Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'grand' is often used to describe something impressive, large, or important. Its significance goes beyond mere size, as it often connotes a sense of awe, admiration, or respect. From the grandeur of a majestic palace to the grandeur of a symphony orchestra, this word has the power to elevate and inspire. Moreover, it holds cultural importance in various societies, symbolizing greatness and excellence.
Understanding the translation of 'grand' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how different cultures perceive and express greatness. For instance, in Spanish, 'grand' translates to 'grande,' while in French, it's 'grand' and in German, it's 'groß.' These translations not only reflect linguistic differences but also cultural nuances and values.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a world traveler, or someone with a keen interest in culture and history, exploring the translations of 'grand' can be a fascinating journey. Here's a list of translations in various languages to get you started:
Afrikaans | lank | ||
The Afrikaans word "lank" is derived from the Dutch word "lank", meaning "tall" or "long". | |||
Amharic | ረዥም | ||
The word "ረዥም" can also refer to height or length when describing physical dimensions. | |||
Hausa | mai tsayi | ||
The word mai tsayi can also mean the person who carries the deceased during a burial. | |||
Igbo | toro ogologo | ||
"Toro ogologo" (grand) also connotes height, greatness, and might. | |||
Malagasy | lava | ||
The Malagasy word "lava" comes from the Arabic word "lawa", meaning "edge" or "rim". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | wamtali | ||
The word "wamtali" has roots in the Swahili word "mtali" meaning "great", ultimately tracing its origin from the Arabic word "mu'a'tali". | |||
Shona | kureba | ||
The word "kureba" in Shona can also refer to a large herd of cattle or a group of people gathered for a special occasion. | |||
Somali | dheer | ||
Somali "dheer" derives from "deereer," meaning "to stretch," and refers to size or grandeur in any form, not just physical height. | |||
Sesotho | e telele | ||
The word 'e telele' is derived from the Sotho verb 'telela', which means 'to spread out' or 'to expand'. | |||
Swahili | mrefu | ||
The word "mrefu" in Swahili is cognate with the word "refu" in Shona, meaning "big" or "tall". | |||
Xhosa | mde | ||
In Xhosa, "mde" can also mean "master", referencing the respect given to elders or those in positions of authority. | |||
Yoruba | ga | ||
The word "ga" in Yoruba can also refer to a person who is highly respected, often an elder or leader. | |||
Zulu | ubude | ||
The Zulu word 'ubude' is derived from the verb 'ukubuda', meaning 'to emerge' or 'to protrude', implying a sense of prominence or grandeur. | |||
Bambara | grand | ||
Ewe | grand | ||
Kinyarwanda | grand | ||
Lingala | grand | ||
Luganda | grand | ||
Sepedi | grand | ||
Twi (Akan) | grand | ||
Arabic | كبير | ||
The Arabic word كبير (kabīr) is also used to describe something that is old or respectable. | |||
Hebrew | גובה | ||
The biblical spelling of גובה included the letter ו (vav), which suggests that its original meaning was related to height or elevation. | |||
Pashto | اوږد | ||
It is related to the Sanskrit word "ud-ghata", meaning "high" or "exalted". | |||
Arabic | كبير | ||
The Arabic word كبير (kabīr) is also used to describe something that is old or respectable. |
Albanian | i gjatë | ||
"Gjate" also means the "length" in Albanian. | |||
Basque | altuera | ||
The word 'altuera' in Basque can also refer to height, altitude or stature. | |||
Catalan | alt | ||
In Catalan, "alt" is not only an adjective meaning "grand" but can also refer to a mountain or high place, or can be used as a noun to denote elevation or height. | |||
Croatian | visok | ||
While "visok" (pronounced "vee-sohk") most often means "grand" or "tall" in the sense of stature, it is also frequently used to mean "high" in the sense of "elevated" or "above sea level," as in, for example, "visoka planina," which translates as "high mountain." | |||
Danish | høj | ||
The Danish word "høj" is thought to be related to the German "hoch" and the English "high," also meaning "upper in rank or importance." | |||
Dutch | hoog | ||
'Hoog' is related to the Old English word 'heah' and the Old Norse word 'hár,' both meaning 'high.' | |||
English | grand | ||
The word “grand” originates from the Latin “grandis,” meaning “great,” but over time it has come to have other meanings, such as “elegant,” “pompous,” or “impressive.” | |||
French | grand | ||
The word "grand" in French can also mean "tall", "large", or "magnificent" | |||
Frisian | grut | ||
The Frisian word "grut" can also mean "great" or "fine". | |||
Galician | alto | ||
The term 'alto' in Galician also refers to a geographical elevation, such as a hill or mountain. | |||
German | hoch | ||
The word "hoch" can also mean "upward" or "elevated," as in "der Hochhaus" (the skyscraper) or "hochwertig" (high-quality). | |||
Icelandic | hár | ||
"Há" is also used in Icelandic to describe the weather, meaning "fair" or "clear". | |||
Irish | ard | ||
Árd has an alternative meaning in Irish, meaning "high" or "elevated". | |||
Italian | grande | ||
The Italian word "grande" can also mean "large" or "great" in the sense of size or importance. | |||
Luxembourgish | grouss | ||
Grouss translates to 'large' in English, and as well as 'grand', is also slang for 'great' in Luxembourgish. | |||
Maltese | tall | ||
The Maltese word "tall" ultimately derives from the Arabic word "tāʾil" (tail), referring to the stately bearing of a grand person. | |||
Norwegian | høy | ||
The Norwegian word "høy" shares its root with the English word "high" and also means "hay" in Norwegian. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | alta | ||
The word 'alta' in Spanish originally meant high, and in Latin it meant altar. | |||
Scots Gaelic | àrd | ||
Àrd is a Scots Gaelic cognate of "arduous" and "ardent," with a primary sense of "high." | |||
Spanish | grande | ||
The Spanish word "grande" can also refer to size or importance, as in "un grande problema" (a big problem). | |||
Swedish | lång | ||
The word "lång" is derived from the Old Norse word "langr," meaning "long" | |||
Welsh | tal | ||
Welsh "tal" ("grand") may derive from the Old Celtic word "tala","broad" or the Latin "talis","such". |
Belarusian | высокі | ||
The word "высокі" can also mean "tall" or "high" in Belarusian. | |||
Bosnian | visok | ||
The word "visok" is also used in Bosnian to describe something that is tall or imposing. | |||
Bulgarian | висок | ||
"Висок" can also refer to a place of worship in Bulgarian, and is related to the Russian "высокий" (vysokiy), meaning "tall" or "high." | |||
Czech | vysoký | ||
Vysoký in Czech can also mean 'tall', 'high' or 'lofty'. | |||
Estonian | pikk | ||
The name for an Estonian national dance derives from the word `pikk`, or "long". | |||
Finnish | pitkä | ||
Pitkä also means "long" or "tall" in Finnish, and may derive from a PIE root meaning "stretch." | |||
Hungarian | magas | ||
"Magas" can also mean "elevated" or "tall" in Hungarian. | |||
Latvian | garš | ||
The Latvian word "garš" could be a cognate of the Lithuanian "gar̃sus" (famous), as well as of the word "garsus" in Old Russian. | |||
Lithuanian | ūgio | ||
The word "ūgio" may also refer to "height", "altitude", "stature", or "importance". | |||
Macedonian | висок | ||
In Slavic languages, "висок" also means "high" or "tall". | |||
Polish | wysoki | ||
The Polish word 'wysoki' also means 'tall'. | |||
Romanian | înalt | ||
Înalt's alternate archaic meanings include 'high', 'tall', and 'upward'. | |||
Russian | высокий | ||
"Высокий" derives from a Proto-Slavic adjective denoting "tall" or "elevated" and has also acquired the meaning of "important" or "prestigious." | |||
Serbian | висок | ||
The word 'висок' in Serbian can mean both 'grand' and 'high', with the former meaning originating from the Old Slavic word 'vysokъ' meaning 'tall' and the latter from the Proto-Slavic word 'vysokъ' meaning 'high' | |||
Slovak | vysoký | ||
The word "vysoký" in Slovak can also mean "high" or "tall". | |||
Slovenian | visok | ||
In some Slavic languages (e.g. Slovene "visok"), it also means "tall" | |||
Ukrainian | високий | ||
The word “високий” is cognate with “high” meaning it is tall or lofty and can even mean elevated in rank or status. |
Bengali | লম্বা | ||
"লম্বা" (ləmbā) is derived from the Sanskrit word "लम्ब" (lamb) meaning "hanging down," and is also used to refer to something that is tall or long. | |||
Gujarati | .ંચું | ||
The Gujarati word ".ંચું" (grand) also means "good" or "beautiful". | |||
Hindi | लंबा | ||
The Sanskrit word "lambana" refers to something that reaches, covers, and touches or the state of being attached. | |||
Kannada | ಎತ್ತರ | ||
The Kannada word "ಎತ್ತರ" also refers to "height", "elevation", or "altitude." | |||
Malayalam | ഉയരമുള്ളത് | ||
"ഉയരമുള്ളത്" literally means "elevated" and signifies something that is above the ordinary in nature. | |||
Marathi | उंच | ||
उंच ('grand' in Marathi) derives from the Sanskrit word 'uncha', which also means 'high' or 'lofty'. | |||
Nepali | अग्लो | ||
The word "अग्लो" (aglo) in Nepali is derived from the Proto-Tibeto-Burman *g-la, meaning "tall" or "high". | |||
Punjabi | ਲੰਬਾ | ||
The word "ਲੰਬਾ" (grand) in Punjabi also means "tall" or "long." | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | උස | ||
In some regions of Sri Lanka, the word "උස" is also used to refer to a person of high rank or status. | |||
Tamil | உயரமான | ||
The Tamil word 'உயரமான' can also refer to something that is high or elevated in position, stature, or rank. | |||
Telugu | పొడవైనది | ||
Urdu | لمبا | ||
The word "لمبا" can also mean "long" or "tall" in Urdu. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 高 | ||
"高" can also mean "tall" or "high-pitched." | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 高 | ||
"高 (gāo)" also means "tall" and is often used to describe physical height or altitude. | |||
Japanese | 背が高い | ||
背が高い (atakai) also means "tall" and "long". | |||
Korean | 긴 | ||
The word "긴" can also mean "long" or "far", and is related to the word "긴장" (tension). | |||
Mongolian | өндөр | ||
In addition to its literal translation as "grand", the Mongolian word "өндөр" also carries connotations of height and elevation. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | အရပ်ရှည်ရှည် | ||
Indonesian | tinggi | ||
The word "tinggi" is also used to describe something that is tall or high in elevation. | |||
Javanese | dhuwur | ||
The word dhuwur in Javanese has other meanings, such as high, tall, and supreme | |||
Khmer | កម្ពស់ | ||
The term "កម្ពស់" can also refer to "lofty" or "high-ranking" in Khmer. | |||
Lao | ສູງ | ||
The word ສູງ is a borrowing from Pali (a Buddhist liturgical language) meaning both “to lift” and “to be high.” | |||
Malay | tinggi | ||
"Tinggi" is derived from Sanskrit and also means "to stand up, high or above, to lift, rise, to be lifted up and raised above the surrounding area (hills)" | |||
Thai | สูง | ||
The word "สูง" can also refer to "elevated" or "tall" in terms of height. | |||
Vietnamese | cao | ||
The word "cao" also means "high" or "tall" in Vietnamese | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | engrande | ||
Azerbaijani | hündür | ||
"Hündür" also means "high" in Azerbaijani, originating from the Persian word "hündür" with the same meaning. | |||
Kazakh | биік | ||
The word "биік" in Kazakh can also mean "high" or "lofty". | |||
Kyrgyz | узун | ||
The phrase "узун сөз" literally means "long words" and refers to a type of long poem. | |||
Tajik | баланд | ||
The word "баланд" also means "noble" or "distinguished" in Tajik. | |||
Turkmen | uly | ||
Uzbek | uzun bo'yli | ||
The word "uzun bo'yli" can also be translated as "tall" in Uzbek. | |||
Uyghur | grand | ||
Hawaiian | loloa | ||
"Lолоа" derives from the Proto-Austronesian word *lumakə, meaning "tall" or "grand", and is cognate with similar words across the Austronesian language family. | |||
Maori | roroa | ||
In Maori, the word "roroa" also suggests "length" or "duration" when used outside of describing something as grand. | |||
Samoan | umi | ||
The word "umi" also means "important" or "significant" in Samoan. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | matangkad | ||
In Tagalog the word "matangkad" originally meant "tall" or "high", and only later came to mean "grand". |
Aymara | grand | ||
Guarani | grand | ||
Esperanto | alta | ||
The word "alta" in Esperanto derives from the Latin word "altus" meaning "high" or "deep". | |||
Latin | longus | ||
The Latin word "longus" also means "tall" or "extended in space". |
Greek | ψηλός | ||
The word “ψηλός” (“grand”) is said to have the same root as the Proto-Indo-European root “*kel-”, which means “to rise, to appear”. | |||
Hmong | siab | ||
"Siab" can also mean "beautiful" or "kind". | |||
Kurdish | mezin | ||
The word 'mezin' also means 'great' or 'large' and is a synonym for 'mezin' in the context of size or quantity. | |||
Turkish | uzun boylu | ||
"Uzun boylu" also means "tall" in Turkish. | |||
Xhosa | mde | ||
In Xhosa, "mde" can also mean "master", referencing the respect given to elders or those in positions of authority. | |||
Yiddish | הויך | ||
The Yiddish word "הויך" likely derives from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "high" or "elevated" and is related to words in other Germanic and Slavic languages. | |||
Zulu | ubude | ||
The Zulu word 'ubude' is derived from the verb 'ukubuda', meaning 'to emerge' or 'to protrude', implying a sense of prominence or grandeur. | |||
Assamese | grand | ||
Aymara | grand | ||
Bhojpuri | भव्य के बा | ||
Dhivehi | ގްރޭންޑް އެވެ | ||
Dogri | भव्य | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | engrande | ||
Guarani | grand | ||
Ilocano | grand | ||
Krio | grand | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | grand | ||
Maithili | भव्य | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯒ꯭ꯔꯦꯟꯗ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
Mizo | grand a ni | ||
Oromo | grand | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଗ୍ରାଣ୍ଡ୍ | ||
Quechua | grand | ||
Sanskrit | भव्य | ||
Tatar | олы | ||
Tigrinya | grand | ||
Tsonga | grand | ||