Master in Different Languages
Discover 'Master' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'master' holds a significant place in many languages and cultures around the world. Originating from the Old English word 'maister,' it has evolved to signify a person who has acquired complete control or knowledge over a subject, trade, or art. In many Eastern cultures, the term is equivalent to 'sifu' in Chinese or 'guru' in Hindu, denoting a respected teacher or mentor.
Moreover, the word 'master' has been used historically to refer to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional skills or expertise in their field. For instance, the title 'Master' was given to skilled craftsmen during the Middle Ages, who were considered to have achieved the highest level of proficiency in their craft.
Given its significance and cultural importance, it's no wonder that many people are interested in learning the translation of 'master' in different languages. Whether you're traveling to a foreign country or studying a new language, understanding the cultural nuances and translations of this word can enrich your experience and deepen your appreciation for the language and culture.
Here are some translations of the word 'master' in various languages:
Master
Master in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | meester | ||
| The Afrikaans word "meester" is derived from the Dutch word "meester" and the Old English word "mægester", both of which mean "teacher" or "lord". | |||
| Amharic | ጌታ | ||
| "ጌታ" also means "owner" or "lord" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | maigida | ||
| Hausa word "maigida", meaning "master", may also refer to a chief or ruler of a village or community. | |||
| Igbo | nna ukwu | ||
| "Nna ukwu" can also mean "grandfather" or a term of respect for someone much older than oneself. | |||
| Malagasy | tompony | ||
| "Tompony" also refers to a type of royal drum in the Malagasy kingdom, as well as the title of an important official in the royal court. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mbuye | ||
| "Mbuye" in Nyanja also means "owner" or "husband," further demonstrating the hierarchical and patriarchal nature of the society. | |||
| Shona | tenzi | ||
| The word "tenzi" can also refer to a religious or spiritual leader in the Shona culture. | |||
| Somali | sayid | ||
| The word "sayid" in Somali can also mean "sheik" or "spiritual leader", and is derived from the Arabic word "sayyid", meaning "lord" or "master." | |||
| Sesotho | monghali | ||
| The word “monghali” etymologically means “head” and could refer to the “top (highest part) of anything”. | |||
| Swahili | bwana | ||
| The word "bwana," meaning "master" in Swahili, is derived from the Persian word "khan," which also means "master" or "lord." | |||
| Xhosa | inkosi | ||
| In Xhosa, "inkosi" also refers to a chief, a person of high rank or authority, or a respected elder. | |||
| Yoruba | oluwa | ||
| In Yoruba, "oluwa" can also refer to God or a highly respected person. | |||
| Zulu | inkosi | ||
| In Zulu, 'inkosi' is a term of respect originally meaning 'chief' or 'king,' but now also used to address a general manager or any person one respects. | |||
| Bambara | makɛ | ||
| Ewe | aƒetɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | shobuja | ||
| Lingala | nkolo | ||
| Luganda | -kugu | ||
| Sepedi | nkgwete | ||
| Twi (Akan) | owura | ||
Master in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | رئيس | ||
| The word 'رئيس' is derived from the Arabic root 'رأس' meaning 'head' and has alternate meanings such as 'chief', 'president', and 'chairman'. | |||
| Hebrew | לִשְׁלוֹט | ||
| The Hebrew word לִשְׁלוֹט (master) also means to rule, govern, and control, and is related to the Akkadian word šulṭu (authority). | |||
| Pashto | ماسټر | ||
| The word "ماسټر" also means "boss" or "manager" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | رئيس | ||
| The word 'رئيس' is derived from the Arabic root 'رأس' meaning 'head' and has alternate meanings such as 'chief', 'president', and 'chairman'. | |||
Master in Western European Languages
| Albanian | mjeshtër | ||
| The Albanian word 'mjeshtër' is derived from the Latin word 'magister', meaning 'teacher' or 'expert'. | |||
| Basque | maisu | ||
| "Maisu" is cognate with the Latin word "magister", meaning "teacher" or "one who is greater". | |||
| Catalan | mestre | ||
| The Catalan word "mestre" originates from the Latin word "magister" and can also mean "teacher" or "professor". | |||
| Croatian | ovladati; majstorski | ||
| The Croatian word "ovladati" also means "to dominate" or "to control". | |||
| Danish | mestre | ||
| In Danish, "mester" can refer to a "teacher", "person of superior skill", or "one who controls knowledge". | |||
| Dutch | meester | ||
| The Dutch word "meester" can also be used to refer to a lawyer or notary, or as a term of address for a person with a higher education. | |||
| English | master | ||
| The word 'master' derives from the Latin word 'magister', which means 'teacher'. | |||
| French | maître | ||
| In French, “Maître” may also mean “lawyer,” “teacher,” “captain,” “owner,” and was used to address doctors. | |||
| Frisian | master | ||
| The Frisian word "master" (maester) can also mean "teacher" or "professor". | |||
| Galician | mestre | ||
| In Galician, the word "mestre" can also mean teacher, doctor (medical), or leader of a craft guild. | |||
| German | meister | ||
| The word "Meister" derives from the Latin "magister," meaning "leader," and has historically carried connotations of both skill and authority. | |||
| Icelandic | húsbóndi | ||
| "Húsbóndi" is an Icelandic word that literally translates to "house-dweller" and was historically used to refer to the head of a household. It shares the same etymology as the German word "Hausband" ("house-bond"). | |||
| Irish | máistir | ||
| The word 'máistir' also has the archaic meaning of 'scholar', and is used in this sense in the name of the traditional Irish poet-historian. | |||
| Italian | maestro | ||
| The word "maestro" is derived from the Latin "magister," meaning "teacher" or "leader," and has been used in Italian since the 13th century to refer to a skilled craftsman or artist. | |||
| Luxembourgish | meeschter | ||
| Maltese | kaptan | ||
| The Maltese word "kaptan" likely derives from the Italian "capitano", meaning "captain." | |||
| Norwegian | herre | ||
| Herre, which literally translates to 'gentleman,' may also refer to a lord, squire, or husband in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | mestre | ||
| In Portuguese, "mestre" can also mean "teacher", "expert", or "head of a religious order". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | mhaighstir | ||
| The term "mhaighstir" derived from the Latin "magister", meaning "teacher" or "head of a family". | |||
| Spanish | maestro | ||
| "Maestro" can also refer to an established musician, or an authoritative teacher | |||
| Swedish | bemästra | ||
| "Bemästra" shares the root word "mästare", or expert, with "mästerverk", meaning masterpiece. | |||
| Welsh | meistr | ||
| In Welsh, 'meistr' comes from Latin 'magister', having also been used to mean 'priest' and 'teacher' | |||
Master in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | майстар | ||
| The word "майстар" derives from the Old East Slavic "мастеръ" (master), cognate to the German "meister" and the English "master". | |||
| Bosnian | majstore | ||
| The word "majstore" can also refer to a craftsman who has reached the highest level of their trade. | |||
| Bulgarian | майстор | ||
| The word “майстор” comes from Medieval Greek and was originally used for military commanders. | |||
| Czech | mistr | ||
| In the Czech language, the word "mistr" also has the meaning of "teacher". | |||
| Estonian | meister | ||
| In Estonian, "meister" also refers to a craftsman, expert, or professional in a field. | |||
| Finnish | hallita | ||
| The word "hallita" comes from the Proto-Finnic word "*haltija", meaning "to hold" or "to possess". | |||
| Hungarian | fő- | ||
| The word "fő-" has cognates in most Uralic languages, with meanings such as "head" (head of body or of plant), "top" or "beginning". | |||
| Latvian | meistars | ||
| In Old Prussian, "meistars" could also refer to a priest or a pagan holy man, which may have influenced the Latvian word's meaning. | |||
| Lithuanian | meistras | ||
| The word "meistras" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "mei-," meaning "to think" or "to know." | |||
| Macedonian | господар | ||
| The word «господар» comes from the old Church Slavic "господи" meaning master, leader. | |||
| Polish | mistrz | ||
| The word "mistrz" in Polish originally meant "instructor" or "teacher" and is related to the German word "Meister" meaning "craftsman". | |||
| Romanian | maestru | ||
| The Romanian word "maestru" ultimately derives from the Latin word "magister" but can also mean "teacher" or "expert" in some contexts. | |||
| Russian | мастер | ||
| In Russian, the word "master" can also refer to a skilled craftsman or an expert in a specific field. | |||
| Serbian | господару | ||
| The word "господару" can also mean "lord" or "gentleman" in Serbian and its related languages. | |||
| Slovak | pán | ||
| Pán is also used to refer to God or to a priest | |||
| Slovenian | mojster | ||
| The word 'mojster' has Proto-Slavic roots and has retained its original Slavic meaning as opposed to the Western European concept of a 'master' ruling over a 'servant.' | |||
| Ukrainian | майстер | ||
| The Ukrainian word "майстер" (master) is related to the Latin "magister" (teacher) and the German "Meister" (craftsman). | |||
Master in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মাস্টার | ||
| The word 'মাস্টার' can also refer to the captain of a ship or a skilled craftsman. | |||
| Gujarati | માસ્ટર | ||
| The Gujarati word "માસ્ટર" can also mean "expert" or "skilled person". | |||
| Hindi | गुरुजी | ||
| In Sanskrit, the word "guruji" means "heavy" or "important". It can also refer to a teacher, spiritual guide, or respected elder. | |||
| Kannada | ಮಾಸ್ಟರ್ | ||
| In Kannada, the word | |||
| Malayalam | മാസ്റ്റർ | ||
| In Malayalam, "മാസ്റ്റർ" (master) has alternate meanings including "teacher" and "expert". | |||
| Marathi | मास्टर | ||
| The Marathi word "मास्टर" can also mean "mister" or "sir". | |||
| Nepali | मास्टर | ||
| मास्टर may derive from an ancient term for the boss, or perhaps even from a root meaning 'big'. In contemporary usage the term may refer to a respected teacher or trainer. | |||
| Punjabi | ਮਾਸਟਰ | ||
| The word "ਮਾਸਟਰ" (master) in Punjabi also means "owner" or "leader of a group or organization." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ස්වාමියා | ||
| The word "ස්වාමියා" can also refer to a husband or a deity, depending on the context. | |||
| Tamil | குரு | ||
| "குரு" (master) is also the name of the planet Jupiter in Tamil astrology. | |||
| Telugu | మాస్టర్ | ||
| The Telugu word 'మాస్టర్' ('master') is borrowed from the Sanskrit word 'मस्तृ' ('mastu') meaning 'chief' or 'head of household' and also shares the same origin with the English word 'minister' via the Latin 'magister'. | |||
| Urdu | ماسٹر | ||
| The word "ماسٹر" (master) in Urdu can also mean "teacher" or "expert". | |||
Master in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 主 | ||
| In Chinese, the word "主" also means "host", "owner", or "sovereign". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 主 | ||
| "主" is also the name given to the first of the five Chinese musical notes. | |||
| Japanese | 主人 | ||
| "主人" can also be used to refer to a landlord, employer, or the head of a household. | |||
| Korean | 석사 | ||
| In addition to its meaning of "master," "석사" (碩士) also refers to a "master's degree" in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | мастер | ||
| The word "мастер" can also refer to a skilled craftsman or a teacher. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဆရာ | ||
| The word "ဆရာ" (master) in Myanmar (Burmese) is derived from the Pali word "acariya", meaning "teacher" or "preceptor". | |||
Master in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | menguasai | ||
| Menguasai also refers to a period of time when a person or animal has a diminished sense of control over themselves, such as during sleep or hypnosis. | |||
| Javanese | juragan | ||
| The Javanese word "juragan" is also used to refer to a ship's captain or a wealthy merchant, hinting at its maritime origins. | |||
| Khmer | មេ | ||
| The word "មេ" (master) in Khmer has several alternative meanings, including "chief," "head," or "leader." | |||
| Lao | ຕົ້ນສະບັບ | ||
| Malay | tuan | ||
| "Tuan" is also used as a polite form of address for men in several Southeast Asian languages. | |||
| Thai | ปรมาจารย์ | ||
| ปรมาจารย์ (paramācārya) means the highest teacher of knowledge or an expert in any field, and is derived from Sanskrit. | |||
| Vietnamese | bậc thầy | ||
| The word "bậc thầy" can also mean "ancestor" or "grandparent". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | master | ||
Master in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | usta | ||
| "Usta" can also mean "skilled" or "expert" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | шебер | ||
| Historically "шебер" also referred to a person who had reached a "level of excellence in their field" or a "well-respected person with experience and skills". | |||
| Kyrgyz | кожоюн | ||
| Etymology: Old Turkic, cognate with Mongolian qožajun "elder, master", ultimately from Chinese 公公 gonggong ("father’s father, respectful address for old men") | |||
| Tajik | устод | ||
| In Arabic, "Ustad" (أستاذ) means "teacher or professor" and is also used as a title of respect for craftsmen and artisans. | |||
| Turkmen | ussat | ||
| Uzbek | usta | ||
| In Uzbek, "usta" can also refer to a highly skilled worker, particularly in traditional crafts such as carpentry or metalworking. | |||
| Uyghur | ئۇستاز | ||
Master in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | haku | ||
| Haku, meaning 'master', derives from the words haku 'to command' and ha 'breath' | |||
| Maori | rangatira | ||
| The Māori word "rangatira" originally meant "heavenly being" and was later used to refer to chiefs and leaders. | |||
| Samoan | matai | ||
| In traditional Samoan culture, "matai" also refers to a head of a family or village, carrying cultural and political authority. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | panginoon | ||
| Etymology possibly rooted in 'pa-ginoong', which meant 'to make someone a lord' in Old Tagalog. | |||
Master in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | yatichiri | ||
| Guarani | mba'ekuaavetehára | ||
Master in International Languages
| Esperanto | mastro | ||
| The Esperanto word "mastro" originates from the English word "master", but it also has the alternate meaning of "teacher" or "instructor". | |||
| Latin | dominus | ||
| "Dominus" was a title for a god in ancient Rome, later used to refer to a lord or master. | |||
Master in Others Languages
| Greek | κύριος | ||
| It also refers to the proper name 'Lord' and the word for 'God' (theos) and is used in the context of the holy trinity in the Christian faith. | |||
| Hmong | tus tswv | ||
| “Tus tswv” literally translates to “owner of the knife” and is used to refer to a father figure or male leader in Hmong culture. | |||
| Kurdish | mamoste | ||
| It may be derived from the Syriac "māryā" or Arabic "mawlā". Some also see its origin in the Persian word "madhost" | |||
| Turkish | usta | ||
| The word "usta" is also used to refer to a craftsman or skilled worker in a particular trade or craft. | |||
| Xhosa | inkosi | ||
| In Xhosa, "inkosi" also refers to a chief, a person of high rank or authority, or a respected elder. | |||
| Yiddish | בעל | ||
| The noun בעל, when used to address one's partner, may also sometimes imply the person is "in possession" of their partner. | |||
| Zulu | inkosi | ||
| In Zulu, 'inkosi' is a term of respect originally meaning 'chief' or 'king,' but now also used to address a general manager or any person one respects. | |||
| Assamese | মাষ্টৰ | ||
| Aymara | yatichiri | ||
| Bhojpuri | माहटर साहेब | ||
| Dhivehi | ބޮޑުމީހާ | ||
| Dogri | मास्टर | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | master | ||
| Guarani | mba'ekuaavetehára | ||
| Ilocano | amo | ||
| Krio | masta | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سەرەکی | ||
| Maithili | स्वामी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯝꯄꯨ | ||
| Mizo | hotu | ||
| Oromo | gooftaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଗୁରୁ | ||
| Quechua | patron | ||
| Sanskrit | निपुण | ||
| Tatar | мастер | ||
| Tigrinya | ተምሃረ | ||
| Tsonga | n'winyi | ||