Nine in different languages

Nine in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

The number nine has long held significance across various cultures and histories. In Norse mythology, the nine worlds are supported by the world tree, Yggdrasil. In Chinese culture, the number nine is associated with the emperor and eternal life. It's no wonder then, that someone might want to know the translation of 'nine' in different languages.

In Spanish, 'nine' is 'nueve'. In French, it's 'neuf'. In German, 'nine' is 'neun'. In Japanese, 'nine' is 'ku'. In Russian, 'nine' is 'devyat'. These translations offer a glimpse into the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of the world.

But the significance of nine doesn't stop at linguistic and cultural translations. In mathematics, nine is the only number that remains unchanged when its digits are rearranged. In astrology, there are nine planets. In literature, there are nine muses in Greek mythology.

Clearly, the number nine is a number of great significance and cultural importance. Here are some translations of 'nine' in various languages, to further explore its global reach and relevance.

Nine


Nine in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansnege
The word "nege" is derived from the Old High German "neun" and the Old Dutch "neghen."
Amharicዘጠኝ
In Geez, ዘጠኝ "zəṭeñ" means both "nine" and "the ninth hour."
Hausatara
In Hausa, the word “tara” (nine) also refers to a “load” or “burden.”
Igboiteghete
"Ite ghete" also means "what is it doing" in Igbo.
Malagasysivy
The word "sivy" in Malagasy originates from the Proto-Austronesian word "siwa" meaning "nine". It is cognate with the Malay word "sembilan", the Javanese word "songo", and the Tagalog word "siyam".
Nyanja (Chichewa)zisanu ndi zinayi
'Zisanu ndi zinayi' can also be used colloquially to signify something being a lot or in abundance.
Shonapfumbamwe
"Pfumbamwe" can also mean "a group of nine people" or "a group of nine things".
Somalisagaal
Sagaal is also used to refer to the ninth day of the month or to the last day of a period of time.
Sesothorobong
The Sesotho word "robong" can also refer to a group of nine objects or a period of nine days.
Swahilitisa
In Tanzanian Swahili, "tisa" also refers to an "extremely large amount" of something.
Xhosathoba
The word 'Thoba' also means 'to gather' or 'to collect' in Xhosa.
Yorubamẹsan
"Mẹsan," meaning "nine" in Yoruba, also signifies "abundance," reflecting its bountiful nature.
Zulueziyisishiyagalolunye
The term "eziyisishiyagalolunye" also represents a traditional Zulu system of counting by groups of 5 rather than ten.
Bambarakɔnɔntɔn
Eweasiɛkɛ
Kinyarwandaicyenda
Lingalalibwa
Lugandamwenda
Sepedisenyane
Twi (Akan)nkron

Nine in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicتسع
The Arabic word "تسع" also refers to a female gazelle.
Hebrewתֵשַׁע
The word "תֵשַׁע" can also mean "ninth" or "the ninth part of something" in Hebrew.
Pashtoنهه
In Pashto, "نهه" (nine) is cognate to "nava" in Sanskrit and "no" in Persian, indicating a common Indo-European origin.
Arabicتسع
The Arabic word "تسع" also refers to a female gazelle.

Nine in Western European Languages

Albaniannëntë
The word "nëntë" also has a figurative meaning in Albanian, referring to a "lot" or "many"
Basquebederatzi
The word "bederatzi" is derived from the Proto-Basque "*bedera" meaning "four" and "*atz" meaning "on top of", suggesting a counting system based on fours.
Catalannou
The Catalan word "nou" derives from the Latin word "novem" and shares an etymology with the English word "new".
Croatiandevet
The Croatian word 'devet' ('nine') shares its root with the Proto-Indo-European word '*deḱm̥tós', meaning 'tenth'.
Danishni
Ni ('nine') can also mean 'new' or 'next', reflecting its relation to the Latin 'novus' ('new').
Dutchnegen
"Negen" also refers to the first letter in Dutch spelling alphabet (NATO alphabet).
Englishnine
"Nine", in addition to being a number, is also a "collective word" for nine musicians playing together.
Frenchneuf
The word "neuf" in French also means "new", likely derived from the Latin "novus" meaning "new".
Frisiannjoggen
The Frisian words for the numbers 11-19 include "njoggen" but are not constructed using it as they are in Dutch (such as English: eleven and Dutch: elf)
Galiciannove
The Galician word "nove" derives from the Latin "novem" and is also used in Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, and French.
Germanneun
The word "neun" is likely derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *neun-, meaning "new," and is cognate with the English word "new."
Icelandicníu
The word "níu" in Icelandic is cognate with the word "new" in English, and can also mean "renewed" or "fresh".
Irishnaoi
The Irish word "naoi" is derived from the Proto-Celtic *nawan, meaning "holy" or "special".
Italiannove
The Italian word "nove" shares many cognates with words for "new" in other Romance languages, such as the words "nuevo" in Spanish, "nouveau" in French, and "novo" in Portuguese.
Luxembourgishnéng
The word “néng” is cognate with “nine” in English, “neuf” in French, “nove” in Portuguese, and with “novem” in Latin, meaning nine.
Maltesedisgħa
The Maltese word "disgħa" is derived from the Arabic word "تسعة" (tisa’), which means "nine".
Norwegianni
"Ni" is an archaic word for "new" and is cognate with the English "new" and German "neu."
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)nove
In Portuguese, "nove" can also mean "new".
Scots Gaelicnaoi
In Gaelic "naoi" can mean both "nine" and "holy".
Spanishnueve
La palabra "nueve" en español proviene del latín "novem" y también puede referirse a un conjunto de nueve elementos.
Swedishnio
The word 'nio' in Swedish also means 'new'.
Welshnaw
Naw is the number "9" in Welsh and is also used in Irish, Scottish, Manx, and some dialects of English

Nine in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianдзевяць
The word "дзевяць" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *devętь, which is cognate with the Latin word "novem" and the Greek word "ennéa". In Belarusian, the word "дзевяць" can also be used colloquially to mean "a lot" or "a great deal".
Bosniandevet
The word 'devet' is also an archaic Bosnian unit of measurement for length or area.
Bulgarianдевет
The word "девет" is derived from the Proto-Slavic *devętь, and has reflexes in other Slavic languages, like Czech "devět", Russian "девять", and Polish "dziewięć".
Czechdevět
The Czech word "devět" also has metaphorical meanings, e.g. "devět křížků" = "old age", "být v sedmém nebi" = "to be very happy".
Estonianüheksa
"Üheksa" is cognate with "ühe" ("one") and "ksa" ("ten").
Finnishyhdeksän
"Yhdeksän" is an alteration of "kahdeksän" ("eight"), an "ys-formation" with "ys" as the suffix for adverbs.
Hungariankilenc
The word "kilenc" comes from the Proto-Uralic word *kɨləmə "eight" and the suffix *-c "plus one".
Latviandeviņi
The word "deviņi" is related to the ancient Indo-European root "*dekm" meaning "ten".
Lithuaniandevyni
The Lithuanian word "devyni" also shares the same Proto-Indo-European root *deḱm as its Latin cognate "decem" and modern English "ten".
Macedonianдевет
The word "девет" in Macedonian is a cognate of the word "nine" in English, and also means "great" or "mighty".
Polishdziewięć
"Dziewięć" is related to the Proto-Slavic word "devętь", which also means "nine", and is cognate with the Latin word "novem".
Romaniannouă
"Nouă" also means "to swim" and "a bride" in Romanian.
Russianдевять
The Russian word “девять” (“nine”) derives from the Proto-Indo-European root “*newṇ” meaning “new”.
Serbianдевет
"Devet" in Serbian can also mean "many" and was originally a collective noun for "a group of nine."
Slovakdeväť
The word "deväť" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *devętь, which also means "much" or "a lot".
Sloveniandevet
In Slovene, the number nine is also known as "devetica," originating from the Proto-Slavic "devęti," meaning "to get one more time."
Ukrainianдев'ять
The word "дев'ять" in Ukrainian is cognate with the word "девять" in Russian and "dziewięć" in Polish, all meaning "nine" and sharing the same Indo-European root *new̆(e)n̥-.

Nine in South Asian Languages

Bengaliনয়টি
"নয়টি" refers to the number nine, and also to the ninth day of the month, which is an important day according to Bengali culture.
Gujaratiનવ
"નવ" also means "new" and "strange".
Hindiनौ
The word "नौ" (nau) comes from the Sanskrit word "nava" which means "new" and can also refer to a "boat" or "ship".
Kannadaಒಂಬತ್ತು
"ಒಂಬತ್ತು" means "nine" and can also be used to mean "a lot" or "many".
Malayalamഒമ്പത്
The word "ഒമ്പത്" ("nine") in Malayalam is derived from the Proto-Dravidian root ‘*omb-u’, meaning "nine".
Marathiनऊ
The Marathi word "नऊ" (nauu) is derived from the Sanskrit word "नव" (nava), meaning "new" or "fresh".
Nepaliनौ
The word "नौ" means "boat" in the Nepali language, and "nine" in Sanskrit.
Punjabiਨੌ
The word 'ਨੌ' has alternate meanings in Punjabi, including 'a cry of admiration' and 'a low moaning sound'.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)නවය
The Sinhala word "නවය" also means "new" or "fresh".
Tamilஒன்பது
"ஒன்பது" (literally, "one-with-eight") refers to the nine parts of the human body that are considered vital: the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth, and the two hands.
Teluguతొమ్మిది
"తొమ్మిది" is derived from the Sanskrit word "navmi", which means "ninth", but it also means "nine" in Telugu.
Urduنو
The Urdu word "نو" (nau) also means "new" and is cognate with the English word "new" and the Latin word "novus".

Nine in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)
In Daoist tradition, 九 (jiǔ) also represents completion and the end of a cycle.
Chinese (Traditional)
九 is also the ninth month of the Chinese calendar.
Japaneseナイン
The first character of "ナイン" is also used to write "なむ", an archaic word for "eight".
Korean아홉
The word "아홉" also means "a few" or "several" in Korean.
Mongolianес
Alternate meaning of "ес" is "nine" in Mongolian.
Myanmar (Burmese)ကိုး
The word "ကိုး" can also mean "above," "upwards," or "to rise."

Nine in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiansembilan
"Sembilan" can also refer to the Sultanate of Selangor or the state of Negeri Sembilan in Malaysia.
Javanesesangang
In Javanese, 'sangang' not only means 'nine' but also 'many', 'various', or 'different'.
Khmerប្រាំបួន
"ប្រាំបួន" (nine) is also a Khmer homonym for "the 14th day of the waning moon".
Laoເກົ້າ
The Lao word "ເກົ້າ" "nine" also means "old" or "ancient" and is used to count people or things that are considered valuable or important.
Malaysembilan
The name for this number, which derives from an Austroasiatic root *sa(m)-bĕlu, is shared between Malay, Javanese, and Balinese.
Thaiเก้า
The word "เก้า" (nine) can also refer to the period of nine days and nights leading up to a cremation ceremony in Thailand.
Vietnamesechín
The word "chín" can also mean "ripe" in Vietnamese.
Filipino (Tagalog)siyam

Nine in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanidoqquz
The etymology of the Azerbaijani word "doqquz" for nine can be found in Turkic languages where "tokuz" refers to "a gathering" and "a group", referring either to the nine months of pregnancy or a group of nine stars.
Kazakhтоғыз
The word "тоғыз" (nine) in Kazakh is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "toquz", which also means "nine".
Kyrgyzтогуз
The word "тогуз" also means "complete" or "perfect" in Kyrgyz, as it is often associated with the concept of "the nine perfections" (тогуз сапат).
Tajikнӯҳ
The word "нӯҳ" also means "new" in Tajik.
Turkmendokuz
Uzbekto'qqiz
The Uzbek word "to'qqiz" is of Persian origin and also means "strong" or "firm"
Uyghurتوققۇز

Nine in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianeiwa
In Japanese, 'eiwa' means 'eternal peace' and in Spanish, it means 'of the egg'.
Maoriiwa
*Iwa* also refers to a type of bird and the numeral 'one' in the traditional number system.
Samoaniva
Iva can also mean a group of nine or an entire group.
Tagalog (Filipino)siyam
Siyam may also mean abstinence or refraining from something, as in the case of "siyam sa karne" (abstinence from meat).

Nine in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarallätunka
Guaraniporundy

Nine in International Languages

Esperantonaŭ
"Naŭ" is derived from the Latin "novem", and also shares a root with "nova" ("new").
Latinnovem
Novem, in Latin, is derived from "novem," and can also refer to the ninth day of the Roman calendar.

Nine in Others Languages

Greekεννέα
The word "εννέα" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*newn" meaning "new" or "fresh".
Hmongcuaj
The Hmong word "cuaj" can also mean "group of three" or refer to three different items of the same type.
Kurdishneh
'Neh' also means 'new' or 'fresh' in Kurdish.
Turkishdokuz
"Dokuz" is also the term for a card with an image of nine stars that is the highest-ranking card in Turkish "King" card games
Xhosathoba
The word 'Thoba' also means 'to gather' or 'to collect' in Xhosa.
Yiddishנײַן
The word "נײַן" in Yiddish also means "no" and is a cognate of the German "nein".
Zulueziyisishiyagalolunye
The term "eziyisishiyagalolunye" also represents a traditional Zulu system of counting by groups of 5 rather than ten.
Assamese
Aymarallätunka
Bhojpuriनौ
Dhivehiނުވައެއް
Dogriनौ
Filipino (Tagalog)siyam
Guaraniporundy
Ilocanosiam
Krionayn
Kurdish (Sorani)نۆ
Maithiliनव
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯃꯥꯄꯜ
Mizopakua
Oromosagal
Odia (Oriya)ନଅ
Quechuaisqun
Sanskritनवं
Tatarтугыз
Tigrinyaትሸዓተ
Tsongankaye

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