Language in Different Languages
Discover 'Language' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Language is more than just a means of communication – it’s a reflection of culture, history, and identity. It’s the vehicle through which we share our stories, beliefs, and traditions with the world. Understanding language in different languages is essential for building bridges across cultures and breaking down barriers.
Did you know that there are over 7,000 languages spoken around the world today? Each language has its own unique history, grammar, and vocabulary, shaped by the people who speak it. For example, the word for 'language' in Spanish is 'lenguaje', while in French it's 'langage' and in German it's 'Sprache'. In Mandarin Chinese, the word for 'language' is '语言' (yǔyán), and in Japanese it's '言語' (gengo).
Imagine the possibilities of being able to communicate with people from different backgrounds and cultures in their native language. Not only would it enhance your travel experiences, but it could also open up new opportunities for work, study, and personal growth. Keep reading to discover more about the translations of the word 'language' in different languages.
Language
Language in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | taal | ||
| The word "Taal" in Afrikaans can also refer to a specific language variety spoken in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. | |||
| Amharic | ቋንቋ | ||
| Hausa | harshe | ||
| "Harshe" in Hausa also means "tongue, speech, dialect." | |||
| Igbo | asụsụ | ||
| The Igbo word 'asụsụ' can also refer to 'speech' or 'dialect'. | |||
| Malagasy | fiteny | ||
| The Malagasy word "fiteny" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *pitěn, which also means "knowledge". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chilankhulo | ||
| The word 'chilankhulo' can also refer to a proverb or a riddle. | |||
| Shona | mutauro | ||
| 'Mutauro' shares a root with the verb 'kutaura' (to speak), highlighting the close connection between language and communication. | |||
| Somali | luqadda | ||
| The Somali word "luqadda" can also mean "the way of speaking" or "the manner of expressing oneself." | |||
| Sesotho | puo | ||
| In the phrase 'puo ya moya' ('mother tongue'), 'puo' refers to the ability to speak a language rather than the language itself. | |||
| Swahili | lugha | ||
| Lugha originated in the Proto-Bantu root *luga "to speak," which also gave rise to Kiluba-Lunda ludimi "tongue, speech, language," among others. | |||
| Xhosa | ulwimi | ||
| Xhosa word "ulwimi" originates from the concept of "speech" or "oral expression," and it can also refer to a person's ability to speak or sing. | |||
| Yoruba | ede | ||
| The Yoruba word 'ede' also means 'mouth' and 'speech', indicating the close relationship between language and these concepts. | |||
| Zulu | ulimi | ||
| The Zulu word 'ulimi' is derived from the Proto-Bantu noun *limi, which means 'tongue' and is related to the verb '-lima', meaning 'to taste'. | |||
| Bambara | kan | ||
| Ewe | gbegbᴐgblᴐ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ururimi | ||
| Lingala | lokota | ||
| Luganda | olulimi | ||
| Sepedi | polelo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kasa | ||
Language in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | لغة | ||
| The Arabic word | |||
| Hebrew | שפה | ||
| The Hebrew word 'שפה' ('language') also means 'lip' or 'edge', highlighting the role of the mouth in speech. | |||
| Pashto | ژبه | ||
| The word "ژبه" (language) in Pashto is derived from the Persian word "زبن" (tongue), suggesting its connection to the act of speaking. | |||
| Arabic | لغة | ||
| The Arabic word | |||
Language in Western European Languages
| Albanian | gjuhe | ||
| "Gjuhe" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰéw- ( | |||
| Basque | hizkuntza | ||
| In Basque "hizkuntza" originates from *hiz|*k(h)u|*n|*tz|*a which translates roughly to "the means to speak or utter sounds". | |||
| Catalan | llenguatge | ||
| The word "llenguatge" derives from the Latin "lingua" (tongue) and originally referred to both language and speech. | |||
| Croatian | jezik | ||
| The word 'jezik' is also a cognate of 'jež', meaning 'hedgehog', and likely shares a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'spiny' or 'sharp'. | |||
| Danish | sprog | ||
| "Sprog" is the Danish word for "language", and can also be used to refer to "speech" or "dialect." | |||
| Dutch | taal | ||
| Taal can also refer to the 'tongue' in Dutch. | |||
| English | language | ||
| The word 'language' originates from Old French 'lange' meaning 'tongue' and also refers to the system of structured communication. | |||
| French | langue | ||
| "Langue" can also refer to a tongue (body part) in French, with the origin of word coming ultimately from Latin "lingua" (tongue of any vertebrate). | |||
| Frisian | taal | ||
| The name of the West Frisian language is a cognate of the word for 'speech' in English. | |||
| Galician | lingua | ||
| German | sprache | ||
| The word 'Sprache' originates from the Proto-Indo-European root 'sprek' meaning 'to speak', also found in the Old Norse word 'sprak' and even the English word 'speak'. | |||
| Icelandic | tungumál | ||
| The Icelandic word "tungumál" literally means "tongue-speech". | |||
| Irish | teanga | ||
| The Irish word for language 'teanga' can also refer to 'tongue'. | |||
| Italian | linguaggio | ||
| The word 'linguaggio' derives from the Latin word 'lingua,' meaning 'tongue,' connecting speech to taste and articulation. | |||
| Luxembourgish | sprooch | ||
| The word "Sprooch" can also refer to the speech of a person or a group of people. | |||
| Maltese | lingwa | ||
| Maltese "lingwa" derives from "lingua", the Latin word for language, but is also used to refer to the Maltese language specifically. | |||
| Norwegian | språk | ||
| Språk in Norwegian has the alternate meaning of 'speech', and is cognate with the English word 'sprack', meaning 'lively' or 'animated'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | língua | ||
| Originating from Latin "lingua" (tongue), "língua" also refers to the human tongue anatomically and linguistically in Portuguese. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cànan | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, 'cànan' can also mean a religious creed or a prophecy. | |||
| Spanish | idioma | ||
| "Idioma" originally meant "style" or "manner of speaking" in Greek, but it was later adopted by Latin to refer to the particular system of sounds, grammar, and vocabulary used by a specific group of people. | |||
| Swedish | språk | ||
| "Språk" is also the Swedish word for "tongue" and "speech organ." | |||
| Welsh | iaith | ||
| The Welsh word "iaith" is derived from the Proto-Celtic word *yēxtā, meaning "speech" or "utterance." | |||
Language in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | мова | ||
| The word "мова" in Belarusian originally meant "speech" or "utterance" and is related to the verb "мовить" (to speak). | |||
| Bosnian | jezik | ||
| Jezik is a South Slavic word that originally meant "people" or "tribe", and is related to the English word "tongue". | |||
| Bulgarian | език | ||
| The Bulgarian word 'език' also means 'tongue', as they share a common Indo-European root. | |||
| Czech | jazyk | ||
| The Czech word "jazyk" also means "tongue" and is cognate with the English word "tongue". | |||
| Estonian | keel | ||
| The Estonian word “keel” also refers to the keel of a boat or other vessels. | |||
| Finnish | kieli | ||
| Related to the words "kieli"= "tongue" and "kielenkanta"= "language family" in Finnish | |||
| Hungarian | nyelv | ||
| The Hungarian word nyelvis thought to derive from the Proto-Uralic term *ńelke, meaning "tongue". | |||
| Latvian | valodu | ||
| In Lithuanian, the word "valodas" refers to both "languages" as well as "governments or authorities". | |||
| Lithuanian | kalba | ||
| Possibly derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱel- 'to speak' but might also relate to the Proto-Baltic root *kalb- 'to speak, talk' | |||
| Macedonian | јазик | ||
| The Macedonian word 'јазик' is also used to refer to the muscular organ in the mouth. | |||
| Polish | język | ||
| The word "język" in Polish also means "tongue", "speech", "dialect" or "a piece of fabric". | |||
| Romanian | limba | ||
| The word "limba" derives from the Latin word "lingua", meaning "tongue", suggesting the close association between language and the act of speaking. | |||
| Russian | язык | ||
| The word "язык" initially meant "people" and came to mean "language" in the old Slavonic language. | |||
| Serbian | језик | ||
| The Serbian word "Језик" ("jezik") is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*językъ", which originally meant "tongue". | |||
| Slovak | jazyk | ||
| The word "Jazyk" in Slovak can also refer to "tongue" as an organ. | |||
| Slovenian | jezik | ||
| The word "jezik" also means "tongue" in Slovenian, reflecting the close connection between language and the physical act of speaking. | |||
| Ukrainian | мова | ||
| 'Мова' in Ukrainian can also mean 'speech' or a 'way of speaking', emphasizing the performative aspect of language. | |||
Language in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ভাষা | ||
| ভাষা (bhāṣā) derives from Sanskrit and also denotes "speech" or "speaking", while "script" is denoted by the word "lipi". | |||
| Gujarati | ભાષા | ||
| "ભાષા" can also mean 'utterance' or 'sound' in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | भाषा: हिन्दी | ||
| भाषा शब्द संस्कृत के 'भाष' ('बोलना') धातु से बना है, जिसका अर्थ मौखिक अभिव्यक्ति से है। | |||
| Kannada | ಭಾಷೆ | ||
| The word "ಭಾಷೆ" (language) is derived from the Sanskrit word "भाष्" (to speak) and refers to the ability to express thoughts and ideas through sounds, symbols, or gestures. | |||
| Malayalam | ഭാഷ | ||
| The word "bhaasha" ultimately derives from the Sanskrit "bhaash" meaning "to speak" and can also mean "speech" or "dialect" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | इंग्रजी | ||
| The word “इंग्रजी” in Marathi originates from the Prakrit form of the Sanskrit word “अङ्ग्रेज़ी” (meaning “English”), which in turn derived from the name of the region of Anglia in England (via Persian). | |||
| Nepali | भाषा | ||
| The word "भाषा" may have originated from two Sanskrit words "भाष" (speech) and "या" (to go), meaning "that which can be spoken." | |||
| Punjabi | ਭਾਸ਼ਾ | ||
| The word "ਭਾਸ਼ਾ" (language) in Punjabi is derived from Sanskrit and also means "expression" or "way of speaking." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | භාෂාව | ||
| The word භාෂාව derives from Sanskrit and it can also mean 'knowledge', 'expression' and 'the act of speaking'. | |||
| Tamil | மொழி | ||
| மொழி also translates to 'speak', and it carries that original meaning in certain contexts. | |||
| Telugu | భాష | ||
| The word "భాష" (language) in Telugu is also used to refer to a specific dialect or a script. | |||
| Urdu | زبان | ||
| The Urdu word "زبان" (zabān "tongue, language") originates from the Persian word "زبان" (zabān) and is cognate with English "tongue." | |||
Language in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 语言 | ||
| "语言" 也指能表示一定意义的符号体系，如机器语言、音乐语言、数学语言等。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 語言 | ||
| 語言 can also mean ‘speech’ or ‘argument’ | |||
| Japanese | 言語 | ||
| 言語 can also refer to specific types of language, such as programming languages or sign languages. | |||
| Korean | 언어 | ||
| The word "언어" (language) in Korean also has the meaning of "agreement between two or more parties". | |||
| Mongolian | хэл | ||
| The word хэл (''language'') in Mongolian can also refer to a specific form of speech or dialect. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဘာသာစကား | ||
Language in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bahasa | ||
| "Bahasa" comes from the Sanskrit word "bhasa," which means both "language" and "speech." | |||
| Javanese | basa | ||
| "Basa" in Javanese is also the word for "traditional" or "old" and can be used in the context of customs and norms. | |||
| Khmer | ភាសា | ||
| The word "ភាសា" comes from the Sanskrit word "भाषा" (bhāṣā), which originally meant "speech, sound, noise". | |||
| Lao | ພາສາ | ||
| The Lao word ພາສາ (pasa) comes from Sanskrit and refers to speech, words, or the means of communication. | |||
| Malay | bahasa | ||
| Bahasa is also used to refer to any system of communication, such as the language of symbols, gestures, or music. | |||
| Thai | ภาษา | ||
| The word "ภาษา" can also refer to "speech" or "the art of speaking" | |||
| Vietnamese | ngôn ngữ | ||
| "Ngôn ngữ" comes from "ngôn" (speech) and "ngữ" (character), meaning "expressive tool". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | wika | ||
Language in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dil | ||
| In Azerbaijani, "dil" also refers to the specific accent with which a language is spoken, and can be used figuratively to describe the ability to speak in a particular style or manner. | |||
| Kazakh | тіл | ||
| "Тіл" also means "tongue" in Kazakh, and is closely related to the Chinese word for "language", "語" (yǔ). | |||
| Kyrgyz | тил | ||
| The word "тил" has cognates in Proto-Turkic "*til" and Proto-Mongolic "*del" which both meant "written sign". | |||
| Tajik | забон | ||
| The word "забон" can also refer to the "art of speaking" or "eloquence" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | dili | ||
| Uzbek | til | ||
| The word "til" also means "script" and "knowledge" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | تىل | ||
Language in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻōlelo | ||
| ʻŌlelo also means to share words or thoughts. | |||
| Maori | reo | ||
| The word "reo" in Maori not only means "language" but also refers to a shared worldview and cultural identity. | |||
| Samoan | gagana | ||
| The word "gagana" in Samoan also means "to speak" or "to talk". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | wika | ||
| The word "wika" in Tagalog is also used to refer to a specific language, usually one's own. | |||
Language in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | aru | ||
| Guarani | ñe'ẽ | ||
Language in International Languages
| Esperanto | lingvo | ||
| Esperanto's "lingvo" also means "nation" in Esperanto, or "ethnic group" in English. | |||
| Latin | lingua | ||
| Lingua also refers to the fleshy projection on the lower jaw of sea urchins. | |||
Language in Others Languages
| Greek | γλώσσα | ||
| Γλώσσα (tongue) got its meaning from the fact that in ancient Greece the term 'γλῶττα' was used to denote the part of the body of the animal that was eaten first. | |||
| Hmong | lus | ||
| The word "lus" in Hmong also means "tongue" or "speech". | |||
| Kurdish | ziman | ||
| Ziman also refers to a 'tong, a metal plate or a keyhole plate' in some Kurdish dialects such as the Mukri dialect. | |||
| Turkish | dil | ||
| The Turkish word "dil" also means "heart" or "spirit", reflecting the deep connection between language and identity. | |||
| Xhosa | ulwimi | ||
| Xhosa word "ulwimi" originates from the concept of "speech" or "oral expression," and it can also refer to a person's ability to speak or sing. | |||
| Yiddish | שפּראַך | ||
| The Yiddish word "shprakh" originally meant "speech" or "conversation". | |||
| Zulu | ulimi | ||
| The Zulu word 'ulimi' is derived from the Proto-Bantu noun *limi, which means 'tongue' and is related to the verb '-lima', meaning 'to taste'. | |||
| Assamese | ভাষা | ||
| Aymara | aru | ||
| Bhojpuri | भाखा | ||
| Dhivehi | ބަސް | ||
| Dogri | भाशा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | wika | ||
| Guarani | ñe'ẽ | ||
| Ilocano | lengguahe | ||
| Krio | langwej | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | زمان | ||
| Maithili | भाषा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯣꯜ | ||
| Mizo | tawng | ||
| Oromo | afaan | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଭାଷା | ||
| Quechua | simi | ||
| Sanskrit | भाषा | ||
| Tatar | тел | ||
| Tigrinya | ቋንቋ | ||
| Tsonga | ririmi | ||