Meal in different languages

Meal in Different Languages

Discover 'Meal' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Meal


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Afrikaans
ete
Albanian
vakt
Amharic
ምግብ
Arabic
وجبة
Armenian
կերակուր
Assamese
আহাৰ
Aymara
manq'a
Azerbaijani
yemək
Bambara
dumuni
Basque
bazkari
Belarusian
ежа
Bengali
খাবার
Bhojpuri
खाना
Bosnian
obrok
Bulgarian
хранене
Catalan
menjar
Cebuano
pagkaon
Chinese (Simplified)
膳食
Chinese (Traditional)
膳食
Corsican
pastu
Croatian
obrok
Czech
jídlo
Danish
måltid
Dhivehi
ކެއުން
Dogri
रुट्टी
Dutch
maaltijd
English
meal
Esperanto
manĝo
Estonian
sööki
Ewe
nuɖuɖu
Filipino (Tagalog)
pagkain
Finnish
ateria
French
repas
Frisian
miel
Galician
comida
Georgian
კვება
German
mahlzeit
Greek
γεύμα
Guarani
tembi'u
Gujarati
ભોજન
Haitian Creole
repa
Hausa
abinci
Hawaiian
pāʻina ʻai
Hebrew
ארוחה
Hindi
भोजन
Hmong
pluas noj
Hungarian
étkezés
Icelandic
máltíð
Igbo
nri
Ilocano
makan
Indonesian
makan
Irish
béile
Italian
pasto
Japanese
お食事
Javanese
dhahar
Kannada
.ಟ
Kazakh
тамақ
Khmer
អាហារ
Kinyarwanda
ifunguro
Konkani
जेवण
Korean
식사
Krio
it
Kurdish
xwarin
Kurdish (Sorani)
ژەمە خواردن
Kyrgyz
тамак
Lao
ຄາບອາຫານ
Latin
prandium
Latvian
maltīti
Lingala
bilei
Lithuanian
patiekalas
Luganda
ekijjulo
Luxembourgish
iessen
Macedonian
оброк
Maithili
भोजन
Malagasy
sakafo
Malay
makan
Malayalam
ഭക്ഷണം
Maltese
ikla
Maori
kai
Marathi
जेवण
Meiteilon (Manipuri)
ꯆꯥꯛ
Mizo
chaw
Mongolian
хоол
Myanmar (Burmese)
အစာ
Nepali
खाना
Norwegian
måltid
Nyanja (Chichewa)
chakudya
Odia (Oriya)
ଭୋଜନ
Oromo
nyaata
Pashto
خواړه
Persian
وعده غذایی
Polish
posiłek
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)
refeição
Punjabi
ਭੋਜਨ
Quechua
mikuna
Romanian
masă
Russian
еда
Samoan
taumafataga
Sanskrit
भोजन
Scots Gaelic
biadh
Sepedi
dijo
Serbian
оброк
Sesotho
lijo
Shona
kudya
Sindhi
کاڌو
Sinhala (Sinhalese)
කෑම
Slovak
jedlo
Slovenian
obrok
Somali
cuntada
Spanish
comida
Sundanese
tuangeun
Swahili
chakula
Swedish
måltid
Tagalog (Filipino)
pagkain
Tajik
хӯрок
Tamil
உணவு
Tatar
ашау
Telugu
భోజనం
Thai
มื้ออาหาร
Tigrinya
ምግቢ
Tsonga
swakudya
Turkish
yemek
Turkmen
nahar
Twi (Akan)
aduane
Ukrainian
їжі
Urdu
کھانا
Uyghur
تاماق
Uzbek
ovqat
Vietnamese
bữa ăn
Welsh
pryd bwyd
Xhosa
isidlo
Yiddish
מאָלצייַט
Yoruba
ounjẹ
Zulu
isidlo

Etymology & Notes

LanguageEtymology / Notes
AfrikaansThe word "ete" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word "eten", which also means "meal". In Afrikaans, "ete" can also be used to refer to a specific meal (e.g., "ontbyt" (breakfast), "middagete" (lunch) or "aandete" (dinner)) rather than a meal in general.
AlbanianIn Albanian, the word "vakt" not only means "meal" but also "time" and "opportunity".
Amharic"ምግብ" is also used to describe an allowance given to a person for sustenance or as a contribution towards general sustenance
ArabicIn the Quran, وجبة means "reward", while in the dialect of Yemen, it refers to a "night snack".
AzerbaijaniThe word “yemək” also means “to eat” in Azerbaijani.
BasqueThe word "bazkari" may also refer to the act of eating or a snack between meals.
BelarusianIn Polish, the word "ежа" has an alternate meaning of "hedgehog".
BengaliThe Bengali word "খাবার" is also used to refer to the dishes served during a meal or a snack.
BosnianThe word "obrok" is also used in Bosnian to refer to the amount of food that is given to an animal at one time.
BulgarianThe word "хранене" derives from the Proto-Slavic "*kormъ", and also means "feeding" or "nourishment" in other Slavic languages.
CatalanCatalan "menjar" is derived from Late Latin "manducare," meaning "chew" and cognate with English "mandible".
Cebuano"Pagkaon" in Cebuano could mean a specific meal or the act of eating, while in Tagalog it means "food."
Chinese (Simplified)膳食's '膳' is cognate with '饌' and '饌' can be used as a verb meaning 'to cook', 'to prepare good food' or 'to offer food'.
Chinese (Traditional)The term "膳食" can also refer to a specific type of hospital food.
CorsicanIn addition to meaning 'meal', the Corsican word 'pastu' can also refer to the money or goods used to buy a meal.
CroatianThe word "obrok" in Croatian also refers to a feudal obligation to provide food and other goods to a lord.
Czech"Jídlo" has a colloquial use in Czech, referring to a drug dose, in the context of drug addiction.
DanishThe Danish word 'måltid' originally meant 'something to eat' and comes from the Old Norse words 'mál' ('speech') and 'tid' ('time'), referring to the time when food was served or eaten.
DutchThe word maaltijd derives from the Old Dutch word "mal," meaning "gathering," and "tijd," meaning "time."
EsperantoDespite its similarity to the English word "meal," "manĝo" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂ed- meaning "to eat."
EstonianSööki, derived from the Proto-Finnic word *söki "eating, consumption of food, food,", is also found in Karelian, Finnish, and Võro."
FinnishThe word 'ateria' in Finnish is derived from the Latin word 'ater', meaning 'black', and could also be a reference to the dark color of medieval rye bread.
FrenchThe word "repas" in French derives from the Latin "repastus," meaning "food taken after fasting".
FrisianIn the Frisian language, "miel" can refer to the English words "meal" as well as "mile," but the latter definition mainly applies to the Frisian language itself.
Galician"Comida" in Galician derives from the Latin "comedia", meaning "performance" or "play". In some areas of Galicia, "comida" still refers to a shared meal with entertainment.
GeorgianThe word "კვება" in Georgian not only means "meal," but also refers to the act of feeding or nourishment.
GermanThe German word "Mahlzeit" has the same root as the words "meal" and "malt".
Greek"Γεύμα" is derived from the ancient Greek word "γεύω", meaning "to taste". It also means "a lunch".
GujaratiThe term 'ભોજન' is often used in Gujarati to refer to the concept of 'food or nourishment' in a broader sense, transcending its simple denotation of 'meal'.
Haitian Creole"Repa" comes from the Spanish word "reparar", meaning "to repair" or "to restore".
HausaThe word "abinci" can also mean "food" or "sustenance" in Hausa.
HawaiianIn Hawaiian culture, the word "pāʻina ʻai" can also refer to a ceremonial feast or special gathering specifically focused on food and dining.
HebrewThe Hebrew word "ארוחה" can also mean "event" or "experience," emphasizing the social and cultural aspects of eating.
HindiThe word "भोजन" originates from the Sanskrit root "bhuj," meaning "to eat or enjoy."
HmongThe Hmong word "pluas noj" can also refer to a specific meal that is eaten in the afternoon.
Hungarian"Étkezés" is a homonym in Hungarian, it can also mean "diet" or "catering".
IcelandicThe word "máltíð" comes from the Old Norse word "máltíð", which means "time of speaking" or "mealtime".
IgboThe term "nri" is often used in the Igbo language as a term of endearment for a child.
Indonesian"Makan" in Indonesian can also refer to a type of dance, specifically a traditional Javanese ceremonial dance.
IrishIn Irish, the word "béile" can also refer to a place of sacrifice or assembly.
ItalianThe word "pasto" in Italian can also refer to a type of pasture or grazing land.
JapaneseThe word 「お食事」 originates from the honorific verb 「お召し上がる」 (to eat), meaning a meal eaten by someone of higher status.
JavaneseDespite spelling and pronunciation similarities, dhahar in Javanese (meal) is not related to the word dhar in Arabic (loss, damage).
KannadaThe word "ಟ" can mean "meal" in Kannada, but can also refer to a specific type of meal taken between 12 pm and 4 pm.
KazakhThe word "тамақ" can also mean "food" or "cooking" in Kazakh.
Khmer"អាហារ" can also mean food, nourishment, or sustenance in general, as well as provisions or supplies.
Korean"식사" means either a meal with rice ("밥"/"쌀") or just rice itself.
KurdishThe word "xwarin" in Kurdish also means "to eat" or "to consume".
KyrgyzThe Kyrgyz word "тамак" originally meant "food" or "dish" and later acquired the meaning of "meal".
Latin"Prandium" also refers to a "sum of money for expenses" in Latin.
LatvianLatvian "maltīte" derives from the Proto-Baltic term "maltis" and its cognate Latin "mola" also meaning "meal".
LithuanianThe term "patiekalas" may possibly be related to the Old Prussian word "patykan" with the same meaning, and perhaps also related to the Slavic *potьčь "treat or repast".
LuxembourgishIn Luxembourgish, the word "Iessen" can also refer to a particular dish or a serving of food.
MacedonianThe word "оброк" comes from the Old Slavonic word "obrokъ", which had the meaning of "food" or "nourishment".
Malagasy"SAKAFO" has no alternate meanings but may share its word root with the verb "SAKAFA" (to feed)
MalayThe Malay word "makan" can also refer to the process of eating, a gathering of people for a meal, or the food itself.
MalayalamThe word "ഭക്ഷണം" is derived from the Sanskrit word "भक्ष" meaning "to eat" and "अण" meaning "particle". It can also refer to food in general or to a specific dish or meal.
Maltese"Ikla" is also a noun plural referring to a set of tools used for spinning, sewing, or weaving.
MaoriMaori word "kai" also means "food" or "eating," and derives from the Proto-Polynesian word "kai."
MarathiThe term "जेवण" derives from the Sanskrit word "यवन" meaning "barley," indicating its original association with barley-based dishes.
Mongolian"Хоол" means both "food" and "meal" in Mongolian, due to the Mongolian custom of eating all of one's daily food at a single sitting
Myanmar (Burmese)The word "အစာ" also means "nourishment" or "sustenance" in Myanmar (Burmese).
Nepali"खाना" also means "to eat" in Nepali.
NorwegianThe word "måltid" is derived from the Old Norse word "mál", meaning "time" or "turn", and "tid", meaning "hour".
Nyanja (Chichewa)Chakudya is also a term for 'money', particularly coins that are used in smaller transactions.
PashtoThe word "خواړه" (meal) is derived from the Persian word "خوردن" (to eat) and is related to the English word "chore" (a task).
PersianIn Persian, the word "وعده غذایی" ("meal") can also refer to a particular mealtime or the food served at that time.
PolishThe word "posiłek" derives from the Old Polish verb "posiłować" meaning "to strengthen" or "to nourish".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)"Refeição" comes from the Latin "reficere", meaning "to restore".
Punjabi"ਭੋਜਨ" also means enjoyment and pleasure, derived from Sanskrit "bhoj" meaning to eat or enjoy.
RomanianThe Romanian word "masă" is etymologically related to the Latin word "mensa," which also means "table" or "meal."
RussianThe Russian word for 'meal' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'ěsti', which means 'to eat'.
SamoanWhile taumafa refers to lunch and a'afo refers to dinner, "taumafataga" can refer to any meal of the day
Scots Gaelic"Biadh" (pronounced bee-ah) comes from the Old Norse word "bīða," and is cognate with English "bide."
SerbianThe word "оброк" can also refer to a feudal tax paid in kind, usually in the form of agricultural produce.
SesothoThe word "lijo" comes from the Proto-Bantu verb "-dyu-," meaning "to eat."
ShonaShona word for "meal" (kudya) also means "to grow" and "to be fat".
SindhiThe Sindhi word "meals" is derived from the Sanskrit "bhojana" and has several alternate meanings, such as sustenance, nourishment, and the act of eating.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)The word "කෑම" (meal) in Sinhala can also refer to a single dish or a snack.
SlovakThe word "jedlo" is derived from Proto-Slavic *ědlo that gave *jadlo in Slovak, and means "that which is edible". The word also means "poison" in certain idiomatic expressions.
Slovenian"Obrok" in Slovenian can also mean "duty" or "fee", and it comes from the Slavic word "ob-rek", meaning "to speak around" or "to discuss".
SomaliThe Somali word
SpanishThe word "comida" is derived from the Latin word "comedere", which means "to eat".
Sundanese"Tuangeun" can also be used metaphorically to refer to the substance or essence of something, such as when we talk about "tuangeun budaya" (the essence of culture).
SwahiliIn Swahili, chakula (meal) is related to kula (to eat), and comes from the verb chakula (to nourish).
SwedishThe word “måltid” originates from the Old Norse word “mál” meaning “speech” or “conversation”, as meals were often a time for gathering and talking.
Tagalog (Filipino)In Philippine dialects, the word 'pagkain' also means 'food'.
TajikThe word “хӯрок” in Tajik also means “provisions” or “rations”.
Tamil"உணவு" is also the Tamil word for "nourishment" and "food"
TeluguThe Telugu word "భోజనం" is derived from the Sanskrit word "bhojana" and also refers to the offering made to a god.
ThaiThe word "มื้ออาหาร" (meal) in Thai can also refer to a specific time of day when a meal is typically eaten.
TurkishIn addition to "meal," "yemek" can also refer to "food" or "dish" in Turkish.
UkrainianThe word “їжі” is a cognate of the Russian word “еда” (“food”), both stemming from the Proto-Slavic word *ěs-ti (“to eat”).
UrduDerived from the Sanskrit “Khadana,” meaning “to eat or chew,” “Khana” in Urdu means a prepared meal, but can also refer to a single dish, snacks, or food preparations for an event.
UzbekIn Uzbek folklore, „ovqat” could also mean „poison" or the „evil eye"
VietnameseThe word "bữa ăn" also means a "dish", especially a main course.
WelshThe Welsh word "pryd bwyd" comes from the words "pryd" (time) and "bwyd" (food), indicating the specific time of day for eating.
Xhosa'Isidlo' literally translates to 'that which is eaten'
Yiddish"מאָלצייַט" (mahlzeit) means "meal" in Yiddish, and is also used as a greeting or farewell, similar to the German "Mahlzeit."
Yoruba"Ounjẹ" also means "to eat" in Yoruba, derived from the verb "jẹ" meaning "to chew".
ZuluIn addition to "meal," "isidlo" also means "dish" in Zulu.
EnglishThe word "meal" originally meant "a portion of food" and is related to the word "mill".

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