Gap in Different Languages
Discover 'Gap' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'gap' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting a variety of meanings such as a space or interval between things, a break in continuity, or even a disparity in wealth or ability. Culturally, the concept of 'gap' has been explored in literature, music, and art, often symbolizing transitions, absences, or differences.
Understanding the translation of 'gap' in different languages can provide unique cultural insights and foster global communication. For instance, in Spanish, 'gap' translates to 'brecha' or 'hueco', while in German, it's 'Lücke'. In Japanese, the word 'あき' (aki) is used to describe a seasonal gap, like the one between autumn and winter.
Moreover, the word 'gap' has fascinating historical contexts. In the Middle Ages, a 'gap' was a narrow mountain pass, a strategic location for battles and trade. Today, the term is used in various fields, from technology to fashion, making it a versatile and relevant term globally.
Explore the many translations of 'gap' and deepen your understanding of this simple yet powerful word. Here are a few translations to start your journey:
Gap
Gap in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | gaping | ||
| The Afrikaans word "gaap" (meaning "gap" or "hole") is a cognate of the English word "gape" (meaning "to open one's mouth wide"). | |||
| Amharic | ክፍተት | ||
| The word ክፍተት is also related to the verb ከፈተ which means 'to open'. | |||
| Hausa | rata | ||
| The Hausa word "rata" can mean "an interval" or "space between". | |||
| Igbo | ọdịiche | ||
| In Igbo, "ọdịiche" can also mean "difference" or "distinction" | |||
| Malagasy | gap | ||
| "Gap" in Malagasy also means "difference" and "fault." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kusiyana | ||
| The word "kusiyana" also means "to be different" or "to be at odds" in Nyanja (Chichewa). | |||
| Shona | mukaha | ||
| The word "mukaha" can also refer to a "hole" or a "door". | |||
| Somali | farqiga | ||
| The word "farqiga" in Somali can also refer to a difference or discrepancy. | |||
| Sesotho | lekhalo | ||
| Lekhalo can also refer to a person who is cunning and deceitful. | |||
| Swahili | pengo | ||
| The word "pengo" can also mean "space" or "hole" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | umsantsa | ||
| Umsantsa also refers to a 'pass' or 'mountain pass' | |||
| Yoruba | alafo | ||
| "Alafo" can also refer to a narrow strait or passageway | |||
| Zulu | igebe | ||
| The word "ama(i)gebe" originally meant "a cavity for a doorpost" and later "a gap". | |||
| Bambara | furancɛ | ||
| Ewe | memama | ||
| Kinyarwanda | icyuho | ||
| Lingala | bokeseni | ||
| Luganda | ebbanga | ||
| Sepedi | sekgoba | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kwan | ||
Gap in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الفارق | ||
| In addition to meaning "gap" or "difference," the word "الفارق" can also mean "the deciding factor" or "the winner." | |||
| Hebrew | פער | ||
| פער can also refer to the difference in price or value between two items or services. | |||
| Pashto | تشه | ||
| The word "تشه" can also refer to a hole or a valley in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | الفارق | ||
| In addition to meaning "gap" or "difference," the word "الفارق" can also mean "the deciding factor" or "the winner." | |||
Gap in Western European Languages
| Albanian | boshllëk | ||
| The word "boshllëk" also means "ignorance" and can be used in the phrase "boshllëk në dijeni" to refer to a lack of knowledge or understanding. | |||
| Basque | hutsunea | ||
| The word "hutsunea" also refers to a small space between two objects, a hole or a missing part. | |||
| Catalan | escletxa | ||
| In Catalan, "escletxa" has also been used to refer to a crack caused by intense heat, such as in a ceramic vessel or in the ground during a drought. | |||
| Croatian | jaz | ||
| The Croatian word "jaz" also means a dam or weir, suggesting a barrier or division. | |||
| Danish | hul | ||
| The word "hul" can also refer to a cave or a hollow. | |||
| Dutch | kloof | ||
| The word "kloof" in Dutch can also refer to a deep ravine or a narrow valley. | |||
| English | gap | ||
| The word "gap" derives from the Old English word "gæp", meaning "an opening" or "a hole". It can also refer to a break or difference in something, such as a generation gap or a pay gap. | |||
| French | écart | ||
| The word 'écart' in French can also mean 'écart type' or 'standard deviation' in statistics. | |||
| Frisian | gat | ||
| In Middle Dutch "gat" had the alternate meanings "small door" and "narrow passage". | |||
| Galician | lagoa | ||
| The Galician word lagoon comes from the Latin "lacuna", which also means "gap". | |||
| German | spalt | ||
| Spalt in German can also refer to a type of hop or a traditional Bavarian beer glass. | |||
| Icelandic | bilið | ||
| An alternate meaning of 'bilið' is 'a small piece' and the word is also used in a figurative sense, meaning 'a pause in speech or music'. | |||
| Irish | bearna | ||
| In addition to meaning "gap," the Gaelic word "bearna" (pronounced "bar-na") can also refer to a mountain pass, narrow strait, or opening in the ice. | |||
| Italian | divario | ||
| The word "divario" also means "difference" or "contrast" in Italian. | |||
| Luxembourgish | lück | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Lück" has the same etymology as the German word "Lücke" and shares its meaning of "gap." | |||
| Maltese | vojt | ||
| In Maltese, the word "vojt" can also refer to a "hole" or an "empty space". | |||
| Norwegian | mellomrom | ||
| Mellomrom, meaning "gap" or "space", also has a figurative meaning in Norwegian literature, referring to a break or a state of confusion. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | gap = vão | ||
| In Portuguese, “gap” translates to “vão”. Yet, it can also refer to a narrow passage between buildings or mountains, or even a hole in a wall or roof. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | beàrn | ||
| "Beàrn" may have originated from the same Celtic root as the Welsh "bwlch" (notch, gap) and the Irish "bearna" (gap, mouth), all ultimately connected to the Proto-Indo-European root *bher- (to bear, carry). | |||
| Spanish | brecha | ||
| "Brecha" comes from the Old French "brèche", meaning "break" or "breach", which itself comes from the Germanic "brekan". | |||
| Swedish | glipa | ||
| "Glipa" is also Swedish slang denoting a small child (especially a girl), or one's girlfriend | |||
| Welsh | bwlch | ||
| "Bwlch" can also mean "a mountain pass" or "a saddle on a hill". | |||
Gap in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | разрыў | ||
| The word "разрыў" (gap) in Belarusian can also mean "disconnection" or "break". | |||
| Bosnian | jaz | ||
| "Jaz" also refers to a space or area between two objects, or to a hole or opening. | |||
| Bulgarian | празнина | ||
| "Празднина" has also come to mean a holiday in the sense of a "hole" or "gap" in work. | |||
| Czech | mezera | ||
| The word "mezera" also means "hole" or "space" and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *mezьra, meaning "border" or "boundary." | |||
| Estonian | lõhe | ||
| In Estonian, the word "lõhe" can also refer to a salmon, demonstrating the metaphorical connection between a gap and the separation of the fish from the water. | |||
| Finnish | aukko | ||
| "Aukko" can also mean a "hole," "opening," or "chasm". It is thought to derive from the Uralic base "*awke," with an original meaning of "open space". | |||
| Hungarian | rés | ||
| The Hungarian word "rés" originally referred to a small hole or crack in a wall, but it later came to mean any kind of gap or opening. | |||
| Latvian | plaisa | ||
| "Plaisa" also means a hole in a wall or fence, or a space between two objects. | |||
| Lithuanian | spraga | ||
| Spręsti, spręga, spraga are all cognate to the English word "stretch" | |||
| Macedonian | јаз | ||
| Polish | luka | ||
| The word "luka" also means "crook" and "bend" in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | decalaj | ||
| In Romanian the decalaj has the same root as French decalage (shift), and also means the misalignment or phase difference in mechanics or electronics. | |||
| Russian | разрыв | ||
| "Разрыв" (gap) in Russian can refer to a break in a relationship, a gap in knowledge, or a break in a musical composition. | |||
| Serbian | јаз | ||
| Serbian "јаз" also means "a tongue" as well as "I", when it serves as a subject personal pronoun in the first person singular. | |||
| Slovak | medzera | ||
| The Slovak word "medzera" (gap) derives from the Proto-Slavic root "*medz" (border), but is also cognate with the English "mete" (boundary). | |||
| Slovenian | vrzel | ||
| The word vrzel comes from the Proto-Slavic word *vrъzъ, which also meant "top" or "summit". | |||
| Ukrainian | розрив | ||
| The word "розрив" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "разорити", meaning "to break apart". | |||
Gap in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ফাঁক | ||
| "ফাঁক" can also mean respite, opportunity, a small amount of a substance, a space between two objects, or an opening for entrance. | |||
| Gujarati | અંતર | ||
| The word "અંતર" can also mean "distance", "interval", or "difference". | |||
| Hindi | अन्तर | ||
| "अन्तर" can also mean "difference" or "distinction". | |||
| Kannada | ಅಂತರ | ||
| The word "ಅಂತರ" in Kannada also means "difference" or "contrast". | |||
| Malayalam | വിടവ് | ||
| The word "വിടവ്" (gap) in Malayalam can also mean "separation", "interval", or "space". | |||
| Marathi | अंतर | ||
| The word 'अंतर' in Marathi also means 'difference', 'distance', or 'space' | |||
| Nepali | खाली ठाउँ | ||
| In Nepali, "खाली ठाउँ" can also mean "empty space" or "vacancy". | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਾੜਾ | ||
| ਪਾੜਾ (pâṛâ) is often used in Punjabi to describe an interruption or divide, particularly from a narrative perspective. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පරතරය | ||
| පරතරය also refers to the distance between two things or the difference between two amounts. | |||
| Tamil | இடைவெளி | ||
| In Tamil, 'இடைவெளி' (idai veli) has an extended meaning of 'a place for a deity to reside in', and is used to describe the inner sanctum of a temple. | |||
| Telugu | గ్యాప్ | ||
| In Telugu, "గ్యాప్" can also refer to an opening in a fence or wall. | |||
| Urdu | فرق | ||
| The verb 'فرق' can also mean to divide, discriminate, or make a distinction. | |||
Gap in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 间隙 | ||
| The original term 间隙 consisted of 间 ('within') and 隙 ('crevice'), originally indicating the small holes in a bamboo fence from which water oozes as the fence ages. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 間隙 | ||
| 間隙 is used in Chinese medicine to refer to the spaces between joints or other organs. | |||
| Japanese | ギャップ | ||
| ギャップ (gap) also refers to the difference between the ideal and reality, often creating a feeling of disappointment or discomfort. | |||
| Korean | 갭 | ||
| 갭(gap) derives from English, but in Korean it also refers to a difference in generation, such as the "generation gap". | |||
| Mongolian | цоорхой | ||
| Цоорхой also means "throat" or "neck" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကွာဟချက် | ||
| The word can also be used in the context of a missing or incomplete object or knowledge, and as an expression of dismay or exclamation. | |||
Gap in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | celah | ||
| The word "celah" also means "crack" or "fissure" and is an Indonesian cognate of Malay "celak" and Javanese "calah". | |||
| Javanese | kesenjangan | ||
| Kesenjangan derives from the base word 'senggang', meaning 'interval', indicating the separation or distinction between two or more things. | |||
| Khmer | គម្លាត | ||
| This word may be derived from the Mon word "က္မာ" | |||
| Lao | ຊ່ອງຫວ່າງ | ||
| Malay | jurang | ||
| The Malay word "jurang" can be used to describe not only a physical divide in the earth's surface, but also a metaphorical gulf in understanding or relationships | |||
| Thai | ช่องว่าง | ||
| The word "ช่องว่าง" can also mean "opportunity" or "space" in the sense of a physical or emotional distance. | |||
| Vietnamese | lỗ hổng | ||
| The Vietnamese word "lỗ hổng" can also mean "vulnerability" or "flaw". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gap | ||
Gap in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | boşluq | ||
| Boşluq has a homograph in Azerbaijani that means "emptiness" or "void". | |||
| Kazakh | алшақтық | ||
| "Алшақтық" originally meant "a saddle" but now has the meaning of "gap". | |||
| Kyrgyz | боштук | ||
| 'Боштук' in Kyrgyz also refers to the uninhabited, uncultivated land between two villages or settlements. | |||
| Tajik | холигӣ | ||
| The word "холигӣ" can also refer to a "void" or "emptiness". | |||
| Turkmen | boşluk | ||
| Uzbek | bo'shliq | ||
| The word "bo'shliq" also has the figurative meaning of "lack of knowledge". | |||
| Uyghur | بوشلۇق | ||
Gap in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hakahaka | ||
| The word "hakahaka" in Hawaiian not only means "gap" but also refers to a space between two objects or a hole in something. | |||
| Maori | āputa | ||
| The Maori word 'āputa' also refers to a 'break', 'opening' or 'space' between objects or events | |||
| Samoan | avanoa | ||
| 'Avanoa' also translates as 'vacate', 'leave a space' or 'empty' in the context of a gathering of people. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | agwat | ||
| The Tagalog word 'agwat' can also refer to a period of time or a distance between two points. | |||
Gap in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | wiricha | ||
| Guarani | jeka | ||
Gap in International Languages
| Esperanto | breĉo | ||
| "Breĉo" is etymologically related to "breach" and "brackish", all of which share an origin in the Proto-Indo-European root *breg- (to break). | |||
| Latin | gap | ||
| The Latin word "hiatus" is a cognate of the English word "gap" and originally meant "mouth" or "opening". | |||
Gap in Others Languages
| Greek | χάσμα | ||
| The Greek word "χάσμα" not only means "gap," but can also refer to a chasm, abyss, or fissure. | |||
| Hmong | kis | ||
| The word "kis" in Hmong can also mean a place where two mountains meet or a breach in a wall or fence. | |||
| Kurdish | qelîştok | ||
| In modern Kurdish, 'qelîştok' also means opening, outlet, window, or hole. | |||
| Turkish | boşluk | ||
| In Turkish, "boşluk" also means "vacuum" and is derived from the Persian word "boshluk". | |||
| Xhosa | umsantsa | ||
| Umsantsa also refers to a 'pass' or 'mountain pass' | |||
| Yiddish | ריס | ||
| The Yiddish word "ריס" also means "race" in the context of athletics, a meaning cognate to the Hebrew word for "running". | |||
| Zulu | igebe | ||
| The word "ama(i)gebe" originally meant "a cavity for a doorpost" and later "a gap". | |||
| Assamese | গেপ | ||
| Aymara | wiricha | ||
| Bhojpuri | अंतर | ||
| Dhivehi | ގެޕް | ||
| Dogri | छिंडा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gap | ||
| Guarani | jeka | ||
| Ilocano | uwang | ||
| Krio | spes | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کەلێن | ||
| Maithili | फांका | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯍꯥꯡꯕ | ||
| Mizo | kar awl | ||
| Oromo | qaawwaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଫାଙ୍କ | ||
| Quechua | kiti | ||
| Sanskrit | अंतर | ||
| Tatar | аерма | ||
| Tigrinya | ክፍተት | ||
| Tsonga | vangwa | ||