Play in Different Languages
Discover 'Play' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'play' holds a significant place in our lives, transcending beyond just a simple action. It represents leisure, recreation, and the ability to express oneself freely. From a cultural perspective, play is an essential aspect of human development, fostering creativity, social skills, and emotional well-being. Moreover, it's a universal language that brings people together, irrespective of linguistic and cultural barriers.
Interestingly, the concept of play has been around since ancient times. The ancient Greeks, for instance, believed in the power of play, incorporating it into their educational system through activities like sports and theater. Similarly, in many Indigenous cultures, play is considered a sacred activity that connects individuals to their community and natural environment.
Given the importance of play in different cultures, knowing its translation in various languages can be enlightening and enriching. It not only helps in understanding cultural nuances but also fosters a sense of global community.
Here are a few translations of the word 'play' to pique your curiosity:
Play
Play in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | speel | ||
| The word "speel" derives from the Middle Dutch word "spel", meaning "entertainment" or "game". | |||
| Amharic | ጨዋታ | ||
| ጨዋታ can also mean `sport`, `match`, or `game`. | |||
| Hausa | wasa | ||
| In some Hausa varieties, `wasa` means 'sing', while in others it's specifically used for singing without instruments. | |||
| Igbo | kpọọ | ||
| "Kpọọ" can also mean "wrestle" or "fight" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | milalao | ||
| "Milalao" is related to the word for "amuse" or "make happy" | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | sewera | ||
| The word "sewera" is also used in the context of drama and performance. | |||
| Shona | tamba | ||
| The word "tamba" can also refer to a type of traditional dance performed by the Shona people, often accompanied by drumming and singing. | |||
| Somali | ciyaaro | ||
| The Somali word 'ciyaaro' can also mean 'game' or 'sport'. | |||
| Sesotho | bapala | ||
| "Bapala" also shares a root with the word "pala" which means "to mix" or "to stir", indicating a possible connection between play and the idea of combining or creating something new. | |||
| Swahili | cheza | ||
| The Swahili word "cheza" can also mean "to dance" or "to have fun". | |||
| Xhosa | dlala | ||
| Dlala also means to be mischievous or to engage in activities that are playful in nature. | |||
| Yoruba | ṣeré | ||
| Ṣeré in Yoruba does not only mean play; it can also mean gamble. | |||
| Zulu | dlala | ||
| The word "dlala" also means "to behave in a playful manner" or "to act foolishly" in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | tulon kɛ | ||
| Ewe | fe fefe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gukina | ||
| Lingala | kobeta | ||
| Luganda | okuzannya | ||
| Sepedi | raloka | ||
| Twi (Akan) | bɔ | ||
Play in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | لعب | ||
| In Arabic, "لعب" can also mean "to gamble" or "to joke". | |||
| Hebrew | לְשַׂחֵק | ||
| The Hebrew word "לְשַׂחֵק" may relate to the noun "שׂחוק" (laughter) or to Aramaic "שׂחק" (to laugh). | |||
| Pashto | لوبه وکړه | ||
| The Pashto verb "لوبه" (play) also means "to hunt" in some contexts. | |||
| Arabic | لعب | ||
| In Arabic, "لعب" can also mean "to gamble" or "to joke". | |||
Play in Western European Languages
| Albanian | luaj | ||
| Although the word "Luaj" in Albanian initially meant "to dance", it later came to mean "play" in the context of games and performances. | |||
| Basque | jolastu | ||
| The Basque word "jolastu" can also refer to "working or making an effort", possibly dating back to when the concept of play was more closely tied to work. | |||
| Catalan | jugar | ||
| "Jugar" in Catalan also means "to gamble" or "to play pranks". | |||
| Croatian | igra | ||
| Igra also refers to a type of folk dance in Croatia, typically accompanied by singing, clapping, and intricate footwork. | |||
| Danish | spil | ||
| The word | |||
| Dutch | speel | ||
| Speel comes from "spelen" ("to play") but also means "bacon" in some parts of the Netherlands. | |||
| English | play | ||
| The Latin root of 'play' is 'placāre,' meaning 'to please' or 'to appease,' so in addition to denoting recreation, the word can also mean 'to engage in a particular activity for pleasure.' | |||
| French | jouer | ||
| The French word "jouer" can also mean "to gamble" or "to act". | |||
| Frisian | toanielstik | ||
| The word "toanielstik" in Frisian also refers to a type of performance or entertainment, similar to a play or performance. | |||
| Galician | xogar | ||
| "Xogar" also means to juggle in Galician | |||
| German | abspielen | ||
| The word "abspielen" in German can also mean "to perform" or "to happen", derived from the root "spiel" meaning "game" or "performance." | |||
| Icelandic | leika | ||
| The Icelandic word "leika" is also used in reference to games, competitions, and dancing, and is cognate with the Old English word "lác" meaning "play, dance, sport" | |||
| Irish | imirt | ||
| In Middle Irish, "imirt" could mean "play", "perform", or "execute music". | |||
| Italian | giocare | ||
| The Italian word "giocare" derives from the Latin "iocare", meaning "to joke" or "to jest". | |||
| Luxembourgish | spillen | ||
| The word "spillen" in Luxembourgish is derived from the Old High German verb "spillan", which meant "to tell a story" or "to entertain". | |||
| Maltese | tilgħab | ||
| "Tilgħab" can also mean "to dance" or "to gamble". | |||
| Norwegian | spille | ||
| The word 'spille' in Norwegian can also mean 'to perform music' or 'to bet'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | toque | ||
| In Portugal, "Toque" has a secondary meaning of being a traditional dance or song played at village feasts. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cluich | ||
| Cluich also means: sport, pastime, sport, or exercise. | |||
| Spanish | tocar | ||
| In flamenco, "tocar" can also refer to singing or dancing. | |||
| Swedish | spela | ||
| The Swedish word "spela" also means "to gamble". | |||
| Welsh | chwarae | ||
| 'Chwarae' can also mean 'game' or 'sport' in Welsh. | |||
Play in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | гуляць | ||
| The word "гуляць" in Belarusian also means "to walk" or "to stroll". | |||
| Bosnian | igrati | ||
| The word "igrati" can also mean "to perform" or "to entertain" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | играйте | ||
| The word "играйте" also means "to play around" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | hrát si | ||
| The word "hrát si" can also mean "to pretend", "to fool around", or "to act up". | |||
| Estonian | mängima | ||
| The verb "mängima" can also mean "to gamble" or "to flirt" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | pelata | ||
| The Finnish word 'pelata' can also refer to a type of traditional card game played in pairs. | |||
| Hungarian | játék | ||
| The origin of "játék” is uncertain as it is likely an inherited word from before the Proto-Uralic and Proto-Turkic language split. | |||
| Latvian | spēlēt | ||
| While the primary meaning of "spēlēt" is "play," it also implies "perform" or "execute" in the context of music. | |||
| Lithuanian | žaisti | ||
| The word "žaisti" also means "to gamble" in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | игра | ||
| The word "игра" in Macedonian can also refer to a card game or a specific set of rules for a game, such as poker or chess. | |||
| Polish | grać | ||
| The word "grać" in Polish can also refer to "pretend" or "act". | |||
| Romanian | joaca | ||
| The word "Joaca" can also mean "a toy", "a game", or "a performance". | |||
| Russian | играть в | ||
| In Russian, the word "играть в" also means "to engage in" or "to participate in" an activity. | |||
| Serbian | игра | ||
| "Игра" also means "gambling" in some other Slavic languages. | |||
| Slovak | hrať | ||
| The Slovak word "hrať" has Indo-European roots and can also mean "to act" or "to pretend. | |||
| Slovenian | igra | ||
| The Slovenian word "igra" also has the meaning of "gambling" and comes from the Proto-Slavic word *igra, which means "motion" or "game." | |||
| Ukrainian | грати | ||
| The verb "грати" has several distinct meanings in Ukrainian, besides "to play", for example: "to dig", "to search", "to rob" | |||
Play in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | খেলুন | ||
| The Bengali word খেলুন (play) can also refer to a type of sweet made from condensed milk and sugar | |||
| Gujarati | રમ | ||
| The Sanskrit origin of "ਰਮ" hints at the idea of recreation and enjoyment. | |||
| Hindi | खेल | ||
| The word "खेल" also refers to an entertainment performance or a competitive activity. | |||
| Kannada | ಆಟವಾಡಿ | ||
| The word "ಆಟವಾಡಿ" (play) is sometimes used to refer to a kind of ritual folk theatre performance in Southern Karnataka, India. | |||
| Malayalam | കളിക്കുക | ||
| The word 'കളിക്കുക' also means 'to act' or 'to make oneself look like something', showcasing its versatility beyond entertainment. | |||
| Marathi | खेळा | ||
| In Marathi, "खेळा" can also refer to the act of performing, executing, or demonstrating something, akin to 'enactment' in English. | |||
| Nepali | खेल्नु | ||
| "खेल्नु" (play) also means "to dance" in Nepali, likely due to the common cultural practice of dancing during festivals and celebrations. | |||
| Punjabi | ਖੇਡੋ | ||
| The word "ਖੇਡੋ" ("play") in Punjabi is also used to refer to a specific type of traditional Punjabi folk dance. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සෙල්ලම් කරන්න | ||
| Tamil | விளையாடு | ||
| "விளையாடு" can also refer to making fun of or mocking someone. | |||
| Telugu | ఆడండి | ||
| The Telugu word "ఆడండి" can also refer to "gambling" or "playing a game of chance" | |||
| Urdu | کھیلیں | ||
| کھیلیں can also mean acting, joking, or flirting, or can be used as a synonym for 'mischief'. | |||
Play in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 玩 | ||
| 玩 means "play" in Chinese, but it also denotes "to indulge in" or "to be addicted to" depending on the context. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 玩 | ||
| The character “玩” first appeared in oracle bone inscriptions, originally meaning “to hunt” or “to shoot with a bow and arrow”. | |||
| Japanese | 演奏する | ||
| 演奏する (ensousuru) can also mean "perform" or "execute (music)" | |||
| Korean | 플레이 | ||
| 플레이는 '놀다'는 의미 외에도 '연극 등을 하다', '기계를 작동시키다'는 뜻이 있습니다. | |||
| Mongolian | тоглох | ||
| The Mongolian word "тоглох" also means "to perform a ritual" or "to conduct a ceremony." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကစားသည် | ||
| The word 'play' in Myanmar (Burmese) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'krida', meaning 'to play, to sport' or 'to make merry'. | |||
Play in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bermain | ||
| "Bermain" also means "to gamble" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | dolanan | ||
| ‘Dolanan’ means playing in Javanese. It refers to any game involving physical activity. | |||
| Khmer | លេង | ||
| Lao | ຫຼີ້ນ | ||
| Malay | bermain | ||
| The word "bermain" can refer to playing with toys or games, or to engaging in a friendly competition. | |||
| Thai | เล่น | ||
| Apart from meaning "play", "เล่น" can also mean "practice" or "use" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | chơi | ||
| Chơi also means "to work" in Vietnamese, suggesting a positive and engaging approach to work. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maglaro | ||
Play in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | oynamaq | ||
| In Azerbaijani, "oynamaq" can also refer to "performance" or "dance" in the context of theater or music. | |||
| Kazakh | ойнау | ||
| The word "ойнау" also means "to compete" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | ойноо | ||
| The word "ойноо" also means "to perform" or "to act" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | бозӣ кардан | ||
| In Persian, "bozidan" means both "to play" and "to lose". The word has the same two meanings in Tajik, but it also has a derived meaning of "to have fun" and "to enjoy oneself". | |||
| Turkmen | oýnamak | ||
| Uzbek | o'ynash | ||
| In Uzbek, "o'ynash" has a similar root to "o'yin," which means "game" or "entertainment." | |||
| Uyghur | play | ||
Play in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pāʻani | ||
| The word "pāʻani" can also mean "toy" or "game" in Hawaiian, highlighting the close connection between play and the objects and activities associated with it in the culture. | |||
| Maori | takaro | ||
| "Takaro" in Maori can also refer to recreational competitions, gambling, or a game of chance. | |||
| Samoan | taʻalo | ||
| The word "taʻalo" can also mean "game", "sport", or "performance", and is derived from the Proto-Polynesian word "*ta(a)lo" with the same meaning. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | maglaro | ||
| "Maglaro" also means "to work" or "to do" in Tagalog, showcasing the multifaceted nature of the word. | |||
Play in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | antaña | ||
| Guarani | ñembosarái | ||
Play in International Languages
| Esperanto | ludi | ||
| The word "ludi" is derived from the Latin word *ludi* meaning "sports" or "spectacles" | |||
| Latin | ludere | ||
| "Ludere" in Latin can also refer to gambling and fighting with weapons, hinting at its multifaceted nature as an engagement. | |||
Play in Others Languages
| Greek | παίζω | ||
| The Greek verb 'παίζω' derives from words meaning 'child' or 'game' and can also mean 'gambling', 'to make fun of' or 'mock'. | |||
| Hmong | ua si | ||
| The Hmong word "ua si" also has the alternate meaning "to tease someone." | |||
| Kurdish | bazî | ||
| In Persian and Arabic, the word "bazi" means "game" or "sport" and derives from the ancient Iranian language, Avestan, where "bazi" means "to bet" or "to gamble." | |||
| Turkish | oyna | ||
| The word "Oyna" in Turkish derives from the Proto-Turkic word "*oyna- " meaning "to move, to shake, to swing" and has cognates in many other Turkic languages. | |||
| Xhosa | dlala | ||
| Dlala also means to be mischievous or to engage in activities that are playful in nature. | |||
| Yiddish | שפּיל | ||
| The word "שפּיל" (play) also has the alternate meaning of "a joke". | |||
| Zulu | dlala | ||
| The word "dlala" also means "to behave in a playful manner" or "to act foolishly" in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | খেলা | ||
| Aymara | antaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | खेला | ||
| Dhivehi | ކުޅުން | ||
| Dogri | खेढो | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maglaro | ||
| Guarani | ñembosarái | ||
| Ilocano | agay-ayam | ||
| Krio | ple | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | یاری | ||
| Maithili | बजाउ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯥꯟꯅꯕ | ||
| Mizo | inkhel | ||
| Oromo | taphachuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଖେଳ | ||
| Quechua | pukllay | ||
| Sanskrit | क्रीडतु | ||
| Tatar | уйнау | ||
| Tigrinya | ተፃወት | ||
| Tsonga | tlanga | ||