Pie in Different Languages
Discover 'Pie' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Pie is more than just a delicious dessert, it's a cultural phenomenon. From sweet apple pie at American Thanksgiving to savory shepherd's pie in the UK, this dish has a special place in many hearts and tables around the world. The word 'pie' itself is believed to have originated from the Magpie bird, known for its love of collecting and enjoying a variety of tasty morsels.
Understanding the translation of 'pie' in different languages can open up a world of culinary and cultural experiences. For example, in Spanish, 'pie' translates to 'pastel', but in Argentina, they have their own unique word, 'torta'. In Germany, 'pie' is 'Kuchen', while in Russia, it's 'пирог' (pirog).
Exploring the word 'pie' in different languages not only satisfies our curiosity but also connects us to the diverse food traditions and histories across the globe. So, whether you're a foodie, a language lover, or a cultural enthusiast, join us as we embark on this tasty journey of discovery!
Pie
Pie in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | tert | ||
| The Afrikaans word "tert" comes from the French "tarte". In addition to "pie", "tert" can also refer to a kind of pastry shell. | |||
| Amharic | አምባሻ | ||
| The word amibasha can also mean | |||
| Hausa | kek | ||
| In Hausa, the word 'kek' can also refer to a type of sweet porridge made with millet flour and sugar. | |||
| Igbo | achịcha | ||
| The word 'achịcha' in Igbo also refers to a type of bread or cake made from cornmeal or cassava flour. | |||
| Malagasy | henan'omby | ||
| Henan'omby also means 'fatty' or 'oily' from the word 'hena', meaning 'fat' or 'oil'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chitumbuwa | ||
| Chitumbuwa is derived from the Proto-Bantu word *cituumbuwa, meaning 'something that is shaped'. | |||
| Shona | pai | ||
| In Shona the word 'pai' not only means 'pie' but can also be used to mean a type of bird, specifically an egret. | |||
| Somali | rooti | ||
| Rooti (pie) has no alternate meanings but comes from the Arabic word "rakht," meaning "bread." | |||
| Sesotho | phae | ||
| The Sesotho word "phae" shares its root with the English word "pie" and also means "portion" or "lot". | |||
| Swahili | pai | ||
| In Swahili, the word "pai" can also mean "roof" or "ceiling." | |||
| Xhosa | ipayi | ||
| The word "ipayi" could be etymologically related to the Nguni "bhayela" to be flat. | |||
| Yoruba | paii | ||
| The word "paii" ("pie") in Yoruba also has the alternate meaning of "portion" or "share". | |||
| Zulu | uphayi | ||
| The Zulu word "uphayi" also refers to a type of traditional sweet corn pudding. | |||
| Bambara | fɛ | ||
| Ewe | le | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kuri | ||
| Lingala | na | ||
| Luganda | ku | ||
| Sepedi | ga | ||
| Twi (Akan) | wɔ | ||
Pie in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | فطيرة | ||
| The word 'فطيرة' is derived from the Greek word 'πλακοῦς', meaning 'flat cake'. | |||
| Hebrew | פַּאִי | ||
| The Hebrew word "פַּאִי" (pie) derives from the Greek word "pitta", meaning "flatbread". | |||
| Pashto | پای | ||
| The Pashto word "پای" also has the alternate meaning of "leg". | |||
| Arabic | فطيرة | ||
| The word 'فطيرة' is derived from the Greek word 'πλακοῦς', meaning 'flat cake'. | |||
Pie in Western European Languages
| Albanian | byrek | ||
| The word "byrek" is a Turkish loanword that originally meant "dough" or "filling". | |||
| Basque | pastela | ||
| In Basque, the word "pastela" can also refer to a type of stuffed pastry. | |||
| Catalan | pastís | ||
| The word "pastís" can also refer to a type of liqueur flavoured with aniseed, similar to the French "pastis". | |||
| Croatian | pita | ||
| In Croatian, the word "pita" can also refer to a flatbread or a large round loaf of bread. | |||
| Danish | pie | ||
| In Danish, "pie" can also refer to a person who is clumsy or awkward. | |||
| Dutch | taart | ||
| The word "taart" is derived from the Old French word "tarte", which in turn comes from the Latin word "tarda", meaning "a pastry made with flour, fat, and water". | |||
| English | pie | ||
| The word 'pie' derives from the Medieval English word 'pye', meaning a pastry crust filled with various ingredients. | |||
| French | tarte | ||
| The word "tarte" derives from the Old French word "torte" meaning "a round cake" and the Latin word "torta" meaning "a round loaf of bread". | |||
| Frisian | taart | ||
| The word "taart" can also mean "cake" in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | torta | ||
| In Galician, the word “torta” can also mean a “type of bread made of cornmeal” or an “omelette”. | |||
| German | kuchen | ||
| "Kuchen" in German can refer to pies as well as cakes, while "Torte" refers specifically to layered cakes. | |||
| Icelandic | baka | ||
| The Icelandic word "baka" can also refer to a baking dish, a loaf of bread, or a flatbread. | |||
| Irish | pie | ||
| "Pie" (pí) means "something baked" in Irish, and was originally used to refer to any baked dish, not just sweet ones. | |||
| Italian | torta | ||
| Italian "torta" is derived from Latin "tortus," meaning "twisted," but it can also refer to sweet or savory dishes besides pies. | |||
| Luxembourgish | kuch | ||
| The word "Kuch", meaning "pie" in Luxembourgish, is derived from the Old High German word "kuhoho", meaning "cake" or "biscuit". | |||
| Maltese | torta | ||
| It is also the name of a type of pastry filled with ricotta and peas. | |||
| Norwegian | pai | ||
| The Norwegian word 'pai' is derived from the Old Norse word 'peista', which also means 'dough' or 'bread'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | torta | ||
| In some areas of Brazil, "torta" also refers to a type of salty, savory pie. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | pie | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, "pie" (or "pìob") refers to a pipe or tube, such as bagpipes or a shepherd's pipe. | |||
| Spanish | tarta | ||
| In some regions of Spain, "tarta" can refer to a savory dish similar to a quiche, while in others it designates a sweet pastry. | |||
| Swedish | paj | ||
| Paj is sometimes used in Swedish to refer to a large type of pizza with a shallow crust. | |||
| Welsh | pastai | ||
| Welsh 'pastai' meant 'dough' or 'batter' before it came to specifically mean 'pie'. | |||
Pie in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | пірог | ||
| The word "пірог" in Belarusian not only means "pie", but also refers to a type of savory pastry filled with meat or vegetables. | |||
| Bosnian | pita | ||
| Bosnian "pita", like many Slavic words for "pie" derives from a root meaning "food" or "feeding". | |||
| Bulgarian | пай | ||
| The word "пай" in Bulgarian also refers to a type of traditional Bulgarian pastry that is typically made with filo dough and filled with cheese, meat, or vegetables. | |||
| Czech | koláč | ||
| In Czech, the word "koláč" not only refers to pie, but also to other baked goods like sweet rolls or flatbreads, owing to its origin from the Slavic word "kolo" meaning "wheel" or "circle." | |||
| Estonian | pirukas | ||
| The origin of the Estonian word "pirukas" is uncertain, with possible connections to Russian and Finnish. | |||
| Finnish | piirakka | ||
| The Finnish word "piirakka" is derived from the Proto-Finno-Ugric root "*pīr-", meaning "to bake". | |||
| Hungarian | pite | ||
| The Hungarian word "pite" also refers to various dough-related dishes, similar to pastries. | |||
| Latvian | pie | ||
| The Latvian word "pīrāgs" can also refer to a type of closed tart or turnover filled with fruit, cheese, or meat. | |||
| Lithuanian | pyragas | ||
| "Pyragas" may be related to Slavic root *pъrg-, meaning "baked good," and ultimately to PIE *bherg-, meaning "to bake. | |||
| Macedonian | пита | ||
| The word "пита" shares its roots with the Ancient Greek word "pitta" which also means "pie". | |||
| Polish | ciasto | ||
| The word "ciasto" also refers to the unleavened bread used for Catholic communion. | |||
| Romanian | plăcintă | ||
| The word "plăcintă" derives from the Slavic term "plъska", meaning "to flatten". | |||
| Russian | пирог | ||
| The word "пирог" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*pirъ", meaning a "feast" or "banquet", and was originally used to refer to a type of celebratory bread. | |||
| Serbian | пита | ||
| "Пита" is the Serbian word for pie, but it can also mean "food" or "sustenance". It is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *pita, which meant "baked dough". | |||
| Slovak | koláč | ||
| The word "koláč" in Slovak comes from the Old Slavic word "kolo", which means "wheel", and refers to the round shape of the pastry. | |||
| Slovenian | pita | ||
| The word "pita" in Slovenian also refers to a type of flatbread, similar to the Greek pita bread. | |||
| Ukrainian | пиріг | ||
| The word 'пиріг' in Ukrainian can also refer to a type of traditional pastry filled with fruit or meat. | |||
Pie in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পাই | ||
| The Bengali word "পাই" can also refer to a type of traditional sweet bread or a playing card used in the game of "teen patti". | |||
| Gujarati | પાઇ | ||
| In Gujarati, "પાઇ" can also refer to money or wages, similar to the English "pie" in the phrase "have a piece of the pie." | |||
| Hindi | पाई | ||
| "पाई" (pie) also refers to the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, a mathematical constant approximately equal to 3.14. | |||
| Kannada | ಪೈ | ||
| Pie (ಪೈ) can also mean 'a share, a portion, a piece or amount' in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | പൈ | ||
| The Malayalam word 'പൈ' ('pie') derives from the Portuguese word 'pai' ('bread') and can also refer to a small piece of bread or a coin. | |||
| Marathi | पाई | ||
| The Marathi word "पाई" (pāī) is derived from the Sanskrit word "पाद" (pāda) and means "foot". It can also refer to a quarter or a small coin, and is cognate with the English word "paw". | |||
| Nepali | पाई | ||
| In Nepal, 'pai' means not only 'pie', but also a measure of one-fourth, and a foot soldier. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਾਈ | ||
| The word "ਪਾਈ" in Punjabi can also refer to a type of traditional Indian bread made from wheat flour and water. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පයි | ||
| The word "පයි" (pie) in Sinhala (Sinhalese) can also mean "a piece of cloth" or "a small piece of something" | |||
| Tamil | பை | ||
| The word "பை" can also refer to the circumference of a circle or the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. | |||
| Telugu | పై | ||
| "పై" ('pie') also means 'father' in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | پائی | ||
| The Urdu word 'پائی' (pie) can also refer to 'a sum of money' or 'foot' in Persian. | |||
Pie in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 馅饼 | ||
| 馅饼 is also used in Chinese slang as a pun to refer to a beautiful young woman. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 餡餅 | ||
| 餡餅 is also used as a slang term for "a beautiful woman". | |||
| Japanese | パイ | ||
| パイ (pai) is also homophonous with パイ (pai), meaning “pi”. | |||
| Korean | 파이 | ||
| "파이"(pie) is a loanword from English and is used to refer to the pastry dish, but it can also refer to the mathematical constant "π" (pi) in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | бялуу | ||
| The Mongolian word "бялуу" can also refer to a flat, layered cake, similar to a pancake or a tortilla. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပိုင် | ||
| The word "pie" in Myanmar also means "portion" or "share". | |||
Pie in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pai | ||
| In Indonesian, "pai" can also refer to a type of Islamic school, unrelated to the pastry. | |||
| Javanese | pie | ||
| In Javanese, the word "pie" also means "flat rice cake". | |||
| Khmer | ចំណិត | ||
| The word "ចំណិត" (pie) is derived from the French word "pièce", meaning "a piece" or "a part". | |||
| Lao | ຂະ ໜົມ | ||
| The word "ຂະ ໜົມ" is also used to refer to other types of pastries, such as cakes, cookies, and donuts. | |||
| Malay | pai | ||
| In Iban, “pai” also means “female”. | |||
| Thai | พาย | ||
| The word "พาย" in Thai also refers to a type of boat or vessel. | |||
| Vietnamese | pie | ||
| The Vietnamese word "bánh" also means "cake" and can refer to a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sa | ||
Pie in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | tort | ||
| In Azerbaijani, the word "tort" can also refer to a type of traditional celebration cake. | |||
| Kazakh | пирог | ||
| In Kazakh, the word "пирог" can also refer to a cake, a tart, or a bun. | |||
| Kyrgyz | пирог | ||
| The word "пирог" is often used in Kyrgyz to refer to a type of bread, rather than a sweet pastry filled with fruit or meat. | |||
| Tajik | пирог | ||
| The Tajik word “пирог” is also used to refer to a kind of bread baked in a round shape. | |||
| Turkmen | at | ||
| Uzbek | pirog | ||
| In Uzbek, "pirog" also refers to a small, closed bread filled with meat or vegetables. | |||
| Uyghur | at | ||
Pie in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pai | ||
| In Hawaiian, "pai" can also mean "smashed" or "flattened". | |||
| Maori | pie | ||
| In Maori, "pai" can also refer to a baked food resembling a pie, but without a top or bottom crust. | |||
| Samoan | pai | ||
| The word "pai" in Samoan also means "to spread", "to lay out", or "to open out". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pie | ||
| Pie may also be a Tagalog term for an alcoholic beverage like beer. | |||
Pie in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ukana | ||
| Guarani | pe | ||
Pie in International Languages
| Esperanto | torto | ||
| The Esperanto word "torto" also means "wrong" in Spanish as well as "tort" in English. | |||
| Latin | crustum | ||
| The word "crustum" in Latin also means "rind" or "bark" and is related to the English word "crust". | |||
Pie in Others Languages
| Greek | πίτα | ||
| The word πίτα can also refer to a flatbread, a layer of dough, or even a thin sheet of metal. | |||
| Hmong | ncuav qab zib | ||
| As an alternate meaning to “pie” in English, “ncuav qab zib” can also mean “pizza” in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | paste | ||
| The Kurdish word "paste" shares etymological roots with its English cognate, both derived from Latin "pasta." Yet in some colloquial dialects, "paste" can also refer to a sticky substance or glue. | |||
| Turkish | turta | ||
| The word "turta", meaning "pie", is derived from the ancient Greek word "turtos", meaning "cheese". | |||
| Xhosa | ipayi | ||
| The word "ipayi" could be etymologically related to the Nguni "bhayela" to be flat. | |||
| Yiddish | פּיראָג | ||
| The Yiddish word "פּיראָג" (pie) also shares roots with the Slavic word "пирог" (pie) and the Greek word "πυρός" (fire) | |||
| Zulu | uphayi | ||
| The Zulu word "uphayi" also refers to a type of traditional sweet corn pudding. | |||
| Assamese | at | ||
| Aymara | ukana | ||
| Bhojpuri | पर | ||
| Dhivehi | ގައި | ||
| Dogri | पर | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sa | ||
| Guarani | pe | ||
| Ilocano | iti | ||
| Krio | at | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | لە | ||
| Maithili | पे | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯦꯠ | ||
| Mizo | hmunah | ||
| Oromo | itti | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | at | ||
| Quechua | at | ||
| Sanskrit | इत्युपरि | ||
| Tatar | at | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣብ | ||
| Tsonga | e | ||