Native in Different Languages
Discover 'Native' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'native' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting a deep connection to place, language, and culture. It is often used to describe people who were born in a particular region or country, or plants and animals that naturally occur in a specific environment. The concept of native is deeply intertwined with ideas of identity, heritage, and belonging.
Moreover, the word 'native' carries historical and cultural importance. For instance, in the United States, the term 'Native American' is used to refer to the indigenous peoples of the country. Similarly, in Australia, the term 'Aborigine' or 'Indigenous Australian' is used to describe the original inhabitants of the continent before European settlement.
Given the significance and cultural importance of the word 'native', it's not surprising that many people are interested in learning its translation in different languages. After all, understanding the nuances of this word in various languages can provide valuable insights into the cultures and histories of different peoples.
Here are some translations of the word 'native' in various languages:
Native
Native in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | inheems | ||
| The word "inheems" can also mean "local" or "indigenous." | |||
| Amharic | ተወላጅ | ||
| Though ተወላጅ normally means "native," it can sometimes mean "bastard" or "unwanted child." | |||
| Hausa | 'yar ƙasa | ||
| 'Yar ƙasa' also means 'daughter of the land' | |||
| Igbo | nwa afọ | ||
| The term 'nwa afọ' can refer to one born during the year of their parents' wedding. | |||
| Malagasy | teratany | ||
| In Malagasy, 'teratany' can also refer to people who live in a certain area or who have a particular occupation. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mbadwa | ||
| The word "mbadwa" can also refer to a traditional initiation rite for boys. | |||
| Shona | native | ||
| Native literally translates to 'owner or master of the land' | |||
| Somali | hooyo | ||
| The word "hooyo" can also refer to a mother, and is derived from the Proto-Cushitic root *ʔɔŋɔ, meaning "child's attendant." | |||
| Sesotho | letsoalloa | ||
| The word 'letsoalloa', meaning 'native', originally meant 'one who is owned by the chief'. | |||
| Swahili | asili | ||
| "Asilia" is the Swahili word for "wilderness", and is the root of the word "asili", meaning "native". | |||
| Xhosa | yemveli | ||
| The Xhosa word 'yemveli' is derived from the Nguni word 'ilizwi lomveli', which means 'the language of the inhabitants'. | |||
| Yoruba | abinibi | ||
| The Yoruba word abinibi may also derive from the verb gbin meaning to bear and ibiri which means birth and thus could mean the one who was born there. | |||
| Zulu | owomdabu | ||
| The word 'owomdabu' can also refer to a person who is not originally from the area but has lived there for a long time. | |||
| Bambara | dugulen | ||
| Ewe | dumetᴐ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kavukire | ||
| Lingala | mwana-mboka | ||
| Luganda | obuwangwa | ||
| Sepedi | wa tlhago | ||
| Twi (Akan) | mani | ||
Native in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | محلي | ||
| The Arabic word "محلي" (maḥallī) can also refer to something local or specific to a particular place. | |||
| Hebrew | יָלִיד | ||
| "יָלִיד" also means "son, scion, descendant." | |||
| Pashto | اصلي | ||
| The Pashto word "اصلي" can also mean "genuine" or "original" in addition to "native." | |||
| Arabic | محلي | ||
| The Arabic word "محلي" (maḥallī) can also refer to something local or specific to a particular place. | |||
Native in Western European Languages
| Albanian | vendas | ||
| The word "vendas" in Albanian is derived from the Proto-Albanian word *u̯éndos-, meaning "kinsman, relative". | |||
| Basque | bertakoa | ||
| The first part 'bera' means 'self, own', while the second part 'koa' is the plural suffix in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | nadiu | ||
| The word "nadiu" comes from the Latin "nativus", meaning "born in a place". | |||
| Croatian | domorodac | ||
| The word "domorodac" derives from the Slavic word "dom", meaning "home", and the suffix "-ac", meaning "one who belongs to". | |||
| Danish | hjemmehørende | ||
| The word "hjemmehørende" in Danish also means "belonging to the home", "domestic", or "homely". | |||
| Dutch | native | ||
| In Dutch, | |||
| English | native | ||
| The word "native" originated from the Latin word "nativus," meaning "born" or "natural." | |||
| French | originaire de | ||
| The French word "originaire de" can also mean "originating from" or "belonging to". | |||
| Frisian | ynlânske | ||
| The word 'ynlânsk' is derived from the words 'yn' (in) and 'lân' (land) and means 'native' or 'of the country'. | |||
| Galician | nativa | ||
| The term "nativa" can also refer to the female descendant of immigrants that are not yet fluent in the language of their new surroundings. | |||
| German | einheimisch | ||
| "Einheimisch" also means "indigenous" and, in some contexts, "vernacular." | |||
| Icelandic | innfæddur | ||
| In Old Norse the word 'innfræðinn' meant 'ingrained' and 'innate', and is also related to other terms for 'innards', 'mind' and the 'heart'. | |||
| Irish | dúchais | ||
| It also means "hereditary right" and is derived from the Proto-Celtic root *dūko- "to lead." | |||
| Italian | nativo | ||
| The Italian word "nativo" is derived from the Latin word "nātīvus," meaning "born in a place, indigenous." | |||
| Luxembourgish | gebierteg | ||
| Maltese | indiġeni | ||
| The Maltese word "indiġeni" also signifies an indigenous or native plant that has been brought into cultivation. | |||
| Norwegian | innfødt | ||
| "Innfødt" is also an archaic term for a | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | nativo | ||
| In Brazilian Portuguese, "nativo" may mean a slave born in the Americas as the offspring of African enslaved people, whereas in European Portuguese it refers exclusively to people born in a certain country or region. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | dùthchasach | ||
| The word "dùthchasach" can also refer to an "indigenous person" or "one who is naturalized". | |||
| Spanish | nativo | ||
| The word "nativo" is derived from the Latin word "nativus", meaning "born in a place." | |||
| Swedish | inföding | ||
| “Inföding” is derived from “föda” (“to give birth to”) and “in” (“in”). | |||
| Welsh | brodorol | ||
| The word "brodorol" can also mean "kinsman" or "brother" in Welsh, highlighting the importance of familial ties within the culture. | |||
Native in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | родны | ||
| "родны" (native) in Belarusian derives from Proto-Slavic *rodъ ("birth, kin, or origin"). | |||
| Bosnian | domorodac | ||
| The word "domorodac" originally referred to a local inhabitant, but has since acquired the additional meaning of "indigenous person" | |||
| Bulgarian | местен | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "native," the word "местен" can also refer to "local" or "regional." | |||
| Czech | rodák | ||
| Czech "rodák” means "native," but "rod" can also refer to "family," and "k" is a diminutive suffix, suggesting "little family member." | |||
| Estonian | pärismaalane | ||
| "Pärismaalane" means "native", but also "indigenous" or "original". | |||
| Finnish | syntyperäinen | ||
| Syntyperäinen shares its etymology with 'syntyä', to be born, and 'synty', birth. | |||
| Hungarian | anyanyelvi | ||
| The word "anyanyelv" can also be translated as "mother tongue". | |||
| Latvian | dzimtā | ||
| The word 'dzimtā' also means 'clan' or 'family' in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | gimtoji | ||
| The word "gimtoji" in Lithuanian also refers to the language that one speaks natively or the place of one's birth. | |||
| Macedonian | мајчин | ||
| The word "мајчин" in Macedonian can also mean "maternal" or "primary". | |||
| Polish | ojczysty | ||
| Ojczysty may also refer to "paternal" (in reference to ancestors or heritage) or "ancestral". | |||
| Romanian | nativ | ||
| The word "nativ" can also mean "naive" in Romanian. | |||
| Russian | родной | ||
| Родной comes from the PIE root *gene- meaning “to produce” and is also a root of many other cognates like “gender” and “genesis”. | |||
| Serbian | домородац | ||
| The word "домородац" is thought to come from the Proto-Slavic root "*domъ", meaning "house" or "homeland". | |||
| Slovak | domorodec | ||
| The word "domorodec" in Slovak comes from the root "dom" (home) and the suffix "-rodets" (descendent), and in addition to meaning "native", it can also refer to an aboriginal person. | |||
| Slovenian | domač | ||
| The word 'domač' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'domъ', which also means 'house' or 'home' and is related to the Latin word 'domus'. | |||
| Ukrainian | рідний | ||
| "Рідний" in Ukrainian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *родъ, meaning "family, lineage, or origin", and is cognate with the Russian word родной (rodnoy). | |||
Native in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | স্থানীয় | ||
| The word "স্থানীয়" (native) can also refer to something that is produced or found in a particular place. | |||
| Gujarati | વતની | ||
| In Gujarati, the word "વતની" ("vatani") also means "a person belonging to a specific village or town". | |||
| Hindi | देशी | ||
| The word "देशी" in Hindi also refers to traditional or indigenous products, practices, or customs. | |||
| Kannada | ಸ್ಥಳೀಯ | ||
| Malayalam | സ്വദേശി | ||
| The word "സ്വദേശി" in Malayalam can also mean "indigenous", "vernacular", or "one's own country". | |||
| Marathi | मुळ | ||
| मुळ or मुळे is also a word used to mean "root" or "base" of a tree in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | नेटिभ | ||
| In English, "native" derives from the Latin word "nativus," meaning "being born" or "by birth." | |||
| Punjabi | ਦੇਸੀ | ||
| The word "ਦੇਸੀ" also means "foreign" when used to describe people and cultures. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ස්වදේශීය | ||
| In Sinhala, "ස්වදේශීය" can also refer to something that is "traditional" or "indigenous", as well as a "native inhabitant". | |||
| Tamil | பூர்வீகம் | ||
| பூர்வீகம், from the Sanskrit word 'purva-janma' meaning 'previous birth', is a broader term in Tamil that can also refer to one's heritage, ancestors, or place of origin. | |||
| Telugu | స్థానిక | ||
| The word "స్థానిక" can also refer to "indigenous" or "local" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | آبائی | ||
| The word "آبائی" ("native") in Urdu comes from the Persian word "آباد" ("abode"), and can also mean "ancestral" or "inherited". | |||
Native in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 本机 | ||
| "本机" (běnjī) literally translates as "original machine" and can refer to a computer or other device. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 本機 | ||
| 本機 can also refer to "this machine" or "this device" in technology contexts. | |||
| Japanese | ネイティブ | ||
| 「ネイティブ」は英語の「native」に由来し、生まれつきの、生来的という意味以外に、地元出身の人を表す場合がある。 | |||
| Korean | 원주민 | ||
| The Korean word "원주민" (indigenous people) can also refer to "people who have lived in a place for a long time" or "people who have a deep understanding of a place's culture and history." | |||
| Mongolian | уугуул | ||
| The word "уугуул" translates literally to "born of the country". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဇာတိ | ||
| In Myanmar (Burmese), "ဇာတိ" (nati) can also refer to a person's ancestors, tribe, or ethnicity. | |||
Native in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | asli | ||
| Asli comes from the Arabic word _asli_ which means original. | |||
| Javanese | asli | ||
| The word "asli" in Javanese can also refer to "genuine" or "authentic". | |||
| Khmer | ជនជាតិដើម | ||
| “ជនជាតិដើម” also means “people who come first” and “those who are originally in the country.” | |||
| Lao | ຄົນພື້ນເມືອງ | ||
| Malay | asli | ||
| The Malay word "asli" may also refer to ethnic groups that have traditionally occupied Malaysia and are now considered indigenous, known as the Orang Asli. | |||
| Thai | พื้นเมือง | ||
| พื้นเมือง may also refer to "origin" or "birthplace". | |||
| Vietnamese | tự nhiên | ||
| In Vietnamese, the word "tự nhiên" also means "spontaneous" or "natural". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | katutubo | ||
Native in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | doğma | ||
| "Doğma" means "birth" or "the act of being born" in Azeri, and is derived from the verb "doğmak" (to be born). | |||
| Kazakh | жергілікті | ||
| The word "жергілікті" (native) in Kazakh can also refer to something that is "local" or "indigenous". | |||
| Kyrgyz | жергиликтүү | ||
| Tajik | зода | ||
| The word "зода" can also mean "birthplace" or "origin". | |||
| Turkmen | asly | ||
| Uzbek | tug'ma | ||
| "Tug'ma" in Uzbek also means "button". | |||
| Uyghur | يەرلىك | ||
Native in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻōiwi | ||
| 'Ōiwi' also refers to the crested honeycreeper, a native Hawaiian bird, and the 'ōhi'a lehua tree. | |||
| Maori | tangata whenua | ||
| The Maori word "tangata whenua" also refers specifically to the indigenous people of New Zealand. | |||
| Samoan | tagatanuu | ||
| The Samoan word "tagatanuu" is cognate with the Polynesian words "tangata" (human) and "enua" (land), meaning "people of the land". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | katutubo | ||
| 'Katutubo' is also the name for a plant with medicinal properties and the root of the word 'katutubuhan' which means 'flora'. | |||
Native in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | natiwu | ||
| Guarani | ypykuéra | ||
Native in International Languages
| Esperanto | denaska | ||
| The Esperanto word "denaska" can also mean "innate" or "natural". | |||
| Latin | patria | ||
| The Latin patris means "fatherland", while patria means "father's estate", "native town" or "country". | |||
Native in Others Languages
| Greek | ντόπιος | ||
| The word 'ντόπιος' is a combination of the prefix 'ντο-', meaning local or native, and the word 'τόπος', meaning place. | |||
| Hmong | neeg ib txwm | ||
| Neeg ib txwm (native) can also mean "an indigenous person" or "one who belongs to a particular place" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | welatî | ||
| "Welatî" also means "my heart's pain" and "my beloved." | |||
| Turkish | yerli | ||
| Yerli means both native, as in a local animal or plant, and made in the country, like a car. | |||
| Xhosa | yemveli | ||
| The Xhosa word 'yemveli' is derived from the Nguni word 'ilizwi lomveli', which means 'the language of the inhabitants'. | |||
| Yiddish | געבוירן | ||
| The word "געבוירן" (native) is also used to refer to someone who is born in a particular place or has a strong connection to it. | |||
| Zulu | owomdabu | ||
| The word 'owomdabu' can also refer to a person who is not originally from the area but has lived there for a long time. | |||
| Assamese | স্থানীয় | ||
| Aymara | natiwu | ||
| Bhojpuri | पैदाइशी | ||
| Dhivehi | އުފަން ޤައުމު | ||
| Dogri | मूल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | katutubo | ||
| Guarani | ypykuéra | ||
| Ilocano | katutubo | ||
| Krio | yon | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕەسەن | ||
| Maithili | मूल-निवासी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯌꯦꯜꯍꯧꯉꯩꯗꯒꯤ ꯂꯩꯔꯛꯂꯕ ꯃꯤ | ||
| Mizo | a rammi | ||
| Oromo | dhalataa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଦେଶୀ | ||
| Quechua | nativo | ||
| Sanskrit | देशज | ||
| Tatar | туган | ||
| Tigrinya | መበቆል | ||
| Tsonga | rikwavo | ||