Heart in Different Languages
Discover 'Heart' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The heart is a powerful symbol that has held immense significance across different cultures and civilizations. As the vital organ that pumps blood throughout our body, it represents love, compassion, courage, and life itself. Its cultural importance is evident in various art forms, literature, and religious texts, where it often stands as a metaphor for emotions, inner strength, and the very essence of being human.
Given its profound symbolism, it's no wonder that people might want to know the translation of 'heart' in different languages. After all, language is a bridge that connects us to other cultures, and understanding a word as significant as 'heart' in various tongues can offer us a glimpse into the values and beliefs of other societies.
For instance, the Spanish translation of 'heart' is 'corazón,' which originates from the Latin 'cor,' meaning 'heart.' In Japanese, 'heart' is translated as 'kokoro,' a word that embodies not just the physical organ but also the emotions, spirit, and mind. Meanwhile, in Maori, the indigenous language of New Zealand, 'heart' is ' ngākau,' which also means 'mind' or 'thoughts.'
Heart
Heart in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hart | ||
| The word 'hart' in Afrikaans can also mean 'stag' or 'male deer' in English, originating from the Middle Dutch word ' Hert', meaning 'deer'. | |||
| Amharic | ልብ | ||
| The word "ልብ" can also mean "soul". | |||
| Hausa | zuciya | ||
| In Hausa, "zuciya" means "heart" but also can refer to "mind", "inner self", or "conscience". | |||
| Igbo | obi | ||
| The Igbo word 'obi' originates from the Proto-Kwa word 'ɔbi', meaning 'house' | |||
| Malagasy | am-po | ||
| The word "am-po" is derived from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian root *puso*, also meaning "heart". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mtima | ||
| The Nyanja word "mtima" has several alternate meanings, including "spirit", "mind", and "inner self". | |||
| Shona | mwoyo | ||
| Mwoyo can also mean 'mind, soul, or intellect'. | |||
| Somali | wadnaha | ||
| In Somali, 'wadnaha' can also mean 'mind' or 'inner self', reflecting the holistic view of the heart as not just an organ but also a seat of emotions, thoughts, and consciousness. | |||
| Sesotho | pelo | ||
| "Pelo" also means "innermost part or center" or "core". | |||
| Swahili | moyo | ||
| The word "moyo" can also mean "soul", "mind", or "spirit" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | intliziyo | ||
| Intliziyo, also meaning 'inner self' or 'mind,' signifies the interconnectedness of emotions and cognition in Xhosa culture. | |||
| Yoruba | okan | ||
| The Yoruba word 'okan' can also refer to the mind, will, or innermost being of a person. | |||
| Zulu | inhliziyo | ||
| In Zulu, 'inhliziyo' can also refer to one's conscience or innermost feelings. | |||
| Bambara | ale | ||
| Ewe | dzi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umutima | ||
| Lingala | motema | ||
| Luganda | omutima | ||
| Sepedi | pelo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | akoma | ||
Heart in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | قلب | ||
| The word "قلب" can also mean "to reverse" or "to change." | |||
| Hebrew | לֵב | ||
| The Hebrew word "לב" (heart) also means "mind" or "core", and is related to the Arabic word "لب" (core) and the Akkadian word "libbu" (heart). | |||
| Pashto | هرات | ||
| Arabic | قلب | ||
| The word "قلب" can also mean "to reverse" or "to change." | |||
Heart in Western European Languages
| Albanian | zemra | ||
| Zemra is also used as a metaphor for courage and bravery in Albanian, e.g. "Bë zemër" (Show courage). | |||
| Basque | bihotza | ||
| The word "bihotza" also refers to the core, centre, or essence of something | |||
| Catalan | cor | ||
| The Catalan word "cor" originates from the Latin "cor, cordis" but also carries the meaning of "choir". | |||
| Croatian | srce | ||
| "Srce" means "heart" in Croatian, but is also closely related to the Serbian word "srebro" meaning "silver" and the Sanskrit word "shrdaya" meaning "lotus". | |||
| Danish | hjerte | ||
| The word "hjerte" in Danish is cognate with the English word "heart", as well as with the German word "Herz" and the Dutch word "hart", all of which derive from the Proto-Germanic word *herton. | |||
| Dutch | hart- | ||
| In Dutch, "hart-" can also refer to a deer's antlers or a type of spade used in gardening. | |||
| English | heart | ||
| The word 'heart' comes from the Old English word 'heorte', meaning 'mind, spirit' as well as 'heart'. | |||
| French | cœur | ||
| "Coeur" can also refer to the core of a fruit or vegetable or the central part of something. | |||
| Frisian | hert | ||
| The word "hert" can also mean "courage" or "spirit" in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | corazón | ||
| In Galician, "corazón" also means "sweetheart" or "beloved". | |||
| German | herz | ||
| The word "Herz" in German also refers to the central part of a playing card suit. | |||
| Icelandic | hjarta | ||
| In addition to its anatomical meaning, "hjarta" also means "disposition, courage, or mind" in Icelandic. | |||
| Irish | chroí | ||
| In Irish, "chroí" also signifies the center, core, or essence of something. | |||
| Italian | cuore | ||
| The word "cuore" also means "core" or "essence" in Italian, and is derived from the Latin word "cor" meaning "heart". | |||
| Luxembourgish | häerz | ||
| Maltese | qalb | ||
| The Maltese word "qalb" is derived from the Arabic word "qalb" and also means "centre" or "core". | |||
| Norwegian | hjerte | ||
| Hjerte is related to the German word 'Herz' and has the alternate meaning of 'essence' or 'core'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | coração | ||
| The word "coração" comes from the Latin word "cor" meaning "horn" and also refers to the heart-shaped fruit of the carob tree. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cridhe | ||
| Scots Gaelic "cridhe" means "heart", but it also can mean "mind", "soul", or "conscience". | |||
| Spanish | corazón | ||
| Besides meaning 'heart', 'corazón' also means 'courage' and in its plural form 'corazones' it means 'suit of hearts' in a card game. | |||
| Swedish | hjärta | ||
| The Swedish word 'hjärta' can also refer to the core or essence of something. | |||
| Welsh | galon | ||
| The Welsh word 'galon' can also refer to the core of something, such as the core of a tree or the core of an issue. | |||
Heart in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | сэрца | ||
| "Сэрца" is also related to the word "сярдзіты" (angry), as anger was linked to the gall bladder, not the heart | |||
| Bosnian | srce | ||
| The word "srce" in Bosnian can also refer to one's courage, bravery, or spirit. | |||
| Bulgarian | сърце | ||
| The word "сърце" in Bulgarian also means "core", "center" or "kernel", as in "сърцето на ябълката" (the core of an apple). | |||
| Czech | srdce | ||
| The word "srdce" is also used in the Czech language to refer to the center of something, such as the center of a town or the center of a tree. | |||
| Estonian | süda | ||
| The word "süda" in Estonian is related to the Indo-European root "*ḱerd- "meaning "heart, core, center". | |||
| Finnish | sydän | ||
| The word "sydän" is cognate with the Sanskrit word "hrdayam" and the Proto-Indo-European word "kred" (heart). | |||
| Hungarian | szív | ||
| In Hungarian, the word "szív" (heart) is also used to refer to courage, love, and the central point of something. | |||
| Latvian | sirds | ||
| Latvian “sirds” is cognate with “heart” in English, “hjerte” in Norwegian, and “herz” in German. | |||
| Lithuanian | širdis | ||
| "Širdis" is also the name of a traditional Lithuanian honey cake. | |||
| Macedonian | срце | ||
| In addition to its literal meaning, "срце" can also refer to courage, spirit, or love in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | serce | ||
| The word "serce" is related to the word "s(i)erdce" which means "middle" in other Slavic languages. | |||
| Romanian | inima | ||
| The Romanian word "inima" ('heart') shares its etymology with the Latin "anima" ('soul', 'life'), reflecting the ancient belief in the heart as the seat of emotions and life force. | |||
| Russian | сердце | ||
| The word "сердце" can also refer to the core or center of something, like "the heart of the forest" | |||
| Serbian | срце | ||
| The word "срце" can also refer to the core or essence of something. | |||
| Slovak | srdce | ||
| The Slovak word "Srdce" is etymologically related to the words "stred" (center), "streda" (middle), "sredný" (middle), and "stredie" (center), all of which share the same root meaning of "the point around which something is organized". | |||
| Slovenian | srce | ||
| The word 'srce' also derives from the Proto-Slavic word 'sьrdьce' meaning 'middle,' and is related to the Russian word 'сердце' ('serdtse'). | |||
| Ukrainian | серце | ||
| The Ukrainian word "серце" not only means "heart" but also "core" or "center" in a figurative sense. | |||
Heart in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | হৃদয় | ||
| "হৃদয়" (heart) originates from the Sanskrit word "hṛdaya", meaning "mind, heart, inner self". | |||
| Gujarati | હૃદય | ||
| The Gujarati word 'હૃદય' also refers to a diamond or an organ such as liver, brain, lungs or spleen. | |||
| Hindi | दिल | ||
| The Hindi word "दिल" (heart) can also refer to one's feelings or emotions, especially those of love or affection. | |||
| Kannada | ಹೃದಯ | ||
| The word 'ಹೃದಯ' in Kannada also means 'mind'. | |||
| Malayalam | ഹൃദയം | ||
| In Malayalam, ഹൃദയം ("heart") derives from the Sanskrit word "hrdaya," meaning "center" or "core." | |||
| Marathi | हृदय | ||
| The Marathi word "हृदय" is derived from the Sanskrit word "हृद" (hṛd), which also means "lake" or "pond". | |||
| Nepali | मुटु | ||
| The word 'मुटु' is also used to refer to the 'core' or 'essence' of something. | |||
| Punjabi | ਦਿਲ | ||
| The word "ਦਿਲ" in Punjabi also means "courage, spirit or passion" | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | හදවත | ||
| Derived from Proto-Indo-Aryan root *ḱḗr 'heart, mind, intention', the word "හදවත" (hadavata – heart) in Sinhala has also been used to refer to one's emotions, feelings and conscience. | |||
| Tamil | இதயம் | ||
| Telugu | గుండె | ||
| The word "గుండె" (hṛdaya) is derived from the Sanskrit word "हृदय" (hṛdaya), which also means "center" or "core". | |||
| Urdu | دل | ||
| The word "دل" ("heart") in Urdu derives from the Sanskrit word "हृदय" ("heart") and has also been used metaphorically to refer to the mind, emotions, and consciousness. | |||
Heart in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 心 | ||
| In the Chinese language, "心" (Simplified) can also refer to the mind, thoughts, or feelings, and is associated with one's inner world or consciousness. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 心 | ||
| "心" in Chinese can also mean "mind", "intention" or "feeling". | |||
| Japanese | ハート | ||
| The term "ハート" can also refer to a playing card of the suit known as "hearts" in English, or to a shape resembling a heart. | |||
| Korean | 심장 | ||
| The Korean word "심장" (heart) has an alternate meaning as the "central part" of something. | |||
| Mongolian | зүрх сэтгэл | ||
| "Зүрх" means "heart" and also symbolizes the courage, soul, and mind in Mongolian culture. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | နှလုံး | ||
Heart in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | jantung | ||
| "Jantung" also refers to a type of durian (fruit) with a distinct heart-shaped seed. | |||
| Javanese | ati | ||
| In addition to meaning "heart," "ati" can also mean "the core or center of something" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | បេះដូង | ||
| The Khmer word បេះដូង (peht-daung), meaning "heart," has a homophonous alternate meaning referring to the chest. | |||
| Lao | ຫົວໃຈ | ||
| Malay | hati | ||
| Though it typically means heart, "hati" in Malay can also refer to the liver, lungs, stomach, or soul, depending on the context. | |||
| Thai | หัวใจ | ||
| While primarily meaning "heart," หัวใจ (hua jai) can also refer to the center, core, or essence of something. | |||
| Vietnamese | tim | ||
| Tim in Vietnamese can also refer to the central part or core of something, like the 'tim cay' (core of a tree) or 'tim dia diem' (the central location of a place). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | puso | ||
Heart in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ürək | ||
| The Turkic word "ürək" (heart) is shared with other languages like Turkish and Kyrgyz and is cognate with "urak" in Uyghur, meaning "chest" or "breast". | |||
| Kazakh | жүрек | ||
| In Kazakh "жүрек" can also mean "mind" or "spirit". | |||
| Kyrgyz | жүрөк | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "жүрөк" (heart) also means "kernel" or "core" of something. | |||
| Tajik | дил | ||
| The word "дил" can also refer to the mind or the soul in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | ýürek | ||
| Uzbek | yurak | ||
| The word "yurak" can also refer to "mind" or "memory" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | يۈرەك | ||
Heart in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | puʻuwai | ||
| Puʻuwai, a Hawaiian word meaning "heart", also refers to a "flowering hill" or a "place of many flowers". | |||
| Maori | ngakau | ||
| The Maori word 'ngakau' translates to 'heart' but also signifies the seat of emotions, thoughts, and instincts. | |||
| Samoan | fatu | ||
| The Proto-Polynesian term *fatu* signifies not only 'heart' but also 'central point,' 'kernel,' and 'core' within a broader sense and was borrowed into many Polynesian languages. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | puso | ||
| The Tagalog word "puso" also means "center" or "core" and is used to refer to the central part of something. | |||
Heart in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | lluqu | ||
| Guarani | korasõ | ||
Heart in International Languages
| Esperanto | koro | ||
| "Koro" in Esperanto also relates to the center of something, or to the essence of something, like "the koro of an argument" or the "koro of a fruit." | |||
| Latin | cor meum | ||
| "Cor meum" can also mean "my beloved" in Latin, or refer to an anatomical heart or a religious relic. | |||
Heart in Others Languages
| Greek | καρδιά | ||
| The Greek word 'καρδιά' not only means 'heart' but also 'courage' and 'mind'. | |||
| Hmong | plawv | ||
| The word 'plawv' means 'the very core of one's being', and is also used to describe a person's compassion for others. | |||
| Kurdish | dil | ||
| In Kurdish, 'dil' can refer to both the physical heart as well as one's spirit, soul, or the core of something. | |||
| Turkish | kalp | ||
| "Kalp" can also mean "essence" or the center of something in Turkish | |||
| Xhosa | intliziyo | ||
| Intliziyo, also meaning 'inner self' or 'mind,' signifies the interconnectedness of emotions and cognition in Xhosa culture. | |||
| Yiddish | האַרץ | ||
| האַרץ is also the Yiddish word for 'land' and is borrowed from the biblical Hebrew word for 'earth' | |||
| Zulu | inhliziyo | ||
| In Zulu, 'inhliziyo' can also refer to one's conscience or innermost feelings. | |||
| Assamese | হৃদয় | ||
| Aymara | lluqu | ||
| Bhojpuri | दिल | ||
| Dhivehi | ހިތް | ||
| Dogri | दिल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | puso | ||
| Guarani | korasõ | ||
| Ilocano | puso | ||
| Krio | at | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دڵ | ||
| Maithili | हृदय | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯊꯃꯣꯏ | ||
| Mizo | thinlung | ||
| Oromo | onnee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ହୃଦୟ | ||
| Quechua | sunqu | ||
| Sanskrit | हृदयम् | ||
| Tatar | йөрәк | ||
| Tigrinya | ልቢ | ||
| Tsonga | mbilu | ||