Fly in Different Languages
Discover 'Fly' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'fly' holds a significant place in our language and culture, transcending borders and languages. It can refer to the small insects that buzz around us during warm summer days or the ability to move through the air with wings, as exhibited by birds, planes, and superheroes. Moreover, 'fly' is also an adjective in English, often used to describe something as cool or stylish.
Throughout history, flies have appeared in various contexts, from Aesop's fables to scientific studies. They have been both admired for their aerial abilities and considered pests for their disease-spreading habits. Regardless, the word 'fly' remains a fascinating subject of study and conversation.
Understanding the translation of 'fly' in different languages can help us appreciate the nuances of various cultures and broaden our horizons. For instance, in Spanish, 'fly' is 'mosca', while in French, it's 'mouche'. In Mandarin Chinese, the word for fly is '苍蝇' (cāngyíng), and in Japanese, it's 'ハエ' (hae).
Fly
Fly in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vlieg | ||
| In 1943, "vlieg" was one of several South Africanisms put up for a referendum on acceptance as standard Dutch, though it was not chosen. | |||
| Amharic | ዝንብ | ||
| The Amharic word 'ዝንብ' is also used figuratively to describe someone who is annoying or persistent. | |||
| Hausa | tashi | ||
| "Tashi" in Hausa also means "to break" or "to destroy". | |||
| Igbo | ofufe | ||
| "Ofufe" can also refer to a type of traditional Igbo dance. | |||
| Malagasy | manidina | ||
| "Manidina" also refers to the act of flying in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuuluka | ||
| The word "kuuluka" also means "to make a sound." | |||
| Shona | bhururuka | ||
| The Shona word "bhururuka" can also refer to a type of herbal medicine used to treat malaria. | |||
| Somali | duuli | ||
| In Somali, "duuli" can also refer to a "bat". | |||
| Sesotho | fofa | ||
| The Sesotho word "fofa" is also an exclamation used to express surprise or astonishment. | |||
| Swahili | kuruka | ||
| The word 'kuruka' in Swahili is sometimes used to refer to flying insects or birds, but it can also mean 'to rotate' or 'to circle'. | |||
| Xhosa | bhabha | ||
| The word "bhabha" can also refer to an insect or a bird, and is sometimes used to describe someone who is talkative or garrulous. | |||
| Yoruba | fò | ||
| The Yoruba word "fò" not only means "fly" but can also refer to an "aeroplane" or "airplane" in the context of aviation. | |||
| Zulu | ukundiza | ||
| "Ukundiza" in Zulu not only means "fly," but also refers to the act of "fleeing" or "running away." | |||
| Bambara | dimɔgɔ | ||
| Ewe | dzo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kuguruka | ||
| Lingala | kopumbwa | ||
| Luganda | okuguluka | ||
| Sepedi | fofa | ||
| Twi (Akan) | tu | ||
Fly in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | يطير | ||
| "يطير" (yatîr) also means "fly (as in the escape or quick motion of running), be high-spirited, be spirited, be proud, be arrogant, or be quick-moving". | |||
| Hebrew | לטוס, זבוב | ||
| In Hebrew, "לטוס" can also mean "to fly" and "זבוב" can also mean "a fly". | |||
| Pashto | الوتنه | ||
| In Pashto, the word "الوتنه" can also refer to a type of small, edible fig. | |||
| Arabic | يطير | ||
| "يطير" (yatîr) also means "fly (as in the escape or quick motion of running), be high-spirited, be spirited, be proud, be arrogant, or be quick-moving". | |||
Fly in Western European Languages
| Albanian | fluturojnë | ||
| The Albanian word "fluturojnë" is derived from the Latin word "fluctuare," meaning "to move like a wave." | |||
| Basque | hegan egin | ||
| "Hegan egin" literally means "to make flight", referring to the movement of the wings instead of the actual flight | |||
| Catalan | volar | ||
| In Catalan, "volar" also means "steal", coming from the Latin "volare" meaning "to fly". | |||
| Croatian | letjeti | ||
| "Letjeti" is also a slang term for "to drive a car very fast." | |||
| Danish | flyve | ||
| In old Nordic mythology, the concept of "flyve" was closely associated with spiritual journeys, with connotations of transcendence and otherworldly travel. | |||
| Dutch | vlieg | ||
| The Dutch word “vlieg” can also refer to the action of fleeing, escaping, or running away. | |||
| English | fly | ||
| The word "fly" has origins in the Old English word "fleogan," meaning "to flow swiftly." | |||
| French | mouche | ||
| Mouche shares the same Proto-Indo-European root "*mu-/*meu-" with English "mouse" and Persian "muš". | |||
| Frisian | fleane | ||
| The word "fleane" in Frisian is also used to refer to an airplane or a kite. | |||
| Galician | voar | ||
| The Galician word "voar" may come from the Latin "volare" or the Germanic "fliegen". | |||
| German | fliege | ||
| In German "Fliege" can also refer to a type of aircraft or the act of running away. | |||
| Icelandic | fluga | ||
| The word 'fluga' in Icelandic derives from the Old Norse word 'fluga', which meant an insect or any small creature with wings. | |||
| Irish | eitilt | ||
| The Irish word "eitilt" can also refer to a type of Gaelic football or hurling stick. | |||
| Italian | volare | ||
| The Latin verb "volare" also means "to run" or "to move quickly." | |||
| Luxembourgish | fléien | ||
| The word "fléien" also means "to flow" and is related to the German word "fließen". | |||
| Maltese | itir | ||
| "It-tir" is also a name given to bees and ants. | |||
| Norwegian | fly | ||
| In Norwegian, "fly" not only refers to the insect but also to "flee" and means "to float" in the sense of liquids or other non-solid entities. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | voar | ||
| The Portuguese word "voar" likely derives from the Latin verb "volare" (to fly), and is cognate with the English word "volant" (flying). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | itealaich | ||
| Possibly from the same root as “ealadh” (“flight”) and “eilid” (“swan”). | |||
| Spanish | volar | ||
| Vol(v)ar, meaning both “to fly” and “to steal” in Spanish, originates from the Latin word “volare,” which had both meanings. | |||
| Swedish | flyga | ||
| The word "flyga" originated as a verb meaning "to move quickly"} | |||
| Welsh | hedfan | ||
| The word "hedfan" can also refer to the act of running fast. | |||
Fly in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | муха | ||
| In Belarusian, "муха" can also refer to a small piece of dust or a freckle. | |||
| Bosnian | letjeti | ||
| Bosnian has two verbs for fly; "letjeti," for flying through air, and "letati," for flying out somewhere to do something or meet someone | |||
| Bulgarian | летя | ||
| In Bulgarian, "летя" can also refer to a person who is very good at something or who is very fast. | |||
| Czech | létat | ||
| The word "létat" can also mean "to float" or "to hover" in the air. | |||
| Estonian | lendama | ||
| The word "lendama" in Estonian can also refer to the act of jumping or leaping. | |||
| Finnish | lentää | ||
| Lentää is a common verb in Finnish that means to fly, but it also has the extended meaning of to move quickly or to escape. | |||
| Hungarian | légy | ||
| The Hungarian word "légy" can also refer to moths and other flying insects. | |||
| Latvian | lidot | ||
| In Polish, the word "lida" means "to float", suggesting a possible etymological connection to the Latvian word "lidot". | |||
| Lithuanian | skristi | ||
| The word "skristi" in Lithuanian comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *sker-, meaning "to turn", "to twist", or "to bend". | |||
| Macedonian | летаат | ||
| The word летаат in Macedonian also has the metaphorical meaning of 'going fast'. | |||
| Polish | latać | ||
| In Polish, the verb "latać" can also mean "to patch up" or "to wander aimlessly." | |||
| Romanian | a zbura | ||
| The Romanian word "a zbura" can also mean "to flee" or "to escape". | |||
| Russian | летать | ||
| The Russian word "летать" also has the figurative meaning of "to be very busy". | |||
| Serbian | летети | ||
| The word "летети" also means "glide" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | lietať | ||
| The Slovak verb "lietať" also means "to be lazy", "to dawdle" | |||
| Slovenian | leteti | ||
| The word 'leteti' can also refer to 'soar' or 'flutter' within the context of an aircraft or a bird respectively. | |||
| Ukrainian | літати | ||
| The Ukrainian word "літати" is derived from the Proto-Slavic verb *letati, meaning "to fly" or "to soar." | |||
Fly in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | উড়ে | ||
| Derived from the Sanskrit word 'ud', 'উড়ে' also means 'to rise' or 'to jump up' in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | ઉડાન | ||
| Originally meaning 'to take to the wing', 'ઉડાન' also metaphorically means 'to take flight' in terms of one's career or reputation. | |||
| Hindi | उड़ना | ||
| In Punjabi, the word "uddnaa" (उड़ना) means to "fly" but also conveys the emotions of joy and excitement. | |||
| Kannada | ಫ್ಲೈ | ||
| ಫ್ಲೈ (fly) also means to leap or jump. | |||
| Malayalam | പറക്കുക | ||
| The original meaning of the word "പറക്കുക" is a type of dance, similar to a whirling dervish, which can sometimes resemble bird flight. | |||
| Marathi | उडणे | ||
| The Marathi word "उडणे" (fly) originally meant "to jump" and is related to the Hindi word "उछलना" (to bounce) | |||
| Nepali | उडान | ||
| The word "उडान" can also mean "leap" or "jump" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਉੱਡ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਉੱਡ" (fly) is also used to figuratively describe a person who is very outgoing or active. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පියාසර කරන්න | ||
| The word "පියාසර කරන්න" (fly) in Sinhala is derived from the Prakrit word "piyaasiya" (to fly) and has an alternate meaning of "to soar or rise high in the air" | |||
| Tamil | ஈ | ||
| The Tamil word 'ஈ' refers not only to the insect, but also to a star (especially the Pole Star) and the vowel sound 'i'. | |||
| Telugu | ఎగురు | ||
| The word "ఎగురు" also means "to dance", and is related to the Tamil word "எகுறு" (ekuru) which means "to leap". | |||
| Urdu | اڑنا | ||
| "اڑنا" can also mean to move quickly, to be scattered, to disappear, or to vanish. | |||
Fly in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 飞 | ||
| 飛 means a man spreading out his arms and legs in Oracle Bone Scripts, and is the same as the glyph for person, and it also can mean 'to send out' or 'to escape'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 飛 | ||
| The character '飛' also means 'running quickly' in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | 飛ぶ | ||
| 飛ぶ in Japanese can also mean "to jump" or "to leap". | |||
| Korean | 파리 | ||
| The Korean word "파리" (fly) is also used to refer to the capital of France, Paris. | |||
| Mongolian | нисэх | ||
| The Mongolian word "нисэх" originated from the Altaic root "*nese-", meaning "to fly through the air". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ယင်ကောင် | ||
Fly in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | terbang | ||
| Did you know that "terbang" can also mean "to soar" or "to levitate" in Indonesian? | |||
| Javanese | mabur | ||
| The Javanese word "mabur" originally referred to birds, but was later extended to include insects and other flying creatures. | |||
| Khmer | ហោះ | ||
| The Khmer word "ហោះ" not only means "to fly," but also "to rise," "to soar," or "to take off." | |||
| Lao | ບິນ | ||
| The Lao word "ບິນ" also means "to fly by airplane" and "to jump". | |||
| Malay | terbang | ||
| Terbang is derived from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian root word *tabhaŋ, which could refer to "fly" or "sky" depending on the context. | |||
| Thai | บิน | ||
| The Thai word "บิน" ("fly") also means "to run away" or "to escape". | |||
| Vietnamese | bay | ||
| "Bay" (to fly) comes from the word "bay" (a kind of tree with edible nuts). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | lumipad | ||
Fly in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | uçmaq | ||
| The word "uçmaq" also means "to soar" and "to float" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | ұшу | ||
| The word "ұшу" in Kazakh also means "to run away" or "to escape". | |||
| Kyrgyz | учуу | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning, "учуу" can also refer to "flight" or "aviation" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | паридан | ||
| The word "паридан" comes from the Persian word "پريدن" (paridan), meaning "to fly". | |||
| Turkmen | uçmak | ||
| Uzbek | pashsha | ||
| The Uzbek word "pashsha" can also refer to a small or narrow object. | |||
| Uyghur | چىۋىن | ||
Fly in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lele | ||
| Lele also means 'to float,' describing birds soaring through the air in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | rere | ||
| Rere is also a term for a Maori dance that mimics the flight of hawks. | |||
| Samoan | lele | ||
| The word "lele" in Samoan also means "to leap" or "to jump." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | lumipad | ||
| "Lumipad" (fly) can also refer to taking a leap of faith in Tagalog. | |||
Fly in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | thuqtaña | ||
| Guarani | mberu | ||
Fly in International Languages
| Esperanto | flugi | ||
| The word "flugi" can also refer to an airplane or other flying machine in Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | volant | ||
| The Latin word "volant" can also mean "shuttle" or "spinning top". | |||
Fly in Others Languages
| Greek | πετώ | ||
| The verb πετώ (peto) can also mean "to spread" or "to extend", as in "πετώ τα φτερά μου" (peto ta ftera mou, "I spread my wings"). | |||
| Hmong | ya | ||
| The Hmong term 'yaw' which means to fly when it comes to animals and vehicles, and to jump when referring to humans. | |||
| Kurdish | mêş | ||
| The word "mêş" in Kurdish also means "lamb" and is thought to be derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʰʰew- ('to shine'), which is also the origin of the English word "ewe". | |||
| Turkish | uçmak | ||
| 'Uçmak' also refers to 'escaping from a dangerous place' in Turkish, just like the verb 'voler' in French. | |||
| Xhosa | bhabha | ||
| The word "bhabha" can also refer to an insect or a bird, and is sometimes used to describe someone who is talkative or garrulous. | |||
| Yiddish | פליען | ||
| The Yiddish word "פליען" not only means "to fly," but also "to flee" (as in escaping danger) and "to run off" (as in doing so illicitly). | |||
| Zulu | ukundiza | ||
| "Ukundiza" in Zulu not only means "fly," but also refers to the act of "fleeing" or "running away." | |||
| Assamese | উৰা | ||
| Aymara | thuqtaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | उड़ल | ||
| Dhivehi | އުދުހުން | ||
| Dogri | उड्डना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | lumipad | ||
| Guarani | mberu | ||
| Ilocano | agtayab | ||
| Krio | flay | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | فڕین | ||
| Maithili | माछी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯥꯏꯕ | ||
| Mizo | thlawk | ||
| Oromo | barrisuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଉଡ | ||
| Quechua | chuspi | ||
| Sanskrit | उड्डयते | ||
| Tatar | оча | ||
| Tigrinya | ንፈር | ||
| Tsonga | haha | ||