Fresh in Different Languages
Discover 'Fresh' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'fresh' holds a special significance in our daily lives, often used to describe something that is recently made, clean, or cool. It's a term that transcends cultural boundaries, a concept that is as important in Paris as it is in Tokyo. But what does 'fresh' mean in different languages? Understanding the translation of this word can open up new cultural horizons and deepen your appreciation for the diversity of human expression.
Consider, for instance, the French word 'frais', which not only means 'fresh' but also 'cool' in temperature. Or the Spanish 'fresco', which can mean 'fresh' in terms of food, but also 'cool' in terms of temperature, or even 'cheerful' in terms of mood!
Delving into the translations of 'fresh' can reveal fascinating cultural nuances and historical contexts. So, let's explore together the many meanings of 'fresh' in different languages, from the German 'frisch' to the Chinese ' refreshing'.
Fresh
Fresh in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vars | ||
| In Afrikaans, "vars" also means new, recently made, or raw. | |||
| Amharic | ትኩስ | ||
| The word 'ትኩስ' is derived from the verb 'ተከሰ', which means 'to sprout' or 'to grow'. This word can also refer to new beginnings, as in 'new growth' or 'a new era'. | |||
| Hausa | sabo ne | ||
| The word "sabo ne" can also mean "new" or "recent" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | ohuru | ||
| The word "ohuru" also means "new" or "recent" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | vaovao | ||
| "Vaovao" can also mean new or unused. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | watsopano | ||
| The word 'watsopano' can also refer to something that is new, young, or inexperienced. | |||
| Shona | nyowani | ||
| The word "nyowani" also means "new" or "recent". | |||
| Somali | cusub | ||
| In some dialects of Somali, the word "cusub" is used to refer to something that is new or unused. | |||
| Sesotho | foreshe | ||
| It can also mean "green" or "new". | |||
| Swahili | safi | ||
| The Swahili word "safi" also has the alternate meaning of "clean" or "pure". | |||
| Xhosa | intsha | ||
| In Xhosa, 'intsha' also has the connotation of 'new' or 'recently acquired'. | |||
| Yoruba | alabapade | ||
| The Yoruba word ''alabapade'' can also mean ''newly washed'' (referring to clothes) or ''newly bathed'' (referring to people). | |||
| Zulu | okusha | ||
| In Zulu, 'okusha' is also used to describe something new or unused. | |||
| Bambara | kɛnɛ | ||
| Ewe | le mumu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gishya | ||
| Lingala | ya sika | ||
| Luganda | ekipya | ||
| Sepedi | foreše | ||
| Twi (Akan) | foforɔ | ||
Fresh in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | طازج | ||
| طازج ( fresh) goes back to Proto-Semitic *ṭyr "to be green or young." It is related to طري which means "tender" or "soft" and طرة which refers to "a branch" or "a twig." | |||
| Hebrew | טָרִי | ||
| The word טָרִי (tari) derives from the same Afro-Asiatic root as the Arabic word طَرِي (tari), meaning 'freshly picked fruit'. | |||
| Pashto | تازه | ||
| In Pashto, "تازه" (tāzah) not only means "fresh" but can also refer to "new," "recent," or "current." | |||
| Arabic | طازج | ||
| طازج ( fresh) goes back to Proto-Semitic *ṭyr "to be green or young." It is related to طري which means "tender" or "soft" and طرة which refers to "a branch" or "a twig." | |||
Fresh in Western European Languages
| Albanian | të freskëta | ||
| The word "të freskëta" is also used to describe something new or recent. | |||
| Basque | freskoa | ||
| The word “freskoa” comes from the Latin “friscus”, which means “cool” or “new”. | |||
| Catalan | fresc | ||
| The Catalan word "fresc" comes from the Latin word "friscus", which means "cool" or "crisp". | |||
| Croatian | svježe | ||
| "Svježe" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "svěžь", meaning "bright" or "clear". | |||
| Danish | frisk | ||
| In Danish, the word "frisk" also means "healthy" or "lively," in addition to its usual meaning of "fresh." | |||
| Dutch | vers | ||
| Dutch "vers" comes from Old French "vert" (green), so it originally meant "green" and still retains that meaning in Dutch floral contexts. | |||
| English | fresh | ||
| The word 'fresh' derives from the Old English 'fersc' meaning 'recently made or obtained'. | |||
| French | frais | ||
| The French word "frais" can also mean "cool, new" or "expensive". | |||
| Frisian | farsk | ||
| Frisian 'farsk' is likely derived from Proto-West Germanic *farsk- 'young, tender' and is cognate to Dutch 'vers' and German 'frisch'. | |||
| Galician | fresco | ||
| Galician has two distinct words for "fresh": "fresco" and "recente", with "fresco" more commonly referring to coolness or temperature and "recente" typically meaning "new" or "recent". | |||
| German | frisch | ||
| The word "frisch" is linguistically related to the English word "fresh" and can also mean "green" or "healthy". | |||
| Icelandic | ferskur | ||
| An alternate meaning of 'ferskur' is 'newly baked or cooked', while its etymology is from the Old Norse 'ferskr' meaning 'newly slain' or 'freshly caught' | |||
| Irish | úr | ||
| The Irish word "úr" also means "new" or "recent", and is cognate with the English word "new". | |||
| Italian | fresco | ||
| The word "fresco" also refers to a type of painting technique using water-based pigments on freshly applied plaster, creating a durable, long-lasting artwork. | |||
| Luxembourgish | frësch | ||
| Maltese | frisk | ||
| In Maltese, "frisk" can also mean "lively", or "impudent"} | |||
| Norwegian | fersk | ||
| "Fersk" comes from the Proto-Germanic word "frisk" and originally meant "lively", "agile". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | fresco | ||
| In Portuguese, "fresco" also means "cool" or "breezy", and is often used to describe weather conditions. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ùr | ||
| The word 'ùr' in Scots Gaelic also means 'new', 'recent', 'modern', or 'young'. | |||
| Spanish | fresco | ||
| Spanish word 'fresco' originally meant 'recent' and later came to mean both 'fresh' and 'cool'. | |||
| Swedish | färsk | ||
| "Färsk" originally meant "meat" or "pork" and has kept its Old Norse meaning in the word "färs" meaning "minced meat". | |||
| Welsh | ffres | ||
| Ffres also means 'forward,' 'bold,' and 'presumptuous' in Welsh. | |||
Fresh in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | свежы | ||
| The word "свежы" in Belarusian can also mean "new" or "recent". | |||
| Bosnian | svježe | ||
| Bosnian "svježe" also means "newly" and is cognate with the Ukrainian "свіжий" (svižyj), but not with its Russian cognate "свежий" (svežij). | |||
| Bulgarian | прясно | ||
| In Bulgarian, "прясно" ("fresh") also refers to "unleavened" bread or "uncured" meat. | |||
| Czech | čerstvý | ||
| The word "čerstvý" also refers to food that has not been stale, even if it has been refrigerated. | |||
| Estonian | värske | ||
| The Estonian word 'värske' also means 'lively' or 'sprightly' and is related to the Finnish word 'värsy' ('verse'). | |||
| Finnish | tuore | ||
| The word "tuore" is cognate with the Estonian "toor", which also means fresh, and possibly related to the Latin "torrere" (to roast). | |||
| Hungarian | friss | ||
| The Hungarian word "friss" comes from the Proto-Slavic "*sverdъ", meaning "cold". | |||
| Latvian | svaigi | ||
| Latvian "svaigs" derives from Proto-Baltic "*svēgas" meaning "own, one's own" and possibly further back from Proto-Slavic "*svého" | |||
| Lithuanian | šviežias | ||
| "Šviežias" also means "new" in Lithuanian and comes from the Proto-Indo-European word "swégʰos" meaning "lively, brisk, strong." | |||
| Macedonian | свежо | ||
| The word "свежо" can also mean "new" or "recent" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | świeży | ||
| "Świeży" in Polish not only means "fresh" but it can also mean "bright" or "glowing" when used to describe colours. | |||
| Romanian | proaspăt | ||
| The word 'proaspăt' is related to the Latin word 'praesagitto', meaning 'to foreshadow', implying the anticipation of something new and refreshing. | |||
| Russian | свежий | ||
| The word "свежий" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *svěžь, meaning "new, young, or recent". | |||
| Serbian | свеже | ||
| The word "свеже" also means "recently" or "just now" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | čerstvé | ||
| Alternately, "čerstvé" also means "stale," "unleavened," or "recent" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | sveže | ||
| The Slovenian word "sveže" (fresh) comes from the Proto-Slavic word *svěžь, which also meant "unripe" or "green." | |||
| Ukrainian | свіжий | ||
| "Свіжий" also means "lively", "quick", and "recent" in Ukrainian. | |||
Fresh in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সতেজ | ||
| "সতেজ" can also mean "pungent" or "strong-smelling" in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | તાજી | ||
| The Gujarati word "તાજી" has the same origin with "taze" in Turkish and " تازه " in Persian and all of them mean "new" or "fresh". | |||
| Hindi | ताज़ा | ||
| The word 'ताज़ा' in Hindi derives from the Persian word 'taze' meaning 'new' or 'young', and is associated with the Sanskrit word 'taruṇa' which refers to 'young' or 'fresh'. | |||
| Kannada | ತಾಜಾ | ||
| The word "ತಾಜಾ" derives from the Sanskrit word "Taras" meaning "to be young". | |||
| Malayalam | പുതിയത് | ||
| The Malayalam word "പുതിയത്" (puthiyat) means both "fresh" in the sense of new or not stale, and "fresh" in the sense of raw or unprocessed. | |||
| Marathi | ताजे | ||
| "ताजे" can also mean "quick" or "sharp" in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | ताजा | ||
| The word "ताजा" in Nepali means "new" or "recent", and is derived from the Sanskrit word "तर्ज" (tarj), meaning "to be young". | |||
| Punjabi | ਤਾਜ਼ਾ | ||
| ਤਾਜ਼ਾ refers to the freshness of air, food, and drink, but can also be used figuratively to convey newness or vibrancy in other areas. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නැවුම් | ||
| It is also used to refer to foods that retain their freshness, or to new and unused items. | |||
| Tamil | புதியது | ||
| Telugu | తాజాది | ||
| "తాజాది" is a compound word derived from the Sanskrit words "ताज़" (fresh, new) and "आदि" (beginning, start). | |||
| Urdu | تازه | ||
| تازه can also mean “new, current, or recent”, in addition to the freshness in relation to food | |||
Fresh in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 新鲜 | ||
| 新鲜 (xīnxiān) can also mean "novel" or "rare". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 新鮮 | ||
| 新鮮 (fresh) comes from 鮮 (raw fish) + 新 (new), referring to the taste of fresh fish. | |||
| Japanese | 新鮮な | ||
| 新鮮な means "fresh" in Japanese, but can also refer to something that is new or unusual. | |||
| Korean | 신선한 | ||
| The word '신선한' can also refer to 'immortality' or 'divinity' in Korean mythology and belief. | |||
| Mongolian | шинэхэн | ||
| The Mongolian word "шинэхэн" also means "new" or "recent". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လတ်ဆတ်သော | ||
Fresh in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | segar | ||
| The term "segar" in Indonesian has an additional nuanced meaning of "healthy," or "full of life." | |||
| Javanese | seger | ||
| The word "seger" in Javanese can also mean "healthy" or "invigorating". | |||
| Khmer | ស្រស់ | ||
| The word "ស្រស់" can also mean "beautiful" or "handsome" in Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ສົດ | ||
| The Lao word ສົດ can also mean "new" or "uncooked." | |||
| Malay | segar | ||
| The word 'segar' derives from Proto-Austronesian *saŋaʔ, meaning 'cool' or 'pleasing to the senses'. | |||
| Thai | สด | ||
| The word "สด" also means "live", "uncooked", "raw", "new", or "not stale". | |||
| Vietnamese | tươi | ||
| The Sino-Vietnamese word "tươi" can also mean "smiling" or "beautiful". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sariwa | ||
Fresh in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | təzə | ||
| The word "təzə" in Azerbaijani, originally derived from the Persian word "taze", also holds additional meanings including "new" and "recently made or done". | |||
| Kazakh | жаңа піскен | ||
| The Kazakh word "жаңа піскен" (fresh) can also refer to something that is new or recently made. | |||
| Kyrgyz | жаңы | ||
| In Kazakh, “жаңы” also refers to a person of the opposite sex. | |||
| Tajik | тару тоза | ||
| Etymology is from Middle Persian *tarutak, *tarutak (adjective); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)terh₂- (“dry”), related to English “thorough”. | |||
| Turkmen | täze | ||
| Uzbek | yangi | ||
| The Uzbek word "yangi" is of Turkic origin and is used to describe something new or recent, as well as fresh produce. | |||
| Uyghur | يېڭى | ||
Fresh in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hou | ||
| Hou also means "new" and is used in the names of months to signify the new moon. | |||
| Maori | hou | ||
| The word "hou" (fresh) in Māori derives from the Polynesian root *fo'u*, meaning "new" or "unformed." | |||
| Samoan | fou | ||
| "Fou" can also mean "new" or "raw". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | sariwa | ||
| The word 'sariwa' is derived from the Proto-Austronesian root word *qaseŋ, meaning 'to be new, recent, or fresh'. | |||
Fresh in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | muxsa uma | ||
| Guarani | piro'y | ||
Fresh in International Languages
| Esperanto | freŝa | ||
| Esperanto's "freŝa" is derived from the Slavic word "svež" which can also mean "green" or "brisk". | |||
| Latin | recentibus | ||
| In medieval Latin, recentibus could also mean 'recently'. | |||
Fresh in Others Languages
| Greek | φρέσκο | ||
| The word 'φρέσκο' can also refer to a painting technique using water-based pigments applied to fresh plaster. | |||
| Hmong | tshiab | ||
| The word "tshiab" is also used to mean "new" or "current". | |||
| Kurdish | teze | ||
| The word 'teze' originally meant 'spring' in Kurdish, but later came to be used exclusively for describing the freshness of food. | |||
| Turkish | taze | ||
| "Taze", which means "fresh" in Turkish, is related to "tazye" (condolence), "tazeleme" (refreshment) and "tazelemek" (to refresh) words. | |||
| Xhosa | intsha | ||
| In Xhosa, 'intsha' also has the connotation of 'new' or 'recently acquired'. | |||
| Yiddish | פריש | ||
| The Yiddish word "פריש" also means "new" or "different". | |||
| Zulu | okusha | ||
| In Zulu, 'okusha' is also used to describe something new or unused. | |||
| Assamese | সতেজ | ||
| Aymara | muxsa uma | ||
| Bhojpuri | ताजा | ||
| Dhivehi | ތާޒާ | ||
| Dogri | ताजा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sariwa | ||
| Guarani | piro'y | ||
| Ilocano | nalasbang | ||
| Krio | frɛsh | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | تازە | ||
| Maithili | ताजा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯇꯦꯛꯄ | ||
| Mizo | tharlam | ||
| Oromo | haaraa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସତେଜ | ||
| Quechua | musuq | ||
| Sanskrit | प्रत्यग्र | ||
| Tatar | яңа | ||
| Tigrinya | ሕዱሽ | ||
| Tsonga | tenga | ||