Oil in Different Languages
Discover 'Oil' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Exploring the world of 'oil' is a fascinating journey that takes us through the annals of history, across cultures, and into the realm of linguistic diversity.
From the ancient civilizations that first discovered the many uses of this precious resource, to the modern-day industries that rely on it for power and prosperity, oil has played a critical role in shaping the course of human history.
But oil is more than just a source of energy or a driver of economic growth. It's also a word that has been translated and adapted into countless languages around the world, each with its own unique connotations and cultural significance.
For example, in Spanish, oil is translated as 'aceite,' which also refers to a type of culinary oil used in cooking and baking. In German, oil becomes 'Öl,' which is also the root word for 'ölig,' meaning 'oily' or 'greasy.' And in Russian, oil is 'нефть' (neft'), a word that has its origins in the Turkic languages of Central Asia.
So whether you're a language aficionado, a history buff, or simply curious about the world around you, delving into the many translations of oil in different languages is a rich and rewarding experience that sheds light on the complex tapestry of human culture and history.
Oil
Oil in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | olie | ||
| "Olie" comes from the Dutch word for oil, "olie". | |||
| Amharic | ዘይት | ||
| In Amharic, the word "ዘይት" also refers to olives and the olive tree. | |||
| Hausa | mai | ||
| In certain dialects of Hausa, "mai" (oil) also denotes "grease" or "fat". | |||
| Igbo | mmanụ | ||
| The Igbo word "mmanụ" is cognate with the Proto-Niger-Congo word for "fat" or "grease". | |||
| Malagasy | solika | ||
| The word "SOLIKA" in Malagasy can also mean "grease" or "fat". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mafuta | ||
| The word "mafuta" in Nyanja (Chichewa) is also used to refer to fat or grease. | |||
| Shona | mafuta | ||
| Mafuta can also be used to refer to traditional remedies | |||
| Somali | saliid | ||
| Somali word 'saliid' derives most likely from the Arabic word 'sayl' meaning 'flowing water' or 'flood'. | |||
| Sesotho | oli | ||
| The word "oli" can also refer to ointment or grease. | |||
| Swahili | mafuta | ||
| The Swahili word mafuta also has the alternate meaning of 'fat', which is the solid form of oil. | |||
| Xhosa | oyile | ||
| The word "oyile" in Xhosa can also refer to "fat" or "grease". | |||
| Yoruba | epo | ||
| The Yoruba word "epo" also means "fat" and "grease". | |||
| Zulu | uwoyela | ||
| The word "uwoyela" comes from the word "ukwoyela," which means "to rub oil on." | |||
| Bambara | tulu | ||
| Ewe | ami | ||
| Kinyarwanda | amavuta | ||
| Lingala | mafuta | ||
| Luganda | butto | ||
| Sepedi | oli | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ngo | ||
Oil in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نفط | ||
| "نفط" (naft) means "oil" in Arabic. It is also the origin of the English word "naphtha". | |||
| Hebrew | שמן | ||
| In Hebrew, שמן ("oil") can also refer to ointments, unguents, and fatty substances. | |||
| Pashto | غوړ | ||
| The word "غوړ" in Pashto can also refer to a specific type of lamp used for cooking. | |||
| Arabic | نفط | ||
| "نفط" (naft) means "oil" in Arabic. It is also the origin of the English word "naphtha". | |||
Oil in Western European Languages
| Albanian | vaj | ||
| The word 'vaj' also refers to a type of ointment or cream used for medicinal or cosmetic purposes in Albanian. | |||
| Basque | olioa | ||
| Olioa is also a synonym for | |||
| Catalan | oli | ||
| "Oli" in Catalan derives from the Latin "oleum" and also means "olive tree". | |||
| Croatian | ulje | ||
| The word 'ulje' in Croatian, cognate to Russian 'масло' and Albanian 'vaj', may come from an extinct Paleo-Balkan language spoken by the early inhabitants of the Dinarides. | |||
| Danish | olie | ||
| In Danish, "olie" can also refer to a painting technique involving the use of oil paints. | |||
| Dutch | olie- | ||
| The word "olie-" also means "olive" in Dutch. | |||
| English | oil | ||
| The Middle English term 'oyl' originated from the Latin 'oleum', itself derived from the Greek 'elaia'. In Old English, 'ele' or 'olewe' referred to both 'oil' and the 'olive tree'. | |||
| French | pétrole | ||
| The word "pétrole" comes from the Latin "petra" meaning "rock" and "oleum" meaning "oil". | |||
| Frisian | oalje | ||
| Oalje has the same origin as "oil" and is related to the Proto-Germanic word *aila meaning "fat" or "oil". | |||
| Galician | aceite | ||
| In Galician, "aceite" originates from the Latin "acetum" meaning "vinegar", and is also used to refer to "vinegar". | |||
| German | öl | ||
| The German word "Öl" originates from the Old High German "ëli" which may have come from Latin "oleum" or the Greek "élaion". | |||
| Icelandic | olía | ||
| The Icelandic word "olía" can also mean "a large metal pot" or "a large metal cooking pot on legs with a hole in the bottom." | |||
| Irish | ola | ||
| The Irish word "ola" also means "track" and can refer to the track of a wheel, the track of an animal, or a trail. | |||
| Italian | olio | ||
| The Italian word "olio," originally meaning "oil," has evolved to also include meanings such as "mixture," "miscellany," and "hodgepodge." | |||
| Luxembourgish | ueleg | ||
| The word "Ueleg" in Luxembourgish derives from the Middle High German word "ol" or "ele" and originally meant "fat" or "grease". | |||
| Maltese | żejt | ||
| While "żejt" usually means "oil", it can also refer to a "lamp" or a "torch". | |||
| Norwegian | olje | ||
| The Norwegian word "olje" is derived from the Old Norse word "olegja," meaning "to anoint," and is cognate with the English word "oil" and the German word "Öl." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | óleo | ||
| In Portuguese, "óleo" can also refer to paint or canvas, deriving from the Latin "oleum" meaning "olive oil". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ola | ||
| Scots Gaelic "ola" is cognate with Irish "ola" and Welsh "olew", and possibly derives from the Proto-Celtic word "*olēw". | |||
| Spanish | petróleo | ||
| The word 'petróleo' derives from the Latin 'petra' (rock) and 'oleum' (oil), referring to the rock oil found in geological formations. | |||
| Swedish | olja | ||
| The Swedish word 'olja' originally referred to olive oil but now refers to all types of oils including mineral and lubricating oils. | |||
| Welsh | olew | ||
| In astronomy, 'olew' can refer to a red star, and in astrology it is often associated with the planet Mars. | |||
Oil in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | алей | ||
| The word "алей" can also refer to "olive oil" or "lamp oil" in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | ulje | ||
| The word 'ulje' in Bosnian comes from the Proto-Slavic word 'olej', which also means 'ointment' or 'grease'. | |||
| Bulgarian | масло | ||
| The word "масло" can also refer to "butter" or "grease" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | olej | ||
| The word "olej" also means "ointment" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | õli | ||
| Estonian "õli" is cognate with "öljy" in Finnish, "aliejus" in Lithuanian, both meaning "oil" and sharing the Proto-Finno-Ugric origin. | |||
| Finnish | öljy | ||
| In Finnish, the word "öljy" can also refer to paint or varnish. | |||
| Hungarian | olaj | ||
| "Olaj" is a Hungarian word that also refers to "wealth" or "assets". | |||
| Latvian | eļļa | ||
| The word "eļļa" is cognate with the Lithuanian word "aliejus" and the Old Prussian word "alwis", all derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂el- "fat, oil". | |||
| Lithuanian | alyva | ||
| "Alyva" is a Lithuanian word for "oil" that is cognate with the Sanskrit word "sarpis," meaning "ghee." | |||
| Macedonian | нафта | ||
| The Macedonian word "нафта" is likely derived from the Persian word "naft", which means "flammable liquid". | |||
| Polish | olej | ||
| The word "olej" also derives from the Greek word "elaion" and refers to a holy oil used in religious ceremonies. | |||
| Romanian | ulei | ||
| In Romanian, the word "ulei" can also refer to other oily or greasy substances such as paint. | |||
| Russian | масло | ||
| "Масло" can mean "butter" as well as "oil" in Russian, reflecting the fact that butter was used for lighting and cooking before the advent of electricity and refined oils. | |||
| Serbian | уље | ||
| The word "уље" (oil) in Serbian originates from the Proto-Slavic word "*olьjь", which also means "fat" or "grease". | |||
| Slovak | olej | ||
| In Slovak, the word "olej" can also refer to a type of fat extracted from plants or animals. | |||
| Slovenian | olje | ||
| The Slovenian word "olje" is derived from the Latin word "oleum", which also means "oil" in English. | |||
| Ukrainian | олія | ||
| The Ukrainian word "олія" not only means "oil" but also "olive oil" specifically. | |||
Oil in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | তেল | ||
| The word "তেল" is derived from the Sanskrit word "taila," which means "pressed juice". | |||
| Gujarati | તેલ | ||
| The Gujarati word "તેલ" (oil) is derived from the Sanskrit word "taila" and can also refer to a liquid extracted from plants or animals. | |||
| Hindi | तेल | ||
| Hindi "तेल" (oil) is not derived from Sanskrit, unlike most Hindi words. Instead, it is derived from the Persian "roghan" and ultimately from the Arabic "al-zayyāt" (the oil seller). | |||
| Kannada | ತೈಲ | ||
| The word "ತೈಲ" (taila) in Kannada is derived from the Sanskrit word "taila" and can also refer to an unguent or ointment. | |||
| Malayalam | എണ്ണ | ||
| In Malayalam, the word "എണ്ണ" also refers to a specific type of medicinal oil applied to the head and body for therapeutic purposes. | |||
| Marathi | तेल | ||
| The word "तेल" can also refer to a type of tree or the oil extracted from it, known as "castor oil." | |||
| Nepali | तेल | ||
| The word तेल (oil) originates from the Sanskrit word 'tailam' which means 'sesame oil' or 'fat'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਤੇਲ | ||
| "ਤੇਲ" is the Punjabi word for "oil", derived from the Sanskrit word "taila" meaning "liquid fat". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තෙල් | ||
| The word "තෙල්" (oil) is derived from the Sanskrit word "taila" and is related to the English word "tallow". | |||
| Tamil | எண்ணெய் | ||
| The Tamil word "எண்ணெய்" is also used to refer to 'fat' and 'grease', highlighting the close relationship between these substances. | |||
| Telugu | నూనె | ||
| In Old Tamil, 'ennai' meant 'fat', and its use shifted to 'oil' only in the 14th century. | |||
| Urdu | تیل | ||
| The word "تیل" in Urdu is derived from the Sanskrit word "tailam", which means oil or fat | |||
Oil in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 油 | ||
| 油, pronounced 'yóu,' shares the same characters as the Chinese terms for 'beautiful' and 'grease'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 油 | ||
| In traditional Chinese medicine, "油" can also refer to an oily substance derived from plants or animals and used for therapeutic purposes. | |||
| Japanese | 油 | ||
| The word "油" (oil) in Japanese can also mean "fat" or "grease". | |||
| Korean | 기름 | ||
| The Korean word "기름" (oil) can also refer to grease, fat, or any oily substance, and is derived from the Middle Chinese word "kiu". | |||
| Mongolian | тос | ||
| The word "тос" in Mongolian also means "fat" or "grease". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဆီ | ||
| The word "ဆီ" can also mean "fat" in Myanmar (Burmese). | |||
Oil in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | minyak | ||
| Aside from its primary meaning as 'oil,' 'minyak' can also refer to 'medicine,' 'liquid used as a perfume,' and 'hair conditioner,' reflecting its versatility and diverse uses throughout history. | |||
| Javanese | lenga | ||
| "Lenga" also means "grease", referring to a substance applied for lubrication. | |||
| Khmer | ប្រេង | ||
| The Khmer word "ប្រេង" can also mean "to grease", or "to lubricate". | |||
| Lao | ນ້ ຳ ມັນ | ||
| Malay | minyak | ||
| The word "minyak" also has metaphorical meanings in Malay, such as "charm" or "allure". | |||
| Thai | น้ำมัน | ||
| น้ำมัน derives from Sanskrit नैर्मन (nairmana), 'made up from fat or oil' | |||
| Vietnamese | dầu | ||
| Dầu is a Sino-Vietnamese word derived from the Chinese 油, referring to various types of oil or fats as well as the concept of "greasiness" | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | langis | ||
Oil in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | yağ | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "yağ" also denotes butter, grease, or tallow | |||
| Kazakh | май | ||
| The word "май" in Kazakh is derived from the Persian word "māy" or "māyak", which originally meant "liquid" or "fat". | |||
| Kyrgyz | май | ||
| In Kyrgyz, "май" can also mean "fat" or "grease". | |||
| Tajik | равған | ||
| The word "ravghan" comes from the Persian word "ravn", meaning "butter" or "fat". It can also refer to other types of fats, such as ghee or lard. | |||
| Turkmen | ýag | ||
| Uzbek | moy | ||
| In the Turkic languages, the word "moy" can refer to "oil", "fat", or "ointment", depending on the context. | |||
| Uyghur | نېفىت | ||
Oil in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻaila | ||
| ʻAila can also mean "fat" or "grease" in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | hinu | ||
| In Maori, the word "hinu" also refers to the liquid fat of animals or marine mammals. | |||
| Samoan | suauʻu | ||
| "Suʻauʻu" can also mean an ointment | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | langis | ||
| "Langis" (oil) in Tagalog also refers to cooking oil, machine oil, or any viscous liquid. | |||
Oil in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | asiyti | ||
| Guarani | ñandyhũ | ||
Oil in International Languages
| Esperanto | oleo | ||
| The word "oleo" may also refer to a type of margarine or a painting technique using oil-based pigments. | |||
| Latin | oleum | ||
| In Latin, "oleum" can also refer to perfume, salve, or a consecrated oil used in religious ceremonies. | |||
Oil in Others Languages
| Greek | λάδι | ||
| The Greek word "λάδι" (oil) can also refer to olive oil, a staple of Mediterranean cuisine. | |||
| Hmong | roj | ||
| In Proto-Hmong-Mien, *rɔ̂ŋ meant "fat or grease". | |||
| Kurdish | rûn | ||
| The word 'rûn' in Kurdish is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂ley- ('to anoint') and is related to the Armenian word 'oren' ('oil') and the Greek word 'elaion' ('olive oil'). | |||
| Turkish | sıvı yağ | ||
| In Turkish, "sıvı yağ" refers not only to cooking oil but also to hydraulic fluid. | |||
| Xhosa | oyile | ||
| The word "oyile" in Xhosa can also refer to "fat" or "grease". | |||
| Yiddish | ייל | ||
| The Yiddish word "ייל" also means "arrow" and has an etymology related to the verb "shoot." | |||
| Zulu | uwoyela | ||
| The word "uwoyela" comes from the word "ukwoyela," which means "to rub oil on." | |||
| Assamese | তেল | ||
| Aymara | asiyti | ||
| Bhojpuri | तेल | ||
| Dhivehi | ތެޔޮ | ||
| Dogri | तेल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | langis | ||
| Guarani | ñandyhũ | ||
| Ilocano | lana | ||
| Krio | ɔyl | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نەوت | ||
| Maithili | तेल | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯊꯥꯎ | ||
| Mizo | tel | ||
| Oromo | dibata | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ତେଲ | ||
| Quechua | petroleo | ||
| Sanskrit | तेलं | ||
| Tatar | нефть | ||
| Tigrinya | ዘይቲ | ||
| Tsonga | oyili | ||