Joke in Different Languages
Discover 'Joke' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Joke
Afrikaans grap | ||
Albanian shaka | ||
Amharic ቀልድ | ||
Arabic نكتة | ||
Armenian կատակ | ||
Assamese কৌতুক | ||
Aymara sawka | ||
Azerbaijani zarafat | ||
Bambara tulonkɛkuma | ||
Basque txantxa | ||
Belarusian жарт | ||
Bengali রসিকতা | ||
Bhojpuri मजाक | ||
Bosnian šala | ||
Bulgarian шега | ||
Catalan broma | ||
Cebuano kataw-anan | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 玩笑 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 玩笑 | ||
Corsican scherzu | ||
Croatian vic | ||
Czech žert | ||
Danish joke | ||
Dhivehi ޖޯކު | ||
Dogri चुटकला | ||
Dutch grap | ||
English joke | ||
Esperanto ŝerco | ||
Estonian nali | ||
Ewe nukokoenya | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) biro | ||
Finnish vitsi | ||
French blague | ||
Frisian mop | ||
Galician broma | ||
Georgian ხუმრობა | ||
German scherz | ||
Greek αστείο | ||
Guarani jaru | ||
Gujarati મજાક | ||
Haitian Creole blag | ||
Hausa wargi | ||
Hawaiian hoʻomākeʻaka | ||
Hebrew בדיחה | ||
Hindi मज़ाक | ||
Hmong tso dag | ||
Hungarian tréfa | ||
Icelandic brandari | ||
Igbo egwuregwu | ||
Ilocano agrabak | ||
Indonesian lelucon | ||
Irish magadh | ||
Italian scherzo | ||
Japanese 冗談で | ||
Javanese guyonan | ||
Kannada ಜೋಕ್ | ||
Kazakh әзіл | ||
Khmer កំប្លែង | ||
Kinyarwanda urwenya | ||
Konkani मस्करी | ||
Korean 농담 | ||
Krio jok | ||
Kurdish henek | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) نوکتە | ||
Kyrgyz тамаша | ||
Lao ຕະຫລົກ | ||
Latin iocus | ||
Latvian joks | ||
Lingala liseki | ||
Lithuanian pokštas | ||
Luganda okusaaga | ||
Luxembourgish witz | ||
Macedonian шега | ||
Maithili चुटकुला | ||
Malagasy vazivazy | ||
Malay jenaka | ||
Malayalam തമാശ | ||
Maltese ċajta | ||
Maori whakakatakata | ||
Marathi विनोद | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯐꯥꯒꯤ | ||
Mizo fiamthu | ||
Mongolian хошигнол | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ဟာသ | ||
Nepali ठट्टा | ||
Norwegian vits | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) nthabwala | ||
Odia (Oriya) ଥଟ୍ଟା | ||
Oromo qoosaa | ||
Pashto ټوکه | ||
Persian شوخی | ||
Polish żart | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) piada | ||
Punjabi ਮਜ਼ਾਕ | ||
Quechua chansa | ||
Romanian glumă | ||
Russian шутка | ||
Samoan tausuaga | ||
Sanskrit व्यंग | ||
Scots Gaelic fealla-dhà | ||
Sepedi metlae | ||
Serbian шала | ||
Sesotho soasoa | ||
Shona nyambo | ||
Sindhi مذاق | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) විහිළුවක් | ||
Slovak vtip | ||
Slovenian šala | ||
Somali kaftan | ||
Spanish broma | ||
Sundanese lulucon | ||
Swahili utani | ||
Swedish skämt | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) magbiro | ||
Tajik шӯхӣ | ||
Tamil நகைச்சுவை | ||
Tatar шаяру | ||
Telugu జోక్ | ||
Thai เรื่องตลก | ||
Tigrinya ቀልዲ | ||
Tsonga fenya | ||
Turkish şaka | ||
Turkmen degişme | ||
Twi (Akan) aseresɛm | ||
Ukrainian жарт | ||
Urdu مذاق | ||
Uyghur چاقچاق | ||
Uzbek hazil | ||
Vietnamese trò đùa | ||
Welsh jôc | ||
Xhosa isiqhulo | ||
Yiddish וויץ | ||
Yoruba awada | ||
Zulu ihlaya |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | The Afrikaans word "grap" is derived from the Dutch word "grap", meaning "joke" or "prank". |
| Albanian | The word 'shaka' is derived from the Turkish word 'şaka', meaning 'prank' or 'trick'. |
| Amharic | The word "ቀልድ" also refers to mockery or mimicry. |
| Arabic | The word "joke" in Arabic comes from the root verb "naqata," meaning "to pierce" or "to prick," suggesting the idea of a sharp observation that cuts through the surface. |
| Azerbaijani | The word "zarafat" also means "gracefulness" or "elegance" in Azerbaijani. |
| Basque | The word "txantxa" also means "spider" in Aramaic, "insect" in Mandaic, and "small animal" in Assyrian. |
| Belarusian | "Жарт" is also a euphemism for "fart" in Belarusian slang. |
| Bengali | "রসিকতা" (joke) derives from Sanskrit "রস" (essence, humor), also referring to a kind of literary composition that evokes humor. |
| Bosnian | The word "šala" can also mean "madness" or "insanity" in Bosnian. |
| Bulgarian | The word "шега" comes from the Old Slavic word "*šegъ", meaning " mockery" or "ridicule." |
| Catalan | In Valencian, the word "broma" refers to a type of embroidery. |
| Cebuano | The word 'kataw-anan' may have come from the word 'katataw' ('to be funny') or from the Spanish word 'cachonda' (a person who makes others laugh). |
| Chinese (Simplified) | "玩笑" comes from "玩" (play) and "笑" (laugh) |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 玩笑, also pronounced 'xiào huà' (笑話), can refer to jokes, but it can also mean 'funny', 'amusing', or 'absurd'. |
| Corsican | In Corsican scherzu can also mean "laughter, smile" and "fun, play" |
| Croatian | The word "vic" is used in Dalmatia, particularly in the northern Dalmatian dialect. |
| Czech | The word "žert" in Czech originally meant "disgrace" or "mockery". |
| Danish | The term 'joke' also refers to a type of fabric similar to a thin cotton material in Danish. |
| Dutch | Grap is also a synonym of 'grab' and can mean 'seize', 'to clutch' or 'to nab' |
| Esperanto | "Ŝerco" also refers to music played as a jest, often at the beginning or end of a larger work. |
| Estonian | The word "nali" is thought to derive from the old Germanic word "gali", meaning "mirth" or "amusement". |
| Finnish | In the 1820s, a Finnish actor named Erik Johan Stagnelius became known for his popular comic performances, in which he improvised most of his dialogue. The term "vitsi," derived from Stagnelius's catchphrase "Vitsi se on," meaning "that's the joke," came to be used as a general term for jokes in Finnish. |
| French | Blague can also mean "hoax" or "nonsense", or refer to the military slang for a rumor or tall tale. |
| Frisian | In Frisian, "mop" also means "grimace" or "to make faces". |
| Galician | In Galician, the word "broma" originally meant "magic" or "spell". |
| German | From the Middle High German 'scherzen', 'to joke' or 'to make fun of', related to the English word 'shear'. |
| Greek | The word 'αστείο' in Greek shares its etymology with 'asty' meaning 'city' and 'asteios' meaning 'urbane' or 'sophisticated', reflecting the fact that jokes were often associated with city life. |
| Gujarati | The Gujarati word "મજાક" can also mean "fun", "enjoyment", or "pleasure". |
| Haitian Creole | The Haitian Creole word "blag" also means "empty talk" or "nonsense." |
| Hausa | Despite its common usage as a joke, the word 'wargi' has additional meanings, such as 'fun' and 'amusement', broadening its semantic range. |
| Hawaiian | Hoʻomākeʻaka is an extended form of the word 'mākeʻaka', which means 'to make one laugh'. |
| Hebrew | The Hebrew word "בדיחה" (joke) likely originated from the phrase "בדוחא דעתא" (playfulness of mind). |
| Hindi | The word 'मज़ाक' originates from the Arabic word 'مزاح' meaning light conversation or banter. |
| Hmong | In Hmong, "tso dag" can also refer to a "funny person" or "clown". |
| Hungarian | "Tréfa" derives from "teremteve" which means: "creation of space", implying that creating a joke is akin to creating a new space through a combination of unexpected words and/or ideas. |
| Icelandic | In some dialects, "brandari" has a slightly archaic meaning of a short, sharp pain or prickle, similar to "stinga". |
| Igbo | The Igbo word "egwuregwu" can also refer to a play or performance. |
| Indonesian | Derived from the verb "lelu" meaning "to make fun of" or "to mock", and has a pejorative connotation when used to describe a bad joke. |
| Irish | The word "magadh" in Irish also means "a pleasant surprise". |
| Italian | In Italian, scherzo also means 'music played between the slow and fast movements of a sonata or symphony'. |
| Japanese | The suffix -de ("in") is added to -jodan ("joking") instead of -de ("by") to express that the action is performed jokingly. |
| Javanese | Guyonan literally translates to "playing together" in Indonesian. |
| Kazakh | The word "әзіл" can also mean "witticism" or "irony" in Kazakh. |
| Khmer | បំណ្លែង is derived from the Sanskrit word 'vihar', meaning 'to wander' or 'to play', and it originally referred to a type of dramatic performance. |
| Korean | "농담" has the alternate meaning of "farming" or "cultivation". |
| Kurdish | The word 'henek' can also refer to a mischievous prank or playful deception. |
| Kyrgyz | The word "тамаша" in Kyrgyz can also mean "spectacle" or "entertainment." |
| Lao | The word "ตลก" is also used in Thai to mean "funny". |
| Latin | In addition to meaning 'joke', 'iocus' can also mean 'sport', 'play', 'jest', or 'amusement'. |
| Latvian | The word "joks" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "yek-", meaning "to laugh". |
| Lithuanian | "Pokštas" originally meant "a piece of cloth" and is likely derived from the verb "pakišti", meaning "to insert". |
| Luxembourgish | Witz is also used to refer to a "piece of cake". |
| Macedonian | The Macedonian word "шега" (joke) is probably derived from the Proto-Slavic word *šegъ (mirth, gaiety) and related to the Polish word "żart" (joke). |
| Malagasy | The word "vazivazy" comes from the verb "vazivazy," meaning "to chat idly" or "to tell a lie." |
| Malay | "Jenaka" also means "funny" in Malay, and originally meant "a joke or a prank" in Old Javanese. |
| Malayalam | In Sanskrit, the word 'तामस' (tāmas) referred to darkness or ignorance, which could extend to a humorous misunderstanding. |
| Maltese | The word 'ċajta' possibly originated from the Sicilian 'sciatta' meaning 'nonsense'. |
| Maori | The word "whakakatakata" can also mean "to tease" or "to jest". |
| Marathi | The Marathi word 'विनोद' (joke) derives from the Sanskrit 'vinoda', meaning 'delight' or 'recreation'. |
| Mongolian | The word "хошигнол" in Mongolian is related to the word for "laughter" and originally meant "to make laugh" or "to entertain." |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဟာသ comes from Sanskrit हास (hāsa), meaning "laughter". |
| Nepali | "ठट्टा" may colloquially mean "fun" or "mocking", but it literally means "to cheat" or "deceive". |
| Norwegian | Vits or vidd in norwegian derives from the ancient norse word 'vit' meaning 'intelligence'. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The word "nthabwala" can also refer to a person who enjoys or tells jokes |
| Pashto | "ټوکه" also refers to a small piece of something, especially a small piece of food. |
| Persian | The word "شوخی" comes from the Arabic root "ش وخ" meaning "to be frivolous or playful". |
| Polish | The Polish word "żart" originates from the Proto-Slavic *žьrtъ, meaning "lot, fate, portion". |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | The Portuguese word "piada" derives from the vulgar Latin word "plaga" (blow), which later evolved to mean "pesta" (plague). |
| Punjabi | The word “ਮਜ਼ਾਕ” is derived from the Arabic word “مزاح” (muzaaḥ), which means "joking, jesting, or raillery." |
| Romanian | "Glumă" comes from the word "glumi", meaning "to play", and has meanings like "game" and "fun". |
| Russian | The word "шутка" can also mean "a playful action or gesture". |
| Samoan | The word 'tausuaga' has additional meanings such as 'riddle' and 'puzzle'. |
| Serbian | The word 'шала' can also mean cabin, refuge, booth, stand, and shed in Serbian, deriving from the Proto-Slavic word 'šala' or 'šalja', meaning hut. |
| Sesotho | The word "soasoa" in Sesotho derives from the Proto-Bantu root "-soh" meaning "to laugh or ridicule". |
| Shona | The Shona word "nyambo" is also used as a term of endearment or affection, particularly for young children or animals. |
| Sindhi | "مذاق" or "Mazaaq" in Sindhi is thought to have originated from the Arabic word "مزاق" ("Mazaaq"), meaning "taste" or "flavor." |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The Sinhala word "විහිළුව" "(vihiluva)", meaning "joke", is derived from the Sanskrit word "विहसित" "(vihasita)", meaning "to smile" or "to laugh". |
| Slovak | The word "vtip" also refers to a kind of bird or a part of a flower in some languages. |
| Slovenian | The word 'Šala' originates from the Proto-Slavic term 'šolь', meaning 'to amuse' or 'to make fun of'. |
| Somali | The Somali word "kaftan" also refers to a type of loose-fitting robe or tunic traditionally worn in the Middle East and North Africa. |
| Spanish | In ancient Greek, "broma" meant "food" or "something to eat," a meaning still found in dialects of modern Greek. |
| Sundanese | The word "lulucon" also holds an alternate meaning: "an object to be laughed at". |
| Swahili | The word 'utani' also means 'kinship' and is related to the verb 'kutana' meaning 'to meet'. |
| Swedish | Skämt derives from Old Norse "skemta" meaning "to amuse oneself with light conversation". |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | "Magbiro" also means "to talk lightly or idly" and a "playmate" who talks lightly. |
| Tajik | The Tajik word "шӯхӣ" can also refer to teasing or flirting. |
| Tamil | Derived from the Sanskrit term 'naka', 'நகைச்சுவை' not only means 'joke' but also signifies 'laughter' or 'humour' in Tamil. |
| Telugu | The word "ಜೋಕ್" in Telugu can also mean "a small insect" or "a worm". |
| Thai | "เรื่องตลก" also means "story" in Thai. |
| Turkish | The Turkish word "şaka" derives from the Persian word "šākh" meaning "branch", as jokes were often told in the form of riddles using the branches of trees. |
| Ukrainian | The word "жарт" can also mean "a mockery" or "a joke" in Ukrainian. |
| Urdu | The word "مذاق" can also refer to a "sense of humor" or a "witty remark." |
| Uzbek | The word "hazil" can also mean "amusing" or "funny" in Uzbek. |
| Vietnamese | "Trò đùa" (joke) originates from "trò" (game, play) and "đùa" (tease, fool), highlighting its playful and teasing nature. |
| Welsh | The word "jôc" in Welsh is thought to be derived from the Latin word "iocus", which means "jest" or "joke". |
| Xhosa | The word "isiqhulo" is also used to refer to an amusing or playful remark or story. |
| Yiddish | The Yiddish word "וויץ" (joke) shares its root with the German word "Witz", meaning "sense", "intelligence", or "understanding." |
| Yoruba | In the context of storytelling, the word "awada" refers to a riddle or puzzle rather than a joke. |
| Zulu | Ihlaya derives from the word 'hlanya', meaning 'to play'. |
| English | The word "joke" derives from 16th-century jargon denoting "a trick or deception". |