Friendly in Different Languages
Discover 'Friendly' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'friendly', at its core, represents a sense of warmth, kindness, and approachability. It's a word that transcends cultural boundaries, reflecting a universal desire for connection and companionship. But have you ever wondered how different cultures express this concept in their own languages?
Understanding the translation of 'friendly' in different languages can open up a world of cultural insights. For instance, in Spanish, 'friendly' translates to 'amigable', a term that also carries the connotation of loyalty and trust. Meanwhile, in Japanese, the word 'yasashii', often used to describe friendliness, also implies gentleness and ease.
Delving into these translations not only enriches our vocabulary but also deepens our appreciation for the unique nuances of different cultures. So, whether you're planning a trip abroad, learning a new language, or simply expanding your cultural knowledge, understanding the many facets of friendliness can be a rewarding journey.
Friendly
Friendly in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vriendelik | ||
| Vriendelik in Afrikaans derives from the Old Dutch word "vriendelike". It is cognate with the English word "friendly". Both words trace their roots to ancient Germanic "frijōndaz", meaning "one who loves". | |||
| Amharic | ወዳጃዊ | ||
| The word "ወዳጃዊ" can also refer to a person who is trustworthy or reliable. | |||
| Hausa | abokantaka | ||
| The word "abokantaka" in Hausa can also refer to a person who is generous or kind. | |||
| Igbo | enyi na enyi | ||
| "Enyi na enyi" is an Igbo phrase that means "friendly" or "familiar." | |||
| Malagasy | friendly | ||
| The Malagasy word "namana" means both "friendly" and "familiar". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wochezeka | ||
| The term wochezeka originates from the word “cheza”, meaning “to play”, suggesting a friendly and approachable nature. | |||
| Shona | hushamwari | ||
| The word "hushamwari" can also refer to a type of tree with medicinal properties. | |||
| Somali | saaxiibtinimo | ||
| The word 'saaxiibtinimo' in Somali is derived from the Arabic word 'sahib' meaning 'friend' or 'companion'. | |||
| Sesotho | botsoalle | ||
| The word "botsoalle" in Sesotho is derived from the root "bo" (plural prefix) and "tsoalla" (to come together), implying a sense of unity and fellowship. | |||
| Swahili | kirafiki | ||
| The word 'kirafiki' is derived from the Arabic word 'rafiq' meaning 'companion' or 'mate', and is used to describe close and friendly relationships. | |||
| Xhosa | nobuhlobo | ||
| The word "nobuhlobo" is also used to describe a close relationship between two people, often involving mutual respect and affection. | |||
| Yoruba | ore | ||
| Òre, meaning 'friend' in the Yoruba language, also means 'good luck' or 'fortune' | |||
| Zulu | enobungane | ||
| The word "enobungane" comes from the Zulu verb "unga," meaning "to become." | |||
| Bambara | jòlimandi | ||
| Ewe | wɔa xɔlɔ̃ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | urugwiro | ||
| Lingala | ya malamu | ||
| Luganda | wa mukwaano | ||
| Sepedi | ka lethabo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | pɛ nipa | ||
Friendly in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ودود | ||
| The word "ودود" in Arabic is cognate with the Hebrew word "דוד" (dod), meaning "uncle" or "beloved". | |||
| Hebrew | יְדִידוּתִי | ||
| יְדִידוּתִי is derived from the root word "ידיד" (friend), and can also refer to "friendship" or "friendliness". | |||
| Pashto | دوستانه | ||
| In Pashto, "دوستانه" not only means "friendly" but also "related through marriage," a bond equally important in their culture. | |||
| Arabic | ودود | ||
| The word "ودود" in Arabic is cognate with the Hebrew word "דוד" (dod), meaning "uncle" or "beloved". | |||
Friendly in Western European Languages
| Albanian | miqësore | ||
| Albanian 'miqësore' derives from Latin 'amicus' ('friend'), and also means 'peaceful' or 'amical'. | |||
| Basque | atsegina | ||
| "Atsegina" is thought to originate from words meaning tender or delicate, rather than from words referring to friendship. | |||
| Catalan | amable | ||
| The Catalan word "amable" derives from the Latin "amabilis," meaning "worthy of love," and can also mean "lovable" or "courteous." | |||
| Croatian | prijateljski | ||
| The word 'prijateljski' in Croatian originates from the word 'prijatelj', which means 'friend', and can also mean 'hospitable' or 'welcoming'. | |||
| Danish | venlige | ||
| Venlige, meaning friendly, is derived from friend and ligge meaning to lay down or lie, in this case meaning 'to lay oneself open to someone' | |||
| Dutch | vriendelijk | ||
| Vriendelijk in Dutch also derives from friend, and in an alternate archaic meaning means "free", or "noble" and "noble-looking." | |||
| English | friendly | ||
| The modern English word 'friendly' stems from the Old English “freond” (“friend, loving, intimate, dear.”). | |||
| French | amical | ||
| In French, "amical" can also refer to a type of settlement in a dispute. | |||
| Frisian | freonlik | ||
| The word "freonlik" in Frisian also means "familiar" or "intimate". | |||
| Galician | simpático | ||
| In Galician, "simpático" means "nice" and "pleasant," but it can also refer to "funny" or "amusing." | |||
| German | freundlich | ||
| Freundlich also means 'related to friends', 'relating to friendship', or 'of or belonging to friends'. | |||
| Icelandic | vinalegur | ||
| In Old Norse, 'vinr' means 'friend' and 'vel' means 'to choose'. | |||
| Irish | cairdiúil | ||
| The word 'cairdiúl' is derived from the Old Irish word 'caraid,' meaning 'friend,' and has cognates in other Celtic languages. | |||
| Italian | amichevole | ||
| The Italian word "amichevole" originates from the Latin word "amicus" meaning "friend", | |||
| Luxembourgish | frëndlech | ||
| Frëndlech also means 'familiar' or 'well-known' in the context of places or things. | |||
| Maltese | faċli | ||
| The Maltese word "faċli" derives from the Latin word "facilis" meaning "easy," highlighting the connection between being friendly and being approachable. | |||
| Norwegian | vennlig | ||
| Vennlig is also used to describe a favorable situation or object, like weather, or an environment. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | amigáveis | ||
| The term "amigáveis" can also refer to a legal settlement or agreement out of court. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | càirdeil | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word “càirdeil” is derived from the root “càirde”, which means "friendship" and is related to the Welsh word "caru" (to love). | |||
| Spanish | amistoso | ||
| The word "amistoso" in Spanish also means "hospitable" or "kindly." | |||
| Swedish | vänlig | ||
| Vänlig derives from the Proto-Norse *win- and means "dear friend" or "relative" in Old Norse | |||
| Welsh | cyfeillgar | ||
| The word 'cyfeillgar' is derived from the Welsh words 'cyfaill' (friend) and 'gar' (near), and can also mean 'neighborly'. | |||
Friendly in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | прыязна | ||
| Bosnian | prijateljski | ||
| "Prijateljski" can also mean "neutral" or "indifferent" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | приятелски настроен | ||
| In Bulgarian, the word "приятелски настроен" can also mean "well-disposed" or "cordial." | |||
| Czech | přátelský | ||
| "Přátelský" comes from the Old Church Slavonic "prijateljь" which meant guest, but also friend. | |||
| Estonian | sõbralik | ||
| The Estonian word "sõbralik" also means "cooperative" or "helpful" in English. | |||
| Finnish | ystävällinen | ||
| "Ystävä" (friend) comes from the Proto-Finnic word "ystävä" meaning "kinsman". | |||
| Hungarian | barátságos | ||
| The word "barátságos" derives from the Old Turkic word "barat", meaning "comrade" or "brother". | |||
| Latvian | draudzīgs | ||
| The word "draudzīgs" also has the archaic meaning of "threatening", which comes from the Old Prussian word "drausdis" meaning "hostile". | |||
| Lithuanian | draugiškas | ||
| The word "draugiškas" in Lithuanian has an additional meaning of "companionable", which is not directly translatable into English. | |||
| Macedonian | пријателски | ||
| The word "пријателски" in Macedonian can also mean "amicable" or "cordial." | |||
| Polish | przyjazny | ||
| The Slavic root of "przyjazny" means "to arrive or come to" which in the context of a friendship means to arrive at some common sentiment or understanding, whereas today in English "to arrive" is used in the context of physical movement or reaching a destination such as a place or object. | |||
| Romanian | prietenos | ||
| In Romanian, "prietenos" comes from "prieten" meaning "friend", so it's equivalent to "friendly". But it also can mean "familiar" or "known". | |||
| Russian | дружелюбный | ||
| 'Дружелюбный' can refer to friendly relations between individuals or groups, or in a more general sense, to a warm and welcoming atmosphere. | |||
| Serbian | пријатељски | ||
| The word "пријатељски" can also mean "neighborly" or "amicable". | |||
| Slovak | priateľský | ||
| "Priateľský" in Slovak also means a 'friend' and derives from 'priateľ' meaning 'friend' and ultimately 'brother'. | |||
| Slovenian | prijazno | ||
| "Prijazno" comes from "prijazen", which means "kind" or "pleasant". | |||
| Ukrainian | доброзичливий | ||
| The Ukrainian word "доброзичливий" is derived from the Slavic root "dobrъ", meaning "good", and the suffix "-ичливий", which has the connotation of "inclined to". This suggests that the word originally meant "having a good disposition" or "well-intentioned". | |||
Friendly in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বন্ধুত্বপূর্ণ | ||
| The Bengali word "বন্ধুত্বপূর্ণ" (friendly) is derived from the Sanskrit word "बंधु" (friend), indicating a sense of camaraderie, closeness, and amity. | |||
| Gujarati | મૈત્રીપૂર્ણ | ||
| Hindi | अनुकूल | ||
| The word 'अनुकूल' also means 'favorable' or 'in accordance with'. | |||
| Kannada | ಸ್ನೇಹಪರ | ||
| The word ''ಸ್ನೇಹಪರ'' also means friendly in the sense of being inclined to make friends. | |||
| Malayalam | സൗഹൃദ | ||
| സൗഹൃദ derives from Sanskrit "suhrit" (friend), and also means "mutual benefit" or "cooperation" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | अनुकूल | ||
| The Marathi word "अनुकूल" is derived from Sanskrit and literally means "inclined towards" or "favoring," hence its association with friendliness. | |||
| Nepali | मैत्री | ||
| "मैत्री" (friendly) is derived from the Sanskrit word "मित्र" (friend) and is cognate with the English word "amity". | |||
| Punjabi | ਦੋਸਤਾਨਾ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මිත්රශීලී | ||
| The word 'මිත්රශීලී' ('friendly') comes from the Sanskrit word 'mitrasheelah' which means 'having the nature of a friend'. | |||
| Tamil | நட்பாக | ||
| நட்பாக (natpāka) can also mean 'friendship', and is related to the word நட்பு (natpu), meaning 'friendship' or 'relationship'. | |||
| Telugu | స్నేహపూర్వక | ||
| Urdu | دوستانہ | ||
| دوستانہ is an Urdu word that originally meant 'in the manner of a friend' but now commonly means 'friendly'. | |||
Friendly in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 友好 | ||
| "友好" can also mean "peaceful" or "amiable". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 友好 | ||
| "友好" can also mean "friendly relations" or "amity." | |||
| Japanese | フレンドリー | ||
| The word フレンドリー originates from the French word "ami," meaning "friend," which in turn derives from the Latin word "amicus." | |||
| Korean | 친한 | ||
| "친한" originally comes from the Chinese character 親 which means "close" or "intimate". | |||
| Mongolian | ээлтэй | ||
| Ээлтэй means "friendly" but is also the name of a Mongolian folk dance. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဖော်ရွေ | ||
Friendly in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | ramah | ||
| The word "ramah" is also a Sanskrit word meaning "delightful" and "charming". | |||
| Javanese | grapyak | ||
| The term 'grapyak' is also used to refer to a kind of Javanese game that involves catching objects thrown to someone. | |||
| Khmer | រាក់ទាក់ | ||
| រាក់ទាក់ is derived from the Pali word 'rata' meaning 'pleased' or 'satisfied' and the Sanskrit word 'darshana' meaning 'view' or 'sight' suggesting a welcoming or hospitable encounter. | |||
| Lao | ເປັນມິດ | ||
| The term ເປັນມິດ can also refer to a "close relationship", "intimacy", or even "to have a boyfriend/girlfriend". | |||
| Malay | mesra | ||
| The word "mesra" is derived from Sanskrit "mithras" or "metta", which means "loving-kindness." | |||
| Thai | เป็นมิตร | ||
| The word "เป็นมิตร" can also mean "friendly" in a non-social context, such as a friendly environment or a friendly attitude. | |||
| Vietnamese | thân thiện | ||
| "Thân thiện" is a Sino-Vietnamese compound word meaning "close body" or "intimate." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | palakaibigan | ||
Friendly in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | mehriban | ||
| The word "mehriban" can also mean "compassionate," "merciful," or "loving." | |||
| Kazakh | мейірімді | ||
| The word "мейірімді" can also mean "merciful" or "kind-hearted". | |||
| Kyrgyz | достук | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "достук" also means "comrade" or "brother." | |||
| Tajik | дӯстона | ||
| Дӯстона means both friendly and intimate. | |||
| Turkmen | dost | ||
| Uzbek | do'stona | ||
| The word "do'stona" in Uzbek is derived from the Persian word "dost", meaning "friend". | |||
| Uyghur | دوستانە | ||
Friendly in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻoluʻolu | ||
| ʻOluʻolu can also mean 'agreeable, compliant, satisfactory, or pleasant'. | |||
| Maori | whakahoahoa | ||
| The word 'whakahoahoa' is also sometimes used in Maori to mean 'to make someone into a friend'. | |||
| Samoan | faʻauo | ||
| 'Faʻauo' also means 'to be quiet' or 'reserved'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | palakaibigan | ||
| The Tagalog word "palakaibigan" is cognate with the Indonesian word "persahabatan" (friendship), both of which derive from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian root word *pa-sahab* (companion, friend). | |||
Friendly in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | masinakaniskakiri | ||
| Guarani | rayhuha | ||
Friendly in International Languages
| Esperanto | amika | ||
| In Japanese, "amika" is a feminine given name meaning "beautiful hair". | |||
| Latin | amicissimum | ||
| The word "amicissimus" is the superlative form of the adjective "amicus" meaning "friend" and is often translated as "dearest" or "most beloved." | |||
Friendly in Others Languages
| Greek | φιλικός | ||
| In ancient Greek, "φιλικός" had a wider range of meanings than just "friendly," encompassing concepts such as "kinship" and "loyalty." | |||
| Hmong | phooj ywg | ||
| The word phooj ywg in Hmong is made up of two separate words, phooj and ywg, which together mean 'happy heart'. | |||
| Kurdish | dostane | ||
| The word 'dostane' in Kurdish, meaning 'friendly,' derives from the Proto-Indo-European root '*dʰeh₁-' ('to put, to place'). | |||
| Turkish | arkadaş canlısı | ||
| Literally meaning "companion-like," the word "arkadaş canlısı" in Turkish refers to traits associated with companionship, such as kindness and trustworthiness. | |||
| Xhosa | nobuhlobo | ||
| The word "nobuhlobo" is also used to describe a close relationship between two people, often involving mutual respect and affection. | |||
| Yiddish | פרייַנדלעך | ||
| The Yiddish word "פרייַנדלעך" (friendly) also shares a root with the German word "freien" (to marry). | |||
| Zulu | enobungane | ||
| The word "enobungane" comes from the Zulu verb "unga," meaning "to become." | |||
| Assamese | বন্ধুসুলভ | ||
| Aymara | masinakaniskakiri | ||
| Bhojpuri | मित्रवत | ||
| Dhivehi | ރަޙްމަތްތެރި | ||
| Dogri | दोस्ताना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | palakaibigan | ||
| Guarani | rayhuha | ||
| Ilocano | mannakigayyem | ||
| Krio | bi padi | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دۆستانە | ||
| Maithili | मित्रवत | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯕꯨꯛ ꯃꯄꯥꯎ ꯐꯕ | ||
| Mizo | nelawm | ||
| Oromo | simataa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବନ୍ଧୁତ୍ୱପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ | ||
| Quechua | kuyanakuy | ||
| Sanskrit | मैत्रेय | ||
| Tatar | дус | ||
| Tigrinya | ምቕሉል | ||
| Tsonga | vumunhu | ||