Girl in different languages

Girl in Different Languages

Discover 'Girl' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'girl' is a simple term that carries a world of meaning and significance. It represents the innocence, curiosity, and potential of young femininity. Throughout history and across cultures, the concept of a 'girl' has been a source of inspiration, protection, and empowerment. From fairy tales to folklore, art to activism, the girl child holds a special place in our hearts and minds.

Moreover, understanding the translation of 'girl' in different languages can open up a fascinating window into other cultures. For instance, the word for 'girl' in Spanish is 'niña,' which comes from the Latin 'natalis' meaning 'born.' In Mandarin, 'girl' is translated as 'nǚhái,' where 'nǚ' means 'female' and 'hái' means 'child.' These translations not only provide linguistic insights but also cultural contexts.

So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious, exploring the word 'girl' in various languages can be a rewarding journey. Here are some translations to get you started:

Girl


Girl in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansmeisie
The word "meisie" is thought to come from the Dutch word "meisje" or the French word "maîtresse" meaning "mistress".
Amharicሴት ልጅ
Hausayarinya
The Hausa word "Yarinyar " means "Young girl " in English and can also refer to a daughter or a female child.
Igbonwa nwanyi
Igbo term for "maiden" that shares its root with the phrase "what is owned".
Malagasyankizivavy
The word "ankizivavy" in Malagasy can also mean "a young unmarried woman" or "a virgin."
Nyanja (Chichewa)mtsikana
The word "mtsikana" can also refer to a young woman or a small girl.
Shonamusikana
"Musikana" also denotes a young female goat
Somaligabadh
The word "gabadh" is derived from the Cushitic root "*gabad-, *gabad-," meaning "female," and is cognate with the Afar word "gudo" and the Beja word "gobad."
Sesothongoanana
"Ngoanana" also means "girl" in Xhosa, and "my love" in Setswana.
Swahilimsichana
The word 'msichana', meaning girl in Swahili, originated from the Arabic 'sakhina', which refers to a young woman or a female child.
Xhosaintombazana
The word "intombazana" also means "a young woman who has not yet reached childbearing age".
Yorubaomoge
The Yoruba word “omoge” (girl) also has a historical meaning, “child who was born in an unfavorable period” and could be used to refer to the youngest child of an elderly woman.
Zuluintombazane
The word 'intombazane' can also mean 'young woman' or 'maiden'.
Bambaranpogotigi
Ewenyᴐnuvi
Kinyarwandaumukobwa
Lingalamwana-mwasi
Lugandaomuwala
Sepedimosetsana
Twi (Akan)abaayewa

Girl in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicفتاة
The word "فتاة" can also refer to a young woman or even a female servant.
Hebrewנערה
The word "נערה" (girl) in Hebrew is etymologically related to the word "נורה" (light), suggesting the association between young women and the concept of radiance and illumination.
Pashtoانجلۍ
The word "انجلۍ" in Pashto is derived from the Persian word "دختران" meaning "daughters" and is also used to refer to young women or unmarried women.
Arabicفتاة
The word "فتاة" can also refer to a young woman or even a female servant.

Girl in Western European Languages

Albanianvajze
Albanian "vajze," meaning "girl," also means "son of a hero" in Serbian.
Basqueneska
The word neska has been associated with the concept of femininity since at least the 16th century.
Catalannoia
In Catalan, the word 'noia' also refers to a 'young woman' or 'maiden'.
Croatiandjevojka
The word "djevojka" has its etymological roots in the Proto-Slavic word "дѣва", meaning "virgin", and is often used to refer to a young, unmarried woman.
Danishpige
The word 'pige' is derived from the Old Norse word 'pika', meaning 'small female child'.
Dutchmeisje
The Dutch word "meisje" ultimately derives from the Indo-European root "*megʰ-" meaning "young, small," also found in English "maid" and "maiden."
Englishgirl
The word "girl" is derived from the Middle English word "girle," which in turn comes from the Old English word "georl," meaning "young woman"
Frenchfille
The word "fille" is also used in French to refer to a thread or wire used in sewing or embroidery.
Frisianfamke
In 1937, the Dutch name Famke was listed as a popular name of Frisian origin, meaning "beautiful child".
Galicianrapaza
The word 'rapaza' in Galician is derived from the Latin 'rapacia' which also refers to a 'female raptor, bird of prey or plunderer'.
Germanmädchen
The word "Mädchen" is derived from the diminutive form of the Middle High German word "maget", meaning "young woman" or "bride".
Icelandicstelpa
The word "stelpa" is derived from the Old Norse word "stelpa", meaning "female foal".
Irishcailín
Italianragazza
The Italian word "ragazza" derives from the Latin word "ragadia" meaning "young girl".
Luxembourgishmeedchen
"Meedchen" is cognate with German "Mädchen" and means "child", "servant" or "daughter" besides its current meaning of "girl".
Maltesetifla
The word 'tifla' has an alternate meaning of 'butterfly' and is thought to be derived from the Arabic word 'farasha'.
Norwegianpike
In Norwegian, "pike" can also refer to a weapon or a type of fish.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)menina
The word "menina" can also refer to a young woman who is unmarried or a virgin.
Scots Gaelicnighean
The word "nighean" also means "daughter" or "maiden" in Scots Gaelic.
Spanishniña
"Niña" also means 'pupil' in Spanish, and is related to "niño" ('boy') and "nieto" ('grandchild').
Swedishflicka
Flicka also has a connotation with horses and ponies in Swedish.
Welshmerch
The word merch may also refer to an unmarried woman or to a young woman of light or improper conduct

Girl in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianдзяўчынка
The Belarusian word "дзяўчынка" is cognate with the Russian word "девочка" and the Polish word "dziewczynka", both meaning "girl".
Bosniandevojko
The word 'devojko' originates from the Proto-Slavic word 'děvojka'
Bulgarianмомиче
The word "момиче" also means "young woman" and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*mъmdi" meaning "young woman".
Czechdívka
The word dívka comes from the Old Czech word *děvka* which meant "young woman" or "maid". It is cognate with the Russian word *девка* which has the same meaning.
Estoniantüdruk
The word "tüdruk" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*tyttö", which also means "girl" in Finnish.
Finnishtyttö
The Finnish word "tyttö" may derive from the Proto-Finnic "*tyttü", meaning "young animal" or "calf".
Hungarianlány
The word "lány" in Hungarian also means "field" or "daughter" in Old Hungarian.
Latvianmeitene
The word "meitene" in Latvian can also mean "maid" or "lass".
Lithuanianmergina
The word "mergina" is most likely derived from Indo-European root *merg-, meaning "to rub", "to knead", or "to grind"
Macedonianдевојче
The word "девојче" (girl) is derived from the Slavic root "dev", meaning "young woman".
Polishdziewczyna
The Polish word 'dziewczyna' is derived from an Old Slavic root meaning 'to strive' and can also refer to a 'maiden' or 'virgin'.
Romanianfată
Romanian "fată" comes from Latin "fata," meaning "goddess," "prophetess," or "fairy."
Russianдевушка
The Russian word "девушка" (girl) can also refer to a young unmarried woman.
Serbianдевојко
The word "девојко" is the vocative form of the noun "девојка" (girl), and can also be used as a term of endearment
Slovakdievča
The word "dievča" is derived from Proto-Slavic *devьka, which originally meant "maiden" or "young woman".
Sloveniandekle
The word "dekle" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*děvka", which originally meant "servant" or "maid". It is cognate with the Russian word "девка" (devka), which also means "girl" or "servant".
Ukrainianдівчина
"Дівчина" means both "girl" and "maiden," referring to an unmarried woman who has reached maturity."

Girl in South Asian Languages

Bengaliমেয়ে
The word "মেয়ে" in Bengali can also be used to refer to a daughter or a young woman.
Gujaratiછોકરી
"છોકરી" (girl) is a combination of two words, "છો" ("to be born") and "કરી" ("one born"). It can also refer to a young, unmarried woman.
Hindiलड़की
The term "लड़की" (ladki) originally meant "playful" or "young" in Sanskrit.
Kannadaಹುಡುಗಿ
The word "ಹುಡುಗಿ" (girl) is derived from the Proto-Dravidian root *huc, meaning "to grow".
Malayalamപെൺകുട്ടി
The Malayalam word "പെൺകുട്ടി" literally means "little lady," indicating respect for young women in Kerala culture.
Marathiमुलगी
The Marathi word "मुली" (girl) is derived from the Sanskrit word "मूलिका" (root), signifying the girl's role in the family as the "root" or foundation.
Nepaliकेटी
The word 'केटी' has been said to derive from 'कन्या' meaning 'young unmarried woman' or 'कुतुम्बिनी' meaning 'family-oriented' or 'किम्ता' meaning 'price' (for a bride in marriage).
Punjabiਕੁੜੀ
The word 'ਕੁੜੀ' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'कन्या' ('kanya'), meaning 'young woman' or 'daughter'.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)කෙල්ල
The Sinhala word "කෙල්ල" (kella), meaning "girl," also has the secondary meaning of "unripe coconut" in literary contexts.
Tamilபெண்
In Sanskrit, the word "pena" means "wife" or "beloved," and is likely the origin of the Tamil word "பெண்" (peṇ).
Teluguఅమ్మాయి
"అమ్మాయి" in Telugu originated from the Sanskrit word "अम्बा" or "अम्बिका", meaning "mother". It signifies the potential motherhood of a young woman.
Urduلڑکی

Girl in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)女孩
In addition to meaning "girl," the character "女" in "女孩" can also mean "woman" or "female."
Chinese (Traditional)女孩
女孩 means a "young lady" in archaic Chinese, and it originally had a neutral connotation for both young men and women before being limited to female usage
Japanese女の子
Though its kanji literally translates to "female + child" (女の子), it can be used as a term of affection toward young women regardless of their marital or maternal status.
Korean소녀
The word "소녀" (sonyeo) can also refer to a "maiden" or "young woman" in Korean.
Mongolianохин
"Oхин" (girl) is a word of Turkic origin, and is related to the words "oglan" (boy) and "oğul" (son) in Turkish.
Myanmar (Burmese)မိန်းကလေး

Girl in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiangadis
The word "gadis" in Indonesian shares an origin with the word "gadis" in Malay and Minangkabau, meaning "virgin".
Javanesecah wadon
"Cah wadon" is also used to refer to a daughter or sister in Javanese family structures.
Khmerក្មេងស្រី
Laoສາວ
The word "ສາວ" in Lao can also refer to a young unmarried woman or a female servant.
Malaygadis
"Gadis" also means "maid" or "virgin" in Indonesian.
Thaiสาว
สาว (sao) also means 'young, fresh, unripe' and is related to words like 'morning' ('เช้า', 'chao') and 'raw' ('ดิบ', 'dib').
Vietnamesecon gái
"Con gái" literally means "the daughter of" in Vietnamese.
Filipino (Tagalog)babae

Girl in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniqız
"Qız" also means "red" in Azerbaijani, originating from the Proto-Turkic word *kızıl meaning "red, reddish; girl; maiden, lass." Similar words are found in other Turkic languages.
Kazakhқыз
The word "қызы" could also mean "a female child" or "a young woman".
Kyrgyzкыз
In Kyrgyz, the word "кыз" can also refer to a young unmarried woman or a daughter.
Tajikдухтар
The word "духтар" can also mean "daughter" or "female child" in Tajik.
Turkmengyz
Uzbekqiz
The term "qiz" in Uzbek holds a semantic duality, also denoting the concept of "red" in its original Persian etymology.
Uyghurقىز

Girl in Pacific Languages

Hawaiiankaikamahine
In old Hawaiian, kaikamahine meant "child-of-a-female," and could refer to either a boy or a girl.
Maorikotiro
"Kotiro" also means "the first fruits of the harvest" in old Maori, and the first-born of any litter or nest of baby animals.
Samoanteine
In Samoan mythology, Teine was the first woman created and the mother of mankind.
Tagalog (Filipino)babae
The Tagalog word "babae" also means "woman" or "female" and is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "*babai".

Girl in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraimilla
Guaranimitãkuña

Girl in International Languages

Esperantoknabino
Esperanto knabino 'girl' is derived from knabo 'boy,' but is not a diminutive, it is its feminine counterpart.
Latinpuella

Girl in Others Languages

Greekκορίτσι
The word "κορίτσι" originates from the medieval Greek word "κοράσιον", meaning "maiden" or "young woman".
Hmongntxhais
The Hmong word “ntxhais” meaning “girl” is related to the words for “flower” and “young”.
Kurdishkeç
The Kurdish word "keç" originally referred to young women who were not yet married, and later came to mean "girl" in general.
Turkishkız
The word "kız" also denotes the female of animals in Turkish.
Xhosaintombazana
The word "intombazana" also means "a young woman who has not yet reached childbearing age".
Yiddishמיידל
The Yiddish word for "girl", "מיידל" (meydl), is a diminutive of the German word "Magd" (maid).
Zuluintombazane
The word 'intombazane' can also mean 'young woman' or 'maiden'.
Assameseছোৱালী
Aymaraimilla
Bhojpuriलइकी
Dhivehiއަންހެން ކުއްޖާ
Dogriकुड़ी
Filipino (Tagalog)babae
Guaranimitãkuña
Ilocanoubing a babai
Kriogal
Kurdish (Sorani)کچ
Maithiliकन्या
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯅꯨꯄꯤꯃꯆꯥ
Mizohmeichhe naupang
Oromodubara
Odia (Oriya)girl ିଅ
Quechuasipas
Sanskritबालिका
Tatarкыз
Tigrinyaጓል
Tsonganhwana

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