Library in Different Languages
Discover 'Library' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A library is a place where knowledge and culture come together, a sanctuary for the curious and the seekers of truth. It is a symbol of human civilization's thirst for knowledge and the desire to preserve and share it with future generations. From ancient scrolls to modern e-books, libraries have evolved with technology, but their essence remains the same.
The significance of libraries goes beyond their function as a repository of books. They are community hubs, where people can gather, learn, and connect. They are also symbols of social equality, providing free access to information and resources for all. In many parts of the world, libraries are the only source of knowledge and education for people who cannot afford them otherwise.
Understanding the translation of the word 'library' in different languages can open up a world of cultural exchange and appreciation. For example, in Spanish, it's 'biblioteca', in French, it's 'bibliothèque', in German, it's 'Bibliothek', in Russian, it's 'библиотека' (biblioteka), in Chinese, it's '图书馆' (túshūguǎn), and in Japanese, it's '図書館' (toshokan).
Stay tuned for a comprehensive list of translations of the word 'library' in various languages, each with its unique cultural context and significance.
Library
Library in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | biblioteek | ||
| The Afrikaans word "biblioteek" comes from the Dutch word "bibliotheek", which itself derives from the Latin word "bibliotheca", ultimately derived from the Greek "biblion" (book) and "theke" (container). | |||
| Amharic | ቤተ መጻሕፍት | ||
| The word "ቤተመጻሕፍት" literally means "house of books" and is derived from the Ge'ez words "ቤት" (house) and "መጽሐፍ" (book). | |||
| Hausa | laburare | ||
| Laburare's etymology suggests that it refers to a gathering place for sharing intellectual resources. | |||
| Igbo | ọba akwụkwọ | ||
| Malagasy | fitehirizam-boky | ||
| The word 'fitehirizam-boky' is derived from the words 'fitehirizana' meaning 'treasure' and 'boky' meaning 'book', thus literally translating to 'treasure of books'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | laibulale | ||
| The word "laibulale" derives from the word "laibulalo" which means "a place of reading". | |||
| Shona | raibhurari | ||
| Raibhurari is derived from the English word 'library,' and it shares the same meaning. | |||
| Somali | maktabada | ||
| The word "maktabada" in Somali originates from the Arabic word "maktab" (office or school), further derived from the Persian word "maktab" (place of study). | |||
| Sesotho | laeborari | ||
| "Laeborari" means "book hut" and is derived from Dutch "bibliotheek" | |||
| Swahili | maktaba | ||
| In Swahili, "maktaba" can also mean "office" or "workshop", and is related to the Arabic word "maktab" (school). | |||
| Xhosa | ithala leencwadi | ||
| Derived from the Zulu word “ithala”, meaning a place of storage. | |||
| Yoruba | ìkàwé | ||
| 'Ìkàwé' literally translates to "the house of gathering" in Yoruba, signifying the library's role as a repository of knowledge. | |||
| Zulu | umtapo wezincwadi | ||
| The term, 'umtapo wezincwadi', is not a direct translation of, 'library', yet it is its most apt approximation in isiZulu. | |||
| Bambara | gafekalanyɔrɔ | ||
| Ewe | agbalẽdzraɖoƒe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | isomero | ||
| Lingala | biblioteke | ||
| Luganda | ekizimbe ekibeeramu ebitabo | ||
| Sepedi | bokgobapuku | ||
| Twi (Akan) | laabri | ||
Library in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مكتبة | ||
| The word "مكتبة" can also refer to a "bookcase" or a "collection of books" depending on context. | |||
| Hebrew | סִפְרִיָה | ||
| סִפְרִיָה derives from the root ס-פ-ר (s-f-r), meaning "to count," and also "to write," or "to record." | |||
| Pashto | کتابتون | ||
| This word literally translates as “place of scribes” or “house of writers” and refers to a place where books and manuscripts were written and stored, usually in religious institutions. | |||
| Arabic | مكتبة | ||
| The word "مكتبة" can also refer to a "bookcase" or a "collection of books" depending on context. | |||
Library in Western European Languages
| Albanian | librari | ||
| "Librari" in Albanian is ultimately derived from the Latin word "liber", meaning "book", and also refers to a "bookcase" or "bookbinder". | |||
| Basque | liburutegia | ||
| The Basque word 'liburutegia' means 'library' in English, and derives from the Latin words 'liber', meaning 'book', and 'theca', meaning 'box' or 'container'. | |||
| Catalan | biblioteca | ||
| The word "biblioteca" is derived from the Latin "bibliothēca", which in turn comes from the Greek "biblion" (book) and "thēkē" (container). | |||
| Croatian | knjižnica | ||
| The word “knjižnica” originally meant a place where public documents were kept and only later took on the meaning of a collection of books. | |||
| Danish | bibliotek | ||
| "Bibliotek" derives from the Greek "biblion" (book) and "theke" (container). | |||
| Dutch | bibliotheek | ||
| The Dutch word "bibliotheek" shares its Proto-Germanic root with the English word "book". | |||
| English | library | ||
| The word 'library' originates from the Latin 'liber' (book), meaning 'a collection of books'. | |||
| French | bibliothèque | ||
| "Bibliothèque" can also mean "a collection of books on a particular subject" or "a bookcase" in French. | |||
| Frisian | biblioteek | ||
| In Frisian, "biblioteek" may also refer to a specific collection of books or a reading room. | |||
| Galician | biblioteca | ||
| In Galician, besides "library" 'biblioteca' also means "archive" or "bookshop" | |||
| German | bibliothek | ||
| "Bibliothek" derives from Greek "biblion" (scroll, book) and "theke" (place, depository), akin to the Latin "bibliotheca" (collection of books). | |||
| Icelandic | bókasafn | ||
| The word 'bókasafn' may also refer to a specific collection of books, such as a personal library, or to the building that houses the collection. | |||
| Irish | leabharlann | ||
| The term leabharlann (library) is derived from the Irish words leabhar (book) and lann (enclosure, house). | |||
| Italian | biblioteca | ||
| "Biblioteca" derives from Latin "bibliothēca", from Greek "βιβλιοθήκη" (bibliotheke), meaning "bookcase". | |||
| Luxembourgish | bibliothéik | ||
| Bibliothéik (library) derives from the Greek βιβλιοθήκη, referring to a place where books are kept and collected. | |||
| Maltese | librerija | ||
| "Librerija" in Maltese traces its roots to the Latin word "libraria," meaning "relating to books" or "a place where books are stored." | |||
| Norwegian | bibliotek | ||
| The Norwegian word «bibliotek» is of Greek origin, derived from «biblion» meaning «book» and «theke» meaning «container». | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | biblioteca | ||
| The word "biblioteca" derives from Latin "bibliothēca", ultimately originating from the Greek word for "book", βιβλίον (biblion). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | leabharlann | ||
| "Leabharlann" derives from the Old Irish "leabhar" (book) and "lann" (church) and originally referred to a place where religious texts were stored. | |||
| Spanish | biblioteca | ||
| The word "biblioteca" derives from the Latin "bibliotheca", itself taken from the Greek "bibliothēkē", meaning "collection of books". | |||
| Swedish | bibliotek | ||
| The word "bibliotek" originates from the Greek "biblion" (book) and "theke" (case) and can also refer to a bookshelf or bookcase. | |||
| Welsh | llyfrgell | ||
| The Welsh word llyfrgell is derived from the Latin word liber, meaning book, and the Celtic suffix -gell, meaning a place. | |||
Library in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | бібліятэка | ||
| In Belarusian, "бібліятэка" also means "a collection of books related to a specific subject or author." | |||
| Bosnian | biblioteka | ||
| The word "biblioteka" also means "repository" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | библиотека | ||
| The word "библиотека" is derived from the Greek word "βιβλιοθήκη", meaning "bookcase" or "book collection". | |||
| Czech | knihovna | ||
| The Czech word “knihovna” comes from the German “Knabe,” meaning “servant.” | |||
| Estonian | raamatukogu | ||
| The word "raamatukogu" is derived from the Estonian words "raamat" (book) and "kogu" (collection). | |||
| Finnish | kirjasto | ||
| The Finnish word "kirjasto" originates from the Greek "bibliotheca", which means "place for books". | |||
| Hungarian | könyvtár | ||
| Könyvtár originated as a compound noun of the words 'könyv' (book) and 'tár' (container), and was first used in the 15th century. | |||
| Latvian | bibliotēka | ||
| The word "bibliotēka" ultimately derives from the Greek word for "book" and the suffix "-thekē" meaning "container". | |||
| Lithuanian | biblioteka | ||
| The word "biblioteka" is derived from the Greek word "biblion" meaning "book" and "theke" meaning "container". It can also be used to refer to a person who works in a library. | |||
| Macedonian | библиотека | ||
| The word "библиотека" (library) is derived from the Greek word "βιβλιοθήκη" (bibliotheke), which means "bookcase" or "collection of books". | |||
| Polish | biblioteka | ||
| The Polish term "biblioteka" derives from the Latin "bibliotheca" and originally denoted a room or a cabinet for storing books. | |||
| Romanian | bibliotecă | ||
| In Romanian, "bibliotecă" can also refer to a bookcase or collection of books. | |||
| Russian | библиотека | ||
| The word "библиотека" (library) comes from the Greek word "βιβλιοθήκη" (bibliotheke), which means "bookcase" or "collection of books." | |||
| Serbian | библиотека | ||
| "Библиотека" in Serbian ultimately derives from the Greek word "bibliotheke," meaning "bookcase" or "collection of books." | |||
| Slovak | knižnica | ||
| The word "knižnica" evolved from the Proto-Slavic word "kniga", meaning "book". | |||
| Slovenian | knjižnica | ||
| The word "knjižnica" may have roots in Slavic languages, potentially originating from the Bulgarian word "knigh" meaning "book". | |||
| Ukrainian | бібліотека | ||
| The Ukrainian word "бібліотека" is derived from the Greek word "βιβλιοθήκη" meaning "book collection". | |||
Library in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | গ্রন্থাগার | ||
| The word "গ্রন্থাগার" originally denoted a "collection of books", with "গ্রন্থ" meaning "book" and "আগার" indicating a room or storehouse. | |||
| Gujarati | પુસ્તકાલય | ||
| The word "પુસ્તકાલય" is derived from the Sanskrit words "pustaka" (book) and "alaya" (house), indicating a "house of books". | |||
| Hindi | पुस्तकालय | ||
| The word "पुस्तकालय" also means "place of books" or "collection of books" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಗ್ರಂಥಾಲಯ | ||
| In ancient Kannada, the word “ಗ್ರಂಥಾಲಯ” (“granthalaya”) specifically referred to a repository for religious books and manuscripts. | |||
| Malayalam | പുസ്തകശാല | ||
| The word "പുസ്തകശാല" can also mean "a collection of books" or "a place where books are stored" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | ग्रंथालय | ||
| The word ग्रंथालय (granthalaya) is derived from the Sanskrit words "grantha" (book) and "alaya" (house). | |||
| Nepali | पुस्तकालय | ||
| The word "पुस्तकालय" (library) comes from the Sanskrit word "पुस्तक" (book) and the Persian word "خانه" (house). | |||
| Punjabi | ਲਾਇਬ੍ਰੇਰੀ | ||
| The word "ਲਾਇਬ੍ਰੇਰੀ" likely derives from the Latin word "liber", meaning "book". It may also refer to a room or building where books are kept, or to a collection of books. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පුස්තකාලය | ||
| The word 'පුස්තකාලය' is derived from the Sanskrit words 'पुस्तक' (book) and 'आलय' (house), meaning 'a house of books'. | |||
| Tamil | நூலகம் | ||
| The word "நூலகம்" (noolāgam) can also refer to a collection or compendium, such as a set of books or scriptures. | |||
| Telugu | గ్రంధాలయం | ||
| Urdu | کتب خانہ | ||
| The word "کتب خانہ" is derived from Persian and literally means "house of books." | |||
Library in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 图书馆 | ||
| 图书馆一词由“图”和“书”两个汉字组成，其中“图”意为图像或书籍，“书”意为文字或书面记录，合起来意为存放和保存图像、书籍的场所。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 圖書館 | ||
| In Traditional Chinese, "圖書館" can also refer to a book depository or a collection of books. | |||
| Japanese | 図書館 | ||
| The first element of 図書館 (toshokan), 図書 (tosho) means books or documents. | |||
| Korean | 도서관 | ||
| 도서관 is also the Korean name for a bookstore, as many Korean bookstores also have a section for lending books to readers. | |||
| Mongolian | номын сан | ||
| The word "номын сан" can also refer to a "bookcase". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စာကြည့်တိုက် | ||
Library in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | perpustakaan | ||
| The word "Perpustakaan" derives from the Sanskrit word "pustaka, | |||
| Javanese | perpustakaan | ||
| The Javanese word "perpustakaan" is derived from Sanskrit, meaning "collection of books" or "place of knowledge." | |||
| Khmer | បណ្ណាល័យ | ||
| The word "បណ្ណាល័យ" in Khmer is derived from Sanskrit and has alternate meanings of "book repository" or "place of learning". | |||
| Lao | ຫ້ອງສະຫມຸດ | ||
| Malay | perpustakaan | ||
| The Malay word "perpustakaan" derives from the Sanskrit word "pustaka" meaning "books", and originally referred to a collection of writings on palm leaves. | |||
| Thai | ห้องสมุด | ||
| The word “ห้องสมุด” (“library”) is derived from the Sanskrit word “pustakalaya” meaning “place of books”. | |||
| Vietnamese | thư viện | ||
| The Vietnamese word "thư viện" originally referred to a place for storing books, but later expanded to include a place for reading and studying. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | aklatan | ||
Library in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kitabxana | ||
| "Kitabxana" also refers to a specific section in mosques or palaces designated for storing books and manuscripts, and is often associated with centers of Islamic scholarship. | |||
| Kazakh | кітапхана | ||
| The word "кітапхана" is derived from the Persian word "kitabkhaneh", meaning "book house". It can also refer to a bookstore or a collection of books. | |||
| Kyrgyz | китепкана | ||
| The word "китепкана" is derived from the Persian word "kitāb", meaning "book", and the suffix "-xana", meaning "place". It can also refer to a bookstore. | |||
| Tajik | китобхона | ||
| The word "китобхона" in Tajik comes from the Persian word "کتب خانه" ( "ketab-khaneh"), which itself is a loanword from the Arabic word "كتاب خانه" ( "kitab-khana"), meaning "house of books." | |||
| Turkmen | kitaphanasy | ||
| Uzbek | kutubxona | ||
| Kutubxona is a compound of two words: "kutub", which has an Arabic origin and means "books", and "xona", which is Persian for "room" or "house". | |||
| Uyghur | كۈتۈپخانا | ||
Library in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hale waihona puke | ||
| This phrase, which translates to "gathering place for learning," reveals that these ancient Hawaiians viewed literacy as a shared journey. | |||
| Maori | whare pukapuka | ||
| The Maori word 'whare pukapuka' literally translates to 'house of books', highlighting the importance of knowledge and education in Maori culture. | |||
| Samoan | faletusi | ||
| The word "faletusi" can also refer to a traditional Samoan home built for storing food and other valuables. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | silid aklatan | ||
| Silid aklatan may have originally meant an 'exhibition hall of books' before it gained its current meaning. | |||
Library in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ullañuta | ||
| Guarani | arandukarenda | ||
Library in International Languages
| Esperanto | biblioteko | ||
| "Biblioteko" comes from the Greek word "bibliotheke", which originally meant "a collection of books". | |||
| Latin | bibliotheca | ||
| Bibliotheca is a Latin word originally meaning a collection of books copied or collected by an individual for private use, or a place where such a collection is kept. | |||
Library in Others Languages
| Greek | βιβλιοθήκη | ||
| The word "βιβλιοθήκη" comes from the Greek words "βιβλίον" (book) and "θήκη" (container), so it literally means "book container". | |||
| Hmong | tsev qiv ntawv | ||
| The word "tsev qiv ntawv" (library) in Hmong also means "books of knowledge" or "place of many books". | |||
| Kurdish | pirtûkxane | ||
| The word "pirtûkxane" derives from the Persian words "pirtûk" (book) and "xane" (house), meaning "house of books". | |||
| Turkish | kütüphane | ||
| The word "kütüphane" derives from the Persian word "ketaab khaneh", meaning "book house." | |||
| Xhosa | ithala leencwadi | ||
| Derived from the Zulu word “ithala”, meaning a place of storage. | |||
| Yiddish | ביבליאָטעק | ||
| The Yiddish word "ביבליאָטעק" is derived from the Greek word for book, "βιβλιοθήκη". | |||
| Zulu | umtapo wezincwadi | ||
| The term, 'umtapo wezincwadi', is not a direct translation of, 'library', yet it is its most apt approximation in isiZulu. | |||
| Assamese | পুথিভঁৰাল | ||
| Aymara | ullañuta | ||
| Bhojpuri | पुस्तकालय | ||
| Dhivehi | ކުތުބުޚާނާ | ||
| Dogri | लाइब्रेरी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | aklatan | ||
| Guarani | arandukarenda | ||
| Ilocano | biblioteka | ||
| Krio | laybri | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کتێبخانە | ||
| Maithili | पुस्तकालय | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯥꯏꯔꯤꯛ ꯊꯝꯐꯝ | ||
| Mizo | library | ||
| Oromo | mana kitaabaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଲାଇବ୍ରେରୀ | | ||
| Quechua | yachay taqi | ||
| Sanskrit | पुस्तकालय | ||
| Tatar | китапханә | ||
| Tigrinya | ቤተ ንባበ | ||
| Tsonga | layiburari | ||