Lock in Different Languages
Discover 'Lock' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'lock' holds a significant place in our daily lives, providing security and peace of mind in various contexts. From securing our homes and valuables to ensuring the safety of our digital information, locks are an essential part of modern life. Culturally, locks have been used for centuries as symbols of protection, love, and commitment. For instance, in ancient Rome, locks were sometimes used as love tokens, with keys given as gifts to symbolize devotion.
Given the global prevalence of locks and their importance, it's no surprise that the word has been translated into countless languages around the world. Understanding the translation of 'lock' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural significance of this object, as well as help facilitate communication and connection with people from diverse backgrounds.
Here are just a few examples of how 'lock' is translated in different languages:
- French: serrure
- Spanish: cerradura
- German: Schloss
- Italian: serratura
- Chinese: 锁 (suǒ)
- Japanese: 鍵 (kagi)
Lock
Lock in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | slot | ||
| In Afrikaans, the word "slot" has a secondary meaning of "keyhole". | |||
| Amharic | መቆለፊያ | ||
| "መቆለፊያ" is derived from the verb "ቆለፈ" meaning "to close" or "to bolt". | |||
| Hausa | kullewa | ||
| The Hausa word "kullewa" is a derivation of the verb "kulle," meaning "to close or shut tightly." | |||
| Igbo | mkpọchi | ||
| In Igbo, 'mkpọchi' means 'to close' or 'shut,' and can also refer to a 'stopper' or 'plug.' | |||
| Malagasy | hidin-trano | ||
| The Malagasy word "hidin-trano" is derived from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian root *kudin*, meaning "covered". In some dialects, it also refers to a place to hide things or a cupboard. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | loko | ||
| Nyanja's word 'loko' is cognate with 'iloko' in Luganda and 'lukoo' in Kikuyu, and all three words mean 'grave'. | |||
| Shona | kukiya | ||
| The word “kukiya” can also mean “to secure” or “to close.” | |||
| Somali | quful | ||
| The word "quful" is derived from the Arabic word "qafala," which means "to shut or close." | |||
| Sesotho | notlela | ||
| The word "notlela" can also mean "to shut" or "to close" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | kufuli | ||
| The word "kufuli" originated from the Arabic word "qufl" meaning "lock" or "bolt" and is also used in Persian. | |||
| Xhosa | iqhaga | ||
| 'Iqhaga' can also mean 'key' or 'door', and is derived from the verb 'khuqha', meaning 'to shut' or 'to close'. | |||
| Yoruba | titiipa | ||
| The Yoruba word "titiipa" is also used to refer to a "bar," "barrier", or "obstruction". | |||
| Zulu | ingidi | ||
| The Zulu word "ingidi" not only means "lock," but also "key" and "chain." | |||
| Bambara | ka sɔgɔ | ||
| Ewe | tu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gufunga | ||
| Lingala | serire ya porte | ||
| Luganda | ekkufulu | ||
| Sepedi | senotlelo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | to mu | ||
Lock in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | قفل | ||
| In Arabic, the word قفل (lock) derives from the root word 'q-f-l', which means 'to close' or 'to shut', suggesting its primary function of securing and closing something. | |||
| Hebrew | לנעול | ||
| The Hebrew word 'לנעול' ('lock') can also mean 'to close' or 'to shut'. | |||
| Pashto | بندول | ||
| In Pashto, "بندول" comes from the Sanskrit word "बंधन" (bandhana), meaning "to bind, to fasten, or to secure." | |||
| Arabic | قفل | ||
| In Arabic, the word قفل (lock) derives from the root word 'q-f-l', which means 'to close' or 'to shut', suggesting its primary function of securing and closing something. | |||
Lock in Western European Languages
| Albanian | bravë | ||
| The word 'bravë' is also used in the phrase 't'i jap bravës', which means to get married or to engage in a common project. | |||
| Basque | blokeoa | ||
| The word "blokeoa" also refers to the mechanism that holds the key in place in a door lock. | |||
| Catalan | pany | ||
| The Catalan word "pany" likely comes from the Greek word "pagkos," which also means "lock" or "fastener." | |||
| Croatian | zaključati | ||
| The word "zaključati" in Croatian comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*klej-ъ", which means "to lock" or "to close". | |||
| Danish | låse | ||
| "låse" also means "to close" or "to shut" in Danish, as in "to close a door" or "to shut a window." | |||
| Dutch | slot | ||
| Slot originally referred to a beam of wood inserted in a gate to secure it, or to the hole into which the beam fitted. | |||
| English | lock | ||
| "Lock" also means a tuft of hair twisted or braided together. | |||
| French | fermer à clé | ||
| Fermer à clé derives from the Latin "firmare", meaning "to make firm" or "to secure". | |||
| Frisian | slûs | ||
| The Old Frisian word "slûs" can refer to a lock on a canal as well as a sluice gate. | |||
| Galician | botarlle o ferrollo | ||
| Galician 'botarlle o ferrollo' ('to lock') derives from 'ferrollo' (bolt) and 'botarlle' ('to put'), and is used to refer to locking something up. | |||
| German | sperren | ||
| "Sperren" is etymologically related to the English word "spar", a wooden beam blocking an entrance. | |||
| Icelandic | læsa | ||
| The word "læsa" can also mean "to read" or "to study" in Icelandic. | |||
| Irish | glas | ||
| The Irish word "glas" can also mean "gray" or "green" in certain contexts. | |||
| Italian | serratura | ||
| "Serratura" derives from the Latin "sera," meaning "bar", and is related to the words "serrare" (to close) and "serraglio" (enclosure). | |||
| Luxembourgish | spär | ||
| The word "Spär" originates from Old High German "sparron" (Latin "sbarra"), meaning a wooden bar or beam. | |||
| Maltese | serratura | ||
| "Serratura" comes from the Latin word "serra" (saw), so the original meaning was "to saw through" | |||
| Norwegian | låse | ||
| "Låse" can also mean "to shut" or "to close", originating from an Old Norse word meaning "to cover". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | fechadura | ||
| "Fechadura" also means "conclusion" or "end" in Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | glas | ||
| "Glas" also means "grey" or "green" in Scots Gaelic, reflecting the color of traditional locks. | |||
| Spanish | bloquear | ||
| While "bloquear" primarily means "lock," it can also mean to "block," "obstruct," or "impede." | |||
| Swedish | låsa | ||
| The word "låsa" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word *lūsaną, meaning "to free". This is likely due to the fact that locks were historically used to keep things secure and to prevent them from being stolen or tampered with. | |||
| Welsh | clo | ||
| The word 'clo' (lock) in Welsh can also be used to refer to a lock of hair, a knot in a rope, or a small compartment or enclosure. | |||
Lock in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | замак | ||
| The word "замак" also means "castle" in Belarusian, sharing its etymology with the Latin word "castellum" meaning "fort". | |||
| Bosnian | zaključaj | ||
| The word "zaključak" is also used figuratively in Bosnian to mean "conclusion" or the "end" of something, likely due to its association with the final act of locking or sealing. | |||
| Bulgarian | ключалка | ||
| Ключалка comes from the Proto-Slavic root *ključь, which also meant "spring", "well" or "geyser." | |||
| Czech | zámek | ||
| The word "zámek" in Czech also refers to a castle, sharing the same root with the German "Schloss" | |||
| Estonian | lukk | ||
| The word "lukk" also has the alternate meaning of "lockup" or "prison" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | lukko | ||
| The word 'Lukko' in Finnish originates from the Proto-Uralic word for 'to close' or 'to enclose.' | |||
| Hungarian | zár | ||
| The word "zár" also refers to a lock used to lock a fence or a gate in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | slēdzene | ||
| The word "slēdzene" in Latvian derives from the Proto-Balto-Slavic word "*sklend-, which also means "to block" or "to close". | |||
| Lithuanian | užraktas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "užraktas" also has an archaic meaning of "key". | |||
| Macedonian | заклучување | ||
| The Macedonian word for lock, "заклучување," also refers to the act of concluding something or drawing an inference. | |||
| Polish | zamek | ||
| The word "zamek" in Polish originates from the German word "Schloss", meaning "castle", and can also refer to a building or stronghold. | |||
| Romanian | lacăt | ||
| The Romanian word "Lacăt" is derived from the Turkish word "Kilit", which also means "lock". | |||
| Russian | замок | ||
| The word "замок" (zamek) also means "castle" in Russian, ultimately deriving from the Proto-Slavic word "*zamъkъ", meaning "enclosure, fence". | |||
| Serbian | закључати | ||
| The Serbian word "закључати" also means "to conclude" or "to infer". | |||
| Slovak | zámok | ||
| The word "zámok" in Slovak also refers to a castle, palace, or manor house, a meaning not present in English. | |||
| Slovenian | zaklepanje | ||
| The term 'zaklepanje' can refer to a 'door lock', or a 'dead end'. | |||
| Ukrainian | замок | ||
| The Ukrainian word "замок" can also refer to a palace or castle. | |||
Lock in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | লক | ||
| The term "লক" (lock) can also refer to a section of hair left uncut atop the head, a practice of certain Vaishnava sect followers. | |||
| Gujarati | લોક | ||
| The Gujarati word "લોક" also means "people" or "folk" in English. | |||
| Hindi | लॉक | ||
| The word 'लॉक' (lock) in Hindi can also mean a lock of hair or a braid of hair. | |||
| Kannada | ಲಾಕ್ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಲಾಕ್" (lock) is derived from the Sanskrit word "लक्" (lak), meaning "to close". It can also refer to a hair clip or a kind of necklace in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ലോക്ക് ചെയ്യുക | ||
| Marathi | लॉक | ||
| Marathi "लॉक" comes from the Portuguese "loquete". It can also mean "hair". | |||
| Nepali | लक गर्नुहोस् | ||
| The word "लक गर्नुहोस्" in Nepali is derived from the English word "lock" and can also mean to "lock in". | |||
| Punjabi | ਲਾਕ | ||
| The word 'ਲਾਕ' can also mean a tuft or curl of hair. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අගුල | ||
| The word "අගුල" is derived from the Sanskrit word "अगुल" (agula), meaning "not moving" or "fixed". | |||
| Tamil | பூட்டு | ||
| "பூட்டு" in Tamil can also refer to a padlock, wooden door latch, or the act of closing or fastening something securely. | |||
| Telugu | లాక్ | ||
| The Telugu word "లాక్" also refers to a lock of hair, a key to a lock, a lock on a firearm, and to engage a lock, latch, or catch. | |||
| Urdu | لاک | ||
| The word "لاک" (lock) also means "a hundred thousand" in Urdu, derived from the Sanskrit word "laksha" with the same meaning. | |||
Lock in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 锁 | ||
| "锁" can mean to lock, but it can also mean to restrict, or to secure. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 鎖 | ||
| The word "鎖" (lock) in Traditional Chinese can also mean "chain" or "shackle". | |||
| Japanese | ロック | ||
| The Japanese word "ロック" (, rokku) is derived from the English word "rock" and can also mean "rock music" or "to lock". | |||
| Korean | 자물쇠 | ||
| "자물쇠" derives from the Middle Korean word "자물", meaning "to close" or "to shut," and "쇠", meaning "metal." | |||
| Mongolian | цоож | ||
| The word "цоож" also has the alternate meaning of "to seize or block". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သော့ခတ် | ||
Lock in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | mengunci | ||
| The word "mengunci" can also mean "to close a door or window" or "to fasten something with a rope or wire." | |||
| Javanese | kunci | ||
| The word "kunci" also means "key" in Javanese, reflecting the fact that locks and keys are often used together. | |||
| Khmer | ចាក់សោ | ||
| ចាក់សោ is also the term for a wooden nail used for fixing objects in the roof. | |||
| Lao | ລັອກ | ||
| In Lao, the word "ລັອກ" can also refer to the process of "blocking" or "preventing". | |||
| Malay | kunci | ||
| The word "kunci" is likely derived from the Chinese word "鎖" (suo), meaning "lock". | |||
| Thai | ล็อค | ||
| The English word "lock" (a device for securing a door) derives from the Old English "locian," meaning "to secure" or "to shut," but the Thai word "ล็อค" also refers to a type of traditional Thai clothing (โจงกระเบนล็อค) and the "lock" (a pattern of curled hair) often seen on the foreheads of Thai Buddha images. | |||
| Vietnamese | khóa | ||
| "Khóa" in Vietnamese can also mean "key" or "code". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kandado | ||
Lock in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bağlamaq | ||
| In the Caspian dialects of Azeri this word also means 'to marry'. | |||
| Kazakh | құлыптау | ||
| Құлыптау in Kazakh can also mean "to embrace" or "to hug", sharing a root with the word "құлаш" meaning "embrace". | |||
| Kyrgyz | кулпу | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "кулпу" (lock) is derived from the Turkic word "qülp" (handle, knob). | |||
| Tajik | қулф | ||
| From the Proto-Indo-European word | |||
| Turkmen | gulplamak | ||
| Uzbek | qulflash | ||
| The word "qulflash" in Uzbek also refers to a keyhole and can be used as a verb meaning "to lock" or "to be locked". | |||
| Uyghur | قۇلۇپ | ||
Lock in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | laka | ||
| The word "laka" can also refer to an enclosure or pen for animals, as well as a kind of native Hawaiian tree. | |||
| Maori | raka | ||
| The word "raka" in Maori can also refer to a bar used to secure a door or window, or to the act of locking or securing something. | |||
| Samoan | loka | ||
| In Samoan, the term "loka" can also refer to a hole or opening, such as a window or door. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | lock | ||
| The Tagalog word "lock" can also refer to a type of traditional Filipino dance. | |||
Lock in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jist'antaña | ||
| Guarani | mbotyha | ||
Lock in International Languages
| Esperanto | seruro | ||
| The word "seruro" comes from the Latin word "serra", which means "saw", and in Esperanto, it can also mean "padlock" or "keyhole". | |||
| Latin | cincinno | ||
| Cincinnus can also refer to the spiral shape on a seashell or the curl of smoke. | |||
Lock in Others Languages
| Greek | κλειδαριά | ||
| The Greek word for "lock" (κλειδαριά) is derived from the word "κλείς" (key), while also referring to the "clavicle" bone (κλείδα). | |||
| Hmong | ntsuas phoo | ||
| The Hmong word "ntsuas phoo" can also refer to a hook on a door or window used for securing it. | |||
| Kurdish | qesr | ||
| "Qesr" likely descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰés-/*ǵʰes-r-, meaning to bind, tie, or fasten. | |||
| Turkish | kilit | ||
| The word "kilit" is etymologically related to the Turkish word "kil" (meaning "clay"), indicating its original use in making clay locks. | |||
| Xhosa | iqhaga | ||
| 'Iqhaga' can also mean 'key' or 'door', and is derived from the verb 'khuqha', meaning 'to shut' or 'to close'. | |||
| Yiddish | שלאָס | ||
| The Yiddish word "שלאָס" (lock) is derived from the German word "Schloss" (palace or castle) and originally referred to the locking mechanism of a fortified building. | |||
| Zulu | ingidi | ||
| The Zulu word "ingidi" not only means "lock," but also "key" and "chain." | |||
| Assamese | তলা | ||
| Aymara | jist'antaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | ताला | ||
| Dhivehi | ތަޅު | ||
| Dogri | जंदरा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kandado | ||
| Guarani | mbotyha | ||
| Ilocano | ikandado | ||
| Krio | lɔk | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | قوفڵ | ||
| Maithili | ताला | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯨꯟꯁꯤꯟꯗꯨꯅ ꯊꯝꯕ | ||
| Mizo | kalh | ||
| Oromo | furtuun cufuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ତାଲା | ||
| Quechua | wichqana | ||
| Sanskrit | ताल | ||
| Tatar | йозак | ||
| Tigrinya | መሸጎር | ||
| Tsonga | khiya | ||