Pocket in Different Languages
Discover 'Pocket' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Pockets: a small, yet significant aspect of our daily lives. Once considered a symbol of wealth and status, pockets have evolved into essential components of modern clothing, providing convenience and functionality. Their cultural importance is evident in various traditions and rituals, such as the Jewish 'Tzitzit' and the Scottish 'Sporran'. But have you ever wondered how the word 'pocket' translates in different languages?
In Spanish, a pocket is called 'bolsillo', while in German, it's 'Tasche'. In French, it's 'poche', and in Japanese, it's 'ポケット (poketto)'. These translations not only offer insights into the linguistic diversity of different cultures but also highlight the global prevalence of this handy invention. So, whether you're a globetrotter, a language enthusiast, or simply curious, understanding the translations of 'pocket' can be a fun and enlightening journey.
Pocket in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | sak | ||
| The Afrikaans word "sak" (pocket) derives from the Old Germanic word "sakkus" (bag). | |||
| Amharic | ኪስ | ||
| The word "ኪስ" can also refer to a small bag or purse carried by women. | |||
| Hausa | aljihu | ||
| The Hausa word "aljihu" also refers to a small bag carried by hand. | |||
| Igbo | akpa | ||
| The Igbo word "akpa" can also refer to a calabash pot or a container, highlighting its multi-purpose nature beyond just being a pocket. | |||
| Malagasy | paosy | ||
| The word `paosy` may be related to the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian word | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mthumba | ||
| The word "mthumba" can also refer to a small bag or pouch carried on the body. | |||
| Shona | muhomwe | ||
| The word "muhomwe" has also been used to refer to an armpit or small bag worn under the armpit. | |||
| Somali | jeebka | ||
| The word "jeebka" is derived from the Arabic word "jayb", meaning "pocket" or "side." | |||
| Sesotho | pokotho | ||
| There is also a verb 'pokotha' meaning to 'put in a pocket'. | |||
| Swahili | mfukoni | ||
| The word "mfukoni" also means "bay" or "cove" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | epokothweni | ||
| "Epokothweni" also refers to a small storage or holding area, such as a pouch or satchel. | |||
| Yoruba | apo | ||
| Apo sometimes has a similar connotation as "sack" | |||
| Zulu | ephaketheni | ||
| The word 'ephaketheni' comes from 'phaketha', meaning to hide or conceal. | |||
| Bambara | bɔrɔ kɔnɔ | ||
| Ewe | kotoku me | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umufuka | ||
| Lingala | poche na yango | ||
| Luganda | ensawo | ||
| Sepedi | potleng ya | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kotoku mu | ||
Pocket in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | جيب | ||
| The word جيب (jiyb) in Arabic is rooted in the word gab, which originally meant 'womb' or 'belly'. | |||
| Hebrew | כִּיס | ||
| The Hebrew noun "kis", meaning "pocket", is cognate with the Akkadian "kisū" and the Arabic "kais", all derived from the Proto-Semitic root "*kʾs", meaning "to cover" or "to conceal." | |||
| Pashto | پاکټ | ||
| The word "پاکټ" ("pocket") in Pashto can also refer to a small bag or pouch used to carry small items on a belt or around the neck. | |||
| Arabic | جيب | ||
| The word جيب (jiyb) in Arabic is rooted in the word gab, which originally meant 'womb' or 'belly'. | |||
Pocket in Western European Languages
| Albanian | xhepi | ||
| The word "xhepi" is thought to derive from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰébʰ-, meaning "to hold, to cover, to protect". | |||
| Basque | poltsikoa | ||
| The word "poltsikoa" also translates as "gopher" or "chipmunk". It derives from "poltsika", a hole in a tree where the animal lives. | |||
| Catalan | butxaca | ||
| The word "butxaca" is derived from the Latin word "bulga" meaning "leather bag". | |||
| Croatian | džep | ||
| The word "džep" in Croatian can be borrowed from Hungarian "zseb" or Turkish "cep" meaning "pocket". | |||
| Danish | lomme | ||
| In Danish, the word "lomme" can also refer to a type of traditional Scandinavian knife carried in a pocket. | |||
| Dutch | zak- | ||
| The word “zak” also means “bag” (e.g. “papieren zak” = “paper bag”) and “sack” (e.g. “zak aardappelen” = “sack of potatoes”). | |||
| English | |||
| The word "pocket" originally referred to a small bag attached to a belt or waistband. | |||
| French | poche | ||
| The word "poche" can also refer to a bag or a sack. | |||
| Frisian | bûse | ||
| The Frisian word "bûse" (pocket) also refers to a small bag used to carry seeds when sowing by hand. | |||
| Galician | peto | ||
| The term "peto" can also refer to the breast pocket of a jacket or coat. | |||
| German | tasche | ||
| The German word "Tasche" can also refer to a bag, satchel, or case. | |||
| Icelandic | vasa | ||
| The word "vasa" in Icelandic also refers to a bundle or pouch, especially one made of skin. | |||
| Irish | póca | ||
| The word "póca" is cognate with the Latin word "focus" and originally meant "hearth" or "fireplace" in Irish. | |||
| Italian | tasca | ||
| The word "tasca" also means "hole" or "empty space" in Italian, and it derives from the Latin word "tasca", meaning "empty space". | |||
| Luxembourgish | täsch | ||
| The word "Täsch" in Luxembourgish can also mean "purse" or "bag", similar to its use in German, where it commonly refers to a handbag or satchel. | |||
| Maltese | but | ||
| The Maltese word "but" has no relation to the English word "but" (meaning "however"), and is instead derived from the Arabic word "butn" (meaning "belly"). | |||
| Norwegian | lomme | ||
| The word comes from an Indo-European root that also gave rise to the Latin "lucerna" (lamp) and the English "lull". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | bolso | ||
| Bolso is an archaic synonym for 'reticule', a small beaded bag formerly carried by women. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | pòcaid | ||
| The word "pòcaid" can also refer to the part of a garment that holds the money in Gaelic | |||
| Spanish | bolsillo | ||
| The word "bolsillo" derives from the Latin word "bursa", meaning "purse". | |||
| Swedish | ficka | ||
| The word "ficka" is related to the German "ficke" and to the English "pocket" and "poke" | |||
| Welsh | poced | ||
| The word "poced" in Welsh is derived from the Proto-Celtic "*pokko-," meaning "sac, pocket" and is cognate with "pocket" in English. | |||
Pocket in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | кішэню | ||
| The word "кішэню" in Belarusian comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*kъšь" meaning "box, container" | |||
| Bosnian | džep | ||
| "Džep" comes from the Turkish word "cep" and also means "small bag". | |||
| Bulgarian | джоб | ||
| The word 'джоб' in Bulgarian derives from the Turkish word 'cep', also meaning 'pocket'. | |||
| Czech | kapsa | ||
| In Czech, the word "kapsa" can also refer to a wallet, a pouch, or a bag. | |||
| Estonian | tasku | ||
| "Tasku" is derived from Finnish "tasku" ("pocket"), which in turn may derive from a Russian dialect word "taš" ("bag") | |||
| Finnish | tasku- | ||
| The word "tasku" is also used to refer to the pouch of a marsupial and the pocket of a sewing machine. | |||
| Hungarian | zseb- | ||
| Although it's pronounced the same, the word | |||
| Latvian | kabata | ||
| Kabata is also a measure equal to 0.5 litres in Latvia, and in Estonia the word refers to a cup. | |||
| Lithuanian | kišenė | ||
| The word "kišenė" may originate from the Turkic word "kesen", meaning "bag" or "pouch". | |||
| Macedonian | џеб | ||
| The word "џеб" is derived from the Turkish word "cep", which also means "pocket". | |||
| Polish | kieszeń | ||
| Kieszeń (pocket) most likely derives from the word kisa (purse) and shares its root with the word skóra (skin) and kieszeń (pouch). | |||
| Romanian | buzunar | ||
| "Buzunar" also means "pickpocket" in Romanian. | |||
| Russian | карман | ||
| The word "карман" also means 'handkerchief' in some regions of Ukraine and Russia. | |||
| Serbian | џеп | ||
| The word "џеп" (pocket) in Serbian is derived from the Turkish word "cep", which also means "pocket" or "bag". | |||
| Slovak | vrecko | ||
| The word "vrecko" can also mean "bag" or "sack" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | žep | ||
| The word "žep" in Slovenian also means "bag" or "sack". | |||
| Ukrainian | кишеню | ||
| The word “кишеню” may be related to the Turkic word "kešen”, or to the Old Slavic "kyšeň” which meant a purse worn at the belt. | |||
Pocket in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পকেট | ||
| পকেট is derived from the French word "pochette" | |||
| Gujarati | ખિસ્સા | ||
| The word "Khisssa" in Gujarati also means "anecdote" or a "story". | |||
| Hindi | जेब | ||
| The word 'जेब' (pocket) in Hindi is derived from the Persian word 'جیب' and also refers to a type of short waist coat. | |||
| Kannada | ಪಾಕೆಟ್ | ||
| The word "ಪಾಕೆಟ್" can also mean "pocketful" or "bag" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | പോക്കറ്റ് | ||
| The Malayalam word "പോക്കറ്റ്" (pocket) is derived from the English word "pocket". It can also mean "hiding place" or "secret place". | |||
| Marathi | खिसा | ||
| The Marathi word 'खिसा' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'कोश' meaning 'sheath' or 'cover' | |||
| Nepali | खल्ती | ||
| The term 'खल्ती' may also refer to a 'baggage' or a 'vessel'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਜੇਬ | ||
| In Punjabi, "ਜੇਬ" can also refer to a small room or cave, or a secret place where something is hidden. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සාක්කුව | ||
| In Sinhala, the word 'සාක්කුව' also refers to the 'cavity' of a fruit or a vegetable. | |||
| Tamil | பாக்கெட் | ||
| Telugu | జేబులో | ||
| The word "జేబులో" derives from the Sanskrit word "कोष्ठ". This word refers to a hole or box, and can be used to refer to other containers as well as the pockets in clothing. | |||
| Urdu | جیب | ||
| The word "جیب" is derived from the Persian word "جیبیک" meaning "bag" or "pouch". | |||
Pocket in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 口袋 | ||
| 最初指军人携带箭支的袋子，引申为装小东西的袋子 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 口袋 | ||
| 「口袋」一詞最早見於《金瓶梅詞話》，意指「貼身攜帶的小袋子」或「盛裝衣物的小袋」 | |||
| Japanese | ポケット | ||
| The word ポケット (poketto) is derived from the Portuguese word "bolso," which also means "pocket." | |||
| Korean | 포켓 | ||
| "포켓" (pocket) comes from the Middle French word "poquette" meaning "little bag" and the English word "poke" meaning to "thrust". | |||
| Mongolian | халаас | ||
| The word "халаас" can also refer to a small bag or purse. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အိတ်ဆောင် | ||
Pocket in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | saku | ||
| In Indonesian, the word "saku" also refers to a pocket of land or a small bay. | |||
| Javanese | kanthong | ||
| In Javanese, "kanthong" can also refer to a "bag" or "purse". | |||
| Khmer | ហោប៉ៅ | ||
| In Khmer slang, ហោប៉ៅ can also refer to a small bag used to carry personal belongings. | |||
| Lao | ກະເປົ.າ | ||
| Malay | poket | ||
| "Poket" is also the Malay word for a type of small fish. | |||
| Thai | กระเป๋า | ||
| In some contexts, "กระเป๋า" can refer to a satchel, bag , or suitcase, while it can also be applied in the idioms "กระเป๋าฉีก" and "กระเป๋าแฟบ" to describe being short on cash. | |||
| Vietnamese | túi | ||
| In Vietnamese, the word "túi" can also refer to an organ in a living being's body, a bag or sack, or a type of traditional Vietnamese blouse. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bulsa | ||
Pocket in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | cib | ||
| In addition to 'pocket,' 'cib' can also refer to an archaic unit of measurement for grain and fabric. | |||
| Kazakh | қалта | ||
| Қалта (pocket) originates from the Turkic word **qalpa** meaning "to cover, wrap" and is related to the Russian **колпак** (cap). | |||
| Kyrgyz | чөнтөк | ||
| "Чөнтөк" also means "the pocket of a garment's sleeve" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | ҷайб | ||
| The Tajik word "ҷайб" ultimately derives from the Arabic "jayb," which can also refer to a bay, a gulf, a bosom, a fold, a sleeve, a lap, a fold of clothing, or a valley. | |||
| Turkmen | jübü | ||
| Uzbek | cho'ntak | ||
| "Cho'ntak" also means "handful" in Uzbek, as it literally means "what hand takes". | |||
| Uyghur | يانچۇق | ||
Pocket in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻekeʻeke | ||
| 'Ekeʻeke also means "to bulge" or "to hang down" in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | pute | ||
| The Maori word "pute" can also refer to a container, bag, or wallet. | |||
| Samoan | taga | ||
| The word 'taga' is also used as a prefix in various Samoan words, indicating something that is 'to be put or stored inside'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | bulsa | ||
| The word "bulsa" is also used to refer to a small bag or purse. | |||
Pocket in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | bolsillo | ||
| Guarani | bolsillo-pe | ||
Pocket in International Languages
| Esperanto | poŝo | ||
| Poŝo is derived from the French "poche" and also means "bag" or "pouch". | |||
| Latin | sinum | ||
| "{Sinum, i} n. the bosom (especially of Abraham); an open fold (of a garment)" | |||
Pocket in Others Languages
| Greek | τσέπη | ||
| The word "τσέπη" (pocket) in Greek derives from the Persian word "kisp" meaning "bag" and can also refer to a woman's handbag. | |||
| Hmong | hnab tshos | ||
| "Hnab tshos" also refers to a small pouch or bag, typically carried by women to hold personal belongings. | |||
| Kurdish | bêrîk | ||
| Turkish | cep | ||
| In Turkish, "cep" can also mean a small bag, purse, or pouch. | |||
| Xhosa | epokothweni | ||
| "Epokothweni" also refers to a small storage or holding area, such as a pouch or satchel. | |||
| Yiddish | קעשענע | ||
| Despite its similarity to English, the word 'קעשענע' is not derived from 'cash.' | |||
| Zulu | ephaketheni | ||
| The word 'ephaketheni' comes from 'phaketha', meaning to hide or conceal. | |||
| Assamese | পকেট | ||
| Aymara | bolsillo | ||
| Bhojpuri | जेब में डाल दिहल गइल बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ޖީބުގައެވެ | ||
| Dogri | जेब च | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bulsa | ||
| Guarani | bolsillo-pe | ||
| Ilocano | bulsa | ||
| Krio | poket na di poket | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گیرفان | ||
| Maithili | जेब | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯣꯀꯦꯠꯇꯥ ꯂꯩꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | pocket ah a awm | ||
| Oromo | kiisha keessaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପକେଟ | ||
| Quechua | bolsillo | ||
| Sanskrit | जेबम् | ||
| Tatar | кесә | ||
| Tigrinya | ጁባ | ||
| Tsonga | xikhwama xa xikhwama | ||