Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'hate' is a powerful and emotionally-charged term that carries significant weight in any language. It represents a strong and intense feeling of dislike or disgust towards something or someone. The cultural importance of this word cannot be overstated, as it has been the catalyst for countless conflicts, debates, and discussions throughout history.
Understanding the translation of 'hate' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and attitudes towards this emotion in various parts of the world. For example, in Spanish, the word for 'hate' is 'odio', which also means aversion or hatred. Meanwhile, in German, the word for 'hate' is 'hass', which can also refer to enmity or hostility.
Moreover, exploring the translations of 'hate' in different languages can shed light on interesting historical contexts and linguistic patterns. For instance, in Arabic, the word for 'hate' is 'كراهة' (kiraahah), which shares the same root as the word for 'distant' ('بعيد' / ba'eed), reflecting the idea that hate can create distance and separation between people.
In this article, we will explore the translations of 'hate' in 10 different languages, providing a unique perspective on this powerful emotion and its cultural significance around the world.
Afrikaans | haat | ||
The word "haat" in Afrikaans has the same root as the English word "hate" but also means "hurry" or "rush". | |||
Amharic | መጥላት | ||
"መጥላት" is derived from the Gheez root word "መጥል" meaning "to be angry" or "to despise." | |||
Hausa | ƙi | ||
Also used to indicate a state of dislike for a thing or person | |||
Igbo | ịkpọasị | ||
'kpọ' comes from the original word 'kpọ', meaning 'to be hard; to be difficult'. | |||
Malagasy | fankahalana | ||
The word "fankahalana" in Malagasy can also refer to a "quarrel" or "dispute". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | chidani | ||
chidani also means 'to be hard' or 'to cause an obstacle' | |||
Shona | ruvengo | ||
"Ruvengo" can also mean "enemy" in Shona. | |||
Somali | neceb | ||
Necel is cognate with naceyb in Standard Arabic | |||
Sesotho | lehloyo | ||
Swahili | chuki | ||
"Chuki" in Swahili, meaning "hatred" or "disgust," also bears the sense of "pain" and "dislike". | |||
Xhosa | intiyo | ||
In Xhosa, "intiyo" can also refer to a "feeling of distaste or dislike". | |||
Yoruba | ikorira | ||
The word 'ikorira' also refers to 'anger' or 'bitterness', reflecting the close connection between these emotions in the Yoruba language. | |||
Zulu | inzondo | ||
In the isiZulu language, the word "inzondo" has an additional meaning, referring to a feeling of intense dislike for a situation or thing. | |||
Bambara | kɔniya | ||
Ewe | tsri | ||
Kinyarwanda | urwango | ||
Lingala | koyina | ||
Luganda | obukyaayi | ||
Sepedi | hloya | ||
Twi (Akan) | tan | ||
Arabic | اكرهه | ||
The word "اكرهه" in Arabic can also mean "to detest" or "to despise". | |||
Hebrew | שִׂנאָה | ||
It can also mean an "enemy" or "hostility" (the plural form is "schnayot") | |||
Pashto | کرکه | ||
The Pashto word "کرکه" not only means "hate," but also "abhorrence," "enmity," and "indignation." | |||
Arabic | اكرهه | ||
The word "اكرهه" in Arabic can also mean "to detest" or "to despise". |
Albanian | urrejtje | ||
"Urrejt" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂erǵʰ-, meaning 'to be angry' or 'to cause harm'. | |||
Basque | gorrotoa | ||
The word "gorrotoa" also refers to "annoyance" and "resentment" in Basque. | |||
Catalan | odi | ||
The word "odi" in Catalan also refers to an ancestral form of poetry and the wrath of the gods. | |||
Croatian | mrziti | ||
The verb 'mrziti' is of Proto-Slavic origin and is cognate with the Russian verb 'морозить' ('to freeze'). | |||
Danish | had | ||
The Danish "had", meaning "hate", comes most directly from the Old Norse word "hata", also "hate". | |||
Dutch | een hekel hebben aan | ||
The Dutch term "een hekel aan" derives from the obsolete noun "haak", originally meaning a hook that was used to pull back clothes or curtains and was associated with the act of rejecting. | |||
English | hate | ||
The word 'hate' has an alternate meaning of 'extreme dislike' which is less severe than its primary meaning. | |||
French | haine | ||
The French word "haine" derives from the Latin word "odium", meaning "disgust" or "aversion". It also carries the connotation of "intense dislike and hostility". | |||
Frisian | haat | ||
The Frisian word "haat" can also refer to a strong dislike or aversion. | |||
Galician | odio | ||
The origin of the Galician word "odio" is uncertain but is thought to derive from the Latin "otium" or the Old Germanic "*ôths" | |||
German | hass | ||
In German, "Hass" can also refer to a particular type of avocado, known for its dark green skin and buttery texture. | |||
Icelandic | hata | ||
In Icelandic, "hata" is a derivative of the word "hót", which means "anger" or "heat". | |||
Irish | fuath | ||
The word 'fuath' can also refer to fear or anxiety, and is cognate with the Welsh 'ofn' (fear) and Breton 'aon' (terror). | |||
Italian | odiare | ||
The Italian verb “odiare” (“to detest”) is directly descended from the Latin verb “odi” (“I hate”) through the Old Italian “odiare”. | |||
Luxembourgish | haassen | ||
In German "hassen" also has the meaning of "to hurry" | |||
Maltese | mibegħda | ||
"Mibegħda" comes from the Arabic word "baghada," meaning "to loathe" or "to be disgusted by." | |||
Norwegian | hat | ||
The Norwegian word "hat" is derived from the Old Norse term "hatta", meaning "hatred". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | ódio | ||
"Ódio" derives from the Latin "odium," which means "hatred, aversion, or dislike." | |||
Scots Gaelic | gràin | ||
Gràin derives from the Proto-Celtic *gʷrēn meaning 'wrath' or 'disgrace' and was once interchangeable with 'crìon' for 'misery'. | |||
Spanish | odio | ||
The Spanish word 'odio' derives from the Latin word 'odium', which originally meant 'disgrace' or 'shame'. | |||
Swedish | hata | ||
Swedish "hata" also means "meadow" and stems from the Old Norse word "hagi" with the same meaning. | |||
Welsh | casineb | ||
In Welsh, the verb "casineb" is also used with the meaning of "despise," "condemn" or "dislike". |
Belarusian | нянавісць | ||
The word "нянавісць" in Belarusian derives from the Proto-Slavic root "nędz" meaning "want" or "lack". | |||
Bosnian | mržnja | ||
"Mržnja" in Bosnian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *mrъzъ, meaning "darkness, gloom, cold". | |||
Bulgarian | омраза | ||
The word "омраза" has a Slavic root and can also mean "darkness" or "blindness". | |||
Czech | nenávist | ||
The Czech word "nenávist" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root "ne" (not) and "naviti" (to like), indicating a strong aversion or hostility. | |||
Estonian | vihkan | ||
The word "vihkan" in Estonian shares its root with the verb "vihkama" , "to sprinkle" and "to swing", likely originating from the ritual of sprinkling water during pagan sacrifices or battles. | |||
Finnish | vihaa | ||
The Finnish word "vihaa" (hate) shares a common origin with "viha" (anger) and "vihollinen" (enemy), suggesting a connection between hatred and conflict. | |||
Hungarian | gyűlöl | ||
"Gyűlöl" can also mean "to despise" or "to detest" in Hungarian. | |||
Latvian | ienīst | ||
The Latvian word "ienīst" is derived from the Proto-Baltic root "*īd", meaning "anger" or "dislike". | |||
Lithuanian | neapykanta | ||
The Lithuanian word "neapykanta" originates from the word "apyti," meaning "to become disgusted." | |||
Macedonian | омраза | ||
The word "омраза" in Macedonian ultimately derives from a Proto-Slavic compound that also meant "anger" and "disgust". | |||
Polish | nienawidzić | ||
The word "nienawidzić" is derived from the Slavic root "*ned-vid-ěti," meaning "not to see". | |||
Romanian | ură | ||
The Romanian noun "ură" derives from the Slavic verb "vrati" (to return), meaning "to return evil for evil", but it can also denote "passion" or "zeal". | |||
Russian | ненавидеть | ||
The word "ненавидеть" comes from the Old Russian word "ненависть", which means "hostility" or "enmity". | |||
Serbian | мржња | ||
Mržnja in Serbian also refers to disgust, or hatred for an idea or action. | |||
Slovak | nenávisť | ||
The word "nenávisť" originates from the Old Church Slavonic word "nenaviděti", meaning "to dislike" or "to be hostile towards". | |||
Slovenian | sovraštvo | ||
'Sovraštvo' can also mean 'aversion,' and comes from the Old Church Slavonic 'sovražьstvo', meaning 'enmity'. | |||
Ukrainian | ненависть | ||
"Ненависть" stems from an Old Slavic word "ненависть" that means "anger" and "hostility". |
Bengali | ঘৃণা | ||
ঘৃণা originates from Sanskrit and also means 'contempt' or 'disdain'. | |||
Gujarati | નફરત | ||
The word "નફરત" can also mean "disgust" or "loathing" in Gujarati. | |||
Hindi | नफरत | ||
The word "नफरत" has Sanskrit roots and is related to the word "निर्वर्त्तन" meaning "to repel or reject". | |||
Kannada | ದ್ವೇಷ | ||
ದ್ವೇಷ comes from the Sanskrit root "dvish" meaning "to harm" or "to be hostile". | |||
Malayalam | വെറുക്കുക | ||
Marathi | तिरस्कार | ||
In Marathi, the word "तिरस्कार" can also refer to "contempt" or "disdain". | |||
Nepali | घृणा | ||
The term घृणा (‘ghriNA’) is rooted in the word ghirna, a verb which literally means ‘to abhor’ in Sanskrit, the origin of which is probably related to Sanskrit ghurNa (‘revolving, turning, rolling’); as such, घृणा could have developed its semantic value through a sense of ‘turmoil’ or ‘disorder’. | |||
Punjabi | ਨਫ਼ਰਤ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වෛරය | ||
The word "වෛරය" can also mean "enmity" or "hostility" in Sinhala. | |||
Tamil | வெறுப்பு | ||
Telugu | ద్వేషం | ||
The Telugu word 'ద్వేషం' derives from the Sanskrit word 'द्वेष' (dveṣa), and originally meant 'envy' or 'dislike', but evolved to mean 'hate' over time. | |||
Urdu | سے نفرت | ||
Chinese (Simplified) | 讨厌 | ||
'讨厌' (tǎoyàn) originally meant 'tiresome' or 'disgusting', and it acquired the meaning of 'hate' later on. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 討厭 | ||
"討厭" can also mean "dislike" or "annoy" depending on the context. | |||
Japanese | 嫌い | ||
Besides its primary meaning, the word "kirai" (嫌い) can also be used to express "dislike" or even "love" in certain contexts. | |||
Korean | 미움 | ||
The Korean word "미움" derives from the verb "미우다" (to hate) and shares its root with the word "미워하다" (to be hateful). | |||
Mongolian | үзэн ядах | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) | အမုန်း | ||
The word "အမုန်း" in Burmese can also refer to "indignation" or "anger", and is etymologically related to the word for "poison". |
Indonesian | benci | ||
The word "benci" in Indonesian can also mean "dislike" or "loathe". | |||
Javanese | sengit | ||
In Javanese, the word 'sengit' can also mean 'intense' or 'fierce', and is often used to describe a feeling of anger or hostility. | |||
Khmer | ស្អប់ | ||
The word ស្អប់ also means "dirty" or "disgusting". | |||
Lao | ກຽດຊັງ | ||
Lao word ກຽດຊັງ comes from an old Javanese word meaning "feeling or condition of being hateful," itself derived from Sanskrit "ghṛṇā," meaning "contempt" or "hatred." | |||
Malay | benci | ||
"Benci" is derived from the Sanskrit word "veci" or "dwesi" meaning "pain" or "bitterness". | |||
Thai | เกลียด | ||
The word "เกลียด" can also mean "to dislike" or "to be averse to" something. | |||
Vietnamese | ghét | ||
In Vietnamese, the word "ghét" can also mean "dislike" or "detest", and is derived from the Sino-Vietnamese word "hận" meaning "resentment" or "grudge". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | poot | ||
Azerbaijani | nifrət | ||
"Nifrət" in Azerbaijani can also mean "curse" from the Persian origin "nifrin." | |||
Kazakh | жек көру | ||
The Kazakh word "жек көру" can also mean "to be annoyed by" or "to find something unpleasant". | |||
Kyrgyz | жек көрүү | ||
The word "жек көрүү" also means "to feel disgust or aversion" in Kyrgyz. | |||
Tajik | нафрат кардан | ||
The word "нафрат кардан" in Tajik can also mean "to despise" or "to loathe." | |||
Turkmen | ýigrenç | ||
Uzbek | nafrat | ||
The word "nafrat" in Uzbek is related to the word "nafs", which means "self", and can also refer to the concept of self-denial or asceticism. | |||
Uyghur | ئۆچ | ||
Hawaiian | inaina | ||
"Inaina" in Hawaiian literally means "to look askance at". | |||
Maori | whakarihariha | ||
The Maori word | |||
Samoan | inoino | ||
The Samoan word "'ino'ino" also means "anger, wrath or displeasure". | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | galit | ||
The root word "galit" means "anger" and is also the origin of the word "galit" which means "hate". |
Aymara | uñisiña | ||
Guarani | py'ako'õ | ||
Esperanto | malamo | ||
"Malamo" is also an ancient term for "malady," and is related to the word "malade," meaning "sick." | |||
Latin | odium | ||
'Odium' in Latin may mean either 'hate' or 'odor', both deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂ed- meaning 'to smell'. |
Greek | μισώ | ||
The ancient Greek verb μισώ comes from an Indo-European root meaning 'to let go' or 'to abandon'. | |||
Hmong | ntxub | ||
Kurdish | nifret | ||
In Kurdish, the word 'nifret' (hate) is also used to describe a strong dislike or aversion to something. | |||
Turkish | nefret | ||
The word 'nefret', meaning 'hate' in Turkish, originates from the Persian word 'nafr' which refers to disgust or contempt. | |||
Xhosa | intiyo | ||
In Xhosa, "intiyo" can also refer to a "feeling of distaste or dislike". | |||
Yiddish | האַסן | ||
The Yiddish term 'האַסן' ('has'n') derives from the German word 'hassen' and originally meant 'to begrudge,' but later broadened to encompass 'to resent' and 'to hate'. | |||
Zulu | inzondo | ||
In the isiZulu language, the word "inzondo" has an additional meaning, referring to a feeling of intense dislike for a situation or thing. | |||
Assamese | বেয়া পোৱা | ||
Aymara | uñisiña | ||
Bhojpuri | घिन | ||
Dhivehi | ނަފްރަތު | ||
Dogri | नफरत | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | poot | ||
Guarani | py'ako'õ | ||
Ilocano | kasuron | ||
Krio | et | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕق | ||
Maithili | घिन करनाइ | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯨꯡꯁꯤꯗꯕ | ||
Mizo | hua | ||
Oromo | jibba | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଘୃଣା | ||
Quechua | chiqniy | ||
Sanskrit | घृणा | ||
Tatar | нәфрәт | ||
Tigrinya | ፅልኢ | ||
Tsonga | venga | ||