Human in Different Languages
Discover 'Human' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'human' is a fundamental term that holds great significance in our lives. It is the label we give to ourselves as a species, setting us apart from other forms of life. The concept of 'human' goes beyond mere biology, encompassing our emotions, thoughts, and culture. It is a concept that has been explored and celebrated in various ways across different cultures and societies.
Throughout history, the word 'human' has been associated with both triumph and tragedy. It serves as a reminder of our shared experiences, struggles, and aspirations. From the epic tales of ancient civilizations to modern-day literature and media, the 'human' condition has always been a central theme.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'human' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how other cultures perceive and value this concept. For instance, in Spanish, 'human' is 'humano'; in French, it's 'humain'; in Mandarin, it's '人类' (rénlèi); in Japanese, it's '人類' (jinrui); and in Arabic, it's 'إنساني' (insānī).
Explore the world of languages and cultures through the lens of this simple yet profound word.
Human
Human in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | mens | ||
| The Afrikaans word "mens" also has the alternate meaning of "opinion" and derives ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root "men-", meaning "to think". | |||
| Amharic | ሰው | ||
| "ሰው" in Amharic also refers to male persons and the number two. | |||
| Hausa | mutum | ||
| The word "mutum" also means "person" or "individual" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | mmadu | ||
| The Igbo word "mmadu" is also used in the expression "mmadu na mmadu," meaning "humans among humans" or "people like you and me." | |||
| Malagasy | olona | ||
| The word "olona" likely originated from the Malay word "orang", meaning "person" or "human being." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | munthu | ||
| The word "munthu" can also refer to someone's character or personality. | |||
| Shona | munhu | ||
| The Shona word for 'human' is 'munhu', possibly derived from the Karanga word for 'body'. | |||
| Somali | aadanaha | ||
| The term "aadanaha" also refers to a person's character or disposition. | |||
| Sesotho | motho | ||
| "Motho," in addition to meaning "human," is also a homophone of a verb that means "to think". | |||
| Swahili | binadamu | ||
| The word "binadamu" in Swahili comes from the Arabic word "banī ʼādam," meaning "children of Adam." | |||
| Xhosa | lomntu | ||
| Xhosa term derived from Proto-Bantu *untu "thing," also a term applied to non-humans. | |||
| Yoruba | eniyan | ||
| eniyan is the Yoruba word meaning "man" and may be related to "eni" meaning breath or life. | |||
| Zulu | komuntu | ||
| The Zulu word 'komuntu' can also refer to a person's humanity or character. | |||
| Bambara | hadamaden | ||
| Ewe | ame | ||
| Kinyarwanda | muntu | ||
| Lingala | bato | ||
| Luganda | omuntu | ||
| Sepedi | botho | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nipa | ||
Human in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | بشري | ||
| The word "بشري" is derived from the root " بشر" (to bring good news), suggesting that humans were seen as messengers of good news. | |||
| Hebrew | בן אנוש | ||
| The word "בן אנוש" (ben adam) literally translates to "son of Adam" and is also used to mean "mortal" or "human being" | |||
| Pashto | انسان | ||
| "انسان" in Pashto is derived from the Persian word "insan", itself derived from the Arabic "ins", meaning "to dwell" or "to inhabit". | |||
| Arabic | بشري | ||
| The word "بشري" is derived from the root " بشر" (to bring good news), suggesting that humans were seen as messengers of good news. | |||
Human in Western European Languages
| Albanian | njerëzore | ||
| The word "njerëzore" in Albanian is derived from the Latin word "humanus", which means "humane" or "belonging to mankind". | |||
| Basque | gizakia | ||
| The Basque word gizakia ('human') is derived from the Ancient Indo-European language base *g'hei- ('to live') which is also found in the Latin homo ('human') and the Greek bios ('life'). | |||
| Catalan | humà | ||
| The Catalan word "humà" (human) derives from the Latin word "humus" (earth), signifying the notion of humans as creatures originating from the earth. | |||
| Croatian | ljudski | ||
| The word "ljudski" in Croatian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *ljudьje, meaning "people". It can also refer to "humane" or "kind" actions. | |||
| Danish | human | ||
| In Danish, the word "human" can also mean "kind" or "obliging". | |||
| Dutch | mens | ||
| "Mens" also means "tax" and comes from the old French word "manse", meaning "house" or "dwelling". | |||
| English | human | ||
| In Middle English, "human" initially meant "pertaining to the earth," from the Latin "humanus." | |||
| French | humain | ||
| The word 'Humain' in French can also refer to the humanist movement or to humanitarianism, and is derived from the Latin word 'humanus', meaning 'of or belonging to man'. | |||
| Frisian | minske | ||
| The word "minske" shares a common root with the Dutch word "mens" and the German word "Mensch", both of which also mean "human". | |||
| Galician | humano | ||
| The Galician word "humano" comes from the Latin "humanus" and can also mean "humane" or "kind". | |||
| German | mensch | ||
| The term "mensch" also carries connotations of moral integrity and honor, making its implications more nuanced than simply "human being". | |||
| Icelandic | mannlegt | ||
| The word "mannlegt" can also mean "humanity" or "the human race". | |||
| Irish | duine | ||
| Some speculate that the word "duine" comes from the Proto-Celtic word "*dunos," meaning "fort" or "enclosure." | |||
| Italian | umano | ||
| The Italian word "umano" shares roots with its English cognate "humane" and both descend from Latin "humanus", meaning courteous, benevolent, cultured. | |||
| Luxembourgish | mënsch | ||
| The word "Mënsch" in Luxembourgish can also mean "a kind or decent person" or "someone who is humane and compassionate." | |||
| Maltese | uman | ||
| The Maltese word "uman" can also refer to a fellow countryman, a compatriot, or a relative. | |||
| Norwegian | menneskelig | ||
| The word "menneskelig" can also be used to describe something as "humane" or "compassionate." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | humano | ||
| In Portuguese, the word "humano" is a derivative of the Latin word "humanus", which means "belonging to or characteristic of human beings". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | daonna | ||
| The word "daonna" comes from the Proto-Celtic word "*dumnos" meaning "deep" and can also mean "a person of worth" or "a gentleman". | |||
| Spanish | humano | ||
| The word 'humano' is derived from the Latin word 'humus', meaning 'earth' or 'soil'. | |||
| Swedish | mänsklig | ||
| "Mänsklig" is derived from the Old Norse word "menskligr," meaning "humane, kind, gentle." | |||
| Welsh | dynol | ||
| The word 'dynol' in Welsh can also mean 'person' or 'individual'. | |||
Human in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | чалавечы | ||
| The word "чалавечы" (human) in Belarusian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *čelověkъ, which originally meant "member of a clan". | |||
| Bosnian | čovjek | ||
| The word "čovjek" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "*čьlověkъ", meaning "member of a human community". | |||
| Bulgarian | човек | ||
| In Bulgarian, "човек" originally referred to "man" only but now refers to both "man" and "human" in general; cognates exist in many Slavic languages, including Proto-Slavic "čelověkъ". | |||
| Czech | člověk | ||
| The word "člověk" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*čelověkъ", which originally meant "a member of a household" or "a slave". | |||
| Estonian | inimlik | ||
| Inimlik is also used to refer to one's personality or essence, akin to the English word "humanity." | |||
| Finnish | ihmisen | ||
| The Finnish word "ihmisen" originally derives from a word for "person" and may also refer to the human race as a whole. | |||
| Hungarian | emberi | ||
| Emberi is cognate with the Finnish word "ihminen" and the Estonian word "inimene", all meaning "human". | |||
| Latvian | cilvēks | ||
| In the Latvian language, the word "cilvēks" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ḱelh₁-," meaning "to shine" or "to burn." | |||
| Lithuanian | žmogus | ||
| "Žmogus" is related to the Sanskrit word "jāmi" meaning "family, clan, relatives". | |||
| Macedonian | човечки | ||
| The word "човечки" originates from the Proto-Slavic word "čьlověkъ", meaning "member of society." | |||
| Polish | człowiek | ||
| The word 'człowiek' is derived from the Proto-slavic word '*celovekъ', meaning 'the one who speaks'. | |||
| Romanian | uman | ||
| "Uman" can also mean "humane", or, figuratively, "kind", "noble". | |||
| Russian | человек | ||
| In Proto-Slavic, "chelovek" also meant "corpse", due to taboos against using the real word for "corpse". | |||
| Serbian | човече | ||
| "Човече" also refers specifically to a young man or guy. | |||
| Slovak | človek | ||
| The Slovak word "človek" derives from the Proto-Slavic word *čelověkъ, meaning "one who speaks". | |||
| Slovenian | človek | ||
| "Človek" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *čьlo-vьkъ, which meant "member of a human community" or "speaker". | |||
| Ukrainian | людини | ||
| The word «людини» (human) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *ljudьje, which also meant «people» or «community». | |||
Human in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মানব | ||
| The word "মানব" can also mean "mankind" or "humankind" in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | માનવ | ||
| The word "માનવ" (human) in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word "मानुष" (manush), which itself is derived from the root "मन" (man), meaning "to think" or "to have an intellect." | |||
| Hindi | मानव | ||
| The word "मानव" (human) in Hindi comes from the Sanskrit root "man" (to think) and can also mean "mind" or "intellect". | |||
| Kannada | ಮಾನವ | ||
| "ಮಾನವ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "मानव" (mānava), meaning "thinking being" or "the one who possesses a mind". | |||
| Malayalam | മനുഷ്യൻ | ||
| The term "manushyān" has multiple derivations. One theory states that it means "a thinker", from the root word "manus" (mind). | |||
| Marathi | मानवी | ||
| In Hindu philosophy, मानवी also denotes 'the mind'. | |||
| Nepali | मानव | ||
| The word "मानव" ("human") in Nepali also means "mind" or "intellect". | |||
| Punjabi | ਮਨੁੱਖੀ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මිනිස් | ||
| The Sinhala word 'මිනිස්' derives from the Sanskrit 'manuṣya', which has broader connotations relating to the mind and consciousness. | |||
| Tamil | மனிதன் | ||
| Telugu | మానవ | ||
| The word "మానవ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "manu", meaning "man", and is related to the Latin word "homunculus", meaning "little man."} | |||
| Urdu | انسانی | ||
| The Persian origin of "انسانی" (ensani) hints at its additional meanings of "belonging to the realm of existence" and "pertaining to humanity" in Urdu. | |||
Human in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 人的 | ||
| In Chinese, "人的" (rén de) can also mean "relating to people" or "belonging to people". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 人的 | ||
| The character "人" can also mean "person", "you" or "one" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | 人間 | ||
| "人間" can also mean 'world' or 'life' | |||
| Korean | 인간 | ||
| The Korean word "인간" is a compound of "인" (person) and "간" (interval), so it means "the being that lives in the interval". | |||
| Mongolian | хүн | ||
| "Хүн" is also used to mean "the people", "mankind" and "human race" in general. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လူ့ | ||
| The word "လူ့" can also mean "person" or "people" in Myanmar (Burmese). | |||
Human in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | manusia | ||
| In Sanskrit, 'manusia' is derived from the word 'manu', meaning 'to think'. | |||
| Javanese | manungsa | ||
| The Javanese word "manungsa" likely derives from the Sanskrit word "manusya", meaning "thinking being" or "rational being". | |||
| Khmer | មនុស្ស | ||
| The word មនុស្ស can also be used to refer to the concept of "humanity" or "humankind". | |||
| Lao | ມະນຸດ | ||
| Malay | manusia | ||
| The word 'manusia' derives from Sanskrit 'manuṣya', meaning an intelligent being. | |||
| Thai | มนุษย์ | ||
| The word "มนุษย์" shares its roots with "มน"" which means "think" and "heart". This points to the Thai belief that humans are "beings who think from the heart". | |||
| Vietnamese | nhân loại | ||
| The word "Nhân loại" in Vietnamese literally means "the kindness of people". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tao | ||
Human in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | insan | ||
| The word "insan" originates from Arabic and literally means "to forget", referring to the human tendency to forget our divine origin and true nature. | |||
| Kazakh | адам | ||
| The word "адам" in Kazakh is also used to refer to a "person" or "male person". | |||
| Kyrgyz | адам | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "адам" originates from the Persian word "آدم" (ādam), which in turn comes from the Arabic word "آدم" (ʾādam), meaning "man" or "human being". | |||
| Tajik | инсон | ||
| In Tajik, 'инсон' also means 'person' or 'soul'. | |||
| Turkmen | adam | ||
| Uzbek | odam | ||
| In the Uzbek language, "odam" is derived from the Old Persian word "adam" and is related to the word "adam" in Arabic, both meaning "man" or "human being." | |||
| Uyghur | ئىنسان | ||
Human in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kanaka | ||
| The word "kanaka" in Hawaiian also refers to a person of Polynesian descent or a native Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | tangata | ||
| The word "tangata" also means "person" or "individual" in the Maori language. | |||
| Samoan | tagata | ||
| The word "tagata" can also mean "person", "individual", or "being". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tao | ||
| The word “tao” in Tagalog can also refer to a person's character or essence. | |||
Human in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jaqi | ||
| Guarani | yvypóra | ||
Human in International Languages
| Esperanto | homa | ||
| The word homa is derived from homo in Latin and is also related to words such as homme (French), hombre (Spanish), and man. | |||
| Latin | hominum | ||
| Hominum derives from humus "earth", suggesting humanity's earthy and mortal nature. | |||
Human in Others Languages
| Greek | ο άνθρωπος | ||
| The word "άνθρωπος" comes from the Greek roots "an" (not) and "thrōpos" (food), meaning "one who does not eat" or "mortal". | |||
| Hmong | tib neeg | ||
| The Hmong word "tib neeg" combines "tib" (soul) and "neeg" (spirit), implying that humans have both physical and spiritual aspects. | |||
| Kurdish | mirov | ||
| The word "mirov" in Kurdish is thought to derive from the Indo-European root "*mṛ-tyos" meaning "mortal" or "man". | |||
| Turkish | insan | ||
| While the original meaning of "insan" in Turkish was "living being" or "to live", it later came to mean "human" or "humankind" specifically. | |||
| Xhosa | lomntu | ||
| Xhosa term derived from Proto-Bantu *untu "thing," also a term applied to non-humans. | |||
| Yiddish | מענטשלעך | ||
| The Yiddish word "מענטשלעך" derives from the German word "menschlich", meaning "humane" or "philanthropic." | |||
| Zulu | komuntu | ||
| The Zulu word 'komuntu' can also refer to a person's humanity or character. | |||
| Assamese | মানৱ | ||
| Aymara | jaqi | ||
| Bhojpuri | इंसान | ||
| Dhivehi | އިންސާނާ | ||
| Dogri | मनुक्ख | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tao | ||
| Guarani | yvypóra | ||
| Ilocano | tao | ||
| Krio | mɔtalman | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | مرۆڤ | ||
| Maithili | मनुख | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯤꯑꯣꯏꯕ | ||
| Mizo | mihring | ||
| Oromo | dhala namaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମାନବ | ||
| Quechua | runa | ||
| Sanskrit | मानव | ||
| Tatar | кеше | ||
| Tigrinya | ሰብ | ||
| Tsonga | ximunhu | ||