Lover in Different Languages
Discover 'Lover' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'lover' carries a significant weight in our hearts and in our languages. It represents a deep affection, a romantic connection, and a bond that transcends cultural boundaries. Throughout history, lovers have been the subjects of countless works of art, literature, and music, highlighting their universal importance in human experience.
Did you know that the word 'lover' has fascinating translations in different languages? For instance, in Spanish, 'lover' is 'amante', while in French, it's 'amant'. These translations not only reflect the linguistic diversity of the world but also the cultural nuances that shape how we express love and affection.
Understanding the translation of 'lover' in different languages can enrich your cultural knowledge and broaden your perspective on love and relationships. It can also help you connect with people from different backgrounds and build meaningful relationships.
Join us as we explore the translations of 'lover' in various languages, from Spanish and French to Mandarin and Japanese. Discover the beauty of linguistic diversity and the power of love to unite us all.
Lover
Lover in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | minnaar | ||
| Amharic | አፍቃሪ | ||
| The Amharic word 'አፍቃሪ' ('lover') also means 'friend' or 'sweetheart'. | |||
| Hausa | masoyi | ||
| Hausa 'masoyi' derives from 'so,' meaning 'to like', and the nominalising suffix 'yi,' yielding 'one who is liked'. | |||
| Igbo | onye hụrụ n'anya | ||
| The Igbo word "onye hụrụ n'anya" also means "someone who is seen as good-looking or worthy of admiration." | |||
| Malagasy | tia | ||
| "Tia" also means "uncle" or "aunt" in Malagasy, conveying the idea of a familial bond between lovers. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wokonda | ||
| "Wokonda" is derived from the verb "kukonda" meaning "to love". | |||
| Shona | mudiwa | ||
| The word "mudiwa" also means "a married man" or "a husband" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | jecel | ||
| The word "jecel" in Somali can also refer to a person's beloved child, especially a daughter. | |||
| Sesotho | morati | ||
| The word "morati" can also refer to a partner or spouse. | |||
| Swahili | mpenzi | ||
| The word 'mpenzi' can also mean 'sweetheart' or 'darling'. | |||
| Xhosa | umthandi | ||
| The word "umthandi" is sometimes used as a euphemism for "bride". | |||
| Yoruba | ololufe | ||
| The Yoruba word "ololufe" literally translates to "owner of love". | |||
| Zulu | isithandwa | ||
| The word “isithandwa” has a double meaning, with its second, hidden meaning being “lover”. | |||
| Bambara | kanubaganci | ||
| Ewe | lɔlɔ̃tɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umukunzi | ||
| Lingala | molingami | ||
| Luganda | omwagalwa | ||
| Sepedi | moratiwa | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔdɔfo | ||
Lover in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حبيب | ||
| حبيب, meaning "lover" in Arabic, finds its origin in the notion of "one who is beloved," with the dual meanings encompassing both a romantic and familial sense. | |||
| Hebrew | מְאַהֵב | ||
| The word "מְאַהֵב" in Hebrew can also mean "beloved" or "friend". | |||
| Pashto | مین | ||
| The Pashto word "مین" can also refer to an affection, like "a favorite" or "a beloved one." | |||
| Arabic | حبيب | ||
| حبيب, meaning "lover" in Arabic, finds its origin in the notion of "one who is beloved," with the dual meanings encompassing both a romantic and familial sense. | |||
Lover in Western European Languages
| Albanian | dashnor | ||
| The term "dashnor" is a diminutive form of the word "dash" (love, affection) and can also refer to an object of affection. | |||
| Basque | maitalea | ||
| In Basque, 'maitalea' can refer to a lover, admirer, or beloved person, originating from the verb 'maitatu,' meaning 'to love'. | |||
| Catalan | amant | ||
| In some cases 'amant' is an ambiguous noun that can also denote a person who loves another person, regardless of their gender and the nature of the romantic relationship. | |||
| Croatian | ljubavnik | ||
| The word 'ljubavnik' is used in Croatian for both romantic and platonic relationships | |||
| Danish | elsker | ||
| Danish 'elsker' comes from Old Norse 'ást' which referred to both romantic and non-romantic love. | |||
| Dutch | minnaar | ||
| English | lover | ||
| In Old English, 'lover' meant someone who was loved, rather than someone loving another person. | |||
| French | amoureux | ||
| Frisian | leafhawwer | ||
| Frisian "leafhawwer" comes from Middle Dutch "liefhebber" and Old Frisian "lefhabba", where "lief" means "dear" or "kind". | |||
| Galician | amante | ||
| German | liebhaber | ||
| The word "Liebhaber" in German can also refer to a connoisseur or enthusiast of a particular subject. | |||
| Icelandic | elskhugi | ||
| "Elskhuga" (lover) derives from the Old Norse word "elskuhogi", meaning "thought of love". | |||
| Irish | leannán | ||
| Italian | amante | ||
| "Amante" also means "diamond" in Italian, deriving from the Latin word "adamas", meaning "unbreakable". | |||
| Luxembourgish | liebhaber | ||
| The word 'Liebhaber' in Luxembourgish is etymologically descended from the German 'Lieb' meaning 'dear', with 'haber' representing the noun 'person'. | |||
| Maltese | maħbub | ||
| The word "maħbub" in Maltese originates from the Arabic root "حَبَب" (to love), and can also mean "beloved" or "dear one". | |||
| Norwegian | kjæreste | ||
| The word 'kjæreste' literally translates to 'dearest' in English, and can also be used to refer to a close friend. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | amante | ||
| The word 'amante' in Portuguese can also refer to someone who is a devotee of an activity, person, or thing. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | leannan | ||
| The Gaelic word "leannan" can also mean "sweetheart" or refer to a "paramour" or mistress. | |||
| Spanish | amante | ||
| In Spanish, "amante" also means "one who loves," as in a close friend or devoted follower. | |||
| Swedish | älskare | ||
| In Old Norse, "älskare" meant "supporter" or "helper", but its meaning has since shifted to "romantic partner". | |||
| Welsh | cariad | ||
| The Welsh word "cariad" also means "friend" or "beloved" and is related to the Latin word "carus" (dear). | |||
Lover in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | палюбоўнік | ||
| Bosnian | ljubavnik | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "lover," "ljubavnik" can also refer to a "close friend" or "companion" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | любовник | ||
| "Любовникът" (ljubovnikat) is an informal term for "boyfriend" and is not used for "husband", whereas the cognate in other Slavic languages refers primarily to a married man's extramarital partner. | |||
| Czech | milenec | ||
| Milenec - the term derives from 'milý', meaning "dear" or "kind" and is a Czech equivalent of an "amour" | |||
| Estonian | armastaja | ||
| In the past, the word "armastaja" also referred to a fiancé, while today it's used exclusively for non-marital partners. | |||
| Finnish | rakastaja | ||
| In Finnish, the word "rakastaja" also refers to a "hobby" or "passion" | |||
| Hungarian | szerető | ||
| The Hungarian word "szerető" comes from the verb "szeret", meaning "to love". | |||
| Latvian | mīļākais | ||
| The word "mīļākais" is derived from the verb "mīlēt" (to love) and originally meant "the one who is loved". | |||
| Lithuanian | meilužis | ||
| The word "meilužis" derives from the Old Lithuanian word "meilė", meaning "love", and the suffix "-užis", indicating an agent or doer of an action. | |||
| Macedonian | убовник | ||
| The word "убовник" comes from the same root as "убавина" (beauty) and "убав" (beautiful). | |||
| Polish | kochanek | ||
| The word 'kochanek' also means 'a small loaf of bread' or 'a type of apple'. | |||
| Romanian | iubit | ||
| The word "iubit" also means "beloved" in Romanian. | |||
| Russian | любовник | ||
| Serbian | љубавник | ||
| The word љубавник is derived from the Slavic root -ljub-, meaning 'to love' and also denoting a romantic relationship. | |||
| Slovak | milenec | ||
| The word "milenec" in Slovak comes from the word "milý", which means "dear" or "beloved". | |||
| Slovenian | ljubimec | ||
| The word "ljubimec" in Slovenian can also refer to a favorite person or thing, without romantic connotations. | |||
| Ukrainian | коханець | ||
| "Коханець" is related to "кохати" ("to love"), and also to "коханий" and "коханка" ("lover") | |||
Lover in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | প্রেমিক | ||
| The Bengali word "প্রেমিক" not only means "lover" but also "friend" | |||
| Gujarati | પ્રેમી | ||
| The word "પ્રેમી" can also refer to a friend or a confidant. | |||
| Hindi | प्रेमी | ||
| "प्रेमी" can also mean a devotee or a fan. | |||
| Kannada | ಪ್ರೇಮಿ | ||
| The word "ಪ್ರೇಮಿ" can also mean "beloved" or "dear one" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | കാമുകൻ | ||
| Marathi | प्रियकर | ||
| The word "प्रियकर" in Marathi also has the alternate meaning of "husband". | |||
| Nepali | प्रेमी | ||
| The word "प्रेमी" can also refer to a "friend" or a "well-wisher" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪ੍ਰੇਮੀ | ||
| ਪ੍ਰੇਮੀ, derived from Sanskrit, can also refer to a devoted admirer or an enthusiastic follower, not necessarily restricted to romantic affections. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පෙම්වතා | ||
| "පෙම්වතා" is also used as a term of endearment for a male relative or friend. | |||
| Tamil | காதலன் | ||
| The term "காதலன்" also implies a husband, as Tamil culture considers a spouse to be one's beloved or lover. | |||
| Telugu | ప్రేమికుడు | ||
| Urdu | عاشق | ||
| In Urdu, "عاشق" can also refer to a devotee or a musician, and is derived from the Arabic word for "love" or "passion." | |||
Lover in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 情人 | ||
| "情人" ('lover') originally meant 'daytime', and it is used today in the phrase '情人节' ('Valentine's Day') to refer to the holiday rather than the specific person. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 情人 | ||
| 情人 can literally mean "a person during your lifetime" and is an idiom which comes from ancient China referring to marriage. | |||
| Japanese | 恋人 | ||
| The word '恋人' can also refer to a 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend', and is often used to describe a romantic relationship. | |||
| Korean | 연인 | ||
| The Korean word "연인" can also refer to a "sweetheart" or "honeymoon phase". | |||
| Mongolian | амраг | ||
| "Амраг" has various Mongolian verb roots with different meanings such as "to embrace," "to smell" or "to love". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ချစ်သူ | ||
| Derived from the Pali word "pīti", meaning "joy" or "delight", it also refers to a "treasure" or "beloved object". | |||
Lover in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kekasih | ||
| The Indonesian word "kekasih" is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit word "kāma" (desire), and also has the alternate meaning of "beloved" or "darling". | |||
| Javanese | kekasih | ||
| The Javanese word "kekasih" also means "beloved" or "darling". | |||
| Khmer | ស្រឡាញ់ | ||
| "ស្រឡាញ់" can also mean "affection" or "love" in a general sense, and is often used in the context of familial or platonic relationships. | |||
| Lao | ຄົນຮັກ | ||
| Malay | kekasih | ||
| The word kekasih in Malay is an alteration from Sanskrit kaseha (affection or love). | |||
| Thai | คนรัก | ||
| คนรัก (khon rak) originally meant "person who loves me" but now more commonly means "person I love". | |||
| Vietnamese | người yêu | ||
| The word "người yêu" is a compound formed by two words meaning "person" and "love", and it can also refer to a close friend who is like a sweetheart, not necessarily a love partner. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magkasintahan | ||
Lover in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | sevgilisi | ||
| The word sevgilisi comes from the Azerbaijani root 'sevmək', meaning to love, and is also used as a term of endearment for both male and female lovers, especially among young people. | |||
| Kazakh | любовник | ||
| In Kazakh, "любовник" also means "close friend" or "companion." | |||
| Kyrgyz | сүйгөн | ||
| The word "сүйгөн" can also mean "beloved" or "darling" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | ошиқ | ||
| The term "oshiq" also signifies a person deeply engrossed in a particular pursuit or activity, akin to the Persian term "ashiq" | |||
| Turkmen | söýgüli | ||
| Uzbek | sevgilisi | ||
| "Sevgisi" in Uzbek can also refer to a person's beloved or cherished one, not necessarily a romantic partner. | |||
| Uyghur | سۆيگۈ | ||
Lover in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ipo | ||
| Ipo can also mean "sweetheart" or "beloved" in a non-romantic sense, such as between family members or friends. | |||
| Maori | aroha | ||
| The word "aroha" in Maori can also mean "compassion", "affection", or "love" in a broader sense. | |||
| Samoan | alofa | ||
| Alofa, which typically denotes a lover or beloved in Samoan, may also refer to charity or compassion in a more general sense. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kalaguyo | ||
| In some Visayan languages, the word "kalaguyo" means "to get caught in the act." | |||
Lover in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | munasiri | ||
| Guarani | mborayhu jára | ||
Lover in International Languages
| Esperanto | amanto | ||
| "Amanto" as a noun in Esperanto can mean "mistress" or "kept woman" depending on the context. | |||
| Latin | amans | ||
| Amans derives from the ancient Greek verb “amao,” meaning “I love,” but it also has an alternative meaning in medieval texts, where it refers to a knight who serves a lord and is a guardian or attendant in his household or retinue. | |||
Lover in Others Languages
| Greek | εραστής | ||
| Hmong | tus hlub | ||
| The Hmong word "tus hlub" means "lover" and can also refer to a spouse or intimate partner. | |||
| Kurdish | evîndar | ||
| Evindar in Kurdish is also used for a 'dear person'. | |||
| Turkish | sevgili | ||
| "Sevgili" comes from the Persian word "sevmek," meaning "to love" and literally means "the one who is loved." | |||
| Xhosa | umthandi | ||
| The word "umthandi" is sometimes used as a euphemism for "bride". | |||
| Yiddish | ליבהאָבער | ||
| The Yiddish word "ליבהאָבער" also means "sweetheart", "darling" or "beloved". | |||
| Zulu | isithandwa | ||
| The word “isithandwa” has a double meaning, with its second, hidden meaning being “lover”. | |||
| Assamese | প্ৰেমিক | ||
| Aymara | munasiri | ||
| Bhojpuri | प्रेमी के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ލޯބިވެރިޔާއެވެ | ||
| Dogri | प्रेमी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magkasintahan | ||
| Guarani | mborayhu jára | ||
| Ilocano | ay-ayaten | ||
| Krio | pɔsin we lɛk pɔsin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | خۆشەویست | ||
| Maithili | प्रेमी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯨꯡꯁꯤꯔꯕꯥ ꯃꯤꯑꯣꯏ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | hmangaihtu | ||
| Oromo | jaalallee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ରେମିକ | ||
| Quechua | munakuq | ||
| Sanskrit | प्रेमी | ||
| Tatar | гашыйк | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣፍቃሪ | ||
| Tsonga | murhandziwa | ||