Gang in Different Languages
Discover 'Gang' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'gang' has a significant presence in our vocabulary, often associated with groups of individuals who engage in various activities together. Its cultural importance is evident in literature, music, and film, where gangs can symbolize camaraderie, loyalty, and power. But they can also represent negative aspects such as crime and violence.
Understanding the translation of 'gang' in different languages can provide fascinating insights into how different cultures perceive and portray such groups. For instance, in Spanish, 'gang' translates to 'pandilla', while in German, it's 'Bande'. In Russian, the term 'banda' is used, and in Japanese, the word 'gurentai' is often used to describe a gang.
Moreover, exploring these translations can reveal interesting historical contexts. For example, in some cultures, the concept of a 'gang' has been adapted from historical warrior societies or community groups. This exploration can be a journey through language, culture, and history, offering a unique perspective on this powerful word.
Gang
Gang in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | bende | ||
| In Afrikaans, the word "bende" has alternate meanings including "crew" and "band"} | |||
| Amharic | የወሮበሎች ቡድን | ||
| While "gang" is the word's primary sense in American English, it also refers to a group of people who work together or do activities together in British English. | |||
| Hausa | ƙungiya | ||
| ƙungiya is also a Hausa word for "group" or "organization". | |||
| Igbo | òtù | ||
| 'Òtù' (gang) can also refer to an association or organized group, or a gathering or assembly of people. | |||
| Malagasy | jiolahy | ||
| The word "JIOLAHY" in Malagasy is derived from the French word "gendarme", meaning "police officer". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | gulu | ||
| The word "gulu" in Nyanja (Chichewa) can also refer to a group of people working together towards a common goal. | |||
| Shona | chikwata | ||
| The word 'chikwata' also refers to a group of birds in Shona. | |||
| Somali | baandada | ||
| The Somali word "baandada" comes from the Arabic word "baandah," which means "flag" or "banner." | |||
| Sesotho | kenke | ||
| The word 'kenke' in Sesotho also means 'group', 'crowd', or 'gathering'. | |||
| Swahili | genge | ||
| In Swahili, "genge" can also refer to a group or company, rather than only denoting an illicit association. | |||
| Xhosa | iqela lemigulukudu | ||
| The word 'iqela lemigulukudu' can also refer to a group of children playing together. | |||
| Yoruba | onijagidijagan | ||
| The term 'onijagidijagan' can also be interpreted as 'a group of people who work together to achieve a common goal'. | |||
| Zulu | iqembu lezigelekeqe | ||
| The word 'iqembu lezigelekeqe' can also refer to a group of people who share a common goal or purpose. | |||
| Bambara | gang (gang) ye | ||
| Ewe | gbevuha | ||
| Kinyarwanda | agatsiko | ||
| Lingala | gang ya bato ya mobulu | ||
| Luganda | ekibinja ky’abamenyi b’amateeka | ||
| Sepedi | sehlopha sa disenyi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | basabasayɛfo kuw | ||
Gang in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عصابة | ||
| While "عصابة" (gang) usually refers to a group of criminals, it can also mean a headband or a medical bandage in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | כְּנוּפִיָה | ||
| "כְּנוּפִיָה" can also mean "band" or "group". | |||
| Pashto | ګنګ | ||
| In Pashto, the word “ګنګ” can also mean “group,” "party," or "band." | |||
| Arabic | عصابة | ||
| While "عصابة" (gang) usually refers to a group of criminals, it can also mean a headband or a medical bandage in Arabic. | |||
Gang in Western European Languages
| Albanian | bandë | ||
| The word "bandë" is derived from the Proto-Albanian word "*bandā", meaning "group of people", and in some dialects still retains the meaning of "company" or "crew". | |||
| Basque | koadrila | ||
| The Basque word "koadrila" has alternate meanings such as "group" or "squad" and also carries the connotation of a close-knit group of friends. | |||
| Catalan | colla | ||
| The term "colla" is derived from the Latin word "collegium," which originally meant "a gathering of friends or colleagues."} | |||
| Croatian | banda | ||
| In Croatian, "banda" can also mean "band" or "group". | |||
| Danish | bande | ||
| In Danish, "bande" can also refer to a group of people who share a common interest or goal. | |||
| Dutch | bende | ||
| The word "bende" can also refer to a bunch of objects tied together, or to a particular type of fishing net. | |||
| English | gang | ||
| In Middle English, 'gang' meant 'to go,' and it was often used to describe a group of people traveling together. | |||
| French | gang | ||
| The word also means "path" in French and is used in the term "gangway" to describe a walkway. | |||
| Frisian | gang | ||
| Gang has additional meanings, including "narrow waterway" and "hallway," and can derive from the Dutch "gang," meaning "narrow passageway" or "aisle." | |||
| Galician | pandilla | ||
| In Galician, "pandilla" can also refer to a group of friends or to a gathering of people for a particular activity | |||
| German | gang | ||
| In German, "Gang" can also refer to an aisle in a building, a corridor, or a passageway. | |||
| Icelandic | klíka | ||
| The word "klíka" likely comes from the Old Norse word "klíka," meaning "crowd". Originally, a "klíka" was a group of people working together under a leader (the "klukka"). | |||
| Irish | gang | ||
| The Irish cognate of gang is "gang" and also means "foolish chatter". | |||
| Italian | banda | ||
| The word "banda" in Italian can also refer to a group of musicians or a military unit. | |||
| Luxembourgish | gang | ||
| An alternate meaning of the Luxembourgish word "Gang" is "corridor". | |||
| Maltese | gang | ||
| In Maltese, "gang" can also refer to a group of people working together on a project. | |||
| Norwegian | gang | ||
| "Gang" also means "path" in Norwegian, like "footpath", "aisle" or "corridor". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | gangue | ||
| In Portuguese, "gangue" can also mean "crew", "team", or "troupe" in the context of a performance or theatrical production. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | gang | ||
| In Gaelic, 'gang' also refers to a stretch of time elapsed. | |||
| Spanish | pandilla | ||
| "Pandilla" comes from the Latin "pandere," meaning "to spread apart" or "to disperse." | |||
| Swedish | gäng | ||
| The word "gäng" in Swedish can also refer to a group of people with a common interest or purpose, such as a hiking club or a political party. | |||
| Welsh | gang | ||
| The Welsh word "gang" also means "go" or "went". | |||
Gang in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | банда | ||
| In Belarusian, the word "банда" also means "mob, crowd, or company". | |||
| Bosnian | banda | ||
| The word banda means a group or party of people and can also refer to a musical group, a group of musicians, or a band. | |||
| Bulgarian | банда | ||
| Additionally, "банда" can refer to a group of musicians or an ensemble of dancers. | |||
| Czech | gang | ||
| Czech "gang" has a second meaning, "porch" or "veranda". | |||
| Estonian | jõuk | ||
| The word "jõuk" was formerly used in a more general sense, meaning "people who gather together with a common purpose". | |||
| Finnish | jengi | ||
| The word "jengi" in Finnish can also refer to a group of people who are close and supportive of each other. | |||
| Hungarian | banda | ||
| Besides meaning "gang," "banda" can mean "a small flock" or even "the whole universe" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | banda | ||
| Banda is also occasionally used as a slang term for a group of close friends | |||
| Lithuanian | gauja | ||
| The word "gauja" in Lithuanian can also refer to a group of birds or animals, or a band of thieves or robbers. | |||
| Macedonian | банда | ||
| In Macedonian, "банда" can also refer to a group of musicians playing folk music. | |||
| Polish | banda | ||
| The word "banda" in Polish may also refer to a band or a group of people. | |||
| Romanian | bandă | ||
| In Romanian, "bandă" can also refer to a strip of land or a tape. | |||
| Russian | банда | ||
| The word "банда" in Russian can also refer to a group of musicians or performers. | |||
| Serbian | банда | ||
| The word "банда" can also mean a group of musicians or a group of people united by a common goal or interest. | |||
| Slovak | gang | ||
| The Slovak word "gang" can also mean a group of people working together, such as a construction crew. | |||
| Slovenian | banda | ||
| The word "banda" can also mean "group" or "team" indicating a temporary gathering of individuals. | |||
| Ukrainian | банда | ||
| In Ukrainian, the word "банда" can also mean "group" or "team". | |||
Gang in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | গ্যাং | ||
| The word "গ্যাং" can also refer to a group of people who work together or live in the same place. | |||
| Gujarati | ટોળી | ||
| The Gujarati word "ટોળી" can also refer to a group of people with a common interest or belonging to the same clan or community. | |||
| Hindi | गिरोह | ||
| The word "गिरोह" is derived from the Sanskrit word "ग्रह" (graha), meaning "planet" or "star", and is also used to refer to a group of people who come together for a specific purpose. | |||
| Kannada | ಗ್ಯಾಂಗ್ | ||
| The Kannada word 'ಗ್ಯಾಂಗ್' ('gang') can also refer to a group of people who work together, especially in a secret or illegal way. | |||
| Malayalam | സംഘം | ||
| In Malayalam, "സംഘം" can also refer to a group of people with a shared interest or a community. | |||
| Marathi | टोळी | ||
| The word "टोळी" (gang) can also refer to a group of people with a common goal or activity. | |||
| Nepali | गिरोह | ||
| In Nepali, "गिरोह" can also refer to a group of musicians or dancers. | |||
| Punjabi | ਗਿਰੋਹ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਗਿਰੋਹ" also refers to a group of musicians who perform together. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කල්ලිය | ||
| "කල්ලිය" can also mean a collection of things tied together, such as a bundle of firewood or a bunch of flowers. | |||
| Tamil | கும்பல் | ||
| In Tamil, the word "கும்பல்" can also refer to a group of people gathered for a common purpose or a collection of things. | |||
| Telugu | ముఠా | ||
| The word "ముఠా" also means a group of monkeys or a troop of horsemen. | |||
| Urdu | گینگ | ||
| The word "گینگ" ("gang") in Urdu also has the alternate meaning of "company" or "band". | |||
Gang in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 帮派 | ||
| 帮派 can have a neutral meaning of 'group of helpers', in addition to its common meaning as 'gang'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 幫派 | ||
| "幫派" originally meant "to help a group of people", but now it also means "gang". | |||
| Japanese | ギャング | ||
| "ギャング" is a loanword from English that can also refer to groups of children, friends, or performers in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 한 떼 | ||
| The word "한 떼" (gang) also refers to a group of similar things, such as a group of animals or a group of people with similar interests. | |||
| Mongolian | бүлэглэл | ||
| The word "бүлэглэл" can also refer to a group of people who work together or have a common interest. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လူဆိုးဂိုဏ်း | ||
Gang in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | gang | ||
| The Indonesian word "geng" is borrowed from the English word "gang" and has a similar meaning, referring to a group of people who engage in criminal activities. | |||
| Javanese | geng | ||
| The Javanese word "geng" can also refer to a group of people who share a common interest or characteristic. | |||
| Khmer | ក្មេងទំនើង | ||
| The word "ក្មេងទំនើង" can also refer to a group of young people who spend time together and often engage in rebellious or mischievous behavior. | |||
| Lao | ກຸ່ມແກ.ງ | ||
| The word "ກຸ່ມແກ.ງ" in Lao can also refer to "a group of friends" or "a group of people who work together on a common project." | |||
| Malay | geng | ||
| In Malay, the word "geng" originally referred to a group of people working together or playing games, but has since taken on the additional meaning of "gang" as it is understood in English. | |||
| Thai | แก๊ง | ||
| The term "แก๊ง" in Thai can also refer to a group of people who share a common hobby or interest, such as a running club or a fishing group. | |||
| Vietnamese | băng nhóm | ||
| Băng nhóm can also refer to a group of people working together for a common purpose, such as a musical band or a group of workers. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gang | ||
Gang in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | banda | ||
| Banda is used colloquially to mean a group of musicians, a band. | |||
| Kazakh | банда | ||
| The Kazakh word "банда" also means "group" or "team" in a non-criminal context. | |||
| Kyrgyz | банда | ||
| The word "банда" was borrowed from Russian and was then derived from Old Turkic "banda" meaning "troop, crowd" or "vassal". | |||
| Tajik | гурӯҳ | ||
| The word "гурӯҳ" can also mean "group" or "team" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | topar | ||
| Uzbek | to'da | ||
| The Uzbek word "to'da" can also refer to a group of people who gather for a specific purpose, such as a work crew or a group of friends gathering for a meal. | |||
| Uyghur | gang | ||
Gang in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kēpau | ||
| "Kēpau" also means 'to unite' or 'to gather' in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | kēnge | ||
| The term "kēnge" is derived from the verb "kēnge" meaning to gather together or join forces. | |||
| Samoan | kegi | ||
| The word "kegi" can also refer to a group of people who gather for a common purpose, such as a work crew or a sports team. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | gang | ||
| The Tagalog word "gang" means "gang" in English. The word is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *kaŋay which means "clan, tribe". | |||
Gang in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | pandilla satawa | ||
| Guarani | pandilla rehegua | ||
Gang in International Languages
| Esperanto | bando | ||
| In Esperanto, "bando" also means "announcement" or "decree" | |||
| Latin | cohors | ||
| The term "cohors" originally referred to a group of three centuries in the Roman military; it later came to refer to a group of people with common interests. | |||
Gang in Others Languages
| Greek | συμμορία | ||
| The Greek word "συμμορία" has a rich etymological history, originally denoting a religious association or financial cooperative before taking on its modern meaning of "gang." | |||
| Hmong | pab laib | ||
| The name "Pab laib" comes from the word "lab" ( | |||
| Kurdish | pêxwas | ||
| In Sorani Kurdish, "pêxwas" also denotes a type of large traditional Kurdish headgear worn by men. | |||
| Turkish | çete | ||
| The word "çete" in Turkish can also refer to a rebel group or a military unit. | |||
| Xhosa | iqela lemigulukudu | ||
| The word 'iqela lemigulukudu' can also refer to a group of children playing together. | |||
| Yiddish | באַנדע | ||
| The Yiddish word "bande" can also refer to a group of musicians or a group of people with a common interest. | |||
| Zulu | iqembu lezigelekeqe | ||
| The word 'iqembu lezigelekeqe' can also refer to a group of people who share a common goal or purpose. | |||
| Assamese | gang | ||
| Aymara | pandilla satawa | ||
| Bhojpuri | गिरोह के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ގޭންގެކެވެ | ||
| Dogri | गिरोह | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gang | ||
| Guarani | pandilla rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | gang | ||
| Krio | gang we dɛn kɔl | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | باندێک | ||
| Maithili | गिरोह | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯒꯦꯡ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | gang a ni | ||
| Oromo | baandaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଗ୍ୟାଙ୍ଗ | ||
| Quechua | pandilla | ||
| Sanskrit | गङ्गः | ||
| Tatar | банда | ||
| Tigrinya | ጕጅለ ጕጅለ | ||
| Tsonga | ntlawa wa swigevenga | ||