Guest in Different Languages
Discover 'Guest' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'guest' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting someone who is welcomed in a home or establishment. This concept is universal, yet the translations in different languages offer a fascinating glimpse into cultural nuances. For instance, in Spanish, a guest is 'un invitado' - akin to an invitation-based visit. Meanwhile, in German, a guest is a 'Gast' - a term that also refers to a guest performer or athlete. In Japanese, a guest is 'お客様 (okyakusama),' emphasizing respect and hospitality. Understanding these translations can enrich our interactions and appreciation of different cultures. So, let's explore the word 'guest' in various languages, from 'hóspede' in Portuguese to 'гость' (gost') in Russian, and more.
Guest
Guest in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | gas | ||
| The word 'gas' in Afrikaans can also refer to a yeast-based food spread similar to Marmite. | |||
| Amharic | እንግዳ | ||
| "እንግዳ" primarily refers to a person visiting someone's home, but it can also be used to describe a newly married son-in-law visiting his wife's parents' house. | |||
| Hausa | bako | ||
| The word "bako" can also refer to a stranger or a visitor, and is derived from the root word "baka" meaning "to become estranged". | |||
| Igbo | ọbịa | ||
| The Igbo word ọbịa, meaning guest, also shares a root with the verb bịa, meaning to come or visit. | |||
| Malagasy | hivahiny | ||
| The Malagasy word "HIVAHINY" can also mean "visitor" or "stranger", reflecting the importance of hospitality in Malagasy culture. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mlendo | ||
| "Mlendo" can also mean "foreigner" or "stranger" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | muenzi | ||
| The word "muenzi" initially meant "stranger" or "foreigner". | |||
| Somali | marti | ||
| The word 'marti' can also refer to a son-in-law or a brother-in-law. | |||
| Sesotho | moeti | ||
| The word "moeti" can also refer to a stranger or non-native person. | |||
| Swahili | mgeni | ||
| "Mgeni" also refers to a stranger, visitor or foreigner, and is related to the word "geni," meaning "spirit." | |||
| Xhosa | undwendwe | ||
| The word "undwendwe" in Xhosa comes from the verb "ukwendwa," which means "to be visited". | |||
| Yoruba | alejo | ||
| The word "alejo" also means "stranger" or "foreigner" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | isivakashi | ||
| The Zulu word "isivakashi" can also refer to a visitor or a client. | |||
| Bambara | dunan | ||
| Ewe | amedzro | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umushyitsi | ||
| Lingala | mopaya | ||
| Luganda | omugenyi | ||
| Sepedi | moeng | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔhɔhoɔ | ||
Guest in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | زائر | ||
| Historically, زائر also meant "pilgrim" as the word was used to refer to visitors to Mecca. | |||
| Hebrew | אוֹרֵחַ | ||
| The Hebrew word "אוֹרֵחַ" (oreahh) can also mean "wayfarer" or "traveler," and is cognates with the Arabic word "وَرِثَ" (wārith) meaning "heir" or "inheritor." | |||
| Pashto | مېلمه | ||
| The word "مېلمه" in Pashto also refers to a person who is invited to a wedding or other special occasion. | |||
| Arabic | زائر | ||
| Historically, زائر also meant "pilgrim" as the word was used to refer to visitors to Mecca. | |||
Guest in Western European Languages
| Albanian | mysafir | ||
| "Mysafir" in Albanian is also used to refer to a "passer-by". | |||
| Basque | gonbidatua | ||
| The word "gonbidatua" has a second meaning, "companion", and may be related to "gonbidatu" (to invite), "ondo" (well) and "bait" (yes). | |||
| Catalan | convidat | ||
| The Catalan word "convidat" comes from the Latin "convitatus," meaning "invited person"} | |||
| Croatian | gost | ||
| In Croatian, the word "gost" also means "host" and can refer to a spirit or deity, reflecting its Proto-Slavic root "*gъstь" meaning "stranger". | |||
| Danish | gæst | ||
| The word 'gæst' is derived from the Old Norse word 'gestr', meaning both 'guest' and 'stranger' or 'foreigner'. | |||
| Dutch | gast | ||
| Dutch "gast" shares its roots with English "guest" and German "Gast", and can also mean "ghost". | |||
| English | guest | ||
| "Guest" comes Old French "geste" and Old Norse "gestr" meaning "stranger"} | |||
| French | client | ||
| In French, the word "client" can also mean "patron" or "customer" in addition to "guest". | |||
| Frisian | gast | ||
| In Frisian, gast means both 'guest' and 'spirit', reflecting the common belief that guests were embodiments of the ancestors. | |||
| Galician | hóspede | ||
| The Galician word "hóspede" comes from the Latin word "hospes", which means both "guest" and "host". | |||
| German | gast | ||
| The word 'Gast' is related to the English word 'guest' and the Old Norse word 'gestr,' both meaning 'stranger' or 'foreigner'. | |||
| Icelandic | gestur | ||
| The word "gestur" is related to the Old Norse word "gæstr," meaning "stranger" or "visitor." | |||
| Irish | aoi | ||
| The Gaelic word 'aoi' can refer not only to an invited guest at a house, but also to the act of visiting someone's home. | |||
| Italian | ospite | ||
| The Italian word "ospite" also means "host" or "landlord", a sense that survives in the verb "ospitare" meaning "to host". | |||
| Luxembourgish | gaascht | ||
| The word "Gaascht" is derived from the Old High German word "gast", which means "stranger" or "foreigner." | |||
| Maltese | mistieden | ||
| Possibly related to the Arabic word 'misafir' or the word 'mystia' in medieval Latin, both meaning 'guest'. | |||
| Norwegian | gjest | ||
| Cognate of the English word 'guest' and derives from an Old Norse word that meant 'stranger'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | convidado | ||
| The word "convidado" derives from the Latin "convitatus" meaning "invited to a feast". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | aoigh | ||
| The Gaelic term 'aoigh' is derived from the Old Irish word 'áighe', meaning 'a guest who is given food and lodging'. | |||
| Spanish | invitado | ||
| Invitado is a Spanish word derived from the Latin 'invitatus', meaning 'one who is invited', and also 'unwilling' or 'reluctant'. | |||
| Swedish | gäst | ||
| In southern Sweden, "gäst" can refer to a "party" or a "wedding". | |||
| Welsh | gwestai | ||
| The Welsh word 'gwestai' also means 'host' in most dialects of Welsh, unlike the general English use of the word 'guest'. | |||
Guest in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | госць | ||
| In some rural regions of Belarus, the word "госць" can also refer to a house spirit or a brownie. | |||
| Bosnian | gost | ||
| It is etymologically related to the Latin word "hostis", meaning "outsider" or "enemy". | |||
| Bulgarian | гост | ||
| The word "гост" also means "joyous, welcome" in Bulgarian, a possible cognate of the English word "guest." | |||
| Czech | host | ||
| The Czech word "host" also relates to the English word "host" as in "party host," because both words originated in the same Proto-Indo-European root meaning "stranger" or "foreigner." | |||
| Estonian | külaline | ||
| The Estonian word "külaline" is derived from "külall" meaning "village" and carries the connotation of an outsider or newcomer within a community. | |||
| Finnish | vieras | ||
| The word "vieras" in Finnish can also refer to a "stranger" or "foreigner". | |||
| Hungarian | vendég | ||
| The word "vendég" originates from the Proto-Slavic word *gostь, meaning "stranger, foreigner". | |||
| Latvian | viesis | ||
| The word "viesis" also means "stranger" or "foreigner" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | svečias | ||
| "Svečias" in Lithuanian is also a term for a foreign person or a stranger, as it derives from the same root as "svetimas" (stranger) | |||
| Macedonian | гостин | ||
| In Macedonian, "гостин" comes from Proto-Slavic *gosti, meaning "stranger" and "trader". | |||
| Polish | gość | ||
| The word "Gość" in Polish comes from the Proto-Slavic word "gosti", which originally meant "stranger" or "foreigner". | |||
| Romanian | oaspete | ||
| The word 'oaspete' is derived from the Latin word 'hospitem', meaning a host, which later came to mean 'guest' in Romanian. | |||
| Russian | гость | ||
| "Гость" also means "customer" when referring to trade or business. | |||
| Serbian | гост | ||
| The word "гост" (guest) derives from the Proto-Slavic word "*gosti" meaning "stranger" or "visitor". | |||
| Slovak | hosť | ||
| The word "hosť" also means "lord" or "master" in some Slavic languages. | |||
| Slovenian | gost | ||
| The word 'gost' in Slovenian also refers to a phantom or apparition, a semantic connection found in other Slavic languages such as Russian and Czech. | |||
| Ukrainian | гість | ||
| The word "гість" in Ukrainian also refers to a migratory bird, especially a stork. | |||
Guest in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অতিথি | ||
| Derived from Sanskrit 'atithi,' it signifies 'not staying,' hence a temporary resident or guest. | |||
| Gujarati | મહેમાન | ||
| The word "મહેમાન" is derived from the Persian word "mehman" which means "one who is received with honor and hospitality". | |||
| Hindi | अतिथि | ||
| "Atithi" originates from Sanskrit and literally translates as "one who surpasses the master (or owner) of the house in virtue." | |||
| Kannada | ಅತಿಥಿ | ||
| ಅತಿಥಿ (guest) is derived from the Sanskrit word अतिथि (atithi), meaning "one who stays for three nights". This is likely a reference to the ancient Indian custom of hosting guests for no more than three nights. | |||
| Malayalam | അതിഥി | ||
| The word also refers to a deity (Atithi Devo Bhava), a god in disguise visiting as a guest to test one's humanity. | |||
| Marathi | अतिथी | ||
| "अतिथी" is derived from the Sanskrit word "atithi," meaning "one who stands outside," implying "a stranger" or "an outsider". | |||
| Nepali | पाहुना | ||
| पाहुना is related to the word 'pahira,' meaning a stranger who is treated with respect. | |||
| Punjabi | ਮਹਿਮਾਨ | ||
| The word “ਮਹਿਮਾਨ” originates from the Persian word “mehman”, which means "a visitor, guest or stranger."} | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අමුත්තන්ගේ | ||
| The Sinhalese word 'අමුත්තන්ගේ' is derived from Sanskrit 'अतिथी' and refers not only to a guest but also to a stranger or outsider. | |||
| Tamil | விருந்தினர் | ||
| Telugu | అతిథి | ||
| The word "అతిథి" has alternate meanings such as "lord" and "nobleman". | |||
| Urdu | مہمان | ||
| The Urdu word "مہمان" is cognate with the Persian word "مهمان" and ultimately derives from the Sanskrit word "मन्" (man), meaning "to think" or "to remember." | |||
Guest in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 来宾 | ||
| The term "来宾" can refer to someone who arrives (来) as a welcome guest (宾). | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 來賓 | ||
| 來賓 also means "guest," "visitor," or "outsider" in simplified Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | ゲスト | ||
| In the past, "gest" meant "foreigner" in Middle and Old English, and it became "guest" due to the practice of hosting and serving visitors. | |||
| Korean | 손님 | ||
| The word 손님 (sonnim) can also mean "customer" or "client", and is derived from the Sino-Korean word 商人 (saung-in), meaning "merchant" or "trader". | |||
| Mongolian | зочин | ||
| In Mongolian, the word «зочин» refers both to a guest in a person's home, as well as a guest performing in a stage play or film. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ည့်သည် | ||
Guest in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tamu | ||
| The word "tamu" is cognate with the Filipino "tamù", meaning "sweet", reflecting the concept of guests as welcome and precious. | |||
| Javanese | tamu | ||
| "Tamu" also means "food" or "cooking ingredients" in Indonesian and Javanese, respectively. | |||
| Khmer | ភ្ញៀវ | ||
| ភ្ញៀវ is also used as to refer to a ghost or spirit, especially an evil spirit that haunts a specific place. | |||
| Lao | ແຂກ | ||
| "ແຂກ" can also mean "foreigner" or "visitor" in Lao and is derived from the Pali word 'kakka', meaning 'guest' or 'stranger'. | |||
| Malay | tetamu | ||
| The word 'tetamu' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'atithi', meaning 'stranger' or 'visitor'. | |||
| Thai | แขก | ||
| The word "แขก" can also mean "foreigner" or "visitor" in Thai, and is likely derived from the Sanskrit word "kaksha," meaning "stranger" or "outsider." | |||
| Vietnamese | khách mời | ||
| "Khách mời" is derived from "khách," which also refers to "customers" and "strangers." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bisita | ||
Guest in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qonaq | ||
| The word "Qonaq" (guest) also means "host" in Azerbaijani, reflecting the importance of hospitality in the culture. | |||
| Kazakh | қонақ | ||
| The word "қонақ" in Kazakh also refers to a type of traditional Kazakh dwelling, a yurt. | |||
| Kyrgyz | конок | ||
| The word "конок" in Kyrgyz can also refer to a stranger or a foreigner, and its etymology is traced back to the Mongolian word "höne" meaning "guest". | |||
| Tajik | меҳмон | ||
| The word “меҳмон” (“guest”) is also used in Tajik to describe a stranger. | |||
| Turkmen | myhman | ||
| Uzbek | mehmon | ||
| The word "mehmon" is derived from the Zoroastrian "mihman" and originally meant "friend" or "someone who is safe to stay with". | |||
| Uyghur | مېھمان | ||
Guest in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | malihini | ||
| The Hawaiian word 'malihini' also means 'outsider' or 'newcomer'. | |||
| Maori | manuhiri | ||
| The word 'manuhiri' in Māori also holds the meaning of 'stranger', further suggesting the temporary presence of an outsider within a community. | |||
| Samoan | malo | ||
| In the formal register, 'malo' also means 'lord' or 'master', or in the vocative, 'Your Majesty' | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | bisita | ||
| "Bisita" is a Tagalog word that stems from the Spanish word "visita," meaning a visit, or a person who is visiting. | |||
Guest in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jawillata | ||
| Guarani | mbohupa | ||
Guest in International Languages
| Esperanto | gasto | ||
| Esperanto's "gasto" is derived from the German "Gast" and has the alternate meaning of "expenditure". | |||
| Latin | hospes | ||
| Hospes, in Latin, derives from the PIE root "ghos-ti" (stranger) and can also mean host, landlord, or entertainer. | |||
Guest in Others Languages
| Greek | επισκέπτης | ||
| The Greek word "επισκέπτης" originates from the verb "επισκέπτομαι" meaning "visit", "go to see", or "attend to". | |||
| Hmong | qhua | ||
| In Hmong, "qhua" also means "home" and "land". | |||
| Kurdish | mêvan | ||
| The word “mêvan” comes from the Old Iranian word “miθra,” which means “friend.” | |||
| Turkish | misafir | ||
| In Turkish, “misafir” can also refer to “visitors,” “company,” or “people staying at one's house.” | |||
| Xhosa | undwendwe | ||
| The word "undwendwe" in Xhosa comes from the verb "ukwendwa," which means "to be visited". | |||
| Yiddish | גאַסט | ||
| The Yiddish word "גאַסט" is derived from the Old High German word "gast", which originally meant "stranger" or "foreigner". | |||
| Zulu | isivakashi | ||
| The Zulu word "isivakashi" can also refer to a visitor or a client. | |||
| Assamese | আলহী | ||
| Aymara | jawillata | ||
| Bhojpuri | मेहमान | ||
| Dhivehi | ގެސްޓު | ||
| Dogri | मेहमान | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bisita | ||
| Guarani | mbohupa | ||
| Ilocano | bisita | ||
| Krio | strenja | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | میوان | ||
| Maithili | पाहुन | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯤꯊꯨꯡꯂꯦꯟ | ||
| Mizo | mikhual | ||
| Oromo | keessummaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅତିଥି | ||
| Quechua | minkasqa | ||
| Sanskrit | अतिथि | ||
| Tatar | кунак | ||
| Tigrinya | ጋሻ | ||
| Tsonga | muendzi | ||