May in Different Languages
Discover 'May' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
May
Afrikaans mag | ||
Albanian mund | ||
Amharic ግንቦት | ||
Arabic مايو | ||
Armenian կարող է | ||
Assamese হয়তো | ||
Aymara atiwa | ||
Azerbaijani bilər | ||
Bambara a bɛ se | ||
Basque maiatza | ||
Belarusian можа | ||
Bengali পারে | ||
Bhojpuri हो सकेला | ||
Bosnian svibanj | ||
Bulgarian може | ||
Catalan maig | ||
Cebuano mahimo | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 可能 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 可能 | ||
Corsican maghju | ||
Croatian svibanj | ||
Czech smět | ||
Danish kan | ||
Dhivehi ފަހަރެއްގަ | ||
Dogri होई सकदा | ||
Dutch mei | ||
English may | ||
Esperanto majo | ||
Estonian mai | ||
Ewe ate ŋu | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) maaaring | ||
Finnish saattaa | ||
French mai | ||
Frisian meie | ||
Galician maio | ||
Georgian შეიძლება | ||
German kann | ||
Greek ενδέχεται | ||
Guarani mayo | ||
Gujarati મે | ||
Haitian Creole me | ||
Hausa may | ||
Hawaiian mei | ||
Hebrew מאי | ||
Hindi मई | ||
Hmong yuav | ||
Hungarian lehet | ||
Icelandic má | ||
Igbo nwere ike | ||
Ilocano mabalin a | ||
Indonesian mungkin | ||
Irish féadfaidh | ||
Italian maggio | ||
Japanese 五月 | ||
Javanese bisa uga | ||
Kannada ಮೇ | ||
Kazakh мүмкін | ||
Khmer អាច | ||
Kinyarwanda gicurasi | ||
Konkani घडये | ||
Korean 할 수있다 | ||
Krio sɔntɛm | ||
Kurdish gulan | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) ڕەنگە | ||
Kyrgyz май | ||
Lao ອາດຈະ | ||
Latin ut | ||
Latvian maijs | ||
Lingala mbala mosusu | ||
Lithuanian gegužė | ||
Luganda omweezi ogw'okutaano | ||
Luxembourgish mee | ||
Macedonian може | ||
Maithili सकत | ||
Malagasy mey | ||
Malay mungkin | ||
Malayalam മെയ് | ||
Maltese jista ' | ||
Maori mei | ||
Marathi मे | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯑꯣꯏꯕ ꯌꯥꯏ | ||
Mizo maithei | ||
Mongolian магадгүй | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) မေ | ||
Nepali सक्छ | ||
Norwegian kan | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) mwina | ||
Odia (Oriya) ହୋଇପାରେ | | ||
Oromo ta'uu mala | ||
Pashto می | ||
Persian ممکن است | ||
Polish może | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) maio | ||
Punjabi ਹੋ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ | ||
Quechua may | ||
Romanian mai | ||
Russian май | ||
Samoan mae | ||
Sanskrit स्यात् | ||
Scots Gaelic a 'chèitean | ||
Sepedi ka | ||
Serbian може | ||
Sesotho mohlomong | ||
Shona chivabvu | ||
Sindhi مئي | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) මැයි | ||
Slovak smieť | ||
Slovenian maja | ||
Somali laga yaabaa | ||
Spanish mayo | ||
Sundanese meureun | ||
Swahili inaweza | ||
Swedish maj | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) maaari | ||
Tajik метавонад | ||
Tamil இருக்கலாம் | ||
Tatar булырга мөмкин | ||
Telugu మే | ||
Thai อาจ | ||
Tigrinya ተዝኸዉን | ||
Tsonga u nga | ||
Turkish mayıs | ||
Turkmen bolup biler | ||
Twi (Akan) bɛtumi | ||
Ukrainian може | ||
Urdu مئی | ||
Uyghur مۇمكىن | ||
Uzbek mumkin | ||
Vietnamese có thể | ||
Welsh gall | ||
Xhosa ucanzibe | ||
Yiddish קען | ||
Yoruba le | ||
Zulu kungenzeka |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | In Afrikaans, the verb "mag" has the same Latin root and meaning as the English word "might". |
| Albanian | The word "mund" in Albanian also means "world" and is related to the Latin word "mundus" with the same meaning. |
| Amharic | "ግንቦት" is also the name of the fifth month in the Ethiopian calendar, which lasts from May 7 to June 5. |
| Arabic | The root 'م و و' can refer to wiping out and obliterating. |
| Azerbaijani | The word "bilər" in Azerbaijani originated from the Persian word "bilər" meaning "knowledge" or "expert". |
| Basque | The Basque word “maiatza” for May derives from “mai”, which means “big”, referencing the month’s association with the growth of vegetation. |
| Belarusian | The Belarusian word "можа" may also refer to a type of alcoholic beverage. |
| Bengali | The Bengali word "পারে" can be etymologically traced back to Sanskrit and has connotations of both ability and permission, making it a versatile term in contemporary usage. |
| Bosnian | 'Svibanj' is a synonym for 'maj' in Bosnian and is derived from the verb 'svijetliti', meaning 'to shine' or 'to illuminate'. During the month of May, nature blossoms and the sun shines brightly, hence the association with brightness and light. |
| Bulgarian | The word "може" also has a secondary meaning of "will", as in an emphatic statement such as "that will never happen". |
| Catalan | The word "maig" also means "green" in Catalan, and comes from the Latin word "maius". |
| Cebuano | Mahimo can refer to permission ("may"), potential ("can"), or possibility ("might"). |
| Chinese (Simplified) | "可能" (kěnéng) also means "potential" or "possibility". |
| Chinese (Traditional) | The word " |
| Corsican | The Corsican word "Maghju" is derived from the Latin "Madius" and originally meant "strong" or "potent". |
| Croatian | The term 'svibanj' originally denoted the 'month when everything blooms,' but gradually evolved to refer to 'May'. |
| Czech | The word "smět" is derived from the Old Czech word "sněti," which means "to dare" or "to be allowed." |
| Danish | The word "kan" in Danish also has the meaning of "can" or "be able to". |
| Dutch | In Dutch, "mei" is a homophone and has two distinct meanings based on spelling: "mei" and "May". |
| Esperanto | This word probably comes from the Romanian word "maio", meaning "May". |
| Estonian | Estonian word "mai" shares its roots with the Latin word for May and derives from ancient Proto-Indo-European word, which described growth and abundance. |
| Finnish | The word "saattaa" in Finnish can also mean "to accompany" or "to transport". |
| French | In French, "mai" also means "May" the month, or "hawthorn" the plant. |
| Frisian | "Meye" can also mean "may" in Dutch, as it does in English. |
| Galician | "Maio" in Galician derives from the Latin "Maius," the name of the Roman god of growth and increase. |
| German | In older German and some dialects, "kann" also meant "know how to, be able to." |
| Greek | The Greek word 'ενδέχεται' can also mean 'it is possible'. |
| Gujarati | The Gujarati word "મે" ("may") can also mean "mine" in English, and it is derived from the Sanskrit word "mama". |
| Haitian Creole | In Haitian Creole, "me" (pronounced "may") also means "can" or "able to". |
| Hausa | The word "may" in Hausa can also mean "perhaps" or "possibly". |
| Hawaiian | In Hawaiian, the word "Mei" can also refer to the Hawaiian word for "beautiful" or "pretty", and can be used in the feminine form to address someone affectionately or respectfully, as in "Beautiful One". |
| Hebrew | In Hebrew, "מאי" (may) can also refer to the name of a month, a tool, or a question. |
| Hindi | Hindi "मई" derives from Sanskrit "mada" meaning "month" and is related to "measure" in English. |
| Hmong | 'Yuav' also means 'to be able to' |
| Hungarian | "Lehet" is also used as an exclamation to express annoyance or exasperation. |
| Icelandic | The Icelandic word "má" can also mean "must" or "should". |
| Igbo | "nwere ike" literally means "to have strength" in Igbo, but can also express possibility or permission. |
| Indonesian | In Indonesian 'mungkin' also can mean 'probably', 'likely', or 'presumably'. |
| Irish | The word "féadfaidh" in Irish is derived from the Old Irish "fétfaid" meaning "is able" or "can". It is also used to express a wish or desire, such as "May you be happy." |
| Italian | The Italian word "Maggio" shares its etymology with the Latin month name "Maius," dedicated to the goddess Maia. |
| Japanese | In Japanese the word "五月" can mean the month of May or the fifth month of the year. |
| Javanese | "Bisa uga" can also mean "probably" or "possibly" in Javanese. |
| Kannada | The word "ಮೇ" (may) is also a short form of the word "ಮಹಾವೀರ" (Mahaveera), the founder of Jainism. |
| Kazakh | The word "мүмкін" is also used as a polite form of "yes" or "of course" in Kazakh. |
| Khmer | អាច (ac̣) can also mean 'can' or 'able to' and is often used in the context of permission or possibility. |
| Korean | “할 수 있다” is also used to grant permissions or to express possibility. |
| Kurdish | "Gulan" in Kurdish has multiple meanings, including "rose" and "flower." |
| Kyrgyz | In some cases, "Май" ("may") is used to convey permission or possibility. |
| Lao | The word ອາດຈະ is derived from the Sanskrit word आजा (ājā), which means 'permission' or 'command'. |
| Latin | Ut can also mean 'how', 'as', 'when', 'where', 'that', 'lest', or 'in order that'. |
| Latvian | The month "maijs" derives from the Roman goddess "Maia" and is linked to the concept of growth and prosperity. |
| Lithuanian | The Lithuanian word "Gegužė" originally meant "cuckoo's song" and was named after the arrival of cuckoos in the month of May. |
| Luxembourgish | In Luxembourgish, "Mee" also means "honey" or "mead" or even "pollen". |
| Macedonian | The Macedonian word "може" can also mean "it is possible" or "I can do it." |
| Malagasy | The word "mey" in Malagasy also refers to a small tree with edible berries. |
| Malay | Mungkin, berasal dari bahasa Arab 'mumkin' yang berarti 'mungkin', juga berarti 'mungkin' dalam bahasa Melayu. |
| Malayalam | The word 'മെയ്' in Malayalam has several meanings, including 'body', 'form', 'shape', and 'month'. It is cognate with the Sanskrit word 'मास' ('māsa'), meaning 'month'. |
| Maltese | The word 'jista' originates from the Arabic word 'jazat' which means 'permission' and has other meanings like 'ability' or 'possibility'. |
| Maori | The Māori word 'メイ (mei)' also denotes a Māori weapon made of wood and bone designed for thrusting, hitting or parrying. |
| Marathi | The Marathi word "मे" can also mean "my" when used before a vowel. |
| Mongolian | The word "магадгүй" in Mongolian can also mean "maybe" or "possibly". |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | The word "မေ" can also mean "mother" or "aunt" in Burmese |
| Nepali | The word "सक्छ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "शक्" ("to be able"), and is related to the Latin word "possum" ("to be able"). |
| Norwegian | In Old Norse, "kan" could also mean "to know" or "to be able to" |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The word's Proto-Bantu form is */-wìnà/, which means to request permission. |
| Pashto | The word "می" in Pashto is derived from the Proto-Indo-Iranian verb root "*me-", which also appears in other Indo-Iranian languages such as Sanskrit ("mayā"), Persian ("man"), and Kurdish ("min"). |
| Persian | In Persian, "ممکن است" can also mean "maybe" or "perhaps", expressing a less certain possibility or probability. |
| Polish | The Polish word "może" can also mean "maybe", "possibly", or "perhaps", and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "mogti", meaning "to be able to". |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | The word "maio" in Portuguese can also refer to the month of May, which is named after the Roman goddess Maia, mother of Mercury. |
| Punjabi | The Punjabi word for "may" can also mean "perhaps," "possibly," or "it is possible." |
| Romanian | In Romanian, "mai" can also mean "more", "again", or serve as an exclamation of surprise or emphasis. |
| Russian | "Май" has two main etymologies: from the Latin "Maius" and from the Sanskrit " |
| Samoan | *Mae* can also be used to indicate 'the most excellent,' or 'the greatest.' |
| Scots Gaelic | The same word 'a' can mean 'may' and 'of', while 'ch' in 'Chèitean' is from Irish 'cé' for 'whatever'} |
| Serbian | Сербское слово “може” произошло от протославянского корня *mogti, также означает "быть способным". |
| Sesotho | The word "mohlomong" in Sesotho also means "to be able to" or "to have the ability to". |
| Shona | Chivabvu shares its root word with "mvura," which means "rain," and may be related to the idea that "may" is an uncertainty, like the timing of the rains. |
| Sindhi | The Sindhi word "مئي" can also mean "mother" or "wet". |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The word "මැයි" in Sinhala can also mean "to be able to" or "to have the ability to". |
| Slovak | The Slovak word "smieť" can also mean "to dare" or "to be allowed". |
| Slovenian | The word "maja" (may) in Slovenian has its roots in the Proto-Slavic word "*mogeti," meaning "to be able to." |
| Spanish | In some Spanish-speaking regions, "mayo" is used as a shortened form of "mayonesa" (mayonnaise). |
| Sundanese | The Sundanese word "meureun" also translates to "maybe" or "perhaps" in English. |
| Swahili | The Swahili word "inaweza" is derived from the Arabic word "innama" meaning "it is". It also has the alternate meaning of "possible" or "permissible". |
| Swedish | "Maj" is also a common female name in Sweden, as well as elsewhere in Scandinavia, and is derived from "Maja," a pet form of "Maria." |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | Derived from the Malay word "boleh," "maaari" can also mean "able to" or "possible." |
| Tajik | The word "метавонад" can also mean "to be able to" or "to be allowed to" in Tajik. |
| Tamil | இருக்கலாம் can also mean 'perhaps' or 'might' and is often used in conditional expressions. |
| Telugu | The Telugu word "మే" (may) comes from the Sanskrit word "मास" (māsa), meaning "month". |
| Thai | The word "อาจ" can also mean "perhaps" or "possible" in Thai. |
| Turkish | In Turkish, 'Mayıs' can also refer to a specific type of Turkish folk song or a Turkish musical scale. |
| Ukrainian | The word "може" can also mean "maybe", "perhaps", or "possibly" in Ukrainian. |
| Urdu | "مئی" originated from Sanskrit "मास ("māsa")" and also refers to "month" or "season". |
| Uzbek | Mumkin is derived from an Arabic word that also means 'possible'. |
| Vietnamese | In older Vietnamese literature, the word "có thể" was a modal verb meaning "can" or "be able to". |
| Welsh | In Welsh, 'gall' can also mean 'bitterness', 'annoyance', or 'anger'. |
| Xhosa | The word "UCanzibe" can also refer to a type of traditional Xhosa dance. |
| Yiddish | In the Yiddish proverb 'Az du kenst nisht, kenst du nisht,' 'ken' has the connotation of 'can' or 'are able to' rather than 'may.' |
| Yoruba | The word 'le' in Yoruba can also refer to 'go' or 'to' in the context of motion or direction. |
| Zulu | Kungenzeka derives from two Zulu words: 'kunga-,' which means a possibility of doing something and '-enzeka', meaning to happen. |
| English | The word "may" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *magh-, meaning "to be able". |