Month in different languages

Month in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'month' holds great significance in our lives as it helps us to track time and organize our daily activities. It is a unit of time, used with the calendar, which is approximately as long as a natural period related to the motion of the Moon; month and Moon are cognates.

Months have been an essential part of various cultures and civilizations, and they have been named after various things such as gods, numbers, and natural events. For instance, the English name 'September' is derived from the Latin 'septem', meaning 'seven', as it was the seventh month in the ancient Roman calendar.

Knowing the translation of the word 'month' in different languages can be beneficial for people who travel, work with international clients, or are learning a new language. It can also provide insight into the cultural significance of the word in various languages and regions.

Here are some translations of the word 'month' in different languages: Spanish - mes, French - mois, German - Monat, Italian - mese, Chinese - 月 (yuè), Japanese - 月 (tsuki), Korean - 월 (wol), Arabic - شهر (shahr), Hindi - माह (māh), and Russian - месяц (mesyats).

Month


Month in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansmaand
The Afrikaans word "maand" is cognate with the German "Mond" ("moon"), both derived from the Proto-Germanic *mēnōn
Amharicወር
"ወር" in Amharic can also refer to the verb 'to inherit; to be an heir.'
Hausawata
Hausa's wata "month" also refers to the moon's phases as its etymology derives from Arabic's waqt "time".
Igboọnwa
"Ọnwa" also means "moon" in Igbo; both words share the same root."
Malagasyvolana
The Malagasy word "volana" also means "moon" in Malay, "month" in Javanese, and "time" in Acehnese.
Nyanja (Chichewa)mwezi
In Nyanja, "mwezi" can also refer to the moon, as the moon is used to track the passage of months.
Shonamwedzi
The word 'mwedzi' also means 'moon' in Chishona, suggesting a connection between the lunar cycle and the passage of time.
Somalibil
The word "bil" in Somali is derived from the Proto-Cushitic root *bil, meaning "moon," and also refers to the period of time between two full moons.
Sesothokhoeli
The word "khoeli" also means "moon" in Sesotho, as the lunar cycle is used to determine the start of each month.
Swahilimwezi
In Swahili, "mwezi" also means "moon" as the month is based on the lunar cycle.
Xhosainyanga
The word "inyanga" can also refer to a traditional healer or diviner in Xhosa culture.
Yorubaosù
Yoruba word "osù" also means "portion," or "destiny or allotment allotted to a person."
Zuluinyanga
In Zulu, the word 'inyanga' is also a term for 'traditional healer'.
Bambarakalo
Eweɣleti
Kinyarwandaukwezi
Lingalasanza
Lugandaomwezi
Sepedikgwedi
Twi (Akan)bosome

Month in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicشهر
In Arabic, "شهر" (month) also signifies a city or town, as in "مدينة" (city).
Hebrewחוֹדֶשׁ
The Hebrew word for month, "חוֹדֶשׁ" ("chodesh"), also means "new (moon)" and "renewal".
Pashtoمیاشت
The word "میاشت" can also refer to a period of 30 days.
Arabicشهر
In Arabic, "شهر" (month) also signifies a city or town, as in "مدينة" (city).

Month in Western European Languages

Albanianmuaj
The word "muaj" is also used in some Albanian dialects with the meaning "moon" and derives from the Latin "mensis".
Basquehilabetea
The Basque word "hilabetea" is a compound word composed of the words "hila" (meaning "moon") and "bete" (meaning "full").
Catalanmes
Catalan "mes" can also mean "harvest" or "crop," reflecting its agricultural roots.
Croatianmjesec
The word 'mjesec' in Croatian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'měsěc', which also means 'moon'.
Danishmåned
The Danish word "måned" is derived from the Middle Low German word "manen", meaning "moon". It is related to the English word "moon", and also to the Latin word "mensis", from which the English word "month" is derived.
Dutchmaand
Maand ultimately derives from the Proto-Germanic word *mēnōths, referring to the moon, and is cognate with the English word "moon".
Englishmonth
"Month" derives from Old English and is related to "moon," reflecting the moon's influence on early timekeeping systems.
Frenchmois
The French word "mois" derives from the Latin word "mensis," which can mean "moon" or "month."
Frisianmoanne
The word "moanne" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "*mēnō" meaning "moon" and is used in many Frisian dialects to refer to both months and moons.
Galicianmes
"Mes" in Galician comes from the Latin word "mensis", which can also mean "menstruation" or "the moon"
Germanmonat
In Old English, the word "monað" referred to the celestial journey of the moon.
Icelandicmánuði
The Icelandic word "mánuði" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "*mēnṓþs", which also meant "moon".
Irishmhí
The Irish word "mhí" may have originated from the Proto-Indo-European root "*me-/*meh-", meaning "moon" or "measure".
Italianmese
The word "mese" is derived from the Latin word "mensis", meaning "moon".
Luxembourgishmount
Mount, pronounced identical to the English month, is an archaic form of the word "Mount".
Maltesexahar
Maltese <xahar> for "month" is cognate with Arabic <šahr> "city, region, division of time" and Syriac <šehra> "time, period, season"
Norwegianmåned
The Norwegian word "måned" is etymologically related to the English word "moon" due to the ancient lunar-based calendars in use prior to our modern solar system.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)mês
The word "mês" comes from the Latin word "mensis", which also means "month".
Scots Gaelicmìos
The Scots Gaelic word "mìos" also refers to a moon phase, such as a new moon or full moon.
Spanishmes
Mes in Spanish also means "menses" and the origin of the word is the Latin "mensis" with the same meaning.
Swedishmånad
The word month in Swedish is spelled 'månad', which is cognate to the English word moon and means 'moon period'.
Welshmis
The Welsh word "mis" may also mean "harvest" or "crop" in some contexts.

Month in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianмесяц
The word "месяц" in Belarusian can also refer to the moon because Belarusian does not have a separate word for moon.
Bosnianmjesec
"Mjesec" is derived from the Indo-European root "*mēnsis" and shares its root with "moon" in English.
Bulgarianмесец
Месец (mesec), meaning "month" in Bulgarian, is related to the word "moon" (месечина mesechina) and shares similarities with the term in other Slavic languages.
Czechměsíc
The Czech word "Měsíc" derives from the Proto-Slavic word for 'moon', as it was originally used to describe the time between two new moons.
Estoniankuu
"Kuu" also means "moon" in Estonian, cognate with English "moon".
Finnishkuukausi
"Kuukausi" is rooted in the word "kuu" (moon), signifying the role of the moon's phases in tracking time.
Hungarianhónap
The word "hónap" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *k̑ṃh₃-no- "moon".
Latvianmēnesī
The word mēnesis can also mean “moon” as in “the night of the full moon” (pilnmēness nakts).
Lithuanianmėnesį
Lithuanian word "mėnesį" originated from "mėnuo" - "moon".
Macedonianмесец
The word "месец" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *měsęcъ, which originally meant "moon" but later came to mean "month" in most Slavic languages.
Polishmiesiąc
In Polish, the word "miesiąc" can also refer to the moon.
Romanianlună
The Romanian word "lună" is derived from the Latin word "luna" meaning "moon" and it also means "moon" in Romanian.
Russianмесяц
"Месяц" is also an old name for the moon.
Serbianмесец дана
The word 'месец дана' (month) in Serbian comes from the Proto-Slavic word 'měsęcь', which originally meant 'moon' but later acquired its current meaning.
Slovakmesiac
The word "mesiac" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *měsęcь, which also means "moon"
Slovenianmesec
The word "mesec" in Slovenian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "měsęcь", meaning both "moon" and "month".
Ukrainianмісяць
The Ukrainian word місяць (month) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word měsęcь, which also meant 'moon'. In fact, it is related to the English word 'moon', as both are ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *mēnsis, meaning 'moon' or 'month'.

Month in South Asian Languages

Bengaliমাস
The Bengali word "মাস" (mas) can also mean "amount in a contract between the landlord and tenant" or "the interest added to the principal during an agreed period as per the terms of a loan agreement".
Gujaratiમાસ
The word "માસ" can also refer to a specific type of lentil in Gujarati.
Hindiमहीना
Derived from Sanskrit, the word 'महीना' (month) has its roots in 'मास' (moon) and 'मातृ' (mother), reflecting the moon's significance in shaping menstrual cycles and ancient calendars.
Kannadaತಿಂಗಳು
In Kannada, "ತಿಂಗಳು" can also refer to a specific day of the week, similar to the days of the week in English.
Malayalamമാസം
The word "മാസം" (month) in Malayalam also denotes a period of time marked by a specific lunar phase.
Marathiमहिना
The word "महिना" in Marathi not only means "month" but also refers to a "lunar month" or a "period of 30 days".
Nepaliमहिना
The Nepali word 'maahinā' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'māsa' which means 'moon'.
Punjabiਮਹੀਨਾ
The word "ਮਹੀਨਾ" in Punjabi shares the same Indo-European root as the English "moon" and is linked to the waxing and waning of the moon.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)මස
The word "මස" (masa) in Sinhala is derived from the Sanskrit word "māsa", meaning both "month" and "moon."
Tamilமாதம்
The word 'மாதம்' could also mean a period of 60 days in ancient Tamil texts like the 'Thirukkural'
Teluguనెల
"నెల" (month) originates from the Dravidian root "nal", meaning "day" or "sun". It is also used to measure time periods of approximately a month, such as "garbha nelu" (pregnancy), "pradhana nelu" (menstrual cycle), and "rutu nelu" (season).
Urduمہینہ
مہینہ (Mahina) is a cognate of the word **'mind'** in English, derived from the Sanskrit word **'manas'** meaning 'intellect' or 'measure', reflecting the ancient concept of the moon's influence on mental cycles.

Month in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)
"月" can also be a measure word for a group of people, as in "一月光辉".
Chinese (Traditional)
In the oracle bone script, the character "月" refers to the shape of the moon in its waning crescent phase.
Japanese
In some cases, "月" can also refer to the moon or the symbol for a specific month.
Korean
In Middle Korean, “달 (/dal/)” meant “moon,” and it was used interchangeably with “一月 (/ilwol/).”
Mongolianсар
"Сар" comes from an Old Mongolian word "jabu", meaning "new moon" or "moon month"
Myanmar (Burmese)
The word "လ" is also used to refer to the astrological sign associated with a particular month in Myanmar (Burmese).

Month in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianbulan
"Bulan" also means "moon" in Indonesian, derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "bulan" which meant "moon".
Javanesewulan
"Wulan" in Javanese is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "bulan" meaning "moon", and is also used to refer to the moon in modern Javanese.
Khmerខែ
The word "ខែ" can also mean "moon" or "lunar month" in Khmer, reflecting the lunar calendar's influence on traditional Khmer culture.
Laoເດືອນ
The word "ເດືອນ" in Lao can also refer to the Moon or a period of thirty days.
Malaybulan
The word "bulan" in Malay is cognate with "bulan" in Indonesian, "bulan" in Filipino, and "buwan" in Cebuano, all deriving from the Proto-Austronesian word for "moon".
Thaiเดือน
เดือน comes from the Sanskrit word "māsa" meaning "moon" and also denotes a lunar month.
Vietnamesetháng
"Tháng" can also refer to a period of time lasting 30 days, the time it takes the moon to go through its phases
Filipino (Tagalog)buwan

Month in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniay
The word "ay" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Turkic word "ay" and also means "moon".
Kazakhай
The Kazakh word "ай" for "month" is cognate with Persian "ماه" (māh), meaning the same, and ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European "*meh₁s" (moon).
Kyrgyzай
The word "ай" can also refer to the moon, as in the phrase "айдын нуру" (moonlight).
Tajikмоҳ
In Sogdian, this word meant “moon“; in the Avesta, it meant “time, length of time,“ while in modern Persian, it refers to “season“
Turkmen
Uzbekoy
The word "oy" in Uzbek can also refer to the "moon" or a "lunar month".
Uyghurئاي

Month in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianmahina
The word 'mahina' also means 'moon' and is similar to 'marama' in some Polynesian languages.
Maorimarama
In Maori, "marama" can also refer to the glow of the moon or the lunar cycle.
Samoanmasina
Masina can also refer to a particular moon phase, the new moon, or the period of darkness between the last quarter moon and the new moon.
Tagalog (Filipino)buwan
Cognate with Proto-Austronesian *bulan 'moon, month', from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bulan 'moon'

Month in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraphaxsi
Guaranijasy

Month in International Languages

Esperantomonato
Latinmensis
The Latin word "mensis" originally meant "moon" and was later extended to mean "month" because the lunar cycle was used to measure time.

Month in Others Languages

Greekμήνας
The word "μήνας" (month) in Greek derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*meh₁-n-s", also meaning "moon".
Hmonglub hli
"Lub hli" in Hmong is a combination of two words: "lub," meaning moon, and "hli," meaning round or circular.
Kurdishmeh
Meh in Kurdish also means 'good' or 'well' in Persian
Turkishay
The Turkish word "ay" can also refer to the moon or "menses."
Xhosainyanga
The word "inyanga" can also refer to a traditional healer or diviner in Xhosa culture.
Yiddishחודש
In Yiddish, "חודש" also means "new moon" or the beginning of a lunar month.
Zuluinyanga
In Zulu, the word 'inyanga' is also a term for 'traditional healer'.
Assameseমাহ
Aymaraphaxsi
Bhojpuriमहीना
Dhivehiމަސް
Dogriम्हीना
Filipino (Tagalog)buwan
Guaranijasy
Ilocanobulan
Kriomɔnt
Kurdish (Sorani)مانگ
Maithiliमास
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯊꯥ
Mizothla
Oromoji'a
Odia (Oriya)ମାସ
Quechuakilla
Sanskritमाह
Tatarай
Tigrinyaወርሒ
Tsongan'hweti

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