Gentleman in Different Languages
Discover 'Gentleman' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A gentleman is an individual who exemplifies refined behavior, chivalry, and respect. This term, steeped in history and cultural importance, has evolved over time but remains a symbol of courtesy and good manners. Originating in the European Middle Ages, the term 'gentleman' was used to describe a man of good birth or a man who was well-born and thus, expected to behave in a certain way.
In modern times, the meaning of a gentleman has expanded to include men of all backgrounds who display politeness, kindness, and consideration towards others. This term is not only significant in English-speaking cultures but is also revered and translated in various languages worldwide.
For instance, in Spanish, a gentleman is known as 'caballero,' derived from the word 'caballo,' meaning horse – emphasizing the historical association between gentlemen and horsemanship. In French, 'gentilhomme' embodies the same qualities of a gentleman. As you explore different cultures and languages, understanding the translation of 'gentleman' can provide valuable insights into local customs and etiquette.
Join us as we delve into the translations of 'gentleman' in various languages, from 'jgentleman' in Esperanto to 'šlechetný muž' in Czech, and discover the unique cultural nuances associated with this timeless term.
Gentleman
Gentleman in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | meneer | ||
| The word "meneer" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word "mijnheer" and is used as a formal term of address for men, but can also mean "husband" or "father" in a family context. | |||
| Amharic | ጨዋ ሰው | ||
| In Amharic, the word ጨዋ ሰው ('gentleman') shares the same root with the word ጨዋ ('play'). | |||
| Hausa | mutum | ||
| The word "mutum" also means "person" and is derived from the Hausa verb "mu" meaning "to be". | |||
| Igbo | nwa amadi | ||
| The Igbo word "nwa amadi" can also refer to a young man who is well-behaved and responsible. | |||
| Malagasy | rangahy | ||
| The word "rangahy" in Malagasy is derived from the Arabic word "rajul" meaning "man" or "male". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | njonda | ||
| The word "njonda" can also mean "chief" or "leader". | |||
| Shona | muchinda | ||
| Muchinda in Shona can mean 'a free man', 'a landowner', 'a married man' or 'a person of respect'. | |||
| Somali | mudane | ||
| The Somali word 'mudane' also means 'peaceful' and 'relaxed'. | |||
| Sesotho | mohlomphehi | ||
| In Tswana, 'mohlomphehi' is also used to refer to a senior male family member or elder within a community. | |||
| Swahili | muungwana | ||
| The Swahili word "muungwana" originally referred to a member of the nobility or upper class, but can also mean a respectful or courteous person. | |||
| Xhosa | mnumzana | ||
| The word 'mnumzana' originally meant 'father' in Proto-Bantu, but acquired its current meaning in the colonial era. | |||
| Yoruba | okunrin jeje | ||
| The Yoruba word "okunrin jeje" can also refer to a man who is calm, collected, and has good manners. | |||
| Zulu | umnumzane | ||
| The Zulu word "umnumzane" has other meanings, including "uncle", "lord", and "master". | |||
| Bambara | cɛkɔrɔba | ||
| Ewe | aƒetɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | nyakubahwa | ||
| Lingala | monsieur moko | ||
| Luganda | omwami | ||
| Sepedi | mohlomphegi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔbarima a ɔyɛ ɔbadwemma | ||
Gentleman in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | انسان محترم | ||
| The word "انسان محترم" (insan muhtaram) literally translates to "respected human" and can also refer to someone who is well-mannered and polite. | |||
| Hebrew | ג'ֶנטֶלמֶן | ||
| The Hebrew word "ג'ֶנטֶלמֶן" (gentleman) is derived from the English word "gentleman" and has the same meaning. | |||
| Pashto | ښاغلى | ||
| The word "ښاغلى" comes from the Persian word "شاغلی" which also means "gentleman". | |||
| Arabic | انسان محترم | ||
| The word "انسان محترم" (insan muhtaram) literally translates to "respected human" and can also refer to someone who is well-mannered and polite. | |||
Gentleman in Western European Languages
| Albanian | zotëri | ||
| The Albanian word "zotëri" (gentleman) is derived from the Latin word "senior" (elder), which originally referred to the head of a family or clan. | |||
| Basque | jauna | ||
| The word “jauna” comes from the Latin “dominus” and was originally used to refer to a nobleman or landowner. | |||
| Catalan | senyor | ||
| The word "senyor" is derived from the Latin "senior," meaning "older" or "superior." | |||
| Croatian | gospodin | ||
| The Croatian word "gospodin" derives from the Proto-Slavic *gospodь, meaning "master" or "lord". | |||
| Danish | gentleman | ||
| Gentleman comes from the Norman French word "gentilhomme," which itself comes from the Latin word "gentilis," meaning "of the same stock or clan." | |||
| Dutch | heer | ||
| The word "heer" evolved from the Middle Dutch word "here" meaning "lord", which in turn derived from the Old High German word "herro" meaning "master" or "lord". | |||
| English | gentleman | ||
| The word 'gentleman' comes from the Old English 'gentiman', originally denoting a person of high social status. | |||
| French | gentilhomme | ||
| The French word "gentilhomme" comes from the Latin "gentilis," meaning "noble" or "of noble birth." | |||
| Frisian | ealman | ||
| The Frisian word 'ealman' is cognate with the English word 'oathman', and originally meant 'a man who takes an oath'. | |||
| Galician | cabaleiro | ||
| In medieval times it referred to someone riding horses. | |||
| German | gentleman | ||
| The German word "gentleman" is derived from Middle Low German "jonghêrre" meaning "young lord". | |||
| Icelandic | herra minn | ||
| Herra minn, a term of address for men, derives from an Old Norse word that originally implied 'lord' or 'master', and has cognates in several other Germanic languages. | |||
| Irish | a dhuine uasail | ||
| The term "a dhuine uasail" literally translates to "the noble man" in Irish. | |||
| Italian | signore | ||
| Italian "signore" originally stems from Latin "senior," which referred to an elderly male and then acquired its modern meaning of "lord," whereas its feminine counterpart, "signora," originally meant "lady," and now primarily means "Mrs.". | |||
| Luxembourgish | grondhär | ||
| The word “Grondhär” derives from two Old German words that mean “lord” and “landowner.” | |||
| Maltese | gentleman | ||
| The Maltese word 'sinjur' can also mean 'lord', 'master', or 'mister'. | |||
| Norwegian | herre | ||
| The word "herre" in Norwegian comes from the Old Norse word "herr", which could mean either "lord" or "master" | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cavalheiro | ||
| In Portuguese the word 'cavalheiro' also has meanings like 'knight', 'rider' or 'horseman'. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | duine-uasal | ||
| "Duine-uasal" can also refer to a type of fairy in Scottish folklore. | |||
| Spanish | caballero | ||
| The Spanish word "Caballero" (literally translating to "horseman"), has also evolved to mean a "man of quality," "nobleman," or "gentleman," as someone well-versed in courtly etiquette, chivalry, and horsemanship, or even a knight. | |||
| Swedish | herre | ||
| The word is cognate with the English "hire" and the German "Heere", meaning "army", with original meaning "host of warriors." | |||
| Welsh | boneddwr | ||
| The word "boneddwr" can also mean "lineage" or "nobility". | |||
Gentleman in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | спадар | ||
| The word 'спадар' comes from the Old Belarusian word 'спад' ('lord'), which in turn derives from the Proto-Slavic word '*gъspodь' ('master'). | |||
| Bosnian | gospodine | ||
| Gospodine originated from the Slavic word 'gospod', meaning 'lord' or 'master'. | |||
| Bulgarian | господин | ||
| The word "господин" in Bulgarian derives from the Old Church Slavonic "господь" meaning "lord" or "master". | |||
| Czech | gentleman | ||
| In Czech the term gentleman means both the person with good manners (definition of gentleman in English) or an unmarried man. | |||
| Estonian | härra | ||
| The term härra can also refer to a person with supernatural powers, such as a shaman. | |||
| Finnish | herrasmies | ||
| It is suggested that the word "herrasmies" derives from the word "herra" ("lord") and the suffix "mies" ("man"), and that it was originally used to address feudal lords. | |||
| Hungarian | úriember | ||
| In Hungarian, the word "úriember" evolved from "úr" meaning "lord", while "ember" means "person". | |||
| Latvian | kungs | ||
| The word "kungs" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ǵʰén-ti", meaning "noble" or "well-born". It was originally a title given to members of the nobility, but over time became to be used as a general term for a gentleman. | |||
| Lithuanian | ponas | ||
| The word "ponas" is likely derived from the word "ponas", meaning "lord" | |||
| Macedonian | господин | ||
| The word "господин" in Macedonian is derived from the Slavic word "господь" meaning "lord" and is used as a formal address for a man or as a title for a person in a position of authority or respect. | |||
| Polish | pan | ||
| Pan in Polish is cognate with English "thane" and German "Degen", and derives from an old term for an aristocratic warrior. | |||
| Romanian | domn | ||
| The term "domn" is derived from the Latin word "dominus", and can also refer to a person holding a high social rank or position of authority. | |||
| Russian | джентльмен | ||
| В русском языке слово "джентльмен" употребляется также в значении "настоящий мужчина" или "идеальный мужчина". | |||
| Serbian | господине | ||
| There are no other meanings of the word 'господине' other than 'gentleman'. | |||
| Slovak | pán | ||
| Slovak word "pán" can also mean God in a religious context | |||
| Slovenian | gospod | ||
| "Gospod" is not only an honorific title, but also a loanword from the German "Gottesfreund" meaning "friend of God". It can also refer to a feudal lord or a master craftsman. | |||
| Ukrainian | джентльмен | ||
| The word "джентльмен" is derived from the Latin word "gentilis", meaning "of the same clan or family". It originally referred to a man of noble birth, but its meaning has since broadened to include any man who behaves with courtesy and respect. | |||
Gentleman in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ভদ্রলোক | ||
| The word "ভদ্রলোক" (bhadralok) in Bengali can also refer to a landed gentry or a prosperous person, and was originally used to indicate a person of high social status. | |||
| Gujarati | સજ્જન | ||
| The word 'સજ્જન' is derived from 'સજ્જ', meaning 'ready' or 'prepared', and can also refer to a 'well-behaved or respectable person'. | |||
| Hindi | सज्जन | ||
| "सज्जन" (gentleman) derives from the Sanskrit word "सत्" (good), and also means "honorable" and "virtuous". | |||
| Kannada | ಸಂಭಾವಿತ | ||
| The word "ಸಂಭಾವಿತ" also means "nobleman" or "a man of good family". | |||
| Malayalam | മാന്യൻ | ||
| Marathi | गृहस्थ | ||
| The Marathi word "गृहस्थ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "गृहस्थ" which refers to a householder or head of the household. | |||
| Nepali | भद्र पुरुष | ||
| The word "भद्र पुरुष" (gentleman) in Nepali derives from Sanskrit "भद्र" (good) and "पुरुष" (man), embodying qualities of virtue, integrity, and social grace. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸੱਜਣ | ||
| The word 'ਸੱਜਣ' has a double meaning: 'gentleman' and 'lover'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මහත්වරුනි | ||
| Tamil | நற்பண்புகள் கொண்டவர் | ||
| Telugu | పెద్దమనిషి | ||
| The word "పెద్దమనిషి" can also refer to an elder or respectable person, such as a teacher or political figure. | |||
| Urdu | شریف آدمی | ||
| The word "شریف آدمی" originated from the Arabic word "شريف" meaning "noble" or "honorable". | |||
Gentleman in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 绅士 | ||
| The word 绅士 was introduced into Chinese during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) from Japanese, where it referred to a type of Western-style men's clothing. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 紳士 | ||
| The word "紳士" also means a person who wears a silk belt, which was a symbol of high social status in ancient China. | |||
| Japanese | 紳士 | ||
| "紳士" also means "well-dressed person" as it is based on how the word "紳" (shin) means "belt for trousers" in Chinese. | |||
| Korean | 신사 | ||
| The word "신사" (shinsa) is the Korean word for "gentleman", but it can also refer to a "scholar" or a "person of refinement". | |||
| Mongolian | эрхэм | ||
| The word "эрхэм" has a dual meaning, as it can also refer to a "precious gem". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လူကြီးလူကောင်း | ||
Gentleman in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pria | ||
| "Pria" derives from the Sanskrit "priya" meaning "beloved". | |||
| Javanese | purun | ||
| The word "purun" can also mean "you" when used in polite speech or when addressing a superior. | |||
| Khmer | សុភាពបុរស | ||
| Lao | ສຸພາບບຸລຸດ | ||
| Malay | puan | ||
| In the 16th century, the word "puan" was used as a royal title, but it later transitioned to refer to a wealthy or well-respected man. | |||
| Thai | สุภาพบุรุษ | ||
| The word "สุภาพบุรุษ" also refers to a polite and refined young male, particularly a student or a noble's son. | |||
| Vietnamese | quý ông | ||
| The word "quý ông" can also refer to a wealthy or noble man, or a man of good character. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maginoo | ||
Gentleman in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bəy | ||
| The word "bəy" is derived from the Persian word "bey," which originally meant "prince" or "chieftain." | |||
| Kazakh | мырза | ||
| The word "мырза" can also refer to a nobleman or ruler, and has been used as a title in some Central Asian cultures. | |||
| Kyrgyz | мырза | ||
| The word "мырза" originally meant "hunter" or "hero" in Kyrgyz and later came to be used as a title for noblemen. | |||
| Tajik | ҷаноб | ||
| The word "ҷаноб" is also used to refer to a respectable person or a superior. | |||
| Turkmen | jenap | ||
| Uzbek | janob | ||
| The word "janob" is also used as a term of respect for elders or superiors. | |||
| Uyghur | ئەپەندى | ||
Gentleman in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | keonimana | ||
| Its literal meaning is 'having a fine, pleasing face,' referring to the face that a man presents to the world. | |||
| Maori | rangatira | ||
| "Rangatira" initially meant "child of heaven" then "descendants of chiefs" and finally "chiefly rank". | |||
| Samoan | aliʻi | ||
| The word "aliʻi" can also refer to a chief or ruler in Samoan society. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | ginoo | ||
| "Ginoo" can be traced back to the Spanish "señor". It is also used in a playful or sarcastic way when a younger person addresses a much older person as, literally, "grandparent" | |||
Gentleman in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | señor chacha | ||
| Guarani | karai | ||
Gentleman in International Languages
| Esperanto | sinjoro | ||
| The word "sinjoro" comes from the Spanish "señor" and the Portuguese "senhor", both meaning "lord". | |||
| Latin | virum | ||
| The Latin word "virum" can also refer to a man or husband. | |||
Gentleman in Others Languages
| Greek | κύριος | ||
| The word "κύριος" (kyrios) in Greek can also mean "lord", "master", or "owner", reflecting its roots in the concept of power and authority. | |||
| Hmong | yawg moob | ||
| The Hmong word "yawg moob" directly translates as "man" or "male", but is commonly used as a polite term to refer to any elder or male guest. | |||
| Kurdish | birêz | ||
| The word "birêz" can also mean "kind" or "polite". | |||
| Turkish | beyefendi | ||
| Beyefendi has its origins in the Ottoman military, where it was used as a title for high-ranking officers. | |||
| Xhosa | mnumzana | ||
| The word 'mnumzana' originally meant 'father' in Proto-Bantu, but acquired its current meaning in the colonial era. | |||
| Yiddish | דזשענטלמען | ||
| The Yiddish word "דזשענטלמען" ("dzhentlmen") is borrowed from the English word "gentleman", but it can also refer to a non-Jewish person, especially a Christian. | |||
| Zulu | umnumzane | ||
| The Zulu word "umnumzane" has other meanings, including "uncle", "lord", and "master". | |||
| Assamese | ভদ্ৰলোক | ||
| Aymara | señor chacha | ||
| Bhojpuri | सज्जन के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ޖެންޓަލްމަން | ||
| Dogri | सज्जन जी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maginoo | ||
| Guarani | karai | ||
| Ilocano | gentleman nga lalaki | ||
| Krio | jentlman we de na di wɔl | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەڕێز | ||
| Maithili | सज्जन जी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯔꯨꯄꯁꯤꯡ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | mi fel tak a ni | ||
| Oromo | jaalallee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଭଦ୍ରଲୋକ | ||
| Quechua | wiraqocha | ||
| Sanskrit | सज्जन | ||
| Tatar | әфәнде | ||
| Tigrinya | ለዋህ ሰብኣይ | ||
| Tsonga | gentleman | ||