May in Different Languages
Discover 'May' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word “may” is a small but powerful part of the English language. It can signify possibility, permission, or a month of the year. Its cultural importance is evident in its widespread use in everyday language, from expressions like “May it be so” to the month of May, named after the Roman goddess Maia. “May” also holds a special place in literature, with Shakespeare's famous line “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” from Romeo and Juliet (Act II, Scene II).
Given its significance, one might wonder how the word “may” translates in different languages. In Spanish, for example, “may” can be translated to “puede” (for “may” as in permission) or “mayo” (for “may” as in the month). In French, it's “peut” or “mai”, and in German, it's “kann” or “Mai”. Exploring these translations offers a fascinating glimpse into the nuances of different languages and cultures.
May
May in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | mag | ||
| In Afrikaans, the verb "mag" has the same Latin root and meaning as the English word "might". | |||
| Amharic | ግንቦት | ||
| "ግንቦት" is also the name of the fifth month in the Ethiopian calendar, which lasts from May 7 to June 5. | |||
| Hausa | may | ||
| The word "may" in Hausa can also mean "perhaps" or "possibly". | |||
| Igbo | nwere ike | ||
| "nwere ike" literally means "to have strength" in Igbo, but can also express possibility or permission. | |||
| Malagasy | mey | ||
| The word "mey" in Malagasy also refers to a small tree with edible berries. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mwina | ||
| The word's Proto-Bantu form is */-wìnà/, which means to request permission. | |||
| Shona | chivabvu | ||
| 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. | |||
| Somali | laga yaabaa | ||
| Sesotho | mohlomong | ||
| The word "mohlomong" in Sesotho also means "to be able to" or "to have the ability to". | |||
| Swahili | inaweza | ||
| The Swahili word "inaweza" is derived from the Arabic word "innama" meaning "it is". It also has the alternate meaning of "possible" or "permissible". | |||
| Xhosa | ucanzibe | ||
| The word "UCanzibe" can also refer to a type of traditional Xhosa dance. | |||
| Yoruba | le | ||
| The word 'le' in Yoruba can also refer to 'go' or 'to' in the context of motion or direction. | |||
| Zulu | kungenzeka | ||
| Kungenzeka derives from two Zulu words: 'kunga-,' which means a possibility of doing something and '-enzeka', meaning to happen. | |||
| Bambara | a bɛ se | ||
| Ewe | ate ŋu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gicurasi | ||
| Lingala | mbala mosusu | ||
| Luganda | omweezi ogw'okutaano | ||
| Sepedi | ka | ||
| Twi (Akan) | bɛtumi | ||
May in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مايو | ||
| The root 'م و و' can refer to wiping out and obliterating. | |||
| Hebrew | מאי | ||
| In Hebrew, "מאי" (may) can also refer to the name of a month, a tool, or a question. | |||
| Pashto | می | ||
| 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"). | |||
| Arabic | مايو | ||
| The root 'م و و' can refer to wiping out and obliterating. | |||
May in Western European Languages
| Albanian | mund | ||
| The word "mund" in Albanian also means "world" and is related to the Latin word "mundus" with the same meaning. | |||
| Basque | maiatza | ||
| The Basque word “maiatza” for May derives from “mai”, which means “big”, referencing the month’s association with the growth of vegetation. | |||
| Catalan | maig | ||
| The word "maig" also means "green" in Catalan, and comes from the Latin word "maius". | |||
| Croatian | svibanj | ||
| The term 'svibanj' originally denoted the 'month when everything blooms,' but gradually evolved to refer to 'May'. | |||
| Danish | kan | ||
| The word "kan" in Danish also has the meaning of "can" or "be able to". | |||
| Dutch | mei | ||
| In Dutch, "mei" is a homophone and has two distinct meanings based on spelling: "mei" and "May". | |||
| English | may | ||
| The word "may" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *magh-, meaning "to be able". | |||
| French | mai | ||
| In French, "mai" also means "May" the month, or "hawthorn" the plant. | |||
| Frisian | meie | ||
| "Meye" can also mean "may" in Dutch, as it does in English. | |||
| Galician | maio | ||
| "Maio" in Galician derives from the Latin "Maius," the name of the Roman god of growth and increase. | |||
| German | kann | ||
| In older German and some dialects, "kann" also meant "know how to, be able to." | |||
| Icelandic | má | ||
| The Icelandic word "má" can also mean "must" or "should". | |||
| Irish | féadfaidh | ||
| 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 | maggio | ||
| The Italian word "Maggio" shares its etymology with the Latin month name "Maius," dedicated to the goddess Maia. | |||
| Luxembourgish | mee | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Mee" also means "honey" or "mead" or even "pollen". | |||
| Maltese | jista ' | ||
| The word 'jista' originates from the Arabic word 'jazat' which means 'permission' and has other meanings like 'ability' or 'possibility'. | |||
| Norwegian | kan | ||
| In Old Norse, "kan" could also mean "to know" or "to be able to" | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | maio | ||
| The word "maio" in Portuguese can also refer to the month of May, which is named after the Roman goddess Maia, mother of Mercury. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | a 'chèitean | ||
| The same word 'a' can mean 'may' and 'of', while 'ch' in 'Chèitean' is from Irish 'cé' for 'whatever'} | |||
| Spanish | mayo | ||
| In some Spanish-speaking regions, "mayo" is used as a shortened form of "mayonesa" (mayonnaise). | |||
| Swedish | maj | ||
| "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." | |||
| Welsh | gall | ||
| In Welsh, 'gall' can also mean 'bitterness', 'annoyance', or 'anger'. | |||
May in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | можа | ||
| The Belarusian word "можа" may also refer to a type of alcoholic beverage. | |||
| Bosnian | svibanj | ||
| '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 | може | ||
| The word "може" also has a secondary meaning of "will", as in an emphatic statement such as "that will never happen". | |||
| Czech | smět | ||
| The word "smět" is derived from the Old Czech word "sněti," which means "to dare" or "to be allowed." | |||
| Estonian | mai | ||
| 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 | saattaa | ||
| The word "saattaa" in Finnish can also mean "to accompany" or "to transport". | |||
| Hungarian | lehet | ||
| "Lehet" is also used as an exclamation to express annoyance or exasperation. | |||
| Latvian | maijs | ||
| The month "maijs" derives from the Roman goddess "Maia" and is linked to the concept of growth and prosperity. | |||
| Lithuanian | gegužė | ||
| The Lithuanian word "Gegužė" originally meant "cuckoo's song" and was named after the arrival of cuckoos in the month of May. | |||
| Macedonian | може | ||
| The Macedonian word "може" can also mean "it is possible" or "I can do it." | |||
| Polish | może | ||
| 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". | |||
| Romanian | mai | ||
| In Romanian, "mai" can also mean "more", "again", or serve as an exclamation of surprise or emphasis. | |||
| Russian | май | ||
| "Май" has two main etymologies: from the Latin "Maius" and from the Sanskrit " | |||
| Serbian | може | ||
| Сербское слово “може” произошло от протославянского корня *mogti, также означает "быть способным". | |||
| Slovak | smieť | ||
| The Slovak word "smieť" can also mean "to dare" or "to be allowed". | |||
| Slovenian | maja | ||
| The word "maja" (may) in Slovenian has its roots in the Proto-Slavic word "*mogeti," meaning "to be able to." | |||
| Ukrainian | може | ||
| The word "може" can also mean "maybe", "perhaps", or "possibly" in Ukrainian. | |||
May in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পারে | ||
| 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. | |||
| Gujarati | મે | ||
| The Gujarati word "મે" ("may") can also mean "mine" in English, and it is derived from the Sanskrit word "mama". | |||
| Hindi | मई | ||
| Hindi "मई" derives from Sanskrit "mada" meaning "month" and is related to "measure" in English. | |||
| Kannada | ಮೇ | ||
| The word "ಮೇ" (may) is also a short form of the word "ಮಹಾವೀರ" (Mahaveera), the founder of Jainism. | |||
| Malayalam | മെയ് | ||
| 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'. | |||
| Marathi | मे | ||
| The Marathi word "मे" can also mean "my" when used before a vowel. | |||
| Nepali | सक्छ | ||
| The word "सक्छ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "शक्" ("to be able"), and is related to the Latin word "possum" ("to be able"). | |||
| Punjabi | ਹੋ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ | ||
| The Punjabi word for "may" can also mean "perhaps," "possibly," or "it is possible." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මැයි | ||
| The word "මැයි" in Sinhala can also mean "to be able to" or "to have the ability to". | |||
| Tamil | இருக்கலாம் | ||
| இருக்கலாம் can also mean 'perhaps' or 'might' and is often used in conditional expressions. | |||
| Telugu | మే | ||
| The Telugu word "మే" (may) comes from the Sanskrit word "मास" (māsa), meaning "month". | |||
| Urdu | مئی | ||
| "مئی" originated from Sanskrit "मास ("māsa")" and also refers to "month" or "season". | |||
May in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 可能 | ||
| "可能" (kěnéng) also means "potential" or "possibility". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 可能 | ||
| The word " | |||
| Japanese | 五月 | ||
| In Japanese the word "五月" can mean the month of May or the fifth month of the year. | |||
| Korean | 할 수있다 | ||
| “할 수 있다” is also used to grant permissions or to express possibility. | |||
| Mongolian | магадгүй | ||
| The word "магадгүй" in Mongolian can also mean "maybe" or "possibly". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မေ | ||
| The word "မေ" can also mean "mother" or "aunt" in Burmese | |||
May in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | mungkin | ||
| In Indonesian 'mungkin' also can mean 'probably', 'likely', or 'presumably'. | |||
| Javanese | bisa uga | ||
| "Bisa uga" can also mean "probably" or "possibly" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | អាច | ||
| អាច (ac̣) can also mean 'can' or 'able to' and is often used in the context of permission or possibility. | |||
| Lao | ອາດຈະ | ||
| The word ອາດຈະ is derived from the Sanskrit word आजा (ājā), which means 'permission' or 'command'. | |||
| Malay | mungkin | ||
| Mungkin, berasal dari bahasa Arab 'mumkin' yang berarti 'mungkin', juga berarti 'mungkin' dalam bahasa Melayu. | |||
| Thai | อาจ | ||
| The word "อาจ" can also mean "perhaps" or "possible" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | có thể | ||
| In older Vietnamese literature, the word "có thể" was a modal verb meaning "can" or "be able to". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maaaring | ||
May in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bilər | ||
| The word "bilər" in Azerbaijani originated from the Persian word "bilər" meaning "knowledge" or "expert". | |||
| Kazakh | мүмкін | ||
| The word "мүмкін" is also used as a polite form of "yes" or "of course" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | май | ||
| In some cases, "Май" ("may") is used to convey permission or possibility. | |||
| Tajik | метавонад | ||
| The word "метавонад" can also mean "to be able to" or "to be allowed to" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | bolup biler | ||
| Uzbek | mumkin | ||
| Mumkin is derived from an Arabic word that also means 'possible'. | |||
| Uyghur | مۇمكىن | ||
May in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mei | ||
| 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". | |||
| Maori | mei | ||
| The Māori word 'メイ (mei)' also denotes a Māori weapon made of wood and bone designed for thrusting, hitting or parrying. | |||
| Samoan | mae | ||
| *Mae* can also be used to indicate 'the most excellent,' or 'the greatest.' | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | maaari | ||
| Derived from the Malay word "boleh," "maaari" can also mean "able to" or "possible." | |||
May in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | atiwa | ||
| Guarani | mayo | ||
May in International Languages
| Esperanto | majo | ||
| This word probably comes from the Romanian word "maio", meaning "May". | |||
| Latin | ut | ||
| Ut can also mean 'how', 'as', 'when', 'where', 'that', 'lest', or 'in order that'. | |||
May in Others Languages
| Greek | ενδέχεται | ||
| The Greek word 'ενδέχεται' can also mean 'it is possible'. | |||
| Hmong | yuav | ||
| 'Yuav' also means 'to be able to' | |||
| Kurdish | gulan | ||
| "Gulan" in Kurdish has multiple meanings, including "rose" and "flower." | |||
| Turkish | mayıs | ||
| In Turkish, 'Mayıs' can also refer to a specific type of Turkish folk song or a Turkish musical scale. | |||
| Xhosa | ucanzibe | ||
| The word "UCanzibe" can also refer to a type of traditional Xhosa dance. | |||
| Yiddish | קען | ||
| In the Yiddish proverb 'Az du kenst nisht, kenst du nisht,' 'ken' has the connotation of 'can' or 'are able to' rather than 'may.' | |||
| Zulu | kungenzeka | ||
| Kungenzeka derives from two Zulu words: 'kunga-,' which means a possibility of doing something and '-enzeka', meaning to happen. | |||
| Assamese | হয়তো | ||
| Aymara | atiwa | ||
| Bhojpuri | हो सकेला | ||
| Dhivehi | ފަހަރެއްގަ | ||
| Dogri | होई सकदा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maaaring | ||
| Guarani | mayo | ||
| Ilocano | mabalin a | ||
| Krio | sɔntɛm | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕەنگە | ||
| Maithili | सकत | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯣꯏꯕ ꯌꯥꯏ | ||
| Mizo | maithei | ||
| Oromo | ta'uu mala | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ହୋଇପାରେ | | ||
| Quechua | may | ||
| Sanskrit | स्यात् | ||
| Tatar | булырга мөмкин | ||
| Tigrinya | ተዝኸዉን | ||
| Tsonga | u nga | ||