Mess in Different Languages
Discover 'Mess' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'mess' is a small but powerful part of many languages, carrying a range of meanings that reflect its cultural significance. At its core, 'mess' refers to a state of confusion or disorder, but it can also signify a difficult or unpleasant situation. Historically, the word has been used to describe both physical clutter and social or moral disorder.
Beyond its everyday usage, 'mess' has inspired a wealth of idioms and expressions in English, such as 'clean up your mess' or 'a mess of one's own making'. Its cultural importance is further reflected in its translation into different languages, where it takes on new shades of meaning and cultural significance.
For example, in Spanish, 'mess' is translated as 'desorden', which also means 'uproar' or 'tumult', reflecting the word's association with chaos and confusion. Meanwhile, in German, 'mess' becomes 'Chaos', a term that has taken on a life of its own in popular culture.
Below, you'll find a list of translations of 'mess' in different languages, showcasing the rich cultural diversity of this simple but powerful word.
Mess
Mess in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | gemors | ||
| The word "gemors" is derived from the Dutch word "gemors", which means "noise" or "uproar". | |||
| Amharic | ውጥንቅጥ | ||
| "ውጥንቅጥ" could also be used to refer to a person, which could mean someone who is very good at something, someone who is very kind, or someone who is very silly." | |||
| Hausa | rikici | ||
| Rikici, derived from the Hausa word 'riki' (to shake), also refers to the state of confusion and disorder. | |||
| Igbo | ọgbaghara | ||
| The Igbo word "ọgbaghara" also refers to a traditional type of Igbo musical instrument. | |||
| Malagasy | mikorontana | ||
| The word “mikorontana” has been widely used to refer to various forms of “mess” or “disorder” in Malagasy | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | nyansi | ||
| "Nyansi" also means "intelligence" and is used in "Mbiri ya Nyansi", a collection of traditional fables from Malawi about a clever hare. | |||
| Shona | tsvina | ||
| "Tsvina" also means filth, rubbish, excrement, or dirt. | |||
| Somali | qasan | ||
| In Arabic, 'qasan' also means 'to cut or to cut off'. | |||
| Sesotho | bohlasoa | ||
| The word "bohlasoa" can also refer to the act of making a mess. | |||
| Swahili | fujo | ||
| The word "fujo" in Swahili can also refer to a disturbance or commotion. | |||
| Xhosa | ubumdaka | ||
| Ubumdaka in Xhosa, from the noun -mdaka meaning 'dirt' or 'waste', refers to the remnants of food, or food waste. | |||
| Yoruba | idotin | ||
| The Yoruba word “idotin” can also be used to refer to something that is incomplete or unfinished. | |||
| Zulu | ukungcola | ||
| The Zulu word "ukungcola" can also refer to the act of kneading or mixing, or to the condition of being untidy or disorganised. | |||
| Bambara | ka ɲagami | ||
| Ewe | gbegblẽ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | akajagari | ||
| Lingala | kobeba | ||
| Luganda | akavuyo | ||
| Sepedi | bošaedi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | basaa | ||
Mess in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تعبث | ||
| The word "تعبث" also means "to play" or "to joke" in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | אי סדר | ||
| "אי סדר" can also mean a lack of harmony or peace | |||
| Pashto | ګډوډي | ||
| The word "ګډوډي" in Pashto can also mean "noise", "confusion", or "disorder". | |||
| Arabic | تعبث | ||
| The word "تعبث" also means "to play" or "to joke" in Arabic. | |||
Mess in Western European Languages
| Albanian | rrëmujë | ||
| "Rrëmujë" also means "a pile of dung or manure" in Albanian. | |||
| Basque | nahaspila | ||
| In the Basque language, the word "nahaspila" can also refer to a large amount or a multitude, especially in a negative sense. | |||
| Catalan | embolic | ||
| The word "embolic" in Catalan derives from the Greek word "ἔμβολος" (émbolos), meaning "plug" or "stopper". | |||
| Croatian | nered | ||
| The word "nered" is a Croatian term used to refer to a confused jumble or a state of excessive untidiness. | |||
| Danish | rod | ||
| In Danish, the word "rod" can also refer to a "messy situation" or a "disorganized pile". | |||
| Dutch | rotzooi | ||
| The Dutch word "rotzooi" (mess) is derived from the Yiddish "retshe" (garbage) and is related to the German "Ratz" (rat). | |||
| English | mess | ||
| The word 'mess' derives from the Middle English word 'messe' meaning 'a dish of food' and also 'a meal'. | |||
| French | désordre | ||
| The word "désordre" originated from the Old French word "desordre," which means "lack of order" and ultimately comes from the Latin word "disordo," meaning "disorder" or "confusion." | |||
| Frisian | mess | ||
| The Frisian word "mess" can also refer to a portion of land used to grow grass for grazing animals. | |||
| Galician | desorde | ||
| The word "desorde" derives from the Latin "dis-" and "ordo," implying a lack of order. | |||
| German | chaos | ||
| The German word "Chaos" can also refer to the ancient Greek concept of the void from which all things were created. | |||
| Icelandic | drasl | ||
| The word 'Drasl' is derived from the Old Norse word 'drasa' meaning 'to scatter'. It can also refer to a worthless object or a confused state of affairs. | |||
| Irish | praiseach | ||
| The Irish word "praiseach" originally meant "a ragged bush". | |||
| Italian | pasticcio | ||
| The word "pasticcio" comes from the Italian word "pasticciare", meaning "to botch". | |||
| Luxembourgish | mess | ||
| In Luxembourgish, the word "Mess" can also refer to a "mass", specifically a Roman Catholic mass. | |||
| Maltese | mess | ||
| In Maltese, 'mess' can have military connotations, derived from the Arabic 'ma's' meaning 'place of food'. | |||
| Norwegian | rot | ||
| The Norwegian word "rot" also means "rot" in English, referring to decay or decomposition. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | bagunça | ||
| The word "bagunça" derives from the Kimbundu language spoken in Angola, and originally meant "war" or "battle". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | praiseach | ||
| The Gaelic word "praiseach" also means "conversation", particularly a secret one. | |||
| Spanish | lío | ||
| The word "lío" in Spanish can also refer to a "bundle" or a "knot". | |||
| Swedish | röra | ||
| The word 'röra' also means 'to stir', 'to move', or 'to touch' in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | llanast | ||
| The verb 'llanast' can also mean 'to litter', while the noun 'llanast' can refer to a 'dirty mess' or to 'litter'. | |||
Mess in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | беспарадак | ||
| Derived from the Proto-Slavic root “*bezъ” (without) and “*pordъ” (order), the word “беспарадак” signifies the absence of order or logical arrangement. | |||
| Bosnian | nered | ||
| The word "nered" in Bosnian originates from the Proto-Slavic word "*nerdъ" meaning "sickness" or "disease". | |||
| Bulgarian | бъркотия | ||
| "Бъркотия" is a Bulgarian word with roots in the Slavic languages, meaning both "confusion" and "quarrel". | |||
| Czech | nepořádek | ||
| The word "nepořádek" can also mean "disorder" or "chaos" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | segadus | ||
| The word "segadus" can also refer to a "jumble" or "disorder". | |||
| Finnish | sotku | ||
| The word "sotku" is also used to refer to a person who is messy. | |||
| Hungarian | rendetlenség | ||
| This Hungarian word is also an idiom: "rend van a teremben": there is order in the hall/room/classroom. | |||
| Latvian | juceklis | ||
| The word "juceklis" is derived from the word "juceklis" meaning "confusion" or "disorder". | |||
| Lithuanian | netvarka | ||
| The word "netvarka" can also refer to a large amount of something, such as a pile of clothes or a stack of papers. | |||
| Macedonian | хаос | ||
| The word "хаос" in Macedonian has its origin in the Greek word "chaos" (void) and also means "chaos" (disorder, confusion) and "pandemonium". | |||
| Polish | bałagan | ||
| The word "bałagan" likely comes from the Yiddish word "balogn" meaning "nonsense" or "confusion". | |||
| Romanian | mizerie | ||
| The word "mizerie" may have originated from the Arabic word "mazār" meaning "tomb", "shrine", or "sanctuary". | |||
| Russian | беспорядок | ||
| The word беспорядок derives from the ancient Slavic word «порядъ» meaning «order» and the prefix «бес-» meaning «without». | |||
| Serbian | неред | ||
| The Serbian word "неред" also means "disorder" or "confusion". | |||
| Slovak | neporiadok | ||
| The word "neporiadok" also means "disorder" or "chaos". | |||
| Slovenian | nered | ||
| "Nered" can also refer to the noise made by people talking or the sound of children playing. | |||
| Ukrainian | безлад | ||
| The word "безлад" derives from the Proto-Slavic "*bezъlądъ" from *bezъ, "without" + *lądъ, "order," so literally "without order," and it is also used figuratively to refer to "chaos" and "disorganization." | |||
Mess in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | গণ্ডগোল | ||
| "গণ্ডগোল" originally meant "a group of people" and later came to mean "a state of disorder". | |||
| Gujarati | ગડબડ | ||
| The Gujarati word "ગડબડ" is also used to refer to a commotion or uproar. | |||
| Hindi | गड़बड़ | ||
| The Hindi word "गड़बड़" can also mean "difficulty" or "trouble." | |||
| Kannada | ಅವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ | ||
| The word "ಅವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ" (avyavastha) in Kannada also means "chaos", "disorder", or "confusion" | |||
| Malayalam | കുഴപ്പം | ||
| The word "കുഴപ്പം" also means "fault" or "problem" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "kuṣa" meaning "bad" or "faulty". | |||
| Marathi | गोंधळ | ||
| The word "गोंधळ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "गुण्डः" meaning "mob" or "throng". | |||
| Nepali | गडबड | ||
| The word 'गडबड' is also used to describe a 'quarrel' or 'dispute' in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਗੜਬੜ | ||
| The word "ਗੜਬੜ" can also mean "confusion" or "disorder" in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අවුල | ||
| The word “අවුල” is also used to describe a situation of chaos, confusion, or disarray. | |||
| Tamil | குழப்பம் | ||
| The word 'குழப்பம்' in Tamil originates from the Sanskrit word 'kusapa', which means 'heap' or 'pile'. | |||
| Telugu | గజిబిజి | ||
| The word "గజిబిజి" is onomatopoeic in origin, and also refers to a "crowd" or "throng". | |||
| Urdu | گندگی | ||
| This Urdu word is ultimately of Sanskrit origin, meaning "stink" and related to "ganda" (filthy). | |||
Mess in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 烂摊子 | ||
| The word '烂摊子' literally means a 'rotten stall' and is used figuratively to refer to a chaotic or difficult situation, similar to the English phrase 'hot potato' or 'mess'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 爛攤子 | ||
| 「爛攤子」源自於攤販在收攤時，攤位上剩餘的零碎物品，因其通常雜亂無章，故引申為「混亂不堪」之意。 | |||
| Japanese | 混乱 | ||
| "混乱" is also a Japanese word for "confusion" or "disorder". | |||
| Korean | 음식물 | ||
| The word "음식물" can also refer to "food" or "provisions" in a broader sense, encompassing both edible and non-edible items. | |||
| Mongolian | замбараагүй | ||
| The word | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ရှုပ်ထွေး | ||
Mess in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kekacauan | ||
| The Indonesian word "kekacauan" is thought to be derived from the Javanese word "acak-acakan", which means "disorderly". | |||
| Javanese | kekacoan | ||
| The Javanese word "kekacoan" shares a similar etymological root with "kacau" (disorder), indicating a state of disarray or confusion. | |||
| Khmer | រញ៉េរញ៉ៃ | ||
| Lao | ລັງກິນອາຫານ | ||
| Malay | keadaan huru-hara | ||
| Keadaan huru-hara can colloquially refer to a riot or a state of chaos, and is a loanword from Arabic that originally meant 'to be forbidden' | |||
| Thai | ยุ่ง | ||
| The Thai word "ยุ่ง" can mean both "busy" and "messy." | |||
| Vietnamese | lộn xộn | ||
| "Lộn xộn" is derived from the words "lộn" (to turn upside down) and "xộn" (to be in a state of disorder). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gulo | ||
Mess in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qarışıqlıq | ||
| The word "qarışıqlıq" can also refer to a "mix-up" or "confusion" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | былық | ||
| The word "былық" has a Turkic origin and can also mean "swarm" or "multitude."} | |||
| Kyrgyz | башаламандык | ||
| Tajik | бесарусомонӣ | ||
| The term "бесарусомонӣ" can also be used to refer to a chaotic and disorganized situation. | |||
| Turkmen | bulaşyklyk | ||
| Uzbek | tartibsizlik | ||
| The Uzbek word "tartibsizlik" can also mean "unrest" in a political context, or "confusion" in a more general sense. | |||
| Uyghur | قالايمىقان | ||
Mess in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoʻohaunaele | ||
| Hoohaunaele is the root word for "mess" and is also used to refer to a large crowd or a group of people doing something together. | |||
| Maori | pōrohe | ||
| The Maori word 'pōrohe' can also be used to describe a 'heap', 'pile', or 'mound'. | |||
| Samoan | gaogaosa | ||
| "Gaogaosa" can also be used to describe a person who is messy or disorganized. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | magulo | ||
| "Magulo" can also mean "unorganized" or "confused". | |||
Mess in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | janwalt'a | ||
| Guarani | guyryry | ||
Mess in International Languages
| Esperanto | fuŝi | ||
| The Esperanto word "fuŝi" (to bungle) also has the metaphorical meaning of "to commit murder" or "to assassinate" in the slang of criminals. | |||
| Latin | cibum | ||
| The word cibum is also used to describe other types of food | |||
Mess in Others Languages
| Greek | ανω κατω | ||
| The Greek term "Ανω Κάτω" originates from a nautical phrase describing a ship with its masts facing down due to a storm, implying chaos and disorganization. | |||
| Hmong | mess | ||
| In Hmong, "mess" also refers to a type of traditional dance performed at weddings and festivals. | |||
| Kurdish | tevlihevî | ||
| The Kurdish word "tevlihevî" derives from the Arabic word "tahlīya" meaning "emptying" or "evacuating," implying the act of clearing up a mess or removing debris. | |||
| Turkish | dağınıklık | ||
| The Turkish word "dağınıklık" also refers to the scattering of clouds, as well as to the confusion that results from scattering. | |||
| Xhosa | ubumdaka | ||
| Ubumdaka in Xhosa, from the noun -mdaka meaning 'dirt' or 'waste', refers to the remnants of food, or food waste. | |||
| Yiddish | באַלאַגאַן | ||
| "באַלאַגאַן" can also be translated to "chaos", "uproar" or even "a big fuss about something" | |||
| Zulu | ukungcola | ||
| The Zulu word "ukungcola" can also refer to the act of kneading or mixing, or to the condition of being untidy or disorganised. | |||
| Assamese | অব্যৱস্থিত | ||
| Aymara | janwalt'a | ||
| Bhojpuri | झमेला | ||
| Dhivehi | ތަރުތީބު ގެއްލިފައި ހުރުން | ||
| Dogri | मेस | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gulo | ||
| Guarani | guyryry | ||
| Ilocano | gulo | ||
| Krio | bad-ɔf | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | خراپ | ||
| Maithili | गड़बड़ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯥꯏꯕ | ||
| Mizo | hnawk | ||
| Oromo | jeequmsa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବିଶୃଙ୍ଖଳା | | ||
| Quechua | arwi | ||
| Sanskrit | भोजनालयः | ||
| Tatar | тәртипсезлек | ||
| Tigrinya | ዝርኽርኽ | ||
| Tsonga | hansahansa | ||