Fellow in Different Languages
Discover 'Fellow' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'fellow' is a versatile and friendly term, often used to describe someone who shares a common interest, activity, or identity. It signifies a sense of camaraderie, companionship, and mutual respect, and is widely used in everyday language across cultures. Historically, the term 'fellow' was used to describe a companion or mate, and over time, it has evolved to denote a peer or colleague in various professional and academic settings.
Moreover, the cultural importance of 'fellow' cannot be overstated. From the German 'Gefährte', meaning companion, to the Chinese 'tongxue', referring to a classmate or schoolmate, the word 'fellow' has been adopted and adapted by many languages to express the idea of a shared experience or identity. In Spain, a 'compañero' is a colleague or friend, while in Japan, a 'tsuuchou' is a fellow traveler on a journey.
Understanding the translation of 'fellow' in different languages can help break down cultural barriers and foster a sense of global community. By learning how to say 'fellow' in various languages, we can demonstrate respect, appreciation, and curiosity for other cultures, and build bridges of understanding and friendship.
Fellow
Fellow in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | mede | ||
| The Afrikaans word "mede" is an archaic word for "companion" or "associate" and is still used in some rural areas in South Africa, although it has been mostly replaced by "maat" in standard Afrikaans. | |||
| Amharic | ባልደረባ | ||
| The word "ባልደረባ" could also mean "companion" or "friend" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | ɗan'uwanmu | ||
| This word is often used to describe a close friend or relative | |||
| Igbo | ibe | ||
| The word is borrowed from the English word "bee" used to describe a male friend. | |||
| Malagasy | mpiara- | ||
| The word "mpiara-." can also mean "friend" or "companion". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mnzako | ||
| "Mnzako" also means a brother or a sister. | |||
| Shona | shamwari | ||
| Derived from the word `shamhu`, `shamwari` is used in the sense of "one who belongs to one's own group" and denotes an association of persons with a shared interest or origin. | |||
| Somali | saaxiib | ||
| Saaxiib can also mean "partner" or "close friend" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | motho mmoho | ||
| The phrase "motho mmoho" can mean both "a fellow" and "a member of the same ethnic group." | |||
| Swahili | mwenzako | ||
| The word mwenzako is derived from the verb -enza "to do" and thus refers to a "co-doer" or "one who does the same thing". | |||
| Xhosa | umntu | ||
| The word "umntu" in Xhosa can also refer to a tribe or a person, and is derived from the proto-Bantu word *muntu*, meaning "person". | |||
| Yoruba | ẹlẹgbẹ | ||
| The Yoruba word 'ẹlẹgbẹ' can also refer to a partner or peer and in old Yoruba mythology, a spirit which accompanies one through life often appearing in the form of an animal. | |||
| Zulu | umfo | ||
| The word 'umfo' is cognate with the word 'umuntu' (a person) in other Bantu languages, suggesting a common origin. | |||
| Bambara | jɛɲɔgɔn | ||
| Ewe | xɔ̃ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | mugenzi wawe | ||
| Lingala | moninga | ||
| Luganda | munange | ||
| Sepedi | mogagešo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | yɔnkoɔ | ||
Fellow in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | زميل | ||
| The word "زميل" can also mean "classmate" or "associate" in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | עָמִית | ||
| עָמִית is derived from the root **עָמַד** meaning to stand, in the sense of standing side-by-side with someone | |||
| Pashto | ملګری | ||
| The Pashto word "ملګری" also means "friend", "companion", or "ally" in different contexts. | |||
| Arabic | زميل | ||
| The word "زميل" can also mean "classmate" or "associate" in Arabic. | |||
Fellow in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shoku | ||
| The Albanian word "shoku" may be related to the Romanian word "soc" (companion, friend) or the Latin word "socius" (companion, comrade). | |||
| Basque | laguna | ||
| "Laguna" can also mean 'lake' in the Basque language, as well as 'companion' or 'friend' in Spanish and Portuguese. | |||
| Catalan | company | ||
| The Catalan word "company" also means "companion" or "friend". | |||
| Croatian | kolega | ||
| "Kolega" in Croatian can also mean "friend" or "comrade." | |||
| Danish | fyr | ||
| In Danish, the word "fyr" can also mean "guy" or "dude". | |||
| Dutch | kerel | ||
| The word "kerel" is also a nautical term for a young cabin boy or a male member of the crew. | |||
| English | fellow | ||
| The term "fellow" derives from the Old English word "feolaga", meaning "companion", and originally referred to a member of a religious order or a university. | |||
| French | compagnon | ||
| In French, the word 'compagnon' can also refer to a journeyman or craftsman, and in the past it was used to describe a member of a guild. | |||
| Frisian | keardel | ||
| The Frisian word "keardel" may derive from the Proto-West Germanic *karlaz meaning "man", and is also used as a diminutive form of a proper name. | |||
| Galician | compañeiro | ||
| In Galician, "compañeiro" also means "partner" or "friend" and derives from the Latin "compatanius" (sharing bread) | |||
| German | gefährte | ||
| The word 'Gefährte', while primarily meaning 'fellow,' was once associated with 'danger,' originating from 'gefahr' (danger). | |||
| Icelandic | náungi | ||
| From Proto-Germanic *nahwungiz, meaning “near”. Cognate with Swedish näve meaning “fist or bunch” and Middle Dutch neve meaning “nephew”. | |||
| Irish | comh | ||
| "Comh" is derived from the Proto-Celtic "*kombo" meaning "together" or "related," and is also used in Irish to mean "friend," "companion," or "spouse." | |||
| Italian | compagno | ||
| The word "compagno" originally meant "companion" or "mate", and can also be used to refer to a friend or a colleague. | |||
| Luxembourgish | matbierger | ||
| The alternative meaning of "Matbierger" is "neighbor". Etymologically it stems from the Middle High German word *mat* with the same meaning, which in turn is related to the Greek word *meta* for "with". | |||
| Maltese | sħabi | ||
| The Maltese word "sħabi" derives from the Arabic "ṣaḥib" meaning "companion" or "friend." | |||
| Norwegian | kar | ||
| The word "kar" in Norwegian can also mean "male sheep" or "a small group of people." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | companheiro | ||
| In Brazilian Portuguese, "companheiro" also means "boyfriend" or "girlfriend". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fear | ||
| The Gaelic word "fear" can also mean "man" or "husband". | |||
| Spanish | compañero | ||
| "Compañero" also means "mate" or "partner" and comes from the Latin "companionem" meaning "one who eats bread with another." | |||
| Swedish | kompis | ||
| The word "kompis" is derived from the Old Norse word "kampi", meaning "comrade-in-arms". | |||
| Welsh | cymrawd | ||
| The word 'cymrawd' derives from 'cy' (together) and 'mrawd' (brother), and can also refer to a spouse or partner. | |||
Fellow in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | таварыш | ||
| "Таварыш" can also mean "comrade" or "friend" in a more general sense. | |||
| Bosnian | druže | ||
| The word 'druže' also carries a connotation of camaraderie or friendship. | |||
| Bulgarian | колега | ||
| The word "Колега" comes from the Russian word "коллега", which in turn comes from the Latin word "collega", meaning "colleague" or "companion". | |||
| Czech | chlapík | ||
| The word "chlapík" is a diminutive of the word "chlap", which means "man" and has a slightly derogatory connotation. | |||
| Estonian | kaaslane | ||
| The word "kaaslane" is also used in Estonian to refer to a passenger or companion. | |||
| Finnish | kaveri | ||
| The word "kaveri" is of uncertain origin, with possible roots in the Proto-Uralic language or in the Finnic languages. | |||
| Hungarian | fickó | ||
| The Hungarian word "fickó" originally meant "peasant" or "serf", but over time it acquired the meaning of "fellow" or "guy". | |||
| Latvian | biedrs | ||
| The word "biedrs" derives from Germanic "bi-drogen", meaning "to carry with each other", hence the comradely sense, and is cognate with German "Gefährte", also meaning "fellow". | |||
| Lithuanian | draugas | ||
| "Draugas" can also mean "friend" or "companion" in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | колега | ||
| The word "колега" can also refer to a colleague or a coworker. | |||
| Polish | facet | ||
| The Polish word "facet" can also mean "aspect" or "side". | |||
| Romanian | omule | ||
| It can also be used to address children, especially in the countryside. | |||
| Russian | товарищ | ||
| In Russian, "товарищ" also refers to a comrade, associate, or colleague, and was a common form of address during the Soviet era. | |||
| Serbian | колега | ||
| The term 'колега' ('fellow') in Serbian may also refer to professional partners or associates within a specific field or workplace. | |||
| Slovak | kolega | ||
| "Kolega" was borrowed from Russian via Polish; other Slavic languages prefer the word "tovarish" (comrade). | |||
| Slovenian | kolega | ||
| In Slovenian, the word kolega (fellow) has a similar origin to the German word Kollegin (female colleague), meaning a person in the same profession or occupation. | |||
| Ukrainian | товаришу | ||
| "Товаришу" also has a more informal meaning of "buddy", which originated in the Soviet era as a way for people to address one another in a friendly and egalitarian manner. | |||
Fellow in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সহকর্মী | ||
| The word "সহকর্মী" (fellow) in Bengali literally means "co-worker" and can also refer to a colleague or companion. | |||
| Gujarati | સાથી | ||
| The word "સાથી" in Gujarati also means "partner" or "associate". | |||
| Hindi | साथी | ||
| The word 'साथी' (companion) is also used in Hindi to refer to a member of a group or team, or to an accomplice in a crime. | |||
| Kannada | ಸಹ | ||
| The word "ಸಹ" can also mean "equal" or "alike" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | സഹ | ||
| In ancient Tamil, "sah" meant "friend"; it later came to mean "companion" in Malayalam and "elder brother" in Kannada. | |||
| Marathi | सहकारी | ||
| The Marathi word 'सहकारी' also has the meanings 'co-operative', 'assisting', and 'aiding'. | |||
| Nepali | साथी | ||
| The word 'साथी' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'saha', which has the same meaning 'साथ' ('together'). | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਾਥੀ | ||
| The word "ਸਾਥੀ" also means "associate" or "companion" in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සහෝදරයා | ||
| The Sinhala word සහෝදරයා can also refer to a friend or a member of a group. | |||
| Tamil | சக | ||
| சக can also mean 'friend', 'companion' or 'associate'. | |||
| Telugu | తోటి | ||
| The word "తోటి" can also refer to companions or equals, and even sometimes to a relative or spouse. | |||
| Urdu | ساتھی | ||
| Urdu word 'ساتھی' (fellow) is derived from Sanskrit 'sakha' (friend) and also means 'accompaniment' in Persian. | |||
Fellow in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 同伴 | ||
| 同伴's original meaning is 'companion' and the word can be used to refer to 'an accomplice in crime'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 同伴 | ||
| "同伴" can also mean "accompanying" or "accompanist" in Chinese (Traditional). | |||
| Japanese | 仲間 | ||
| 仲間 derives from 中 (naka, 'in the middle') + 間 (ma, 'space, interval, distance'). In some contexts, refers to an 'interval, pause, break'. Also has a meaning of 'group' or 'team', such as '仲間意識' (group consciousness). | |||
| Korean | 사람 | ||
| The Sino-Korean word "사람" can also mean "an individual", "a person", or "a human being". | |||
| Mongolian | нөхөр | ||
| In the Khalkha dialect, "нөхөр" can also be used as a respectful term of address to an older male who is not a close relative. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ချစ်သူ | ||
| The word "fellow" can also refer to a person who is in a relationship with someone, or to a group of people who are united by a common interest or goal. | |||
Fellow in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | sesama | ||
| In Old Javanese, "sesama" meant "together" and in Old Malay it was "sa" (one); its current meaning was first found in the 17th century. | |||
| Javanese | sesama | ||
| Sesama has the same root as sesampai, which means 'to reach' or 'to attain'. | |||
| Khmer | មិត្ត | ||
| The word "មិត្ត" can also mean "friend" or "companion" in Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ອື່ນໆ | ||
| The word “ອື່ນໆ” (“fellow”) may also refer to other forms of fellowship, such as community or companionship. | |||
| Malay | sesama | ||
| In Sanskrit, "sesama" means "follower" or "attendant," while in Javanese it denotes a "sibling" or "relative" | |||
| Thai | เพื่อน | ||
| เพื่อน (fellow) is derived from an Old Khmer term meaning "friend" or "companion". | |||
| Vietnamese | đồng bọn | ||
| The term "đồng bọn" can refer to a criminal or accomplice, while the term "đồng minh" denotes an ally or political associate. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kapwa | ||
Fellow in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | yoldaş | ||
| In Azerbaijani, the word “yoldaş” originally meant “comrade” or “companion”, but its current meaning of “fellow” is likely due to influence from the Russian language. | |||
| Kazakh | жолдас | ||
| "Жолдас" can also refer to a companion, friend, or comrade in arms. | |||
| Kyrgyz | ишенимдеш | ||
| The word "ишенимдеш" comes from the verb "ишенбеу" meaning "to trust" and literally means "one who is trusted". | |||
| Tajik | ҳамимон | ||
| The word "ҳамимон" in Tajik can also mean "companion" or "friend". | |||
| Turkmen | ýoldaş | ||
| Uzbek | o'rtoq | ||
| The word "o'rtoq" is also used to refer to a comrade or partner, and is related to the word "o'rtak," meaning "common." | |||
| Uyghur | تورداش | ||
Fellow in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoa | ||
| The Hawaiian word "hoa" can also refer to a companion, friend, or associate. | |||
| Maori | hoa | ||
| The Māori word "hoa" also refers to a spouse or lover. | |||
| Samoan | uso a tagata | ||
| Uso a tagata is derived from the root word uso meaning "brother," and tagata meaning "person," hence its literal meaning is "brother person". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kapwa | ||
| "Kapwa" also means "other people" and "neighbor" in Tagalog. | |||
Fellow in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | masi | ||
| Guarani | irũ | ||
Fellow in International Languages
| Esperanto | ulo | ||
| "Ulo" originates from the Latin verb "uti", meaning "to use", hence the sense of "fellow", "instrument" or "apparatus" | |||
| Latin | conservis | ||
| In classical Latin, "conservis" meant literally "fellow slave" (i.e. a person sharing the same master and social status), but its social significance gradually softened to mean a slave who is a personal companion to his master. | |||
Fellow in Others Languages
| Greek | σύντροφος | ||
| The word **σύντροφος** (pronounced **sýntrophos**) literally means "jointly nourished" and can refer not only to fellow humans but also to animals that share the same feeding ground or have been raised together. | |||
| Hmong | khub | ||
| The word "khub" can also refer to a friend, comrade, or associate. | |||
| Kurdish | heval | ||
| In Kurdish dialects, "heval" also means "friend" with connotations of camaraderie and political solidarity. | |||
| Turkish | dost | ||
| The word 'dost' originates from the Persian word 'dust' meaning 'friend', and is ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *deḱs- meaning 'right' or 'south'. | |||
| Xhosa | umntu | ||
| The word "umntu" in Xhosa can also refer to a tribe or a person, and is derived from the proto-Bantu word *muntu*, meaning "person". | |||
| Yiddish | יונגערמאַן | ||
| In Yiddish, "יונגערמאַן" can also mean a "young man" or a "youngster". | |||
| Zulu | umfo | ||
| The word 'umfo' is cognate with the word 'umuntu' (a person) in other Bantu languages, suggesting a common origin. | |||
| Assamese | সহকৰ্মী | ||
| Aymara | masi | ||
| Bhojpuri | संगी-साथी | ||
| Dhivehi | އެކުވެރި | ||
| Dogri | साथी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kapwa | ||
| Guarani | irũ | ||
| Ilocano | kadua | ||
| Krio | kɔmpin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | هاوتا | ||
| Maithili | मित्र | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯃꯥꯟꯅꯕ | ||
| Mizo | thawhpui | ||
| Oromo | hiriyaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସାଥୀ | ||
| Quechua | masi | ||
| Sanskrit | कापुरुष | ||
| Tatar | иптәш | ||
| Tigrinya | ተኸታሊ | ||
| Tsonga | kulorhi | ||