Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'passenger' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, representing individuals who travel in various modes of transportation. From bustling city subways to cross-country flights, passengers are a constant presence in our interconnected world. Culturally, the passenger symbolizes exploration, connection, and the exchange of ideas, making it a word of great importance.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'passenger' in different languages can enrich our appreciation for cultural diversity and global understanding. For instance, in Spanish, a passenger is referred to as 'pasajero,' while in French, it's 'passager.' In Mandarin Chinese, the word is '乘客' (chéng kè), and in Japanese, it's '乗客' (joukyaku).
Delving into the historical context of the word 'passenger' reveals fascinating insights. For example, during the age of exploration, ships carried passengers across vast oceans, opening up new worlds and fostering global exchange. Today, the passenger continues to symbolize adventure, connection, and the human spirit of exploration.
Join us as we embark on a journey to explore the translations of 'passenger' in various languages, shedding light on the richness and diversity of global cultures.
Afrikaans | passasier | ||
The Afrikaans word "passasier" is derived from the French word "passager", which in turn comes from the Latin word "passus", meaning "step". | |||
Amharic | ተሳፋሪ | ||
The word "ተሳፋሪ" can also mean "traveler" or "guest" in Amharic. | |||
Hausa | fasinja | ||
The Hausa word "fasinja" is an Arabic loanword meaning "one who sits behind" (fasara "to sit, to interpret" + naajiya "one who sits") and specifically refers to a car or motorcycle passenger. | |||
Igbo | onye njem | ||
Malagasy | mpandeha | ||
The word 'mpandeha' is derived from the verb 'mandeha' ('to go') and originally referred to someone who goes on foot (as opposed to those who go by cart or boat). | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | wokwera | ||
Wokwera in Nyanja also means 'traveller', 'wayfarer' or 'wanderer'. | |||
Shona | mutakurwi | ||
The word "mutakurwi" also refers to a person who is on foot. | |||
Somali | rakaab | ||
The word "Rakaab" derives from the Arabic word "Rukub," meaning "to ride" or "to be mounted." | |||
Sesotho | mopalami | ||
The word "mopalami" can also refer to a "client" or "customer" in Sesotho. | |||
Swahili | abiria | ||
"Abiria" is a Swahili word derived from the Arabic word "ubūr" meaning "people who cross over", referring to water bodies. | |||
Xhosa | umkhweli | ||
In addition to meaning 'passenger', 'umkhweli' also means 'one who has been sent to fetch something'. | |||
Yoruba | ero | ||
Ero also means 'load' or 'burden' in Yoruba. | |||
Zulu | umgibeli | ||
The word "umgibeli" can also refer to a person who is traveling with goods for sale. | |||
Bambara | mɔbili kɔnɔntɔnnan | ||
Ewe | mɔzɔla | ||
Kinyarwanda | umugenzi | ||
Lingala | mokumbi motuka | ||
Luganda | omusaabaze | ||
Sepedi | monamedi wa monamedi | ||
Twi (Akan) | ɔkwantufo | ||
Arabic | راكب | ||
The word "راكب" primarily means "passenger" but can also refer to "rider" or "mount" in the context of animals. | |||
Hebrew | נוֹסֵעַ | ||
Although "נוֹסֵעַ" means "passenger" in Hebrew, its root word "נוּעַ" also implies "fleeing" or "traveling quickly". | |||
Pashto | مسافر | ||
In addition to its primary meaning “passenger,” مسافر can also mean “guest” or “traveller”. | |||
Arabic | راكب | ||
The word "راكب" primarily means "passenger" but can also refer to "rider" or "mount" in the context of animals. |
Albanian | pasagjerit | ||
In Albanian, "pasagjerit" can also refer to the passengers on a bus or train, or to a pedestrian crossing the road. | |||
Basque | bidaiaria | ||
The word “bidaiaria” has an additional and alternative meaning in the context of the local administration | |||
Catalan | passatger | ||
In nautical Catalan, 'passatger' is used to refer to the ships 'passenger list'. | |||
Croatian | putnik | ||
putnik is also a synonym for 'traveler' and is used more frequently than 'putnik' in everyday speech. | |||
Danish | passager | ||
In Danish, "passager" can also mean "corridor" or "passageway" as well as "passenger". | |||
Dutch | passagier | ||
In Dutch, the word "passagier" originally meant "one who crosses a river", from the verb "passeren" (to pass). | |||
English | passenger | ||
The word "passenger" is derived from the French word "passager," which means "passerby" or "traveler." | |||
French | passager | ||
The French word "passager" also means "temporary". | |||
Frisian | passazjier | ||
In Frisian, the word "passazjier" can also refer to a person who transports goods or people across a body of water. | |||
Galician | pasaxeiro | ||
The word "pasaxeiro" in Galician originates from the Latin "passagerius", meaning "passer-by" or "traveler". | |||
German | passagier | ||
Although it means "passenger" today, "Passagier" originally described a person hired to travel on a merchant ship as a guide or interpreter. | |||
Icelandic | farþegi | ||
The word "farþegi" is derived from the Old Norse word "farþegi" and primarily means "traveler" or "wayfarer". | |||
Irish | paisinéir | ||
The word 'paisinéir' is derived from the Latin word 'passus', meaning 'step', and refers to someone who travels on foot. | |||
Italian | passeggeri | ||
The word "passeggeri" is derived from the Latin verb "passare" meaning "to pass through". | |||
Luxembourgish | passagéier | ||
The word "Passagéier" in Luxembourgish comes from the French word "passager", which in turn comes from the Latin word "passagium", meaning "a passing through". | |||
Maltese | passiġġier | ||
The word "passiġġier" comes from the Italian word "passeggiere," which in turn comes from the Latin word "passus," meaning "step." | |||
Norwegian | passasjer | ||
In German, the word "Passasjer" means "passerby". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | passageiro | ||
The word 'passageiro' can also be used to refer to a migrant, someone who is passing through a certain place. | |||
Scots Gaelic | neach-siubhail | ||
The term 'neach-siubhail' can also be translated as 'pedestrian' in Scots Gaelic. | |||
Spanish | pasajero | ||
The word "pasajero" is also used in Spanish to refer to a bird that migrates seasonally. | |||
Swedish | passagerare | ||
Passagerare shares an origin with the French word ‘passager’ which in turn derives from the Late Latin word ‘passagiare’ meaning to 'to walk back and forth' or to 'to cross' from the Latin word ‘passus’ meaning ‘step’ | |||
Welsh | teithiwr | ||
In Welsh mythology, 'Teithiwr' is a water kelpie that can take human form to lure victims into the water to drown them. |
Belarusian | пасажырскі | ||
The word "пасажырскі" is derived from the French word "passager", which means "person who travels in a vehicle". | |||
Bosnian | putnik | ||
The word "putnik" also means "traveler" and "tourist" in Bosnian. | |||
Bulgarian | пътник | ||
Bulgarian "пътник" comes from the same root as "foot" and means "one who goes on foot" or "traveler". | |||
Czech | cestující | ||
The word "cestující" originally meant "a person on a journey" but is now predominantly used in the sense of "passenger". | |||
Estonian | reisija | ||
The word "reisija" also refers to a "traveler" who does not necessarily use public transport. | |||
Finnish | matkustaja | ||
The word "matkustaja" derives from the verb "matkustaa" (to travel), itself derived from Middle Low German "matkosen" (to travel). | |||
Hungarian | utas | ||
The word "utas" in Hungarian originally meant "traveller" or "wayfarer" and is related to the word "út" (road) | |||
Latvian | pasažieris | ||
The word "pasažieris" comes from the French word "passager" and the German word "Passagier." | |||
Lithuanian | keleivis | ||
The word "keleivis" originally referred to a traveler on foot or on horseback, but now refers to any passenger. | |||
Macedonian | патник | ||
The word "патник" can also refer to a traveler or a pilgrim. | |||
Polish | pasażer | ||
'Pasażer' comes from Turkish 'paşa' ('high-ranking official', 'lord') + the suffix '-er' ('a person who') | |||
Romanian | pasager | ||
Romanian's "pasager" is derived from French "passager," meaning "person crossing," as opposed to a "voyageur," or "traveler."} | |||
Russian | пассажир | ||
"Пассажир" originally meant "person traveling on a trading ship" | |||
Serbian | путнички | ||
The word "путнчки" can also refer to a type of bird, the common swift. | |||
Slovak | spolujazdec | ||
In the Czech language, "spolujazdec" is colloquially used to refer to a car driver's girlfriend or boyfriend. | |||
Slovenian | potnik | ||
The word "potnik" also means "sweat" in Slovenian, possibly referring to the sweating of passengers on the journey. | |||
Ukrainian | пасажирський | ||
The word пасажирський (passenger) derives from the French word passager and originally meant “traveller by sea”. |
Bengali | যাত্রী | ||
"যাত্রী" is derived from the Sanskrit word "यात्र" (yātra), meaning "journey," and can also refer to a "pilgrim," or, in a figurative sense, a "wayfarer on the path of life." | |||
Gujarati | મુસાફર | ||
The word 'મુસાફર' comes from the Persian word 'musafir', which means 'traveler' or 'guest'. | |||
Hindi | यात्री | ||
The term यात्री (yatri) originally meant 'traveller', and was derived from the root या (ya), which means 'to go'. | |||
Kannada | ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಕ | ||
The word 'ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಕ' (passenger) in Kannada also refers to a traveler or a pilgrim. | |||
Malayalam | യാത്രക്കാരൻ | ||
Marathi | प्रवासी | ||
The word "प्रवासी" (pravāsi) also means "migrant" or "traveler" in Marathi. | |||
Nepali | यात्री | ||
यात्री can also refer to someone who visits a holy place as a devotee or a pilgrim. | |||
Punjabi | ਯਾਤਰੀ | ||
The word 'ਯਾਤਰੀ' (passenger) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'yatra,' meaning 'a journey.' | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මගියා | ||
The word "මගියා" also means "a companion on a journey" or "a fellow traveler" in Sinhala. | |||
Tamil | பயணிகள் | ||
பயணிகள் (pāyaṇigaḷ) refers to both travelers and vehicles transporting travelers | |||
Telugu | ప్రయాణీకుడు | ||
The word "ప్రయాణీకుడు" comes from the Sanskrit word "प्रयाण (prayana)" meaning "setting out on a journey". It also has a secondary meaning of "traveller" or "pilgrim". | |||
Urdu | مسافر | ||
The word مسافر (passenger) is derived from the Arabic word سافر, which means "to travel." |
Chinese (Simplified) | 乘客 | ||
The term 乘客 literally translates to “receiving guest”, where 客 traditionally refers to travelers in a foreign land. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 乘客 | ||
乘客 can also be used to refer to a client of a service such as a prostitute or a drug dealer. | |||
Japanese | 旅客 | ||
The word "旅客" (passenger) is formed from the characters "旅" (travel) and "客" (guest), implying the temporary nature of the guest's presence on a journey. | |||
Korean | 승객 | ||
The word 승객 is derived from the Chinese word 乘客, meaning 'person on a journey'. | |||
Mongolian | зорчигч | ||
Зорчигч's root word is 'зорч', which refers to 'looking' or 'watching' | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ခရီးသည် | ||
Indonesian | penumpang | ||
The word "penumpang" in Indonesian also means "burden"} | |||
Javanese | penumpang | ||
'Penumpang' in Javanese can also refer to a person sitting on an animal, such as in 'panunggangan jaran' ('horse riding'). | |||
Khmer | អ្នកដំណើរ | ||
Lao | ຜູ້ໂດຍສານ | ||
The Lao word "ຜູ້ໂດຍສານ" literally means "person who travels by boat or plane" and is used to refer to passengers on both types of transportation. | |||
Malay | penumpang | ||
The word "penumpang" in Malay is derived from the Sanskrit word "panam" meaning "traveller" or "wayfarer". | |||
Thai | ผู้โดยสาร | ||
The word ผู้โดยสาร was originally used to refer to people carried on the backs of elephants or horses, but is now used for passengers on any mode of transport. | |||
Vietnamese | hành khách | ||
The word hành khách can also refer to a pilgrim or a traveller and is derived from the Chinese characters 行客. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | pasahero | ||
Azerbaijani | sərnişin | ||
The word "sərnişin" derives from the Persian "sarnešin" which means "rider, passenger" and ultimately originates from the Arabic "raakib" with the same meaning. | |||
Kazakh | жолаушы | ||
The word "жолаушы" in Kazakh is derived from the word "жол" (road) and means "one who travels on a road". | |||
Kyrgyz | жүргүнчү | ||
Tajik | мусофир | ||
The word "мусофир" in Tajik is derived from the Persian word "مسافر" (musafer), meaning "traveler" or "journeying one". It can also refer to a guest or a visitor. | |||
Turkmen | ýolagçy | ||
Uzbek | yo'lovchi | ||
The word "yo'lovchi" comes from the Uzbek word "yol," which means "path," and "chi," which means "doer." | |||
Uyghur | يولۇچى | ||
Hawaiian | ohua | ||
The Hawaiian word “ohua” has several alternate meanings, including “a burden” and “a gift.” | |||
Maori | pāhihi | ||
The word "pāhihi" also means "shelter" or "refuge" in Maori. | |||
Samoan | pasese | ||
The word 'pasese' is a loanword from English, but its pronunciation and meaning have slightly changed in Samoan. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | pasahero | ||
The Tagalog word "pasahero" is cognate with the Spanish term "pasajero", both ultimately deriving from the Latin "passus", meaning "pace" or "step." |
Aymara | pasajero ukaxa | ||
Guarani | pasajero rehegua | ||
Esperanto | pasaĝero | ||
The Esperanto word "pasaĝero" derives from the French word "passager", which originally meant "one who passes through". | |||
Latin | viatoribus | ||
"Viatoribus" can also refer to "travellers", "wanderers", or "pilgrims" in Latin. |
Greek | επιβάτης | ||
The word επιβάτης comes from the Greek word “ναύτης,” meaning “sailor.” | |||
Hmong | neeg caij npav | ||
The word "neeg caij npav" also refers to a specific type of passenger who travels frequently on public transportation. | |||
Kurdish | rêwî | ||
The word "rêwî" also has the meaning "guest" in Kurdish. | |||
Turkish | yolcu | ||
"Yolcu" also means "traveler" or "wayfarer" in Turkish. | |||
Xhosa | umkhweli | ||
In addition to meaning 'passenger', 'umkhweli' also means 'one who has been sent to fetch something'. | |||
Yiddish | פּאַסאַזשיר | ||
The Yiddish word "פּאַסאַזשיר" derives from the French word "passage" meaning "a journey". | |||
Zulu | umgibeli | ||
The word "umgibeli" can also refer to a person who is traveling with goods for sale. | |||
Assamese | যাত্ৰী | ||
Aymara | pasajero ukaxa | ||
Bhojpuri | यात्री के नाम से जानल जाला | ||
Dhivehi | ފަސިންޖަރެވެ | ||
Dogri | यात्री | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | pasahero | ||
Guarani | pasajero rehegua | ||
Ilocano | pasahero | ||
Krio | pasenja | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕێبوار | ||
Maithili | यात्री | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯦꯁꯦꯟꯖꯔ ꯑꯣꯏꯅꯥ ꯂꯧꯕꯥ ꯌꯥꯏ꯫ | ||
Mizo | passenger a ni | ||
Oromo | imaltuu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଯାତ୍ରୀ | ||
Quechua | pasajero nisqa | ||
Sanskrit | यात्री | ||
Tatar | пассажир | ||
Tigrinya | ተሳፋራይ | ||
Tsonga | mukhandziyi | ||