Flight in Different Languages
Discover 'Flight' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'flight' holds a significant place in our lives, symbolizing the desire for freedom, ambition, and the ability to soar above our circumstances. From the earliest myths of Icarus to the modern-day marvels of aviation, the concept of flight has captured our collective imagination, inspiring countless stories, inventions, and cultural expressions.
Flight's cultural importance transcends linguistic boundaries, making it a fascinating subject for language enthusiasts and travelers alike. Understanding the translation of 'flight' in different languages can enrich our cross-cultural communication and deepen our appreciation for the diverse ways people around the world perceive and express this universal concept.
For instance, did you know that in Hawaiian, 'flight' is 'hukilau'? Or that in Maori, it's 'whero'? These unique translations not only reflect the linguistic richness of their respective cultures but also offer intriguing insights into how different societies have historically understood and interacted with the phenomenon of flight.
Join us as we explore the translations of 'flight' in various languages, from the familiar to the exotic, and discover the beauty and depth of human language and culture.
Flight
Flight in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vlug | ||
| The Afrikaans word "vlug" is derived from the Dutch word "vlucht" meaning "escape" or "retreat". | |||
| Amharic | በረራ | ||
| The Amharic word በረራ can also refer to the act of fleeing or running away. | |||
| Hausa | gudu | ||
| "Gudu" in Hausa relates to flight, a sudden departure, and even hasty speech. | |||
| Igbo | ụgbọ elu | ||
| The Igbo word "ụgbọ elu" directly translates to "vehicle of the sky". | |||
| Malagasy | nandositra | ||
| The word “nanositrika” also refers to a type of wild goose which can only be hunted by the king, and is considered very sacred. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuthawa | ||
| "Kuthawa" can mean both "flight" and "to run away" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | kubhururuka | ||
| The Shona word "kubhururuka" literally translates to "to fly away from something," emphasizing the idea of escape or avoidance. | |||
| Somali | duulimaad | ||
| "Duulimaad" also means "prayer" in Somali, a homophone with different connotations. | |||
| Sesotho | ho fofa | ||
| The Sesotho word "ho fofa" has an alternate meaning of "a type of flying ant". | |||
| Swahili | kukimbia | ||
| In Swahili, "kukimbia" also means "to escape" or "to run away." | |||
| Xhosa | ukubhabha | ||
| Ukubhabha can also mean "to escape" or "to flee" from danger. | |||
| Yoruba | ofurufu | ||
| Ofurufu is used to refer to birds (literally 'flying things') in Yoruba language. | |||
| Zulu | indiza | ||
| Indiza can also mean "the act of falling", "to jump down or fall off" or "to be thrown over or out". | |||
| Bambara | awiyɔn | ||
| Ewe | dzodzo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kuguruka | ||
| Lingala | mpepo | ||
| Luganda | okubuuka | ||
| Sepedi | go fofa | ||
| Twi (Akan) | wiemhyɛn | ||
Flight in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | طيران | ||
| The word طيران (flight) in Arabic also means the act of flying (طيران الطيور), the art of flying (طيران الطائرات), and the aviation industry (طيران المدني). | |||
| Hebrew | טִיסָה | ||
| טיסה is also the name of a Jewish prayer that is recited at the conclusion of the Sabbath, and means "departure" in this context. | |||
| Pashto | الوتنه | ||
| The Pashto word "الوتنه" also means "escape" or "retreat". | |||
| Arabic | طيران | ||
| The word طيران (flight) in Arabic also means the act of flying (طيران الطيور), the art of flying (طيران الطائرات), and the aviation industry (طيران المدني). | |||
Flight in Western European Languages
| Albanian | fluturim | ||
| The word "fluturim" in Albanian can also be used to refer to the act of flying, soaring, or flapping one's wings.} | |||
| Basque | hegaldia | ||
| "Hegaldia" in Basque can also mean "a plane" or "an airplane". | |||
| Catalan | vol | ||
| Catalan word "vol" has the double meaning of "flight" and "will" and comes from the Latin "volo". | |||
| Croatian | let | ||
| "Let" can also mean "year" (g.). | |||
| Danish | flyvningen | ||
| The word 'flyvningen' comes from the Proto-Germanic word 'fleugan,' which means to fly or soar. | |||
| Dutch | vlucht | ||
| The word "vlucht" in Dutch can also refer to a group of birds or a refuge. | |||
| English | flight | ||
| The word "flight" derives from the Old English word "flyge," meaning "to fly" or "to move quickly." | |||
| French | vol | ||
| The French word "vol" is also used to refer to theft or robbery. | |||
| Frisian | flecht | ||
| Flecht also means 'refuge' or 'retreat' in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | voo | ||
| The word "voo" can also refer to the act of flying or the state of being in the air. | |||
| German | flug | ||
| German word "Flug" also means "curse" or "oath". | |||
| Icelandic | flug | ||
| The Icelandic word "flug" is related to the English word "flow" and ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*pleu-." | |||
| Irish | eitilt | ||
| The word "eitilt" can also refer to a "flock of birds" or a "group of deer" | |||
| Italian | volo | ||
| The Italian word "volo" can also mean "want" or "wish". | |||
| Luxembourgish | fluch | ||
| In Luxembourgish, 'Fluch' can also refer to a 'nest' or a 'covey'. | |||
| Maltese | titjira | ||
| The Maltese word "titjira" also means "trip" or "journey" in other Semitic languages. | |||
| Norwegian | flygning | ||
| The Old Norse root word "flugr" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "pleu" ("to flow"), indicating the motion of flying. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | voar | ||
| In Portuguese, the word "voar" also means "to soar" and "to fly". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | itealaich | ||
| The word itealaich originates from the Old Irish word "eitilt"," meaning to fly or leap." | |||
| Spanish | vuelo | ||
| In addition to "flight," "vuelo" can also mean "departure" and can be used to refer to a person's movements or a bird's song. | |||
| Swedish | flyg | ||
| In Scandinavian mythology, a "flyg" (flight) is the ability of women to transform into animals and travel freely in a non-physical state, often using feathers as a symbol. | |||
| Welsh | hedfan | ||
| The Welsh word "hedfan" also means "to scatter" or "to spread out" in other Celtic languages. | |||
Flight in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | палёт | ||
| The Belarusian word for "flight" (палёт) comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *pet- meaning "to fly". | |||
| Bosnian | let | ||
| The word 'let' is also used to refer to the process of flying, the result of flying, and a group of birds in flight. | |||
| Bulgarian | полет | ||
| In Bulgarian, the word "полет" (polet) can also mean "impulse" and is frequently used in the field of psychology and philosophy to refer to the subconscious or internal motivations that drive behavior. | |||
| Czech | let | ||
| In Czech, "let" can also mean "year" or "summer", derived from the Proto-Slavic word *lěto with similar meanings. | |||
| Estonian | lend | ||
| The verb "lend" originates from the Proto-Germanic word "liðaną", meaning "to move, go," and is related to the word "lent" (as in "lent money"), meaning "to give something with the expectation of it being returned." | |||
| Finnish | lento | ||
| In Finnish, the word "lento" can also mean "slow" or "lazy". | |||
| Hungarian | repülési | ||
| The word "repülési" can also mean "aviation" or "aeronautics". | |||
| Latvian | lidojums | ||
| In Latvian, "lidojums" also means "flight of stairs" or "flight of fancy" | |||
| Lithuanian | skrydis | ||
| The word "skrydis" in Lithuanian can also refer to a flock of birds or a soaring jump. | |||
| Macedonian | лет | ||
| The word 'лет' in Macedonian can also mean 'summer' and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'lěto', which had the same meaning. | |||
| Polish | lot | ||
| In Polish, the word "lot" also means "fate" or "destiny". | |||
| Romanian | zbor | ||
| Zbor derives from the Slavic "zьborь", which also means "meeting", "assembly" and, by extension, "group", "community". | |||
| Russian | рейс | ||
| The Russian word "рейс" (flight) originally meant "sail," and is derived from the verb "реить" ("to sail"). | |||
| Serbian | лет | ||
| The word "лет" (''let'') also means "year" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | let | ||
| The word "let" in Slovak also means "year" and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *lěto, which had both meanings. | |||
| Slovenian | leta | ||
| The word 'leta' in Slovene also means a litter or brood of animals. | |||
| Ukrainian | політ | ||
| The Ukrainian word "політ" (flight) also means "political activity" or "political action". | |||
Flight in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বিমান | ||
| বিমান (flight) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'vimāna', which means a celestial chariot or aircraft. | |||
| Gujarati | ફ્લાઇટ | ||
| ફ્લાઇટ (flight) can also mean movement or motion in Gujarati, similar to its metaphorical usage in English. | |||
| Hindi | उड़ान | ||
| The word "उड़ान" (flight) in Hindi is also used metaphorically to refer to a person's soaring thoughts or aspirations. | |||
| Kannada | ವಿಮಾನ | ||
| The word "ವಿಮಾನ" also refers to an aircraft, temple, or palace in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ഫ്ലൈറ്റ് | ||
| The word "flight" in Malayalam also means "an escape" or "a departure" | |||
| Marathi | उड्डाण | ||
| The word "उड्डाण" in Marathi is derived from Sanskrit and means "to fly", but it can also refer to "taking off" or "soaring". | |||
| Nepali | उडान | ||
| The word "उडान" can also mean "progress" or "advancement" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਉਡਾਣ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਉਡਾਣ" can also refer to a large group of flying creatures, or the space they occupy, such as a flock of birds. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පියාසැරිය | ||
| පියාසැරිය can also refer to the "flight" of an aircraft or bird, or the act of fleeing from danger. | |||
| Tamil | விமானம் | ||
| In Tamil, “விமானம்” (vimānam) originally referred to a temple tower, reflecting the belief that temples were sacred spaces connecting the earth to the heavens. | |||
| Telugu | ఫ్లైట్ | ||
| The word "ఫ్లైట్" is also used to refer to a group of birds flying together or a set of stairs in a building. | |||
| Urdu | پرواز | ||
| The word پرواز, meaning "flight", can also refer to the act of flying, the ability to fly, or the distance traveled by an aircraft. | |||
Flight in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 飞行 | ||
| In Chinese, "飞行" (flight) is also a term for the process of climbing up or the ascent stage of a rocket before entering space. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 飛行 | ||
| The word "飛行" (flight) in Traditional Chinese also relates to flying animals, such as dragons and birds. | |||
| Japanese | フライト | ||
| フライト (flight) can be used to refer to a series of stairs when it is read as 「階段 (kaidan)」 | |||
| Korean | 비행 | ||
| 비행 (bihaeng) in Korean can also mean "soaring" or "taking off". | |||
| Mongolian | нислэг | ||
| The Mongolian word | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လေယာဉ်ခရီးစဉ် | ||
Flight in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | penerbangan | ||
| "Penerbangan" can also mean "aviation" and "aeronautics" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | pesawat | ||
| Pesawat, pronounced “pesawât,” can also mean “flying machine” or “airplane” in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ការហោះហើរ | ||
| "ការហោះហើរ" can also refer to the act of flying, the condition or fact of being airborne, or a journey made through the air. | |||
| Lao | ການບິນ | ||
| The Lao word "ການບິນ" (flight) is derived from the Sanskrit word "gati" (movement), and also refers to the action of walking or running. | |||
| Malay | penerbangan | ||
| "Penerbangan" in Malay not only refers to "flight", but also to "aviation" or "air travel". | |||
| Thai | เที่ยวบิน | ||
| The Thai word "เที่ยวบิน" also refers to travel in general or a round-trip. | |||
| Vietnamese | chuyến bay | ||
| "Chuyến bay" literally means "a trip by air" in Vietnamese, but it can also refer to a group of birds flying together. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paglipad | ||
Flight in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | uçuş | ||
| The word “uçuş” can also mean “a swarm”, which reflects the collective and coordinated nature of flight. | |||
| Kazakh | ұшу | ||
| In Kazakh, "ұшу" also refers to a "leap" or a "dart", highlighting the dynamic aspect of flight. | |||
| Kyrgyz | учуу | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "учуу" not only means "flight" but also "to run", "to flow", and "to spread out". | |||
| Tajik | парвоз | ||
| The word "парвоз" in Tajik is derived from the Persian word "پرvaz" which means "to fly" or "to soar". | |||
| Turkmen | uçuş | ||
| Uzbek | parvoz | ||
| The word 'parvoz' may derive from an ancient Indo-European language root, but its usage in Uzbek may also be influenced by its Persian cognates. | |||
| Uyghur | ئۇچۇش | ||
Flight in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lele ʻana | ||
| The Hawaiian word "lele ʻana" means not only "flight" but also "to float" or "to fly through the air". | |||
| Maori | whati | ||
| In Māori, "whati" can also refer to a bird's sudden departure or a sudden movement. | |||
| Samoan | faigamalaga | ||
| The Samoan word "faigamalaga" is also used to refer to a group of people traveling together, particularly for a religious purpose. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | paglipad | ||
| "Paglipad" can also be interpreted as "freedom" in a metaphorical sense, as in the phrase "lipad na isip" (free thought). | |||
Flight in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jalaña | ||
| Guarani | veve | ||
Flight in International Languages
| Esperanto | flugo | ||
| The Esperanto word | |||
| Latin | fuga | ||
| In Latin, "fuga" can also mean "banishment" or "exile". | |||
Flight in Others Languages
| Greek | πτήση | ||
| The word πτήση (ptēsis) can also refer to a flock or group of birds or the act of soaring or hovering. | |||
| Hmong | davhlau | ||
| In Hmong, "davhlau" originated from a word for "flying squirrel" and also means "airplane." | |||
| Kurdish | firrê | ||
| The word "firrê" in Kurdish is also used to describe a group of birds. | |||
| Turkish | uçuş | ||
| Uçuş is a noun in Turkish that refers to the action of flying, but can also be used metaphorically to mean the act of rising or soaring above something. | |||
| Xhosa | ukubhabha | ||
| Ukubhabha can also mean "to escape" or "to flee" from danger. | |||
| Yiddish | פלי | ||
| The word "פלי" in Yiddish can also refer to a running leap or to escape from a bad situation. | |||
| Zulu | indiza | ||
| Indiza can also mean "the act of falling", "to jump down or fall off" or "to be thrown over or out". | |||
| Assamese | উৰাজাহাজ | ||
| Aymara | jalaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | उड़ान | ||
| Dhivehi | ފްލައިޓް | ||
| Dogri | उड़ान | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paglipad | ||
| Guarani | veve | ||
| Ilocano | panagtayab | ||
| Krio | flay | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گەشتی ئاسمانی | ||
| Maithili | उड़नाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯥꯏꯕ | ||
| Mizo | thlawk | ||
| Oromo | balallii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଉଡ଼ାଣ | ||
| Quechua | paway | ||
| Sanskrit | पात | ||
| Tatar | очыш | ||
| Tigrinya | በረራ | ||
| Tsonga | xihahampfhula | ||