Foreign in Different Languages
Discover 'Foreign' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'foreign' carries a sense of intrigue and mystery, as it represents the unknown and the exotic. It's a concept that has been present throughout history, as humans have always been fascinated by what lies beyond their own borders. From the Silk Road to the Age of Exploration, the allure of the foreign has driven us to seek out new cultures, languages, and experiences.
Understanding the translation of 'foreign' in different languages is not only a useful tool for travelers, but it also provides insight into the cultural values and perspectives of different societies. For example, in Spanish, 'foreign' is 'extranjero,' which reflects the country's history of colonialism and its complex relationship with its former colonies. Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'foreign' is 'gaikokujin,' which combines the characters for 'outside' and 'country' to convey a sense of otherness.
Join us as we explore the translations of 'foreign' in various languages, shedding light on the rich cultural tapestry of our world.
Foreign
Foreign in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vreemd | ||
| Afrikaans "vreemd" can also mean "strange" or "unusual", possibly due to its historical association with foreign things or people. | |||
| Amharic | ባዕድ | ||
| "ባዕድ" refers in some Ethiopian cultures to a specific person that is considered an "outsider," particularly in the northern parts of Ethiopia, and is also considered a term of respect towards strangers and visitors. | |||
| Hausa | baƙo | ||
| The Hausa word "baƙo" also means "guest" or "stranger". | |||
| Igbo | onye ala ọzọ | ||
| "Onye ala ọzọ" is also used to describe someone who is not a member of a particular group or community. | |||
| Malagasy | vahiny | ||
| "VAHINY" can also mean "visitor" or "guest" in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | yachilendo | ||
| The word "yachilendo" can also mean "stranger" or "alien". | |||
| Shona | mutorwa | ||
| The word 'mutorwa' can also refer to a non-Shona speaker or a person from another tribe. | |||
| Somali | shisheeye | ||
| "Shisheeye" is derived from the Arabic word "shay" meaning "thing" or "object". | |||
| Sesotho | osele | ||
| The word "osele" is derived from the Zulu word "izizwe" meaning "nation". | |||
| Swahili | kigeni | ||
| Kigeni derives from the root '-geni' (to be born), implying 'not from here'. | |||
| Xhosa | welinye ilizwe | ||
| "Welinye ilizwe" can also refer to something that is strange or unusual. | |||
| Yoruba | ajeji | ||
| In the Igbo language, "ajeji" specifically refers to those hailing from Igbo states outside of one's own. | |||
| Zulu | owangaphandle | ||
| Owangaphandle derives from the Proto-Bantu word *pangali, meaning "other tribe". It can also refer to a person who doesn't belong to one's own clan. | |||
| Bambara | dunuan | ||
| Ewe | duta | ||
| Kinyarwanda | abanyamahanga | ||
| Lingala | mopaya | ||
| Luganda | -nna ggwanga | ||
| Sepedi | ntle | ||
| Twi (Akan) | hɔhoɔ | ||
Foreign in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | أجنبي | ||
| The Arabic word "أجنبي" (foreign) derives from the root word "جنب" (side), hence an "أجنبي" is etymologically someone from another side or place from you | |||
| Hebrew | זָר | ||
| The word "זָר" can also mean "strange" or "unusual" in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | بهرني | ||
| The Pashto word "بهرني" can also refer to an outsider, someone not from the local community or an uncultured or uncivilized person. | |||
| Arabic | أجنبي | ||
| The Arabic word "أجنبي" (foreign) derives from the root word "جنب" (side), hence an "أجنبي" is etymologically someone from another side or place from you | |||
Foreign in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i huaj | ||
| The word "i huaj" can also refer to something that is "strange" or "unusual." | |||
| Basque | atzerritarra | ||
| The word "atzerritarra" in Basque can also refer to "aliens" or "extra-terrestrials". | |||
| Catalan | estranger | ||
| The word "estranger" in Catalan derives from the Latin word "extraneus", meaning "outsider" or "stranger". | |||
| Croatian | strani | ||
| The Croatian word 'strani' comes from the Proto-Slavic '*storna', which also means 'side' or 'direction'. | |||
| Danish | udenlandsk | ||
| "Udenlandsk" (foreign) is the opposite or inverse form of "indenlandsk" (national). | |||
| Dutch | buitenlands | ||
| The word "buitenlands" originates from the Middle Dutch word "butenlant", meaning "outside the country". | |||
| English | foreign | ||
| The word 'foreign' derives from the Latin 'foraneus', meaning 'outside' or 'belonging to another country'. | |||
| French | étranger | ||
| The French word "étranger" originally meant "outsider" or "stranger", and only later came to mean "foreigner". | |||
| Frisian | frjemd | ||
| The Frisian word for "foreign" comes from the Old Frisian word "fremd" or "fremt" which meant both "foreign and "strange." | |||
| Galician | estranxeiro | ||
| The word "estranxeiro" can also mean "stranger" in Galician. | |||
| German | fremd | ||
| "Fremde" (fem.) as a noun can also mean "stranger" or even "alien" and is related to the English word "friend" and the archaic "fremd" (masc.) which meant "kind, amiable." | |||
| Icelandic | erlendum | ||
| The word "erlendum" is also used to describe something that is unusual or mysterious | |||
| Irish | eachtrach | ||
| Eachtrach shares a root with "each" meaning "horse" due to the importance of horses in ancient Irish trade and mercenary work. | |||
| Italian | straniero | ||
| The word "straniero" derives from the Latin "extraneus," meaning "from outside." | |||
| Luxembourgish | auslännesch | ||
| The word "auslännesch" also means "exotic" or "rare" when used to describe animals or plants. | |||
| Maltese | barranin | ||
| It is derived from a Semitic root *BRN and is cognate with the Arabic word براني (barrānī), meaning "foreign, external". | |||
| Norwegian | fremmed | ||
| The words 'fremmed' (foreign) and 'frem' (strange, unusual) have etymological connections and sometimes overlap in modern usage. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | estrangeiro | ||
| In Portuguese, "estrangeiro" can also mean "strange" or "odd". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cèin | ||
| The Gaelic word "cèin" is also used to refer to something strange, unusual, or otherworldly. | |||
| Spanish | exterior | ||
| The Spanish word "exterior" can also refer to the outside of a building or object. | |||
| Swedish | utländsk | ||
| "Utländsk" can also refer to a person from another Swedish province, or to something strange, novel, or unfamiliar. | |||
| Welsh | tramor | ||
| The etymology of "tramor" is unclear, but it may be related to the Latin "transmarinus" or the French "outre-mer", both meaning "overseas". | |||
Foreign in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | замежны | ||
| Bosnian | strani | ||
| The term 'strani' is etymologically related to 'strah', meaning fear, suggesting a connection between foreignness and a perceived threat. | |||
| Bulgarian | чуждестранен | ||
| The Bulgarian word `чуждестранен` (`chuzhdestranen`) derives from `чужд` (`chuzhd`), meaning `foreign`, and `страна` (`strana`), meaning `country`. | |||
| Czech | zahraniční, cizí | ||
| The word "zahraniční" derives from the Old Czech word "za hraničním," meaning "beyond the border." | |||
| Estonian | võõras | ||
| The word "võõras" originally meant "unfamiliar" or "unknown" rather than specifically "foreign". | |||
| Finnish | ulkomainen | ||
| "Ulko" is a shortened version of "ulkopuoli" (outside) and "mainen" means pertaining to a place or country. | |||
| Hungarian | külföldi | ||
| "Külföldi" is derived from the Turkish word "kül" (outside, alien) and the Hungarian suffix "-földi" (of, belonging to). | |||
| Latvian | ārzemju | ||
| The word "ārzemju" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂erǵʰ- "other, foreign". | |||
| Lithuanian | užsienio | ||
| The word "užsienio" is derived from the Lithuanian word "užsienis", which means "beyond the border". | |||
| Macedonian | странски | ||
| The word "странски" can also refer to someone who is not a native of a particular place. | |||
| Polish | obcy | ||
| The word obcy can also mean strange, unfamiliar, or outlandish. | |||
| Romanian | străin | ||
| The word "străin" also means "strange" or "unusual" in Romanian. | |||
| Russian | иностранный | ||
| The word "иностранный" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "ино" (other) and the Russian word "страна" (country), meaning "from another country". | |||
| Serbian | страни | ||
| The Serbian word "страни" can also refer to "foreigners" or "foreign countries". | |||
| Slovak | zahraničné | ||
| The word "zahraničné" is derived from the Slavic root "*zor" (meaning "outside, beyond") and the suffix "-an" (meaning "pertaining to"). | |||
| Slovenian | tuje | ||
| In older Slovene, "tuje" also meant "unknown" or "of unknown origin". | |||
| Ukrainian | іноземні | ||
| The word "іноземні" (foreign) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*inъ" (other) and the suffix "-zemъ" (land). | |||
Foreign in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বিদেশী | ||
| The word 'বিদেশী' (foreign) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'विदेश' (videsha), which means 'from a different country'. | |||
| Gujarati | વિદેશી | ||
| The word "વિદેશી" (videshi) in Gujarati can also mean "alien" or "stranger". | |||
| Hindi | विदेश | ||
| The word "विदेश" is derived from the Sanskrit word "videśa", which means "strange country". | |||
| Kannada | ವಿದೇಶಿ | ||
| The word "ವಿದೇಶಿ" (vidēśi) can also be used to refer to something that is not from one's own country or culture. | |||
| Malayalam | വിദേശ | ||
| The word 'വിദേശ' (vidēśa) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'विदेश' (vidēśa), which means 'different country'. | |||
| Marathi | परदेशी | ||
| "Paradeshi" has an interesting alternate connotation of being a "stranger", especially a person who does not come from the same place as you. | |||
| Nepali | विदेशी | ||
| The word 'विदेशी' can also mean 'alien' or 'strange' in Nepali, but it is primarily used to refer to foreigners or foreign things. | |||
| Punjabi | ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ੀ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | විදේශ | ||
| The term is also used as an honorific in the context of a foreign dignitary. | |||
| Tamil | வெளிநாட்டு | ||
| Telugu | విదేశీ | ||
| "విదేశీ "is one of those words in Telugu that doesn’t really have a direct translation into English and has a multitude of meanings that are slightly different depending on its context | |||
| Urdu | غیر ملکی | ||
| The Urdu word 'غیر ملکی' ('foreign') originally referred to residents from other Muslim lands, but gradually expanded to include all outsiders. | |||
Foreign in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 国外 | ||
| "国外" is used in China and Taiwan, but it can also refer to the countryside within a specific country. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 國外 | ||
| In addition to its common usage, the term 國外 may also refer to the area outside the borders of the Chinese Empire or to territories that were not directly under Chinese control. | |||
| Japanese | 外国人 | ||
| 外国人 (gaikokujin) literally means "person of an outside country" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 외국 | ||
| The word 외국 can also refer to a place that is not one's own country, or to a person who is not from one's own country. | |||
| Mongolian | гадаад | ||
| 'Гадаад' derives from the Mongolian term 'гадаа' translating as 'outside' or 'exterior'. As a noun, it is synonymous with the Mongolian word 'ажлаас' (work), and it may also refer to the 'abroad'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | နိုင်ငံခြား | ||
| A second interpretation of the word in Burmese (literally "nation-different") suggests that people from other countries are like different nations of people | |||
Foreign in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | asing | ||
| The word "asing" in Indonesian originated from the Sanskrit word "acina" meaning "strange". | |||
| Javanese | wong asing | ||
| The word wong asing (foreign) derives from the combination of "wong" (person) and "asing" (strange). | |||
| Khmer | បរទេស | ||
| "បរទេស" can also mean "the place where one is not born and raised", "a foreign country", or "a foreign land." | |||
| Lao | ຕ່າງປະເທດ | ||
| Malay | asing | ||
| Asing is a Proto-Austronesian term referring to something from beyond one's community, tribe or sphere of familiarity. | |||
| Thai | ต่างประเทศ | ||
| In Thai "ต่างประเทศ" can also mean "countryside". | |||
| Vietnamese | ngoại quốc | ||
| "Ngoại quốc" (foreign) in Vietnamese literally translates to "outside the country". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | dayuhan | ||
Foreign in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | xarici | ||
| The word "xarici" in Azerbaijani can also refer to "external" or "outward". | |||
| Kazakh | шетелдік | ||
| The word "шетелдік" (foreign) in Kazakh also refers to "overseas" and "abroad". | |||
| Kyrgyz | чет элдик | ||
| "Чет элдик" is also a term for a person who is not a native speaker of Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | хориҷӣ | ||
| The word "хориҷӣ" can also mean "alien", "external" or "outsider" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | daşary ýurtly | ||
| Uzbek | chet el | ||
| The word "chet el" can also mean "non-Muslim" or "infidel" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | چەتئەللىك | ||
Foreign in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | haole | ||
| In the 19th century, the term "haole" was extended to American missionaries, and today, it can refer to any non-native of Hawaii | |||
| Maori | tauiwi | ||
| Derived from the Proto-Polynesian word *taviki, meaning "companion" or "associate". | |||
| Samoan | tagata ese | ||
| "Tagata ese" can also mean "outsider," or someone who doesn't belong to the village or area where they live. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | dayuhan | ||
| Dayuhan can also mean "guest" in Tagalog, as well as "stranger." | |||
Foreign in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | anqajankiri | ||
| Guarani | pytagua | ||
Foreign in International Languages
| Esperanto | fremda | ||
| Fremda derives from German and translates to "foreign", but as in "strange" or "exotic" rather than "not from this place". | |||
| Latin | aliena | ||
| In ancient Roman law, "aliena" described objects or persons that had been consecrated as offerings to the gods. | |||
Foreign in Others Languages
| Greek | ξένο | ||
| "Ξένο" also means "guest" or "stranger" in Greek, sharing a root with "ξενώνας" (guesthouse). | |||
| Hmong | tuaj txawv tebchaws | ||
| The term "tuaj txawv tebchaws" can also refer to people from different ethnic groups within the Hmong community. | |||
| Kurdish | xerîb | ||
| The word "xerîb" can also mean "stranger" or "guest" in Kurdish, and is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ghosti-," meaning "guest" or "stranger." | |||
| Turkish | dış | ||
| Dış can also mean "outside" or "other", and is often used in the names of restaurants and stores. | |||
| Xhosa | welinye ilizwe | ||
| "Welinye ilizwe" can also refer to something that is strange or unusual. | |||
| Yiddish | פרעמד | ||
| The Yiddish word "פרעמד" can also refer to an outsider or someone unfamiliar. | |||
| Zulu | owangaphandle | ||
| Owangaphandle derives from the Proto-Bantu word *pangali, meaning "other tribe". It can also refer to a person who doesn't belong to one's own clan. | |||
| Assamese | বিদেশী | ||
| Aymara | anqajankiri | ||
| Bhojpuri | बिलायती | ||
| Dhivehi | ޚާރިޖީ | ||
| Dogri | बदेसी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | dayuhan | ||
| Guarani | pytagua | ||
| Ilocano | baniaga | ||
| Krio | ɔda | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بیانی | ||
| Maithili | विदेश | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯤꯔꯝ | ||
| Mizo | ramdang | ||
| Oromo | orma | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବିଦେଶୀ | ||
| Quechua | extranjero | ||
| Sanskrit | विदेशः | ||
| Tatar | чит ил | ||
| Tigrinya | ናይ ወፃእ | ||
| Tsonga | hlampfa | ||