Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'fill' is simple, yet versatile, with a rich cultural significance that reaches far beyond its basic definition. To 'fill' something is to make full, to supply what is lacking, or to occupy or complete. This concept is universal, yet the word itself varies greatly across languages and cultures. Understanding the translation of 'fill' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the unique perspectives and ways of thinking of people around the world.
For example, in Spanish, 'fill' is translated to 'llenar', while in French, it's 'remplir'. In German, 'fill' becomes 'füllen', and in Japanese, 'fill' is expressed as 'いっぱい ni '(ipai). Each of these translations not only conveys the same basic meaning as 'fill', but also carries with it the cultural and historical context of the language in which it is used.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a world traveler, or simply curious about the world around you, exploring the translations of 'fill' in different languages is a great way to deepen your understanding of other cultures and expand your horizons.
Afrikaans | vul | ||
The word "vul" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word "vullen" and can also mean "to stuff" or "to pack". | |||
Amharic | ሙላ | ||
"ሙላ" also means "heap up" or "pile up". | |||
Hausa | cika | ||
The term 'cika' has cognates in other Chadic languages and may also refer to 'sowing'. | |||
Igbo | jupụta | ||
The noun "jụputara" comes from the verb "jupụta" meaning "to fill" and the preposition "n'ara" meaning "in, within"} | |||
Malagasy | afa-po | ||
Afa-po's literal translation is "to make full," and it's a direct cognate of the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian word *pa:q, "to be full, to swell." | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | dzaza | ||
In Nyanja, “dzaza” can refer to a filling, something full of something, or something that is stuffed in. | |||
Shona | zadza | ||
"Zadza" also refers to a state or condition of being filled or content. | |||
Somali | buuxi | ||
"Buuxi" is also a measure of capacity for grain, which is usually around 115 liters. | |||
Sesotho | tlatsa | ||
The verb 'tlatsa' is likely derived from an old Proto-Bantu root *-tal-, which is related to other Bantu verbs with the meaning of 'to load up' or 'to gather'. | |||
Swahili | jaza | ||
"Jaza" also means "to fulfill" or "to complete" in Swahili, suggesting a broader concept of filling than merely adding volume. | |||
Xhosa | gcwalisa | ||
The word "gcwalisa" in Xhosa also means "to complete" or "to finish". | |||
Yoruba | kun | ||
'Kun' can also mean 'fill a container completely' or 'join with others to do something.' | |||
Zulu | gcwalisa | ||
In Zulu, "gcwalisa" may also refer to "completing or finishing something" or "doing something thoroughly or comprehensively." | |||
Bambara | ka fa | ||
Ewe | yɔ | ||
Kinyarwanda | kuzuza | ||
Lingala | kotondisa | ||
Luganda | okujjuza | ||
Sepedi | tlatša | ||
Twi (Akan) | gu mu | ||
Arabic | ملء | ||
The word 'ملء' in Arabic may also refer to 'fullness' or 'abundance', or to the act of fulfilling a role or position. | |||
Hebrew | למלא | ||
Although the primary meaning of "למלא" (`lǝmale'') is to fill, it can also mean "to accomplish" or "to meet". | |||
Pashto | ډکول | ||
ډکول means “to fill” or “to fill up,” and is a shortened version of the word ډکول (dikavol), which means “to pour” or “to fill out.” | |||
Arabic | ملء | ||
The word 'ملء' in Arabic may also refer to 'fullness' or 'abundance', or to the act of fulfilling a role or position. |
Albanian | mbush | ||
In Albanian, | |||
Basque | bete | ||
The Basque word "bete" also means "full" and "complete" and is related to the Latin "plēre" and the Greek "pimplemi". | |||
Catalan | omplir | ||
"Omplir" derives from Latin "implere" (fill), and is cognate with Spanish "llenar" and Portuguese "encher". | |||
Croatian | napuniti | ||
The word "napuniti" is derived from the Slavic root "nap" (swell), suggesting gradual and complete filling. | |||
Danish | fylde | ||
In Danish, "fylde" can also mean "size" or "volume". | |||
Dutch | vullen | ||
"Vullen" in Dutch is derived from the Old Germanic word "fulljan", which also meant "to baptize". | |||
English | fill | ||
"Fill" comes from the Old English word "fyllan," which can mean both "to fill" and "to fulfill." The same root exists in the German word "füllen," meaning "to fill." | |||
French | remplir | ||
The French word 'remplir' ('fill') is derived from the Late Latin word 'implere' with the same meaning, and its alternate meaning of 'stuff' or 'pack' comes from its use in hunting. | |||
Frisian | folje | ||
"Folje" can also mean "feeling" or "sensation". | |||
Galician | encher | ||
The Galician word "encher" has an alternative meaning of "put into"} | |||
German | füllen | ||
In Old High German, 'füllen' also meant 'to be full' and is related to English 'full'. | |||
Icelandic | fylla | ||
The verb "Fylla" in Icelandic also means "to fill up" or "to occupy". | |||
Irish | líon | ||
The word "líon" can also refer to a "flood" or "deluge". | |||
Italian | riempire | ||
The word "riempire" derives from the Latin "implere," meaning "to fill" or "to make full," and also has the metaphorical meaning of "to satisfy or fulfill something." | |||
Luxembourgish | opfëllen | ||
The term "opfëllen" can also refer to the filling of a bag or container. | |||
Maltese | imla | ||
The word "imla" also has the meaning "dictation" in Maltese. | |||
Norwegian | fylle | ||
The noun "fylle" can also mean "drunk", a meaning which developed because getting drunk involves "filling" oneself with alcohol. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | preencher | ||
The word "preencher" also means "to complete" or "to fulfill" in Portuguese. | |||
Scots Gaelic | lìon | ||
The Scots Gaelic word "lìon" can also mean "the number" or "portion". | |||
Spanish | llenar | ||
"Llenar" can also mean "to fulfill" or "to complete" in Spanish. | |||
Swedish | fylla | ||
In Swedish, “fylla,” meaning “fill,” also refers to being drunk, a concept known as 'fyllkultur' ('drinking culture'). | |||
Welsh | llenwi | ||
The verb 'llenwi' can also mean 'to be sufficient' or 'to be able to'. This sense comes from the verb's Proto-Indo-European origin meaning 'to be full'. |
Belarusian | запоўніць | ||
The word "запоўніць" can also refer to completing a form or questionnaire. | |||
Bosnian | ispuniti | ||
The word 'ispuniti' can also refer to 'complete', 'fulfil', or 'satisfy' | |||
Bulgarian | запълване | ||
"Запълване" can also mean "stuffing" or "padding". | |||
Czech | vyplnit | ||
The verb "vyplnit" also means "to perform" or "to fulfill an obligation" in Czech. | |||
Estonian | täitke | ||
The word "täitke" in Estonian also refers to a filling or stuffing used in various culinary preparations. | |||
Finnish | täyttää | ||
"Täyttää" can also refer to "complete" and "turn" (age). | |||
Hungarian | tölt | ||
Apart from "fill", the word "tölt" in Hungarian can also mean "load" or "charge". | |||
Latvian | aizpildīt | ||
The word "aizpildīt" also means "to fulfill" or "to carry out". | |||
Lithuanian | užpildyti | ||
The word "užpildyti" can also mean "to cover" or "to fulfill" in Lithuanian. | |||
Macedonian | пополни | ||
The word "пополни" can also mean "replenish" or "complete". | |||
Polish | napełnić | ||
"Napełnić" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "na-pъlniti", meaning "to fill up". It also shares a root with the words "pole" (field) and "pełny" (full). | |||
Romanian | completati | ||
The Romanian word "completati" also has the alternate meaning of "fill in" or "complete" a form or questionnaire. | |||
Russian | заполнить | ||
The verb "заполнить" traces its origins to the 11th century Old Slavonic "напълнити" and has the alternate meaning "to satisfy". | |||
Serbian | напунити | ||
The word 'напунити' also refers to the process of adding more water to something. | |||
Slovak | vyplniť | ||
The word "vyplniť" can also mean "to complete," as in completing a form or task. | |||
Slovenian | napolnite | ||
The word "napolnite" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *napъlniti, which also means "to satisfy". | |||
Ukrainian | заповнити | ||
The verb "заповнити" can also mean "to fill out" or "to complete" a form or document. |
Bengali | পূরণ | ||
The word "পূরণ" (purn) in Bengali also means "to fulfill" or "to complete". | |||
Gujarati | ભરો | ||
In Gujarati, "ભરો" (bharo) also means 'to put on weight', 'to add to', or 'to increase'. | |||
Hindi | भरण | ||
The word 'भरण' can also mean to 'support' someone financially or to 'feed' someone. | |||
Kannada | ಭರ್ತಿ ಮಾಡಿ | ||
The word ಭರ್ತಿ ಮಾಡಿ literally means "to make full" but can also be used figuratively to mean "to complete" or "to fulfill". | |||
Malayalam | പൂരിപ്പിക്കുക | ||
Marathi | भरा | ||
The word 'भरा' in Marathi can also refer to 'full' or 'abundant', depending on the context. | |||
Nepali | भर्न | ||
The word भर्न (bharna) in Nepali can also mean "to support" or "to sustain." | |||
Punjabi | ਭਰੋ | ||
The word "ਭਰੋ" in Punjabi can also mean "to support" or "to fill with liquid" | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පුරවන්න | ||
The verb 'පුරවන්න' is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ple-, which also gave rise to the English word 'full'. | |||
Tamil | நிரப்பு | ||
The word "நிரப்பு" can also mean "to complete" or "to fulfill". | |||
Telugu | పూరించండి | ||
The verb "పూరించండి" is derived from Proto-Dravidian root "*pūr" with meanings of "full, complete". | |||
Urdu | بھرنا | ||
The word "بھرنا" also means "to load" or "to charge" in Urdu. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 填 | ||
In the ancient Chinese oracle bone script, 填 (tián) was a picture of two people holding hands and pulling a piece of land with a rope to form a boundary. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 填 | ||
The character "填" in Chinese also refers to the act of compiling or completing a document. | |||
Japanese | 塗りつぶし | ||
In Japanese, the word "塗りつぶし" (nuriつぶし) can also mean "painting over" or "blacking out". | |||
Korean | 가득 따르다 | ||
The word "가득 따르다" not only means "fill," but also carries the nuance of "filling something to the point of overflowing." | |||
Mongolian | дүүргэх | ||
The Mongolian word "дүүргэх" can also mean "to load" or "to charge". | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ဖြည့်ပါ | ||
Indonesian | mengisi | ||
The word 'mengisi' can also mean 'to perform a role or task', as in 'mengisi acara' (to perform in a show). | |||
Javanese | ngisi | ||
The word "ngisi" in Javanese can also mean "to give" or "to enter". | |||
Khmer | បំពេញ | ||
"បំពេញ" in Khmer can also mean "to carry out" or "to complete". | |||
Lao | ຕື່ມຂໍ້ມູນໃສ່ | ||
Malay | isi | ||
"Isi" also means the contents of something, such as a container or a book. | |||
Thai | เติม | ||
เติม comes from the Khmer word "តម်း" (təm) meaning "fill, to fill up" | |||
Vietnamese | lấp đầy | ||
The word "lấp đầy" literally means "to cover up" but can also mean "to fill up" or "to fill in". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | punan | ||
Azerbaijani | doldurun | ||
In Persian, the word "doldurun" ("fill") also means "embankment" and is closely related to the Azerbaijani word "dolgu," which likewise means "embankment" and has its roots in the Persian word "dol." | |||
Kazakh | толтыру | ||
The verb толтыру is also a synonym for “to make water run” as the water level in rivers or streams drops in summer. | |||
Kyrgyz | толтуруу | ||
The Kyrgyz word "толтуруу" also means "to complete" or "to fill up a form or document." | |||
Tajik | пур кардан | ||
The Tajik word "пур кардан" can also mean "to complete". | |||
Turkmen | doldur | ||
Uzbek | to'ldirish | ||
In Uzbek, "toʻldirish" also means "to satisfy one's hunger". | |||
Uyghur | تولدۇرۇڭ | ||
Hawaiian | hoʻopiha | ||
Hoʻopiha shares its root with ʻihi, meaning "to fill up" or "to stuff oneself," and is used to describe overfilling as well as regular filling. | |||
Maori | whakakii | ||
Whakakii (to fill) is related to the words 'kiia' (to load or press down on) and 'kikī' (to cram). | |||
Samoan | faatumu | ||
The word faatumu's root word is 'tumumu', meaning 'to be filled or stuffed'. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | punan | ||
"Punan" also means "to complete" or "to fulfill" an obligation or promise. |
Aymara | phuqharaña | ||
Guarani | myanyhẽ | ||
Esperanto | plenigi | ||
Latin | satiata | ||
The word "satiata" in Latin can also mean "overfed" or "stuffed to the full". |
Greek | γέμισμα | ||
The word "γέμισμα" comes from the verb "γεμίζω" (fill) and can also refer to "stuffing" (e.g. for a meal). | |||
Hmong | sau | ||
"Sau" can also mean "add" or "carry" in Hmong. | |||
Kurdish | tijîkirin | ||
The term 'tijîkirin' originated from the Proto-Indo-European '*teg' or '*tek-', signifying 'to run,' 'to melt,' and 'to pour,' and denotes the concept of 'flowing into' in Kurdish. | |||
Turkish | doldurmak | ||
Also meaning 'to put on' in Turkish, the word 'doldurmak' is likely to be a cognate of the verb 'dolamak', meaning 'to wind, to wrap around'. | |||
Xhosa | gcwalisa | ||
The word "gcwalisa" in Xhosa also means "to complete" or "to finish". | |||
Yiddish | פּלאָמבירן | ||
"פלאָמבירן" also refers to a type of ice cream in Yiddish | |||
Zulu | gcwalisa | ||
In Zulu, "gcwalisa" may also refer to "completing or finishing something" or "doing something thoroughly or comprehensively." | |||
Assamese | পূৰ্ণ | ||
Aymara | phuqharaña | ||
Bhojpuri | भरल | ||
Dhivehi | ފުރުން | ||
Dogri | भरना | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | punan | ||
Guarani | myanyhẽ | ||
Ilocano | kargaan | ||
Krio | fil | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | پڕکردنەوە | ||
Maithili | भरु | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯊꯜꯍꯟꯕ | ||
Mizo | thun | ||
Oromo | guutuu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ପୁରଣ କର | ||
Quechua | huntay | ||
Sanskrit | पूरण | ||
Tatar | тутыру | ||
Tigrinya | ምላእ | ||
Tsonga | tata | ||