Fish in Different Languages
Discover 'Fish' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Fish
Afrikaans vis | ||
Albanian peshk | ||
Amharic ዓሳ | ||
Arabic سمك | ||
Armenian ձուկ | ||
Assamese মাছ | ||
Aymara challwa | ||
Azerbaijani balıq | ||
Bambara jɛgɛ | ||
Basque arrainak | ||
Belarusian рыба | ||
Bengali মাছ | ||
Bhojpuri मछरी | ||
Bosnian riba | ||
Bulgarian риба | ||
Catalan peix | ||
Cebuano isda | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 鱼 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 魚 | ||
Corsican pesciu | ||
Croatian riba | ||
Czech ryba | ||
Danish fisk | ||
Dhivehi މަސް | ||
Dogri मच्छी | ||
Dutch vis | ||
English fish | ||
Esperanto fiŝo | ||
Estonian kala | ||
Ewe tɔmelã | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) isda | ||
Finnish kalastaa | ||
French poisson | ||
Frisian fisk | ||
Galician peixe | ||
Georgian თევზი | ||
German fisch | ||
Greek ψάρι | ||
Guarani pira | ||
Gujarati માછલી | ||
Haitian Creole pwason | ||
Hausa kifi | ||
Hawaiian iʻa | ||
Hebrew דג | ||
Hindi मछली | ||
Hmong ntses | ||
Hungarian hal | ||
Icelandic fiskur | ||
Igbo azụ | ||
Ilocano lames | ||
Indonesian ikan | ||
Irish iasc | ||
Italian pesce | ||
Japanese 魚 | ||
Javanese iwak | ||
Kannada ಮೀನು | ||
Kazakh балық | ||
Khmer ត្រី | ||
Kinyarwanda amafi | ||
Konkani नुस्तें | ||
Korean 물고기 | ||
Krio fish | ||
Kurdish masî | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) ماسی | ||
Kyrgyz балык | ||
Lao ປາ | ||
Latin piscis | ||
Latvian zivis | ||
Lingala mbisi | ||
Lithuanian žuvis | ||
Luganda eky'enyanja | ||
Luxembourgish fësch | ||
Macedonian риба | ||
Maithili माछ | ||
Malagasy trondro | ||
Malay ikan | ||
Malayalam മത്സ്യം | ||
Maltese ħut | ||
Maori ika | ||
Marathi मासे | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯉꯥ | ||
Mizo sangha | ||
Mongolian загас | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ငါး | ||
Nepali माछा | ||
Norwegian fisk | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) nsomba | ||
Odia (Oriya) ମାଛ | | ||
Oromo qurxummii | ||
Pashto کب | ||
Persian ماهی | ||
Polish ryba | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) peixe | ||
Punjabi ਮੱਛੀ | ||
Quechua challlwa | ||
Romanian peşte | ||
Russian рыбы | ||
Samoan iʻa | ||
Sanskrit मीन | ||
Scots Gaelic iasg | ||
Sepedi hlapi | ||
Serbian риба | ||
Sesotho litlhapi | ||
Shona hove | ||
Sindhi مڇي | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) මාළු | ||
Slovak ryby | ||
Slovenian ribe | ||
Somali kalluunka | ||
Spanish pez | ||
Sundanese lauk | ||
Swahili samaki | ||
Swedish fisk | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) isda | ||
Tajik моҳӣ | ||
Tamil மீன் | ||
Tatar балык | ||
Telugu చేప | ||
Thai ปลา | ||
Tigrinya ዓሳ | ||
Tsonga hlampfi | ||
Turkish balık | ||
Turkmen balyk | ||
Twi (Akan) nsunam | ||
Ukrainian риба | ||
Urdu مچھلی | ||
Uyghur بېلىق | ||
Uzbek baliq | ||
Vietnamese cá | ||
Welsh pysgod | ||
Xhosa intlanzi | ||
Yiddish פיש | ||
Yoruba eja | ||
Zulu inhlanzi |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | "Vis" also means "way" in Afrikaans, a legacy of its Dutch origins in which "vis" means "course". |
| Albanian | The word "peshk" in Albanian has an ancient Indo-European root meaning "finny water creature" and is related to the English word "fish". |
| Amharic | "ዓሳ" also can mean "an amount, or some". |
| Arabic | The word "سمك" is derived from a Semitic root "smk", which means "fat" or "plump" and has a connection to the shape of fish. |
| Armenian | "Ձուկ" can also mean "a lump of bread dough" in Armenian slang. |
| Azerbaijani | "Balıq" also means a constellation, i.e. the Pisces, in Azerbaijani. |
| Basque | The word “arrainak” is derived from Proto-Basque and is ultimately of Indo-European origin, possibly related to the Latin “aringus” (a type of fish) or the Gothic “areinas” (fish). |
| Belarusian | The word 'рыба' (рыба) originates from a Proto-Balto-Slavic root *ribъ, which also gave us the words 'ryba' (Polish), 'ryba' (Czech), and 'ruba' (Latvian), all meaning 'fish'. |
| Bengali | "মাছ" also means "hook" and shares an etymology with the English word "mash". |
| Bosnian | The word "riba" is also used to refer to money earned through interest. |
| Bulgarian | The word "риба" also means "scales" in Bulgarian, deriving from the Proto-Slavic word "ryba" with the same meaning. |
| Catalan | The Catalan word for "fish" (peix) also means "measure" or "weight". |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 鱼 in Cantonese and Hokkien means "abundance or surplus" |
| Chinese (Traditional) | The Chinese character 魚 is based on the shape of a fish and also means "abundance". |
| Corsican | The Corsican word "pesciu" is derived from the Latin word "piscis" and can also refer to a constellation or a playing card suit. |
| Croatian | In Croatian, the word "riba" can also mean "a lot" "wealth" or "profit". |
| Czech | The word "ryba" likely derives from the Proto-Slavic "*ryba" and is cognate with German "Rippe" (rib), indicating a historical connection between the concepts of fish and ribs. |
| Danish | In Danish, "fisk" (fish) is cognate with English "fiscal" and French "fisc," all derived from Latin "fiscus" (treasury). |
| Dutch | Although the Dutch word "vis" primarily means "fish," it also has the archaic meaning of "flesh" or "meat," as in the phrase "het visch des menschen" (the flesh of man). |
| Esperanto | The word "fiŝo" is derived from the French word "poisson", which itself comes from the Latin word "piscis". |
| Estonian | The Estonian word "kala" (fish) may derive from the Proto-Uralic root *kala, or be related to the Finnish word kalanen (small fish). |
| Finnish | Kalastaa also means to deceive, swindle, cheat, or trick others in Finnish, most likely derived from the old word kala, meaning a lie or a fraud. |
| French | The word "poisson" in French derives from the Latin word "piscis," which means "fish," and is also related to the English word "poison." |
| Frisian | "Fisk" comes from the Middle Dutch "visc" or "visch", which also means "fish". |
| Galician | The word "peixe" in Galician also means "weight". |
| Georgian | "თევზი" is also used in Georgian to refer to the 12th letter of the Georgian alphabet, "თ". |
| German | The German word "Fisch" (fish) likely derives from the Proto-Germanic "*fiskôz," meaning "to catch," and is related to the English word "fisher." |
| Greek | The word "ψάρι" is derived from the Ancient Greek word "ὀψάριον" (opsarion), meaning "small fish" or "side dish". |
| Gujarati | The Gujarati word "માછલી" (fish) is derived from the Sanskrit word "matsya", which also means "fish". |
| Haitian Creole | In Haitian Creole, 'pwason' can also refer to a playing card representing a fish. |
| Hausa | The etymology of kifi is uncertain, and some speculate it might be related to an older Semitic root meaning 'fin'. In some contexts it may also mean "meat". |
| Hawaiian | The Hawaiian word "iʻa" not only refers to fish but also to other marine creatures like turtles, eels, and even whales. |
| Hebrew | The word "דג" (fish) can also refer to a military formation or a type of fabric, but is probably derived from the Akkadian word "duku" meaning "to be fat". |
| Hindi | The word "मछली" is derived from the Sanskrit word "matsya" meaning "a living being in water". |
| Hmong | The Hmong word "ntses" comes from the Proto-Hmong-Mien "ntseiqs", which also meant both "fish" and "slippery". |
| Hungarian | In Hungarian, the word "hal" can also refer to death, the state of being dead, or to the underworld. |
| Icelandic | 'Fiskur' also means 'devil', 'fiend', or 'demon' in Icelandic. |
| Igbo | The word "azụ" in Igbo can also refer to the spine or backbone. |
| Indonesian | The Javanese word for "fish" (iwak) may be derived from "ikan", with assimilation of the word-initial vowel. |
| Irish | The Irish word "iasc" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₂es-/*h₂esḱ- " meaning "to swim, to move in water." |
| Italian | "Pesce" is derived from the Latin word piscis and has the same root as "piscina" ("swimming pool"). |
| Japanese | The character 魚 may also refer to the Pisces zodiac sign or the constellation of Pisces. |
| Javanese | The word "iwak" in Javanese is also used to refer to a dish made from fish. |
| Kannada | The Kannada word "ಮೀನು" is cognate with the Tamil word "மீன்" and the Telugu word "మీను". |
| Kazakh | The Kazakh word "балық" can also be interpreted as "food." |
| Khmer | The word "ត្រី" can also refer to a constellation or the zodiac sign Pisces. |
| Korean | The word '물고기' can also refer to any marine animal or insect that swims or moves in water. |
| Kurdish | The word "masî" in Kurdish also refers to a small amount of something, such as a drop of water or a speck of dust |
| Kyrgyz | The word 'балык' also means 'a big fish', but in a derogatory way, implying that the fish is old and tough. |
| Lao | "ປາ" can also mean "luck" or "fortune" in Lao. |
| Latin | The word "piscis" in Latin can also refer to the zodiac sign Pisces. |
| Latvian | The Latvian word "zivis" originates from the Proto-Baltic root "*žewi-s", meaning "fish", and is cognate with other Baltic and Slavic languages. |
| Lithuanian | In Lithuanian, "žuvis" not only refers to fish but also to a sign of the zodiac (Pisces). |
| Macedonian | The word "Риба" in Macedonian originates from the Proto-Slavic word "ryba", meaning "fish". |
| Malagasy | In Malagasy, the word "TRONDRO" means both "fish" and "a living thing that can move in water." |
| Malay | In Brunei and Singapore, 'ikan' also refers specifically to saltwater fish. |
| Malayalam | The word 'മത്സ്യം' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'matsya' and shares the same root with the English word 'fish'. It can also refer to a constellation or a zodiac sign. |
| Maltese | The word 'ħut' also means 'threads' (of a fabric) in Maltese and is etymologically related to thread. |
| Maori | In Maori mythology, the fish spirit Ika-tere ('moving fish') is considered a guardian of the ocean. |
| Marathi | मासे (fish) is derived from the Proto-Dravidian word *matsya- (*fish) and is cognate with the Sanskrit word मत्स्य (matsya). |
| Mongolian | The word "загас" comes from the Proto-Mongolic root word "*zaga" meaning "water," thus the "fish" is the "being of the water." |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | The Proto-Burushaski-Sino-Tibetan form of *ŋa-ga (“fish”) is thought to be related to the Indo-European *ḱḱor (“snake”). |
| Nepali | The Nepali word "माछा" (fish) is derived from the Sanskrit word "मत्स्य" and also refers to the zodiac sign Pisces. |
| Norwegian | The Norwegian word "fisk" also means "fart" in Danish. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The word "nsomba" in Nyanja also refers to meat other than fish, particularly beef. |
| Pashto | The word "کب" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ǵʰebʰ-**, meaning "to catch" or "to grasp". |
| Persian | The word "ماهی" also means "moon" in Persian, and its feminine form "ماهیچه" means "muscle". |
| Polish | Polish "ryba" is a West Slavic term related to the verb "ryć" meaning "to dig". Thus, it originally referred to burrowing fish like a lamprey or eel before extending to all fish. |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | In Portuguese, "peixe" derives from the Latin "piscis," also meaning "fish," and in Brazil, it additionally refers to an informal lottery scheme. |
| Punjabi | The word 'ਮੱਛੀ' (fish) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'matsya', which also means 'fish', and is related to the English word 'fish'. |
| Romanian | In Romanian, "peşte" is cognate to the Latin "piscis" and also signifies a constellation (Pisces) and the zodiacal sign (also Pisces). |
| Russian | The Russian word "рыбы" (fish) comes from the Proto-Slavic word "ryba", which is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₁reǵ-s", meaning "to swim" or "to move in water". |
| Samoan | The term "iʻa" can also refer to sea creatures such as octopus, jellyfish, and sea turtles in Samoan language. |
| Scots Gaelic | The Scots Gaelic word "iasg" is related to the Irish "iasc", the Welsh "pysg", and the English "fish". |
| Serbian | The word "риба" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁reyp- "to tear, cut, cut off," which also gave rise to the English word "rib". |
| Sesotho | The Sesotho word "litlhapi" also means "something that swims". |
| Shona | The word "hove" in Shona also refers to a variety of fish, including bream, tilapia, and barbel. |
| Sindhi | مڇي can also refer to the constellation Pisces, and the zodiac sign associated with it. |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The word 'මාළු' can also mean 'a shoal of fish' or 'a person who catches fish'. |
| Slovak | The Slovak word “ryby” means “fish,” but it can also refer to scales. |
| Slovenian | The word Ribe is also used in a figurative sense in reference to a group of people. |
| Somali | The word "kalluunka" also means "ocean" in the Somali language. |
| Spanish | The word "pez" can also refer to a piece of fish or a type of foot. |
| Sundanese | The word "lauk" in Sundanese can also refer to side dishes served with rice. |
| Swahili | The Swahili word 'samaki' originates from the Proto-Bantu root *-sámi, meaning 'meat of the sea'. |
| Swedish | "Fisk" in Swedish can also refer to a small stick used for lighting matches |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | In the Philippines, the term "isda" can also refer to a type of card game similar to Go Fish. |
| Tajik | "Моҳӣ" (fish) comes from Old Persian (language of the Achaemenid Empire) "maciya" and Proto-Indo-European "*meḱsós" (fish); it is cognate with Persian "māhi," English "minnow," and Lithuanian "žuvys" (fishes). |
| Tamil | The word "மீன்" in Tamil can also mean "the zodiac sign Pisces" or "a measure of weight". |
| Telugu | The word "చేప" (fish) in Telugu is cognate with Sanskrit "सर्प" (sarp), likely derived from Proto-Indo-European "*serp-", meaning "to crawl". |
| Thai | In Thai, "ปลา" (pla) can also refer to a flat object or a person who is gullible. |
| Turkish | The word 'balık' comes from the Persian word 'mahi', which also means 'fish'. |
| Ukrainian | The Ukrainian word "риба" ("fish") may originate from the Proto-Slavic word '*ryba' or may be connected to "ри́ти" ("dig"), referring to the habit of some fish to dig holes in the riverbed. |
| Urdu | The word "مچھلی" is derived from the Sanskrit word "matsya", which means "a fish", and is also related to the English word "meek". |
| Uzbek | In Uzbek, the word "baliq" derives from the Old Turkic "balïq" and also refers to a fortified city in historical documents. |
| Vietnamese | In Vietnamese, "cá" also means "a type of betting game using a deck of cards" |
| Welsh | The word "pysgod" in Welsh also refers to the zodiac sign Pisces. |
| Xhosa | In some areas, **intlanzi** is a type of small sardine that is used for making isonka senhlanhla (a type of bread). |
| Yiddish | The Yiddish word "fish" has the secondary meaning of "nonsense," "bunk," or "rubbish." |
| Yoruba | The Yoruba word "eja" also refers to a type of soup or stew made with fish as the primary ingredient. |
| Zulu | The Zulu word "inhlanzi" also refers to a "serpent" in some contexts, reflecting the traditional belief in a serpent guardian spirit of the waters. |
| English | The word “fish” originated from the Old English word “fisc,” which referred to any aquatic animal. |