Kind in Different Languages
Discover 'Kind' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'kind' holds a profound significance in our daily lives, often used to describe a person's nature, behavior, or actions. It is a cultural cornerstone, symbolizing empathy, compassion, and generosity across the globe. Understanding its translation in different languages can open doors to cross-cultural communication and foster global unity.
Historically, the concept of 'kindness' has been celebrated in literature and philosophy, from Aesop's fables to Aristotle's 'Nicomachean Ethics'. It is a universal language that transcends borders and connects us all. For instance, in Spanish, 'kind' translates to 'amable', in French to 'gentil', and in German to 'freundlich'.
Delving into the translations of 'kind' not only enriches our vocabulary but also deepens our appreciation for the diversity and similarity of human experiences. Join us as we explore the many faces of 'kind' in a variety of languages.
Kind
Kind in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vriendelik | ||
| The word "vriendelik" comes from the Dutch word "vriendelijk", which means "friendly" or "kind". | |||
| Amharic | ደግ | ||
| The word 'ደግ' is primarily an adjective meaning 'kind' or 'pleasant', but it can also mean 'calm', 'tranquil' or 'peaceful' in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | irin | ||
| The word "irin" in Hausa also means "type" or "variety" and is related to the word "irinwa" which means "difference". | |||
| Igbo | obiọma | ||
| The word "obiọma" is said to mean "kind" because it is derived from the words "ọbi" (heart) and "ọma" (good). | |||
| Malagasy | ahoana | ||
| The Malagasy word "AHOANA" can also mean "sweet" or "nice". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wokoma mtima | ||
| The Nyanja word "wokoma mtima" also translates to "being at peace or having rest of mind." | |||
| Shona | mutsa | ||
| "Mutsa" has secondary meanings of "to have mercy" and "to have pity". | |||
| Somali | nooc | ||
| The word "nooc" can also be translated as "nice", "good", or "beautiful" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | mosa | ||
| The word "mosa" in Sesotho can also mean "beautiful" or "handsome." | |||
| Swahili | aina | ||
| The word "aina" can also mean "indeed" or "really" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | unobubele | ||
| "Unobubele" is sometimes applied to inanimate objects in Xhosa, especially in the Eastern Cape, similar to the English word "nice" used to describe something that is of good quality or appearance. | |||
| Yoruba | iru | ||
| The Yoruba word 'Iru' can also refer to a type of tree or its seed, which is used as a spice in traditional cuisine. | |||
| Zulu | unomusa | ||
| The noun unomusa in Zulu can also refer to 'the quality of goodness' or 'kindness of a person'. | |||
| Bambara | sugu | ||
| Ewe | nyo dɔme | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubwoko | ||
| Lingala | malamu | ||
| Luganda | kisa | ||
| Sepedi | mohuta | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ayamye | ||
Kind in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | طيب القلب | ||
| The Arabic word 'طيب القلب' ('kind') contains the root 'طيب' ('good') referring to a person with a good heart. | |||
| Hebrew | סוג | ||
| סוג - also means "style" or "type" in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | مهربان | ||
| مهربان, meaning “kind” in Pashto, is derived from the compound Persian word مهر بان where مهر refers to “love” or “affection” and بان to “giver”, hence the meaning “kind”. | |||
| Arabic | طيب القلب | ||
| The Arabic word 'طيب القلب' ('kind') contains the root 'طيب' ('good') referring to a person with a good heart. | |||
Kind in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i sjellshëm | ||
| The Albanian word "i sjellshëm" is also used to describe someone who is polite or well-behaved. | |||
| Basque | atsegina | ||
| The word "atsegina" is related to the word "atse" which means "taste" in Basque | |||
| Catalan | amable | ||
| "Amable" in Catalan comes from the Latin "amabilis" which means "worthy of being loved". | |||
| Croatian | ljubazan | ||
| The Croatian word “ljubazan” can also be used to describe someone who is pleasant, lovely, cordial, or affable. | |||
| Danish | venlig | ||
| The word "venlig" is derived from the Old Norse word "vinr" meaning "friend", and can also mean "hospitable" or "gracious". | |||
| Dutch | soort | ||
| The word "soort" in Dutch also refers to a group of animals or plants that share common characteristics. | |||
| English | kind | ||
| The word "kind" comes from the Old English word "cynd", which means "birth" or "origin". | |||
| French | gentil | ||
| The French word "gentil" derives from the Latin word "gentilis", meaning foreign or pagan to Romans, and has evolved over time to mean kind or well-mannered. | |||
| Frisian | soart | ||
| The word "soart" in Frisian is cognate with the Dutch word "zoet" and the German word "süß", all of which mean "sweet". | |||
| Galician | amable | ||
| In Galician, "amable" not only means "kind" but also "friendly, pleasant, or agreeable." | |||
| German | nett | ||
| The word "nett" is derived from the Middle High German "nedec," meaning "pleasant" or "agreeable." | |||
| Icelandic | góður | ||
| The word "góður" is often used to describe a person who is physically attractive or well-dressed, in addition to its primary meaning of "kind". | |||
| Irish | cineálta | ||
| The Irish word "cineálta" is thought to have been derived from the Proto-Celtic root "*kenet-," meaning "family" or "clan." | |||
| Italian | genere | ||
| The Italian word "genere" comes from the Latin word "genus", which means "origin" or "source". | |||
| Luxembourgish | léif | ||
| Léif is the result of a contraction from the words 'leiwen' and 'fréit', which respectively mean 'to care' and 'joy', originating from Old High German 'liub' and 'freud' | |||
| Maltese | tip | ||
| The word "tip" is also used to refer to a gratuity given to service staff, such as in a restaurant. | |||
| Norwegian | snill | ||
| In some dialects, "snill" can also mean "cunning" or "sly". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | tipo | ||
| 'Tipo' can also mean 'guy' or 'a sort of'. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | coibhneil | ||
| The word "coibhneil" can also refer to the act of keeping something secret. | |||
| Spanish | tipo | ||
| In 16th century Spanish, "tipo" also referred to one's type or nature and could be used to describe personality traits. | |||
| Swedish | snäll | ||
| The word "snäll" is cognate with the English word "sniveling". | |||
| Welsh | caredig | ||
| The word “caredig” can also be used to refer to someone or something that is dear to you. | |||
Kind in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | ласкавы | ||
| The word "ласкавы" can also mean "affectionate" or "courteous" in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | vrsta | ||
| The word "vrsta" originally meant "sort" or "type". | |||
| Bulgarian | мил | ||
| The word "мил" in Bulgarian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *milъ, meaning "dear" or "beloved". | |||
| Czech | druh | ||
| "Drůbež" (poultry) comes from the same root as "druh" (kind). | |||
| Estonian | lahke | ||
| The word 'lahkle' has a doublet 'lahti', the obsolete form 'lahge' and the derivative 'lahtjema' which means 'to be gentle'. | |||
| Finnish | ystävällinen | ||
| The word 'ystävällinen' comes from the word 'ystävä', meaning 'friend', and originally meant 'pertaining to a friend' or 'friendly'. | |||
| Hungarian | kedves | ||
| In Hungarian, "kedves" also means "dear" or "beloved" and is typically used in informal settings. | |||
| Latvian | laipns | ||
| The Latvian word "laipns" may originally derive from an Indo-European root that also produced words like "friend" in English, meaning one who is amiable, or "friendly"} | |||
| Lithuanian | malonus | ||
| The word "malonus" ultimately derives from the Balto-Slavic root *mel-, meaning "pleasant". | |||
| Macedonian | kindубезен | ||
| The word "kindубезен" can also mean "gentle" or "well-mannered" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | uprzejmy | ||
| The word "uprzejmy" is derived from the Old Polish word "u(d)przątać," meaning "to clean" or "to put in order." | |||
| Romanian | drăguț | ||
| Drăguț originates from the Slavic word 'drag' meaning 'dear'. | |||
| Russian | добрый | ||
| Russian word "Добрый" also means "good" or "healthy", and derives from "добро" ("good") | |||
| Serbian | врста | ||
| In addition to 'kind', the Serbian word 'врста' can also mean 'species', 'type', or 'genre'. | |||
| Slovak | milý | ||
| The word "milý" also has the meaning of "dear" or "beloved" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | prijazna | ||
| Prijazna means “friendly” in Slovenian, and is ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *prih₂- (“to please”). | |||
| Ukrainian | вид | ||
| In addition to 'kind', the Ukrainian word 'вид' can also refer to 'type', 'species', 'view', or 'form'. | |||
Kind in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সদয় | ||
| "সদয়" (pronounced as 'shudoy') is a Sanskrit borrowing that was derived from "সৎ" (pronounced as 'sot'), meaning "good" or "true", and "দয়" (pronounced as 'dôy'), meaning "mercy" or "compassion". | |||
| Gujarati | દયાળુ | ||
| The word "દયાળુ" in Gujarati derives from the Sanskrit word "dayālu" and also means "compassionate" or "charitable". | |||
| Hindi | मेहरबान | ||
| The word "मेहरबान" is derived from the Persian word "مهربان" which means "sun-faced" or "auspicious." | |||
| Kannada | ರೀತಿಯ | ||
| 'ರೀತಿಯ' is also used to refer to the 'style of speaking' in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ദയ | ||
| The word "ദയ" (daya) in Malayalam has Sanskrit origins and can also mean "mercy" or "compassion". | |||
| Marathi | दयाळू | ||
| The Marathi word 'दयाळू' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'दयालु,' which means 'compassionate' or 'merciful'. | |||
| Nepali | दयालु | ||
| "दयालु" is derived from Sanskrit "दया" meaning compassion, kindness, or mercy. | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਿਸਮ ਦੀ | ||
| This word shares its etymology with the Hindi word 'qism,' and carries the alternate meaning of 'sort' or 'category'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කාරුණික | ||
| The word "කාරුණික" derives from the Sanskrit "karuṇā" meaning "compassion". It can also mean "merciful" or "forgiving". | |||
| Tamil | கருணை | ||
| The Tamil word 'கருணை' is etymologically related to Sanskrit word | |||
| Telugu | రకం | ||
| "రకం" is a word that was borrowed from the Sanskrit word "prakāra," and it originally meant "sort" or "type". | |||
| Urdu | قسم | ||
| The word "قسم" in Urdu can also mean "oath" or "vow". | |||
Kind in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 类 | ||
| 类, as a Chinese character, has the connotation of "rank" or "species". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 類 | ||
| 類, meaning "kind," also refers to "classify," "category," or "class" in the sense of a group of related things. | |||
| Japanese | 種類 | ||
| The word "種類" is derived from the Chinese word "種類", meaning "category" or "type". It can also refer to a "variety" or "species" of something. | |||
| Korean | 종류 | ||
| Korean “종류” (“kind”) means “type or variety”, and also “sort, brand or model”, and “category or class”. | |||
| Mongolian | сайхан сэтгэлтэй | ||
| ~ The word "сайхан сэтгэлтэй" can also be used to mean "good-hearted" and "sympathetic" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကြင်နာ | ||
| "ကြင်နာ" is derived from the Pali word "kalyāna", which also means "good" or "beautiful". | |||
Kind in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | jenis | ||
| The word "jenis" is also used in Indonesian to refer to the variety of a plant or animal species. | |||
| Javanese | apik | ||
| The word "apik" in Javanese is also a homophone for "baik", which means "good" in Indonesian and is often used as a term of praise. | |||
| Khmer | ប្រភេទ | ||
| The word "ប្រភេទ" in Khmer can also mean "type" or "category". | |||
| Lao | ປະເພດ | ||
| The Lao word "ປະເພດ" is derived from the Pali word "paṭipadā," meaning "conduct," "behavior," or "practice." | |||
| Malay | baik hati | ||
| The word "baik hati" in Malay is often used to mean "good hearted", and is typically translated as "kind" in English. | |||
| Thai | ชนิด | ||
| The Thai word "ชนิด" (pronounced “chon-nid”) can also mean “category,” “type,” “variety,” or “group.” | |||
| Vietnamese | tốt bụng | ||
| The word "Tốt bụng" in Vietnamese can also mean "generous" or "compassionate". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mabait | ||
Kind in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | mehriban | ||
| The Persian word "mehrban" entered Old Turkic and was then transformed into the Old Azerbaijani word "mehrüban" which then meant "generous". | |||
| Kazakh | мейірімді | ||
| The word "мейірімді" is derived from the Persian word "مهربان" (mehrban), which also means "kind" or "compassionate". | |||
| Kyrgyz | боорукер | ||
| The root "боор" means "heart", suggesting the idea of kindness as a heartfelt emotion | |||
| Tajik | меҳрубон | ||
| The word "меҳрубон" in Tajik comes from the Proto-Iranian word *miθra-bānu-, meaning "loving" or "compassionate." | |||
| Turkmen | görnüşli | ||
| Uzbek | mehribon | ||
| Mehribon derives from the Persian mehriban, meaning affectionate or benevolent. | |||
| Uyghur | kind | ||
Kind in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻoluʻolu | ||
| The Hawaiian word ʻoluʻolu means 'kind,' 'gentle,' or 'pleasant,' and comes from the word ʻolu, which means 'cool' or 'calm.' | |||
| Maori | atawhai | ||
| Ata whai translates to ‘towards dawn,’ the time at the very end of night when it begins to get brighter, so ‘atawhai,’ or kind, could be understood in the same sense as this time. | |||
| Samoan | agalelei | ||
| The word 'agalelei' can also refer to 'peacefulness' or 'serenity'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | mabait | ||
| "Mabait" shares an etymological origin with the word "bait" in English, which both originate from the Proto-Austronesian term "*bahay" meaning "home". | |||
Kind in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kasta | ||
| Guarani | rory | ||
Kind in International Languages
| Esperanto | bonkora | ||
| The Esperanto word 'bonkora' is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *meǵʰ-, meaning 'great' or 'strong'. | |||
| Latin | genus | ||
| In Latin, 'genus' can also refer to a race, family line, or birth. | |||
Kind in Others Languages
| Greek | είδος | ||
| The word "είδος" in Greek can also mean "form" or "shape" and is related to the Proto-Indo-European root *wid- meaning "to see". | |||
| Hmong | hom | ||
| Hom, a Hmong word for "kind," also means "to lead; to guide" in other contexts. | |||
| Kurdish | hevalbend | ||
| In Kurdish, 'hevalbend' refers to comradeship, companionship, or a strong emotional bond. | |||
| Turkish | tür | ||
| Tür's alternate meanings include "style," "species," and "type." | |||
| Xhosa | unobubele | ||
| "Unobubele" is sometimes applied to inanimate objects in Xhosa, especially in the Eastern Cape, similar to the English word "nice" used to describe something that is of good quality or appearance. | |||
| Yiddish | מין | ||
| The Yiddish word "מין" can also refer to a type of animal or an unspecified person. | |||
| Zulu | unomusa | ||
| The noun unomusa in Zulu can also refer to 'the quality of goodness' or 'kindness of a person'. | |||
| Assamese | দয়ালু | ||
| Aymara | kasta | ||
| Bhojpuri | दयालू | ||
| Dhivehi | ހިތްހެޔޮ | ||
| Dogri | किरपालू | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mabait | ||
| Guarani | rory | ||
| Ilocano | kita | ||
| Krio | kayn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | جۆر | ||
| Maithili | प्रकार | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯈꯜ | ||
| Mizo | lainat | ||
| Oromo | akaakuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ରକାର | ||
| Quechua | allin | ||
| Sanskrit | दयालु | ||
| Tatar | игелекле | ||
| Tigrinya | ርህሩህ | ||
| Tsonga | tintswalo | ||