Gift in Different Languages
Discover 'Gift' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A 'gift' is a cherished item or act, given voluntarily to another without expecting anything in return. This universal act of generosity transcends cultures and languages, embodying the spirit of kindness and goodwill. The significance of gifts varies across cultures, from symbols of social status in some societies to expressions of love and appreciation in others.
Throughout history, gifts have played crucial roles in sealing alliances, marking important life events, and fostering relationships. For instance, in ancient Egypt, gifts of gold and precious stones adorned pharaohs and their tombs, symbolizing power and divinity. Meanwhile, in many African cultures, gifts serve as tokens of respect and solidarity.
Understanding the translation of 'gift' in different languages not only enriches our vocabulary but also offers insights into diverse cultural perspectives. Here are a few fascinating translations:
- French: cadeau
- Spanish: regalo
- German: Geschenk
- Mandarin: 礼物 (lǐwù)
- Japanese: 贈り物 (okurimono)
Gift
Gift in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | geskenk | ||
| "Geskenk" originates from Middle Dutch "geschenke" and is cognate with German "geschenk" and English "present". | |||
| Amharic | ስጦታ | ||
| The word "ስጦታ" can also mean "grace" or "mercy" in religious contexts. | |||
| Hausa | kyauta | ||
| In Hausa, 'kyauta' can also refer to a gift of land, a bride price or a dowry. | |||
| Igbo | onyinye | ||
| The Igbo word "onyinye" also carries the connotation of "something precious" or "treasure". | |||
| Malagasy | fanomezana | ||
| FANOMEZANA has a prefix FANO meaning 'to do' and a suffix -MEZANA meaning 'a result of doing something.' | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mphatso | ||
| "Mphatso" also means "luck" in Nyanja and "blessing" in Swahili. | |||
| Shona | chipo | ||
| Shona ‘chipo’ also refers to the act of giving a gift or reward to someone, or the recipient of a gift. | |||
| Somali | hadiyad | ||
| The word "hadiyad" in Somali is derived from the Arabic word "hadiyyah", meaning "gift" or "present". In Somali, it can also refer to a "bribe" or "tip". | |||
| Sesotho | mpho | ||
| The word "mpho" can also mean a "favor" or a "kindness" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | zawadi | ||
| The word "zawadi" originally meant "thing brought back" in Swahili and retains that meaning in some dialects. | |||
| Xhosa | isipho | ||
| Isipho is also a term used to describe the dowry given by the family of the groom to the family of the bride. | |||
| Yoruba | ebun | ||
| The word "ebun" in Yoruba also denotes "a child that brings wealth" and "a child that brings honor". | |||
| Zulu | isipho | ||
| Isipho also denotes a traditional Zulu wedding practice where the groom's family give gifts to the bride's family. | |||
| Bambara | sama | ||
| Ewe | nunana | ||
| Kinyarwanda | impano | ||
| Lingala | likabo | ||
| Luganda | ekirabo | ||
| Sepedi | mpho | ||
| Twi (Akan) | akyɛdeɛ | ||
Gift in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | هدية مجانية | ||
| In Arabic, "هدية مجانية" can also refer to a dowry or a bribe. | |||
| Hebrew | מתנה | ||
| The Hebrew word "מתנה" derives from the root " נתן" meaning "to give" and also carries the meanings of "portion" or "share". | |||
| Pashto | ډالۍ | ||
| The word "ډالۍ" can also refer to a "blessing" or "favor". | |||
| Arabic | هدية مجانية | ||
| In Arabic, "هدية مجانية" can also refer to a dowry or a bribe. | |||
Gift in Western European Languages
| Albanian | dhuratë | ||
| In Albanian, the word "dhuratë" is also used figuratively to refer to a natural or God-given talent or ability, as well as a privilege or advantage. | |||
| Basque | opari | ||
| The Basque word “opari” also means "treasure" in the Salazar Valley area. | |||
| Catalan | regal | ||
| "Regal" also means "royalty" or "magnificence" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | dar | ||
| The word "dar" originally meant "sacrifice" or "offering" in Old Church Slavonic and later shifted to mean "gift" in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | gave | ||
| The Danish word "gave" originates from the Old Norse word "gipt", meaning a wedding gift. | |||
| Dutch | geschenk | ||
| "Geschenk" is also used in Dutch to refer to a "present", something given to someone as a token of love or appreciation. | |||
| English | gift | ||
| In Old English, "gift" primarily meant "a bride's dowry," and later began to include "any free bestowal". | |||
| French | cadeau | ||
| The French word "cadeau" derives from the Latin "cadere" (to fall), as gifts were originally objects given to those below the giver. | |||
| Frisian | jefte | ||
| The Frisian word "jefte" also has the meaning of "dowry". | |||
| Galician | agasallo | ||
| In Galician, "agasallo" can also be used to refer to the gift of something that has been earned, such as a diploma or an award. | |||
| German | geschenk | ||
| "Geschenk" comes from the Middle High German word "schenken" (to pour) and originally referred to the pouring of a drink in a friendly gesture. | |||
| Icelandic | gjöf | ||
| The Icelandic word "gjöf" can also refer to a dowry or a present given to a bride at her wedding. | |||
| Irish | bronntanas | ||
| The word “bronntanas” in Irish can also refer to a blessing or donation. | |||
| Italian | regalo | ||
| The word "regalo" can also mean "curse" in Italian, showcasing the double-edged nature of gifts. | |||
| Luxembourgish | kaddo | ||
| While the Luxembourgish word 'Kaddo' means 'gift,' it has an interesting secondary meaning as 'a child that was not born at the right time,' or 'an unwanted child.' | |||
| Maltese | rigal | ||
| The word "rigal" is derived from the Sicilian word "riggalu" which means "small present". | |||
| Norwegian | gave | ||
| "Gave" shares its etymology with the word "yacht". They both originate from the Dutch word "jaght", meaning "hunt". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | presente | ||
| "Presente" can also mean "present" in time in both Brazil and Portugal, or "attend" in Portugal. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | tiodhlac | ||
| "Tiodhlac" in Scots Gaelic shares Germanic roots with English "tidal," from an Indo-European root referring to "season" and "time." | |||
| Spanish | regalo | ||
| In Spanish, the term "regalo” (gift) originates from the Latin word "regalis," meaning "belonging to a king" or "royal." | |||
| Swedish | gåva | ||
| "Gåva" comes from the Old Norse word "gáfa", meaning "to give to". It can also refer to a present or donation | |||
| Welsh | rhodd | ||
| The word rhodd, meaning gift, is related to the word rhad that means cheap or free. | |||
Gift in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | падарунак | ||
| The word “падарунак” in Belarusian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word “*darъ”, which also means “gift”. | |||
| Bosnian | poklon | ||
| Bosnian ‘poklon’ derives from Proto-Slavic ‘pokloniti sē’, meaning ‘to bow down’ or ‘to greet’. | |||
| Bulgarian | подарък | ||
| Bulgarian "подарък" derives from Old Church Slavonic "даръ" meaning "offer" and is cognate with English "dear." | |||
| Czech | dar | ||
| The Czech word "dar" is etymologically related to the Persian word "dār," meaning "tree." | |||
| Estonian | kingitus | ||
| The word "kingitus" is also related to the words "kinnisvara" (real estate) and "kindlus" (fortress) in Estonian, all of which share the Indo-European root "*ken-/*k̑en-" meaning "firmly-established," "fixed place," or "permanent place." | |||
| Finnish | lahja | ||
| In the Finnish slang, "lahja" can also mean "bribe" or "gratuity." | |||
| Hungarian | ajándék | ||
| The word "ajándék" derives from the Hungarian word "ajánlani," meaning "to offer" or "to propose. | |||
| Latvian | dāvana | ||
| The word "dāvana" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*deh₂-", meaning "to bestow". It is related to the English word "donate". | |||
| Lithuanian | dovana | ||
| The Lithuanian word "dovana" originates from the Proto-Baltic word "*dawana", meaning "what is given". | |||
| Macedonian | подарок | ||
| The word "подарок" can also refer to a "present" or a "favor". | |||
| Polish | prezent | ||
| The word "prezent" in Polish shares its etymology with the French "présent" and Latin "praesens", meaning "present", indicating its original meaning as something given in the moment to signify one's presence. | |||
| Romanian | cadou | ||
| "Cadou" likely shares Latin origins with the French word "cadeau", sharing a common root in the Latin gift-giver "Cadere" | |||
| Russian | подарок | ||
| The word "подарок" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *darъ, meaning "to give". | |||
| Serbian | поклон | ||
| The word "поклон" in Serbian also denotes the act of bowing as a sign of respect or submission. | |||
| Slovak | darček | ||
| The Slovak word "darček" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "darъ", meaning "offering". | |||
| Slovenian | darilo | ||
| The word 'darilo' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'darъ', which also means 'tribute' or 'offering'. | |||
| Ukrainian | подарунок | ||
| The word "подарунок" is derived from the verb "дарувати", meaning "to give" or "to bestow". It can also be used to refer to a bribe or a gratuity. | |||
Gift in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | উপহার | ||
| "উপহার" is etymologically related to the Hindi word "उपहार" and the Nepali word "उपहार". | |||
| Gujarati | ભેટ | ||
| The word "ભેટ" can also refer to a "share" or "portion" in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | उपहार | ||
| The word "उपहार" in Hindi is derived from Sanskrit and originally meant "a thing brought near or presented". | |||
| Kannada | ಉಡುಗೊರೆ | ||
| Alternate interpretations of 'ಉಡುಗೊರೆ' (gift) in Kannada include the act of giving or receiving as well as the object bestowed | |||
| Malayalam | സമ്മാനം | ||
| Marathi | भेट | ||
| The word "भेट" can also refer to a visit or meeting. | |||
| Nepali | उपहार | ||
| उपहार (uphaar) also means "a kind of medicine", "a present from the deity", "a donation", and "reward" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਤੋਹਫਾ | ||
| The word "ਤੋਹਫਾ" also refers to a "present" offered in celebration of a wedding or an engagement ceremony. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තෑග්ග | ||
| The word "තෑග්ග" (gift) in Sinhala (Sinhalese) is derived from the Sanskrit word "दा" (da), meaning "to give". | |||
| Tamil | பரிசு | ||
| Tamil word பரிசு (gift) originally meant "reward" in Sanskrit and can also denote a "wager" or "prize." | |||
| Telugu | బహుమతి | ||
| The word "bahumathi" is derived from the Sanskrit word "bahu" meaning "much" and "mathi" meaning "value or honor". | |||
| Urdu | تحفہ | ||
| The word "تحفہ" is derived from the Arabic word "تحفة" and is cognate with the Hebrew word "תּוּשְׁיָה" (tusheeyah) meaning "wisdom". | |||
Gift in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 礼品 | ||
| The original meaning of "礼品" was only the things used when people visit each other, and other meanings were extended later. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 禮品 | ||
| The character "禮" in "禮品" also means "rite" or "ceremony". | |||
| Japanese | 贈り物 | ||
| The word "贈り物" (gift) is a compound of "贈る" (to give) and "物" (thing), and can also mean "present" or "favor." | |||
| Korean | 선물 | ||
| 선물 is related to the word 선물 (present) indicating a gift that is timely and appropriate. | |||
| Mongolian | бэлэг | ||
| The Mongolian word "бэлэг" can also mean "present" or "offering". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လက်ဆောင်ပေးမယ် | ||
Gift in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | hadiah | ||
| The Indonesian word "hadiah" derives from the Arabic word "hadiyyah", meaning "offering" or "present" | |||
| Javanese | hadiah | ||
| "Hadiah" in Javanese can also refer to a bride price paid by the groom to the bride's family. | |||
| Khmer | អំណោយ | ||
| The word "អំណោយ" ("gift") is also used to refer to a donation or offering, as well as a dowry or bride price. | |||
| Lao | ຂອງຂວັນ | ||
| Malay | hadiah | ||
| "Hadiah" comes from the Arabic "hadiya" meaning "present, gift" or "guidance, instruction". | |||
| Thai | ของขวัญ | ||
| "Gift", or "ของขวัญ" in Thai, is a gesture in Thai culture that holds much more significant importance." | |||
| Vietnamese | quà tặng | ||
| The word "quà tặng" means "gift" in Vietnamese, and is pronounced [kwaː tặng]. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | regalo | ||
Gift in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | hədiyyə | ||
| The word hədiyyə is derived from the Persian word "hadiyah", meaning gift or present. | |||
| Kazakh | сыйлық | ||
| The Kazakh word "сыйлық" is also used to refer to a "sacrifice" or "offering" in religious contexts. | |||
| Kyrgyz | белек | ||
| The word "белек" also means "dowry" in some Turkic languages. | |||
| Tajik | тӯҳфа | ||
| In Tajik, "тӯҳфа" is cognate with Persian "توحفه", meaning "present, gift, offering, souvenir, keepsake" and ultimately comes from Arabic "تحفة", meaning "anything offered, present, gift". | |||
| Turkmen | sowgat | ||
| Uzbek | sovg'a | ||
| The Uzbek word "sovg'a" is cognate with the Persian word "sughāt", which also means "gift" or "present". | |||
| Uyghur | سوۋغات | ||
Gift in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | makana | ||
| The word 'makana' can also refer to a 'treasure' or 'precious possession' in Hawaiian and is often used to describe something of great value. | |||
| Maori | koha | ||
| In Māori culture, "koha" is not only a gift, but also an expression of generosity, respect, and reciprocity. | |||
| Samoan | meaalofa | ||
| The word "meaalofa" has two meanings in Samoan: "gift" and "feast." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | regalo | ||
| The word "regalo" in Tagalog is derived from the Spanish word "regalo" and can also mean "to spoil" or "to indulge." | |||
Gift in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | waxt'a | ||
| Guarani | jopói | ||
Gift in International Languages
| Esperanto | donaco | ||
| Donaco has a secondary use as a synonym, along with donacoj, which means gifts or bribes given to obtain favour. | |||
| Latin | donum | ||
| The Latin word 'donum' can also refer to a sacrificial offering. | |||
Gift in Others Languages
| Greek | δώρο | ||
| "Δώρο" is also related to "δωρέω" ("to give freely"), and to "δόρυ" ("spear"), implying an exchange of items of value in ancient times. | |||
| Hmong | khoom plig | ||
| The Hmong word "khoom plig" can also mean "tribute" or "offering" in some contexts. | |||
| Kurdish | dîyarî | ||
| Dîyarî is also used as a name for a type of mountain goat in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | hediye | ||
| The word 'hediye' is derived from the Persian word 'hadiyah', which means 'present' or 'offering'. | |||
| Xhosa | isipho | ||
| Isipho is also a term used to describe the dowry given by the family of the groom to the family of the bride. | |||
| Yiddish | טאַלאַנט | ||
| In Yiddish, the word "טאַלאַנט" can also refer to a unit of currency, specifically a silver coin worth about 250 grams. | |||
| Zulu | isipho | ||
| Isipho also denotes a traditional Zulu wedding practice where the groom's family give gifts to the bride's family. | |||
| Assamese | উপহাৰ | ||
| Aymara | waxt'a | ||
| Bhojpuri | भेंट | ||
| Dhivehi | ހަދިޔާ | ||
| Dogri | तोहफा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | regalo | ||
| Guarani | jopói | ||
| Ilocano | sagut | ||
| Krio | gift | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دیاری | ||
| Maithili | उपहार | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯨꯗꯣꯜ | ||
| Mizo | thilpek | ||
| Oromo | kennaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଉପହାର | ||
| Quechua | suñay | ||
| Sanskrit | उपहारं | ||
| Tatar | бүләк | ||
| Tigrinya | ውህብቶ | ||
| Tsonga | nyiko | ||