Handle in Different Languages
Discover 'Handle' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'handle' is a common English term with a variety of uses and meanings. It can refer to the part of an object that is meant to be held, such as the handle of a mug or a suitcase. In a more abstract sense, 'handle' can also mean to deal with or manage a situation or problem. This versatile word has found its way into many different aspects of everyday life and conversation.
Handles have been an important part of human culture for thousands of years. From ancient tools and pottery to modern household items and technology, handles have helped us to interact with and manipulate our environment in countless ways. In many cultures, the design and decoration of handles have been elevated to an art form, reflecting the values and aesthetics of the people who made and used them.
Understanding the translation of 'handle' in different languages can be a fascinating way to explore the cultural diversity of the world. For example, the German word for handle is 'Griff', while in Spanish it is 'manija'. In French, the word for handle is 'poignée', and in Japanese it is '掌（tegama）'. By learning these translations, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the richness and complexity of human language and culture.
Handle
Handle in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hanteer | ||
| The Afrikaans word "hanteer" comes from the Dutch word "handteren" which in turn comes from the Old French word "hanter" meaning "to frequent" or "to haunt." | |||
| Amharic | እጀታ | ||
| In the context of traditional Amharic cooking, "እጀታ" also refers to the part of the injera bread used to eat, rather than the flat part itself. | |||
| Hausa | rikewa | ||
| The Hausa word "rikewa" can also refer to a "lever" or a "helmsman". | |||
| Igbo | aka | ||
| In some Igbo dialects 'aka' also signifies 'hand'} | |||
| Malagasy | tahony | ||
| "Tahony" can also mean "grip" or "grasp". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chogwirira | ||
| The word "chogwirira" can also mean "to hold" or "to carry" in Nyanja (Chichewa). | |||
| Shona | mubato | ||
| The word "mubato" in Shona also refers to the stick used to stir food in a pot. | |||
| Somali | xamili | ||
| The word "xamili" can also mean "grip" or "grasp". | |||
| Sesotho | sebetsana | ||
| In the 19th century, the word 'sebetsana' was also used to refer to a 'small axe' in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | kushughulikia | ||
| The Swahili word "kushughulikia" derives from the Arabic word "shughl", which can mean "occupation" or "concern", implying the role of something as a means to accomplish a task. | |||
| Xhosa | phatha | ||
| The word 'phatha' can also mean 'to touch' or 'to hold' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | mu | ||
| In Yoruba, "mu" also relates to a sense of ownership | |||
| Zulu | isibambo | ||
| The word "isibambo" in Zulu can also refer to a "weapon" or an "instrument" with a handle | |||
| Bambara | kala | ||
| Ewe | alᴐ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ikiganza | ||
| Lingala | kosalela | ||
| Luganda | okukwaata | ||
| Sepedi | swara | ||
| Twi (Akan) | di ho dwuma | ||
Handle in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مقبض | ||
| The word "مقبض" is derived from the Arabic root قَبَضَ, which means "to seize" or "to grasp." | |||
| Hebrew | ידית | ||
| In Hebrew, "ידית" also denotes a pointer in programming languages and is related to "יָד" which means "hand". | |||
| Pashto | سمبالول | ||
| The Pashto word "سمبالول" can also refer to the "tail" of an animal. | |||
| Arabic | مقبض | ||
| The word "مقبض" is derived from the Arabic root قَبَضَ, which means "to seize" or "to grasp." | |||
Handle in Western European Languages
| Albanian | dorezë | ||
| The Albanian word "dorezë" (handle) derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*gʰer-," meaning "to grasp or hold". | |||
| Basque | helduleku | ||
| The word "helduleku" in Basque also means "purpose" or "objective". | |||
| Catalan | gestionar | ||
| "Gestionar" also means "get something done" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | drška | ||
| The word "drška" can also refer to the end-part of the human nose. | |||
| Danish | håndtere | ||
| The word "håndtere" can also mean "to operate" or "to deal with". | |||
| Dutch | omgaan met | ||
| In 16th-century Dutch, "omgaan met" also meant "to deal with" someone in combat. | |||
| English | handle | ||
| The word 'handle' derives from the Old English word 'handlian', meaning 'to touch' or 'to lay hands on', and is related to the German word 'handeln', meaning 'to trade'. Similarly, in Middle English, the noun 'handel' meant 'action' or 'deed'. | |||
| French | manipuler | ||
| The verb 'manipuler' can also mean 'to deceive' or 'to exploit', akin to the English word 'manipulate'. | |||
| Frisian | omgean | ||
| The word 'omgean' also means 'to turn around' or 'to reverse' in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | mango | ||
| The Galician word "mango", meaning handle, derives from the Galician-Portuguese "mango", and ultimately from the Latin "manĭcus" | |||
| German | griff | ||
| In Old High German, "Griff" originally denoted a tool's haft or its user's hand holding onto it, later generalized for a range of grasping instruments and handles. | |||
| Icelandic | höndla | ||
| "Höndla" also means "paw" in Icelandic, reflecting the fact that early tools were often held in the hand or gripped with the forepaw. | |||
| Irish | láimhseáil | ||
| "Láimhseáil" also literally means "hand passing" and is a type of pass used in hurling and gaelic football. | |||
| Italian | maniglia | ||
| The word "maniglia" has two origins: it can come from Latin "manubrium" (handle) or from the French "manille" (bracelet). | |||
| Luxembourgish | handhaben | ||
| "Handhaben" in Luxembourgish can mean either "handle" or "to put into practice (a plan)." | |||
| Maltese | manku | ||
| The Maltese word "manku" also means "short" or "incomplete" in some contexts. | |||
| Norwegian | håndtak | ||
| This multi-meaning word's roots are in the 13th century, where the original definition was the 'action of handling' something. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | lidar com | ||
| In Portuguese, "lidar com" also means "to cope with something or someone" or "to deal with something or someone". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | làimhseachadh | ||
| The word "làimhseachadh" in Scots Gaelic is derived from the word "làmh" meaning "hand" and the suffix "-seachadh" meaning "action" or "process". Therefore, the word literally means "the action of using the hand" and can refer to the act of touching, feeling, or manipulating something. | |||
| Spanish | encargarse de | ||
| The Spanish verb "encargarse de" comes from the Latin verb "incaricare", meaning "to load" or "to entrust". | |||
| Swedish | hantera | ||
| The Swedish word "hantera" also refers to dealing with something or managing it. | |||
| Welsh | trin | ||
| "Trin" is also a word for "nose" or "snout" in the Welsh language. | |||
Handle in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | ручка | ||
| The Belarusian word “ручка” (“handle”) originates from the Old East Slavic word “ръка” (“hand”), and can also refer to a pen or pencil, as well as an arm or shoulder, depending on the context. | |||
| Bosnian | drška | ||
| In Bosnian, "drška" can also refer to a type of small wooden spoon used in cooking or a wooden stick used to stir fire. | |||
| Bulgarian | дръжка | ||
| Дръжка can also refer to the handle of a weapon, the shaft of a brush, or the spout of a teapot. | |||
| Czech | rukojeť | ||
| In Old Czech, "Rukojeť" also referred to a handshake or a pledge. | |||
| Estonian | käepide | ||
| "Käepide" in Estonian can also refer to a "knob" or "grip". | |||
| Finnish | kahva | ||
| Kahva is also a noun meaning 'coffee' in Finnish, which originates from Turkish 'kahve'. | |||
| Hungarian | fogantyú | ||
| Etymologically, the word "fogantyú" is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "pantaŋ", meaning "loop" or "string". | |||
| Latvian | rokturis | ||
| The Latvian word “rokturis” (handle) originally referred to the handle of a knife, especially a woodworking tool. | |||
| Lithuanian | rankena | ||
| The word "rankena" also means a "tendril" (of a climbing plant) in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | рачка | ||
| The word "рачка" in Macedonian can also refer to a "handful" or a "grasp". | |||
| Polish | uchwyt | ||
| The word "uchwyt" can also refer to a grip, hold, or purchase, and is related to the verb "uchwycić" (to grasp, to seize). | |||
| Romanian | mâner | ||
| The Romanian word "mâner" (handle) comes from the Latin "manus" (hand), also found in French "main" and English "manual" | |||
| Russian | справиться | ||
| Справиться can also mean "to get ready" or "to manage to do something" | |||
| Serbian | дршка | ||
| In its alternate meaning, "дршка" means a type of tree trunk used to build homes. | |||
| Slovak | zvládnuť | ||
| "Zvládnuť" comes from the word "vláda" (government) and originally meant to overcome or handle something like an authority. | |||
| Slovenian | ročaj | ||
| The Slovenian word "ročaj" has the same origin as the word "hand". | |||
| Ukrainian | ручка | ||
| Derived from Old Rusian "рѫка" (rǫka, "hand"), it also meant "pen" and "gun" in the 19th century. | |||
Handle in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | হাতল | ||
| The word “হাতল” in Bengali also means "handle (of a sword or knife)", "trunk (of an elephant)", and "control (of a vehicle)". | |||
| Gujarati | હેન્ડલ | ||
| In Gujarati, the word "हेन्डल" is a borrowing from the English word "handle", a noun meaning a part you grip to operate a tool, or a verb meaning to manage, control or operate something. | |||
| Hindi | हैंडल | ||
| In Hindi, the word "handle" can also mean a "handlebar" or a "steering wheel". | |||
| Kannada | ಹ್ಯಾಂಡಲ್ | ||
| The word "ಹ್ಯಾಂಡಲ್" derives from the verb "ಹಿಡಿಯು" (hiḍiyu), meaning "to grasp". It can also refer to a person appointed to manage or control something, or a business name. | |||
| Malayalam | കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുക | ||
| Marathi | हाताळा | ||
| हाताळा, meaning "handle" in Marathi, is cognate with the Sanskrit word "हस्त" (hasta), meaning "hand". | |||
| Nepali | ह्यान्डल | ||
| The word "handle" in Nepali ("ह्यान्डल") can also refer to a "grip", "knob", "lever", or "control". | |||
| Punjabi | ਹੈਂਡਲ | ||
| The Punjabi word 'ਹੈਂਡਲ' or 'handle' can also refer to a pseudonym, a pen name, or a username. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | හසුරුවන්න | ||
| Tamil | கைப்பிடி | ||
| The word "கைப்பிடி" can also refer to the dowry given to a bride by her family. | |||
| Telugu | హ్యాండిల్ | ||
| The word 'హ్యాండిల్' in Telugu can also mean 'an opportunity' or 'a way to do something'. | |||
| Urdu | ہینڈل | ||
| The word "handle" can also refer to the act of controlling or managing something. | |||
Handle in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 处理 | ||
| The Chinese word "处理" can also mean "to deal with", "to manage", or "to dispose of". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 處理 | ||
| 處理 literally means 'to treat' and can be used in a wide range of contexts from 'to manage' to 'to settle disputes'. | |||
| Japanese | 扱う | ||
| The Kanji 扱 in 扱う means 'to receive', originating from the meaning 'to treat as you receive' | |||
| Korean | 핸들 | ||
| The Korean word "핸들" also means "a user name" in internet slang. | |||
| Mongolian | бариул | ||
| "Бариул" also means "fist" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကိုင်တွယ် | ||
Handle in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | menangani | ||
| The word "menangani" can also mean "to deal with" or "to cope with" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | nangani | ||
| The word 'nangani' may also refer to 'being able to do' or 'skilled in doing' a task in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ដោះស្រាយ | ||
| ដោះស្រាយ (lit. "to lift up") may also refer to "to clear away" or "to resolve". The word is derived from the Sanskrit word "dhosya" meaning "a burden". | |||
| Lao | ຈັດການ | ||
| The Lao word ຈັດການ ('handle') is derived from the Thai word จัดการ ('manage') and can also mean 'to deal with' or 'to arrange'. | |||
| Malay | mengendalikan | ||
| The word 'mengendalikan' can also mean 'to control', 'to manage', or 'to operate'. | |||
| Thai | ด้ามจับ | ||
| The Thai word "ด้ามจับ" can also refer to the arm or wrist of a human or animal. | |||
| Vietnamese | xử lý | ||
| As a noun, xử lý means "processing", and as a verb, it means "to process, to deal with, to handle, to do"} | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | hawakan | ||
Handle in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qolu | ||
| The word "qolu" is also used figuratively to refer to someone's strength or power. | |||
| Kazakh | тұтқа | ||
| In Kazakh, "тұтқа" can also refer to a "case" or "cover" | |||
| Kyrgyz | туткасы | ||
| Tajik | дастак | ||
| "Дастак" также означает "автобус" в Таджикистане. | |||
| Turkmen | tutawaç | ||
| Uzbek | tutqich | ||
| The word "tutqich" in Uzbek is derived from the root word "tut-", which means to hold or grasp. | |||
| Uyghur | تۇتقۇچ | ||
Handle in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻauamo | ||
| 'Auamo can also refer to the handle of a spear or the shaft of a weapon, indicating its versatility as a tool and its importance in warfare. | |||
| Maori | kakau | ||
| In Maori, "kakau" also refers to the handle of a tool or the haft of a spear. | |||
| Samoan | au | ||
| The word "au" in Samoan is also used to refer to the mast of a ship or boat. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | hawakan | ||
| "Hawakan" also means the act of grasping or holding something. | |||
Handle in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | apnaqaña | ||
| Guarani | ipoguýpe oĩva | ||
Handle in International Languages
| Esperanto | tenilo | ||
| "Tenilo" is derived from the Latin "tenere" (to hold), and can also refer to a tool used for holding. | |||
| Latin | capulus | ||
| Capulus also means 'horse' or 'gelding,' and is related to the Greek word 'kapelos,' meaning 'horse' or 'mare.' | |||
Handle in Others Languages
| Greek | λαβή | ||
| The Greek word "λαβή" can also refer to a handhold, grip, or means of holding or grasping something. | |||
| Hmong | saib xyuas | ||
| In the Hmong Daw dialect, "saib xyuas" also means "to carry" or "to hold in the hand." | |||
| Kurdish | destik | ||
| The Kurdish word "destik" is likely derived from the Persian word "dasteh", meaning "hand" or "handle". It can also refer to a lever or a control mechanism. | |||
| Turkish | üstesinden gelmek | ||
| "Üstesinden gelmek" is related to the root "üst" (over) and is a calque from French "surmonter". | |||
| Xhosa | phatha | ||
| The word 'phatha' can also mean 'to touch' or 'to hold' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | שעפּן | ||
| The Yiddish word "שעפּן" is also used to refer to a pen or a cup. | |||
| Zulu | isibambo | ||
| The word "isibambo" in Zulu can also refer to a "weapon" or an "instrument" with a handle | |||
| Assamese | চম্ভালা | ||
| Aymara | apnaqaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | हेंडिल | ||
| Dhivehi | ހިފަހައްޓާތަން | ||
| Dogri | हैंडल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | hawakan | ||
| Guarani | ipoguýpe oĩva | ||
| Ilocano | kutingen | ||
| Krio | sɔlv | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دەسک | ||
| Maithili | संभालनाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯥꯏꯐꯝ | ||
| Mizo | chelh | ||
| Oromo | harkatti qabuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ନିୟନ୍ତ୍ରଣ | ||
| Quechua | hapina | ||
| Sanskrit | वारङ्गः | ||
| Tatar | тоткыч | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣካይድ | ||
| Tsonga | khoma | ||