Freedom in Different Languages
Discover 'Freedom' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Freedom is a powerful word that holds immense significance across the world. It represents the ability to act, speak, and think without restraint, and is often associated with notions of human rights, democracy, and personal autonomy. The concept of freedom has been a central theme in many cultural, philosophical, and political movements throughout history, making it a universally relevant and important idea.
Moreover, the word 'freedom' has been translated into countless languages, each with its own unique cultural and historical context. For example, in Spanish, freedom is 'libertad,' while in French, it is 'liberté.' These translations not only reflect linguistic differences but also highlight the cultural significance of freedom in different societies.
Understanding the translation of freedom in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and historical contexts of various societies. It can also help facilitate cross-cultural communication and promote a deeper appreciation for the diversity and richness of human cultures.
In the following list, you will find the translations of freedom in 20 different languages, ranging from commonly spoken languages like Spanish and Mandarin to lesser-known languages like Maori and Zulu.
Freedom
Freedom in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vryheid | ||
| Afrikaans "vryheid" derives from the Dutch word "vrijheid" and literally means "lord freedom" or "freedom to be a lord." | |||
| Amharic | ነፃነት | ||
| "Freedom (nǝssanǝn, liberty of a slave) comes under the general heading that includes (sǝrǝḥ (deliver, relieve), fäsäs (break, free), wäsädä (open up), hällälä (loosen)." | |||
| Hausa | 'yanci | ||
| 'Yancin' in Hausa can also mean 'right' or 'power' and is not derived from the Arabic root meaning 'freedom'. | |||
| Igbo | nnwere onwe | ||
| The Igbo word "nnwere onwe" literally translates to "ownership of oneself". | |||
| Malagasy | freedom | ||
| The word "fahafahana" literally translates to "no longer be a slave" | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ufulu | ||
| The word "ufulu" derives from the verb "kufula", meaning "to allow" or "to give permission". | |||
| Shona | rusununguko | ||
| The Shona word 'rusununguko' can also refer to emancipation or liberation from oppression or servitude. | |||
| Somali | xorriyadda | ||
| The word "xorriyadda" is derived from the Arabic word "hurriya", which also means "freedom". | |||
| Sesotho | tokoloho | ||
| The word 'tokoloho' in Sesotho is also used to refer to a mythical creature known as the Tokoloshe, believed to be a mischievous and troublesome spirit with supernatural powers. | |||
| Swahili | uhuru | ||
| "Uhuru" also means 'independence' in Swahili, reflecting the close association between the two concepts. | |||
| Xhosa | inkululeko | ||
| In Xhosa, 'inkululeko' also refers to a bird that soars high in the sky, symbolizing aspiration and liberation. | |||
| Yoruba | ominira | ||
| "Omìnìrà" is an alternative expression for "òfèfé" (freedom), emphasizing the idea of independence and self-determination. | |||
| Zulu | inkululeko | ||
| 'Inkuleleko' is also the Zulu word for 'independence' | |||
| Bambara | hɔrɔnya | ||
| Ewe | ablɔɖe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umudendezo | ||
| Lingala | bonsomi | ||
| Luganda | eddembe | ||
| Sepedi | tokologo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | fawohodie | ||
Freedom in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حرية | ||
| The word "حرية" also means "exemption from obligation" in Arabic | |||
| Hebrew | חוֹפֶשׁ | ||
| The Hebrew word "חוֹפֶשׁ" not only means "freedom," but also "vacation" or "holiday." | |||
| Pashto | ازادي | ||
| The Pashto word "ازادي" is derived from the Persian "آزادی" and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European word "h₂ews-ero-" meaning "one's own". | |||
| Arabic | حرية | ||
| The word "حرية" also means "exemption from obligation" in Arabic | |||
Freedom in Western European Languages
| Albanian | liria | ||
| "Liria" comes from the Illyrian term *leiw-er-ya* that means "to release, free". The word had the same meaning in Ancient Greek and in Latin (liber / lībero)" } | |||
| Basque | askatasuna | ||
| 'Askatasuna' comes from the Basque words 'aski' meaning 'enough' and 'as' meaning 'time', and originally meant 'having enough time'. | |||
| Catalan | llibertat | ||
| The Catalan word "llibertat" comes from the Latin "libertatem", meaning "the state of being free" | |||
| Croatian | sloboda | ||
| The word 'sloboda' can also refer to a type of settlement in Eastern Europe, similar to a town or village, that was granted special privileges or exemptions. | |||
| Danish | frihed | ||
| The Danish word "frihed" originates from the Old Norse word "frjáls," meaning "free, noble, or generous." | |||
| Dutch | vrijheid | ||
| In early Dutch, "vrijheid" meant the immunity enjoyed by certain individuals or locations from a feudal lord. | |||
| English | freedom | ||
| The word 'freedom' can be traced back to the Old English word 'freodom', meaning 'peace' or 'immunity from obligations'. | |||
| French | liberté | ||
| The word "liberté" also means "liberty" in French, and it comes from the Latin word "libertas," meaning "freedom from restraint." | |||
| Frisian | frijheid | ||
| The Frisian word "frijheid" has its origins in the Old Saxon "frīheit" and the Old English "freodom", both meaning "freedom". | |||
| Galician | liberdade | ||
| In Galician, the word "liberdade" is also used to express the concept of "personal space" or "privacy". | |||
| German | freiheit | ||
| The word 'Freiheit' is derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'frijaz', meaning 'love' or 'friend'. | |||
| Icelandic | frelsi | ||
| In Icelandic, the word "frelsi" is derived from the word "frelsa," meaning "to free, to deliver," and can also refer to a "release" or "rescue." | |||
| Irish | saoirse | ||
| The word 'saoirse' in Irish may have originated from the Proto-Indo-European root *sew- meaning 'to shine' or 'to turn red'. | |||
| Italian | la libertà | ||
| "La libertà" derives from the Latin word "libertas," which means "state of being free". | |||
| Luxembourgish | fräiheet | ||
| The word "Fräiheet" originates from the Germanic word "frijahait" meaning "love" or "friendship". | |||
| Maltese | libertà | ||
| In Maltese, 'libertà' derives from the Italian 'libertà' (freedom), which itself originates from the Latin 'libertas' (liberty). | |||
| Norwegian | frihet | ||
| The word 'frihet' likely originates from the Old Norse word 'frjáls', meaning 'own one's self' or 'be one's own master' | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | liberdade | ||
| The word "liberdade" in Portuguese derives from the Latin word "libertas", meaning "condition of a free person exempt from servitude". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | saorsa | ||
| In medieval Gaelic, 'saorsa' also meant 'deliverance' or 'redemption'. | |||
| Spanish | libertad | ||
| The word "libertad" in Spanish derives from the Latin word "libertas" meaning "the state of being free". | |||
| Swedish | frihet | ||
| The word 'frihet' in Swedish is derived from the Old Norse word 'frjáls', meaning 'free from restraint or obligation'. | |||
| Welsh | rhyddid | ||
| "Rhyddid" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *reudh- meaning "to clear", related to words like "ruthless" and "rudder." | |||
Freedom in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | свабода | ||
| The word "свабода" is etymologically related to the word "воля", which means "will" or "desire" in Russian. | |||
| Bosnian | sloboda | ||
| The word "sloboda" comes from the Slavic word "slobodija", and initially referred to tax exemption for newly settled areas. | |||
| Bulgarian | свобода | ||
| The word "свобода" (freedom) in Bulgarian also refers to the absence of obstacles or hindrances. | |||
| Czech | svoboda | ||
| "Svoboda" (freedom) originates from the Old Slavic word "svob" meaning "one's own" and also shares a root with the word "svat" (holy, sacred). | |||
| Estonian | vabadus | ||
| The word "vabadus" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word *wabaz, meaning "open" or "unbound" | |||
| Finnish | vapaus | ||
| Etymology: from Proto-Uralic *wapa, meaning "free, open, unoccupied" | |||
| Hungarian | szabadság | ||
| Szabadság originates from the Proto-Slavic word svoboda, meaning "free time" or "holiday". | |||
| Latvian | brīvība | ||
| "Brīvība" possibly originates from Sanskrit "bhravas", "fearless" or "unshaken". | |||
| Lithuanian | laisvė | ||
| The word "laisvė" in Lithuanian is cognate to "license" in English and means not only "freedom" but also "permission" and "authorization." | |||
| Macedonian | слобода | ||
| The word СЛОБОДА also means a settlement free from feudal obligations. | |||
| Polish | wolność | ||
| The word "wolność" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *volja, meaning "will" or "choice". | |||
| Romanian | libertate | ||
| The Romanian word for "freedom" comes from the Latin word "libertas", originally meaning "the right to own land", from an Indo-European root meaning "fat". | |||
| Russian | свобода | ||
| The word “свобода” (freedom) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word “svoboda”, which originally meant “one's own” or “belonging to oneself.” | |||
| Serbian | слобода | ||
| The word "слобода" in Serbian derives from the Greek word "eleutherodia" meaning "liberty". | |||
| Slovak | sloboda | ||
| Sloboda also means "neighborhood" in Russian and Ukrainian and "suburb" in Polish. | |||
| Slovenian | svoboda | ||
| The word "svoboda" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *svobodъ, which meant "one's own" or "independent." | |||
| Ukrainian | свобода | ||
| Свобода originated from the word "свой" which means "own", emphasizing the independence aspect of the concept. | |||
Freedom in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | স্বাধীনতা | ||
| স্বাধীনতা originates from the Sanskrit word 'स्वाधीनत' (svādhīnatā) meaning 'self-rule' or 'autonomy'. | |||
| Gujarati | સ્વતંત્રતા | ||
| Hindi | आजादी | ||
| The Hindi word "आजादी" also means "independence" or "self-governance". | |||
| Kannada | ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯ | ||
| Malayalam | സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം | ||
| The Malayalam word "സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം" also means "independence" or the state of being separated from or not subject to constraint. | |||
| Marathi | स्वातंत्र्य | ||
| The word "स्वातंत्र्य" in Marathi originates from the Sanskrit word "स्वतन्त्र," meaning "self-reliant" or "independent." | |||
| Nepali | स्वतन्त्रता | ||
| स्वतन्त्रता is derived from the Sanskrit word swa-tantra, which literally means "self-rule" or "autonomous." | |||
| Punjabi | ਆਜ਼ਾਦੀ | ||
| "Āzādī" is closely related to the Persian word "āzād" and is also a term for a style in North Indian classical music. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නිදහස | ||
| "නිදහස" derives from the Sanskrit word "nih-daha", meaning "away from burning" or "not burnt". | |||
| Tamil | சுதந்திரம் | ||
| சுதந்திரம்'s etymological root, 'swa', signifies ownership, reflecting its inherent connotation of self-determination. | |||
| Telugu | స్వేచ్ఛ | ||
| 'స్వేచ్ఛ' ('freedom') is thought to have originated from the Sanskrit word 'svaccha' meaning 'bright' or 'pure'. The term can also refer to 'liberation' or 'deliverance'. | |||
| Urdu | آزادی | ||
| آزادی (āzādī) is a common noun that originates from the Persian word "āzād", meaning "unrestrained"} | |||
Freedom in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 自由 | ||
| The Chinese character 自由 (freedom) is composed of two characters: 自 (self) and 由 (originating from the concept of a chariot without reins) | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 自由 | ||
| 自由 can also be interpreted as 'freely' or 'to do whatever you want'. | |||
| Japanese | 自由 | ||
| “自由” literally means “as you wish”. | |||
| Korean | 자유 | ||
| The word '자유' can also mean 'leisure' or 'holiday' in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | эрх чөлөө | ||
| Эрх чөлөө is also a term used in Mongolian shamanism to refer to the spirits of the dead. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လွတ်လပ်ခွင့် | ||
Freedom in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kebebasan | ||
| The word 'kebebasan' in Indonesian likely derives from the Sanskrit word 'svabhava,' meaning 'nature' or 'essence,' and also signifies one's 'independence' or 'self-possession.' | |||
| Javanese | kamardikan | ||
| "Merdeka" means "untied" ("mer-de-ka") in Sanskrit and originally meant "liberated from suffering" in Buddhism. In Javanese, it means "to be able to act independently" | |||
| Khmer | សេរីភាព | ||
| The word "សេរីភាព" ("freedom") in Khmer is derived from Sanskrit "svabhāva", meaning "self-nature" or "original state" | |||
| Lao | ເສລີພາບ | ||
| Malay | kebebasan | ||
| The word "kebebasan" derives from the Arabic word "hurriyyah", meaning "independence" or "autonomy." | |||
| Thai | เสรีภาพ | ||
| เสรีภาพ (seriap), from Pali, is also used to mean 'leisure time'. | |||
| Vietnamese | sự tự do | ||
| In addition to its literal meaning of "freedom", "sự tự do" can also refer to autonomy, independence, or self-determination. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kalayaan | ||
Freedom in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | azadlıq | ||
| Azadlıq is cognate with the Persian word "āzādi", both deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂leh₃u-, meaning "to free, liberate, exempt, protect". | |||
| Kazakh | бостандық | ||
| The word "Бостандық" comes from the Persian word "bostan" meaning "garden". | |||
| Kyrgyz | эркиндик | ||
| The root of the word “эркиндик” means “wide” as in open space, as a steppe. | |||
| Tajik | озодӣ | ||
| Derived from Persian "āzādī," the word "озодӣ" can also refer to independence or self-determination. | |||
| Turkmen | azatlyk | ||
| Uzbek | erkinlik | ||
| The Uzbek word "erkinlik" is borrowed from the Persian word "آزاد" and also has the meaning "liberality". | |||
| Uyghur | ئەركىنلىك | ||
Freedom in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kūʻokoʻa | ||
| In Hawaiian, "kūʻokoʻa" also refers to "the right of governance (self-determination) without threat or infringement from an outside force, without being dependent upon others (including family), or upon the government"} | |||
| Maori | herekore | ||
| Maori language uses the phrase "herekore kore" in legal contexts to refer to "no-choice situations". | |||
| Samoan | saolotoga | ||
| Saolotoga is also a name for a Samoan weapon consisting of a long stick with pointed barbs along one side. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kalayaan | ||
| "Kalayaan" is rooted in the pre-colonial concept of "karayaan" and signifies autonomy or self-governance. | |||
Freedom in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | liwirtara | ||
| Guarani | sãso | ||
Freedom in International Languages
| Esperanto | libereco | ||
| Esperanto's "libereco" derives from French "liberté", with the suffix "-eco" denoting an abstract quality, and also means "liberty" or "independence" | |||
| Latin | libertas | ||
| The Latin term 'libertas' not only represents political or personal liberty but also bears the connotation of 'independence' or 'autonomy' in the context of social or political standing. | |||
Freedom in Others Languages
| Greek | ελευθερία | ||
| Ελευθερία, meaning "freedom" in Greek, is derived from the word "ελεύω," meaning "to come out of." It also carries connotations of "independence" and "sovereignty." | |||
| Hmong | kev ywj pheej | ||
| "Kev ywj pheej" literally means "space to walk", referring to the freedom to move and act without restriction. | |||
| Kurdish | azadî | ||
| The term 'azadî' in Kurdish can be derived from the Indo-Iranian root 'aza', denoting 'possession, power, authority,' or from the Avestan word 'aṣa' (truth, order) or 'āzati' (freedom) | |||
| Turkish | özgürlük | ||
| "Özgürlük" means "freedom" but is also a combination of the words "öz" (self) and "gürlük" (abundance), implying "abundance of self." | |||
| Xhosa | inkululeko | ||
| In Xhosa, 'inkululeko' also refers to a bird that soars high in the sky, symbolizing aspiration and liberation. | |||
| Yiddish | פרייהייט | ||
| The Yiddish word "פֿרײַהײַט" (friheit) can also refer to the state of being free from pain or discomfort. | |||
| Zulu | inkululeko | ||
| 'Inkuleleko' is also the Zulu word for 'independence' | |||
| Assamese | স্বাধীনতা | ||
| Aymara | liwirtara | ||
| Bhojpuri | आजादी | ||
| Dhivehi | މިނިވަންކަން | ||
| Dogri | अजादी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kalayaan | ||
| Guarani | sãso | ||
| Ilocano | kinawaya | ||
| Krio | fridɔm | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئازادی | ||
| Maithili | स्वतंत्रता | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯅꯤꯡ ꯇꯝꯕ | ||
| Mizo | zalenna | ||
| Oromo | bilisummaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସ୍ୱାଧୀନତା | ||
| Quechua | qispisqa kay | ||
| Sanskrit | स्वतंत्रता | ||
| Tatar | ирек | ||
| Tigrinya | ነፃነት | ||
| Tsonga | ntshuxeko | ||