'light'. | |||
| Nepali | बिजुली | ||
| "बिजुली" is derived from Sanskrit "विद्युत्" and means both "lightning" and "electricity". | |||
| Punjabi | ਬਿਜਲੀ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | විදුලිබල | ||
| "විදුලිබල" is also a synonym for power or strength, implying a powerful or energetic force. | |||
| Tamil | மின்சாரம் | ||
| Telugu | విద్యుత్ | ||
| The term derives from the Sanskrit word 'vidyut' which means 'to shine'. | |||
| Urdu | بجلی | ||
| The word "بجلی" is thought to have derived from the Arabic or Persian word for "lightning". | |||
Electricity in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 电力 | ||
| 电力 (diànlì) comes from the Greek word “electron” meaning “amber” and is related to the phenomenon of static electricity. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 電力 | ||
| 電力 (dìan lì) is also used to refer to “electric power” or “electricity generation”. | |||
| Japanese | 電気 | ||
| 電気 is also one of the Sino-Japanese terms for amber, originating in the 18th century from its static electric charge. | |||
| Korean | 전기 | ||
| 전기(電氣)는 '전'(電, electricity)과 '기'(氣, energy) 두 글자를 합한 말로, 흔히 전기 에너지를 가리킵니다. | |||
| Mongolian | цахилгаан | ||
| The Mongolian word цахилгаан is cognate with the Sanskrit word तड़ित् which means lightning and the Tibetan word ༼སྒྲ་ན༽ which means thunder, and originally referred to static electricity. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လျှပ်စစ်ဓာတ်အား | ||
Electricity in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | listrik | ||
| "Listrik" comes from the Dutch word "electriciteit" and was originally used to refer to the physical presence of electricity, not the current itself. | |||
| Javanese | listrik | ||
| The Javanese word "listrik" is derived from the Dutch word "electriciteit". | |||
| Khmer | អគ្គិសនី | ||
| Lao | ໄຟຟ້າ | ||
| The word "ໄຟຟ້າ" in Lao is derived from the Sanskrit term "विद्युत" (vidyut), which literally means "shining" or "illuminating." | |||
| Malay | elektrik | ||
| In Malay, "elektrik" also refers to devices that use electricity, such as lights and fans. | |||
| Thai | ไฟฟ้า | ||
| ไฟฟ้า "phai-fa" originates from Sanskrit विद्युत (vidyut) meaning "lightning" or "electricity". | |||
| Vietnamese | điện lực | ||
| "Điện lực" also refers to electrical power as a noun, and electrical power and energy as a verb. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kuryente | ||
Electricity in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | elektrik | ||
| The word "elektrik" is derived from the Greek word "elektron," which means "amber." | |||
| Kazakh | электр қуаты | ||
| The word 'электр қуаты' is derived from the Greek word 'ḗlektron', meaning 'amber', referring to the static electricity generated when amber is rubbed. | |||
| Kyrgyz | электр энергиясы | ||
| Кирг. "электр энергиясы", как и русск. "электричество", происходит от греч. ήλεκτρον и означает буквально «янтарный». | |||
| Tajik | барқ | ||
| The word “барқ” is borrowed from the Persian “برق” which also means flash or lightning. | |||
| Turkmen | elektrik | ||
| Uzbek | elektr energiyasi | ||
| "Elektr energiyasi" derives from the Greek word "elektron" which means "amber". | |||
| Uyghur | توك | ||
Electricity in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | uila | ||
| In Hawaiian mythology, "uila" originally referred to gods and chiefs, who were believed to be imbued with electricity's potent force. | |||
| Maori | hiko | ||
| The word hiko derives from the Proto-Polynesian root *fiko, meaning 'to move swiftly' or 'to shake'. | |||
| Samoan | eletise | ||
| The word “eletise” is derived from the English word “electricity” and is used to describe the concept of electrical energy. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kuryente | ||
| “Kuryente” means “current” and refers to flowing water, electrons, and other moving things. | |||
Electricity in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | luz ukata | ||
| Guarani | electricidad rehegua | ||
Electricity in International Languages
| Esperanto | elektro | ||
| The word "elektro" also refers to the field of electrical engineering. | |||
| Latin | electricae | ||
| The word "electricae" can refer to amber, lodestone, or electric fish in Latin. | |||
Electricity in Others Languages
| Greek | ηλεκτρική ενέργεια | ||
| The word "ηλεκτρική ενέργεια" is derived from the Greek word "ήλεκτρον", which means "amber". Amber was the first material known to exhibit static electricity. | |||
| Hmong | hluav taws xob | ||
| Hluav Taws Xob is also known as "electric current" or "electricity" or "power" | |||
| Kurdish | elatrîk | ||
| The word 'elatrîk' is borrowed from the Greek word 'elektron', meaning 'amber' or 'shining metal', and is related to the word 'electricity'. | |||
| Turkish | elektrik | ||
| The Arabic origin of the word elektrik (كهرباء) literally translates to 'amber' | |||
| Xhosa | umbane | ||
| The Xhosa word 'umbane' also refers to 'light' and 'lightning'. | |||
| Yiddish | עלעקטריק | ||
| The Yiddish word עלעקטריק (electricity) shares its etymology with the Greek word ἤλεκτρον (elektron), meaning 'amber', as electricity was first discovered through the static charge generated by rubbing amber. | |||
| Zulu | ugesi | ||
| In Zulu, the term “ugesi” originally referred to the force or energy found in traditional African medicines. | |||
| Assamese | বিদ্যুৎ | ||
| Aymara | luz ukata | ||
| Bhojpuri | बिजली के सुविधा दिहल गइल बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ކަރަންޓް | ||
| Dogri | बिजली दी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kuryente | ||
| Guarani | electricidad rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | koriente | ||
| Krio | ilɛktrishɔn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کارەبا | ||
| Maithili | बिजली | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯂꯦꯛꯠꯔꯤꯁꯤꯇꯤ ꯄꯤꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | electric a awm bawk | ||
| Oromo | ibsaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବିଦ୍ୟୁତ୍ | ||
| Quechua | electricidad nisqawan | ||
| Sanskrit | विद्युत् | ||
| Tatar | электр | ||
| Tigrinya | ኤሌክትሪክ ምጥቃም ይከኣል | ||
| Tsonga | gezi | ||