Gear in Different Languages
Discover 'Gear' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'gear' holds immense significance in our daily lives, often associated with the mechanisms that drive our machines and vehicles. But beyond its mechanical connotations, 'gear' also symbolizes readiness and preparation, as in 'getting into gear' for a task. Culturally, 'gear' has infiltrated our languages in various forms, reflecting our global obsession with technology and progress.
Interestingly, the English word 'gear' is derived from the Old Norse word 'gervi', meaning 'a tool or a device'. This linguistic connection underscores the historical importance of gears in shaping our societies, from the ancient water wheels to the modern automobiles.
Understanding the translation of 'gear' in different languages can open up a world of cultural insights. For instance, the German 'Getriebe' and the French 'engrenage' not only share the same mechanical meaning but also echo the historical influence of German and French engineering.
Explore the world of 'gear' through its translations below:
Gear
Gear in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | rat | ||
| In Afrikaans, the word "rat" is derived from the Dutch word "rad," meaning "wheel," and can also refer to a cog or gear in a machine. | |||
| Amharic | ማርሽ | ||
| ማርሽ's alternate meaning is a gear in a timepiece | |||
| Hausa | kaya | ||
| 'Kaya' is also used to refer to a person's clothing or appearance. | |||
| Igbo | gia | ||
| The Igbo word gia can also mean instrument, equipment, or thing. | |||
| Malagasy | fitaovana | ||
| Fitaovana's other meanings are "preparation" or "equipment". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zida | ||
| Zida also denotes a small cog or tooth, which may be found in a wide variety of objects, including gears, watches, and zippers. | |||
| Shona | giya | ||
| In Shona, "giya" can also mean "a person who is responsible for the maintenance of a vehicle." | |||
| Somali | marsho | ||
| The word "marsho" in Somali can also mean "equipment" or "apparatus". | |||
| Sesotho | lisebelisoa | ||
| "Lisebelisoa" is a cognate of the Afrikaans word "versnelling", and also refers to a gear-change lever. | |||
| Swahili | gia | ||
| In Swahili, "gia" also means "direction" or "side" and is often used in compound words like "upande" (side) and "mbele" (front). | |||
| Xhosa | izixhobo | ||
| Izixhobo is also a term for traditional weapons or tools. | |||
| Yoruba | jia | ||
| "Jia" also means "a set" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | igiya | ||
| The word "igiya" has historical connections with the word "inyama" (meat), which is reflected in its plural form, "iziNyama". This connection suggests an earlier significance in Zulu culture. | |||
| Bambara | witɛsi dolan | ||
| Ewe | giya | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ibikoresho | ||
| Lingala | vitesi | ||
| Luganda | okukuma omuliro | ||
| Sepedi | kere | ||
| Twi (Akan) | afadeɛ | ||
Gear in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | هيأ | ||
| The root of "هيأ" also means "to prepare or make ready". | |||
| Hebrew | גלגל שיניים | ||
| The word "גלגל שיניים" (gear) derives from the root "גלגל" (to roll) and "שיניים" (teeth), referring to its toothed shape that engages with other gears to transmit motion. | |||
| Pashto | ګیر | ||
| ګیر "gear" is also used figuratively in Pashto to mean "equipment, machinery, apparatus, or tools." | |||
| Arabic | هيأ | ||
| The root of "هيأ" also means "to prepare or make ready". | |||
Gear in Western European Languages
| Albanian | marsh | ||
| The Albanian word "marsh" can also mean "weapon" or "tool". | |||
| Basque | engranaje | ||
| Engranaje, en vasco, también puede significar 'mecanismo interno'. | |||
| Catalan | engranatge | ||
| The word "engranatge" comes from Latin "in + granare", and in engineering also can refer to any mechanism that allows transmission of movement. | |||
| Croatian | zupčanik | ||
| The word "zupčanik" derives from the Slavic root "ząb", meaning "tooth", referring to the teeth-like shape of the gears | |||
| Danish | gear | ||
| The Danish word 'gear' also means 'greed' and 'desire'. | |||
| Dutch | uitrusting | ||
| The word "uitrusting" in Dutch is derived from "uit", meaning "out", and "rusting", meaning "equipment", and it can also refer to military equipment or tools that are not necessarily worn on the body. | |||
| English | gear | ||
| The word 'gear' derives from the Old English 'gearwe', meaning 'clothing or attire'. Its usage has expanded to encompass machinery and equipment. | |||
| French | équipement | ||
| Équipement derives from the Old French "esquipier," meaning both "to equip" and "to furnish," and is cognate with the English word "ship." | |||
| Frisian | gear | ||
| The word "gear" in Frisian can also mean "property" or "wealth". | |||
| Galician | engrenaxe | ||
| The etymology of 'engrenaxe' is related to the verb 'engrenar,' meaning 'to engage' or 'to mesh. | |||
| German | ausrüstung | ||
| The word "Ausrüstung" is derived from the Middle High German word "ustrung" or "uzt" for "out" and the suffix "-ung" for "-ing" and therefore literally means something like "something that is removed". | |||
| Icelandic | gír | ||
| The Old Norse word "gír" is also related to the English word "gear," with both sharing an etymology from the Proto-Germanic word "-ger-, " which meant "to prepare" or "to get ready." | |||
| Irish | fearas | ||
| The Old Irish word 'ferann' (originally 'fiarunns') is cognate with 'fearas', and derives from Proto-Celtic *wiros ('man', cognate with Latin 'vir' and Greek 'aner'). | |||
| Italian | ingranaggio | ||
| The word "ingranaggio" in Italian is derived from the Latin word "engranare", meaning "to engage" or "to fit together." | |||
| Luxembourgish | zännrad | ||
| "Zännrad" derives from the Old German words "zan" (tooth) and "rad" (wheel). | |||
| Maltese | irkaptu | ||
| The word "irkaptu" in Maltese also refers to a device that adjusts the motion of a machine, especially a gear. | |||
| Norwegian | utstyr | ||
| Utstyr shares the same etymological root as the word "stirrup" | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | engrenagem | ||
| "Engrenagem" can also refer to a bureaucracy or organization with an interlocking structure. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | gèar | ||
| The Gaelic word "gèar" also means "sharp" or "keen". | |||
| Spanish | engranaje | ||
| The verb `engranar` originally meant to mesh, and the noun `engranaje` derives from this, referring to what meshes. | |||
| Swedish | redskap | ||
| The word 'redskap' (gear) is derived from the Proto-Germanic word '*radiskapjaną', which means 'to set in order'. It is also related to the Old Norse word 'reiðskapr', which means 'tools' | |||
| Welsh | gêr | ||
| In addition to "gear," "gêr" can mean "harness" or "tack". | |||
Gear in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | шасцярня | ||
| Шасцярня, which originally meant "happiness" or "good fortune," is now used to refer to a gear. | |||
| Bosnian | brzina | ||
| Brzina can also refer to rhythm or pace in Bosnian, as in "svirati brzinu" (to play in rhythm). | |||
| Bulgarian | предавка | ||
| The word 'предавка' also means 'betrayal' and 'transmission' in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | ozubené kolo | ||
| The word "Ozubené kolo" literally means "toothed wheel" in Czech, highlighting its mechanical function of transmitting motion with interlocking teeth. | |||
| Estonian | käik | ||
| The Estonian word "käik" is thought to have derived from either Proto-Finnic "*käŋg" (movement, gait) or "*käyk" (path). | |||
| Finnish | vaihde | ||
| The Finnish word "vaihde" can also mean "exchange" or "switch". | |||
| Hungarian | felszerelés | ||
| "Felszerelés" in Hungarian literally means "put on one's back" or "carry on one's back". | |||
| Latvian | pārnesumu | ||
| The word "pārnesums" also means "gearbox" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | pavara | ||
| The word "pavara" can also mean "gearbox" or "transmission" in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | опрема | ||
| Опрема (gear) is thought to originate from the same word as | |||
| Polish | koło zębate | ||
| "koło zębate" literally means "toothed wheel" | |||
| Romanian | angrenaj | ||
| The word "angrenaj" can also refer to the process of intermeshing or engaging gears or the interlocking or connection of parts within a mechanism. | |||
| Russian | передача | ||
| "Передача" in Russian can also mean "transmission" or "transfer." | |||
| Serbian | зупчаници | ||
| The Serbian word "зупчаници" is derived from the Old Slavonic word "зуб", meaning "tooth", and refers to the interlocking teeth on a gear that engage with other gears. | |||
| Slovak | výbava | ||
| In Slovak, "výbava" can also refer to a dowry or a trousseau, a set of items given to a bride upon her marriage. | |||
| Slovenian | orodja | ||
| The word "orodje" can also refer to tools or equipment used in a trade or profession, or to the apparatus used in a scientific experiment or technical process. | |||
| Ukrainian | передач | ||
| In the context of radio, передач may also refer to a program. | |||
Gear in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | গিয়ার | ||
| The word 'গিয়ার' (gear) is derived from the Middle English word 'gere', meaning 'equipment' or 'clothing'. | |||
| Gujarati | ગિયર | ||
| The word "gear" in Gujarati can also refer to a gearwheel or a pulley block. | |||
| Hindi | गियर | ||
| The word "gear" in English has multiple meanings, including "equipment" or "attire", which stem from its Latin roots. | |||
| Kannada | ಗೇರ್ | ||
| "ಗೇರ್" is also used to refer to the act of changing gears in a vehicle. | |||
| Malayalam | ഗിയര് | ||
| The word "ഗിയര്" also refers to a type of traditional Kerala rice gruel. | |||
| Marathi | गिअर | ||
| The Marathi word "गिअर" can also mean "manner" or "style". | |||
| Nepali | गियर | ||
| The Hindi word "गियर" (gear) comes from the English word "gear" and is also used in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਗੇਅਰ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਗੇਅਰ" ("gear") can also refer to a set of clothes or a costume. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ගියර් | ||
| "ගියර්" (gear) is derived from the archaic English word "gear," meaning "clothing, equipment, or apparatus." | |||
| Tamil | கியர் | ||
| The Tamil word "கியர்" (gear) is also used to refer to the mechanical device used in bicycles and other vehicles to change the speed or direction of rotation. | |||
| Telugu | గేర్ | ||
| The word "గేర్" also refers to a type of large pulley used in traditional agricultural systems in Telangana, India. | |||
| Urdu | گیئر | ||
Gear in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 齿轮 | ||
| 齿轮 (chǐlún) comes from the Chinese word 齿 (chǐ) meaning "teeth" and 轮 (lún) meaning "wheel". It can also refer to the interlocking teeth on a gear or the meshing of gears. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 齒輪 | ||
| 齒輪 originally meant a toothed wheel in ancient Chinese and is also used to refer to the interlocking teeth of animals. | |||
| Japanese | 装備 | ||
| In Japanese, "装備" (gear) can also refer to weapons, armor, or other items used in combat or self-defense. | |||
| Korean | 기어 | ||
| 기어 is cognate with the English word "year", meaning a full rotation of the Earth around the Sun. | |||
| Mongolian | тоног төхөөрөмж | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဂီယာ | ||
| ဂီယာ is also used to refer to an old-fashioned plow pulled by oxen. | |||
Gear in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | gigi | ||
| The word "gigi" in Indonesian can also refer to teeth, a cogwheel, or a lever. | |||
| Javanese | gir | ||
| In Javanese, "gir" can also refer to a pulley or a toothed wheel used in machinery. | |||
| Khmer | ស្ពឺ | ||
| In modern usage, "ស្ពឺ" can also refer to transmission ratio, such as 1st gear, 2nd gear, etc. | |||
| Lao | ເກຍ | ||
| In Lao, "ເກຍ" is also a term for a type of traditional Laotian dance. | |||
| Malay | gear | ||
| The Malay word "gear" can also refer to clothing, especially traditional Malay clothing worn by women. | |||
| Thai | เกียร์ | ||
| The Thai word "เกียร์" can also refer to the clutch pedal in a manual transmission vehicle. | |||
| Vietnamese | hộp số | ||
| "Hộp số" was borrowed from French "boite à vitesses" which shares more meanings than the English equivalent "gear", e.g. "transmission; gearbox...". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gamit | ||
Gear in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dişli | ||
| "Dişli" is also used to refer to the teeth of a comb. | |||
| Kazakh | беріліс | ||
| In Kazakh, "беріліс" can also mean "transmission" or "drive" in a mechanical context. | |||
| Kyrgyz | тиштүү | ||
| The word "тиштүү" also refers to a set of tools or materials used for a specific purpose. | |||
| Tajik | фишанги | ||
| The word "фишанги" in Tajik could refer to "gear" but also to "equipment" or "accessories" generally. | |||
| Turkmen | dişli | ||
| Uzbek | vites | ||
| The Uzbek word “vites” means cog, gear tooth, or sprocket, and comes from the French “vitesse”, meaning “speed”. | |||
| Uyghur | چىشلىق چاق | ||
Gear in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kāhiko | ||
| "Kāhiko" in Hawaiian can also mean 'native' or 'traditional.', | |||
| Maori | taputapu | ||
| In Maori, taputapu can also refer to the tools and equipment used by a particular group or trade, or to the skills and knowledge associated with using them. | |||
| Samoan | kia | ||
| The word 'kia' in Samoan is also used as an adjective to describe someone who is physically strong. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | gamit | ||
| "Gamit" can also mean "use" or "purpose" in Tagalog. | |||
Gear in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | inkranaji | ||
| Guarani | apu'ajere mongu'e | ||
Gear in International Languages
| Esperanto | ilaro | ||
| The Esperanto word "ilaro" also means "rigging" or "apparatus." | |||
| Latin | calces | ||
| The Latin word "calces" can also refer to the heel or ankle. | |||
Gear in Others Languages
| Greek | μηχανισμός | ||
| The word | |||
| Hmong | iav | ||
| In Hmong, the word "iav" translates to "gear" (noun) but its homophone meaning (verb) is "to kick" | |||
| Kurdish | gêr | ||
| The word "gêr" has a double meaning: "gear" and "clothes". It is a cognate of Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰerh₃ós.} | |||
| Turkish | dişli | ||
| The Turkish word "dişli" also refers to an animal's canine tooth. | |||
| Xhosa | izixhobo | ||
| Izixhobo is also a term for traditional weapons or tools. | |||
| Yiddish | גאַנג | ||
| The Yiddish word "גאַנג" ("gear") also means "pace" or "way of walking". | |||
| Zulu | igiya | ||
| The word "igiya" has historical connections with the word "inyama" (meat), which is reflected in its plural form, "iziNyama". This connection suggests an earlier significance in Zulu culture. | |||
| Assamese | গিয়েৰ | ||
| Aymara | inkranaji | ||
| Bhojpuri | गियर | ||
| Dhivehi | ގިއަރު | ||
| Dogri | गियर | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gamit | ||
| Guarani | apu'ajere mongu'e | ||
| Ilocano | aragaag | ||
| Krio | gia | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گێڕ | ||
| Maithili | गियर | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯒꯥꯔꯤꯒꯤ ꯈꯣꯡꯖꯦꯜꯒ ꯂꯣꯏꯅꯅ ꯍꯣꯡꯕ ꯈꯨꯠꯂꯥꯏ | ||
| Mizo | thawmhnaw | ||
| Oromo | ilkaan mootoraa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଉପକରଣ | ||
| Quechua | engranaje | ||
| Sanskrit | संयोक्त | ||
| Tatar | җиһаз | ||
| Tigrinya | ማርሺ | ||
| Tsonga | ghere | ||