Freeze in Different Languages
Discover 'Freeze' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'freeze' holds a special significance in our daily lives, reminding us of the chilly winter months or the refreshing sensation of a cold drink on a hot day. Its cultural importance is evident in various art forms, from literature to film, where 'freeze' is often used to convey a range of emotions and atmospheres.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'freeze' in different languages can be both fascinating and practical. For instance, did you know that the German word for 'freeze' is 'frieren', while in Spanish, it's 'congelar'? Or that in Japan, the word ' freeze' is translated as '冷まる' (tsumetau), and in Russia, it's 'замерзать' (zamerzat')?
Exploring the translations of 'freeze' in different languages not only sheds light on the cultural nuances of various countries but also comes in handy when traveling, learning a new language, or simply expanding one's vocabulary.
Freeze
Freeze in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vries | ||
| Afrikaans "vries" derives from Middle Dutch "vriesen', ultimately from Proto-Germanic "*freusanan". | |||
| Amharic | በረዶ | ||
| በረዶ is also a name traditionally given to people whose birth names contain characters with certain geez letters like ው and ስ | |||
| Hausa | daskare | ||
| The word "daskare" in Hausa is also used to describe the act of stopping or ceasing | |||
| Igbo | ifriizi | ||
| Ifiirizi means "to get numbed with cold" or "to chill" when used as a noun. | |||
| Malagasy | mandry | ||
| Malagasy verb "mandry" also means "to be cold" and "to be frozen." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | amaundana | ||
| In Nyanja, the word "amaundana" can also refer to becoming numb or having a cold. | |||
| Shona | chando | ||
| The verb 'chando' is closely related to the noun 'chando' which means 'the cold season'. | |||
| Somali | barafoobid | ||
| The word "barafoobid" likely derives from the Somali word "baaraf" meaning "cold" or "freezing". | |||
| Sesotho | hoamisa | ||
| The word 'hoamisa' (freeze) is also used to describe the process of preserving meat or fish by drying it in the sun. | |||
| Swahili | kuganda | ||
| The word "kuganda" in Swahili can also mean "to get close" or "to be close to". | |||
| Xhosa | ngumkhenkce | ||
| The term 'ngumkhenkce' is a combination of 'ngum- (to be) and 'nkunkcwe' (cold), and can also refer to 'being very cold' or 'numb from the cold'. | |||
| Yoruba | di | ||
| It can also mean "to be cool or uninterested". | |||
| Zulu | nqabela | ||
| The word "nqabela" in Zulu comes from the verb "qabela", meaning "to receive" or "to accept". | |||
| Bambara | ka gilase | ||
| Ewe | fa | ||
| Kinyarwanda | guhagarika | ||
| Lingala | kokomisa malili | ||
| Luganda | okunnyogoga | ||
| Sepedi | tšidifatša | ||
| Twi (Akan) | yɛ no snuboɔ | ||
Freeze in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تجميد | ||
| The word "تجميد" (tajmīd) in Arabic is derived from the root "جمد" (جمَد), which means "to freeze", "to congeal", or "to solidify". | |||
| Hebrew | הַקפָּאָה | ||
| "הַקפָּאָה" (freeze) is also used in the sense of "immobilization". | |||
| Pashto | کنګل کول | ||
| The Pashto word "کنګل کول" also means "to be terrified" or "to be astonished". | |||
| Arabic | تجميد | ||
| The word "تجميد" (tajmīd) in Arabic is derived from the root "جمد" (جمَد), which means "to freeze", "to congeal", or "to solidify". | |||
Freeze in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ngrij | ||
| In the Gheg dialect, the word "ngrij" can also refer to a state of shock or numbness. | |||
| Basque | izoztu | ||
| "Izoztu" comes from the Basque word "izozten", meaning "to put in ice." | |||
| Catalan | congelar | ||
| "Congelar" also means "to be disappointed" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | zamrznuti | ||
| In Croatian, the word "zamrznuti" can also mean "to get cold" or "to become numb". | |||
| Danish | fryse | ||
| The word "fryse" in Danish originally meant "to freeze", but today it also has the meaning "to fry". | |||
| Dutch | bevriezen | ||
| Bevriezen derives from the Middle Dutch word | |||
| English | freeze | ||
| 'Freeze' can also mean to stop or become immobile, or to fix a price or wage. | |||
| French | geler | ||
| "Geler" originally meant to congeal, and is still used in this sense in certain expressions such as "gelée royale" (royal jelly). | |||
| Frisian | frieze | ||
| The Frisian word "frieze" also means "decoration", as in a frieze on a wall. | |||
| Galician | xear | ||
| The word "xear" in Galician also means "to turn sour" | |||
| German | einfrieren | ||
| The verb _einfrieren_ ("to freeze") can also be used figuratively to describe a situation that has become _frozen_, i.e., incapable of change or development. | |||
| Icelandic | frysta | ||
| The word 'frysta' in Icelandic can also mean 'to fry' or 'to freeze someone out' | |||
| Irish | reo | ||
| The Irish word 'reo' may derive from the Proto-Celtic root *reg-, meaning 'stiff' or 'rigid'. | |||
| Italian | congelare | ||
| The Latin verb "congelare" originally meant "to thicken" or "to stiffen" but later came to mean "to freeze". | |||
| Luxembourgish | afréieren | ||
| The word "afréieren" also means "to frighten" or "to make shiver". | |||
| Maltese | iffriżar | ||
| The Maltese word "iffriżar" also means "to congeal". | |||
| Norwegian | fryse | ||
| "Fryse" is also an old Norwegian word for a cloak, and is the origin of the name for Friesland (Friesland and "freeze" are pronounced the same in Norwegian). | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | congelar | ||
| The Portuguese verb "congelar " derives from the Latin word "congelare" which means "to make solid". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | reothadh | ||
| "Reothadh" may also refer to a state of paralysis or numbness. | |||
| Spanish | congelar | ||
| In Spanish, the verb "congelar" not only means to freeze something, but it also means to stun or amaze someone emotionally or intellectually. | |||
| Swedish | frysa | ||
| The Swedish word "frysa" is ultimately derived from the Indo-European root "*preis-o-", meaning "frozen" or "cold". | |||
| Welsh | rhewi | ||
| Rhewi is cognate with the Latin word "glacies", meaning "ice", and the Greek word "krustallos", meaning "frost". | |||
Freeze in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | замерзнуць | ||
| The word "замерзнуць" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *merznǫti, which also means "to freeze" or "to be cold". It is cognate with the Russian word "мёрзнуть" and the Ukrainian word "мерзнути." | |||
| Bosnian | zamrznuti | ||
| "Zamrznuti" derives from the Slavic Proto-Slavic root *zьmьrznoti, meaning "to freeze". | |||
| Bulgarian | замръзване | ||
| The Bulgarian word "замръзване" also refers to the act of freezing or congealing figuratively or literally. | |||
| Czech | zmrazit | ||
| The verb "zmrazit" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*merznǫti", which also means "to die". | |||
| Estonian | külmuma | ||
| "Külmuma" also means "to become indifferent" or "to ignore completely" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | jäätyä | ||
| The word "jäätyä" also means "to get stuck" or "to become immobile". | |||
| Hungarian | fagy | ||
| The word "fagy " also means "frosty" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | iesaldēt | ||
| The Latvian word "iesaldēt" (freeze) originates from the Proto-Germanic word "*saltjan" (to salt), indicating the practice of preserving food by freezing it with salt. | |||
| Lithuanian | sustingti | ||
| The word "sustingti" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *sweg-, meaning "to bend, arch, or curve". | |||
| Macedonian | замрзнување | ||
| In Macedonian, "замрзнување" can also mean "freezing", "frost" or "frostbite" in the context of weather conditions. | |||
| Polish | zamrażać | ||
| The word "zamrażać" can also mean "to congeal" or "to solidify" in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | îngheţa | ||
| The word "îngheţa" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰel- (“to freeze, to glow”) | |||
| Russian | заморозить | ||
| The word "заморозить" in Russian can also mean to "immobilize" or "to prohibit" something. | |||
| Serbian | смрзнути се | ||
| In Bulgarian, the word "змразвам се" also means "to feel very cold". | |||
| Slovak | zmraziť | ||
| The word "zmraziť" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *merznǫti, meaning "to be cold" or "to freeze". | |||
| Slovenian | zamrzne | ||
| Zamrzne comes from zamrzъnъti, which is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *merznǫti, meaning 'to freeze' or 'to be cold'. | |||
| Ukrainian | заморозити | ||
| The word "заморозити" can also mean "to become motionless" or "to be stunned" in Ukrainian. | |||
Freeze in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বরফে পরিণত করা | ||
| The Bengali word "বরফে পরিণত করা" can also mean to preserve in cold temperatures or turn into a solid or rigid state, not just the reduction of temperature. | |||
| Gujarati | સ્થિર | ||
| The Gujarati word "સ્થિર" originates from the Sanskrit word "sthira", meaning "firm" or "stable". It can also refer to a state of mental or emotional stability, in addition to its literal meaning of "freeze". | |||
| Hindi | फ्रीज | ||
| Also in Hindi the verb "फ्रीज" is a loan word from English and has alternate meanings like "to be stuck" or "be immobilized because of fear/shock". | |||
| Kannada | ಫ್ರೀಜ್ | ||
| "ಫ್ರೀಜ್" means to preserve food by freezing in Kannada. It's a loanword from the English word "freeze" (meaning to make or become ice). In Kannada, it can also be used for freezing things in other ways (like a computer), or for preserving things (like memories) figuratively. | |||
| Malayalam | മരവിപ്പിക്കുക | ||
| Marathi | गोठवणे | ||
| The Marathi word "गोठवणे" comes from the Sanskrit word "गुह्" (guh), which means "to cover" or "to hide". | |||
| Nepali | स्थिर गर्नुहोस् | ||
| English loanword of "freeze", meaning "to stop", "to make fixed" | |||
| Punjabi | ਫ੍ਰੀਜ਼ | ||
| The word "ਫ੍ਰੀਜ਼" (freeze) in Punjabi also means "to be startled or shocked", similar to its use in English expressions like "freeze in fear". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කැටි කරන්න | ||
| Tamil | உறைய | ||
| The Tamil word உறைய originally meant "to become fixed" and later acquired the additional sense "to become frozen". | |||
| Telugu | స్తంభింప | ||
| "స్తంభింప" is derived from the Sanskrit word "स्तम्भ" (stambha), meaning "pillar" or "firm base", and originally referred to the act of supporting or propping up something. | |||
| Urdu | منجمد | ||
| The word "منجمد" can also mean "frozen" or "iced" in Urdu. | |||
Freeze in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 冻结 | ||
| "冻"字从水从东，表示水向东流，在寒冷的冬天会结冰，引申为冰冻。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 凍結 | ||
| 凍結 can also refer to "suspension" or "postponement" (of a program, project, activity, etc.). | |||
| Japanese | 氷結 | ||
| 氷結 (hyōketsu) can also mean sealing (of a deal), a deadlock, or freezing relations, especially between countries. | |||
| Korean | 얼다 | ||
| The word 얼다 can also refer to the feeling of being shocked or astonished, and is often translated as "dumbfounded". | |||
| Mongolian | хөлдөх | ||
| "Хөлдөх" also means "to coagulate, curdle, congeal, or solidify" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အေးခဲသည် | ||
Freeze in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | membekukan | ||
| "Membekukan" is also a term for the freezing of assets in the context of law enforcement or economic sanctions. | |||
| Javanese | beku | ||
| The word "beku" in Javanese can also mean "numb" or "stiff" | |||
| Khmer | បង្កក | ||
| បង្កក is often used to refer to an interruption in the operation of something, analogous to its literal meaning in English. | |||
| Lao | freeze | ||
| The Lao word "freeze" can also refer to the act of becoming rigid or immobile, or to a state of shock or surprise. | |||
| Malay | beku | ||
| The word "beku" also means "numb" or "paralyzed" in Malay. | |||
| Thai | แช่แข็ง | ||
| แช่แข็ง (freeze) comes from the word แช่ (to dip) and แข็ง (hard), implying the process of immersing something in cold until it becomes solid. | |||
| Vietnamese | đông cứng | ||
| Đông cứng, besides its main meaning of freezing, can also mean to become solid (of a fluid) or to stiffen (of joints) | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mag-freeze | ||
Freeze in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dondurmaq | ||
| "Dondurmaq" also means "to stop doing something" and "to be unable to do something". | |||
| Kazakh | қату | ||
| Kyrgyz | тоңдуруу | ||
| тоңдуруу can also mean 'freeze' (a computer) or 'stop' (a process) | |||
| Tajik | ях кардан | ||
| In Tajik, the word "ях кардан" can also refer to the act of making something cold or to the state of being cold. | |||
| Turkmen | doňdurmak | ||
| Uzbek | muzlash | ||
| The word "muzlash" can also mean "to become cold" or "to shiver". | |||
| Uyghur | توڭلىتىش | ||
Freeze in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | paʻa hau | ||
| The Hawaiian word "paʻa hau" (freeze) literally means "to hold ice." | |||
| Maori | whakatio | ||
| The word "whakatio" also means "to make rigid or stiff" in Maori, and is related to the word "tio" meaning "firm" or "hard." | |||
| Samoan | aisa | ||
| The English word 'ice' originates from the Samoan word 'aisa'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | mag-freeze | ||
| The word "mag-freeze" can also mean "to freeze in fear" or "to become paralyzed with fear" in Tagalog (Filipino). | |||
Freeze in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | luxuntaña | ||
| Guarani | mohatã | ||
Freeze in International Languages
| Esperanto | frostigi | ||
| "Frostigi" is also the name of a month in the Esperanto calendar, corresponding to December. | |||
| Latin | rigescunt indutae | ||
Freeze in Others Languages
| Greek | πάγωμα | ||
| The word "πάγωμα" (freeze) also refers to a feeling of numbness or stiffness, or a state of shock or amazement. | |||
| Hmong | khov | ||
| The word "khov" can also refer to the act of congealing or solidifying. | |||
| Kurdish | qerisandin | ||
| The Kurdish word "qerisandin" is thought to be related to the Persian word "qar", which also means "freeze". | |||
| Turkish | donmak | ||
| The word "donmak" (freeze) also means "to be born" in Turkish, and is a metaphor for the state of "being born from water" during the embryonic development. | |||
| Xhosa | ngumkhenkce | ||
| The term 'ngumkhenkce' is a combination of 'ngum- (to be) and 'nkunkcwe' (cold), and can also refer to 'being very cold' or 'numb from the cold'. | |||
| Yiddish | פרירן | ||
| In Yiddish, "פרירן" not only means "to freeze" but can also be used to describe someone who is easily startled or excitable. | |||
| Zulu | nqabela | ||
| The word "nqabela" in Zulu comes from the verb "qabela", meaning "to receive" or "to accept". | |||
| Assamese | ফ্ৰীজ | ||
| Aymara | luxuntaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | फ्रीज | ||
| Dhivehi | ގަނޑުކުރުން | ||
| Dogri | जम्मी जाना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mag-freeze | ||
| Guarani | mohatã | ||
| Ilocano | ipalammiis | ||
| Krio | friz | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەستن | ||
| Maithili | जमनाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯦꯡꯒꯅꯨ | ||
| Mizo | khang | ||
| Oromo | cabbeessuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଫ୍ରିଜ୍ | ||
| Quechua | qasachiy | ||
| Sanskrit | स्थग् | ||
| Tatar | туңдыру | ||
| Tigrinya | መዝሓሊ | ||
| Tsonga | gwitsirisa | ||