Nurse in Different Languages
Discover 'Nurse' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'nurse' holds immense significance worldwide, symbolizing care, compassion, and dedication. Nurses, often the unsung heroes in healthcare, have been culturally important figures, providing essential services from ancient times to the modern era. From Florence Nightingale, the pioneer of modern nursing, to the frontline nurses battling the COVID-19 pandemic, their role in society is truly invaluable.
Understanding the translation of 'nurse' in different languages can open up a world of cultural insights and demonstrate respect for healthcare professionals, no matter the language barrier. For instance, a 'nurse' in Spanish is 'enfermera', in French 'infirmière', and in German 'Krankenschwester'.
Did you know that the first nursing school was established in India in 250 BCE? Or that in Japan, the term for nurse, 'kangofu', originates from a Chinese phrase meaning 'caregiver of the royal family'? Exploring the translations of 'nurse' in various languages can lead to fascinating historical contexts and linguistic connections.
Nurse
Nurse in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | verpleegster | ||
| In Afrikaans, "verpleegster" (nurse) literally means "one who provides care (pleeg)" as the word contains the "zorg" root of the German word "sorgen" (to care). | |||
| Amharic | ነርስ | ||
| The term "ነርስ" can refer to either a "nurse" or a "sister" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | m | ||
| The Hausa word 'm' originally meant 'a female servant' or 'one who assists' before acquiring the meaning of 'nurse'. | |||
| Igbo | nọọsụ | ||
| Igbo word "nọọsụ" derives from "nọọ" (to be present) + "sụ" (to look after), emphasizing the caregiver aspect of nursing. | |||
| Malagasy | mpitsabo mpanampy | ||
| Derived from 'mpitsabo', meaning 'to cure', and 'mpanampy', meaning 'to help', signifying the combined roles of healing and aiding in nursing. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | namwino | ||
| The Nyanja word "namwino" can also refer to a traditional healer or medicine man. | |||
| Shona | mukoti | ||
| The word 'mukoti' can also refer to a midwife or a traditional healer. | |||
| Somali | kalkaaliye caafimaad | ||
| The term "kalkaaliye caafimaad" is derived from the Arabic word "qālah," meaning "to speak," and the Somali word "caafimaad," meaning "health." | |||
| Sesotho | mooki | ||
| The Sesotho word 'mooki' also means 'one who is caring' or 'one who is compassionate'. | |||
| Swahili | muuguzi | ||
| The word "muuguzi" in Swahili derives from the verb "kuuga", meaning "to guard, protect, or watch over", hence the role of a nurse in caring for the sick. | |||
| Xhosa | umongikazi | ||
| Umongikazi (nurse) has its origins in the word 'ukongela' (to watch over or take care of), and a nurse is often referred to as 'the one who watches over'. | |||
| Yoruba | nọọsi | ||
| The word "nọọsi" in Yoruba can also mean "to care for someone". | |||
| Zulu | umhlengikazi | ||
| The word 'umhlengikazi' can also refer to a traditional healer or midwife, due to the shared role of providing care and nurturing. | |||
| Bambara | furakɛla | ||
| Ewe | dᴐnᴐdzikpᴐla | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umuforomo | ||
| Lingala | infirmier | ||
| Luganda | omusawo | ||
| Sepedi | mooki | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nɛɛseni | ||
Nurse in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ممرضة | ||
| ممرضة in Arabic literally means a 'feeder,' or a 'female who cares for the sick'. | |||
| Hebrew | אָחוֹת | ||
| "אָחוֹת" is also the Hebrew word for "sister". In the Torah it mainly means "sister" and is often translated as such. | |||
| Pashto | نرس | ||
| The word نرس is derived from the same Persian root as نارس "tender, soft", نر "male, stallion", and نرد "backgammon". | |||
| Arabic | ممرضة | ||
| ممرضة in Arabic literally means a 'feeder,' or a 'female who cares for the sick'. | |||
Nurse in Western European Languages
| Albanian | infermierja | ||
| The Albanian word "infermierja" is derived from the French word "infirmière" and also means "sick nurse" or "female nurse". | |||
| Basque | erizaina | ||
| The word "erizaina" in Basque may come from "eri" (sick) and "zain" (care), suggesting a caregiver for the ill. | |||
| Catalan | infermera | ||
| In Catalan "infermera" comes from the Latin words "in" and "firmus", meaning "solid" or "firm". It refers to the strength and dedication of nurses, especially in difficult situations. | |||
| Croatian | medicinska sestra | ||
| "medicinska sestra" literally translates to "medical sister," highlighting the historical gendered role of nurses. | |||
| Danish | amme | ||
| The Danish word "amme" can also mean "wet nurse" or "foster mother." | |||
| Dutch | verpleegster | ||
| The Dutch word "verpleegster" translates literally as "one who tends to the sick". | |||
| English | nurse | ||
| The word 'nurse' derives from the Latin word 'nutrix,' meaning 'nourisher,' and historically referred to women who cared for infants and children. | |||
| French | infirmière | ||
| In Old French, 'infirmière' meant 'woman in charge of the infirmary'. | |||
| Frisian | ferpleechkundige | ||
| The Frisian word "ferpleechkundige" is a compound word, consisting of the words "ferpleech" (care) and "kundige" (expert). | |||
| Galician | enfermeira | ||
| The Galician word "enfermeira" is derived from the Latin "infirmarius", meaning "one who attends to the sick". | |||
| German | krankenschwester | ||
| The term 'Krankenschwester' is composed of 'krank' ('sick') and 'Schwester' ('sister'), and was once used for women who cared for the sick in monasteries. | |||
| Icelandic | hjúkrunarfræðingur | ||
| {"text": "The Icelandic word for "nurse", hjúkrunarfræðingur, derives from the verb hjúkra (meaning "care, tend") and the noun fræðingi, originally denoting one skilled in Latin, theology or law"} | |||
| Irish | altra | ||
| The word "altra" also means "fosterer" as in "foster mother" in Irish. | |||
| Italian | infermiera | ||
| The Italian word "infermiera" derives from the Latin word "infirmus" meaning "weak" or "sick". | |||
| Luxembourgish | infirmière | ||
| In Luxembourgish, 'Infirmière' is also used to refer to nuns who provide nursing care in hospitals or care homes. | |||
| Maltese | infermier | ||
| The term "infermier" is derived from the Italian word "infermiere" and the French word "infirmier", both ultimately stemming from the Latin word "infirmus", meaning "sick". | |||
| Norwegian | sykepleier | ||
| The word "sykepleier" derives from the Old Norse words "sjúkr" (sick) and "pléga" (care), suggesting someone who provides care to the sick. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | enfermeira | ||
| The word "enfermeira" is derived from the Latin word "infirmare", meaning "to make weak". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | banaltram | ||
| The word 'banaltram' originates from the Gaelic word 'ban-altram' meaning 'foster mother'. | |||
| Spanish | enfermero | ||
| "Enfermero" derives from the Latin "infirmus" meaning "weak" or "sick". | |||
| Swedish | sjuksköterska | ||
| The word 'sjuksköterska' is derived from the Swedish words 'sjuk' (sick) and 'sköta' (to care for), and literally means 'one who cares for the sick'. | |||
| Welsh | nyrs | ||
| The Welsh word 'nyrs' is also used to refer to female deities or spirits. | |||
Nurse in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | медсястра | ||
| The word "медсястра" is derived from the Russian word "медицинская сестра", which literally means "medical sister". | |||
| Bosnian | medicinska sestra | ||
| The Bosnian word "medicinska sestra" is composed of two parts: "medicinska", meaning "medical", and "sestra", meaning "sister." | |||
| Bulgarian | медицинска сестра | ||
| In Old Church Slavonic, the word "медицинска сестра" meant "nun" and "deaconess". | |||
| Czech | zdravotní sestřička | ||
| The etymology of the Czech word "zdravotní sestřička" derives from the word "sestra", meaning "sister". | |||
| Estonian | õde | ||
| The Estonian word õde, meaning 'nurse', also refers to female siblings and is used as a form of affectionate address for women more generally. | |||
| Finnish | sairaanhoitaja | ||
| Sairaanhoitaja derives from "sairaus" (illness) and "hoito" (care). In Northern dialects, "sairaanhoitaja" means a caretaker for the sick or elderly. | |||
| Hungarian | ápoló | ||
| The word "ápoló" originates from the verb "ápol", which means "to care for" or "to nurture". | |||
| Latvian | medmāsa | ||
| "Medmāsa" in Latvian originates from "māsa" meaning "sister", reflecting the role of nurses as caregivers. | |||
| Lithuanian | slaugytoja | ||
| The word "slaugytoja" derives from the Lithuanian verb "slaugyti," meaning "to care for," and also has the alternate meaning of "one who cares for others spiritually or emotionally."} | |||
| Macedonian | медицинска сестра | ||
| The Macedonian word "Медицинска сестра" literally translates to "medical sister", highlighting the historical perception of nurses as female caregivers. | |||
| Polish | pielęgniarka | ||
| The Polish word "pielęgniarka" comes from the Old Slavic word "plegati", meaning "to care for". | |||
| Romanian | asistent medical | ||
| The Romanian word "asistent medical" can also refer to a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner. | |||
| Russian | медсестра | ||
| The Russian word "медсестра" can also refer to a sister or a nun. | |||
| Serbian | медицинска сестра | ||
| The Serbian word 'medicinska sestra' derives from the Latin 'medicus' (physician) and 'soror' (sister), reflecting the historical role of nurses as caregivers and assistants to physicians. | |||
| Slovak | zdravotná sestra | ||
| The Slovak word "zdravotná sestra" derives from the Old Church Slavonic word "zъdrъвъ", meaning "healthy" or "whole". | |||
| Slovenian | medicinska sestra | ||
| The word "medicinska sestra" is derived from the Latin word "soror", meaning "sister", and refers to the traditional role of nurses as caregivers. | |||
| Ukrainian | медсестра | ||
| "Медсестра" is a compound word formed from "мед" (honey) and "сестра" (female sibling), thus literally meaning "honey sister." | |||
Nurse in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | নার্স | ||
| The Bengali word "নার্স" (nurse) can also refer to a female domestic servant who cooks and cleans. | |||
| Gujarati | નર્સ | ||
| The Gujarati word 'નર્સ' ('nurse') originates from the Latin word 'nutrire', meaning to nourish or feed, highlighting the nurturing role of nurses. | |||
| Hindi | नर्स | ||
| The word "नर्स" comes from the Latin word "nutrire", meaning "to feed or nourish". | |||
| Kannada | ನರ್ಸ್ | ||
| The word "ನರ್ಸ್" in Kannada can also refer to a wet nurse. | |||
| Malayalam | നഴ്സ് | ||
| In Malayalam, the word 'നഴ്സ്' can also mean 'to support' or 'to look after'. | |||
| Marathi | परिचारिका | ||
| The Marathi word "परिचारिका" (nurse) originates from the Sanskrit word "परिचारक" (attendant, caretaker). | |||
| Nepali | नर्स | ||
| The word "नर्स" can also refer to a female servant or assistant in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਨਰਸ | ||
| The word "ਨਰਸ" ("nurse") in Punjabi also means "to nourish" or "to look after". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | හෙදිය | ||
| The word also denotes a midwife or a female who takes care of children or the sick. | |||
| Tamil | செவிலியர் | ||
| The word "செவிலியர்" also means "affectionate or caring person" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | నర్సు | ||
| In Telugu, 'నర్సు' does not just mean a 'nurse,' but also refers to the 'act of nurturing' or 'something that sustains life'. | |||
| Urdu | نرس | ||
| In modern standard Urdu, نرس can also be a short form of نرسی ('young female') or نرِسا ('graceful) | |||
Nurse in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 护士 | ||
| 护士 is also a term for a wet nurse or nanny, and in Chinese mythology it refers to an ancient female spirit associated with pregnancy and newborns. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 護士 | ||
| The character 護士, meaning 'nurse', is composed of the characters 護 (protect) and 士 (scholar), reflecting the traditional role of nurses as protectors and caregivers. | |||
| Japanese | ナース | ||
| ナース (naasu) is the Japanese word for nurse, derived from the English word "nurse," which is further derived from the Latin word "nutrix," meaning "wet nurse." | |||
| Korean | 간호사 | ||
| The Korean word "간호사" also means "caregiver", and its origin dates back to the early 20th century when nurses were called "sick-watchers". | |||
| Mongolian | сувилагч | ||
| The word "сувилагч" has several alternate meanings such as "wet nurse" and "nanny." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သူနာပြု | ||
Nurse in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | perawat | ||
| The word 'perawat' comes from the Sanskrit root 'vara', meaning 'to protect' or 'to care for'. | |||
| Javanese | mantri | ||
| Although "mantri" in Indonesian and Standard Javanese commonly means "nurse," in the dialect of Ngawi Regency, East Java, it can also refer to a midwife. | |||
| Khmer | គិលានុបដ្ឋាយិកា | ||
| Lao | ນາງພະຍາບານ | ||
| Malay | jururawat | ||
| Jururawat' derives from Sanskrit and means 'to protect', indicating the caretaker role of nurses. | |||
| Thai | พยาบาล | ||
| The word "พยาบาล" also means "sick or ill" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | y tá | ||
| The word "y tá" in Vietnamese is of Chinese origin and originally meant "female doctor". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | nars | ||
Nurse in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | tibb bacısı | ||
| Tib bacısı is a compound word that means | |||
| Kazakh | медбике | ||
| Медбике translates as “honey lady”, as мед means “honey” and бике means “lady” in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | медайым | ||
| The word "медайым" also means "healer" or "helper" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | ҳамшира | ||
| "Ҳамшира" (nurse) means "sister" in Tajik, implying a close and caring bond between nurses and their patients. | |||
| Turkmen | şepagat uýasy | ||
| Uzbek | hamshira | ||
| "Hamshira" also refers to a woman with nursing experience or a female family/community member providing support in childcare. | |||
| Uyghur | سېستىرا | ||
Nurse in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kahu maʻi | ||
| Kahu maʻi is derived from the words 'kahu' (keeper) and 'maʻi' (sick), implying a caretaker for the sick. | |||
| Maori | tapuhi | ||
| The word 'tapuhi' can also refer to a midwife or a healer in traditional Maori culture. | |||
| Samoan | teine tausimaʻi | ||
| Teine Tausimaʻi (nurse) is a compound noun meaning 'caregiver' or 'one who cares for the sick' | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | nars | ||
| The word "nars" in Tagalog can also refer to a nanny or a caretaker. | |||
Nurse in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | qulliri | ||
| Guarani | mba'asy ñangarekoha | ||
Nurse in International Languages
| Esperanto | flegistino | ||
| The word "flegistino" is derived from the Greek word "phlegistinos", meaning "burning" or "inflammable." | |||
| Latin | nutrix | ||
| In Latin, the word "nutrix" can also refer to "wet nurse" or "caretaker." | |||
Nurse in Others Languages
| Greek | νοσοκόμα | ||
| The word "νοσοκόμα" comes from the Greek words "νόσος" (disease) and "κόμα" (care), and it can also refer to a midwife or a caretaker. | |||
| Hmong | tus nais maum | ||
| Tus nais maum derives from "tus" which means woman and "nais maum" which means to take care. | |||
| Kurdish | nexweşyare | ||
| In the Kurdish dialect of Sorani, the word "nexweşyare" additionally means "a female who takes care of the sick in a hospital". | |||
| Turkish | hemşire | ||
| The word "hemşire" is derived from the Persian word "hamşīrah", meaning "sister" or "female companion". | |||
| Xhosa | umongikazi | ||
| Umongikazi (nurse) has its origins in the word 'ukongela' (to watch over or take care of), and a nurse is often referred to as 'the one who watches over'. | |||
| Yiddish | ניאַניע | ||
| The Yiddish word "nianye" comes from the German word "Nanny", which is a diminutive of the name "Anna". | |||
| Zulu | umhlengikazi | ||
| The word 'umhlengikazi' can also refer to a traditional healer or midwife, due to the shared role of providing care and nurturing. | |||
| Assamese | নাৰ্ছ | ||
| Aymara | qulliri | ||
| Bhojpuri | नर्स | ||
| Dhivehi | ނަރުހުން | ||
| Dogri | नर्स | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | nars | ||
| Guarani | mba'asy ñangarekoha | ||
| Ilocano | nars | ||
| Krio | nɔs | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پەرستار | ||
| Maithili | दाई | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯔ꯭ꯁ | ||
| Mizo | nurse | ||
| Oromo | narsii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସେବିକା | ||
| Quechua | enfermera | ||
| Sanskrit | उपचर | ||
| Tatar | шәфкать туташы | ||
| Tigrinya | ነርስ | ||
| Tsonga | muongori | ||