Moral in Different Languages
Discover 'Moral' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'moral' holds a significant place in our lives as it represents the principles and values that guide our behavior and decision-making. With roots in ancient Greek philosophy, the concept of morality has evolved over time, influencing cultures and societies worldwide. Understanding the translation of 'moral' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how various cultures perceive and prioritize ethical behavior.
For instance, in Spanish, 'moral' translates to 'moral', while in French, it is 'morale'. In German, the word for moral is 'Moral', and in Japanese, it is '道徳' (dōtoku). These translations not only reflect linguistic differences but also highlight cultural nuances in the interpretation of moral values.
Exploring the meaning of 'moral' in multiple languages can broaden our perspectives and foster cross-cultural understanding. By learning how other cultures define and prioritize ethical behavior, we can enrich our own understanding of morality and appreciate the rich diversity of human values.
Moral
Moral in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | moreel | ||
| The Afrikaans word 'moreel' can also refer to a type of cherry. | |||
| Amharic | ሥነ ምግባራዊ | ||
| The term was borrowed from the Classical Arabic term (ḫulqiyy خلقى), which itself is ultimately of Greek origin (ethikos and ethicos). | |||
| Hausa | halin kirki | ||
| The word "halin kirki" can also be interpreted as "a good character" or "a good nature." | |||
| Igbo | omume | ||
| "Omume" also means "custom or usage" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | fitondran-tena | ||
| "Fitondran-tena" is derived from "fitondrana" meaning "backbone", hence morality as a guiding principle in life. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zamakhalidwe | ||
| "Zamakhalidwe" in Nyanja is influenced by Arabic, and can occasionally refer to a person's conduct towards their peers. | |||
| Shona | yetsika | ||
| The word 'yetsika' is derived from the Shona word 'sika', meaning 'to correct' or 'to punish'. | |||
| Somali | anshax | ||
| The Somali word "anshax" also refers to a person's good or correct character, as well as to their good intentions and actions. | |||
| Sesotho | boitšoaro | ||
| Swahili | maadili | ||
| Maadili can also refer to ethics, principles, or values in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | zokuziphatha | ||
| Zokuziphatha in Xhosa can also refer to a person who is self-reliant or independent. | |||
| Yoruba | iwa | ||
| The Yoruba word "iwa," meaning "moral," is derived from the word "iwa," which means "character." | |||
| Zulu | zokuziphatha | ||
| The word 'zokuziphatha' translates to 'right living' in English, although 'moral' is used as a shorthand in translation | |||
| Bambara | hakili | ||
| Ewe | nufiame | ||
| Kinyarwanda | imico | ||
| Lingala | bizaleli malamu | ||
| Luganda | empisa | ||
| Sepedi | setho | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nteteɛ pa | ||
Moral in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | أخلاقي | ||
| The word 'ethics' comes from Arabic 'أخلاقي' (akhlaq), a concept which also means etiquette, manners, and customs | |||
| Hebrew | מוסר השכל | ||
| In Hebrew, the term "מוסר השכל" also encompasses lessons learned from stories or experiences, similar to the English idiom "moral of the story". | |||
| Pashto | اخلاقي | ||
| The word can also mean 'character, disposition', and is derived from the Arabic word 'khuluq', meaning 'nature, character' | |||
| Arabic | أخلاقي | ||
| The word 'ethics' comes from Arabic 'أخلاقي' (akhlaq), a concept which also means etiquette, manners, and customs | |||
Moral in Western European Languages
| Albanian | morale | ||
| In Albanian, "morale" also refers to "wedding gifts". | |||
| Basque | morala | ||
| "Morala" refers to the "habit" or "custom" in many contexts in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | moral | ||
| In Catalan, "moral" can also mean "spiritual" or "ethical," and is derived from the Latin word "moralis," meaning "relating to customs or manners." | |||
| Croatian | moralni | ||
| The word "moralni" in Croatian can also mean "ethical" or "virtuous". | |||
| Danish | moralsk | ||
| The word "moralsk" is derived from the Latin word "moralis", meaning "relating to customs or character." | |||
| Dutch | moreel | ||
| In the expression "hoge moreel", "moreel" means "spirit" rather than "morality". | |||
| English | moral | ||
| The word 'moral' shares etymological roots with 'mores,' referring to societal customs, indicating a connection between morality and social expectations. | |||
| French | moral | ||
| The French word "moral" originates from the Latin word "moralis" which means "relating to character or disposition" and is related to the word "mores" meaning "customs". | |||
| Frisian | moreel | ||
| The Frisian word "moreel" has the alternate meaning of "cheerful" | |||
| Galician | moral | ||
| German | moral- | ||
| In German, "Moral-" also means "nightmare" and is related to the Mahr, a demon that can cause sleep paralysis. | |||
| Icelandic | siðferðileg | ||
| The word "siðferðileg" is derived from the Old Norse word "siðr", meaning "custom" or "tradition". It can also refer to ethical or religious principles, or to the ethical aspects of a situation or action. | |||
| Irish | morálta | ||
| The Irish word "morálta" is also used to refer to "customs", "rules", and "law"} | |||
| Italian | morale | ||
| In Italian, "morale" can also refer to the mood or spirits of an individual or group. | |||
| Luxembourgish | moralesch | ||
| The word "moralesch" is derived from the Latin word "moralis" and also means "ethical" or "virtuous". | |||
| Maltese | morali | ||
| The word "morali" in Maltese derives from the Latin "moralis" and also means "moralizing" or "preaching morality". | |||
| Norwegian | moralsk | ||
| "Moralsk" can also mean "amoral" or "immoral" in Norwegian, depending on the context. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | moral | ||
| In Portuguese, "moral" also means "custom" or "tradition". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | moralta | ||
| Scots Gaelic "moralta" also means habits, manners, behaviour, and disposition. | |||
| Spanish | moral | ||
| In Spanish, the word "moral" can also mean "custom" or "tradition." | |||
| Swedish | moralisk | ||
| The Swedish word "moralisk" shares its etymological roots with the Latin "mos" (custom), connecting it to the sense of social norms and behaviors. | |||
| Welsh | moesol | ||
| The Welsh word 'moesol' (moral) derives from the Latin 'mores' (customs). | |||
Moral in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | маральны | ||
| Belarusian "маральны" (moral) also means "to be physically exhausted" or "to be very tired". | |||
| Bosnian | moralno | ||
| Moralno has been borrowed into English unchanged and is sometimes used with its Bosnian connotations to refer specifically to 'Serbian morals and ethics' | |||
| Bulgarian | морален | ||
| "Морален" can mean "ethical" in addition to "moral" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | morální | ||
| "Morální" also means "courageous" in Czech, coming from Proto-Slavic *morъ ("death") as a euphemism. | |||
| Estonian | moraalne | ||
| In addition to 'moraalne', 'moraalsed' can describe 'ethics of a story' when plural. | |||
| Finnish | moraalinen | ||
| The Finnish word "moraalinen" also has the nuance of "ethical" or "normative" in English, as it originates from the Latin "moralis" meaning "customary". | |||
| Hungarian | erkölcsi | ||
| The word "erkölcsi" is derived from the Latin word "moralis", which means "belonging to custom or habit". | |||
| Latvian | morāli | ||
| Etymology: from Polish moralny, from Latin mōrālis "pertaining to character" (akin to mōrēs, mōrem "character, conduct, usage"), or from French moral, from Latin mōrālis. | |||
| Lithuanian | moralinis | ||
| "Moralinis" also means "ethic" and likely originated from the 16th-century Latin word "moralis". | |||
| Macedonian | морален | ||
| The word "морален" is an adjective derived from the noun "моралот" which has several meanings including "morale", "ethics", and "morality" and can be used to describe both people and actions. | |||
| Polish | morał | ||
| "Morał" can also be a funeral speech or an admonitory tale. | |||
| Romanian | morală | ||
| The term "morală" in Romanian derives from the Latin word "moralis", meaning "pertaining to customs or character". | |||
| Russian | моральный | ||
| The Russian word 'моральный' can also mean 'physical', 'spiritual', or 'mental', depending on context. | |||
| Serbian | морални | ||
| The word 'морални' ('moral') in Serbian is derived from the Greek word 'ηθικός' (ēthikós), meaning 'pertaining to character' or 'ethical'. | |||
| Slovak | morálny | ||
| The word "morálny" in Slovak can also refer to the physical or mental state of a person. | |||
| Slovenian | moralno | ||
| In Slovenian, "moralno" has an ancient alternate meaning of "physical," "corporeal," or "worldly," akin to its etymological root "mortal" | |||
| Ukrainian | моральний | ||
| The word "моральний" can also mean "ethical" or "virtuous" in Ukrainian. | |||
Moral in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | নৈতিক | ||
| In Sanskrit, 'naitika' refers to a person who upholds the tenets of ethics and conducts themselves accordingly. | |||
| Gujarati | નૈતિક | ||
| "નૈતિક" also means "ethical" or "righteous" in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | नैतिक | ||
| The word "नैतिक" is derived from the Sanskrit word "नीति", meaning "correct conduct or behavior" or "principle of action". | |||
| Kannada | ನೈತಿಕ | ||
| The word "ನೈತಿಕ" can also mean "ethical" or "righteous" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ധാർമ്മികം | ||
| The word | |||
| Marathi | नैतिक | ||
| In Sanskrit, "naitik" also refers to a specific school of philosophy focusing on ethical conduct | |||
| Nepali | नैतिक | ||
| नैतिक is derived from the Sanskrit word "नीति" (nīti), which means "conduct, rule, or principle." | |||
| Punjabi | ਨੈਤਿਕ | ||
| The word "ਨੈਤਿਕ" also has an alternate meaning of "related to the eyes" in Punjabi, possibly influenced by the resemblance between the word's spelling and the Punjabi word for "eyes" ("ਨੈਣ"). | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සදාචාරාත්මක | ||
| Tamil | தார்மீக | ||
| "தார்மீக" in Tamil also refers to a type of wood used in traditional architecture. | |||
| Telugu | నైతిక | ||
| The word "నైతిక" has a dual meaning: one that follows the rules of ethics and morality, and one that is honest, fair, and trustworthy. | |||
| Urdu | اخلاقی | ||
| The word “اخلاقی” (“moral”) is the Urdu equivalent of “moral.” | |||
Moral in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 道德 | ||
| In Buddhist and Daoist teachings, the concept of 道德 has a broader meaning encompassing both ethics and metaphysical principles. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 道德 | ||
| "道德" (dàodé) literally means "the way and power" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | 道徳の | ||
| The word "道徳の" in Japanese can also have the connotation of "ethics" or "virtue", in addition to its primary meaning of "moral". | |||
| Korean | 사기 | ||
| The Korean word "사기" also refers to "fraudulent practices or deception". | |||
| Mongolian | ёс суртахуун | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကိုယ်ကျင့်တရား | ||
Moral in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | moral | ||
| "Moral" has a separate meaning in Indonesian, which is "capital" or "money used for specific purposes" | |||
| Javanese | moral | ||
| In Javanese, the word "moral" can also refer to a type of traditional dance performance. | |||
| Khmer | សីលធម៌ | ||
| The word "សីលធម៌" is derived from "សីល" (precepts) and "ធម៌" (righteousness) and can also refer to spiritual principles and ethical conduct. | |||
| Lao | ສົມບັດສິນ | ||
| Malay | moral | ||
| 'Moral' entered the Malay language in the 15th century via Sanskrit, where it meant 'customary' or 'traditional', while in English it means 'ethical' or 'relating to principles of right and wrong'. | |||
| Thai | ศีลธรรม | ||
| The Thai word "ศีลธรรม" (moral) is derived from the Buddhist concept of "śīla", meaning "moral code" or "precept". | |||
| Vietnamese | luân lý | ||
| "luân lý" is borrowed from Japanese "伦理" (rinri), which comes from the Chinese "倫理" (lúnlǐ) meaning "ethics". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | moral | ||
Moral in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | mənəvi | ||
| "Mənəvi" kelimesi Arapça "menhec" (yol, yöntem) kelimesinden türemiştir. | |||
| Kazakh | адамгершілік | ||
| "Адамгершілік" (moral) is derived from the Kazakh word "адам" (human) and the suffix "-гершілік" (-ism), meaning "the state of being human" or "humanity". | |||
| Kyrgyz | адеп-ахлактык | ||
| Tajik | ахлоқӣ | ||
| The word "ахлоқӣ" has a broad meaning, including "ethics", "morality", and "politeness". | |||
| Turkmen | ahlakly | ||
| Uzbek | ahloqiy | ||
| The word "ahloqiy" is derived from the Arabic word "akhlaq" which means "ethics" or "morality". | |||
| Uyghur | ئەخلاق | ||
Moral in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pono | ||
| In the Hawaiian language, “pono” also means 'righteous' and 'correct' and derives from the Proto-Polynesian word *fono, which meant 'to assemble' | |||
| Maori | morare | ||
| Maori "morare" also means "to live", "to survive", and "to dwell". | |||
| Samoan | amio lelei | ||
| The word "amio lelei" in Samoan can also mean "good" or "righteous". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | moral | ||
| The Tagalog word 'moral' comes from the Spanish word 'moral', which in turn comes from the Latin word 'moralis', meaning 'pertaining to character or behavior'. | |||
Moral in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | mural | ||
| Guarani | tekoporã | ||
Moral in International Languages
| Esperanto | morala | ||
| The word "morala" in Esperanto also refers to "the teaching of ethics" and "morality." | |||
| Latin | moralis | ||
| The Latin word "moralis" can also refer to "customary" or "conventional". | |||
Moral in Others Languages
| Greek | ηθικός | ||
| Historically, "ηθικός" also means "relating to customs and habits" or "relating to one's disposition" in Greek. | |||
| Hmong | kev ncaj ncees | ||
| The word "kev ncaj ncees" can also refer to a sense of shame or disgrace. | |||
| Kurdish | rûhî | ||
| The Kurdish word "rûhî" also has the meaning of "spiritual", derived from the Arabic word "rūḥ" (spirit). | |||
| Turkish | ahlaki | ||
| The Turkish word "ahlaki" can also refer to manners or behavior, highlighting the interconnectedness between moral principles and social conduct. | |||
| Xhosa | zokuziphatha | ||
| Zokuziphatha in Xhosa can also refer to a person who is self-reliant or independent. | |||
| Yiddish | מאָראַליש | ||
| The Yiddish word for 'moral', 'מאָראַליש', derives from 'marale', an archaic term meaning 'pestilence'. | |||
| Zulu | zokuziphatha | ||
| The word 'zokuziphatha' translates to 'right living' in English, although 'moral' is used as a shorthand in translation | |||
| Assamese | নৈতিক | ||
| Aymara | mural | ||
| Bhojpuri | नैतिक | ||
| Dhivehi | ޢިބުރަތް | ||
| Dogri | खलाकी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | moral | ||
| Guarani | tekoporã | ||
| Ilocano | moral | ||
| Krio | aw wi liv | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئەخلاقی | ||
| Maithili | नैतिक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯨꯝꯃꯤ ꯂꯥꯜꯂꯤ ꯍꯥꯏꯕꯒꯤ ꯋꯥꯈꯜꯂꯣꯟ | ||
| Mizo | dik | ||
| Oromo | kan safuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ନ moral ତିକ | ||
| Quechua | moral | ||
| Sanskrit | नैतिक | ||
| Tatar | әхлакый | ||
| Tigrinya | ስነ ምግባር | ||
| Tsonga | nkoka | ||