Kick in Different Languages
Discover 'Kick' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'kick' is a simple, everyday term that holds a significant place in our language and culture. It refers to the action of forcibly striking something with your foot, but it's also used metaphorically to signify a sudden burst of energy or enthusiasm. The term has been used in various contexts, from sports to music, and even in our everyday conversations.
Historically, 'kick' has been associated with rebellion and freedom. In the 1960s, the phrase 'kick over the traces' was used to describe the act of breaking free from societal norms and expectations. Today, 'kick' continues to symbolize power, assertion, and excitement.
Given its significance and cultural importance, you might be interested in knowing its translation in different languages. Here are a few examples: in Spanish, 'kick' translates to 'patada'; in French, it's 'coup de pied'; in German, it's 'Trittt'; in Italian, it's 'calcio'; in Russian, it's 'удар ногой'.
Learning the translation of 'kick' in various languages can not only enhance your vocabulary but also provide insights into different cultures. So, let's explore the world of languages and cultures through the word 'kick'.
Kick
Kick in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | skop | ||
| The word "skop" in Afrikaans, meaning "kick", has no relation to the English word "scope". | |||
| Amharic | ረገጠ | ||
| The word "ረገጠ" can also mean "to push" or "to shove". | |||
| Hausa | shura | ||
| "Shura" can also refer to a type of dance that is performed with the feet. | |||
| Igbo | agaghịkwa | ||
| The word "agaghịkwa" can also mean "to reject" or "to refuse" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | daka | ||
| The word 'daka' also means 'to tread' or 'to pound' in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kukankha | ||
| The word can also mean kicking oneself, as in, 'kukankha kokha (regret)'. | |||
| Shona | kava | ||
| "Kava" can also refer to the act of stamping out a fire or a type of small dance. | |||
| Somali | haraati | ||
| The word "haraati" also means "to chase away" or "to drive out" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | raha | ||
| The word 'raha' also means 'to break' or 'to smash' in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | teke | ||
| The word 'teke' is also used in Swahili to refer to the act of hitting something with a force. | |||
| Xhosa | ukukhaba | ||
| Ukukhaba is not only used in the narrow sense of 'to kick'. It also means 'to chase away' or 'to drive out'. | |||
| Yoruba | tapa | ||
| In Yoruba, "tapa" also means to step on something. | |||
| Zulu | ukukhahlela | ||
| Ukukhahlela is also used idiomatically to mean 'to kick away' or 'to dismiss' something. | |||
| Bambara | ka tan | ||
| Ewe | tu afɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gutera | ||
| Lingala | kobeta | ||
| Luganda | okusamba | ||
| Sepedi | raga | ||
| Twi (Akan) | bɔ | ||
Kick in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ركلة | ||
| The word "ركلة" means "kick" in Arabic, but also refers to a type of bread rolled in sesame seeds. | |||
| Hebrew | בְּעִיטָה | ||
| The original Hebrew word "בעיטה" has its roots in the biblical language and refers to kicking something in a way that "treads" upon it. | |||
| Pashto | لتول | ||
| The word "لتول" in Pashto, meaning "to kick", originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *leǵʰ- meaning "to bend", akin to Sanskrit "लज्" (lajj) meaning "to be ashamed" and Old English "licgan" meaning "to lie down". | |||
| Arabic | ركلة | ||
| The word "ركلة" means "kick" in Arabic, but also refers to a type of bread rolled in sesame seeds. | |||
Kick in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shkelm | ||
| The etymology of the Albanian word "shkelm" is uncertain, but it may be related to the Proto-Albanian word "*skellum" meaning "to stomp" or "to jump." | |||
| Basque | ostikada | ||
| The verb "ostikada" in Basque can also mean "to push" or "to hit". | |||
| Catalan | xutar | ||
| In ancient Catalan, "xutar" also meant "to run quickly". | |||
| Croatian | udarac nogom | ||
| The word "udarac nogom" (kick) is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "udarĭti" (to strike), which is related to the Indo-European root "*h₂ud-" (to strike). | |||
| Danish | sparke | ||
| Danish word "sparke" has a non-literal meaning in the context of a football match: a bad or missed pass. | |||
| Dutch | trap | ||
| In informal Dutch, the word "trap" can also refer to a clumsy or poorly made item, similar to the English "contraption". | |||
| English | kick | ||
| In addition to its physical meaning, "kick" can also refer to a strong objection or a sudden increase in excitement or momentum. | |||
| French | donner un coup | ||
| Apart from 'kick', 'donner un coup' can also mean 'to hit' or 'to knock' in French. | |||
| Frisian | skop | ||
| The word "skop" in Frisian also means "to push" or "to shoot". | |||
| Galician | patada | ||
| The Galician word "patada" has the alternate meaning of "small farm for goats or cows". | |||
| German | trete | ||
| The etymology of "trete" is unclear, but it is possibly related to "treten" or to "trödeln." | |||
| Icelandic | sparka | ||
| The word "sparka" can also refer to a sudden movement, such as a jump or a jerk. | |||
| Irish | cic | ||
| The Irish word cic (kick) is related to the word ciciseal (a kicking), and ultimately derives from the Proto-Celtic root *kik-. | |||
| Italian | calcio | ||
| "Calcio" also refers to soccer (football), derived from the Renaissance sense of "to trample on". | |||
| Luxembourgish | fräistouss | ||
| The word "Fräistouss" originates from the German word "Freistoß", which means a free kick in soccer. | |||
| Maltese | kick | ||
| The Maltese word "kick" can also refer to a small amount of money or a type of dance. | |||
| Norwegian | sparke | ||
| The word "sparke" can also refer to "to spark" something, like a fire. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | pontapé | ||
| "Pontapé", meaning "kick" in Portuguese, also refers to the beginning of a play in football or a ballet dance performance. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | breab | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, 'breab' can also refer to a 'sharp blow' or a 'fall'. | |||
| Spanish | patada | ||
| In Spanish, the word "patada" can also refer to a type of dance or to a type of tree. | |||
| Swedish | sparka | ||
| In Swedish, "sparka" can also mean "to dismiss from employment". | |||
| Welsh | cic | ||
| Cic, an archaic Welsh word for kick, finds its origins in the Old Irish root "kik" and the Latin verb "calx", both of which also refer to kicking actions. | |||
Kick in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | нагамі | ||
| Belarusian "нагамі" is likely derived from the Indo-European root *nek- ("to reach, to get") and is cognate with Proto-Slavic *nogъ ("foot"). | |||
| Bosnian | udarac | ||
| The word "udarac" in Bosnian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "udarь", meaning "blow" or "strike". | |||
| Bulgarian | ритник | ||
| In Bulgarian, the root -рит- in “ритник” appears in other words related to forceful motion, such as “ритвам” (throw something forcefully) and “изритвам” (kick out). | |||
| Czech | kop | ||
| The word "kop" in Czech can also refer to a hill or a mound, and is used to describe the shape of some hills in Czechia. | |||
| Estonian | jalaga lööma | ||
| "Jalaga lööma" (literally "to hit with foot") is also used figuratively in Estonian to mean "to reject" or "to refuse". | |||
| Finnish | potkia | ||
| "Potkia" is related to "potku" (kick) and the verb "potkaista" (to kick), which are derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*potkë-" meaning "to kick" or "to push". | |||
| Hungarian | rúgás | ||
| The word "rúgás" also means "punishment" or "revenge" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | spert | ||
| The word "spert" is also used in Latvian to describe a movement similar to "to kick" in English, but with a more specific meaning of "to kick with the sole of the foot". | |||
| Lithuanian | spardyti | ||
| The Lithuanian word "spardyti," meaning "to kick," also shares its root with "sparna," meaning "hoof" or "wing." | |||
| Macedonian | клоца | ||
| Клоца can also mean a "clot" or "lump" in Macedonian as well as a "kick". | |||
| Polish | kopnięcie | ||
| "Kopnięcie" also means "a kick in the pants" in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | lovitură | ||
| "Lovitură" can also mean a blow, hit, punch, slap, strike, stroke, thrust, wound or injury, depending on context and usage. | |||
| Russian | удар | ||
| 'Удар' not only means 'kick' in Russian, but also 'a stroke' (of a clock), 'a blow' (with a weapon), 'a strike' (in sports), or 'a stress' (accent on a syllable) | |||
| Serbian | ударац ногом | ||
| The word "ударац ногом" in Serbian can also refer to a "punt" or "shot" in sports such as soccer or football. | |||
| Slovak | kopnúť | ||
| The verb "kopnúť" also means to dig with your feet, as in "kopnúť jamu" (to dig a hole). | |||
| Slovenian | brcnite | ||
| The word "brcnite" also means "to limp" or "to hobble" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | удар | ||
| In Ukrainian, "удар" can also mean a stroke, hit, or collision. | |||
Kick in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | লাথি | ||
| The word "লাথি" in Bengali can also refer to a type of traditional wrestling in which fighters kick each other. | |||
| Gujarati | લાત | ||
| The Gujarati word "લાત" (kick) also means "luck" or "fortune". | |||
| Hindi | लात | ||
| The word 'लात' can also refer to a sudden jerk or a forceful blow with the foot. | |||
| Kannada | ಕಿಕ್ | ||
| The Kannada word "kick" is a colloquialism meaning "very" or "really" | |||
| Malayalam | തൊഴി | ||
| The word "തൊഴി" also means "to touch" or "to stroke" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | लाथ मारा | ||
| The word 'लाथ मारा' (kick) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word 'लात' (kick) and 'मारा' (strike). | |||
| Nepali | लात | ||
| In Maithili, the word | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਿੱਕ | ||
| The phrase 'ਕਿੱਕ' in Punjabi can also refer to a 'spasm' or a 'twitch'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පයින් ගහන්න | ||
| Tamil | உதை | ||
| The Tamil word "உதை" also refers to a forceful or sudden physical impact or blow. | |||
| Telugu | కిక్ | ||
| The word "కిక్" can also be translated as "joy", "pleasure", or "happiness" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | لات | ||
| The word "لات" can also mean "to drive" in Urdu. | |||
Kick in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 踢 | ||
| Originally meant "step on" and also refers to a unit of currency used in ancient China. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 踢 | ||
| 踢 also means "to dismiss" or "to play (a game)" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | キック | ||
| キック (kiku) can also mean "to listen" or "to hear" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 발 차기 | ||
| The word 발 차기 (bal chagi) can also be an abbreviation of 발사 차기 (balsachagi), which refers to kicking a projectile | |||
| Mongolian | өшиглөх | ||
| The Mongolian word "өшиглөх" can also refer to the act of "massaging" or "rubbing". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကန် | ||
| The word "ကန်" in Myanmar (Burmese) also means "to block", which is similar to the meaning of the Thai word "กัน". | |||
Kick in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tendangan | ||
| The Indonesian word 'tendangan' is derived from a Javanese term meaning 'step' or 'movement'. | |||
| Javanese | nyepak | ||
| The Javanese word "nyepak" also means "to hit" or "to strike". | |||
| Khmer | ទាត់ | ||
| The word "ទាត់" can also mean "to push" or "to shove". | |||
| Lao | ເຕະ | ||
| Malay | menendang | ||
| "Menendang" is the Malay word for "kick", derived from the Proto-Austronesian root "*tendan" meaning "to step or kick". | |||
| Thai | เตะ | ||
| The word "เตะ" can also mean "to scold" or "to push away" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | đá | ||
| "Đá" is also a slang term for a type of marble game played in Vietnam. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sipa | ||
Kick in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | vurmaq | ||
| In Turkish, the word "vurmaq" also means "to beat", "to strike", and "to hit". | |||
| Kazakh | тебу | ||
| In Kazakh, | |||
| Kyrgyz | тепкиле | ||
| In Kyrgyz, 'тепкиле' also means 'sprain' or 'cramp'. | |||
| Tajik | лагадкӯб кардан | ||
| "Лаг ад кӯб кардан" - also means "to beat or scold." | |||
| Turkmen | urmak | ||
| Uzbek | tepish | ||
| The word "tepish" can also refer to the act of stamping or trampling. | |||
| Uyghur | kick | ||
Kick in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | peku | ||
| The Hawaiian word 'peku' can also mean to crush, tread or break, in addition to its meaning as a kick. | |||
| Maori | whana | ||
| Whana, meaning 'kick', also refers to a 'dance step' or 'to strike with a weapon'. | |||
| Samoan | kiki | ||
| "Kiki" can also mean something that is broken or cracked. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | sipa | ||
| The Tagalog word "sipa" also means "dribble" in a game of soccer or basketball. | |||
Kick in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | walja | ||
| Guarani | pyvoi | ||
Kick in International Languages
| Esperanto | piedbati | ||
| The word "piedbati" also exists in some Slavic languages, where it means "to walk". | |||
| Latin | calcitrare | ||
| "Calcitrare" also referred to "spurning with the heels" in contempt or defiance. | |||
Kick in Others Languages
| Greek | λάκτισμα | ||
| In Greek, "λάκτισμα" derives from "λακτίζω" meaning "to kick," but can also refer to a small sum of money paid as a bribe or commission. | |||
| Hmong | ncaws | ||
| Ncaws can also refer to the feet or the bottom of something. | |||
| Kurdish | peîn | ||
| The Kurdish word "peîn" also means "to hit" or "to strike" in a general sense. | |||
| Turkish | atmak | ||
| Meaning 'to throw away' when used as 'Atmak', meaning 'to ride a horse' when used as 'Binmek' | |||
| Xhosa | ukukhaba | ||
| Ukukhaba is not only used in the narrow sense of 'to kick'. It also means 'to chase away' or 'to drive out'. | |||
| Yiddish | בריקען | ||
| The Yiddish word "בריקען" also means "to dance". | |||
| Zulu | ukukhahlela | ||
| Ukukhahlela is also used idiomatically to mean 'to kick away' or 'to dismiss' something. | |||
| Assamese | কিক | ||
| Aymara | walja | ||
| Bhojpuri | लात मारल | ||
| Dhivehi | ޖެހުން | ||
| Dogri | ठुड्डा मारना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sipa | ||
| Guarani | pyvoi | ||
| Ilocano | kugtaran | ||
| Krio | kik | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | لێدان | ||
| Maithili | लात मारनाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯥꯎꯕ | ||
| Mizo | pet | ||
| Oromo | dhiituu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କିକ୍ | ||
| Quechua | qaytay | ||
| Sanskrit | पादप्रहार | ||
| Tatar | тибү | ||
| Tigrinya | ምቕላዕ | ||
| Tsonga | raha | ||