Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'hall' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting a variety of large spaces used for different purposes across cultures. Historically, halls were central gathering places in castles and manors, where important events and decisions took place. Today, we find halls in various settings, such as schools, event centers, and even our homes.
Delving into the cultural importance of halls, one can't overlook the grand Town Halls of Europe, where citizens gather to discuss community matters. Or the Japanese 'washitsu,' a traditional room with 'tokonoma' (alcove) for displaying art and 'fusuma' (sliding doors), which transforms the room into a 'washitsu-no-ma' (hall).
Understanding the translation of 'hall' in different languages can enrich your cultural experiences. For instance, in Spanish, it's 'salón'; in German, 'Saal'; in French, 'salle'; in Russian, 'зал' (zal); and in Chinese, '大厅' (dàhàng).
Explore the fascinating world of halls and their translations, and you'll find a deeper appreciation for the diversity and richness of global cultures.
Afrikaans | saal | ||
The Afrikaans word "saal" is derived from the Dutch word "zaal" which can also mean "room". | |||
Amharic | አዳራሽ | ||
The word አዳራሽ can also refer to a "meeting place" or "court of law". | |||
Hausa | zaure | ||
The Hausa word "zaure" may also refer to a gathering or assembly of chiefs, or to a large courtyard. | |||
Igbo | nnukwu ọnụ ụlọ | ||
Malagasy | efitrano | ||
There is also the more general term | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | holo | ||
The Nyanja word "holo" can also refer to "hallway" in some contexts. | |||
Shona | horo | ||
The word "horo" in Shona is cognate with the word "koro" in Zulu, both meaning "kraal, enclosure" and possibly derived from the Proto-Bantu root *-koro "yard, courtyard". | |||
Somali | hoolka | ||
In Somali, "hoolka" can also mean "house" or "hut". | |||
Sesotho | holo | ||
The word "holo" in Sesotho can also mean "a large open space" or "a field." | |||
Swahili | ukumbi | ||
The word 'ukumbi' (hall) in Swahili comes from the Bantu root '-kumbi', meaning 'to gather' or 'to assemble'. | |||
Xhosa | iholo | ||
The word "Iholo" also refers to a meeting place or a gathering. | |||
Yoruba | gbongan | ||
The Yoruba word "gbongan" is also used to describe the meeting place of elders and the extended family of a compound. | |||
Zulu | ihholo | ||
The word "ihholo" in Zulu can also refer to a meeting, or a place where people gather for a particular purpose. | |||
Bambara | ali | ||
Ewe | xɔlegbe | ||
Kinyarwanda | salle | ||
Lingala | ndako | ||
Luganda | kisenge ekinene | ||
Sepedi | holo | ||
Twi (Akan) | asa so | ||
Arabic | صالة | ||
The word صالة "salah" can refer to a hall, a living room, a reception area, or a room where guests are received in the Arab culture. | |||
Hebrew | אולם | ||
אולם ('hall') can also refer to a palace or royal court. | |||
Pashto | تالار | ||
The term "تالار" (hall) originates from the Persian term "تالارخانه" which referred to a large and ornate reception room. | |||
Arabic | صالة | ||
The word صالة "salah" can refer to a hall, a living room, a reception area, or a room where guests are received in the Arab culture. |
Albanian | sallë | ||
The Albanian word "sallë" derives from the Latin word "aula", meaning a large open room in an official building or a place of assembly. | |||
Basque | aretoa | ||
The word "aretoa" can also mean "church" or "temple" in Basque, reflecting its historical use as a gathering place for both secular and religious purposes. | |||
Catalan | saló | ||
"Saló" can also mean "exhibition", and it comes from the medieval Latin word "sala" meaning "large room". | |||
Croatian | dvorana | ||
The word "dvorana" is derived from the Latin word "forum", which means "public square" or "meeting place". | |||
Danish | hal | ||
In the Danish place name 'Christiansfeld', 'hal' is a regional spelling of 'hold' meaning 'manor'. | |||
Dutch | hal | ||
In medieval times 'Hal'/'Halle' was used as nickname meaning 'hero'. Its root lies in the Germanic verb 'helan' (literally: hail). | |||
English | hall | ||
The word 'hall' derives from the Old English word 'heall', meaning a large room or building used for gatherings or feasts. | |||
French | salle | ||
The word "salle" is derived from the Latin word "sala", meaning "large room" or "hall". | |||
Frisian | hal | ||
The Frisian "hal" refers to the central part of a house as well as to the reception room or a hall used for dancing. | |||
Galician | salón | ||
In Galician, "salón" also means "reception" or "living room". | |||
German | halle | ||
The word Halle derives from Old High German, with meanings ranging from a building to a covered market. | |||
Icelandic | salur | ||
The word "salur" can also refer to a type of small, one-room house found in rural Iceland, typically used for storage or as a workshop. | |||
Irish | halla | ||
The word 'halla' in Irish can also refer to a 'large house', deriving from the Old Irish word 'halga' meaning 'dwelling'. | |||
Italian | sala | ||
The word "sala" in Italian comes from the Latin word "aula", which originally meant "royal court". | |||
Luxembourgish | hal | ||
The word "hal" in Luxembourgish can also refer to an entrance hall or to the ground floor of a house. | |||
Maltese | sala | ||
The word 'sala' in Maltese can also refer to a waiting room, a reception area, or a drawing room. | |||
Norwegian | hall | ||
The word "hall" can also mean "hill" or "flat, elongated rock formation" in Norwegian. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | corredor | ||
"Corredor" in Portuguese can also mean "runner" (in athletics), "broker" (in finance), and "trader" (in card games). | |||
Scots Gaelic | talla | ||
Talla is also used to refer to the lower part of a house, or the main room of a thatched cottage. | |||
Spanish | salón | ||
In Spanish, 'salón' derives from the Frankish 'sal' (house) and can also refer to a reception room, dance hall or barber shop. | |||
Swedish | hall | ||
"Hall" in Swedish can also refer to a flat rock or a type of plant (Angelica archangelica). | |||
Welsh | neuadd | ||
Welsh 'neuadd' shares a distant origin with the German 'not' but also meant 'sanctuary' in Old Welsh. |
Belarusian | зала | ||
In Russian, "зал" (hall) is related to "залы" (flood), which is related to the same Indo-European root as "salt" in English, from the meaning "to sprinkle." | |||
Bosnian | hodnik | ||
Bosnian's "hodnik" is also used to mean "corridor", while in Polish, it means "pedestrian". | |||
Bulgarian | зала | ||
Bulgarian word "зала" ("hall") comes from the Proto-Slavic word *sālъ, which could mean "hall", "room", or "house". | |||
Czech | hala | ||
The word "hala" in Czech can also refer to a marketplace or a market hall. | |||
Estonian | saal | ||
The word "saal" likely originates from the German word "Saal" and is also used in Estonian to refer to a space in a forest where deer gather. | |||
Finnish | sali | ||
The word "sali" is also used to refer to the space between a wall and a ceiling or a room with a vaulted ceiling. | |||
Hungarian | előszoba | ||
"Elsőszoba" comes from the Hungarian words "elő" (front) and "szoba" (room), although it can also refer to a "foyer" or "lobby". | |||
Latvian | zāle | ||
The word "zāle" can also refer to a meadow or a grassy area. | |||
Lithuanian | salė | ||
"Salė" is a Balto-Slavic word meaning both "hall" and "island". | |||
Macedonian | сала | ||
In Macedonian, the word "сала" also has an alternate meaning "room". | |||
Polish | sala | ||
Polish "sala" comes from the German "saal" and can also mean: conference or assembly room, meeting room, or in the theatre, ballet or opera: an auditorium or a concert hall. | |||
Romanian | hol | ||
The word "hol" in Romanian also has the meaning of "thief" and comes from the Hungarian word "tolvaj". | |||
Russian | зал | ||
"Зал" also means a large sitting room in aristocratic houses or palaces. | |||
Serbian | сала | ||
The Serbian word 'сала' comes from the Italian word 'sala', meaning 'room' or 'hall'. | |||
Slovak | hala | ||
In Slovak, "hala" can also refer to a mountain pasture or clearing, and is cognate with the English word "hall" and the Latin word "aula, | |||
Slovenian | dvorana | ||
"Dvorana" is a cognate of the Russian "двор" (dvor), which means "court" or "yard", and is a Slavic word likely derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰwer-. | |||
Ukrainian | зал | ||
The word "зал" in Ukrainian can also refer to a stage or an auditorium. |
Bengali | হল | ||
The Bengali word 'হল' also has alternate meanings including 'shop' or 'store' and can refer to an auditorium, meeting room, or any large, enclosed space. | |||
Gujarati | હોલ | ||
The Gujarati word "હોલ" also means "the entire space" or "the whole thing". | |||
Hindi | हॉल | ||
The word 'हॉल' ('hall') in Hindi is derived from the Old French word 'hale,' meaning 'covered building' or 'large room,' and can also refer to a building used for public assembly or a large space within a building. | |||
Kannada | ಸಭಾಂಗಣ | ||
The word 'sabhangana' is derived from the Sanskrit words 'sabha' (assembly) and 'angana' (courtyard), and refers to a place where people gather for meetings or social events. | |||
Malayalam | ഹാൾ | ||
'ഹാൾ' in Malayalam also means 'festival' or 'celebration'. It is derived from the Sanskrit word 'साल' (sāla) meaning 'a year'. | |||
Marathi | हॉल | ||
In Marathi, the word "हॉल" can also refer to a large room in a house or a courtyard. | |||
Nepali | हल | ||
The word "hall" in Nepali can also mean "a large room used for assemblies or public events". | |||
Punjabi | ਹਾਲ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ශාලාව | ||
The word "ශාලාව" (hall) in Sinhala is derived from the Sanskrit word "śālā", which can also mean "school" or "house". | |||
Tamil | மண்டபம் | ||
Tamil 'மண்டபம்' (mandapam) derives from the Sanskrit 'मण्डप' (mandapa), which also means 'bower' or 'arbour'. | |||
Telugu | హాల్ | ||
The Telugu word "హాల్" can also refer to a large room in a house, a court of law, or a place of assembly. | |||
Urdu | ہال | ||
Urdu word "ہال" (hall) has a Persian origin and can also refer to a courtyard or a yard. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 大厅 | ||
大厅 in Chinese also refers to an enclosed open space next to a traditional main chamber in various architectural styles. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 大廳 | ||
The word "大廳" can also refer to a large room used for public gatherings or receptions. | |||
Japanese | ホール | ||
The word "ホール" (hōru) in Japanese can also refer to a concert venue, a university lecture hall, or a company entrance. | |||
Korean | 홀 | ||
The word "홀" can also refer to a hole or a cavity in Korean. | |||
Mongolian | танхим | ||
In Classical Mongolian, the word "танхим" referred to an open shed or a tent used as a temporary shelter. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ခန်းမ | ||
"ခန်းမ" is also used to refer to an open-air stage for performing traditional puppet theatre. |
Indonesian | aula | ||
In Latin, "aula" originally meant "courtyard" and later "royal court". | |||
Javanese | bale | ||
The word "bale" in Javanese also means "a place for public gatherings or rituals" and carries the connotation of sacredness and community. | |||
Khmer | សាល | ||
"សាល" (pronounced "sahl") can also refer to a meeting place or the assembly of a group. | |||
Lao | ຫ້ອງໂຖງ | ||
This word also means large open room in traditional houses. | |||
Malay | dewan | ||
"Dewan" also refers to a council or senate in some contexts, such as the Dewan Negara (Senate) of Malaysia. | |||
Thai | ห้องโถง | ||
The Thai word "ห้ŋong" is derived from the Khmer word "หះลหអ" meaning "a place to sit or to sleep". | |||
Vietnamese | đại sảnh | ||
"Đại sảnh" can refer to a large room for events or receptions, but it can also be used to refer to a large and luxurious living room in a private residence. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | bulwagan | ||
Azerbaijani | zal | ||
The word "zal" in Azerbaijani is cognate with the Persian word "salun" meaning "hall" or "room". | |||
Kazakh | зал | ||
The word "зал" in Kazakh, meaning "hall", also has alternate meanings such as "auditorium" and "foyer". | |||
Kyrgyz | зал | ||
"Зал" is also the Kyrgyz word for "year" or "age". | |||
Tajik | толор | ||
The word "толор" in Tajik shares a common root with the Persian word "تالار" (talar), which also means "hall" or "auditorium." | |||
Turkmen | zal | ||
Uzbek | zal | ||
The word "zal" comes from the Persian word "zal" which means "large room or hall" and is also used to refer to a reception room or a waiting room. | |||
Uyghur | زال | ||
Hawaiian | hale | ||
In Hawaiian, "hale" means "house" but can also refer to a building or gathering place. | |||
Maori | wharenui | ||
"Wharenui" is said to mean both "large house" and "meeting house" in the context of Maori culture. | |||
Samoan | fale faafiafia | ||
Fale fa'afiafia can also mean a hospital or a chapel because it's a place where those who are sick (fa'a'i) are cared for or fa'afiafia. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | bulwagan | ||
The Tagalog word 'bulwagan' also means 'courtroom' and comes from the Sanskrit word 'baliwag' which means 'meeting house'. |
Aymara | sala | ||
Guarani | kotyguasu | ||
Esperanto | halo | ||
The Esperanto word "halo" originates from the Latin word "aula", meaning "hall" or "courtyard". | |||
Latin | praetorium | ||
The Latin word “praetorium” can also refer to the headquarters or residence of a commanding officer in the Roman military, often translated as “general's tent” or “command post”. |
Greek | αίθουσα | ||
The Greek word "αίθουσα" is derived from the word "αίθω", meaning "to burn", and originally referred to the open-air courtyard of a house where a fire was kept. | |||
Hmong | cuab | ||
"cuab" in White Hmong also means "place where ghosts live." | |||
Kurdish | salon | ||
The Kurdish word "salon" is borrowed from the French word "salon", which ultimately derives from the Italian word "sala", meaning "room" or "hall". | |||
Turkish | salon | ||
The word "salon" in Turkish, besides its primary meaning of "hall", also refers to a reception room or a luxurious drawing room. | |||
Xhosa | iholo | ||
The word "Iholo" also refers to a meeting place or a gathering. | |||
Yiddish | קאָרידאָר | ||
"קאָרידאָר" is Yiddish for corridor; the same word is also used to mean the hallway in a theater | |||
Zulu | ihholo | ||
The word "ihholo" in Zulu can also refer to a meeting, or a place where people gather for a particular purpose. | |||
Assamese | হল | ||
Aymara | sala | ||
Bhojpuri | सभामंडप | ||
Dhivehi | ހޯލް | ||
Dogri | हाल | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | bulwagan | ||
Guarani | kotyguasu | ||
Ilocano | salas | ||
Krio | ɔl | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | هۆڵ | ||
Maithili | हॉल | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯆꯧꯕ ꯑꯍꯥꯡꯕ ꯀꯥ | ||
Mizo | pindan lian | ||
Oromo | galma | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ହଲ୍ | ||
Quechua | salon | ||
Sanskrit | सभागृह | ||
Tatar | зал | ||
Tigrinya | ኣዳራሽ | ||
Tsonga | holo | ||