Labor in Different Languages
Discover 'Labor' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'labor' holds great significance in our daily lives, often associated with hard work, effort, and dedication. Its cultural importance is evident in the various ways it is expressed across different languages and regions. For instance, in Spanish, 'labor' translates to 'trabajo', while in French, it is 'travail'. In German, the word for labor is 'Arbeit', and in Japanese, it is ' rodō'.
But did you know that the concept of labor has been a central theme in human history, from the ancient civilizations to the modern era? The struggle for workers' rights and fair labor practices has shaped societies and economies worldwide. Understanding the translation of 'labor' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and historical contexts of this important concept.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a history buff, or simply curious about the world around you, exploring the translations of 'labor' in different languages is a fascinating journey that awaits you.
Labor
Labor in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | arbeid | ||
| The Afrikaans word "arbeid" comes from the Dutch word "arbeid", which itself originates from the Old French word "arbede", meaning "hardship" or "toil". | |||
| Amharic | የጉልበት ሥራ | ||
| The Amharic word "የጉልበት ሥራ" (labor) comes from the Ge'ez word "ሥራ" (work) and refers to both physical and mental exertion. | |||
| Hausa | aiki | ||
| The word "aiki" is also used to refer to "employment" as well as "work" or "a job." | |||
| Igbo | oru | ||
| In Igbo, the word "oru" also means "journey" or "travel". | |||
| Malagasy | asa | ||
| Asa can also mean 'effort' or 'task' in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ntchito | ||
| The word 'ntchito' in Nyanja derives from the Proto-Bantu verb '-chito', meaning 'to hold' or 'to seize'. | |||
| Shona | basa | ||
| The word "basa" also means "to give birth," "to dig," and "to do hard physical work." | |||
| Somali | foosha | ||
| It is derived from the Arabic word "fushah", meaning "eloquence". | |||
| Sesotho | mosebetsi o boima | ||
| Derived from the word "Sebetsa" meaning work or to work. | |||
| Swahili | kazi | ||
| The Swahili word "kazi" also has the alternative meaning of "task" or "assignment". | |||
| Xhosa | umsebenzi | ||
| 'Umsebenzi' also refers to a place of work, such as a shop or an office. | |||
| Yoruba | laala | ||
| The word "laala" in Yoruba can also mean "a task" or "an obligation" | |||
| Zulu | umsebenzi | ||
| The word "umsebenzi" also means "work" or "duty" in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | baara | ||
| Ewe | dɔwɔna | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umurimo | ||
| Lingala | mosala | ||
| Luganda | okukola | ||
| Sepedi | modiro | ||
| Twi (Akan) | brɛ | ||
Labor in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | العمل | ||
| العمل (al-‘amal) means "actions" or "deeds" in the Qur'an, but also denotes secular labor. | |||
| Hebrew | עבודה | ||
| 'עבודה' has alternate meanings in biblical Hebrew including 'adoration', 'divine service', and 'temple service' | |||
| Pashto | مزدور | ||
| In Pashto, the word "مزدور" has the additional meaning of "hired killer" or "assassin" | |||
| Arabic | العمل | ||
| العمل (al-‘amal) means "actions" or "deeds" in the Qur'an, but also denotes secular labor. | |||
Labor in Western European Languages
| Albanian | punës | ||
| The word "punës" in Albanian originates from the Latin "punia", meaning "task" or "responsibility". | |||
| Basque | lan | ||
| "Lan" means "ground," "work," and "action" in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | treball | ||
| Treball is derived from the Latin "tripalium", an instrument of torture resembling a three-legged stool. | |||
| Croatian | rad | ||
| Croatian word "rad" also means "council" in Serbian. | |||
| Danish | arbejdskraft | ||
| The word "arbejdskraft" is a compound of the words "arbejde" (work) and "kraft" (power). | |||
| Dutch | arbeid | ||
| The Dutch word "arbeid" also refers to a small piece of land, which in turn is probably related to the ancient word for "ploughed land." | |||
| English | labor | ||
| The word "labor" derives from the Latin verb "laborare," meaning "to toil, suffer, or exert oneself." | |||
| French | la main d'oeuvre | ||
| "Main d'oeuvre" means "labor" in French and originates from the Latin words "manus," meaning "hand," and "opera," meaning "work." | |||
| Frisian | arbeid | ||
| In Frisian, "arbeid" can also refer to a small piece of land or, by extension, farm work. | |||
| Galician | traballo | ||
| "Traballo" derives from the Indo-European "*treb-", meaning "to work" or "to tire". | |||
| German | arbeit | ||
| The word "Arbeit" comes from the Middle High German word "arbeit" meaning "trouble, hardship, exertion." | |||
| Icelandic | vinnuafl | ||
| Vinnuafl's archaic meanings include 'battle,' 'struggle' and 'trouble,' and can also refer to 'toil' and 'exertion,' especially physical. | |||
| Irish | saothair | ||
| The Irish word "saothair" is cognate with the Latin "labor" and the Old English "suwian," all of which mean "to sweat." | |||
| Italian | lavoro duro e faticoso | ||
| While the word "lavoro" has retained its original meaning of "work" in Italian, it has also acquired the extended meaning of "labor" or "hard work," similar to the French "travail" and the English "labour." | |||
| Luxembourgish | aarbecht | ||
| The word 'Aarbecht' originated from the Old High German word 'arabeit', meaning suffering or tribulation. | |||
| Maltese | xogħol | ||
| "Xogħol" is also used to refer to a place where one works or a specific task or project. | |||
| Norwegian | arbeid | ||
| The word 'arbeid' in Norwegian also means 'ordeal' or 'hardship', reflecting the strenuous nature of labor in the past. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | trabalho | ||
| Portuguese "trabalho" also means "work" (noun) and "work" (verb), and is derived from the Latin "trepalium," meaning "instrument of torture." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | saothair | ||
| The Gaelic word "saothair" also implies a sense of "toil" or "drudgery". | |||
| Spanish | labor | ||
| The Spanish word "labor" can also refer to the process of giving birth or to a group of people working together. | |||
| Swedish | arbetskraft | ||
| The word 'arbetskraft' ('labor') is derived from the medieval German word 'arbeit' (work) and has the same meaning in English. | |||
| Welsh | llafur | ||
| The word 'llafur' in Welsh may also refer to the process of cultivation or ploughing, as well as the resulting crop or field. | |||
Labor in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | працы | ||
| The Belarusian word "працы" can also refer to a written work, such as a thesis or dissertation. | |||
| Bosnian | rad | ||
| "Rad" is a word in Bosnian that also means "glad" and "happy", in addition to "labor". | |||
| Bulgarian | труд | ||
| The word труд derives from the Old Church Slavonic language and can also mean "path" or "way". | |||
| Czech | práce | ||
| "Práce" also means "yarn" or "thread" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | töö | ||
| "Töö" also means "work", "chore" or "task" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | työ | ||
| The word 'työ' likely comes from the Proto-Uralic stem *tek- or *tuk-, meaning 'to do' or 'to hammer'. | |||
| Hungarian | munkaerő | ||
| "Munkaerő" literally means "power of work" and also has other meanings, like "workforce". | |||
| Latvian | darbaspēks | ||
| Latvian word "darbaspēks" is a calque of German "Arbeitskraft," which in English translates to "work force," and not "labor" by itself. | |||
| Lithuanian | darbo | ||
| The word "darbo" in Lithuanian is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*werg-", meaning "to work" or "to do". | |||
| Macedonian | пороѓај | ||
| "Пороѓај" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *poroditi, which means "to give birth". | |||
| Polish | rodzić | ||
| The Polish word "rodzić" also means "to give birth" and is related to the words "rodzina" (family) and "ród" (lineage). | |||
| Romanian | muncă | ||
| The Romanian word "muncă" also means "effort" or "pain" and is related to the Latin word "munus" meaning "gift" or "duty." | |||
| Russian | труд, работа | ||
| The word "труд, работа" also means "difficulty" and "suffering." | |||
| Serbian | рад | ||
| The Serbian word "рад" (labor) derives from the Proto-Slavic "*radъ" (creation, work) and is cognate with the English "right" and the German "recht," both meaning "correct, straight, just, honest." | |||
| Slovak | pôrod | ||
| The word "pôrod" is cognate with the Czech "porod" and the Polish "poród", all of which derive from the Proto-Slavic "*porodъ", meaning "birth" or "delivery." | |||
| Slovenian | porod | ||
| The Slovenian word "porod" also has the meaning of "birth" and is related to the word "porajati se," which means "to be born." | |||
| Ukrainian | праці | ||
| "Праці" derives from the Proto-Slavic word *pьrati, meaning "to fight" or "to work hard." | |||
Labor in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | শ্রম | ||
| শ্রম (labor) comes from the Sanskrit word 'श्रम' (shrama), which means 'toil' or 'exertion'. | |||
| Gujarati | મજૂર | ||
| The word "મજૂર" (labor) in Gujarati also refers to a "servant" or "worker" in a feudal system. | |||
| Hindi | श्रम | ||
| श्रम can also mean 'devotion', a concept rooted in the Vedic ideal of disinterested service. | |||
| Kannada | ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕ" is derived from the Proto-Dravidian word "*kār-", meaning "to do". | |||
| Malayalam | അധ്വാനം | ||
| The Malayalam word 'adhvaanam' is also used colloquially to describe the efforts put into creating a work of art. | |||
| Marathi | श्रम | ||
| The word श्रम (śram) in Marathi also means 'effort' or 'exertion'. | |||
| Nepali | श्रम | ||
| The Hindi origin word "shram" in Nepali also carries meanings of exertion in work. | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਿਰਤ | ||
| The word 'ਕਿਰਤ' also refers to 'God' or 'heavenly abode' in Sikh scriptures. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කම්කරු | ||
| The word "කම්කරු" can mean either "a laborer" or "a workman", depending on the context | |||
| Tamil | தொழிலாளர் | ||
| The word "தொழிலாளர்" can also refer to people who engage in a paid occupation or who perform tasks for wages or compensation. | |||
| Telugu | శ్రమ | ||
| The word "శ్రమ" can also mean "hardship" or "toil" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | مزدور | ||
| The word "مزدور" can also mean "servant" or "worker for hire" in Urdu. | |||
Labor in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 劳动 | ||
| 劳动 (láodòng) literally means "toil" and is often used to refer to physical work or employment. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 勞動 | ||
| The Chinese character "勞" also means "to worry" and "to be tired". | |||
| Japanese | 労働 | ||
| The word "労働" (labor) is derived from the Chinese characters "劳" (toil) and "働" (to work), and also has the alternate meaning of "workforce" or "working population" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 노동 | ||
| "노동" (labor) originally meant "pains of childbirth". | |||
| Mongolian | хөдөлмөр | ||
| In Mongolian, "хөдөлмөр" (labor) also refers to the "movement of objects". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အလုပ်သမား | ||
Labor in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tenaga kerja | ||
| "Tenaga kerja" literally translates to "work force" (not "labor") in Indonesian, from the root words "tenaga" (force, energy) and "kerja" (work). | |||
| Javanese | pegawean | ||
| "Pegawean" can also mean "workplace" or "employment" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ពលកម្ម | ||
| The Khmer word "ពលកម្ម" can also refer to "workers" or "laborers" in addition to its primary meaning of "labor". | |||
| Lao | ແຮງງານ | ||
| The word 'ແຮງງານ' (labor) in Lao is derived from the Proto-Tai word *hrŋŋaŋ, which also means 'work' or 'effort'. | |||
| Malay | buruh | ||
| "buruh" in Malay is related to Tamil "urūvai" meaning body, shape, and Sanskrit "rūpa" meaning beauty, form | |||
| Thai | แรงงาน | ||
| "แรงงาน" (labor) can be broken down etymologically into "แรง" (force) and "งาน" (work). | |||
| Vietnamese | lao động | ||
| Besides the primary meaning of "labor," the word "lao động" can also mean "toil" and "exertion" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paggawa | ||
Labor in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | əmək | ||
| The word | |||
| Kazakh | еңбек | ||
| The Kazakh word "еңбек" (labor) derives from the Proto-Turkic word "*eŋ" (to work, to labor), which is cognate with the Mongolic word "*üge" (work, labor). | |||
| Kyrgyz | эмгек | ||
| Kyrgyz "эмгек" (labor) originates from the Turkic word "emgek" or "emge" meaning "effort, work". In Turkish, it primarily refers to manual labor, while in Kyrgyz it encompasses all forms of labor, both physical and mental. | |||
| Tajik | меҳнат | ||
| The word “меҳнат” has multiple meanings, which can be translated into English as both “labor” and “effort”. | |||
| Turkmen | zähmet | ||
| Uzbek | mehnat | ||
| In Uzbek, "mehnat" means not only "labor" but also "effort, exertion, diligence, industry, toil, trouble, work." | |||
| Uyghur | ئەمگەك | ||
Labor in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hana | ||
| The word 'hana' in Hawaiian can also refer to the creation of art, skill, or craft. | |||
| Maori | mahi | ||
| Mahi, the Maori word for labor, also translates to "action" in other Polynesian languages. | |||
| Samoan | galue | ||
| The word 'galue' can also refer to a traditional Samoan dance performed by young women. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | paggawa | ||
| The word "paggawa" in Tagalog can also refer to the process of creation or production. | |||
Labor in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | irnaqawi | ||
| Guarani | mba'apo | ||
Labor in International Languages
| Esperanto | laboro | ||
| In Esperanto, "laboro" additionally means "difficulty" or "trouble". | |||
| Latin | laborem | ||
| In Latin, "laborem" can refer to work, physical effort, or the result of work. | |||
Labor in Others Languages
| Greek | εργασία | ||
| The word "εργασία" in Greek can also mean "craft" or "work of art" | |||
| Hmong | kev khwv | ||
| The word “kev khwv” derives from “khwv,” which refers to a heavy object on the shoulder, suggesting the strenuous nature of labor. | |||
| Kurdish | kar | ||
| The word 'kar' has various connotations such as job, effort, and hardship in Kurdish culture. | |||
| Turkish | emek | ||
| The word "emek" also means "effort or exertion" and has the same root as the word "imkân" ("possibility"), suggesting that labor is seen as a means to create opportunities. | |||
| Xhosa | umsebenzi | ||
| 'Umsebenzi' also refers to a place of work, such as a shop or an office. | |||
| Yiddish | אַרבעט | ||
| The Yiddish word "אַרבעט" ("labor") also refers to financial or personal hardship. | |||
| Zulu | umsebenzi | ||
| The word "umsebenzi" also means "work" or "duty" in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | পৰিশ্ৰম | ||
| Aymara | irnaqawi | ||
| Bhojpuri | मजदूर | ||
| Dhivehi | މަސައްކަތު މީހުން | ||
| Dogri | मजूर | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paggawa | ||
| Guarani | mba'apo | ||
| Ilocano | tarabaho | ||
| Krio | wok | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کار | ||
| Maithili | मजदूर | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯤꯟꯃꯤ | ||
| Mizo | inhlawhfa | ||
| Oromo | da'umsa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଶ୍ରମ | ||
| Quechua | llamkay | ||
| Sanskrit | श्रम | ||
| Tatar | хезмәт | ||
| Tigrinya | ናይ ጉልበት ስራሕ | ||
| Tsonga | tirha | ||