Film in Different Languages
Discover 'Film' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
At its core, a 'film' is a series of still images that, when shown on a screen, create the illusion of movement. This fundamental concept has evolved into a powerful medium of storytelling, often referred to as the 'seventh art'. Films have the unique ability to transcend language barriers, shedding light on different cultures and societies, making them an integral part of our global consciousness.
The word 'film' itself has an interesting history. Derived from the Latin 'filum' meaning 'thread' or 'string', it was first used in the early 20th century to describe the thin, transparent strip of celluloid that carried the photographic images. Today, it encapsulates a vast universe of narratives, emotions, and visual poetry.
Understanding the translation of 'film' in different languages not only broadens your linguistic abilities but also deepens your appreciation for this art form's global impact. Here are a few examples:
- French: 'film'
- Spanish: 'película'
- German: 'Film'
- Italian: 'film'
- Chinese: '电影' (diàn yǐng)
- Japanese: '映画' (eiga)
- Korean: '영화' (yeonghwa)
Stay tuned for more translations and the fascinating stories behind them.
Film
Film in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | film | ||
| In Afrikaans, "film" can also refer to a thin layer, membrane, or pellicle. | |||
| Amharic | ፊልም | ||
| The Amharic word 'ፊልም' ('film') originates from the English word 'film,' indicating that it is a foreign term. However, it is also used in Amharic to refer to 'paper,' likely due to the similar thin and transparent nature of both materials. | |||
| Hausa | fim | ||
| In Hausa, fim means "film" but is also used colloquially to refer to "movies" in general, including television shows and videos. | |||
| Igbo | ihe nkiri | ||
| "Ihe Nkiri" is the Igbo word for a play performed by masked figures | |||
| Malagasy | horonan-tsary | ||
| In the context of cinema, "horonan-tsary" can also refer to a film screening or a cinema hall. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kanema | ||
| In the Tumbuka language, "kanema" means "to see" or "to watch". | |||
| Shona | firimu | ||
| "Firimu" also means "cinema" or "movie theatre" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | filim | ||
| "Filim" in Somali also means "nightmare". | |||
| Sesotho | filimi | ||
| Filimi can also mean "the skin of a person" or "a piece of cloth used to cover something" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | filamu | ||
| The word "filamu" in Swahili also means "thread" or "string". | |||
| Xhosa | ifilimu | ||
| 'Ifilimu' is the plural form and 'ifilimu elinye' is the singular meaning a single film. | |||
| Yoruba | fiimu | ||
| The Yoruba word "fiimu" was also used to describe the physical material of the film itself. | |||
| Zulu | ifilimu | ||
| The word 'ifilimu' derives from 'filimu', meaning 'to skin' or 'to peel', capturing the motion picture essence. | |||
| Bambara | filimu | ||
| Ewe | sinii | ||
| Kinyarwanda | firime | ||
| Lingala | filme | ||
| Luganda | akazannyo | ||
| Sepedi | filimi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | sini | ||
Film in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | فيلم | ||
| The Arabic word "فيلم" (film) is derived from the Greek word "philos" meaning "friend" and can also refer to a close companion or confidant in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | סרט צילום | ||
| "סרט צילום" is the Hebrew word for "film" - originally "a strip of ribbon"," which is its original meaning in both English and Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | فلم | ||
| In Pashto, the word “فلم” can also refer to a thin layer of something like a cobweb or skin. | |||
| Arabic | فيلم | ||
| The Arabic word "فيلم" (film) is derived from the Greek word "philos" meaning "friend" and can also refer to a close companion or confidant in Arabic. | |||
Film in Western European Languages
| Albanian | film | ||
| In Albanian, "film" also means "a layer of a thin substance covering a surface; a membrane" | |||
| Basque | filma | ||
| In Basque, the word filma is also used informally as a synonym of "película", but its literal meaning is "a layer, a thin layer or sheet". | |||
| Catalan | pel·lícula | ||
| The word "pel·lícula" also means "membrane" or "thin layer" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | film | ||
| The Croatian word "film" also means "membrane" or "layer" in English. | |||
| Danish | film | ||
| The Danish word "film" can also refer to a thin layer of liquid or to a membrane covering a seed or egg. | |||
| Dutch | film | ||
| In Dutch, the word "film" can also refer to the thin, clear layer that forms on the surface of a liquid. | |||
| English | film | ||
| "Film" can also refer to a thin layer or coating on a surface, such as a film of oil or a film of dust. | |||
| French | film | ||
| In French, the word "film" can also refer to the thin, transparent sheet used to cover a wound or protect a surface. | |||
| Frisian | film | ||
| Frisian film, meaning "thin skin", is related to English "film" in its sense of a "thin layer". | |||
| Galician | película | ||
| In Galician, "película" can also mean "skin" or "membrane". | |||
| German | film | ||
| In German, "Film" means "film" but also "membrane" because it stems from Middle High German "velm" ("membrane"), which in turn is derived from Latin "pellicula" ("thin skin"). | |||
| Icelandic | kvikmynd | ||
| The Icelandic word 'kvikmynd' literally translates to 'quick picture' and originally referred to silent movies. | |||
| Irish | scannán | ||
| From the Irish word for "mirror", "scannán" originally meant a "reflection" or "image" before coming to mean "film". | |||
| Italian | film | ||
| "Film" comes from the Latin "filum" (thread), and also refers to thin coatings, especially those used to coat lenses in sunglasses and camera lenses. | |||
| Luxembourgish | film | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Film" originates from the French word "film" and also means "skin" or "membrane". | |||
| Maltese | film | ||
| The word "film" in Maltese is also used to refer to a thin layer or covering, such as the skin on a fruit. | |||
| Norwegian | film | ||
| The Norwegian word "film" (film) can also refer to a thin layer of a substance or a transparent sheet material | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | filme | ||
| In Portuguese, "filme" can also mean "skin" or "membrane", derived from the Latin word "filum" meaning "thread". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | film | ||
| Film can also mean membrane or lining in Scots Gaelic, derived from the Latin word 'filum' meaning thread. | |||
| Spanish | película | ||
| The Spanish word "película" derives from the Latin phrase "pellis culata" (skin from the back), due to its resemblance to animal skin. | |||
| Swedish | filma | ||
| In Swedish, "filma" also means "to film" and "to make a film." | |||
| Welsh | ffilm | ||
| In Welsh, the word "ffilm" also refers to a membrane or layer covering something. | |||
Film in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | фільм | ||
| "Фільм" is also sometimes used to mean "photographic plate" in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | film | ||
| "Film" also means "membrane" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | филм | ||
| The word "филм" also means "thin layer" or "membrane" in Bulgarian | |||
| Czech | film | ||
| The Czech word "film" is borrowed from the German word "Film", which in turn comes from the English word "film". | |||
| Estonian | film | ||
| The word "film" in Estonian can also refer to a thin layer of something, such as a film of oil on water. | |||
| Finnish | elokuva | ||
| "Elokuva" is the Finnish word for "film", and it is formed from the roots "elo" (life) and "kuva" (picture), which means "moving pictures". | |||
| Hungarian | film | ||
| The word "film" comes from the Latin word "filum", meaning "thread". | |||
| Latvian | filma | ||
| The word "filma" also means "membrane" or "sheet" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | filmas | ||
| The word filmas is derived from the Germanic word | |||
| Macedonian | филм | ||
| The word "филм" in Macedonian means "film", which comes from the Greek word "φίλμ" meaning "thin skin". | |||
| Polish | film | ||
| The Polish word "film" can also refer to a thin layer or coating, like a protective film on a surface. | |||
| Romanian | film | ||
| The Romanian word "film" can also mean "membrane" or "veil", and is derived from the Latin word "filum" meaning "thread". | |||
| Russian | фильм | ||
| The Russian word 'фильм' is derived from the Greek word 'filma' which means 'membrane', and is related to the English word 'film' which has a similar meaning. | |||
| Serbian | филм | ||
| The word "филм" in Serbian can also refer to a photographic negative or a cinematic projection | |||
| Slovak | film | ||
| Slovak word "film" also means "membrane" and "skin". | |||
| Slovenian | film | ||
| The word film is borrowed from English with an extended meaning in Slovenian to also include 'membrane' or 'thin skin'. | |||
| Ukrainian | фільм | ||
| The word "фільм" can also refer to a protective layer on a liquid or a thin sheet of material. | |||
Film in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ফিল্ম | ||
| The word "ফিল্ম" can also mean "layer" or "membrane" in Bengali, as in "চোখের ফিল্ম" (the film of the eye). | |||
| Gujarati | ફિલ્મ | ||
| The Gujarati word "ફિલ્મ" can also refer to a layer or coating of a substance, such as oil or paint, and to the act of making such a coating. | |||
| Hindi | फ़िल्म | ||
| 'फ़िल्म' is also used to refer to the thin layer of skin that forms over a wound while healing. | |||
| Kannada | ಚಲನಚಿತ್ರ | ||
| "ಚಲನಚಿತ್ರ" also refers to "cinema" or "motion picture", capturing the dynamic aspect of moving images. | |||
| Malayalam | ഫിലിം | ||
| The word ഫിലിം comes from the English word 'film', which originally meant 'a thin membrane' or 'a thin layer'. In Malayalam, it is also used to refer to the material used in photography and cinematography. | |||
| Marathi | चित्रपट | ||
| The word "चित्रपट" in Marathi comes from the Sanskrit words "चित्र" (image) and "पट" (cloth), meaning a "painted cloth". | |||
| Nepali | फिल्म | ||
| The word "फिल्म" derives from the Hindustani word "filēm," which is derived from the English word "film". | |||
| Punjabi | ਫਿਲਮ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਫਿਲਮ" also has an alternative meaning of "thin layer". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | චිත්රපටය | ||
| The Sinhala word "චිත්රපටය" can also refer to a canvas or screen on which images are displayed. | |||
| Tamil | படம் | ||
| "படம்" also means "picture" and "photo" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | చిత్రం | ||
| The Telugu word "చిత్రం" can also mean "painting," "picture" or "wonder," reflecting the diverse artistic and visual aspects of cinema. | |||
| Urdu | فلم | ||
| The Urdu word "فلم" can also refer to a layer or coating on a surface, such as the thin membrane that forms on top of milk or yogurt. | |||
Film in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 电影 | ||
| 電影 (dianying) also refers to "moving pictures" or "motion pictures" in Chinese. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 電影 | ||
| 電影 is also a Japanese word meaning "movie theater". | |||
| Japanese | 映画 | ||
| "映画" literally means "electric shadow", referring to the visual projection of light. | |||
| Korean | 필름 | ||
| "필름" can also refer to the feeling of nervousness, such as "심장 필름이 나다" (my heart pounding with nerves). | |||
| Mongolian | кино | ||
| In Mongolian, the word "кино" can refer to a cinema or the art of film, similar to its meaning in Russian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ရုပ်ရှင် | ||
Film in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | film | ||
| In Indonesian, the word "film" can also refer to a thin layer covering a surface, such as a layer of dust or a layer of paint. | |||
| Javanese | film | ||
| The Javanese word "film" also refers to a thin transparent layer, such as a membrane on the surface of a liquid or the covering of a seed. | |||
| Khmer | ខ្សែភាពយន្ត | ||
| Lao | ຮູບເງົາ | ||
| The word "ຮູບເງົາ" in Lao comes from Sanskrit "rūpa", meaning "form" or "shape", and "chāyā", meaning "shadow" or "image". The compound "rūpa chāyā" means "a form of a shadow" and refers to the moving images on the screen. | |||
| Malay | filem | ||
| The Malay word "filem" comes from the Dutch word "film", both referring to the strips of celluloid from which motion pictures are made. | |||
| Thai | ฟิล์ม | ||
| The Thai word "ฟิล์ม" is borrowed from the English word "film", which originally referred to a thin layer or skin. | |||
| Vietnamese | phim ảnh | ||
| "Phim ảnh" also means "movies" in Vietnamese." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pelikula | ||
Film in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | film | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "film" can also refer to a layer or covering, such as the film on the surface of milk. | |||
| Kazakh | фильм | ||
| The Kazakh word "фильм" originally meant "a piece of paper bearing images or writing," from the Russian word "фильм". | |||
| Kyrgyz | фильм | ||
| The word "фильм" in Kyrgyz can also mean "cinema" or "movie theater." | |||
| Tajik | филм | ||
| In Tajik, "филм" (film) is also used to refer to a "movie" or a "motion picture." | |||
| Turkmen | film | ||
| Uzbek | film | ||
| In Uzbek, "film" can also mean a thin layer or membrane covering something. | |||
| Uyghur | film | ||
Film in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kiʻi ʻoniʻoni | ||
| The term 'kiʻi ʻoniʻoni' literally translates to 'moving pictures' or 'shadow pictures' in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | kiriata | ||
| Kiriata, meaning both 'film' and 'settlement' in Maori, illustrates the intertwining of storytelling and community. | |||
| Samoan | ata tifaga | ||
| Ata tifaga derives from ‘ata’ (day) and ‘tifaga’ (to watch) and originally referred to the daytime movie screenings at the old Samoa Theatre in the 1950s and 1960s. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pelikula | ||
| The Tagalog word "pelikula" is a blend of "pelicula" (Spanish for "film") and "kula" (Tagalog for "shadow"). | |||
Film in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | pilikula | ||
| Guarani | ta'angaryrýi | ||
Film in International Languages
| Esperanto | filmo | ||
| The word "filmo" can also mean "movie" or "cinema" in Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | amet | ||
| In Latin, "amet" is a misspelling of "amictus," meaning "cloak," which was used in medieval times to protect books and became associated with the concept of films. | |||
Film in Others Languages
| Greek | ταινία | ||
| The word "ταινία" derives from the Ancient Greek "ταινία," meaning "ribbon" or "band," referring to the celluloid strip used in early filmmaking. | |||
| Hmong | zaj duab xis | ||
| "Zaj duab xis" is a loanword from the Thai language: "zaj" means "to write" while "duab" means "picture". | |||
| Kurdish | fîlm | ||
| In Kurdish, "fîlm" derives from Farsi and refers to both "film" and "elephant" (from the thick skin of an elephant). | |||
| Turkish | film | ||
| The Turkish word "film" originates from the French word "film", meaning "a thin layer of a substance". | |||
| Xhosa | ifilimu | ||
| 'Ifilimu' is the plural form and 'ifilimu elinye' is the singular meaning a single film. | |||
| Yiddish | פילם | ||
| In Yiddish, "פילם" can also refer to a layer, membrane, or skin. | |||
| Zulu | ifilimu | ||
| The word 'ifilimu' derives from 'filimu', meaning 'to skin' or 'to peel', capturing the motion picture essence. | |||
| Assamese | চলচ্চিত্ৰ | ||
| Aymara | pilikula | ||
| Bhojpuri | फिलिम | ||
| Dhivehi | ފިލްމު | ||
| Dogri | फिल्म | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pelikula | ||
| Guarani | ta'angaryrýi | ||
| Ilocano | pelikula | ||
| Krio | fim | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | فلیم | ||
| Maithili | फिलिम | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯐꯤꯂꯝ | ||
| Mizo | film | ||
| Oromo | fiilmii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ର | ||
| Quechua | pelicula | ||
| Sanskrit | चलचित्रं | ||
| Tatar | фильм | ||
| Tigrinya | ፊልሚ | ||
| Tsonga | filimi | ||