Owe in Different Languages
Discover 'Owe' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'owe' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting a debt or responsibility that we have towards someone or something. Its cultural importance is evident in the various ways it is expressed across different languages and regions. For instance, in Spanish, 'owe' translates to 'deber', while in German, it is 'schulden'. In French, the word 'devoir' not only means 'to owe' but also 'to have to' or 'must'.
Understanding the translation of 'owe' in various languages can be particularly useful when communicating across cultures, whether in personal or professional settings. It can help us navigate financial transactions, express gratitude, or ask for forgiveness in a meaningful way. Moreover, it can offer us a glimpse into the unique linguistic and cultural nuances of different societies.
In this list, we will explore the translations of 'owe' in 10 different languages, shedding light on the fascinating world of language and culture. So, let's delve in and discover how this simple yet powerful word is expressed around the globe!
Owe
Owe in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | skuld | ||
| The Afrikaans word "skuld" is derived from the Old Norse word "skuld," which means "debt" or "obligation." | |||
| Amharic | ዕዳ | ||
| The word ዕዳ (owe) in Amharic also means 'sin' in Tigrinya. | |||
| Hausa | bashi | ||
| In Hausa, 'bashi' is also used to refer to a type of long, decorative robe worn by women. | |||
| Igbo | ji | ||
| "Ji" in Igbo can also mean "to have," "to own," or "to be the owner of something." | |||
| Malagasy | trosa | ||
| The word "trosa" in Malagasy can also mean "to be in debt" or "to be obliged to do something." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ngongole | ||
| The word 'ngongole' can also mean 'debt' or 'credit' in Chichewa. | |||
| Shona | chikwereti | ||
| The word 'chikwereti' can also refer to a debt or an obligation in Shona. | |||
| Somali | deyn lagu leeyahay | ||
| The Somali word for 'owe' ('deyn lagu leeyahay') also implies an obligation or debt that must be fulfilled. | |||
| Sesotho | kolota | ||
| "Kolota" can also mean "to ask for a loan" or "to borrow money." | |||
| Swahili | deni | ||
| The Swahili word "deni" has its roots in the Arabic word "dayn", both signifying a debt or obligation | |||
| Xhosa | ityala | ||
| The word "ityala" in Xhosa derives from the Proto-Bantu root "-tal-", meaning "to pay a debt or fine". | |||
| Yoruba | gbese | ||
| In Yoruba, the word "gbese" also refers to a traditional dance performance characterized by acrobatic and stilt-walking feats. | |||
| Zulu | ukweleta | ||
| The word "ukweleta" can also refer to the act of waiting or expecting something. | |||
| Bambara | juru | ||
| Ewe | nyi fe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umwenda | ||
| Lingala | esengeli | ||
| Luganda | ebbanja | ||
| Sepedi | kolota | ||
| Twi (Akan) | de ka | ||
Owe in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مدينون | ||
| The word "مدينون" also means "those who are indebted" in Arabic, suggesting that the debtor is in a position of servitude or obligation to the creditor. | |||
| Hebrew | חייב | ||
| חייב is related to חוב (debt), and can also mean 'obligation' | |||
| Pashto | پور ورکول | ||
| The word "پور ورکول" can also refer to a person who owes someone money or a favor, or to the act of owing money or a favor | |||
| Arabic | مدينون | ||
| The word "مدينون" also means "those who are indebted" in Arabic, suggesting that the debtor is in a position of servitude or obligation to the creditor. | |||
Owe in Western European Languages
| Albanian | borxh | ||
| "Borxh" is derived from the Latin "borgium" and also means "collateral" or "pledge". | |||
| Basque | zor | ||
| The Basque word 'zor' derives from the Latin 'debitum', meaning 'debt'. | |||
| Catalan | deure | ||
| "Deure" in Catalan also refers to a door or an entrance. | |||
| Croatian | dugovati | ||
| In Serbo-Croatian, 'dugovati' has multiple meanings, including 'to owe', 'to be indebted', or 'to be responsible'. | |||
| Danish | skylde | ||
| In Danish, the word "skylde" also means to blame, impute, attribute, or ascribe; hence "skyld", which means guilt, fault, or blame, and "skyldig", which means guilty or indebted. | |||
| Dutch | verschuldigd | ||
| The Dutch word "verschuldigd" derives from the Middle Dutch word "verschulden," which meant "to become guilty because of an offense against someone" | |||
| English | owe | ||
| The word "owe" comes from the Old English word "agan", which can also mean "to possess" or "to belong to". | |||
| French | devoir | ||
| The term "devoir" also means "duty" in French, deriving from the Latin verb "debēre." | |||
| Frisian | owe | ||
| The word 'owe' in Frisian can also mean 'to possess' or 'to have'. | |||
| Galician | debe | ||
| The Galician word debe (owe) derives from the Latin word debitum, meaning a debt or obligation. | |||
| German | verdanken | ||
| The verb 'verdanken' can also mean to 'thank', and its etymology derives from an old High German verb 'thanken' which had both meanings. | |||
| Icelandic | skulda | ||
| 'Skulda' also carries the meaning of 'to be obliged' and is sometimes used in formal or archaic language. | |||
| Irish | dlite | ||
| The Irish word "dlite" can also refer to a legal obligation to pay compensation or make reparation for a wrong committed. | |||
| Italian | devo | ||
| "Devo" also means "to dedicate" in a religious sense, likely deriving from the Latin word "deo" meaning "to God." | |||
| Luxembourgish | schëlleg | ||
| In the archaic Luxembourgish dialect, "schëlleg" also refers to the act of hitting or striking something. | |||
| Maltese | nirrispettaw | ||
| "Nirrispettaw" comes from the Latin "non respecter", meaning "not to respect" or "to despise". | |||
| Norwegian | skylde | ||
| Skylde may derive from the Old Norse verb skjalda, which means to shield or protect. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | devo | ||
| Devo, the Portuguese word for "owe" also means destiny or fate. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fiachan | ||
| The word 'fiachan' derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰeydʰ-, meaning 'to bind' or 'to constrain'. | |||
| Spanish | deber | ||
| In Spanish, "deber" also means "to have to" or "to must", highlighting the obligation or necessity associated with the concept of owing. | |||
| Swedish | är skyldig | ||
| The word "är skyldig" can also mean "is guilty" or "is responsible". | |||
| Welsh | dyledus | ||
| The word dyledus is possibly based on the Middle Irish díliu (< Latin dīluvium = “flood”), and it can also denote “an influx (of disease)”. | |||
Owe in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | абавязаны | ||
| The word "абавязаны" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "обязан" (obligated), which is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "vezati" (to bind). | |||
| Bosnian | dugujem | ||
| In Bosnian, the word 'dugujem' also means 'to be responsible for something or someone'. | |||
| Bulgarian | дължа | ||
| The word "дължа" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *dolgъ, meaning "debt" or "obligation". | |||
| Czech | dlužíš | ||
| The noun "dluh" (debt) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "dlъgъ", which also means "long" or "distant". | |||
| Estonian | võlgu | ||
| "Võlgu" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*wälgä" meaning "debt" or "obligation". | |||
| Finnish | olla velkaa | ||
| The word "olla velkaa" in Finnish comes from the Proto-Finnic word *welka-, meaning "debt" or "obligation." | |||
| Hungarian | tartozik | ||
| The word 'tartozik' also means 'to be attached to something' or 'to belong to a place or group'. | |||
| Latvian | parādā | ||
| "Parādā" can also mean "in debt" or "under obligation". | |||
| Lithuanian | skolingi | ||
| In Lithuanian, "skolingi" has been used in contexts of both owing money and owing a favor, indicating a broader semantic range compared to the English word "owe". | |||
| Macedonian | должам | ||
| Derived from proto-Slavic *dъlgъ, ultimately from *delgъ, meaning "debt" or "guilt". | |||
| Polish | zawdzięczać | ||
| The verb "zawdzięczać" derives from the Old Polish noun "dzięk" meaning "thanks" or "gratitude", and retains its original sense in many contexts, including "to owe". | |||
| Romanian | datora | ||
| The word "datora" in Romanian also comes from the Latin word "debitum", meaning "something owed". | |||
| Russian | должен | ||
| The word "должен" also means "must" or "have to" in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | дугујем | ||
| "Дугујем" comes from the Turkish "borçluyum", which also means "I owe" | |||
| Slovak | dlžíš | ||
| The word "dlžíš" in Slovak is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*dʰelǵʰ-*, meaning "to deceive" or "to be in debt." | |||
| Slovenian | dolgujem | ||
| The word 'dolgujem' is derived from the Proto-Slavic verb *dolžiti, meaning 'to be in debt'. | |||
| Ukrainian | винен | ||
| The word "винен" can also mean "guilty" or "to blame" in Ukrainian. | |||
Owe in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ণী | ||
| The word "ণী" also means "to borrow" or "to take on loan" in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | ણી | ||
| In Gujarati, "ણી" primarily means "owe", but it can also be used as a verb meaning "to get", "to obtain", or "to have". | |||
| Hindi | आभारी होना | ||
| The Hindi word "आभारी होना" can also mean "to be grateful" or "to be beholden". | |||
| Kannada | ಬದ್ಧನಾಗಿರಬೇಕು | ||
| This word can also imply "being in custody". | |||
| Malayalam | കടപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു | ||
| Marathi | देणे | ||
| The word "देणे" (dene) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "दा" (da) meaning "to give", and also has the alternate meaning of "to pay" or "to owe". | |||
| Nepali | owणी | ||
| In Nepal, "owणी" (owe) also refers to a type of traditional water mill used for grinding grains. | |||
| Punjabi | ਰਿਣੀ ਹੈ | ||
| The word "ਰਿਣੀ ਹੈ" derives from the Sanskrit word "ऋण" meaning debt or repayment, and also has connotations of a vow or promise. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ණයයි | ||
| The verb ණයයි ('owe') comes from the Sanskrit word ऋण ('debt'), which is itself derived from the proto-Indo-European root *h₃réǵʰ- ('owe, be obliged'). | |||
| Tamil | கடன்பட்டிருக்கிறேன் | ||
| Telugu | రుణపడి | ||
| "రుణపడి" in Telugu derives from the Sanskrit word "ruṇa," meaning "debt" or "obligation." | |||
| Urdu | واجب الادا | ||
| The term "واجب الادا" also implies "compulsory" and "obligatory". | |||
Owe in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 欠 | ||
| 欠 appears in the expression '欠债还债, 天经地义', which means 'owing a debt and repaying it is natural and right'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 欠 | ||
| The character "欠" also means "to lack" or "to be deficient" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | 借りている | ||
| In Japanese, "借りている" (kariteiru) literally translates to "being borrowed," implying a temporary obligation to repay what is owed. | |||
| Korean | 지고 있다 | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning, "지고 있다" can also mean "to have been defeated" or "to have lost". | |||
| Mongolian | өртэй | ||
| The word "өртэй" can also refer to a debt or obligation. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကြွေး | ||
Owe in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | berhutang | ||
| The word "berhutang" also means "borrow". | |||
| Javanese | utang | ||
| In Javanese, “utang” can also refer to a traditional ritual sacrifice or offering made to appease spirits or deities. | |||
| Khmer | ជំពាក់ | ||
| "ជំពាក់" also means "to ask someone to keep something for you" in Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ຕິດຫນີ້ | ||
| The word "ຕິດຫນີ້" can also refer to being in debt to someone for a favor or kindness. | |||
| Malay | berhutang | ||
| The word "berhutang" comes from the Sanskrit word "vrddhi", meaning "to increase". | |||
| Thai | เป็นหนี้ | ||
| The etymology of "เป็นหนี้" is likely related to the Sanskrit term "jñāti" or "bandhu", meaning "relative" or "kinsman", suggesting a connection between familial ties and the concept of indebtedness. | |||
| Vietnamese | nợ | ||
| The word "nợ" in Vietnamese can also mean "debt" or "obligation." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | may utang na loob | ||
Owe in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | borcluyuq | ||
| The word "borcluyuq" also refers to a "debtor" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | қарыздар | ||
| Qaryzdar comes from the same root word as qarız- meaning "old age." | |||
| Kyrgyz | карыздар | ||
| "Карыздар" (owe) in Kyrgyz is also used to refer to those who are indebted to the speaker, either financially or otherwise. | |||
| Tajik | қарздор | ||
| The word "қарздор" derives from the Persian word "qarzdār" and also means "debtor". | |||
| Turkmen | bergili | ||
| Uzbek | qarzdor | ||
| Qarzdor derived from Persian قرضدار (qardz-dār) which means the same, qard means loan and daar means holder. | |||
| Uyghur | قەرزدار | ||
Owe in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻaiʻē | ||
| The word “ʻaiʻē” can also mean “to have a debt” or “to be in debt”. | |||
| Maori | nama | ||
| The Maori word "nama" not only means "owe," but also refers to a debt or obligation. | |||
| Samoan | aitalafu | ||
| In Samoan, 'aitalafu' also means 'responsibility' or a 'debt' that cannot be measured in monetary form, such as an unfulfilled promise to a loved one. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | may utang na loob | ||
| The phrase "may utang na loob" can also mean to be indebted to someone for a favor or kindness. | |||
Owe in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | puqhaña | ||
| Guarani | hembiaporã | ||
Owe in International Languages
| Esperanto | ŝuldi | ||
| "Ŝuldi" can also mean to be indebted, or to have a debt to someone. | |||
| Latin | debes | ||
| Latin "debes" derives from "de + habeo" meaning "to have from"} | |||
Owe in Others Languages
| Greek | οφείλω | ||
| The verb "οφείλω" in Greek is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₃eǵʰ-yo-ó-, meaning "to bind" or "to fasten". | |||
| Hmong | tshuav nqi | ||
| The Hmong word "tshuav nqi" is also used to describe a debt to society or a need to make amends. | |||
| Kurdish | deyn | ||
| The word "deyn" in Kurdish is derived from the Middle Persian word "den" and also means "sin" or "debt". | |||
| Turkish | borçlu olmak | ||
| The word "borçlu olmak" can also mean "to be indebted" or "to be under obligation to someone." | |||
| Xhosa | ityala | ||
| The word "ityala" in Xhosa derives from the Proto-Bantu root "-tal-", meaning "to pay a debt or fine". | |||
| Yiddish | שולדיק זייַן | ||
| The Yiddish word שולדיק זיין is cognate with the German word „schuldig sein” which means „be bound to, to be under an obligation or duty” and shares its Indo-European root with the words „schuld”, „debt” and “guilty”. | |||
| Zulu | ukweleta | ||
| The word "ukweleta" can also refer to the act of waiting or expecting something. | |||
| Assamese | ঋণী হোৱা | ||
| Aymara | puqhaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | कर्जदार होखल | ||
| Dhivehi | ދެރުން | ||
| Dogri | कर्जदार होना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | may utang na loob | ||
| Guarani | hembiaporã | ||
| Ilocano | utangen | ||
| Krio | fɔ pe | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | قەرزار بوون | ||
| Maithili | ऋणी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯃꯟ ꯇꯣꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | leiba | ||
| Oromo | irraa qabaachuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | we ଣୀ | ||
| Quechua | manukuna | ||
| Sanskrit | अपमयते | ||
| Tatar | бурычлы | ||
| Tigrinya | ብዓል ዕዳ | ||
| Tsonga | xikweleti | ||