Main in Different Languages
Discover 'Main' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Main
Main in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hoof | ||
| "Hoof" in Afrikaans can also mean "head" or "chief". | |||
| Amharic | ዋና | ||
| The Amharic word "ዋና" can also refer to the essence or core of something. | |||
| Hausa | babba | ||
| In Hausa, "babba" derives from the word "baba", meaning "father" or "elder", emphasizing the role of leaders as patriarchal figures. | |||
| Igbo | isi | ||
| The word 'isi' in Igbo can also mean 'head' or 'beginning'. | |||
| Malagasy | tena | ||
| Possible origins of the word 'tena' in Malagasy include the Sanskrit word 'tana,' meaning 'land' or 'village,' and the Malay word 'tana,' meaning 'place' or 'country.' | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chachikulu | ||
| This word is used for important things, events, or people (similar to the English word "main"). | |||
| Shona | main | ||
| "Mukuru" can also mean "backbone" or "spine" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | ugu weyn | ||
| The term "ugu weyn" can also refer to the head of a household or a clan elder. | |||
| Sesotho | ka sehloohong | ||
| "Ka sehloohong" can literally be translated as "through the middle", as it is composed of the locative prefix "ka" and the noun "sehloohong" (middle). | |||
| Swahili | kuu | ||
| The word "kuu" also means "to live" or "to be alive" in Swahili, deriving from the Proto-Bantu word "*ku" with the same meaning. | |||
| Xhosa | ephambili | ||
| "Ephamibili" derives from the Proto-Bantu verb "-pam-," meaning "to divide, split, separate." | |||
| Yoruba | akọkọ | ||
| "Àkọ́kọ́" also means "the most important part of something" or "the very essence" in the Yoruba language. | |||
| Zulu | main | ||
| The isiZulu word "phakathi" is a synonym for "main", in the sense of central or significant, and can also mean "in between" or "middle". | |||
| Bambara | kunbaba | ||
| Ewe | ŋutᴐ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | nyamukuru | ||
| Lingala | ya monene | ||
| Luganda | kikulu | ||
| Sepedi | kgolo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | anksa | ||
Main in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الأساسية | ||
| The word "الأساسية" (main) in Arabic also refers to a type of Islamic tax that is paid annually by Muslims who are financially able to do so. | |||
| Hebrew | רָאשִׁי | ||
| רָאשִׁי, meaning "main," is cognate with the Akkadian word "rēšu," meaning "head," and the Arabic word "raʾs," meaning "head." | |||
| Pashto | اصلي | ||
| The Pashto word "اصلي" is an Arabic loanword that originally meant "original" (اصيل) or "genuine" (اصيل), and is sometimes used in this sense even today. | |||
| Arabic | الأساسية | ||
| The word "الأساسية" (main) in Arabic also refers to a type of Islamic tax that is paid annually by Muslims who are financially able to do so. | |||
Main in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kryesore | ||
| The term originates from the Latin "corypheus" which originally meant "leader of the chorus" in ancient Greek. | |||
| Basque | nagusia | ||
| "Nagusia" may mean "foreman", "landowner", "master", "boss", "leader", or "lord" in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | principal | ||
| The Catalan word "principal" is derived from the Latin "princeps", meaning "first" or "chief". | |||
| Croatian | glavni | ||
| The word "glavni" also means "head" or "principal", reflecting its Latin origin "caput". | |||
| Danish | vigtigste | ||
| In Danish, "vigtigste" is derived from the word "vigtig", meaning "important". | |||
| Dutch | hoofd | ||
| "Hoofd" also means "head" in Dutch, derived from the Proto-Germanic word "haubud" meaning "head" or "leader." | |||
| English | main | ||
| "Main" (noun) comes from Middle English "meygne" meaning strength or armed force, itself from Old French "maisnie", meaning a household, retinue or servants. | |||
| French | principale | ||
| In Italian, "principale" derives from the Latin "princeps", meaning "first or chief" and also has the meaning of "director" or "head of a school". | |||
| Frisian | foarnaamste | ||
| Foarnaamste also means 'capital' of a province in Frisian, or 'foremost' in a group. | |||
| Galician | principal | ||
| In Galician "principio" also means beginning or start, as in "o principio do ano" (the beginning of the year). | |||
| German | main | ||
| The word 'Main' comes from the Proto-Indo-European word 'm(e)i-', meaning 'flow'. | |||
| Icelandic | aðal | ||
| The Old Norse word ‘aðal’ can also mean ‘noble’ or ‘chieftain’, possibly originating from the same root as ‘father’. | |||
| Irish | priomh | ||
| In Irish, "priomh" originated from "príomh" (first or chief), and carries similar weight in contexts where "main" is used in English. | |||
| Italian | principale | ||
| Principale shares a root with "prince" but, unlike in English, can refer to something "of prime importance" as well as a high-ranking leader. | |||
| Luxembourgish | haaptsäit | ||
| The word "Haaptsäit" can also refer to the "main part" of something, or the "most important part". | |||
| Maltese | prinċipali | ||
| The word "prinċipali" in Maltese derives from the Latin word "principal", meaning "chief" or "first in rank". | |||
| Norwegian | hoved- | ||
| The word "hoved" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "hauhiþa", meaning "head". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | a principal | ||
| In Portuguese, "a Principal" can also refer to the head of a school or university. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | prìomh | ||
| It comes from the Old Irish "prim", meaning "first", hence its "first" or "main" connotation. | |||
| Spanish | principal | ||
| El término "principal" en español se deriva del latín "princeps", que originalmente significaba "primer ciudadano". | |||
| Swedish | huvud | ||
| In Swedish, the word "huvud" not only means "head" but also "main" and "principal." | |||
| Welsh | prif | ||
| "Prif" is derived from the Proto-Celtic word "primos," meaning "first" or "foremost." | |||
Main in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | асноўны | ||
| "Асноўны" is derived from the Proto-Slavic "osŭnovъ", meaning "foundation" or "base". | |||
| Bosnian | glavni | ||
| The word "glavni" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "glava", meaning "head". This reflects the concept of the head being the primary or most important part of the body. | |||
| Bulgarian | основен | ||
| The word "основен" is related to the word "основа" (foundation) and can also mean "basic" or "fundamental". | |||
| Czech | hlavní | ||
| Hlavní, the Czech word for 'main', derives from hlava, 'head', and thus also means 'capital' (of a state or district). | |||
| Estonian | peamine | ||
| The word "peamine" is derived from the Proto-Uralic root *päjäm, meaning "chief" or "head". In addition to its literal meaning, it can also be used figuratively to mean "important" or "essential". | |||
| Finnish | tärkein | ||
| The word "tärkein" is thought to derive from the Proto-Germanic word "*þurknaz" ("giant" or "leader") or the Proto-Indo-European word "*tar". | |||
| Hungarian | fő- | ||
| The word "fő-" is cognate with the Finnish word "pää-" (head, end), which suggests that its original meaning may have been "end" or "edge". | |||
| Latvian | galvenais | ||
| Latvian word **galvenais** originates from the Old Prussian word **galwis**, meaning “head”. | |||
| Lithuanian | pagrindinis | ||
| The word "pagrindinis" in Lithuanian shares its root with "grand" in English, both originating from the Proto-Indo-European word "ghr̥ndh-", meaning "to grind" or "to crush". | |||
| Macedonian | главни | ||
| The word "главни" also means "head" or "chief" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | główny | ||
| The word "główny" can also mean "head" or "chief" in Polish, like in the titles "główny lekarz" (head doctor) or "główny księgowy" (chief accountant). | |||
| Romanian | principal | ||
| Principiul (in Romanian), meaning “the main thing, principle, origin,” shares the same etymological root with “prince” and “primrose.” | |||
| Russian | основной | ||
| "Основной" is a homonym meaning "main" and "basic". It originated in a different word, which, in turn, came from the Proto-Slavic "osnova", meaning "foundation". | |||
| Serbian | главни | ||
| The Serbian word "главни" (main) can also refer to the head of a household, a primary or leading person, or a principal, among other meanings. | |||
| Slovak | hlavná | ||
| The word "Hlavná" can also refer to the main street of a town or city in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | glavni | ||
| The word 'glavni' in Slovenian can also mean 'chief', 'head', or 'principal'. | |||
| Ukrainian | основний | ||
| The word "основний" also means "low" or "near the ground" in Ukrainian. | |||
Main in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | প্রধান | ||
| In some areas the word প্রধান refers to the father of the bride or groom. | |||
| Gujarati | મુખ્ય | ||
| The word 'મુખ્ય' comes from Sanskrit and also means 'face' or 'head'. | |||
| Hindi | मुख्य | ||
| मुख्य" ("main") is derived from the Sanskrit word "mukhya", meaning "foremost" or "most important".} | |||
| Kannada | ಮುಖ್ಯ | ||
| The word "ಮುಖ್ಯ" can also mean "eminent" or "distinguished" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | പ്രധാനം | ||
| The word "പ്രധാനം" also means "important" or "essential" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | मुख्य | ||
| The word मुख्य (mukhya) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word 'mukha' meaning 'face' or 'mouth', implying something that is foremost or prominent. | |||
| Nepali | मुख्य | ||
| The word "मुख्य" (main) also means "chief" or "major" in Nepali, originating from Sanskrit where it meant "most" or "first". | |||
| Punjabi | ਮੁੱਖ | ||
| ਮੁੱਖ (main) comes from the Sanskrit word "mukha," which means "face" or "front," reflecting its primary meaning as the most important or prominent aspect. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ප්රධාන | ||
| ප්රධාන is ultimately derived from Sanskrit 'pra-dhana', which literally means 'given first'. | |||
| Tamil | பிரதான | ||
| The Tamil word 'பிரதான' ('prathan'), like its Sanskrit cognate 'प्रधान' ('pradhāna'), also signifies something 'first', 'important', or 'superior'. | |||
| Telugu | ప్రధాన | ||
| The word "ప్రధాన" also means "chief" or "first" in Sanskrit and other Indo-Aryan languages. | |||
| Urdu | مرکزی | ||
| مرکزی can also mean 'principal', 'central', or 'head', and is cognate with the English word 'central'. | |||
Main in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 主要 | ||
| The word "主要" also means "mainly" or "most important" when used as a verb. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 主要 | ||
| 主要 (zhǔyào) can also refer to a leader or head of an organization. | |||
| Japanese | メイン | ||
| メイン is borrowed from English, with the alternate meanings of "mains electricity" and "main course of a meal". | |||
| Korean | 본관 | ||
| The term '본관' also refers to the main building or hall in a temple, palace, or residence. | |||
| Mongolian | гол | ||
| The Mongolian word | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အဓိက | ||
Main in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | utama | ||
| The word "utama" also means "the main thing" or "the most important thing" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | utama | ||
| The word "utama" in Javanese can also mean "original" or "real". | |||
| Khmer | មេ | ||
| The word "មេ" in the Khmer language can also mean "wife", "chief", or "leader" depending on the context in which the word is used. | |||
| Lao | ຕົ້ນຕໍ | ||
| The Lao word “ຕົ້ນຕໍ” (main) is also used to refer to the base of trees and the root part of a plant that is below the ground. | |||
| Malay | utama | ||
| The word "utama" derives from the Sanskrit word "uttama," which means "first" or "highest." | |||
| Thai | หลัก | ||
| "หลัก" also means "pillar" and "principle" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | chủ yếu | ||
| "Chủ yếu" can also mean "mostly" or "predominantly". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pangunahing | ||
Main in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | əsas | ||
| "Əsas" in Azerbaijani can also mean "basis, foundation, principle, or element." | |||
| Kazakh | негізгі | ||
| The word "негізгі" is also a derivative of the Proto-Turkic word "negiz", which means "base" or "foundation". | |||
| Kyrgyz | негизги | ||
| The word "негизги" (main) in Kyrgyz originates from the Persian word "naqsh" (pattern) and can also mean "base" or "foundation". | |||
| Tajik | асосӣ | ||
| The word "асосӣ" (main) is also used to refer to the foundation or basis of something. | |||
| Turkmen | esasy | ||
| Uzbek | asosiy | ||
| The word "asosiy" is a loanword from Arabic which also means "principle", "basic", and "essential". | |||
| Uyghur | main | ||
Main in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mea nui | ||
| In Hawaiian, 'mea nui' can also be used colloquially to indicate something important or significant. | |||
| Maori | matua | ||
| From Polynesian words for 'backbone' or 'foundation' and 'true'. Also used in some contexts to mean 'real' or 'genuine'. | |||
| Samoan | sili | ||
| The word "sili" also means "foundation" or "root" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pangunahing | ||
| The word "pangunahing" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian term "*pəŋunuŋ", meaning "head" or "chief". | |||
Main in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | wakiskiri | ||
| Guarani | tuichavéva | ||
Main in International Languages
| Esperanto | ĉefa | ||
| "Ĉefa" is the Esperanto equivalent of the Latin word "caput" (head, top), and also related to the English word "chief". | |||
| Latin | pelagus | ||
| "Pelagus" also means "open sea" and is related to the word "pelagic," meaning "of or relating to the open sea." | |||
Main in Others Languages
| Greek | κύριος | ||
| The word "κύριος" has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European word "k̂er-yo-s" meaning "lord" or "ruler". | |||
| Hmong | lub ntsiab | ||
| In Hmong, 'lub ntsiab' can also refer to the core or essence of something, emphasizing its fundamental nature or significance. | |||
| Kurdish | ser | ||
| In Kurdish, the word "ser" also means "head" and can figuratively refer to a leader or chief. | |||
| Turkish | ana | ||
| The word "ana" can also mean "mother" in Turkish, suggesting a connection between the primary and nurturing aspects of the concept of "main". | |||
| Xhosa | ephambili | ||
| "Ephamibili" derives from the Proto-Bantu verb "-pam-," meaning "to divide, split, separate." | |||
| Yiddish | הויפּט | ||
| In Yiddish, 'hoipt' can also mean 'capital' or 'principal' in finance and investments. | |||
| Zulu | main | ||
| The isiZulu word "phakathi" is a synonym for "main", in the sense of central or significant, and can also mean "in between" or "middle". | |||
| Assamese | প্ৰধান | ||
| Aymara | wakiskiri | ||
| Bhojpuri | मेन | ||
| Dhivehi | މައިގަނޑު | ||
| Dogri | मुक्ख | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pangunahing | ||
| Guarani | tuichavéva | ||
| Ilocano | kangrunaan | ||
| Krio | men | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سەرەکی | ||
| Maithili | मुख्य | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯔꯨ ꯑꯣꯏꯕ | ||
| Mizo | puiber | ||
| Oromo | ijoo | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମୁଖ୍ୟ | ||
| Quechua | qullana | ||
| Sanskrit | मुख्यः | ||
| Tatar | төп | ||
| Tigrinya | ዋና | ||
| Tsonga | xikulu | ||