Immigrant in Different Languages
Discover 'Immigrant' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'immigrant' holds great significance in today's globalized world, as it represents individuals who leave their homeland to settle in a new country. This courageous act of crossing borders showcases the human spirit's resilience and adaptability, contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of our world. Understanding the translation of 'immigrant' in different languages can open doors to cross-cultural communication and foster inclusivity.
Historically, immigration has played a crucial role in the development of societies and economies. For instance, the United States, often referred to as a 'melting pot,' has been shaped by waves of immigrants seeking better opportunities and contributing to the nation's growth. Similarly, other countries such as Canada, Australia, and Germany have also experienced significant cultural and economic transformations due to immigration.
Here are a few translations of the word 'immigrant' to spark your curiosity:
- Spanish: inmigrante
- French: immigrant
- German: Einwanderer
- Mandarin: 移民 (yí mín)
- Japanese: 移住者 (i juice sha)
- Arabic: المهاجر (al-muhājir)
Immigrant
Immigrant in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | immigrant | ||
| The Afrikaans word "immigrant", "immigrant" in English, can also refer to a guest or visitor, and in the plural form "immigrante" it can mean "attendants". | |||
| Amharic | ስደተኛ | ||
| The word "ስደተኛ" can also refer to someone who has been exiled or banished from their homeland. | |||
| Hausa | bakin haure | ||
| The term bakin haure is also used in reference to a person who resides at an entry or exit point to the city or town | |||
| Igbo | onye kwabatara | ||
| The Igbo word "onye kwabatara" (immigrant) literally means "a person who arrived on foot". | |||
| Malagasy | mpifindra monina | ||
| The etymology of "mpifindra monina" refers to its meaning as "a person who comes from a different place and stays for a long time." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | alendo | ||
| In Chichewa, "alendo" also means "foreigner" or "outsider." | |||
| Shona | mutorwa | ||
| The word "mutorwa" can also refer to a foreign language interpreter. | |||
| Somali | soo galooti | ||
| The word 'soo galooti' in Somali is an exonym used to refer to non-Somali immigrant communities in Somalia, particularly those from the Indian subcontinent, Yemen, and Oman. | |||
| Sesotho | mojaki | ||
| The word 'mojaki' also means 'a foreigner' or 'an outsider' in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | mhamiaji | ||
| The word "mhamiaji" is used in Swahili to refer to both immigrants and expatriates. | |||
| Xhosa | umphambukeli | ||
| In Xhosa, "umphambukeli" not only means "immigrant" but can also refer to a migrant worker or a refugee. | |||
| Yoruba | aṣikiri | ||
| The Yoruba word "aṣikiri" can also refer to a "person from another town". | |||
| Zulu | owokufika | ||
| The Zulu word "owokufika" has alternate meanings including "stranger" and "guest". | |||
| Bambara | jamana wɛrɛ mɔgɔ min bɔra jamana wɛrɛ la | ||
| Ewe | ʋuʋula | ||
| Kinyarwanda | abimukira | ||
| Lingala | moto oyo autaki na mboka mopaya | ||
| Luganda | omusenze | ||
| Sepedi | mofaladi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | atubrafo | ||
Immigrant in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مهاجر | ||
| Derived from the root ‘h-j-r’ meaning “to move”, the word “mśahījir” is also used to indicate a “pilgrim” or a “refugee”. | |||
| Hebrew | מְהַגֵר | ||
| The Hebrew word "מְהַגֵר" (immigrant) derives from the root "הגר," meaning "to sojourn" or "to be a stranger." | |||
| Pashto | کډوال | ||
| کډوال, "immigrant," also means "migrant" and "nomad" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | مهاجر | ||
| Derived from the root ‘h-j-r’ meaning “to move”, the word “mśahījir” is also used to indicate a “pilgrim” or a “refugee”. | |||
Immigrant in Western European Languages
| Albanian | emigrant | ||
| The word "emigrant" in Albanian can also mean "exile" or "banishment" | |||
| Basque | etorkina | ||
| The word "etorkina" in Basque is derived from the verb "etorri," which means "to come" or "to arrive." | |||
| Catalan | immigrant | ||
| In Catalan, "immigrant" (immigrant) also refers to a temporary visitor in a place or country. | |||
| Croatian | doseljenik | ||
| As a term of endearment, "doseljenik" can refer to a person of any background who lives in the Croatian diaspora and returns to Croatia for a visit. | |||
| Danish | immigrant | ||
| The word "indvandrer" in Danish can also mean a person who moves from one region to another within the same country. | |||
| Dutch | immigrant | ||
| The word "immigrant" in Dutch can also refer to someone who has recently moved to a different part of the country. | |||
| English | immigrant | ||
| The word 'immigrant' derives from the Latin word 'immigrare', meaning 'to enter into' or 'to move into'. | |||
| French | immigrant | ||
| The French word "immigrant" can also refer to a type of bird, specifically a migrant bird. | |||
| Frisian | ymmigrant | ||
| The word 'immigrant' in Frisian is 'ynwanderer', which comes from 'ynwan', which means to come in, and 'wanderer', which refers to a person who has traveled from another place. | |||
| Galician | inmigrante | ||
| In Galician, “inmigrante” is often used to refer to Portuguese-speaking people who have moved to Galicia. | |||
| German | immigrant | ||
| In German, "Immigrant" can also refer to a type of train used to transport immigrants. | |||
| Icelandic | innflytjandi | ||
| The compound word 'innflytjandi' is a derivative of 'flytja' meaning 'to move' and 'inn' meaning 'in'. | |||
| Irish | inimirceach | ||
| The word 'inimirceach' in Irish is derived from the Latin word 'immigrans', meaning 'one who enters'. | |||
| Italian | immigrato | ||
| The Italian word "immigrato" also means "transplant" or "graft". | |||
| Luxembourgish | immigrant | ||
| In Luxembourgish, the word "immigrant" can also refer to a person who moves from one part of the country to another, regardless of their nationality. | |||
| Maltese | immigrant | ||
| Immigrant comes from the Latin word "immigrare," which means "to go into." | |||
| Norwegian | innvandrer | ||
| The term "innvandrer" traditionally refers to Norwegians who emigrated and later returned from the United States. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | imigrante | ||
| In Portuguese, the word "imigrante" also denotes a member of a group of people who have moved from one part of the country to another. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | in-imriche | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word 'in-imriche' can also refer to a 'stranger', 'foreigner' or a 'newcomer'. | |||
| Spanish | inmigrante | ||
| Originating from Latin 'in' (in) and 'migrare' (to move), 'inmigrante' also means 'intruder' or 'invader' depending on the context. | |||
| Swedish | invandrare | ||
| In Swedish, "invandrare" can also refer to someone who has migrated within Sweden, including from one municipality to another. | |||
| Welsh | mewnfudwr | ||
| Mewnfudwr is also a term used to describe someone who has come from another country to live in Wales. | |||
Immigrant in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | імігрант | ||
| The word “імігрант” (immigrant) in Belarusian can also mean “newcomer” or “outsider”. | |||
| Bosnian | imigrant | ||
| Bosnian "imigrant" and English "emigrant" share the same Latin etymology, migrāre, "to move". | |||
| Bulgarian | имигрант | ||
| The word "имигрант" in Bulgarian can also refer to someone who moves from one part of the country to another, or someone who moves from abroad to live permanently in Bulgaria. | |||
| Czech | přistěhovalec | ||
| The word "přistěhovalec" also means "someone who has come to live in a new place". | |||
| Estonian | immigrant | ||
| The Estonian word "immigrant" (immigrant) comes from the Latin word "immigrare" meaning "to move into". It can also refer to a person who comes to a country to work or live there. | |||
| Finnish | maahanmuuttaja | ||
| The word "maahanmuuttaja" derives from "maa" (land) and "muuttaa" (to move), implying someone who moves to a new country. | |||
| Hungarian | bevándorló | ||
| The word "bevándorló" derives from the Hungarian word "bevándorol", meaning "to move into". It can also refer to someone who moves into a new country. | |||
| Latvian | imigrants | ||
| The word "imigrants" in Latvian can also mean "aliens" or "foreigners". | |||
| Lithuanian | imigrantas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "imigrantas" is borrowed from Polish, where "imigrant" means someone who is not a citizen of the country where they live. | |||
| Macedonian | имигрант | ||
| The word "имигрант" is derived from the Latin word "immigrare", meaning "to move into". | |||
| Polish | imigrant | ||
| Polish "imigrant" is a synonym of "emigrant" in the sense of a person coming from a different country but also a general word for foreigner, not necessarily a resident. | |||
| Romanian | imigrant | ||
| In Romanian, the word "imigrant" ("emigrant" in English) refers to both immigrants and emigrants, making it ambiguous in meaning. | |||
| Russian | иммигрант | ||
| The word “immigrant” comes from the Latin word “immigrare,” which means “to come into” or “to move into.” | |||
| Serbian | досељеник | ||
| The word "досељеник" (immigrant) in Serbian can also refer to a settler or colonist. | |||
| Slovak | prisťahovalec | ||
| "Prisťahovalec" is also used in older Slovak texts to refer to a newly arrived person or animal. | |||
| Slovenian | priseljenec | ||
| The word "priseljenec" in Slovenian also means "newcomer" and "settler". | |||
| Ukrainian | іммігрант | ||
| Українське слово “іммігрант” також має значення “той, хто переселяється з села до міста”. | |||
Immigrant in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অভিবাসী | ||
| অভিবাসী (abhibabi) comes from the Sanskrit word 'abhi' meaning 'towards', 'to' and 'vas' meaning 'dwell' or 'reside'. | |||
| Gujarati | ઇમિગ્રન્ટ | ||
| The Gujarati word "ઇમિગ્રન્ટ" is derived from the Latin word "immigrare", which means "to move into" or "to enter." | |||
| Hindi | आप्रवासी | ||
| The word "आप्रवासी" can also be used to refer to someone who has recently moved to a particular place or region. | |||
| Kannada | ವಲಸೆಗಾರ | ||
| In Kannada, the word "ವಲಸೆಗಾರ" ("immigrant") can also refer to "migrants" | |||
| Malayalam | കുടിയേറ്റക്കാരൻ | ||
| In Tamil, the word "குடியேற்றம்" (kudiyēṟṟam) refers to migration, settlement, or colonization, and is derived from the words "குடி" (kuḍi), meaning "house" or "dwelling, | |||
| Marathi | परदेशातून कायमची वस्ती करण्यासाठी येणारा किंवा आलेला | ||
| Nepali | आप्रवासी | ||
| The Nepali word 'आप्रवासी' also means 'a foreigner' or 'an outsider'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪ੍ਰਵਾਸੀ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සංක්රමණික | ||
| Tamil | குடியேறியவர் | ||
| Telugu | వలసదారు | ||
| Urdu | مہاجر | ||
| Historically, the term "مہاجر" in Urdu also referred to individuals who migrated to present-day Pakistan from India after the partition in 1947. | |||
Immigrant in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 移民 | ||
| 移民 in Simplified Chinese also refers to migratory birds. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 移民 | ||
| 移民 (yimin) means "move to another country to live permanently" in Chinese (Traditional). | |||
| Japanese | 移民 | ||
| 移民 (imin) can also refer to someone who has emigrated, not necessarily to Japan. | |||
| Korean | 이민 | ||
| "이민(移民)" originally meant "people who leave or evacuate", but its meaning changed to "people who come in" during the Joseon Dynasty. | |||
| Mongolian | цагаач | ||
| The word "цагаач" originally referred to nomads who moved to urban areas, then came to mean "immigrant". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လူဝင်မှုကြီးကြပ်ရေး | ||
Immigrant in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | imigran | ||
| In Indonesian, the word "imigran" can also mean "migrant worker" or "foreigner". | |||
| Javanese | wong neneko | ||
| Wong neneko (literally | |||
| Khmer | ជនអន្តោប្រវេសន៍ | ||
| Lao | ຄົນອົບພະຍົບ | ||
| The Lao word for "immigrant" is derived from the Khmer word for "migrant" and has a wider meaning that includes seasonal workers and refugees. | |||
| Malay | pendatang | ||
| In Javanese, the word "pendatang" can also refer to a person from another village or region within the same country. | |||
| Thai | ผู้อพยพ | ||
| The term “ผู้อพยพ” derives from the Sanskrit word “प्रवास” meaning “to sojourn” or “to travel abroad”. | |||
| Vietnamese | di trú | ||
| "Di trú" originated in Chinese, where it literally means "moving residence," and was adopted into Vietnamese in the 1980s. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | imigrante | ||
Immigrant in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | immiqrant | ||
| The word "immiqrant" in Azerbaijani can also refer to a person who has been forced to leave their home country due to war, persecution, or other hardships. | |||
| Kazakh | иммигрант | ||
| The word “иммигрант” is also used to refer to a migrant worker in the Kazakh language. | |||
| Kyrgyz | иммигрант | ||
| The English word "immigrant" is derived from the Latin word "immigrare", meaning "to move into". | |||
| Tajik | муҳоҷир | ||
| The word "муҳоҷир" also means "migrant" and "refugee" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | immigrant | ||
| Uzbek | muhojir | ||
| The term "muhojir" in Uzbek can be used to refer to immigrants from Afghanistan and Iran. | |||
| Uyghur | كۆچمەن | ||
Immigrant in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mea hele malihini | ||
| The word "mea hele malihini" can also mean "stranger" or "newcomer" in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | manene | ||
| Maori word for immigrant, “manene,” originates from the word “manuhiri," meaning “visitor." | |||
| Samoan | tagata faimalaga | ||
| "Tagata faimalaga" in Samoan also refers to a person who travels or moves from one place to another or a visitor. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | imigrante | ||
| In Tagalog, "imigrante" can also refer to someone who has migrated within the Philippines from one region to another. | |||
Immigrant in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | yaqha markat jutirinaka | ||
| Guarani | inmigrante rehegua | ||
Immigrant in International Languages
| Esperanto | enmigrinto | ||
| Enmigrinto is derived from the Latin word 'emigrare', meaning 'to move out of'. | |||
| Latin | aduenam, | ||
| "Aduena" also means hostess, mistress of the house, landlady, proprietress, or female owner in Latin. | |||
Immigrant in Others Languages
| Greek | μετανάστης | ||
| Μετανάστης is derived from the Greek words 'μετά' (change) and 'νάω' (to dwell), meaning 'one who changes dwelling-place'. In a broader sense, it can refer to anyone who has migrated to a new country, regardless of their legal status or reasons for doing so. | |||
| Hmong | tuaj txawv teb chaws | ||
| "Tuaj txawv teb chaws" is a term in Hmong that refers to people who are not born in the United States but come from another country. | |||
| Kurdish | nûhhatî | ||
| The Kurdish term 'nûhhatî', meaning 'immigrant', is derived from the Arabic word 'nahhî' (نهي), meaning 'prohibition'. This reflects the negative connotations often associated with immigration in the region. | |||
| Turkish | göçmen | ||
| The word 'göçmen' in Turkish can also mean 'nomad', emphasizing the temporary and transient nature of migration. | |||
| Xhosa | umphambukeli | ||
| In Xhosa, "umphambukeli" not only means "immigrant" but can also refer to a migrant worker or a refugee. | |||
| Yiddish | אימיגראַנט | ||
| אימיגראַנט can also refer to a person or thing that has come from outside a particular group or context. | |||
| Zulu | owokufika | ||
| The Zulu word "owokufika" has alternate meanings including "stranger" and "guest". | |||
| Assamese | অনুপ্ৰৱেশকাৰী | ||
| Aymara | yaqha markat jutirinaka | ||
| Bhojpuri | आप्रवासी के ह | ||
| Dhivehi | އިމިގްރޭޝަން | ||
| Dogri | प्रवासी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | imigrante | ||
| Guarani | inmigrante rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | imigrante | ||
| Krio | immigrant we kɔmɔt na ɔda kɔntri | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کۆچبەر | ||
| Maithili | आप्रवासी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯃꯤꯒ꯭ꯔꯦꯟꯇ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | ram dang atanga lo pem lut | ||
| Oromo | godaantota | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ରବାସୀ | ||
| Quechua | inmigrante nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | प्रवासी | ||
| Tatar | иммигрант | ||
| Tigrinya | ስደተኛ | ||
| Tsonga | muhlapfa | ||