Kill in Different Languages
Discover 'Kill' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'kill' is a simple, everyday term that carries a significant weight. It refers to the act of causing the death of a living creature, whether through natural means or by the hand of a person. This concept has been explored in various cultural contexts, from literature and films to video games and music. The significance of 'kill' extends beyond language, as it raises questions about morality, ethics, and the value of life.
For those with a fascination for language and culture, understanding the translation of 'kill' in different languages can offer unique insights. For instance, in Spanish, 'kill' is 'matar', while in French, it's 'tuer'. In German, it's 'töten', and in Japanese, it's 'korosu'. Each language has its own unique way of expressing this concept, reflecting cultural nuances and values.
By exploring the translations of 'kill', we can gain a deeper appreciation for the diversity of human languages and cultures. So, let's delve into the world of 'kill' in different languages and discover the richness that lies within.
Kill
Kill in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | doodmaak | ||
| "Doodmaak" can also be used to refer to the process of slaughtering an animal for food. | |||
| Amharic | መግደል | ||
| The word 'መግደል' is derived from the verb 'መግደል' (to slaughter) and has the alternate meaning of 'massacre'. | |||
| Hausa | kashe | ||
| Hausa 'kashe' (kill) originates from the Proto-Afro-Asiatic word for 'destroy' or 'defeat'. | |||
| Igbo | gbue | ||
| The Igbo word "gbue" is also used to mean "to destroy" or "to defeat" and is related to the word "ogbu" meaning "killer" or "murderer". | |||
| Malagasy | hamonoanao | ||
| "Hamonoanao" can be either a noun meaning "murder" or a verb meaning "to kill," and also has a figurative meaning of "to overcome an obstacle." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kupha | ||
| While the verb "kupha" in Chichewa means "eliminate," the noun form, "kufa," can also mean "death" or "die." | |||
| Shona | kuuraya | ||
| The verb "kuuraya" can also refer to "to destroy" or "to finish something", emphasizing the complete annihilation of a subject or their work. | |||
| Somali | dilid | ||
| The term "dilid" in Somali derives from the root "dil," with connotations of "destruction" or "ruin." | |||
| Sesotho | bolaea | ||
| The word "bolaea" in Sesotho is also used in the context of "finishing off", "destroying", or "annihilating". | |||
| Swahili | kuua | ||
| The Swahili word "kuua" not only means "to kill," but also "to extinguish" or "to finish." | |||
| Xhosa | bulala | ||
| The Xhosa word "bulala" originates from the Bantu root "b-l-l" which means "to strike" or "to beat." | |||
| Yoruba | pa | ||
| In Yoruba, "pa" also means "to prevent" or "to forbid". | |||
| Zulu | bulala | ||
| "Bulala" means "to make to die" in Zulu, and is derived from the root word "bula," meaning "to live." | |||
| Bambara | ka faga | ||
| Ewe | wu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kwica | ||
| Lingala | koboma | ||
| Luganda | okutta | ||
| Sepedi | bolaya | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kum | ||
Kill in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | قتل | ||
| The word "قتل" can also mean "death," "injury," or"murder." | |||
| Hebrew | לַהֲרוֹג | ||
| The Hebrew word for 'kill' לַהֲרוֹג is related to an Arabic root which also means 'to destroy' or 'ruin.' | |||
| Pashto | وژنه | ||
| "وژنه" also means "a killing", "murder", "homicide", "assassination" or "slaughter" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | قتل | ||
| The word "قتل" can also mean "death," "injury," or"murder." | |||
Kill in Western European Languages
| Albanian | vrasin | ||
| The word "vrasin" in Albanian also means "to hunt". This is possibly due to the historical use of hunting as a way to provide food and sustenance. | |||
| Basque | hil | ||
| The Basque word "hil" can also mean "to bury" or "to destroy". | |||
| Catalan | matar | ||
| In Catalan, "matar" not only means "to kill," but also can mean "to cut or harvest crops in a field." | |||
| Croatian | ubiti | ||
| "U biti" is the infinitive form of the verb " biti" (to be). | |||
| Danish | dræbe | ||
| The etymology of the Danish word "dræbe" is ultimately traced to the Indo-European root "*drebh-" and is cognate with the English "drown," among other words. | |||
| Dutch | doden | ||
| In Dutch, "doden" also means "to extinguish" or "to put out (a fire)" | |||
| English | kill | ||
| "Kill" was a hunting term first, which meant "fell" or "cut down." | |||
| French | tuer | ||
| The French word "tuer" derives from the Latin "tuērī," meaning "to watch, guard, protect," and is related to the English "tutor," "tuition," and "intuition." | |||
| Frisian | fermoardzje | ||
| The Frisian word "fermoardzje" is derived from the Old Frisian word "fermerdzia," meaning "to destroy" or "to ruin." | |||
| Galician | matar | ||
| The Galician verb "matar" also means "to extinguish a light". | |||
| German | töten | ||
| The word "töten" in German is derived from the Old High German "tötan", meaning "to wound", and is related to the English word "death". | |||
| Icelandic | drepa | ||
| "Drepa" in Icelandic is derived from Old Norse "drepa" and has alternate meanings of "cut" and "strike". | |||
| Irish | mharú | ||
| The Irish word 'mharú' also denotes the action of stealing and can be translated as 'rob', similar to its Latin and Sanskrit origins. | |||
| Italian | uccidere | ||
| Luxembourgish | ëmbréngen | ||
| The verb "ëmbréngen" originated from the words "üm" (around) and "bréngen" (bring) and originally meant "to put around" but then shifted towards the violent meaning "kill" under influence of the German "umbringen". | |||
| Maltese | joqtol | ||
| Originally, "joqtol" was the word for "offer sacrifice". Later, it became more closely associated with killing or murdering. | |||
| Norwegian | drepe | ||
| The word "drepe" is related to the Icelandic word "drepa" and the Anglo-Saxon word "drepian". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | matar | ||
| The word "matar" in Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) has a cognate in Persian "mārdan" meaning "to kill" and also a different meaning of "to extinguish thirst". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | marbhadh | ||
| The Gaelic word "marbhadh" can also mean "to extinguish" or "to quench". | |||
| Spanish | matar | ||
| The term "matar" shares the same Indo-European root as the Latin word "mater," meaning "mother."} | |||
| Swedish | döda | ||
| The verb "döda" can also be used figuratively to describe the "quenching" of a fire or the "silencing" of a sound. | |||
| Welsh | lladd | ||
| The verb 'lladd' derives from 'lladdu', which implies the killing but not necessarily the death, or 'gwaedu' ('bloodshed', 'slaughter'). In the legal field, it is the violent death of an individual. | |||
Kill in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | забіць | ||
| Some forms of the verb "забіць" have the secondary meaning "to hammer in", i.e. to fix something with a hammer | |||
| Bosnian | ubiti | ||
| The verb 'ubiti' also has alternate meanings like 'to defeat' and 'to ruin'. | |||
| Bulgarian | убий | ||
| The word "убий" originates from Proto-Indo-European *heub-, meaning "to strike, to wound, to kill", and is related to Russian "убить" (ubít), Lithuanian "užmušti" (to kill) and Sanskrit "hubhishati" (to hurt). | |||
| Czech | zabít | ||
| The etymology of the verb "zabít" is unclear but could be related to the Indo-European root *gʷʰén- "strike, kill," or even the verb "zíbat" (shake) in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | tapma | ||
| The word "tapma" in Estonian also has the archaic meaning of "to slaughter an animal". | |||
| Finnish | tappaa | ||
| The word "tappaa" originally referred to the act of slaughtering cattle for food. | |||
| Hungarian | megöl | ||
| The word "megöl" is derived from the Proto-Uralic word "*megele" meaning "to die". | |||
| Latvian | nogalināt | ||
| The word "nogalināt" is derived from the Proto-Baltic verb "*galināti", meaning "to sharpen", and the Proto-Baltic noun "*galà", meaning "end". | |||
| Lithuanian | nužudyti | ||
| The verb nužudyti is a cognate of the Latvian verb nosist which also means "to carry" but in Lithuanian it acquired the specific meaning of "to carry out a death sentence" and from that the general meaning "to kill". | |||
| Macedonian | убие | ||
| The word "убие" in Macedonian also has the historical meaning of "to die" in the context of a noble death or sacrifice, similar to the Latin "mori" or the Greek "θνήσκω". | |||
| Polish | zabić | ||
| The word "zabić" in Polish also means "to score a goal" in soccer. | |||
| Romanian | ucide | ||
| The same word also means "to succeed" or "to achieve". | |||
| Russian | убийство | ||
| "Убийство" comes from the Old Russian word "убыти", meaning "to perish" or "to disappear." | |||
| Serbian | убити | ||
| "Убити" (kill) in Serbian derives from the Old Slavic root *ubiti, which also means "to rob" or "to steal". | |||
| Slovak | zabiť | ||
| Slovak: "zabiť" can also mean: 'to forget', 'not to care', 'be unable to recall', 'to neglect'. | |||
| Slovenian | ubiti | ||
| The verb u biti originally meant 'to strike or beat', as its cognates in other Slavic languages still mean. | |||
| Ukrainian | вбити | ||
| "Вбити" is also a word in Russian, but is considered vulgar. | |||
Kill in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | হত্যা | ||
| The word 'হত্যা' not only signifies the act of ending a life but can also imply the eradication of something abstract, such as hope or an ideal. | |||
| Gujarati | મારવા | ||
| The word "મારવા" in Gujarati can also mean to "beat" or "strike". | |||
| Hindi | मार | ||
| "मार" also means 'disease' in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಕೊಲ್ಲು | ||
| Malayalam | കൊല്ലുക | ||
| The word "കൊല്ലുക" can also mean "to make" or "to create" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | मारणे | ||
| In Marathi, the verb "मारणे" (kill) can also refer to "defeat" or "finish". | |||
| Nepali | मार्नु | ||
| In Nepali, the word “मार्नु” can also mean “to strike” or “to hit.” | |||
| Punjabi | ਮਾਰੋ | ||
| Originally meaning 'to strike', ਮਾਰੋ has acquired a new meaning of 'to defeat' in certain games like kabaddi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මරන්න | ||
| In the 3rd person masculine, imperative tense, the verb "මරන්න" (maranna) means to kill, but is also used in a friendly manner to tell someone to do something | |||
| Tamil | கொல்ல | ||
| The Tamil word "கொல்ல" can also mean "to destroy" or "to ruin". | |||
| Telugu | చంపండి | ||
| The verb "చంపండి" also means "to extinguish" or "to put out" (a fire). | |||
| Urdu | مارنا | ||
| "مارنا" is also used to mean "to defeat" or "to finish". | |||
Kill in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 杀 | ||
| Apart from being a verb, 杀 shā also means 'cold' and can be used in the context of cold weather. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 殺 | ||
| In Chinese, the character 殺 (kill) also has a legal or formal meaning of "to execute criminals". | |||
| Japanese | 殺します | ||
| Korean | 죽임 | ||
| 죽임 derives from the Middle Korean word 죽히다 (jukhida), meaning 'to kill' or 'to slay'. | |||
| Mongolian | алах | ||
| The word "алах" also means "to butcher" in Mongolian, and is derived from the Proto-Mongolic word "*alaɣ-a-'", meaning "to cut". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သတ်ပစ် | ||
Kill in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | membunuh | ||
| The word "membunuh" can also mean "to extinguish", as in the context of a flame or light. | |||
| Javanese | mateni | ||
| The word "mateni" can also mean "to finish" or "to complete" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | សម្លាប់ | ||
| In addition to "kill," "សម្លាប់" can also mean "extinguish" (a fire) or "terminate" (a contract). | |||
| Lao | ຂ້າ | ||
| The word "ຂ້າ" also means "to cut" or "to clear" in Lao. | |||
| Malay | bunuh | ||
| In Malay, the word | |||
| Thai | ฆ่า | ||
| The word ฆ่า (kaa) may also be used figuratively to signify destroying a person's reputation or pride. | |||
| Vietnamese | giết chết | ||
| The word "giết chết" is ultimately derived from the Old Vietnamese word "cet" (to die), which is cognate with the Chinese word "si" (死). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pumatay | ||
Kill in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | öldürmək | ||
| The word "öldürmək" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Persian word "öldürmek", which means "to kill", and is related to the Turkish word "öldürmek", meaning "to murder". | |||
| Kazakh | өлтіру | ||
| Öлтіру (öltiru) is a word with Old Turkic roots, where it originally meant "to slaughter for food" and not necessarily "to kill." | |||
| Kyrgyz | өлтүрүү | ||
| The word "өлтүрүү" is derived from the Proto-Turkic root *"öl-", which also means "death" or "die". | |||
| Tajik | куштан | ||
| The word "куштан" in Tajik is derived from the Persian word "كشتن" (kuštan), meaning "to kill". | |||
| Turkmen | öldürmek | ||
| Uzbek | o'ldirmoq | ||
| The word "o'ldirmoq" in Uzbek also has the alternate meanings of "to defeat" and "to overcome". | |||
| Uyghur | قاتىل | ||
Kill in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pepehi kanaka | ||
| Pepehi kanaka also means "death" or "slaughter" in Hawaiian, depending on the context. | |||
| Maori | whakamate | ||
| Whakamate derives from the Proto-Polynesian root word "mate" meaning "to die" | |||
| Samoan | fasioti | ||
| The word "fasioti" is related to the concept of "fa'a" and "aso", which denotes the action of putting something to sleep or to rest. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | patayin | ||
| Patayin in Tagalog can also mean 'murder' and 'put out (fire)'. | |||
Kill in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jiwayaña | ||
| Guarani | porojuka | ||
Kill in International Languages
| Esperanto | mortigi | ||
| The Esperanto word "mortigi" is derived from the Latin "mors" meaning "death" and is also related to the English word "mortgage". | |||
| Latin | occidere | ||
| The Latin word "Occidere" has additional meanings such as "to fall" and "to set (of the sun)" and is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱed- meaning "to strike". | |||
Kill in Others Languages
| Greek | σκοτώνω | ||
| The Ancient Greek word "σκοτώνω" also meant "to obstruct, hinder, conceal." | |||
| Hmong | tua | ||
| The word 'tua' is derived from the Proto-Hmong-Mien word '*tɔːʔ' and originally meant to strike or beat. | |||
| Kurdish | kûştin | ||
| The Kurdish word "kûştin" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *keus-, meaning "to strike" or "to wound". | |||
| Turkish | öldürmek | ||
| Oldurmek is derived from the Proto-Turkic verb *öldür, meaning "to die", and in some Turkic languages such as Gagauz, retains this meaning. | |||
| Xhosa | bulala | ||
| The Xhosa word "bulala" originates from the Bantu root "b-l-l" which means "to strike" or "to beat." | |||
| Yiddish | טויטן | ||
| The Yiddish word "טויטן" (toytn) is derived from the Old High German "tōd" (death) and shares a root with the English words "dead" and "death". It can also be used figuratively to mean "to silence" or "to put an end to something". | |||
| Zulu | bulala | ||
| "Bulala" means "to make to die" in Zulu, and is derived from the root word "bula," meaning "to live." | |||
| Assamese | হত্যা | ||
| Aymara | jiwayaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | हत्या | ||
| Dhivehi | މެރުން | ||
| Dogri | मारना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pumatay | ||
| Guarani | porojuka | ||
| Ilocano | patayen | ||
| Krio | kil | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کوشتن | ||
| Maithili | जान सँ मारनाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯥꯠꯄ | ||
| Mizo | that | ||
| Oromo | ajjeesuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ହତ୍ୟା | ||
| Quechua | wañuchiy | ||
| Sanskrit | हन् | ||
| Tatar | үтерү | ||
| Tigrinya | ምቕታል | ||
| Tsonga | dlaya | ||