Male in Different Languages
Discover 'Male' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'male' is a fundamental term in many languages, denoting the gender that is typically associated with characteristics such as strength, assertiveness, and logic. Its significance extends beyond biology, encompassing cultural, social, and psychological implications. For instance, in some societies, males are expected to be the primary breadwinners, while in others, they are revered as leaders and protectors.
Moreover, the word 'male' has a rich historical context, with its origins dating back to Old English and Proto-Germanic. It is also a term that is widely used in various scientific fields, such as biology, zoology, and genetics, to classify and differentiate between sexes.
Given the global prevalence of the English language, it is not uncommon for individuals to want to learn the translations of the word 'male' in different languages. This knowledge not only broadens one's linguistic repertoire but also fosters an appreciation for the diversity of human cultures and languages.
Here are some translations of the word 'male' in various languages:
Male
Male in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | manlik | ||
| In Afrikaans, "manlik" not only means "male" but can also refer to bravery or masculinity. | |||
| Amharic | ወንድ | ||
| The word "ወንድ" can also refer to the right side of the body or a strong or powerful person. | |||
| Hausa | namiji | ||
| The word "namiji" in Hausa also means "man" or "husband". | |||
| Igbo | nwoke | ||
| The word "nwoke" in Igbo can also mean "mature" or "responsible," reflecting the cultural association of manhood with these qualities. | |||
| Malagasy | lahy | ||
| The Malagasy word for 'male' ('lahy') is thought to derive from the Proto-Austronesian term for 'man' ('*laki'). | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wamwamuna | ||
| The word "wamwamuna" in Nyanja can also refer to a promiscuous man or someone who is always in trouble. | |||
| Shona | murume | ||
| The word "murume" can also refer to a son-in-law, husband, groom, partner, boyfriend or fiancé. | |||
| Somali | lab ah | ||
| The Somali word "lab ah" derives from a Proto-Cushitic root meaning "strong" or "virile", and is cognate with other terms for "male" in Cushitic and Semitic languages. | |||
| Sesotho | e motona | ||
| The word "e motona" is related to the word "motho", which means "person", and "tona", which means "strong". | |||
| Swahili | kiume | ||
| "Kiume" is also a synonym for "strength" or "power" in Swahili slang, reflecting the strong association between masculinity and physical prowess in the culture. | |||
| Xhosa | yindoda | ||
| The term "yindoda" can also refer to a person of authority or a military commander. | |||
| Yoruba | okunrin | ||
| While 'okunrin' directly translates as 'male' or 'man,' it can also refer to the male child of an extended family or paternal bloodline. | |||
| Zulu | owesilisa | ||
| " owesilisa" is also a term of respect used for both men and women of higher rank or age. | |||
| Bambara | cɛ | ||
| Ewe | atsu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umugabo | ||
| Lingala | mobali | ||
| Luganda | -lume | ||
| Sepedi | monna | ||
| Twi (Akan) | barima | ||
Male in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الذكر | ||
| In the Quran, the word "al-dikr" can also refer to "remembrance of God". | |||
| Hebrew | זָכָר | ||
| Its root meaning is "to remember" and is cognate with the Arabic word "dhikr" meaning "mention, remembrance". | |||
| Pashto | نر | ||
| The Pashto word "نر" is also used to refer to a type of wild cat. | |||
| Arabic | الذكر | ||
| In the Quran, the word "al-dikr" can also refer to "remembrance of God". | |||
Male in Western European Languages
| Albanian | mashkull | ||
| The word "mashkull" in Albanian also means "masculine" in terms of gender and "virile" in terms of behavior. | |||
| Basque | gizonezkoa | ||
| The Basque word "gizonezkoa" derives from two words: "gizon" ("man") and "-zkoa" ("belonging to"), so the word literally means "belonging to man". | |||
| Catalan | masculí | ||
| In Catalan, "masculí" not only means "male" but also refers to the grammatical gender of words. | |||
| Croatian | muški | ||
| In Croatian, the word "muški" originally referred to a person from the Slavic tribe known as the Moesians. | |||
| Danish | han- | ||
| The word 'han-' in Danish can also mean 'he' or 'him'. | |||
| Dutch | mannetje | ||
| "Mannetje" means "man" but is used to refer to an uncast bull, a tom, a cob, an immature herring. "Man" is never called "mannetje" in Dutch unless he's young. | |||
| English | male | ||
| The word 'male' originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *man-, meaning 'to think' or 'to remember'. | |||
| French | masculin | ||
| The term 'Masculin' can also refer to the gender category in French grammar and can be applied to objects and concepts, not just people. | |||
| Frisian | manlik | ||
| The Frisian word "manlik" is an archaic form of "manlich", cognate with English "manly". | |||
| Galician | masculino | ||
| In Galician, "masculino" may also refer to a masculine clothing item, such as a suit jacket or shirt, or a masculine noun. | |||
| German | männlich | ||
| In contrast to the usual gender assignment, "männlich" also describes female animals when they have a dominant character. | |||
| Icelandic | karlkyns | ||
| The word karlkyns originates from the Old Norse word "karl" meaning "man" or "husband". | |||
| Irish | fireann | ||
| The term 'fireann' translates directly to 'true person', implying a superior role in Celtic society. | |||
| Italian | maschio | ||
| Maschio also means 'dungeon' and derives from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'tower' | |||
| Luxembourgish | männlech | ||
| Maltese | raġel | ||
| Maltese "raġel" derives from the Arabic word "rajul" meaning "man" or "husband". | |||
| Norwegian | hann | ||
| The word "hann" is cognate with the English word "he" and the German word "er". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | masculino | ||
| The Portuguese word "masculino" originates from the Latin word "masculinus," meaning "male"} | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fireann | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "fireann" also serves as the Gaelic name for St. Brendan the Navigator. | |||
| Spanish | masculino | ||
| The word "masculino" in Spanish shares its root with "masculus" in Latin, meaning "larger" or "stronger". | |||
| Swedish | manlig | ||
| The word "manlig" in Swedish is not related to the word "man" in English, but rather comes from the Old Norse word "mannligr" meaning "humanly". | |||
| Welsh | gwryw | ||
| The word 'gwryw' can also refer to a stag, while its feminine form 'gwreidd' means 'a hind' | |||
Male in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | мужчына | ||
| Мужчына is also an informal, humorous word for | |||
| Bosnian | muško | ||
| The word "muško" in Bosnian is also used as a term of endearment, particularly between men. | |||
| Bulgarian | мъжки пол | ||
| The word "мъжки пол" (male) in Bulgarian is derived from the Old Slavic word "mǫžь", meaning "man", and is cognate with the English word "man". | |||
| Czech | mužský | ||
| The word "mužský" in Czech also has the meaning of "masculine" in grammar. | |||
| Estonian | mees | ||
| Despite being commonly associated with men, "mees" also means "husband" and "man" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | uros | ||
| "Uros" is often considered as an alternative form of "uros", which means "brave, valiant, strong, courageous, sturdy, sturdy" in Finnish. | |||
| Hungarian | férfi | ||
| The word "férfi" in Hungarian also means "husband". | |||
| Latvian | vīrietis | ||
| The word “vīrietis” also means “hero” or “warrior” and is related to the word “vīrs” meaning “man” or “husband”. | |||
| Lithuanian | patinas | ||
| The word "Patinas" in Lithuanian is derived from the Latin word "pater", meaning "father", and is also related to the Sanskrit word "pati", meaning "lord" or "husband". | |||
| Macedonian | машки | ||
| The word "машки" is also used to refer to a type of doll or puppet in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | męski | ||
| The word "męski" in Polish derives from the Proto-Slavic word "męžь" meaning "brave" or "courageous" and is related to the Latin word "masculus" meaning "male". | |||
| Romanian | masculin | ||
| The Romanian word "masculin" derives from the Latin word "masculus", meaning "male", and is also used to refer to objects or qualities traditionally associated with masculinity, such as strength or courage. | |||
| Russian | мужской | ||
| The word мужской ("male") also relates to "peasants," "villagers," or "commoners," with the feminine equivalent женщина ("female") derived from a word for "wife." | |||
| Serbian | мушки | ||
| The word "Мушки" in Serbian has Slavic roots and can also refer to "a little fly" or "a small dot used to accentuate a beauty mark". | |||
| Slovak | muž | ||
| The word "Muž" may also refer to a husband or a man of a certain age and social status. | |||
| Slovenian | moški | ||
| Moški is cognate with Russian мужской and the Proto-Slavic *mǫžьskъ, derived from the Proto-Indo-European *man-. | |||
| Ukrainian | чоловічий | ||
| The Ukrainian word "чоловічий" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰelh₂-, meaning "to cover". This is why it also means "human" in some contexts. | |||
Male in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পুরুষ | ||
| The word "পুরুষ" can also mean "person" or "human being" in Sanskrit. | |||
| Gujarati | પુરુષ | ||
| The Gujarati word "પુરુષ" (purush) is related to the Sanskrit word "पुरुष" (purusha), which in ancient Hindu philosophy refers to the universal human being, encompassing not only the physical and mental aspects but also the spiritual. | |||
| Hindi | नर | ||
| "नर" can also mean "human" or "man" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಪುರುಷ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಪುರುಷ" also has meanings of "a hero" and "an actor." | |||
| Malayalam | ആൺ | ||
| The Malayalam word 'ആൺ' can also mean 'power', 'strength' or 'authority'. | |||
| Marathi | नर | ||
| The Marathi word 'नर' (male) originates from Sanskrit 'narah', which can also refer to a human (man or woman). | |||
| Nepali | नर | ||
| The word "नर" also means "man", and is used as the root for many compound words like "नरसंहार" (massacre) and "नरपति" (king). | |||
| Punjabi | ਨਰ | ||
| The word "ਨਰ" can also refer to a human being, a man, or a human male in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පිරිමි | ||
| The word පිරිමි can also refer to a male animal, or to a man who is considered to be strong and manly. | |||
| Tamil | ஆண் | ||
| The word "ஆண்" (male) in Tamil is derived from the Proto-Dravidian word *அன, which originally meant "strength" or "power". | |||
| Telugu | పురుషుడు | ||
| The word "పురుషుడు" is derived from the Sanskrit word "पुरुष" which means "person" or "human being" and is not gender specific. | |||
| Urdu | مرد | ||
| The word مرد (male) in Urdu comes from the Persian word مرد, which also means 'brave' or 'courageous'. | |||
Male in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 男 | ||
| 男 (nán) can also mean "husband" or "man" in the general sense. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 男 | ||
| 男 (nán) also means 'difficult' in Chinese, and in ancient times it was used as a measure word for horses. | |||
| Japanese | 男性 | ||
| Originally meaning "the side of strength," 男 can also be used to mean "strong," "energetic," and "heroic." | |||
| Korean | 남성 | ||
| The word "남성" can also mean "man" or "manliness" in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | эрэгтэй | ||
| Эрэгтэй, or "male" in Mongolian, originates from the Mongolian verb "эрэх," meaning "to procreate," or "to hunt." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အထီး | ||
| According to Burmese scholar U Tin, the word "အထီး" (male) originally referred to a "husband". | |||
Male in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pria | ||
| In Indonesian, the word | |||
| Javanese | lanang | ||
| The Javanese word "lanang" can also be used to refer to a person of high status or a deity. | |||
| Khmer | បុរស | ||
| The Sanskrit origin of បុរស suggests additional meanings such as "man" and "hero". | |||
| Lao | ຜູ້ຊາຍ | ||
| The word ຜູ້ຊາຍ also refers to a type of tree and a type of cloth worn as a loincloth by monks and villagers. | |||
| Malay | lelaki | ||
| In Proto-Austronesian, the term also referred to humans in general, reflecting the idea that men are more representative of the species. | |||
| Thai | ชาย | ||
| "ชาย" also means "edge" or "border" in Thai, and originates from the Sanskrit word "śalya," meaning "thorn" or "sharp." | |||
| Vietnamese | nam giới | ||
| The word "Nam giới" in Vietnamese also refers to the male gender as a social construct, encompassing societal expectations and norms associated with masculinity. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | lalaki | ||
Male in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kişi | ||
| The word "kişi" in Azerbaijani can also refer to "a human" or "a person". | |||
| Kazakh | ер | ||
| In Turkic and Mongolian languages, it corresponds to | |||
| Kyrgyz | эркек | ||
| The word "эркек" also means "husband" or "man" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | мард | ||
| "Мард" can also mean "man" or "husband" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | erkek | ||
| Uzbek | erkak | ||
| The Uzbek word "erkak" is also the equivalent to "husband" and originates from the Persian word "irk" meaning "seed", "origin", or "essence." | |||
| Uyghur | ئەر | ||
Male in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kāne kāne | ||
| The word “kāne” also refers to a type of Hawaiian dance performed only by men. | |||
| Maori | tane | ||
| In Maori, the word "tane" originates from the concept of separation and dividing, and also refers to "forest" and the "sun". | |||
| Samoan | tama | ||
| The word "tama" also means "father" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | lalaki | ||
| The Tagalog word "lalaki" is also used to refer to a "strong person" or a "leader." | |||
Male in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | chacha | ||
| Guarani | kuimba'e | ||
Male in International Languages
| Esperanto | vira | ||
| The word 'vira' is derived from the Latin word 'vir' and it can also mean 'hero', 'brave man', or 'husband' in Esperanto, similar to the word 'husband' in English. | |||
| Latin | masculum | ||
| "Masculum" can also refer to the male gender of a noun, or to a man that has not reached puberty. | |||
Male in Others Languages
| Greek | αρσενικός | ||
| The word "αρσενικός" in Greek comes from the ancient Greek "ἄρσην", meaning "male", and "κοινός", meaning "common". It can also refer to the masculine gender in grammar. | |||
| Hmong | txiv neej | ||
| The word txiv neej can also be used to refer to a husband, father, or older brother. | |||
| Kurdish | nêrî | ||
| The word "nêrî" is also used to refer to the male head of a household or family. | |||
| Turkish | erkek | ||
| "Erkek" is derived from the Old Turkic word "er", meaning "hero" or "warrior". It later took on the meaning of "adult male" and eventually "male" in general. | |||
| Xhosa | yindoda | ||
| The term "yindoda" can also refer to a person of authority or a military commander. | |||
| Yiddish | זכר | ||
| The Yiddish word "זכר" (zכר) has alternate meanings, including "a reminder" or "something that is remembered". | |||
| Zulu | owesilisa | ||
| " owesilisa" is also a term of respect used for both men and women of higher rank or age. | |||
| Assamese | পুৰুষ | ||
| Aymara | chacha | ||
| Bhojpuri | मरद | ||
| Dhivehi | ފިރިހެން | ||
| Dogri | मर्द | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | lalaki | ||
| Guarani | kuimba'e | ||
| Ilocano | lalaki | ||
| Krio | man | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نێرینە | ||
| Maithili | पुरुष | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯨꯄꯥ | ||
| Mizo | mipa | ||
| Oromo | dhiira | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପୁରୁଷ | ||
| Quechua | qari | ||
| Sanskrit | पुरुषः | ||
| Tatar | ир-ат | ||
| Tigrinya | ተባዕታይ | ||
| Tsonga | xinuna | ||