Gay in Different Languages
Discover 'Gay' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Gay
Afrikaans gay | ||
Albanian homoseksual | ||
Amharic ግብረ ሰዶማዊ | ||
Arabic مثلي الجنس | ||
Armenian գեյ | ||
Assamese গে | ||
Aymara gay sat jaqiwa | ||
Azerbaijani gey | ||
Bambara gayi | ||
Basque gay | ||
Belarusian гей | ||
Bengali সমকামী | ||
Bhojpuri समलैंगिक के बा | ||
Bosnian gej | ||
Bulgarian гей | ||
Catalan gai | ||
Cebuano bayot | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 同性恋者 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 同性戀者 | ||
Corsican gay | ||
Croatian gay | ||
Czech gay | ||
Danish homoseksuel | ||
Dhivehi ގޭ އެވެ | ||
Dogri समलैंगिक | ||
Dutch homo | ||
English gay | ||
Esperanto gaja | ||
Estonian gei | ||
Ewe gayibɔ | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) bakla | ||
Finnish homo | ||
French gay | ||
Frisian gay | ||
Galician gay | ||
Georgian გეი | ||
German fröhlich | ||
Greek γκέι | ||
Guarani gay rehegua | ||
Gujarati ગે | ||
Haitian Creole masisi | ||
Hausa gay | ||
Hawaiian wahine kāne | ||
Hebrew הומו | ||
Hindi समलैंगिक | ||
Hmong gay | ||
Hungarian meleg | ||
Icelandic hommi | ||
Igbo nwoke nwere mmasị nwoke | ||
Ilocano bakla | ||
Indonesian gay | ||
Irish aerach | ||
Italian gay | ||
Japanese ゲイ | ||
Javanese homo | ||
Kannada ಸಲಿಂಗಕಾಮಿ | ||
Kazakh гей | ||
Khmer ខ្ទើយ | ||
Kinyarwanda abaryamana bahuje ibitsina | ||
Konkani समलिंगी अशें म्हण्टात | ||
Korean 게이 | ||
Krio gay pipul dɛn | ||
Kurdish gay | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) هاوڕەگەزباز | ||
Kyrgyz гей | ||
Lao gay | ||
Latin gay | ||
Latvian geju | ||
Lingala gay | ||
Lithuanian gėjus | ||
Luganda abagaala ebisiyaga | ||
Luxembourgish schwul | ||
Macedonian геј | ||
Maithili समलैंगिक | ||
Malagasy pelaka | ||
Malay gay | ||
Malayalam സ്വവർഗ്ഗാനുരാഗി | ||
Maltese omosesswali | ||
Maori takatāpui | ||
Marathi समलिंगी | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯒꯦ꯫ | ||
Mizo gay a ni | ||
Mongolian гей | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) လိင်တူချစ်သူ | ||
Nepali समलि .्गी | ||
Norwegian homofil | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) gay | ||
Odia (Oriya) ସମଲିଙ୍ଗୀ | ||
Oromo saalqunnamtii saala walfakkaataa raawwatu | ||
Pashto همجنګ | ||
Persian همجنسگرا | ||
Polish wesoły | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) gay | ||
Punjabi ਸਮਲਿੰਗੀ | ||
Quechua gay | ||
Romanian gay | ||
Russian гей | ||
Samoan gay | ||
Sanskrit समलैङ्गिकः | ||
Scots Gaelic gay | ||
Sepedi gay | ||
Serbian геј | ||
Sesotho mosodoma | ||
Shona ngochani | ||
Sindhi هم جنس (ڇوڪرو) | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) සමලිංගික | ||
Slovak gay | ||
Slovenian gej | ||
Somali qaniis | ||
Spanish gay | ||
Sundanese homo | ||
Swahili shoga | ||
Swedish gay | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) bakla | ||
Tajik гей | ||
Tamil கே | ||
Tatar гей | ||
Telugu గే | ||
Thai เกย์ | ||
Tigrinya ግብረሰዶማዊ | ||
Tsonga gay | ||
Turkish eşcinsel | ||
Turkmen geý | ||
Twi (Akan) gay, ɔbarima ne ɔbea nna | ||
Ukrainian гей | ||
Urdu ہم جنس پرست | ||
Uyghur ھەمجىنىسلار | ||
Uzbek gomoseksual | ||
Vietnamese gay | ||
Welsh hoyw | ||
Xhosa isitabane | ||
Yiddish פריילעך | ||
Yoruba onibaje | ||
Zulu isitabane |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Albanian | The Albanian word "homoseksual" is derived from the Latin "homosexualis", which means "of the same sex". |
| Arabic | The word "مثلي الجنس" in Arabic derives from the root word "جن" meaning "to incline" or "to deviate", and can also refer to a "demon" or "evil spirit". |
| Armenian | In Armenian, "գեյ" (gay) has a dual meaning, referring to both "gay" and "bright" or "colorful." |
| Azerbaijani | In Azerbaijani, "gey" can also mean "handsome", "stylish", or "cool". |
| Basque | The Basque word "alait" means "happy" or "merry" but can also refer to someone who is homosexual. |
| Belarusian | In Belarusian, "гей" can also mean "hey" or "hello". |
| Bengali | The Bengali word 'সমকামী' ('shomokami') originally referred to an effeminate man or an androgynous person, but its meaning gradually shifted to mean 'homosexual' under the influence of English. |
| Bosnian | The word "gej" also refers to a "party", or "gathering"} |
| Bulgarian | In Bulgarian, the word "гей" (pronounced like "gay") means "crazy" or "mad". |
| Catalan | Catalan 'gai' derives from L. 'iucundus', which can mean both 'joyful' and 'gay'. |
| Cebuano | "Bayot" can also mean "friend" or "buddy" in some contexts. |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 在19世纪后期，汉语吸收了英语单词“gay”，并赋予了它“快乐、开朗”的含义。 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 同性戀者，原指「快樂、歡樂」，後意譯自英文「gay」而特指男同性戀者。 |
| Corsican | Corsican also has a homonym that translates to the English word "jaunty". |
| Croatian | In Croatian, "gay" also means "forest" and can be used as a euphemism for poverty or misfortune. |
| Czech | In Czech, the word "gay" means cheerful and carefree. |
| Danish | The Danish word "homoseksuel" derives from the Greek words "homos" (same) and "sexus" (sex). |
| Dutch | In Dutch, "homo" originated as an abbreviation of "homoseksueel" (homosexual) but also has a different meaning: a human being. |
| Esperanto | Esperanto's "gaja" is derived from the Sanskrit word "gaja," meaning "elephant," and has alternate meanings of "great" or "noble." |
| Estonian | In Estonian "gei" also means "craze", "urge" or "drive". |
| Finnish | In Finnish, "homo" can also refer to a same-sex partner or a homosexual relationship. |
| French | In French, the word "gai" can also mean "cheerful" or "bright." |
| Frisian | In Frisian, the word "gay" can also mean "funny" or "cheerful". |
| Galician | In Galician, the word "gAi" means "joyful" but is often used sarcastically. |
| Georgian | In Georgian, "გეი" (gei) can also mean "young" or "inexperienced". |
| German | The word "Fröhlich" originally meant "carefree" or "happy" and is related to the Old English word "fæger," meaning "beautiful". |
| Greek | In Greece, the word "γκέι" can also mean "happy" or "cheerful". |
| Gujarati | ગે (gay) may originally have meant |
| Haitian Creole | In Haitian Creole, 'masisi' can also refer to someone who is flamboyant or eccentric. |
| Hausa | In Hausa, "gay" also means "carefree" or "playful." |
| Hawaiian | Wahine kāne is a Hawaiian term that originally referred to cross-dressing men but has more recently come to be used as a general term for individuals who identify as gay. |
| Hebrew | The word "הומו" in Hebrew has a double meaning, referring both to homosexuality and a type of chickpea. |
| Hindi | The word समलैंगिक literally means "equal gender" or "same class" and is used in Hindi to refer to someone who is homosexual. |
| Hmong | The word "gay" in Hmong can also mean "happy" or "lively." |
| Hungarian | The Hungarian word "meleg" originally meant "warm" and is only in a relatively recent usage that the word came to mean "gay". |
| Icelandic | The word "hommi" is used in Icelandic poetry to denote a type of verse, and the meaning of "gay" is a later addition to the word, likely influenced by the similar spelling of "homosexual". |
| Igbo | The Igbo word for "gay" literally means "a man who has women". |
| Indonesian | The Indonesian word "gay" originates from the Sanskrit root "ga" meaning "to go" or "to move". |
| Irish | The Irish word 'aerach' not only means 'gay', but also 'airy' and 'cheerful'. |
| Italian | The Italian word 'gaio' also means 'cheerful' or 'merry'. |
| Japanese | In Japanese, the word "ゲイ" is also used as an adjective meaning "bright" or "cheerful." |
| Javanese | The Javanese word "homo" can also refer to a person who is not sexually attractive. |
| Kannada | The word "ಸಲಿಂಗಕಾಮಿ" can also refer to the "gay" dance performed on special occasions or as a form of worship in some Indian communities. |
| Kazakh | The Kazakh word "гей" can also mean "happy" or "cheerful" |
| Khmer | The Khmer word ខ្ទើយ ("gay") can also mean "lazy" or "effeminate." |
| Korean | In Korean, "게이" can also mean "bright" or "festive." |
| Kurdish | In Kurdish, "gay" doesn't exclusively mean "homosexual" but also "good, fine, excellent". |
| Kyrgyz | The Kyrgyz word "гей" is borrowed from the Russian language, where it means "gay", and has the same meaning in Kyrgyz. |
| Lao | In Lao, the word "gay" can also mean "happy" or "cheerful." |
| Latin | In Latin, "gay" meant "happy" or "joyful". |
| Latvian | In Latvian, "geju" also refers to a group of people who work together, regardless of their sexual orientation. |
| Lithuanian | "Gėjus" derives from the Latin word "gaudere" (to rejoice), which may have influenced its positive connotation in Lithuanian. |
| Luxembourgish | In some rural and eastern areas of Luxembourg, "schwul" can also mean "intoxicated, drunk or tipsy." |
| Macedonian | The word "геј" in Macedonian has other meanings such as "foolish" or "unwise". |
| Malagasy | The word "pelaka" in Malagasy can also mean "different" or "unusual". |
| Malay | In Malay, "gay" means "happy," "excited," or "lively." |
| Maltese | Omosesswali derives from 'omo-' meaning 'human', and '-sesswali' meaning 'sex', hence 'homosexuality' in English. |
| Maori | The word "takatāpui" in Māori has historical roots in spiritual and social roles within traditional Māori society and carries a broader meaning than the contemporary English term "gay". |
| Marathi | The term "समलिंगी" can also refer to a "hermaphrodite" in Marathi. |
| Mongolian | The Mongolian word "гей" also means "light" or "faint". |
| Nepali | समलि .्गी can also refer to a specific type of flower, the "marigold". |
| Norwegian | The word "homofil" was also used earlier to refer to people who were sympathetic to homosexuality, even if they did not identify as gay themselves. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The Nyanja word "chihwanda" means both "gay" and "foolish". |
| Pashto | The Pashto word "همجنګ" (hamjang) also means "comrade" or "ally". |
| Polish | In Polish, the word "wesoły" means both "cheerful" and "homosexual". |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | In Portuguese, "gay" can also mean "happy" or "cheerful". |
| Romanian | In Romanian, "gay" originally meant 'carefree', 'vivacious', and 'cheerful', and has no connection to its English usage. |
| Russian | The word "гей" in Russian can also mean "joyful" or "lively". |
| Samoan | Gay was first adopted by Samoan fa'afafine as a term for their third gender identity. |
| Scots Gaelic | The Scots Gaelic word "gaidh" can also mean "thief" or "rogue". |
| Serbian | The Serbian word "геј" can also refer to someone who is pleasant or cheerful. |
| Shona | In Shona, 'ngochani' can also mean 'to be playful' or 'to be mischievous'. |
| Sindhi | The word "هم جنس (ڇوڪرو)" (gay) in Sindhi can also mean "homosexual" or "male lover". |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The word also refers to the quality of being cheerful or bright. |
| Slovak | The word “gay” in Slovak can also mean "cheerful" or "brightly colored." |
| Slovenian | The Slovenian word "gej" can also mean "foolish" or "silly". |
| Somali | In Somali, the word 'Qaniis' also refers to an 'extravagant' person, and has no correlation with sexuality. |
| Spanish | In Spanish, "gay" can also mean "joyful" or "cheerful". |
| Sundanese | The word "homo" also means "uncle" in Sundanese, and is commonly used as a term of respect for older men |
| Swahili | In Swahili, "shoga" can also mean "friend" or "buddy" and is often used as a term of endearment or companionship. |
| Swedish | In Swedish, "gay" has additional meanings of "cheerful" and "brightly colored"} |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | The term "bakla" originated from the Tagalog word for a type of bean used to cook a traditional dish called "ginisang munggo" which is popular as a vegetarian viand |
| Tajik | In addition to meaning 'gay', 'гей' can also mean 'a person who plays musical instrument' |
| Tamil | The word "கே" (gay) in Tamil also means "good" or "right." |
| Telugu | In Telugu, గే (ge) also means 'red', 'crimson', 'beautiful', and 'lustrous'. |
| Thai | In Thai, the word "เกย์" can also mean "funny" or "ridiculous". |
| Turkish | The Turkish word "eşcinsel" originally meant "homosexual" but has since taken on a broader meaning to include all LGBTQ+ people. |
| Ukrainian | In Ukrainian, "гей" can also mean "hey" or "yo." |
| Urdu | The term "gay" may also refer to social or political movements that promote the rights of the LGBT community. |
| Uzbek | The Uzbek word "gomoseksual" also means "homosexual" in Turkish. |
| Vietnamese | "Gay" trong tiếng Việt có gốc từ "gai" chỉ "sự vui", được dùng như một tính từ chỉ "vui vẻ, tươi cười". |
| Welsh | The Welsh word "hoyw" is also used to refer to something that is cheerful or lively. |
| Xhosa | In Xhosa, the word "isitabane" has alternate meanings, including "one who is lazy" and "one who is always tired." |
| Yiddish | The Yiddish word "פֿריילעך" (pronounced "freylakh") can also mean "joyous" or "merry." |
| Yoruba | Yoruba people also use the term |
| Zulu | The word "isitabane" in Zulu can also refer to a "wild, uncontrollable person" or a "naughty child". |
| English | The word 'gay' has meant 'happy or merry' since the 14th century, and 'homosexual or lesbian' since the 20th century. |