Lap in different languages

Lap in Different Languages

Discover 'Lap' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'lap' holds a special place in our hearts and homes, bringing to mind cozy images of warm embraces and soothing comfort. It's a word that transcends language barriers, resonating with people all over the world in various cultures and traditions. But have you ever wondered how to say 'lap' in different languages? Understanding this simple yet meaningful term in multiple tongues can open up new avenues of communication and cultural exchange.

For instance, in Spanish, 'lap' translates to 'regazo,' while in German, it's 'Schoß.' In French, the word for lap is 'genouillère,' which literally means 'knee guard,' reflecting the protective nature of a lap. In Japanese, the term 'hiza' refers to the lap, but it also symbolizes a sense of security and warmth.

Join us as we delve deeper into the fascinating world of language and culture, exploring the many ways to say 'lap' in different languages. This journey will not only enrich your vocabulary but also provide a unique insight into the hearts and minds of people from various corners of the globe.

Lap


Lap in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansskoot
"Skoot" derives from the Dutch "schoot" with similar meaning, but can also refer to someone's offspring, or the area where a person's legs are positioned when sitting down.
Amharicጭን
The word "ጭን" is also used to refer to a small, flat circular piece of bread that is often eaten rolled up with butter or other condiments.
Hausacinya
The Hausa word "cinya" also means "the edge of a cloth or garment."
Igboapata
The word 'apata' in Igbo also means 'a place to put something'.
Malagasyam-pofoana
The word "am-pofoana" can also refer to the space between two rows of houses or the front area of a house.
Nyanja (Chichewa)chilolo
In Nyanja, the word "chilolo" can also refer to the "front of a garment worn around the waist".
Shonapamakumbo
The word "pamakumbo" can also refer to the act of covering oneself with a blanket.
Somalidhabta
The word "dhabta" also means "to put one's legs together" in Somali.
Sesotholirope
In Sesotho, "lirope" signifies a lap, specifically the space formed by the lower body when in a sitting position.
Swahilipaja
The word "paja" in Swahili can also refer to a mat or a shelter made of leaves or grass.
Xhosaethangeni
The word "ethangeni" also literally means "the place where meat is divided" in Xhosa.
Yorubaipele
Ipele can also mean 'a child slung on the back' in Yoruba.
Zuluithanga
The Zulu word 'ithanga' also means 'a shelf' or 'a platform'
Bambaraka nɛmu
Eweata dzi
Kinyarwandalap
Lingalatoure ya nzela
Lugandaomubiri
Sepedidifaro
Twi (Akan)serɛ

Lap in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicحضن
The word 'حضن' can also refer to 'embrace, bosom, womb' and shares a common Semitic root with 'حضن' ('to guard, protect').
Hebrewהקפה
The word "הקפה" in Hebrew can also refer to circumnavigation or orbiting, deriving from the root "קף" meaning to surround or encompass.
Pashtoګود
The Pashto word "ګود" also refers to a "shallow pit" or "hollow space".
Arabicحضن
The word 'حضن' can also refer to 'embrace, bosom, womb' and shares a common Semitic root with 'حضن' ('to guard, protect').

Lap in Western European Languages

Albanianxhiro
"Xhiro" comes from Italian "giro" (turn, round), also meaning "trip, tour, circle" in Albanian.
Basqueitzulian
The Basque word "itzulian" can also refer to a "round", the area a shepherd covers grazing sheep.
Catalanvolta
"Volta" can also mean "turn" in Catalan, and is related to the French word "volte" and the Italian word "volta.
Croatiankrug
In Serbo-Croatian the word krug means circle or a drinking vessel
Danishskød
'Skød' can also refer to the inside of a garment or a fold.}
Dutchronde
In Dutch, "ronde" can also mean a round of drinks or a round of a competition.
Englishlap
The word "lap" can also refer to a period of time, such as the period between two meals or the period of time before a race.
Frenchtour
In French, the word "tour" can also mean a "turn" or a "round", as in a game or competition.
Frisianlap
In Frisian, "lap" can also refer to a small piece of land or a short distance.
Galiciancolo
The Galician word “colo” can also refer to a shelter for animals or a small cabin in the mountains.
Germanrunde
The word "Runde" in German comes from the Middle High German word "runde", meaning "circle" or "round thing".
Icelandichring
Cognate with the Norwegian word 'ring' ('circle'), hringur originally meant a ring or circle, later specializing to mean 'lap'
Irishlap
In Irish, the word "lap" can also refer to an act of worship or reverence.
Italiangiro
The Italian noun "giro" (lap) derives from the Greek "gyros" (circle, turn), and in French and English it denotes a banking transaction.
Luxembourgishronn
The word "Ronn" can also refer to a round object or the act of circling something.
Malteseħoġor
The Maltese word "ħoġor" is cognate with the Arabic word "حِجر" (hijr), meaning "stone" or "rock", suggesting its possible origin as a reference to the rough and hard surfaces on which people may have traditionally sat.
Norwegianrunde
The word "runde" (lap) originated as a Norwegian term for riding around a livestock fence, leading to its use also for a race track and in sporting contexts.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)colo
The word "colo" comes from the Latin "collum," meaning "neck."
Scots Gaelicuchd
The Gaelic word for 'lap' has cognates across many Indo-European languages, for example 'udho' and 'uha' in Sanskrit.
Spanishregazo
The word originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *regh-, meaning "to stretch out" or "to be straight". It has related words in other languages, such as the English "right" and the German "richtig".
Swedishknä
"Knä" in Swedish is often used as a term of endearment, much like the English "dear" or "honey".
Welshlap
In Welsh, the spelling "lap" means "to speak"

Lap in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianна каленях
The term "на каленях" (lap) in Belarusian literally translates to "on the knees" in English.
Bosnianlap
The word "lap" in Bosnian can also refer to a fold or a crease in a fabric.
Bulgarianскута
The word "скута" also means "cape" or "coat" in Bulgarian.
Czechklín
The Czech word "klín" is etymologically related to "klín" in other Slavic languages, meaning "wedge" or "corner", and can also refer to a piece of fabric used in traditional clothing.
Estoniansüles
"Süles" in Estonian derives from "sülla" (to embrace), related to "südam" (heart), denoting affection and protection through physical closeness.
Finnishkierros
"Kierros" also refers to a revolution, rotation or turn (e.g. of a key).
Hungarianöl
In Hungarian, "öl" also means "5.5 m" and is related to "ölni" (to kill), as a measure of the length of a grave.
Latvianklēpis
The Latvian word **klēpis** originally meant 'swaddling clothes' and is related to Germanic words like English 'clasp'.
Lithuanianratas
The word "ratas" has multiple meanings, including "wheel", "cycle", "period", "time", "portion", "installment", "rate", and "installment."
Macedonianкруг
"Круг" comes from Proto-Slavic *kǫgъ, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷekʷlos, meaning "wheel" or "circle".
Polishpodołek
In some Slavic languages, the word "podołek" means "the hem of a garment".
Romanianpoala
Poala derives from the Proto-Indo-European word *pelh₂- or *pels-, meaning "flat surface".
Russianкруг
"Круг" has a second meaning of a full circle, like a loop
Serbianкрило
The word "крило" in Serbian also means wing and is related to the Old Church Slavonic word "крыло" with the same meaning.
Slovakkolo
In Slovak, "kolo" can also refer to a dance or a circle, deriving from the Proto-Slavic root *kolo meaning "wheel".
Sloveniannaročje
The word "naročje" is also used metaphorically to mean "protection", "support", or "love".
Ukrainianколінах
The word "колінах" can also mean "bend" or "elbow" in Ukrainian.

Lap in South Asian Languages

Bengaliভাঁজ
"ভাঁজ" can also refer to a small box or container, or to a fold or crease.
Gujaratiખોળો
Hindiगोद
Kannadaಲ್ಯಾಪ್
The word "ಲ್ಯಾಪ್" ("lap") in Kannada can also refer to a type of traditional Indian garment worn by women.
Malayalamമടി
The word "മടി" also means "laziness" and is related to the root word "മന്ദ" (slow)
Marathiमांडी
The word "मांडी" also refers to a small stool used for sitting or to a low platform where people can sit.
Nepaliगोद
Punjabiਗੋਦੀ
Sinhala (Sinhalese)උකුල
The word "උකුල" also refers to the part of a garment that folds over onto itself and often has a flap or tassel.
Tamilமடியில்
The word "மடியில்" can also refer to a woman's chest or the fold of a garment.
Teluguఒడి
In Telugu, "ఒడి" can also mean "care" or "protection", and is derived from the Sanskrit root "ava-di" meaning "to cover" or "to protect".
Urduگود
In the colloquial sense, the term "گود" can also refer to a place or location, as in the phrase "گھر کی گود" (literally "the lap of a home") meaning "the home environment".

Lap in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)圈数
圈数 in Chinese can also mean a number of times that something is repeated.
Chinese (Traditional)圈數
The Chinese term 圈數 literally translates to 'number of rotations,' highlighting its connection to the circular path of a race or track.
Japaneseラップ
The Japanese word "ラップ" can also refer to a type of music, derived from the English term "rap".
Korean무릎
In Korean, the word "무릎" (lap) is also used to refer to the knees and thighs.
Mongolianтойрог
The word "тойрог" can also refer to a circle or a ring in Mongolian.
Myanmar (Burmese)ရင်ခွင်

Lap in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianputaran
The word 'putaran' can also refer to a 'round' or 'rotation'
Javaneseputeran
The word "puteran" also means "to turn" or "to rotate" in Javanese.
Khmerភ្លៅ
The word "ភ្លៅ" can also mean "to fall" or "to drop".
Laoຕັກ
The word ຕັກ can also mean 'to hang' or 'to be suspended'.
Malaypusingan
"Pusingan" also means "round" or "cycle" in Malay.
Thaiตัก
"ตัก" (lap) can also mean to scoop up water or other liquids.
Vietnameselòng
In Vietnamese, "lòng" can also refer to animal organs or a person's thoughts and feelings.
Filipino (Tagalog)lap

Lap in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanidövrə
The word "dövrə" has a double meaning in Azerbaijani: both "lap" and "circle". Both meanings go back to the Proto-Turkic verb "tövrü-." This verb meant "to turn" or "to circle around."
Kazakhайналым
"Айналым" also means "my dear" and is used as a term of endearment.
Kyrgyzайлампа
The word 'айлампа' also means 'sleeve' (of a robe) in Kyrgyz.
Tajikдавр
The word "давр" ("lap") in Tajik also has the meaning of "time", "epoch", and "era".
Turkmenaýlaw
Uzbekaylana
The Uzbek word "aylana" also means "area" or "environment".
Uyghurlap

Lap in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianʻūhā
'Ūhā' can also mean 'to embrace', 'to hold in close', or 'to carry under one's arm'.
Maorikopu
The Maori word 'kopu', besides meaning 'lap', can refer to the belly or abdomen, a bag or sack, or a basket or container.
Samoanvae
"Vae" also means "time", or "period". It is related to the Tongan word "fae" which means "place", or "spot".
Tagalog (Filipino)lap
The Tagalog word "lap" can also refer to the part of the body where the thigh meets the abdomen, similar to the English word "groin".

Lap in American Indigenous Languages

Aymararijasu
Guaranitapypa'ũ

Lap in International Languages

Esperantorondiro
The word "rondiro" is derived from the French "rond" (circle), and also has the meaning of "round" or "orbit" in Esperanto.
Latinlap
The Latin word "lap" (lāp.) can also refer to slips or slides.

Lap in Others Languages

Greekαγκαλιά
The Greek word "αγκαλιά" is derived from the word "αγκάλη" which means "elbow" or "armpit".
Hmongceg tawv
"Ceg tawv" also means "the front of the pants" or "crotch".
Kurdishhimbêz
"Himbéz" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*hem-/*hemə" meaning "earth" or "ground", which also gave rise to the English word "home".
Turkishtur
The word "tur" also means "spinning" in Turkish, referring to the act of spinning yarn on a spinning wheel or by hand.
Xhosaethangeni
The word "ethangeni" also literally means "the place where meat is divided" in Xhosa.
Yiddishשויס
The Yiddish word "שויס" (pronounced “shoys”) also refers to a type of traditional Jewish prayer book that is used during festivals and special occasions.
Zuluithanga
The Zulu word 'ithanga' also means 'a shelf' or 'a platform'
Assameseকোলা
Aymararijasu
Bhojpuriभाग
Dhivehiއުނގު
Dogriगोद
Filipino (Tagalog)lap
Guaranitapypa'ũ
Ilocanopatong
Kriofut
Kurdish (Sorani)کۆش
Maithiliकोरा
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯇꯝꯄꯥꯛ
Mizomalchung
Oromosarbaa
Odia (Oriya)ଲାପ୍
Quechuamuyu
Sanskritउत्सङ्ग
Tatarлап
Tigrinyaሕቑፊ
Tsongandzhumbhu

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