Loose in Different Languages
Discover 'Loose' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'loose' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, often used to describe something that is not firmly or tightly held in place. Its cultural importance is evident in various idiomatic expressions, such as 'loose cannon,' which refers to an unpredictable person or situation. Understanding the translation of 'loose' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how different cultures perceive and express this concept.
For instance, in Spanish, 'loose' translates to 'suelto,' which also means 'easygoing' or 'relaxed.' In German, 'los' is the word for 'loose,' and it's used in the phrase 'loslassen,' which means 'to let go' or 'to release.' Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'loose' can be translated to 'ゆるい' (yurui), which also means 'slack' or 'lax.'
Exploring the translations of 'loose' in different languages can be a fascinating journey into the nuances of language and culture. Keep reading to discover more translations and insights into this common yet complex word.
Loose
Loose in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | los | ||
| In Afrikaans, "los" can also mean "let go", "unfasten", "detain", or "discharge". | |||
| Amharic | ልቅ | ||
| The word "ልቅ" (laq) can also refer to something that is not fixed or firm, or something that is not bound by rules or conventions. | |||
| Hausa | sako-sako da | ||
| "Sako-sako" also means "completely, properly" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | omume rụrụ | ||
| "Omụmẹ rụrụ" is an onomatopoeic expression used to describe a state of shapelessness | |||
| Malagasy | vahao | ||
| The Malagasy word "vahao" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "pahaw" meaning "to spread out". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | lotayirira | ||
| In Chichewa, "lotayirira" also refers to something that is not properly fixed or attached. | |||
| Shona | kusununguka | ||
| "Kusunuga" can mean "to untie, detach, or set free" as well as "to become loose, untied, or detached." | |||
| Somali | dabacsan | ||
| "Dabacsan" is related to the verb "daboco", meaning to open, untie, or release. | |||
| Sesotho | hlephileng | ||
| Loose can also describe someone who is irresponsible or who does not stick to a set of rules. | |||
| Swahili | huru | ||
| The word "huru" in Swahili can also mean "free" or "independent." | |||
| Xhosa | zikhululekile | ||
| The Xhosa word 'zikhululekile' means 'loose' and can also refer to someone who is not bound by rules or conventions. | |||
| Yoruba | alaimuṣinṣin | ||
| The word "alaimuṣinṣin" can also mean "uncontrollable" or "irresponsible". | |||
| Zulu | okuxekethile | ||
| The word 'okuxekethile' is also used to describe something that is not properly fastened, such as loose clothing. | |||
| Bambara | bɔnɛ | ||
| Ewe | tu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | irekuye | ||
| Lingala | ya kofungwama | ||
| Luganda | okuleeguka | ||
| Sepedi | hlephilego | ||
| Twi (Akan) | mrɛ | ||
Loose in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | واسع | ||
| The word "واسع" (loose) can also mean "generous" in Arabic, reflecting the idea of an abundance of space or resources. | |||
| Hebrew | מְשׁוּחרָר | ||
| The word 'מְשׁוּחרָר' in Hebrew can also mean 'released' or 'freed' in both literal and figurative senses. | |||
| Pashto | لوڅ | ||
| لویښت "lōiṣht" additionally means 'a small amount of money'. | |||
| Arabic | واسع | ||
| The word "واسع" (loose) can also mean "generous" in Arabic, reflecting the idea of an abundance of space or resources. | |||
Loose in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i lirshëm | ||
| The word "i lirshëm" in Albanian can have multiple meanings, including "loose", "flexible", "relaxed", and "careless". | |||
| Basque | solteak | ||
| 'Solteka' is also used to refer to people considered to be eccentric, or of little seriousness. | |||
| Catalan | solt | ||
| "Solt" in Catalan can also mean "freed from a contract" or "single and not married." | |||
| Croatian | labav | ||
| The Croatian word "labav" is cognate with the Russian word "lobok" (forehead) and the Polish word "łobuz" (rascal), suggesting a shared ancestral meaning of "hanging loose" or "unattached". | |||
| Danish | løs | ||
| The word "løs" in Danish is derived from the Proto-Germanic "lausaz", meaning "not bound" or "free". | |||
| Dutch | los | ||
| In Dutch, "los" can mean not only "loose", but also "off" or "away". | |||
| English | loose | ||
| The word "loose" comes from the Old English word "los," which means "to free, let go, or unbind." | |||
| French | ample | ||
| The French term "ample" originates from the Latin word "amplus" which can also mean "generous" or "liberal". | |||
| Frisian | los | ||
| The word "los" in Frisian also means "quick" or "easily". | |||
| Galician | solto | ||
| In Galician, "solto" can also refer to a single grapevine shoot that is not attached to a vine. | |||
| German | lose | ||
| The German word 'lose' can also mean 'to release' or 'to let go of'. | |||
| Icelandic | laus | ||
| In Icelandic, "laus" can also refer to something being free from constraints or obligations. | |||
| Irish | scaoilte | ||
| Scaoilte, "scattered" in Irish, is related to the Latin "exsolvere," or "to loosen." | |||
| Italian | sciolto | ||
| The word 'sciolto' can also mean 'released' or 'untied' in Italian, highlighting its connection to the concept of freedom from constraints. | |||
| Luxembourgish | locker | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "locker" can also refer to a lock or a latch. | |||
| Maltese | mitluqa | ||
| In Maltese, the word 'mitluqa' can also refer to a person who is unmarried or a woman who is not yet married. | |||
| Norwegian | løs | ||
| The Norwegian word "løs" can also mean "dissolved", "detached", or "unbound". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | solto | ||
| "Solto" can also mean "untied" or "detached". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | sgaoilte | ||
| The word "sgaoilte" in Scots Gaelic derives from the Old Irish "scailte," meaning "dispersed" and possibly originating from the Proto-Celtic "*skal-ti," signifying "to scatter". | |||
| Spanish | suelto | ||
| Curiously, "suelto" also means "news article" due to the freedom of the author to choose the topic and length. | |||
| Swedish | lösa | ||
| In Swedish, "lösa" also means to "solve" or "untie" a knot, a problem, or a puzzle. | |||
| Welsh | rhydd | ||
| The word "rhydd" can also mean "free" or "unrestricted" in Welsh. | |||
Loose in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | рыхлая | ||
| В переносном значении "рыхлая" может обозначать что-то неосновательное, ненадежное или разболтанное. | |||
| Bosnian | labav | ||
| The word 'labav' has roots in Proto-Slavic and is also used in other Slavic languages to denote something floppy or hanging. | |||
| Bulgarian | хлабав | ||
| The word "хлабав" in Bulgarian also means "lackadaisical" and "indecisive". | |||
| Czech | volný | ||
| Czech "volný" can mean "free", "vacant", "available", or "unoccupied". | |||
| Estonian | lahti | ||
| "Lahti" is also the name of a city in Finland and the name of a brand of ski equipment. | |||
| Finnish | löysä | ||
| The word 'löysä' may also refer to the looseness of soil or sand. | |||
| Hungarian | laza | ||
| The word "laza" also means "easygoing" or "casual" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | vaļīgs | ||
| The word "vaļīgs" can also refer to something that is not tight or secure, such as a loose screw or a loose tooth. | |||
| Lithuanian | laisvas | ||
| "Laisvas" shares a root with the word "paleisti", meaning "to set free". | |||
| Macedonian | лабава | ||
| The word "лабава" (loose) in Macedonian can also refer to something that is weak, unstable, or unreliable. | |||
| Polish | luźny | ||
| The Polish word "luźny" also has the non-literal meanings of "easygoing" or "casual." | |||
| Romanian | slăbit | ||
| The Romanian word "slăbit" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "slabi", meaning "weak" or "feeble". | |||
| Russian | свободный | ||
| Свобо́дный is also the Russian word for 'free', 'available', or 'unoccupied'. | |||
| Serbian | лабав | ||
| The word "лабав" can also mean "relaxed" or "easygoing" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | voľný | ||
| Besides its primary meaning of "loose", "voľný" can also mean "free" or "vacant" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | ohlapna | ||
| The word "ohlapna" in Slovenian literally means "flabby" but can also be used figuratively to describe something as "careless" or "irresponsible." | |||
| Ukrainian | пухкий | ||
| The word "пухкий" also means "fluffy" or "downy" in Ukrainian. | |||
Loose in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | আলগা | ||
| আলগা is a word of Persian origin, and has a number of meanings in Bengali including 'loose', 'not tight', 'lax' and 'flaccid'. | |||
| Gujarati | છૂટક | ||
| છૂટક (chhūṭak) is also used to describe a person who is carefree and easygoing, or a situation that is relaxed and casual. | |||
| Hindi | ढीला | ||
| The word "ढीला" can also mean "lax", "careless" or "lazy" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಸಡಿಲ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಸಡಿಲ" can also mean "lazy", "relaxed", or "untied". | |||
| Malayalam | അയഞ്ഞ | ||
| The word "അയഞ്ഞ" can also refer to something that is not tight or rigid.} | |||
| Marathi | सैल | ||
| The word "सैल" in Marathi can also mean "cheap" or "worthless." | |||
| Nepali | छाडा | ||
| "छाडा" (loose) also means "free of charge" or "unclaimed" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | looseਿੱਲਾ | ||
| The word "ਿੱਲਾ" in Punjabi can also refer to the opposite of "tight, such as "a loose rope". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ලිහිල් | ||
| The Sinhalese word "ලිහිල්" can also mean "soft", "fluffy", or "flaccid". | |||
| Tamil | தளர்வான | ||
| The word 'தளர்வான' ('loose') in Tamil also means 'slack' or 'lazy'. | |||
| Telugu | వదులుగా | ||
| The word "వదులుగా" can also refer to something that is not tight or secure. | |||
| Urdu | ڈھیلے | ||
| ڈھیلے can also mean slow or dull-witted | |||
Loose in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 疏松 | ||
| 疏松 in Chinese can refer to something being physically loose, or figuratively referring to a person's careless or negligent nature. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 疏鬆 | ||
| 疏鬆的另一種意思是“不嚴密、不謹慎” 。 | |||
| Japanese | 緩い | ||
| "緩い" can also mean "mellow" or "lazy". | |||
| Korean | 느슨하게 | ||
| 느슨하게 is an adverb that can also mean 'leniently', 'lazily', 'slackly', 'negligently', 'carelessly', 'neglectfully', 'sloppily', 'perfunctorily', 'inattentively', or 'disorganizedly'. | |||
| Mongolian | сул | ||
| The Mongolian word "сул" (loose) is cognate with the Turkish word "sül" (limp) and the Japanese word "suro" (naked). | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ချောင် | ||
Loose in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | longgar | ||
| "Longgar" also refers to the loose and hanging bits of clothing in Indonesian slang. | |||
| Javanese | ngeculke | ||
| The word "ngeculke" in Javanese is also used to describe something that is not tight or secure. | |||
| Khmer | រលុង | ||
| The Khmer word "រលុង" also means "not tight", "not fitting well", or "slack". | |||
| Lao | ວ່າງ | ||
| The word "ວ່າງ" can also mean "empty" or "vacant" in Lao. | |||
| Malay | longgar | ||
| The Malay word "longgar" is possibly related to the Sanskrit word "lang | |||
| Thai | หลวม | ||
| หลวม is also a colloquial term for "to be free" or "to be comfortable". | |||
| Vietnamese | lỏng lẻo | ||
| The word "lỏng lẻo" can also mean "sloppy" or "careless". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maluwag | ||
Loose in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | boş | ||
| "Boş" can also mean "empty" or "vain" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | бос | ||
| The word "бос" can also mean "naked" or "barefoot" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | бош | ||
| The word "бош" can also be used adverbially, meaning "in vain" or "fruitlessly." | |||
| Tajik | фуҷур | ||
| The word "фуҷур" can also be used to describe someone who is immoral or sinful. | |||
| Turkmen | gowşak | ||
| Uzbek | bo'shashgan | ||
| Uyghur | بوشاڭ | ||
Loose in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hemo | ||
| In Hawaiian, "hemo" has a secondary meaning, relating to freedom from restrictions or confinement. | |||
| Maori | wewete | ||
| The word "wewete" also refers to a type of plant and to a type of bird. | |||
| Samoan | tatalaina | ||
| "Tatalaina" also means "to break the law" in Samoan | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | maluwag | ||
| The Tagalog word "maluwag" can also mean "spacious" or "generous". | |||
Loose in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | chhaqhayaña | ||
| Guarani | poipyre | ||
Loose in International Languages
| Esperanto | malfiksas | ||
| The word "malfiksas" is derived from the Latin word "maleficus", meaning "harmful" or "injurious". | |||
| Latin | solvite | ||
| The Latin word 'solvite' can also mean 'to release, set free, or dissolve'. | |||
Loose in Others Languages
| Greek | χαλαρά | ||
| In modern Greek, χαλαρά can also mean relaxed, chill, or easygoing. | |||
| Hmong | xoob | ||
| "Xoob" also means "comfortable" or "easy" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | serbixwe | ||
| In Kurdish, the word "serbixwe" can also refer to something that is "lax" or "uncontrolled". | |||
| Turkish | gevşek | ||
| The word 'gevşek' in Turkish has its roots in the Proto-Turkic word “kewgek”, meaning “wide” or “spacious”. | |||
| Xhosa | zikhululekile | ||
| The Xhosa word 'zikhululekile' means 'loose' and can also refer to someone who is not bound by rules or conventions. | |||
| Yiddish | פרייַ | ||
| The Yiddish word "פרייַ" is also used to describe someone who is independent or who has no obligations. | |||
| Zulu | okuxekethile | ||
| The word 'okuxekethile' is also used to describe something that is not properly fastened, such as loose clothing. | |||
| Assamese | ঢিলা | ||
| Aymara | chhaqhayaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | ढीला | ||
| Dhivehi | ގެއްލުނު | ||
| Dogri | ढिल्ला | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maluwag | ||
| Guarani | poipyre | ||
| Ilocano | saan a nairut | ||
| Krio | slak | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | شل | ||
| Maithili | ढ़िल | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯀꯣꯝꯕ | ||
| Mizo | thawl | ||
| Oromo | itti laafaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଖାଲି | ||
| Quechua | kacharisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | मुक्त | ||
| Tatar | иркен | ||
| Tigrinya | ልሕሉሕ | ||
| Tsonga | lahlekeriwa | ||