Grass in Different Languages
Discover 'Grass' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Grass is a vital part of our ecosystem, providing a range of benefits from producing oxygen and reducing soil erosion to providing food and shelter for various animals. Its cultural significance is also immense, often symbolizing growth, renewal, and prosperity in many traditions and literature. For language and culture enthusiasts, understanding the translation of 'grass' in different languages can offer unique insights into the diverse ways different cultures perceive and interact with this common element of the natural world.
For instance, in Spanish, 'grass' is 'hierba', while in German, it's 'Gras'. In Japanese, it's '草 (kusa)', and in Swahili, it's 'mkazi'. Each of these translations not only reflects the linguistic diversity of different cultures but also provides a glimpse into how these cultures view and value grass in their unique contexts.
Explore the many translations of 'grass' in the list below and deepen your appreciation for the richness and diversity of global languages and cultures.
Grass
Grass in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | gras | ||
| The Afrikaans word "gras" also means "herb" or "vegetable". | |||
| Amharic | ሣር | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "grass," "ሣር" is also used figuratively to refer to vegetation in general, or to a grassy area. | |||
| Hausa | ciyawa | ||
| Grass in Hausa language is also called | |||
| Igbo | ahịhịa | ||
| In some Igbo dialects, the word | |||
| Malagasy | ahitra | ||
| The word "ahitra" in Malagasy, meaning "grass," is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "*qahiqay," which also means "grass." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | udzu | ||
| The Nyanja word 'udzu' can also refer to 'weeds', 'pasture' or the act of 'grazing'. | |||
| Shona | huswa | ||
| The Shona word "huswa" also refers to a type of basket used for carrying grass or other materials. | |||
| Somali | cawska | ||
| The word "cawska" in Somali also means "green" and can refer to vegetation in general, not just grass. | |||
| Sesotho | joang | ||
| The word "joang" also refers to a type of grass used for thatching and making mats. | |||
| Swahili | nyasi | ||
| In some African dialects, including Kisii and Meru, 'nyasi' also refers to a specific type of herb or plant used for thatching roofs. | |||
| Xhosa | ingca | ||
| The Xhosa word "ingca" can also refer to a type of grass mat used for sleeping or sitting on. | |||
| Yoruba | koriko | ||
| "Koriko" also signifies "the first thing to appear" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | utshani | ||
| The Zulu word "utshani" can also refer to "vegetation" or "pastureland". | |||
| Bambara | bin | ||
| Ewe | gbe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ibyatsi | ||
| Lingala | matiti | ||
| Luganda | essubi | ||
| Sepedi | bjang | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɛsrɛ | ||
Grass in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نجيل | ||
| The word 'نجيل' can also refer to the 'turf' of a soccer field. | |||
| Hebrew | דֶשֶׁא | ||
| דשא (desheh), from the root דשן (dashen), meaning "fat" or "fertile," also refers to the lush vegetation of springtime, which provided nourishment for grazing animals and symbolized abundance and prosperity. | |||
| Pashto | واښه | ||
| The Pashto word "واښه" also refers to a type of fibrous plant material used for making mats, ropes, and coarse cloth. | |||
| Arabic | نجيل | ||
| The word 'نجيل' can also refer to the 'turf' of a soccer field. | |||
Grass in Western European Languages
| Albanian | bar | ||
| The word "bar" in Albanian can also mean a "leaf" or a "blade of grass" | |||
| Basque | belarra | ||
| The word "belarra", which means "grass", is related to the verb "belartu", meaning "to sprout". | |||
| Catalan | herba | ||
| "Herba" also refers to an aromatic plant in Catalan, and it comes from the Latin word "herba", which means "grass". | |||
| Croatian | trava | ||
| Originally meaning "green part of a plant", "trava" now usually refers to cereal crops. | |||
| Danish | græs | ||
| The word “græs” can refer to grass, turf, or pasturage. | |||
| Dutch | gras | ||
| In Dutch, "gras" also refers to the green pigment of plants, "chlorophyll". | |||
| English | grass | ||
| Grass can also refer to cannabis or marijuana, which is a type of flowering plant in the genus Cannabis. | |||
| French | herbe | ||
| In Old French, "herbe" had the broader meaning of "plant" or "vegetable". | |||
| Frisian | gers | ||
| "Gras" is also used to describe the green part of a plant. | |||
| Galician | herba | ||
| The Galician word "herba" originally meant any green plant and is related to the word "herb" in English. | |||
| German | gras | ||
| In German, the word "Gras" not only refers to "grass" but also to the "color green" and historically meant "herb". | |||
| Icelandic | gras | ||
| The Icelandic word "gras" not only means "grass", but also refers to the color green and can be used to describe envy or greed. | |||
| Irish | féar | ||
| Irish "féar" has cognates in the Proto-Celtic languages and has also been used in the context of a man, a hero, or a warrior. | |||
| Italian | erba | ||
| The word "erba" derives from the Latin word "herba," which originally meant "herb" or "plant." | |||
| Luxembourgish | gras | ||
| "Gras" can also refer to meat, but only in the sense of fried pork belly. | |||
| Maltese | ħaxix | ||
| The Maltese word "ħaxix" derives from the Arabic word for "grass" but can also refer to "marijuana" or "cannabis". | |||
| Norwegian | gress | ||
| The word "gress" in Norwegian can also mean "growth" or "progress". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | relva | ||
| Portuguese relva ultimately comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁relh₁- (“to be red, reddish”). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | feur | ||
| The Scots term "feur" for grass may derive its Gaelic origin from a word denoting "verdure." | |||
| Spanish | césped | ||
| The Spanish word "césped" derives from the Arabic "safsâf," meaning "poplar tree." | |||
| Swedish | gräs | ||
| In Swedish, "gräs" can also refer to lawn, pasture, or herb. | |||
| Welsh | glaswellt | ||
| Glaswellt derives from the Proto-Celtic *glasto- or *glasto- meaning green. | |||
Grass in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | трава | ||
| In Belarusian, "трава" (grass) is also used to refer to herbs and plants used for medicinal purposes. | |||
| Bosnian | trava | ||
| The word 'trava' in Bosnian can refer to various plants besides grass, including clover, alfalfa, and hay. | |||
| Bulgarian | трева | ||
| A similar term, "тръви" (trŭvi), specifically refers to medicinal herbs and spices. | |||
| Czech | tráva | ||
| Czech "tráva" also means "marijuana" and is a slang term for "money". | |||
| Estonian | rohi | ||
| "Rohi" in Estonian not only means "grass" but is also a euphemism for "cannabis". | |||
| Finnish | ruoho | ||
| "Ruoho" can also refer to hay or pasturage. | |||
| Hungarian | fű | ||
| The word "fű" in Hungarian may also refer to herbs used for healing, or to tobacco. | |||
| Latvian | zāle | ||
| Latvian "zāle" is an etymological cognate of Sanskrit "jīraka" which refers to cumin. | |||
| Lithuanian | žolė | ||
| Lithuanian "žolė" can mean "grass", "herb", or "weed", and derives from the Proto-Baltic term *zalā, meaning "green." | |||
| Macedonian | трева | ||
| In the folklore of Macedonia, "трева" is also a euphemism for cannabis, especially in songs and folk tales. | |||
| Polish | trawa | ||
| In some Polish dialects, "trawa" can refer to a single blade of grass or even a hayloft. | |||
| Romanian | iarbă | ||
| "Iarbă" also means "weed" in Romanian, a similar sense found in the English word "herb", which comes from Latin "herba" (grass) and originally meant any plant used in medicine or cooking. | |||
| Russian | трава | ||
| The Russian word "трава" (grass) can also refer to marijuana or other illicit substances in slang. | |||
| Serbian | трава | ||
| In Serbian, the word "трава" ("grass") is also used to refer to marijuana or other dried herbs. | |||
| Slovak | tráva | ||
| The Slovak word "tráva" can mean "grass" or, colloquially, "marijuana". | |||
| Slovenian | trava | ||
| The word "trava" can also mean "herb" or "plant" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | трави | ||
| The word "трави" can also refer to the card suit of clubs in Ukrainian. | |||
Grass in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ঘাস | ||
| In Bengali, ঘাস (grass) originated from the Sanskrit word "ghāsa" and additionally means vegetation more broadly. | |||
| Gujarati | ઘાસ | ||
| The Gujarati word 'ઘાસ' (grass) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'घास' ('घ' = 'g' and 'स' = 's'), which also means 'grass'. | |||
| Hindi | घास | ||
| The Hindi term "घास" (grass) also refers to the long, coarse hair that grows on the legs of some animals, such as horses and other equines. | |||
| Kannada | ಹುಲ್ಲು | ||
| The word "ಹುಲ್ಲು" is also used in Kannada to refer to a large group of people or animals. | |||
| Malayalam | പുല്ല് | ||
| The word "പുല്ല്" (pullu) can also refer to other vegetation like herbs, shrubs, creepers and even sprouts or grass like leaves of plants. | |||
| Marathi | गवत | ||
| The word "गवत" derives from Sanskrit and also refers to a type of Ayurvedic medicine | |||
| Nepali | घाँस | ||
| The word 'घाँस' can also refer to a type of sweet dish made from milk and rice, similar to a pudding. | |||
| Punjabi | ਘਾਹ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਘਾਹ" can also mean "hay" or "forage". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තණකොළ | ||
| The word "තණකොළ" can also mean "hay" or "fodder" in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | புல் | ||
| The word "புல்" in Tamil can also refer to "a small plant with no woody stem" or "a group of people". | |||
| Telugu | గడ్డి | ||
| The word "గడ్డి" can also refer to "hay" or "straw". | |||
| Urdu | گھاس | ||
| In Urdu, "گھاس" can also refer to any vegetation that grows on the ground, including weeds and shrubs. | |||
Grass in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 草 | ||
| In Chinese, "草" (cǎo) can also mean "draft" or "rough version". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 草 | ||
| In Chinese, "草" (Cǎo) can also mean "draft" or "unrefined writing". | |||
| Japanese | 草 | ||
| The standalone kanji "草" also means "draft" or "manuscript". | |||
| Korean | 잔디 | ||
| The word "잔디" can also refer to a type of Korean paper or a specific cut of meat. | |||
| Mongolian | өвс | ||
| "Өвс" contains the root "өб-", which also appears in words like "өвөл" (winter), and the same root appears in the word "обь" (river) in some Turkic languages, possibly indicating a common origin. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မြက်ပင် | ||
Grass in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | rumput | ||
| Indonesian "rumput" is cognate with "rambut" (hair), suggesting it referred to the grass with long strands (like hair). | |||
| Javanese | suket | ||
| The Old Javanese word for "grass", "suket", can also mean "vegetables" or "leaves". | |||
| Khmer | ស្មៅ | ||
| In the Khmer language, the word "ស្មៅ" not only means "grass", but also refers to "vegetables" and "herbs", showcasing the connection between these concepts in the local culture and diet. | |||
| Lao | ຫຍ້າ | ||
| In some areas, ຫຍ້າ can carry the alternate meaning of "weed" referring to a plant growing where it is unwanted by a human being. | |||
| Malay | rumput | ||
| "Rumput" also refers to weeds, shrubs, or aquatic plants in some contexts in Malay. | |||
| Thai | หญ้า | ||
| The Thai word "หญ้า" (grass) has an alternate meaning of "wild vegetables" or "weeds." | |||
| Vietnamese | cỏ | ||
| "Cỏ" means "grass" in Vietnamese, and it can also be used figuratively to refer to a person who is easily influenced or taken advantage of. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | damo | ||
Grass in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ot | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "ot" is used not only for "grass" but also for "herb", "vegetable" or "weed". | |||
| Kazakh | шөп | ||
| The word "шөп" in Kazakh can also refer to plants in general, or to tobacco. | |||
| Kyrgyz | чөп | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "чөп" can also refer to medicinal or harmful plants, or herbs in general. | |||
| Tajik | алаф | ||
| Alaf might come from Persian آلاف "grass" and Arabic الآف "thousands". In some Iranian languages, alaf means "fodder". | |||
| Turkmen | ot | ||
| Uzbek | o't | ||
| The word "o't" also refers to the first green shoots of plants that appear in spring. | |||
| Uyghur | ئوت-چۆپ | ||
Grass in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mauʻu | ||
| "Mauʻu" also refers to a type of fern that grows in wet, forested areas, and is known for its long, narrow leaves. | |||
| Maori | tarutaru | ||
| "Tarutaru": Young leaves of ferns, especially of the "koru" variety that are considered a great delicacy | |||
| Samoan | mutia | ||
| *Mutia* can refer to either an actual type of grass or the generic word for 'grass' in the Samoan language. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | damo | ||
| "Damo" in Tagalog also means "weeds" or "grass growing in a neglected area." | |||
Grass in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | qura | ||
| Guarani | ka'avo | ||
Grass in International Languages
| Esperanto | herbo | ||
| The word "herbo" in Esperanto originally referred to any medicinal substance, but its meaning later narrowed to specifically mean grass. | |||
| Latin | herba | ||
| Herba or herbae (plural) was a more general term for all types of leaves, buds, and sprouts; it was cognate with the Greek word "chorton" with the same meaning. | |||
Grass in Others Languages
| Greek | γρασίδι | ||
| The word "γρασίδι" comes from the Medieval Greek "γρασίδιον", which originally meant "pasture" or "meadow" | |||
| Hmong | nyom | ||
| The Hmong word "nyom" also refers to a type of wild leafy vegetable. | |||
| Kurdish | gîha | ||
| The Kurdish word "gîha", meaning "grass", also refers to plants in general, especially those used for healing. | |||
| Turkish | çimen | ||
| "Çimen" is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "çig" meaning "green". It also refers to the "young" or "tender" parts of plants. | |||
| Xhosa | ingca | ||
| The Xhosa word "ingca" can also refer to a type of grass mat used for sleeping or sitting on. | |||
| Yiddish | גראָז | ||
| The Yiddish word "גראָז" (groz) can also refer to the herb marijuana, which is commonly known as "grass" in English slang. | |||
| Zulu | utshani | ||
| The Zulu word "utshani" can also refer to "vegetation" or "pastureland". | |||
| Assamese | ঘাঁহ | ||
| Aymara | qura | ||
| Bhojpuri | घास | ||
| Dhivehi | ވިނަ | ||
| Dogri | घा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | damo | ||
| Guarani | ka'avo | ||
| Ilocano | ruot | ||
| Krio | gras | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گیا | ||
| Maithili | घास | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯥꯄꯤ | ||
| Mizo | phul | ||
| Oromo | marga | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଘାସ | ||
| Quechua | lliwa | ||
| Sanskrit | तृणं | ||
| Tatar | үлән | ||
| Tigrinya | ሳዕሪ | ||
| Tsonga | byanyi | ||