Fire in Different Languages
Discover 'Fire' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Fire, a powerful and evocative force, has played a crucial role in human history. From providing warmth and safety to enabling the creation of tools and the cooking of food, fire has been both a necessity and an object of fascination for our species. Its significance extends beyond the practical, as fire holds deep cultural and symbolic meaning across the globe.
Consider, for instance, the ancient Greek myth of Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity, or the Vedic fire rituals of Hinduism, where fire is seen as a purifying and transformative force. Fire's ability to illuminate, consume, and transform has made it a potent symbol in countless cultural and religious traditions.
Understanding the word for 'fire' in different languages can offer a fascinating glimpse into the unique perspectives and worldviews of various cultures. Here are a few examples:
- Latin: ignis
- Japanese: 火 (hi)
- Russian: огонь (ogon')
- Swahili: moto
- Hebrew: אש (esh)
Fire
Fire in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vuur | ||
| The word "vuur" is derived from the Dutch word "vuur" and is also used in the South African language Zulu. | |||
| Amharic | እሳት | ||
| The Amharic word "እሳት" not only refers to "fire" but also signifies "anger" and "passion". | |||
| Hausa | wuta | ||
| The Hausa word "wuta" can also mean "anger" or "hot temper." | |||
| Igbo | oku | ||
| "Oku" also means 'debt' in Igbo, and is related to the word 'okwu' meaning 'word' or 'speech'. | |||
| Malagasy | afo | ||
| The word "AFO" in Malagasy is cognate with the word "AFY" in Indonesian and Malay, which also means "fire". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | moto | ||
| Moto derives from Proto-Bantu, where it means to 'set alight or flare up'. It may also refer to an 'ancestor' or one's 'spirit' in certain Bantu languages. | |||
| Shona | moto | ||
| "Moto" also means "firewood" and "match" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | dab | ||
| The Somali word "dab" also means "flame" and is related to the Arabic word "dhab" (fire), which is ultimately derived from the Proto-Semitic root *d-b-b (burn). | |||
| Sesotho | mollo | ||
| The word "mollo" can also refer to heat, warmth, or a flame. | |||
| Swahili | moto | ||
| The Swahili word "moto" is also used to mean "heat", "anger" and "medicine"} | |||
| Xhosa | umlilo | ||
| The Xhosa word "umlilo" also means "heat" or "light". | |||
| Yoruba | ina | ||
| The word "ina" in Yoruba also means "heat", "light", or "energy", and is cognate with the word "iná" in Igbo. | |||
| Zulu | umlilo | ||
| The word 'umlilo' can also refer to a fire stick or a fireplace. | |||
| Bambara | tasuma | ||
| Ewe | dzo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umuriro | ||
| Lingala | moto | ||
| Luganda | omuliro | ||
| Sepedi | mollo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ogya | ||
Fire in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نار | ||
| The word "نار" (nār) in Arabic can also refer to "hell" or "purgatory" in a religious context. | |||
| Hebrew | אֵשׁ | ||
| The word "אֵשׁ" also means "flame" or "heat" in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | اور | ||
| The Pashto word "اور" (ūr) also means "light" and is cognate with the Sanskrit word "उर्ज" (ūrj), meaning "power" or "energy. | |||
| Arabic | نار | ||
| The word "نار" (nār) in Arabic can also refer to "hell" or "purgatory" in a religious context. | |||
Fire in Western European Languages
| Albanian | zjarr | ||
| The Albanian word “zjarr” is derived from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰéh₂r, which also gives rise to German “Feuer” (“fire”) and Latin “focus” (“hearth”). | |||
| Basque | sute | ||
| The Basque word 'sute' can also mean 'smoke' or 'heat'. | |||
| Catalan | foc | ||
| The word "foc" also has the alternate meanings of "home" and "hearth" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | vatra | ||
| The word "vatra" in Croatian can also mean "hearth" or "home". | |||
| Danish | ild | ||
| The word "ild" in Danish shares a common root with words in other Germanic languages that mean "war" or "burning." | |||
| Dutch | brand | ||
| In Dutch, the word "brand" can also refer to a type of alcoholic beverage distilled from wine or fruit. | |||
| English | fire | ||
| The word ‘fire’ is related to the words ‘pyre’ and ‘pyrotechnics}, all stemming from the Proto-Indo-European root *pewr-. | |||
| French | feu | ||
| "Feu" can mean "the late" to indicate someone who has passed away: e.g. "feu mon père" (my late father). | |||
| Frisian | fjoer | ||
| The word "fjoer" in Frisian is also used to refer to a beacon or a lighthouse. | |||
| Galician | lume | ||
| Its etymology is uncertain, although there are several proposed sources, such as the Proto-Celtic *lowks- or *louks-. | |||
| German | feuer | ||
| The word "Feuer" in German is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*peur-," meaning "to burn" or "to set on fire." | |||
| Icelandic | eldur | ||
| Eldur is derived from the Proto-Germanic word *eldr, meaning 'fire' or 'hearth'. | |||
| Irish | tine | ||
| The word 'tine' can also refer to the fireside, or to a hearth or fireplace. | |||
| Italian | fuoco | ||
| The word "fuoco" derives from the Latin "focus", meaning hearth or fireplace. | |||
| Luxembourgish | feier | ||
| The word "Feier" also refers to the annual celebration of a village's patron saint in Luxembourg. | |||
| Maltese | nar | ||
| Maltese "nar" is cognate with English "ignis" and Russian "огонь" (ogon'). | |||
| Norwegian | brann | ||
| The word "brann" is related to the Old Norse words "brandr" and "brennr," both meaning "fire." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | fogo | ||
| In Portuguese, "fogo" derives from the Proto-Indo-European word "*peh₂gʷ-", also related to the Latin "focus" ("hearth"). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | teine | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word 'teine' also has the alternate meaning of 'hearth', and is cognate with the Breton 'tan' and Old Irish 'tenid'. | |||
| Spanish | fuego | ||
| The Spanish word "fuego" originates from the Latin "focus," meaning a hearth or bonfire, and can also refer to passion or intensity. | |||
| Swedish | brand | ||
| While the standard Swedish word for "fire" is "eld," the word "brand" is used in some dialects and regions. | |||
| Welsh | tân | ||
| The word 'tân' also means 'fever' in Welsh | |||
Fire in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | агонь | ||
| The Belarusian word "агонь" (fire) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *ognь, which also means "heat" or "flame." | |||
| Bosnian | vatra | ||
| The word "vatra" is also used in Bosnian to refer to the hearth or fireplace. | |||
| Bulgarian | огън | ||
| The word "огън" in Bulgarian also refers to the ritual fire that is made to protect sheep from bears and diseases during the night of St. John's Eve. | |||
| Czech | oheň | ||
| The word "oheň" can also refer to a campfire or a bonfire. | |||
| Estonian | tulekahju | ||
| The word "tulekahju" can also refer to a fire hazard or a burnt-out area. | |||
| Finnish | antaa potkut | ||
| The expression "antaa potkut" is an idiom that literally means "give some kicks". | |||
| Hungarian | tűz | ||
| In Hungarian, "Tűz" is an ancient word that has been used for centuries, its origin is uncertain but it is related to the Turkish word "ateş" meaning fire. | |||
| Latvian | uguns | ||
| The Latvian word “uguns” is cognate with the Lithuanian “ugnis” and the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁éwgʰnis, meaning “fire, hearth”. | |||
| Lithuanian | ugnis | ||
| The word "Ugnis" in Lithuanian can also mean "hearth" or "home" | |||
| Macedonian | оган | ||
| The word "оган" is cognate with the Old Church Slavonic word "огнь" and the Lithuanian word "ugnis", both meaning "fire". | |||
| Polish | ogień | ||
| The Polish word "ogień" is derived from the Proto-Slavic *ognь, which is cognate with the Latin "ignis" and the Greek "πῦρ" (pŷr). It also has a figurative meaning of "passion" or "enthusiasm." | |||
| Romanian | foc | ||
| The word "foc" can also refer to a fire lit in the middle of a field, which is used to burn thorns or stubble. | |||
| Russian | огонь | ||
| The Russian word "Огонь" (fire) is also used colloquially to express surprise or admiration. | |||
| Serbian | ватра | ||
| The word 'vatra' can also refer to a fireplace, hearth, or family unit. | |||
| Slovak | oheň | ||
| The Slovak word "oheň" is also used to refer to a hearth or fireplace. | |||
| Slovenian | ogenj | ||
| The word 'ogenj' shares the same root with 'agni', an Indo-European word for fire, suggesting its ancient origins. | |||
| Ukrainian | вогонь | ||
| The Ukrainian word "вогонь" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European word "*wegʰ-n̥-", meaning "to kindle" or "to burn". It is related to the Latin word "ignis" and the Greek word "πῦρ". In addition to its primary meaning of "fire", "вогонь" can also refer to "passion" or "enthusiasm" in Ukrainian. | |||
Fire in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | আগুন | ||
| "আগুন" derives from the Sanskrit word "अग्नि" which refers to both fire and God of fire. | |||
| Gujarati | આગ | ||
| The word "આગ" can also refer to a "demand" or "necessity" in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | आग | ||
| The alternate meaning of "आग" is an infection of the mouth caused by the herpes virus. | |||
| Kannada | ಬೆಂಕಿ | ||
| "ಬೆಂಕಿ" can also mean "heat" or "anger" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | തീ | ||
| The Malayalam word "തീ" (tī) is etymologically related to the Sanskrit word "ति" (ti), which also means "fire," as well as to the Tamil word "தீ" (tī), with the same meaning. | |||
| Marathi | आग | ||
| The word "आग" in Marathi has cognates in various Indo-European languages, such as Sanskrit "अग्नि" (agni) and Greek "πυρ" (pyr). | |||
| Nepali | आगो | ||
| The word "आगो" is cognate with the Sanskrit word "अग्नि" (agni), which also means "fire" and is believed to have Proto-Indo-European roots. | |||
| Punjabi | ਅੱਗ | ||
| The word "ਅੱਗ" in Punjabi can also refer to burning, heat, passion, or anger. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ගිනි | ||
| The word ගිනි (fire) is also used metaphorically to refer to anger or passion. | |||
| Tamil | தீ | ||
| In Tamil, "தீ" (fire) also denotes "brightness" and "anger" and is cognate with the Sanskrit word "दीप्" (dīp, "light" or "shine"). | |||
| Telugu | అగ్ని | ||
| The Telugu word "అగ్ని" (agni) is derived from the Sanskrit word "अग्नि" (agni), meaning "fire" or "sacred fire", and is also associated with the Hindu god Agni, the god of fire. | |||
| Urdu | آگ | ||
| The word "آگ" shares its root with the Sanskrit word "अग्नि" (agni), the Avestan word "âtar," and the Old Persian word "âtarš." | |||
Fire in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 火 | ||
| 火 is sometimes used as a radical in Chinese characters, indicating a relation to fire or light, such as the characters 焱 (blaze), 炎 (flames), and 焦 (scorched). | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 火 | ||
| The upper part of "火" refers to the flames, while the lower part refers to wood or other burning materials. | |||
| Japanese | 火 | ||
| The character "火" (fire) can also mean combustion and heat, and is used as a semantic component in various other characters related to fire, such as "炎" (flame) and "焚" (burn). | |||
| Korean | 불 | ||
| The Korean word 불 (fire) can also refer to a Buddhist temple. | |||
| Mongolian | гал | ||
| The word "гал" (fire) is etymologically related to the words "галах" (to burn) and "галал" (to ignite). | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မီး | ||
| "မီး" has a secondary meaning: a precious stone, e.g. a sapphire or ruby. | |||
Fire in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | api | ||
| The word "api" in Indonesian, besides meaning "fire", also refers to the flames of a campfire or the heat of a fire. | |||
| Javanese | geni | ||
| The Javanese word "geni" can also refer to a supernatural being that controls and manifests fire. | |||
| Khmer | ភ្លើង | ||
| The word "ភ្លើង" also means "light" or "heat" in Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ໄຟ | ||
| The word "ໄຟ" (fire) can also refer to a flame, a conflagration, or a heat source. | |||
| Malay | api | ||
| "Api" is also a Malay word for "spirit", "courage", or "anger." | |||
| Thai | ไฟ | ||
| ไฟ can also refer to illumination or a source of illumination, such as a lamp, torch, or flame. | |||
| Vietnamese | ngọn lửa | ||
| The word "ngọn lửa" in Vietnamese is derived from the Proto-Austroasiatic word *ŋuŋ, meaning "flame" or "heat" | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | apoy | ||
Fire in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | atəş | ||
| In Azerbaijani, "atəş" can also refer to a type of firework or a sudden feeling of passion or anger, akin to "fire in the heart". | |||
| Kazakh | өрт | ||
| The Kazakh word "өрт" derives from the Proto-Turkic root *ʼoğr-, meaning "fire" or "heat," cognate with the Mongolian word "oγо" (Mongolian Cyrillic: оого). | |||
| Kyrgyz | от | ||
| The word "от" in Kyrgyz also means "to shoot" and is cognate with the Russian word "огонь." | |||
| Tajik | оташ | ||
| The Tajik word "оташ" is cognate with the Persian word "آتش" (ātaš) and the Sanskrit word "अग्नि" (agni), all meaning "fire." | |||
| Turkmen | ot | ||
| Uzbek | olov | ||
| The word "olov" in Uzbek also refers to a traditional Uzbek oven used for baking bread and other foods. | |||
| Uyghur | ئوت | ||
Fire in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ahi | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word "ahi" can also refer to the yellowfin tuna, which are attracted to the heat and light of fires fishermen would use to lure them in. | |||
| Maori | ahi | ||
| In Maori, "ahi" also refers to a sacred fire used in traditional ceremonies and rituals, symbolizing the connection between the living and the ancestors. | |||
| Samoan | afi | ||
| The Samoan word "afi" can also refer to the sun, heat, or light. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | apoy | ||
| In Philippine mythology, the word "apoy" also refers to a fire deity or elemental spirit associated with the sun and heat. | |||
Fire in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | nina | ||
| Guarani | tata | ||
Fire in International Languages
| Esperanto | fajro | ||
| "Fajro" also means "fiasco" in the context of theatre and opera. | |||
| Latin | ignis | ||
| 'Ignis' is also the root of the word 'ignite' and shares an etymological origin with 'energy' | |||
Fire in Others Languages
| Greek | φωτιά | ||
| In Ancient Greek, 'fire' can also refer to the hearth or a beacon. | |||
| Hmong | hluav taws | ||
| The word "hluav taws" can also refer to a type of fireworks or sparklers known as "flying fire". | |||
| Kurdish | agir | ||
| Agir has the same etymology as the Persian word ātaš (آتش), which also means "fire." | |||
| Turkish | ateş | ||
| In ancient Turkic, | |||
| Xhosa | umlilo | ||
| The Xhosa word "umlilo" also means "heat" or "light". | |||
| Yiddish | פייַער | ||
| The Yiddish word "פייַער" (fire) is derived from the German word "Feuer" and is related to the Latin word "focus" (hearth). | |||
| Zulu | umlilo | ||
| The word 'umlilo' can also refer to a fire stick or a fireplace. | |||
| Assamese | অগ্নি | ||
| Aymara | nina | ||
| Bhojpuri | आगि | ||
| Dhivehi | އަލިފާން | ||
| Dogri | अग्ग | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | apoy | ||
| Guarani | tata | ||
| Ilocano | apuy | ||
| Krio | faya | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئاگر | ||
| Maithili | आगि | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯩ | ||
| Mizo | mei | ||
| Oromo | abidda | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅଗ୍ନି | ||
| Quechua | nina | ||
| Sanskrit | अग्निः | ||
| Tatar | ут | ||
| Tigrinya | ሓዊ | ||
| Tsonga | ndzilo | ||