Line in Different Languages
Discover 'Line' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'line' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting a variety of concepts from a simple mark or boundary to a queue of people or a line of code in computer programming. Its cultural importance is evident in disciplines such as calligraphy, where the line's thickness, style, and direction can convey different emotions and meanings.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'line' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how different cultures perceive and interact with this concept. For instance, the German word for line, 'Linie,' also refers to a melody's course in music, reflecting the language's rich musical heritage. Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'sen' represents not only a line but also a unit of length, demonstrating the language's precision and practicality.
With that in mind, let's explore the translations of the word 'line' in various languages, shedding light on the fascinating cultural nuances that underpin this seemingly simple term.
Line
Line in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | lyn | ||
| The Afrikaans word "lyn" also means "string (of a musical instrument)", "string" or "cord" and originates from the Dutch word "lijn". | |||
| Amharic | መስመር | ||
| The word "መስመር" can also refer to a "row", a "series", or a "track". | |||
| Hausa | layi | ||
| The Hausa word "layi" also has the alternate meaning of "way" or "path". | |||
| Igbo | ahịrị | ||
| The Igbo word 'ahịrị' also means 'row' or 'rank', reflecting its role in organizing and structuring things. | |||
| Malagasy | tsipika | ||
| Tsipika is also used in Malagasy to mean "direction" or "path". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mzere | ||
| The Nyanja word "mzere" can also refer to a string, a wire, or a row. | |||
| Shona | mutsara | ||
| "Mutsara" can also refer to a row, a file, or a single column in a tabular structure. | |||
| Somali | xariiq | ||
| The word "xariiq" can also refer to a row of trees or a line of people standing or walking in a formation. | |||
| Sesotho | mola | ||
| The word "mola" in Sesotho can also refer to a type of plant used for medicinal purposes. | |||
| Swahili | mstari | ||
| The word "mstari" in Swahili also means "verse" or "row". | |||
| Xhosa | umgca | ||
| The word "umgca" also means "row" or "rank" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | ila | ||
| The word "ìlà" can also mean "boundary" or "limit". | |||
| Zulu | umugqa | ||
| The word "umugqa" can also mean "a row of people" or "a queue". | |||
| Bambara | ci | ||
| Ewe | fli | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umurongo | ||
| Lingala | nzela | ||
| Luganda | olunyiriri | ||
| Sepedi | mothaladi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nsensaneeɛ | ||
Line in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | خط | ||
| 'خط' (line) in Arabic also means 'fate' or 'destiny' | |||
| Hebrew | קַו | ||
| In addition to its basic meaning, "line," the Hebrew word "קַו" can also refer to an idea or a principle. | |||
| Pashto | ليکه | ||
| In Pashto, the word "ليکه" can also mean "row", "rank", or "grade". | |||
| Arabic | خط | ||
| 'خط' (line) in Arabic also means 'fate' or 'destiny' | |||
Line in Western European Languages
| Albanian | linjë | ||
| "Linjë" is derived from the Latin word "linea" and also means "string" or "row". | |||
| Basque | lerroa | ||
| The Basque word "lerroa" can also refer to a "trace" or a "path". | |||
| Catalan | línia | ||
| The word "línia" also means "fishing line" or "string" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | crta | ||
| The word "crta" in Croatian can also refer to a feature, attribute, or characteristic, derived from the Slavic root *čьrta "draw, write, cut". | |||
| Danish | linje | ||
| "Linje" originates from the French "ligne", meaning "string" or "cord", and the Old French "lignier", meaning "to trace a line". | |||
| Dutch | lijn | ||
| In Dutch, "lijn" can also refer to a bus or tram route, or the boundary between two provinces. | |||
| English | line | ||
| The word 'line' can also refer to a row of people or objects, a course of action, or a boundary. | |||
| French | ligne | ||
| In heraldry, a 'ligne' is a term denoting a horizontal bar on a coat of arms. | |||
| Frisian | rigel | ||
| It is also the Frisian word for a line (the fishing line or a chalk line). | |||
| Galician | liña | ||
| In Spanish, "línea" also means "bus route" | |||
| German | linie | ||
| In German, "Linie" can also refer to a bus or train route or a military formation. | |||
| Icelandic | lína | ||
| The word "lína" in Icelandic has the same root as the English word "line" and can also mean "thread" or "cord" | |||
| Irish | líne | ||
| "Líne" is also used in Irish to refer to a group of related people, similar to the English use of "lineage". | |||
| Italian | linea | ||
| The Italian word "linea" can also refer to a family line or lineage. | |||
| Luxembourgish | linn | ||
| Linn derives from the Latin word "Linea"} | |||
| Maltese | linja | ||
| The Maltese word "linja" can also refer to a bus, as Malta's main bus company is called Arriva Malta "linja" | |||
| Norwegian | linje | ||
| The word 'linje' means 'line' in Norwegian, but can also refer to a queue, a course of action, or a group of people who work together. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | linha | ||
| In Portuguese, "linha" can also refer to a fishing line, family lineage, or a thread (string). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | loidhne | ||
| The word "loidhne" ("line") in Scots Gaelic derives from the Old Irish "loiden" ("rope, cord"), related to the Welsh "llun" ("line, shape"). | |||
| Spanish | línea | ||
| "Línea" in Spanish can also mean "train line" or "border". | |||
| Swedish | linje | ||
| In Swedish, "linje" can be a type of public transportation, such as a tram or a bus, or a type of aircraft used by the military. | |||
| Welsh | llinell | ||
| Derived from the Latin 'linea' via Old English and Middle English 'line', or from the Old Welsh form 'llinn'. | |||
Line in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | лінія | ||
| Belarusian "лінія" originated from the Latin "linea" with the same meaning, but also has the alternate meaning of "family". | |||
| Bosnian | linija | ||
| "Linija" in Bosnian also means "ruler" or "measuring tape." | |||
| Bulgarian | линия | ||
| The word «линия» can also mean "a ruler". | |||
| Czech | čára | ||
| Czech word "čára" (line) has alternate meaning "a dash in writing". | |||
| Estonian | rida | ||
| The Estonian word "rida" also refers to rows in a table, stanzas in poetry, and a single row of beads in a necklace. | |||
| Finnish | linja | ||
| The word "linja" is cognate with the Swedish word "linje" and has also been borrowed into Estonian as "liin". | |||
| Hungarian | vonal | ||
| The word vonal derives from Latin "linea", with the same meaning, or from Slavic "vona", meaning "string" | |||
| Latvian | līnija | ||
| Etymology: from Latin linea “thread,” related to linum “linen thread”. | |||
| Lithuanian | linija | ||
| The word "linija" in Lithuanian also has the meaning of "fate" or "destiny" | |||
| Macedonian | линија | ||
| The Macedonian word "линија" can also refer to a line of text, a bloodline, or a line in the sky. | |||
| Polish | linia | ||
| In Polish, "linia" derives from the Latin "linea" and also shares its meaning with "wire" and "fishing line". | |||
| Romanian | linia | ||
| The word "linia" in Romanian shares its origin with the Latin word "linea" meaning "thread" and is related to the English word "lineal". | |||
| Russian | линия | ||
| The word “линия” (line) comes from the Latin word “linea” (line), which in turn comes from the Greek word “λίνεα” (line). It is cognate with the words “line” in English, “ligne” in French, and “línea” in Spanish. | |||
| Serbian | линија | ||
| The word "линија" (line) in Serbian can also refer to a group of people in formation, a boundary, or a lineage. | |||
| Slovak | riadok | ||
| "Riadok" can also refer to a row in a table or other tabular data. | |||
| Slovenian | črta | ||
| Črta is a loanword from German Strich or French trait, and a cognate of Latin strictus. | |||
| Ukrainian | лінія | ||
| The word "лінія" also refers to a musical staff or musical composition. | |||
Line in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | লাইন | ||
| The word 'লাইন' can also refer to a group of people or animals arranged in a row, or to a queue. | |||
| Gujarati | લાઇન | ||
| The Gujarati word "લાઇન" also means "a row of trees" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "line" meaning "mark". | |||
| Hindi | लाइन | ||
| The Hindi word "लाइन" also means "string" or "connection". | |||
| Kannada | ಸಾಲು | ||
| ಸಾಲು (sālu) comes from the Dravidian root *cā- 'to stretch, extend'. | |||
| Malayalam | ലൈൻ | ||
| The word 'ലൈൻ' (line) in Malayalam comes from the Sanskrit word 'रेखा' (rekha), which means 'a mark made by drawing or scratching' or 'a stroke or streak'. | |||
| Marathi | ओळ | ||
| The Marathi word "ओळ" not only means "line," but also "a row," "a series," "a sequence," or "a streak." | |||
| Nepali | लाइन | ||
| The word "लाइन" can also mean "queue" or "row" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਲਾਈਨ | ||
| The word "ਲਾਈਨ" can also refer to a group of soldiers or a row of trees in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | රේඛාව | ||
| In Sinhala, the word "රේඛාව" means a line in any sense or direction. However, it also means a stroke or stripe across or around the head of an animal. | |||
| Tamil | வரி | ||
| The term "வரி" can also refer to a stripe on a textile or a tax imposed on individuals or corporations. | |||
| Telugu | లైన్ | ||
| The word "లైన్" also means "border" or "boundary" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | لائن | ||
| The Urdu word "لائن" (line) derives from the Persian word "لان" (line, rope) and can also refer to a row of soldiers or ants. | |||
Line in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 线 | ||
| The character "线" (line) can also convey the meaning of the horizon, path, or even thread from cotton or leather. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 線 | ||
| 線, in Traditional Chinese, also means 'thread' or 'wire'. | |||
| Japanese | ライン | ||
| "ライン" is also an alternate spelling of the German word "Rhein," meaning "Rhine River." | |||
| Korean | 선 | ||
| "선" (line) in Korean can also refer to a boat, ship, or a wire that conducts electricity. | |||
| Mongolian | шугам | ||
| The word шугам (line) can also be used in the sense of a "thread" or a "rope". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မျဉ်းကြောင်း | ||
Line in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | garis | ||
| "Garis" also means "order" or "class", a cognate of the word "genre". | |||
| Javanese | baris | ||
| The Javanese word "baris" also means "row" or "ranks of soldiers." | |||
| Khmer | បន្ទាត់ | ||
| The word "បន្ទាត់" can also refer to a group of trees planted in a row. | |||
| Lao | ເສັ້ນ | ||
| The Lao word "ເສັ້ນ" (line) can also refer to a "stroke" or "mark", such as a pencil mark. | |||
| Malay | garisan | ||
| "Garisan" in Malay comes from the Sanskrit word "garis," meaning "a line, streak, or stripe". | |||
| Thai | ไลน์ | ||
| In Thai, the word "ไลน์" (line) can also refer to a group of people or objects. | |||
| Vietnamese | hàng | ||
| The word "hàng" in Vietnamese can also refer to a column, a row, or a merchandise item, depending on the context. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | linya | ||
Line in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | xətt | ||
| In Azerbaijani, the word "xətt" can also refer to handwriting, calligraphy, or a letter | |||
| Kazakh | түзу | ||
| "Түзу" means not only "a line", but also figuratively "a way", "a direction", or "a manner" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | сап | ||
| The word "сап" ("line") in Kyrgyz can also refer to a "line of text" or a "string on a musical instrument". | |||
| Tajik | хат | ||
| The word "хат" (line) likely originates from the Proto-Indo-European root "kheud-", which also gives rise to the English word "hide" (skin). | |||
| Turkmen | setir | ||
| Uzbek | chiziq | ||
| Chiziq is also used to refer to the thread used for sewing or embroidery. | |||
| Uyghur | line | ||
Line in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lālani | ||
| Lālani can also mean "to continue" or "to extend" in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | raina | ||
| Raina as a Māori word originates from the Proto-Polynesian word *laina meaning 'rope' or 'string'. It is also possibly cognate with the word 'lane'. | |||
| Samoan | laina | ||
| The word 'laina' in Samoan also means 'boundary' or 'border'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | linya | ||
| "Linya" can also refer to a row of people in a formation or queue, derived from the Spanish "línea" with the same meaning. | |||
Line in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | chiqa | ||
| Guarani | kytarysýi | ||
Line in International Languages
| Esperanto | linio | ||
| The root 'lin' in 'linio' derives from the Latin word 'linea', meaning 'thread or line'. | |||
| Latin | acies | ||
| "Acies" can also refer to a battle formation, or a sharp edge or point. | |||
Line in Others Languages
| Greek | γραμμή | ||
| The Greek word "γραμμή" has been used in mathematics since the time of Euclid to mean a one-dimensional figure, and can also mean "rule", "law" or "order". | |||
| Hmong | txoj kab | ||
| In Hmong, "txoj kab" can also mean "row," "rank," or "series." | |||
| Kurdish | xet | ||
| Xet is also used in the sense of "time" and "age" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | hat | ||
| Although the Turkish word 'hat' primarily means 'line,' it can also refer to rows in a table or lines in a song or poem. | |||
| Xhosa | umgca | ||
| The word "umgca" also means "row" or "rank" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | שורה | ||
| The Yiddish word "שורה" also means "row" or "rank" in Hebrew. | |||
| Zulu | umugqa | ||
| The word "umugqa" can also mean "a row of people" or "a queue". | |||
| Assamese | ৰেখা | ||
| Aymara | chiqa | ||
| Bhojpuri | रेखा | ||
| Dhivehi | ލައިން | ||
| Dogri | पंगती | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | linya | ||
| Guarani | kytarysýi | ||
| Ilocano | linia | ||
| Krio | layn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | هێڵ | ||
| Maithili | पंक्ति | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯩꯏ | ||
| Mizo | rinngil | ||
| Oromo | sarara | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ରେଖା | ||
| Quechua | siqi | ||
| Sanskrit | पंक्ति | ||
| Tatar | сызык | ||
| Tigrinya | መስመር | ||
| Tsonga | ntila | ||