Long in different languages

Long in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'long' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting not just physical length but also duration, distance, and even patience. Its cultural importance is evident in idioms and phrases like 'long time no see' and 'the long and short of it.' Understanding the translation of 'long' in different languages can provide fascinating insights into how cultures conceptualize and express this concept.

For instance, in Spanish, 'long' translates to 'largo,' while in French, it's 'long.' In Mandarin, the translation is '长(cháng),' and in Japanese, '長(naga)).' Each language offers a unique perspective on the word's meaning, reflecting cultural nuances and historical contexts.

So, why should you care about translating 'long' into different languages? For starters, it can enhance your cross-cultural communication skills, making you a more effective global citizen or businessperson. Moreover, it's a fun and enlightening way to explore the richness and diversity of the world's languages and cultures.

Long


Long in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaanslank
The Afrikaans word "lank" comes from the Old Saxon "hlank" and is also used figuratively to describe time, as in "a long time ago."
Amharicረዥም
In Amharic, the word "ረዥም" ('long') can denote either a physical dimension or an extended period of time.
Hausatsawo
Tsawo can also refer to "tall, high" in Hausa
Igboogologo
Igbo word "ogologo" also means "tall" and originates from the word "ogo" (height).
Malagasyela
The word "ela" in Malagasy can also refer to height, distance, or duration.
Nyanja (Chichewa)kutalika
The word "Kutalika" can also mean "to extend," "to stretch," or "to lengthen."
Shonarefu
The word "refu" can also mean "length" or "distance" in Shona.
Somalidheer
In Somali, "dheer" also signifies "tall" or "of great stature".
Sesothotelele
In the Bantu language family, the word '-tele' also means 'many'
Swahilindefu
The word "ndefu" derives from the Proto-Bantu root "-lefu-," meaning "tall" or "long."
Xhosande
Xhosa has multiple forms of the word "nde", meaning both "long" and "tall" depending on context.
Yorubagun
"Igún" refers to a long piece of cloth worn by Yoruba men or a type of yam that is very long.
Zuluyinde
Yinde in Zulu also refers to a state of being tall and slender.
Bambarajan
Ewedidi
Kinyarwandakirekire
Lingalamolai
Lugandaobuwanvu
Sepeditelele
Twi (Akan)tenten

Long in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicطويل
"طويل" also means "tall" and comes from the same Semitic root as the English word "طول" ("to be high").
Hebrewארוך
The word "ארוך" can also refer to a person who is tall and slender.
Pashtoاوږد
The word "اوږد" in Pashto also means "tall" and comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂eǵʰ- meaning "to grow".
Arabicطويل
"طويل" also means "tall" and comes from the same Semitic root as the English word "طول" ("to be high").

Long in Western European Languages

Albaniane gjate
Albanian's "e gjate" (long) is a holdover from Classical Latin's "ē," as in Caesar's name.
Basqueluzea
The word "luzea" can also refer to someone who is tall, and is related to the word "luze" (length).
Catalanllarg
"Llarg" is also a Catalan synonym for a "thief" or "swindler."
Croatiandugo
The word "dugo" can also mean "much" or "a long time" in Croatian.
Danishlang
The Danish word 'lang' (meaning 'long') derives from Old Norse and is related to the English word 'long' and the German word 'lang'.
Dutchlang
The Dutch word "lang" is derived from the Proto-Germanic “langa”, which also meant "slender" or "thin"
Englishlong
The Old English origin of 'long' is 'lang', which can also mean 'tall' or 'high'.
Frenchlongue
The French word "longue" can also mean a type of musical note or the string of a racket.
Frisianlang
The word 'lang' in Frisian can also refer to a person's tongue.
Galicianlongo
"Longo" also means "foolish" in Galician, deriving from the Latin "longus"
Germanlange
"Langeweile" (boredom) originally just meant "long time". That is why it is called "Langeweile" (long time) when something takes a long time.
Icelandiclangt
"Langt" in Icelandic can have several meanings, including "tall", "far", or "time-consuming."
Irishfada
In Irish mythology, the Fada were a supernatural race of beings associated with the Otherworld and the realm of the dead.
Italianlungo
Italian word 'lungo', meaning 'long', also refers to a type of strong coffee prepared by letting hot water pass slowly through finely-ground coffee beans.
Luxembourgishlaang
The Luxembourgish word "laang" derives from the Old High German word "lang" which means "tall" or "extended."
Maltesetwil
The word 'twil' also has a poetic connotation, referring to something that is 'protracted' or 'extended' in time or space.
Norwegianlang
In some parts of Norway, "lang" also means "tall" or "slow".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)grandes
In Portuguese, "grandes" (long) can also refer to "great" or "big".
Scots Gaelicfada
"Fada" derives from Proto-Indo-European root "*h₂pent-," related to "extend, stretch" and the English word "pent". It's also connected to "*h₂wens-," the origin of Latin "venus" (beauty, grace) and ultimately English "win". The word has a secondary meaning of "distant, remote, alien" in the Gaelic poetic tradition.
Spanishlargo
"Largo" also means "generous": "es muy larga dando consejos".
Swedishlång
"Lång" also means "narrow" or "stingy" in Swedish, and is related to the English word "long".
Welshhir
The Welsh word "hir" can also mean "tall", "great", or "senior".

Long in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianдоўга
"Доўга" in Belarusian also translates as "eternity" and can be used in the metaphorical sense of a long period of time in the future.
Bosniandugo
The word "dugo" can also refer to a period of time, especially a long one.
Bulgarianдълго
The Bulgarian word "дълго" also means "debt", and is cognate with the Proto-Slavic word "*dъlgъ" which had the same meaning.
Czechdlouho
The word "dlouho" is sometimes used in the sense of "for a long time" in Czech, similar to the English idiom "a long time coming".
Estonianpikk
The Estonian word "pikk" also has meanings "far", "distant" and "long time ago".
Finnishpitkä
"Pitkä" shares etymological roots with the word "pitko", meaning "to protrude" or "to stand out".
Hungarianhosszú
The word "hosszú" can also mean "tall" or "large" in Hungarian.
Latvianilgi
The word "ilgi" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₂elǵʰ-," meaning "to stretch or extend."
Lithuanianilgas
"Ilgas" can also mean "yearning" or "desire" in Lithuanian.
Macedonianдолг
"Долг" is a loanword from Bulgarian, which derives from Proto-Slavic *dьlgu, meaning "debt", "duty" or "owing".
Polishdługo
Długo, meaning "long" in Polish, is also an obsolete word for "time" that was inherited from Proto-Slavic.
Romanianlung
In Romanian, the word "lung" (long) has the alternate meaning of "near" or "close to".
Russianдолго
"Долго" also means "debt" in Russian, deriving from the Proto-Slavic word *dolgъ, meaning "debt, obligation, duty, guilt, sin".
Serbianдуго
The word "дуго" can also mean "a long time" or "long ago".
Slovakdlho
"Dlhy" in Slovak doesn't only mean "long" but also "debtor."
Sloveniandolga
In Slovenian, "dolga" also means "debt"
Ukrainianдовгота
"Довгота" in Ukrainian also refers to the geographical measure of longitude.

Long in South Asian Languages

Bengaliদীর্ঘ
The word "দীর্ঘ" in Bengali can also mean 'chronic' or 'prolonged' in the context of a disease or illness.
Gujaratiલાંબી
"લાંબી" also means "lazy" when referring to a person's actions or habits.
Hindiलंबा
'लंबा' के अन्य अर्थ है 'ऊँचा' और 'विस्तृत'।
Kannadaಉದ್ದವಾಗಿದೆ
The Kannada word "ಉದ್ದವಾಗಿದೆ" can also refer to something excessive or in abundance.
Malayalamനീളമുള്ള
The word "നീളമുള്ള" in Malayalam can also mean "extensive" or "wide-ranging".
Marathiलांब
The Marathi word "लांब" (long) is derived from the Proto-Indo-Aryan word "*lamba", which also means "hanging down".
Nepaliलामो
Nepali 'लामो' is derived from the Proto-Tibeto-Burman word *rwaŋ4, which also gave rise to 'long' in English
Punjabiਲੰਮਾ
"ਲੰਮਾ" can also mean "tall" in Punjabi, a sense not found in the Hindi word "लम्बा".
Sinhala (Sinhalese)දිගු
"දිගු" means "deep" in Sinhala, not just "long".
Tamilநீண்டது
"நீண்டது" also refers to a particular musical note in Carnatic music and a particular posture in Bharatanatyam dance.
Teluguపొడవు
The word "పొడవు" is also used to describe the duration of something.
Urduلمبا
"لمبا" also refers to a garment that hangs loosely.

Long in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)
The character "长" can also mean "to grow up" or "to lead."
Chinese (Traditional)
"長" can also mean "elder" or "superior" in Chinese.
Japanese長いです
"長い" (long) also means "difficult or troublesome."
Korean
The word "긴" (long) shares its root with "길" (road) and "길다" (to be long), suggesting a connection between length and the path one takes in life.
Mongolianурт
The Mongolian word “урт” ('long') may have evolved from the Middle Mongolian word 'oirt', which shares the same meaning but also refers to a ‘stringed musical instrument’.
Myanmar (Burmese)ကြာရှည်

Long in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianpanjang
The Indonesian word "panjang" can also be used to mean "high" or "tall" when referring to buildings.
Javanesedawa
The Javanese word 'dawa' can also mean 'far', 'distant', or 'lengthy'.
Khmerវែង
The term "វែង" can also be used to denote a person's wealth, status, or influence.
Laoຍາວ
When used as a verb, "ຍາວ" carries the meaning of "to postpone" or "to delay".
Malaylama
The word "lama" in Malay can also mean "slow" or "late".
Thaiยาว
The word "ยาว" can also refer to the length of time or distance, and can be used as a noun or an adjective.
Vietnamesedài
In Sino-Vietnamese, "dài" also means "generation", as in family "dòng dài".
Filipino (Tagalog)mahaba

Long in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniuzun
The Azerbaijani word "uzun" can also mean "distant in time or space" or "extended in quantity or amount".
Kazakhұзақ
The word "ұзақ" in Kazakh also means "a period of time", "a distance", and "continuously for a long time".
Kyrgyzузак
"Узак" is also used to refer to the long and slow mourning ceremony held at the end of the forty-day mourning period
Tajikдароз
In some regional dialects of Tajik, "дароз" can also mean "far" or "distant".
Turkmenuzyn
Uzbekuzoq
In Uzbek, "uzoq" can also be used to describe a person who is physically tall.
Uyghurئۇزۇن

Long in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianlōʻihi
The Hawaiian word lōʻihi also means "the lowest" or "the last" in a series of things.
Maoriroa
Roa can also be a noun for 'the length of something' and a verb for 'to lengthen something'.
Samoanumi
The Samoan word 'umi' ('long') has additional meanings including 'abundant' and 'numerous'.
Tagalog (Filipino)mahaba
"Mahaba" can also be used to describe a person who is tall and/or has a long lifespan.

Long in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarajach'a
Guaranipuku

Long in International Languages

Esperantolonga
"Longa" is also the name of a dance style with slow movements.
Latinlongus
The origin of the Latin word "longus" is disputed, but may relate to "lukos" from Proto-Indo-European (PIE), meaning "curve" or "bend".

Long in Others Languages

Greekμακρύς
The word "μακρύς" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*meg-h-", meaning "great" or "large".
Hmongntev
The word "ntev" in Hmong can also refer to a type of bamboo used for construction.
Kurdishdirêj
The word "dirêj" is also used to describe something that is difficult or arduous.
Turkishuzun
Uzun, 'long' in Turkish, comes from the Proto-Turkic word *uzun, meaning 'stretch, extend'.
Xhosande
Xhosa has multiple forms of the word "nde", meaning both "long" and "tall" depending on context.
Yiddishלאַנג
The Yiddish word "לאַנג" can also mean "tall" or "large".
Zuluyinde
Yinde in Zulu also refers to a state of being tall and slender.
Assameseদীঘল
Aymarajach'a
Bhojpuriलाम
Dhivehiދިގު
Dogriलम्मां
Filipino (Tagalog)mahaba
Guaranipuku
Ilocanoatiddog
Kriolɔng
Kurdish (Sorani)درێژ
Maithiliलंबा
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯑꯁꯥꯡꯕ
Mizosei
Oromodheeraa
Odia (Oriya)ଲମ୍ବା
Quechuachutarisqa
Sanskritदीर्घम्‌
Tatarозын
Tigrinyaነዊሕ
Tsongaleha

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