Love in Different Languages
Discover 'Love' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Love, a universal emotion, transcends language and cultural barriers. It is a powerful force that has inspired countless works of art, literature, and music. The significance of love cannot be overstated, as it is often the driving force behind many of our life decisions and experiences. Throughout history, love has been celebrated, romanticized, and scrutinized in various cultures around the world.
Moreover, understanding the translation of love in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and values of a particular region. For instance, the Greek language has several words to describe love, each with its own unique connotation. 'Agape' refers to divine, unconditional love, while 'philia' denotes friendship love. Meanwhile, the Chinese character for love, 'ài', is composed of the characters for heart and I, symbolizing the selfless nature of love.
With this in mind, exploring the translation of love in different languages is not only a linguistic exercise but also a cultural journey. Here are some translations of love in various languages to pique your curiosity and inspire your love for language and culture.
Love
Love in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | liefde | ||
| The word "liefde" is derived from the Old Dutch word "liefde", meaning "affection, fondness, or devotion". It is related to the English word "lief", meaning "dear". | |||
| Amharic | ፍቅር | ||
| "ፍቅር" also means "an agreement" in legal contexts, like a contract or treaty. | |||
| Hausa | soyayya | ||
| The Hausa word 'soyayya' also means 'affection' or 'care'. | |||
| Igbo | ịhụnanya | ||
| "Ịhụnanya" in Igbo can also mean "care" or "compassion". | |||
| Malagasy | fitiavana | ||
| "fitiavana" (pronounced fih-ty-a-va-nah) is derived from the root word "tia", meaning "to want", and the suffix "-vana", which indicates a state or quality." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chikondi | ||
| In Nyanja, "chikondi" also refers to the feeling of affection between relatives, friends, and even non-sentient beings. | |||
| Shona | rudo | ||
| "Rudo" can also mean "peace" or "quiet" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | jacayl | ||
| The Somali word 'jacayl' is derived from the Arabic word 'hubb', meaning 'passion' or 'affection'. | |||
| Sesotho | lerato | ||
| "Lerato" derives from the root "-ratola", meaning "to be pleasant, delightful". | |||
| Swahili | upendo | ||
| The Swahili word "upendo" can also mean "charity" or "grace." | |||
| Xhosa | uthando | ||
| In Xhosa, "uthando" can also refer to affection, fondness, or adoration. | |||
| Yoruba | ife | ||
| 'Ìfé' is both the name of the Yoruba city where Orunmila established Ifa divination and also means 'to select' or 'to love'. | |||
| Zulu | uthando | ||
| The Zulu word "uthando" has no direct English equivalent and encompasses several aspects of affection including: love, passion, and compassion. | |||
| Bambara | kanu | ||
| Ewe | lɔ̃ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | urukundo | ||
| Lingala | bolingo | ||
| Luganda | okwagala | ||
| Sepedi | lerato | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔdɔ | ||
Love in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حب | ||
| The Arabic word "حب" (hubb) encompasses a range of meanings, including compassion, affection, desire, and kinship. | |||
| Hebrew | אהבה | ||
| Pashto | مينه | ||
| The Pashto word "مينه" also refers to a type of flower, specifically the jasmine flower. | |||
| Arabic | حب | ||
| The Arabic word "حب" (hubb) encompasses a range of meanings, including compassion, affection, desire, and kinship. | |||
Love in Western European Languages
| Albanian | dashuri | ||
| The word 'dashuri' is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *deḱ-, signifying 'love' or 'relationship'. | |||
| Basque | maitasuna | ||
| The Basque word "maitasuna" also means "affection", "friendship" or "charity" depending on the context. | |||
| Catalan | amor | ||
| In Catalan, "amor" can also refer to the feeling of affection shared between family members, similar to the English word "affection." | |||
| Croatian | ljubav | ||
| While the Croatian word ljuбав means 'love', it's cognate with the Russian word lyubov', meaning 'grace' or 'favor'. | |||
| Danish | kærlighed | ||
| Kærlighed, meaning 'love' in Danish, traces its roots back to an Old Norse term denoting affection or desire. | |||
| Dutch | liefde | ||
| The Dutch word 'liefde' originates from the Germanic word 'liuba', which means 'dear' or 'beloved'. | |||
| English | love | ||
| The word 'love' derives from Old English and Proto-Indo-European roots referring to affection, desire, and care. | |||
| French | amour | ||
| Frisian | leafde | ||
| Leafde (love) is related to the Dutch word 'liefde' (love), and the German word 'Liebe' (love). | |||
| Galician | amor | ||
| In Galician "amor" also refers to an emotional attachment to something that is not a person. | |||
| German | liebe | ||
| The word Liebe in German comes from the Proto-Germanic word **lubō**, meaning 'agreeable, dear, desirable' | |||
| Icelandic | ást | ||
| The word 'ást' in Icelandic is thought to be derived from the Proto-Germanic root *astiz, meaning 'favour, grace' or 'joy'. | |||
| Irish | grá | ||
| The Irish word "grá" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ǵʰer-/*ǵʰreh- " to desire, to be greedy, to grasp." | |||
| Italian | amore | ||
| "Amore" derives from the Latin word "amores", meaning both "love" and "sweetheart". | |||
| Luxembourgish | léift | ||
| Alternately, Léift means 'dear, darling, sweetheart,' a term of endearment and affection similar to the English word 'dearest'. | |||
| Maltese | imħabba | ||
| The Maltese word 'imħabba' also means 'affection' and is derived from the Arabic word 'maħabba' meaning 'love', 'affection' or 'friendship'. | |||
| Norwegian | kjærlighet | ||
| The word 'kjærlighet' is derived from the Old Norse word 'kærleikr', meaning 'affection' or 'goodwill'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | amor | ||
| The word "amor" in Portuguese is derived from the Latin word "amor", which means "affection, love, desire". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ghaoil | ||
| The Gaelic word 'ghaoil' is thought to mean 'stranger' or 'someone who is loved' in Irish Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | amor | ||
| The Latin etymology of 'amor' connects it to concepts of 'binding' and 'desire'. | |||
| Swedish | kärlek | ||
| "Kärlek" can also mean affection, passion, or charity. | |||
| Welsh | cariad | ||
| Welsh 'cariad' has a range of synonyms, including 'affections', 'delight' and 'passion' and was used to mean 'friend'. | |||
Love in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | каханне | ||
| The Belarusian word "каханне" has Germanic roots and is related to the German word "König" (king). | |||
| Bosnian | ljubavi | ||
| The word "ljubavi" in Bosnian traces its roots back to the Proto-Slavic term "ljubъ" meaning "dear," and it retains this sense of affection and closeness in its modern usage. | |||
| Bulgarian | любов | ||
| The word “любов” in Bulgarian is related to the word “lieben” in German and can also mean “a favourite.” | |||
| Czech | milovat | ||
| Milovat also means to have pity in Czech, similar to the English 'compassion' which stems from the Latin word meaning 'to suffer with'. | |||
| Estonian | armastus | ||
| The word "armastus" is derived from the Indo-European root *men-, meaning "to think" or "to care for". | |||
| Finnish | rakkaus | ||
| Etymology unknown, but possibly related to 'rakentaa' ('to build') or 'rakkauden' ('of love'). | |||
| Hungarian | szeretet | ||
| The word "szeretet" in Hungarian is derived from the verb "szeretni", meaning "to hold dear" or "to cherish". | |||
| Latvian | mīlestība | ||
| The word "mīlestība" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*melh₁-", meaning "to grind". | |||
| Lithuanian | meilė | ||
| "Meilė" in Lithuanian is a derivative of the Proto-Slavic word *meile, meaning "pity" or "mercy." | |||
| Macedonian | убов | ||
| Polish | miłość | ||
| The Polish word "miłość" (love), akin to Russian "милый" (cute), has also the archaic meaning of "dear, beloved" and is often used as a term of endearment. | |||
| Romanian | dragoste | ||
| The Romanian word "dragoste" has Proto-Indo-European roots in the same family as the English word "dear." | |||
| Russian | люблю | ||
| "Люблю" can also mean "I like" or "I am fond of" in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | љубав | ||
| The Serbian word "љубав" has cognates in Old Church Slavonic and Sanskrit | |||
| Slovak | láska | ||
| The word "láska" in Slovak is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *ljubъ, meaning "dear" or "beloved." | |||
| Slovenian | ljubezen | ||
| The word ljubezen ('love') is derived from the Proto-Slavic *ľubъ ('dear'), related to Latin lubido ('passion') and Old English leof ('dear'). | |||
| Ukrainian | кохання | ||
| "Кохання" is derived from the Proto-Slavic "*xotěti," meaning "to desire, to want." | |||
Love in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ভালবাসা | ||
| The term "ভালবাসা" ('bhalobasha') can carry connotations analogous to 'affection' as opposed to a romantic connotation in English, and can sometimes extend even beyond this to mean something as basic as 'liking' something, depending on context. | |||
| Gujarati | પ્રેમ | ||
| Gujarati 'પ્રેમ' is a direct cognate of the Sanskrit 'preman' which also has meanings of 'devotion', 'affection', and 'attachment'. | |||
| Hindi | प्रेम | ||
| The Hindi word "प्रेम" has ancient Sanskrit roots and can encompass various meanings such as affection, fondness, or romantic love. | |||
| Kannada | ಪ್ರೀತಿ | ||
| "ಪ್ರೀತಿ" is thought to be derived from the word "ಅಪ್ರೀತಿ" (apreeti), meaning "disinclination," implying that love is the opposite of disliking someone." | |||
| Malayalam | സ്നേഹം | ||
| Marathi | प्रेम | ||
| "प्रेम" stems from the Sanskrit "प्री" meaning fondness, affection or liking, and shares the Indo-European root with "friendship". | |||
| Nepali | माया | ||
| The Nepali word 'माया' also refers to a philosophical concept that explores the illusory nature of reality and the attachment to worldly possessions. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਿਆਰ | ||
| The Punjabi word "pyār" has a wide range of meanings depending on the context, including affection, attachment, infatuation, and reverence. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ආදරය | ||
| "ආදරය" (love) also refers to warmth and kindness, and can extend beyond the romantic or intimate sense of love. | |||
| Tamil | காதல் | ||
| The Tamil word 'காதல்' (kaadhal) originates from the Proto-Dravidian root 'kad', meaning 'bond or affection', and also has connotations of 'earnest desire' and 'longing'. | |||
| Telugu | ప్రేమ | ||
| The word "ప్రేమ" comes from the Proto-Dravidian root "*pir-" meaning "to love, to desire". | |||
| Urdu | محبت | ||
| محبت was borrowed into Urdu from Persian and ultimately derives from Arabic; it can also mean 'affection' or 'kindness'. | |||
Love in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 爱 | ||
| The character "爱" in Chinese is composed of the radicals "心" (heart) and "又" (to give), suggesting the idea of "giving one's heart". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 愛 | ||
| "愛" can also mean "to pity" or "to care for". | |||
| Japanese | 愛 | ||
| 愛 (ai) in Japanese can also refer to affection, kindness, or compassion. | |||
| Korean | 사랑 | ||
| 사랑 (love) can also mean 'thought', 'desire', or 'yearning'; its root is '사리다' (to think) | |||
| Mongolian | хайр | ||
| The word хайр also means "good fortune", "wealth", or "luck" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အချစ် | ||
Love in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | cinta | ||
| Javanese | katresnan | ||
| "Katresnan" in Javanese is derived from the word "tresna", meaning "desire", "longing", or "passion." | |||
| Khmer | ស្រឡាញ់ | ||
| The term is also used to describe a protective feeling towards a child or sibling. | |||
| Lao | ຮັກ | ||
| The Lao word "ຮັກ" (love) is also used to express affection, compassion, and desire. | |||
| Malay | cinta | ||
| Thai | ความรัก | ||
| In Thai, "ความรัก" (love) can also refer to "compassion" or "affection" for someone or something. | |||
| Vietnamese | yêu và quý | ||
| Yêu, meaning "to love", and quý, meaning "to respect", are often used together in Vietnamese to express "love and respect." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pag-ibig | ||
Love in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | sevgi | ||
| Sevgi's etymology traces back to the Old Turkic word "Sevgi," meaning "to be attached to." | |||
| Kazakh | махаббат | ||
| The Kazakh word "махаббат", while commonly translated as "love," also describes strong affection for family, friends, and homeland. | |||
| Kyrgyz | сүйүү | ||
| The word "сүйүү" in Kyrgyz can also refer to affection towards a child or a pet. | |||
| Tajik | дӯст доштан | ||
| The word "дӯст доштан" ("love") comes from the Persian "دوست داشتن," which literally means "to have friends" in Persian. | |||
| Turkmen | söýgi | ||
| Uzbek | sevgi | ||
| Sevgi originated from the Sogdian language and also means "affection", "compassion", and "attachment." | |||
| Uyghur | مۇھەببەت | ||
Love in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | aloha | ||
| Aloha can also mean affection, compassion, mercy, or sympathy. | |||
| Maori | aroha | ||
| The Maori word "Aroha" encompasses a range of emotions beyond romantic love, including empathy, compassion, and a deep spiritual connection. | |||
| Samoan | alofa | ||
| While alofa primarily means 'love' in Samoan, it can also refer to a person's sweetheart or a close friend. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pag-ibig | ||
| "Pag-ibig" in Tagalog literally means "to give" or "to share something," emphasizing the selfless and giving nature of love. | |||
Love in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | munaña | ||
| Guarani | mborayhu | ||
Love in International Languages
| Esperanto | amo | ||
| "Am" in Esperanto comes from the Latin "amare," and "o" is a common ending for Esperanto nouns. | |||
| Latin | amare | ||
| Latin **amare** (love) derives from Proto-Indo-European *h₂meh₁(s)-, meaning 'to fit' or 'to be willing'. | |||
Love in Others Languages
| Greek | αγάπη | ||
| The word "αγάπη" (love) in Greek also has connotations of affection, goodwill, and charity. | |||
| Hmong | kev hlub | ||
| "Kev hlub" can also mean "affection" or "compassion" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | evîn | ||
| The word "evîn" in Kurdish can also refer to "desire" or "affection". | |||
| Turkish | aşk | ||
| "Aşk" has a root in Sanskrit as "iṣṭa" meaning "desired" and Persian as "išt" meaning "fond of". | |||
| Xhosa | uthando | ||
| In Xhosa, "uthando" can also refer to affection, fondness, or adoration. | |||
| Yiddish | ליבע | ||
| The Yiddish word "libe" also means "belief" and comes from the verb "libn" to believe. | |||
| Zulu | uthando | ||
| The Zulu word "uthando" has no direct English equivalent and encompasses several aspects of affection including: love, passion, and compassion. | |||
| Assamese | ভালপোৱা | ||
| Aymara | munaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | प्यार | ||
| Dhivehi | ލޯބި | ||
| Dogri | हिरख | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pag-ibig | ||
| Guarani | mborayhu | ||
| Ilocano | ayat | ||
| Krio | lɔv | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | خۆشەویستی | ||
| Maithili | प्रेम | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯨꯡꯁꯤꯕ | ||
| Mizo | hmangaihna | ||
| Oromo | jaalala | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ରେମ | ||
| Quechua | kuyay | ||
| Sanskrit | स्नेहः | ||
| Tatar | мәхәббәт | ||
| Tigrinya | ፍቅሪ | ||
| Tsonga | rirhandzu | ||