Numerous in Different Languages
Discover 'Numerous' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'numerous' is a powerful descriptive tool, indicating a large and often inexact number. Its significance lies in its ability to convey a sense of multiplicity and abundance, making it a valuable addition to any language learner's vocabulary. Throughout history, the concept of numerousness has played a crucial role in shaping human culture and thought. From ancient civilizations counting their livestock to modern businesses tracking their sales, the ability to quantify and describe large quantities has been essential to our progress.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'numerous' in different languages can provide fascinating insights into cultural perspectives on quantity and abundance. For instance, in German, 'numerous' translates to 'zahllos,' which literally means 'countless' - a testament to the language's precision and attention to detail. Meanwhile, in Spanish, 'numerous' becomes 'numerosos,' which shares a root with 'number' and 'numeral,' emphasizing the importance of numerical concepts in the language.
Join us as we explore the translations of 'numerous' in a variety of languages, shedding light on the fascinating cultural and historical contexts that shape our understanding of this important concept.
Numerous
Numerous in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | talle | ||
| The word "talle" also means "measure" or "count" in Afrikaans. | |||
| Amharic | ብዙ | ||
| "ብዙ" also means "much" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | da yawa | ||
| The word "da yawa" (numerous) is often used in informal contexts and has a connotation of abundance rather than precision. | |||
| Igbo | ọtụtụ | ||
| The word ọtụtụ (numerous) is related to the Igbo word tụ (to be many), and its root is thought to be the Proto-Benue-Congo word *to- 'many'. | |||
| Malagasy | maro | ||
| The Malagasy word "maro" also means "many" or "several". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ambiri | ||
| The word "ambiri" can also mean "too many" or "excessive". | |||
| Shona | dzakawanda | ||
| The word 'dzakawanda' is derived from the Shona words 'zaka' (many) and 'wanda' (like), indicating a multitude of things or people. | |||
| Somali | tiro badan | ||
| The Somali word "tiro badan" directly translates to "large number" in English | |||
| Sesotho | ngata | ||
| The word "ngata" has an alternate meaning of "very". | |||
| Swahili | nyingi | ||
| The Swahili word "nyingi" is also used as a noun to refer to "a group of people or animals" and can be synonymous to "wengi" | |||
| Xhosa | ezininzi | ||
| The term 'ezininzi' means 'many' or 'a lot', but was originally coined meaning 'those of the chief (iNkosi)' because the number of subjects was seen as a measure of that chief's wealth. | |||
| Yoruba | ọpọlọpọ | ||
| Ọpọlọpọ also has a philosophical connotation; it is a word which captures the idea of plurality in a universal sense, meaning "the many that make up the one." | |||
| Zulu | eziningi | ||
| "Eziningi" also means "many" or "much". | |||
| Bambara | caman bɛ yen | ||
| Ewe | gbogbo aɖewo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | byinshi | ||
| Lingala | ebele | ||
| Luganda | bangi nnyo | ||
| Sepedi | tše dintši | ||
| Twi (Akan) | dodow a ɛdɔɔso | ||
Numerous in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | كثير | ||
| The word "كثير" in Arabic does not just mean "numerous", but can also refer to "much" or "abundant". | |||
| Hebrew | רַבִּים | ||
| The word "רַבִּים" is the plural form of the Hebrew word "רַב" (rav), meaning "great" or "chief". It is also used in a figurative sense to refer to a "multitude" or "great number" of people or things. | |||
| Pashto | بې شمیره | ||
| بې شمیره (Beshmara) literally translates as 'without count', further emphasizing its vast quantity. | |||
| Arabic | كثير | ||
| The word "كثير" in Arabic does not just mean "numerous", but can also refer to "much" or "abundant". | |||
Numerous in Western European Languages
| Albanian | te shumte | ||
| Possibly derives from Old Albanian *të shumtë "multitude, crowd" (definite form), cognate to Proto-Slavic *ty *sъmьtъ, which ultimately goes back to Proto-Indo-European *tḱóm-to- "great". | |||
| Basque | ugari | ||
| Another meaning of "ugari" in Basque is "to be born". | |||
| Catalan | nombrosos | ||
| The Catalan word "nombrosos" derives from the Latin "numerosus", meaning "full of numbers" or "abundant." | |||
| Croatian | brojne | ||
| The Croatian word "brojne" can also mean "embroidery" or "numerology" | |||
| Danish | talrige | ||
| The Danish word "talrige" derives from the Old Norse "talríkr" and originally meant "a disc used for counting money". | |||
| Dutch | talrijk | ||
| In archaic usage, "talrijk" could also mean "of great stature" or "famous, illustrious," related to the adjective "tal" meaning "noble," "great," or "tall." | |||
| English | numerous | ||
| The word "numerous" originates from the Latin word "numerus" which means "number". | |||
| French | nombreux | ||
| "Nombreux" in French derives from the Latin "numerus" (number), and also means "numerals" (like in "les nombres"). | |||
| Frisian | tal fan | ||
| The word "tal fan" in Frisian is derived from the Old Frisian word "tal" meaning "number" or "count". | |||
| Galician | numerosos | ||
| Numerosos means not only "numerous" but also "abundant" in Galician | |||
| German | zahlreich | ||
| In Middle High German the word "zal" meant "time, occasion" and "richez" meant "plenty, abundance". | |||
| Icelandic | fjölmargir | ||
| The word "fjölmargir" in Icelandic can also refer to "multitude" or "great number". | |||
| Irish | iomadúla | ||
| Italian | numerose | ||
| "Numerose" also means "melodious" and shares the same etymology with the English "numerous". | |||
| Luxembourgish | vill | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "vill" can also mean "many" or "a lot" when referring to a place or group. | |||
| Maltese | numerużi | ||
| The word "numerużi" is derived from the Latin word "numerus," which means "a number" or "a quantity." | |||
| Norwegian | en rekke | ||
| En rekke is a Norwegian word with multiple meanings, including “a row” and “a series”. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | numeroso | ||
| The word "numeroso" is derived from the Latin word "numerosus," meaning "full of numbers" or "musical." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | iomadach | ||
| The word 'iomadach' can also refer to a crowd, gathering, or assembly. | |||
| Spanish | numeroso | ||
| In Spanish, "numeroso" can indicate not only quantity but also importance or influence (numeroso como orador or numeroso partido). | |||
| Swedish | talrik | ||
| The word "talrik" is derived from the Old Swedish word "tal" meaning "number" or "count." | |||
| Welsh | niferus | ||
| The word "niferus" can also mean "abundant" or "copious". | |||
Numerous in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | шматлікія | ||
| The Belarusian word "шматлікія" (numerous) originates from the Proto-Slavic word *mnogъ, meaning "many". | |||
| Bosnian | brojni | ||
| The word "brojni" in Bosnian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "borьnь", which also means "to fight" or "to struggle". | |||
| Bulgarian | многобройни | ||
| The word "многобройни" in Bulgarian can also mean "manifold" or "numerous in kind". | |||
| Czech | četné | ||
| "Četné" can also mean "reading" or "lesson". | |||
| Estonian | arvukalt | ||
| The word "arvukalt" can also mean "abundant" or "plentiful". | |||
| Finnish | lukuisia | ||
| "Lukuisia" (numerous) is derived from the Old Norse word "lukka," meaning "trap." | |||
| Hungarian | számos | ||
| The word "számos" can also mean "thread" or "fiber" in Hungarian, but this meaning is somewhat obsolete. | |||
| Latvian | daudz | ||
| {"text": "The word "daudz" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰew- ("to blow, to swell") and is related to the Sanskrit word "duhita" (daughter)."}} | |||
| Lithuanian | gausus | ||
| "Gausaus" is originally a word for the sound of birds chattering. | |||
| Macedonian | бројни | ||
| The word "бројни" originates from the Slavic root "бор" meaning "fight" or "struggle" and has been used in a wider sense to describe something as "strong" or "firm". | |||
| Polish | liczny | ||
| "Liczy" is related with the verb "liczyć" (to count), and it can also mean "distinguished" or "noble". | |||
| Romanian | numeroase | ||
| The word "numeroase" in Romanian is related to the Latin verb "numerare" (to count) and has the secondary meaning of "abundant" or "plentiful". | |||
| Russian | многочисленные | ||
| "Многочисленные" comes from the Proto-Balto-Slavic word "menǵo", akin to the Greek "mégas", meaning "big". | |||
| Serbian | многобројни | ||
| The word "многобројни" in Serbian derives from the Proto-Slavic word *mogъ, meaning "much, many." | |||
| Slovak | početné | ||
| The word "početné" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *čьto "what" and is related to the Old Church Slavonic word *čьtъ "to number". | |||
| Slovenian | številne | ||
| "Številne" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "čьstь", meaning "honor" or "glory". | |||
| Ukrainian | численні | ||
| The Ukrainian word "численні" (pronounced "chislenni") derives from the Old Slavic "čьslъ", meaning "number" or "account". It is related to the Latin "numerus", meaning "number", and the English "numerous". The word can also be used to mean "abundance" or "multitude". | |||
Numerous in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অনেক | ||
| অনেক (onnek) is a derivative of the Sanskrit root अनत (anat), which means 'unlimited' or 'indefinite'. | |||
| Gujarati | અનેક | ||
| The Gujarati word "અનેક" also means "different" or "varied". | |||
| Hindi | बहुत | ||
| "बहुत" in Hindi can also mean excessively, a lot, or greatly. | |||
| Kannada | ಹಲವಾರು | ||
| Its Sanskrit equivalent is 'बहुलः' ('bahulah') meaning abundant, numerous. | |||
| Malayalam | നിരവധി | ||
| The Malayalam word "നിരവധി" is derived from the ancient Dravidian root *nīr-, meaning "long". It can also refer to a group of people or things. | |||
| Marathi | असंख्य | ||
| The word असंख्य, in Marathi, can refer to several other concepts, like an uncountable object or something endless. | |||
| Nepali | असंख्य | ||
| The word असंख्य (asankhya) in Nepali can also mean 'countless, immense, or infinite'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਰੇ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | බොහෝ | ||
| The word "බොහෝ" in Sinhala (Sinhalese) originates from the Sanskrit word "बहु" (bahu), meaning "many" or "much". | |||
| Tamil | ஏராளமான | ||
| The word "ஏராளமான" (ērāḷamāna) is derived from the Sanskrit word "ईराल" (īrāla), meaning "a troop, a herd, a company". | |||
| Telugu | అనేక | ||
| The word "అనేక" in Telugu can also mean "many-sided", "multifaceted", or "versatile". | |||
| Urdu | بے شمار | ||
| Urdu "بے شمار" (literally "without counting") is a Persian borrowing, and it is related to the Turkic "sayısız" | |||
Numerous in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 众多 | ||
| In Chinese, "众多"'s literal translation is "many crowds," emphasizing the notion of abundance in terms of both quantity and diversity. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 眾多 | ||
| 眾 (zhòng) means "multitude, crowd" and 多 (duō) means "many, more," suggesting a large group or quantity. | |||
| Japanese | 多数 | ||
| "多数" can also mean "plurality", "majority", or "most" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 수많은 | ||
| "수많은" (numaneun) literally means "water countless" and is a compound of the Sino-Korean root "수" (su, "water") and the native Korean root "많은" (manun, "countless or many"). | |||
| Mongolian | олон тооны | ||
| The Mongolian word "олон тооны" literally means "many numbers" and can also be used to refer to "large numbers". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မြောက်မြားစွာ | ||
Numerous in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | banyak sekali | ||
| The phrase "banyak sekali" in Indonesian, literally meaning "many times", is the highest degree of quantification in the language. | |||
| Javanese | akeh | ||
| **The word "akeh" in Javanese can also refer to "a lot" or "greatly" in contexts that are not necessarily numerical. | |||
| Khmer | ច្រើន | ||
| Lao | ມີ ຈຳ ນວນຫລາຍ | ||
| Malay | banyak | ||
| "Banyak" comes from Proto-Austronesian *banuwa, meaning village or country, and it can also mean "vast, broad, extensive, great". | |||
| Thai | มากมาย | ||
| "มากมาย" also means "plenty" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | nhiều | ||
| "Nhiều" means "numerous" in Vietnamese, but can also mean "much" or "many" depending on the context. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | marami | ||
Numerous in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | çoxsaylı | ||
| Çoxsaylı means not only "numerous" but also "manifold". | |||
| Kazakh | көптеген | ||
| The Kazakh word "көптеген" is derived from the verb "көп", meaning "to multiply" or "to make numerous", and the suffix "-ген", which indicates a past action or state. | |||
| Kyrgyz | көп | ||
| The word "көп" can also mean "a lot" or "many" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | сершумор | ||
| "Сершумор" can also mean "overcrowded" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | köp | ||
| Uzbek | juda ko'p | ||
| In Hebrew, the root "רב" (rab) means "big" or "great," suggesting that "juda ko'p" may have Semitic origins. | |||
| Uyghur | نۇرغۇن | ||
Numerous in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lehulehu | ||
| Lehulehu derives from the Proto-Austronesian word *lahu, meaning 'to scatter or spread out'. | |||
| Maori | tini | ||
| The word "tini" in Maori can also mean "many" or "a large number". | |||
| Samoan | tele | ||
| In Samoan, the term "tele" can also refer to a large group of people or animals gathered together in one place. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | marami | ||
| The word "marami" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *ma-rami, meaning "many" or "much". | |||
Numerous in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | waljani | ||
| Guarani | hetaiterei | ||
Numerous in International Languages
| Esperanto | multnombraj | ||
| "Multnombra" is an Esperanto word meaning "numerous," and it is derived from the Latin root "mult," meaning "many," and the Esperanto root "nombr," meaning "number." | |||
| Latin | numerosis | ||
| The Latin word "numerosus" not only means "numerous" but also melodious, flowing, or rhythmical | |||
Numerous in Others Languages
| Greek | πολυάριθμος | ||
| The word "πολυάριθμος" is derived from the Greek words "πολύς" (polys), meaning "many," and "αριθμός" (arithmos), meaning "number." | |||
| Hmong | coob | ||
| The Hmong word "coob" can also mean "many" or "a lot". | |||
| Kurdish | jimarzêde | ||
| The Kurdish word "jimarzêde" derives from the Persian "imarzade" which literally translates to "son of a building," referring to someone well protected or of high status. | |||
| Turkish | sayısız | ||
| Sayısız is derived from the Persian word "şeş", meaning "six". The word is used in Turkish to refer to an indefinite or large number, especially when used in a poetic or literary context. | |||
| Xhosa | ezininzi | ||
| The term 'ezininzi' means 'many' or 'a lot', but was originally coined meaning 'those of the chief (iNkosi)' because the number of subjects was seen as a measure of that chief's wealth. | |||
| Yiddish | סך | ||
| The Yiddish word "סך" derives from the Hebrew word "סך", meaning "sum" or "total". | |||
| Zulu | eziningi | ||
| "Eziningi" also means "many" or "much". | |||
| Assamese | অসংখ্য | ||
| Aymara | waljani | ||
| Bhojpuri | कई गो बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ގިނަ އަދަދެއްގެ މީހުންނެވެ | ||
| Dogri | अनगिनत | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | marami | ||
| Guarani | hetaiterei | ||
| Ilocano | nagadu | ||
| Krio | bɔku bɔku wan | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ژمارەیەکی زۆر | ||
| Maithili | असंख्य | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯁꯤꯡ ꯌꯥꯝꯅꯥ ꯂꯩ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | tam tak a ni | ||
| Oromo | baay’eedha | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅନେକ | ||
| Quechua | achka | ||
| Sanskrit | अनेकाः | ||
| Tatar | бик күп | ||
| Tigrinya | ብዙሓት እዮም። | ||
| Tsonga | yo tala | ||