Pole in Different Languages
Discover 'Pole' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'pole' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, referring to a long, slender vertical rod or a point of support. It's a simple object with a wide range of uses, from hiking and fitness to construction and decoration. Culturally, poles have played a crucial role in various traditions and ceremonies worldwide. For instance, the Maypole dance is a traditional folk dance in which participants dance around a tall, decorated pole. Similarly, in Native American cultures, totem poles serve as important cultural symbols, representing family lineages and ancestry.
Given its significance and the growing interest in language and culture, it's no surprise that many people want to know the translation of 'pole' in different languages. Here are a few examples to pique your curiosity:
- French: poteau
- Spanish: poste
- German: Stange
- Italian: paletto
- Russian: столб (stolb)
Stay tuned to learn more about the translations of 'pole' in various languages and cultures!
Pole
Pole in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | paal | ||
| The Afrikaans word "paal" is likely derived from the Dutch word "paal," which can also mean "stick" or "border post." | |||
| Amharic | ምሰሶ | ||
| The word "ምሰሶ" can also mean "backbone". | |||
| Hausa | iyakacin duniya | ||
| The word "iyakacin duniya" can also refer to the North or South Pole, or to a person who is very tall. | |||
| Igbo | osisi | ||
| In Igbo cosmology, the `osisi` can also refer to the central axis of the world, connecting the heavens and the underworld. | |||
| Malagasy | hazo lava | ||
| "Hazo lava" literally means "long tree" and it's called a pole when in the context of houses. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mtengo | ||
| Shona | danda | ||
| In Shona, the word "danda" can also refer to a traditional court or gathering place. | |||
| Somali | tiir | ||
| The Somali word "tiir" can also refer to a column, pillar, or mast. | |||
| Sesotho | palo | ||
| In Sesotho, "palo" can also refer to a chief or leader, and is cognate with the Zulu word "ipalo" meaning "government" or "kingdom." | |||
| Swahili | pole | ||
| The word "pole" has several other uses and meanings in Swahili, such as "pillar", "prop", or "stick used for digging or planting." | |||
| Xhosa | ipali | ||
| Ibali word may either refer to a stick or a pole depending on the context in which it is used | |||
| Yoruba | polu | ||
| The word polu can also mean a long, straight, and narrow piece of wood used as a staff. | |||
| Zulu | isigxobo | ||
| Zulu word 'isigxobo' is also used to describe other meanings like a 'barrier', or 'obstruction'. | |||
| Bambara | o tɛ yen | ||
| Ewe | meli o | ||
| Kinyarwanda | nta | ||
| Lingala | ezali te | ||
| Luganda | tewali | ||
| Sepedi | ga go gona | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nni hɔ | ||
Pole in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عمود | ||
| Although "عمود" primarily refers to "pole" or "pillar", it can also mean a column in a table or a vertical line of text. | |||
| Hebrew | מוֹט | ||
| In addition to its literal meaning, "מוט" can refer to a lever, authority or a physical or mental support. | |||
| Pashto | قطب | ||
| The word "قطب" in Pashto can also refer to a "religious leader" or a "spiritual guide". | |||
| Arabic | عمود | ||
| Although "عمود" primarily refers to "pole" or "pillar", it can also mean a column in a table or a vertical line of text. | |||
Pole in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shtylla | ||
| Also a term for a 'pole with a flag' found in Albanian heraldry. | |||
| Basque | zutoina | ||
| The word 'zutoina' can also refer to a 'stick', 'pillar', or 'cross'. | |||
| Catalan | pal | ||
| In some areas of Catalonia and Valencia "pal" also means a stick, shaft of a tool or the stem of a tree | |||
| Croatian | pol | ||
| The Croatian word 'pol' has additional meanings such as 'sex' or 'gender'. | |||
| Danish | pol | ||
| The word "pol" in Danish can also refer to a person who lives in a rural area, and its plural form "poler" means "people living in rural areas." | |||
| Dutch | pool | ||
| In Dutch, "pool" also means "betting stake" in gambling, a meaning derived from French. | |||
| English | pole | ||
| "Pole" comes from Ancient Greek "πόλος (pólos)" meaning "axis" or "pivot", which also gave us the word "politics" | |||
| French | pôle | ||
| Le mot « pôle » vient du grec « polos », qui signifie « axe, pivot » et qui a aussi donné « pôle » en anglais. | |||
| Frisian | peal | ||
| In Frisian, "peal" also means "thunderbolt" or "thunderclap". | |||
| Galician | poste | ||
| Galician "poste" derives from Latin "postis" for doorposts and also means "job" or "position" in a social hierarchy. | |||
| German | pole | ||
| German "Pole" can also refer to the Polish people, the Polish language, and the region of Poland. | |||
| Icelandic | stöng | ||
| The Icelandic word "stöng" primarily means "pole" but can also refer to a rod, staff, or bar and is etymologically related to the English word "stang". | |||
| Irish | cuaille | ||
| "Cuaille" is a loanword from the English word "cowl" (a type of monk's hood), which refers to the pole or stick on which the hood is hung. | |||
| Italian | polo | ||
| The word "polo" in Italian can also mean "henhouse" or "small farm".} | |||
| Luxembourgish | pol | ||
| "Pol" can also refer to a rod with a hook used to hang something. | |||
| Maltese | arblu | ||
| The word 'arblu' is derived from the Arabic word 'arba', meaning 'four', possibly referring to the four poles used to support a traditional Maltese boat. | |||
| Norwegian | stang | ||
| In Norwegian, "stang" can also refer to a place of execution, a pole used for fishing, or a type of dance. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | pólo | ||
| The Portuguese word 'pólo' also means 'sports team' and 'north or south extremity of the Earth'. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | pòla | ||
| Pòla is also used as a unit of length in the Scottish Highlands, where it is equivalent to the English mile. | |||
| Spanish | polo | ||
| In Spanish, “polo” also refers to the sport or the type of shirt worn during the match. | |||
| Swedish | pol | ||
| In Swedish, "pol" can also refer to the police, and is a shortening of "polis", which itself comes from French "police". | |||
| Welsh | polyn | ||
| The Welsh word "polyn" comes from the Latin word "palus" and can also mean "stake" or "peg". | |||
Pole in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | слуп | ||
| The Belarusian word "слуп" for "pole" comes from a Proto-Slavic root and is related to the German word "Säule" | |||
| Bosnian | pol | ||
| In Bosnian, the word "pol" also refers to "gender" or "sex". | |||
| Bulgarian | полюс | ||
| "Полюс" can also mean "plus" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | pól | ||
| The word "pól" can also refer to a north or south geographical pole, or to the positive or negative terminal of an electrical source. | |||
| Estonian | pole | ||
| The Estonian word "post" can also refer to a pillar, stake, or any long, slender piece of wood or metal, or even a tree trunk. | |||
| Finnish | napa | ||
| In Finnish, "napa" is cognate with and derived from Proto-Uralic word *napa, originally meaning "(the) navel" | |||
| Hungarian | pólus | ||
| The word "pólus" has ancient Greek roots and in the Hungarian language it also refers to the North Star, Polaris, and the axis of the Earth. | |||
| Latvian | stabs | ||
| Latvian "stabs" also refers to the "upright part of a plough" and "an ice-skating aid". | |||
| Lithuanian | stulpas | ||
| The word 'stulpas' is possibly related to the Proto-Baltic word 'stulpàs' meaning 'column'. | |||
| Macedonian | столб | ||
| “Столб” means “table leg,” “table column” in Bulgarian. | |||
| Polish | polak | ||
| The word "Polak" can also mean "Pole" or "Polish person" in Polish, derived from the word "Polska" (Poland). | |||
| Romanian | stâlp | ||
| The word "stâlp" in Romanian is thought to derive from the Latin word "stipul", which means "stalk" or "stem". | |||
| Russian | столб | ||
| The word "столб" (pole) in Russian can also refer to a column, pillar, or post. | |||
| Serbian | пол | ||
| "Пол" (pole) is also a Serbian word for "gender." | |||
| Slovak | pól | ||
| The word "pól" in Slovak can also mean "gender" or "sex". | |||
| Slovenian | palica | ||
| "Palica" also means "stick" and "wand" and derives from the Proto-Slavic word *palica. | |||
| Ukrainian | стовп | ||
| In the Ukrainian language, the word "стовп" (stovp) can also refer to a pillar or a column in architecture, or a vertical line of text or data in a printed or digital document. | |||
Pole in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মেরু | ||
| The word "মেরু" ("pole") also refers to "the axis of the celestial sphere", "a cardinal point of the compass", or "a celestial point of reference used in the celestial sphere." | |||
| Gujarati | ધ્રુવ | ||
| The word 'ध्रुव' in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word 'ध्रुव' which means 'firm' or 'fixed' and is also used to refer to the celestial pole. | |||
| Hindi | खंभा | ||
| The primary meaning of the word "खंभा" is "pillar" or "column", and it can also refer to "mast" or "pole" in specific contexts. | |||
| Kannada | ಧ್ರುವ | ||
| In Kannada, ಧ್ರುವ (dhruva) also refers to the North Star (Polaris), the fixed point in the sky around which other stars appear to rotate. | |||
| Malayalam | പോൾ | ||
| The word 'പോൾ' ('pole') in Malayalam can also refer to a group of people who share a common interest or goal, like a political party or a club. | |||
| Marathi | खांबा | ||
| The word 'खांबा' in Marathi is also used to refer to a person who is tall and thin or to a pillar that supports a structure. | |||
| Nepali | खम्बा | ||
| The name is derived from "khamboj", a tribe in Cambodia noted for their expertise in pole-making. | |||
| Punjabi | ਖੰਭੇ | ||
| The Punjabi word 'ਖੰਭੇ' (pole) also refers to a unit of land measurement equaling about 20 acres. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ධ්රැවය | ||
| The word 'ධ්රැවය' (pole) in Sinhala can also refer to the geographical poles, an axis of rotation, or a point of extreme difference. | |||
| Tamil | துருவ | ||
| The word "துருவ" can also refer to a "fixed point" or a "fixed star" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | పోల్ | ||
| In English, "pole" can also mean "a long, slender stick," "a native of Poland," or "a magnetic region of the Earth." | |||
| Urdu | قطب | ||
| Urdu word قطب "pole" is a borrowing from Arabic where it can also mean "axis" or "pivot". | |||
Pole in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 极 | ||
| The word '极' ('pole') in Chinese also means 'the utmost' or 'the extreme'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 極 | ||
| 極 in Chinese (Traditional) also means "the most" or "the highest point". | |||
| Japanese | ポール | ||
| ポール is the katakana spelling of the English word "pole" and can also mean "bar" in a musical context. | |||
| Korean | 폴 | ||
| The Korean word "폴" ("pole") is derived from the English word "pole", which means "a long, slender piece of wood or metal." | |||
| Mongolian | туйл | ||
| The Mongolian word "туйл" (pole) is derived from the Proto-Mongolic word "tïγül" or "tïwül," meaning "pillar" or "support." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တိုင် | ||
Pole in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tiang | ||
| The word 'tiang' also has a figurative meaning in Indonesian, referring to the central or most important person or thing in a group or arrangement. | |||
| Javanese | cagak | ||
| "Cagak" also refers to a pillar of a building, or the leg of a heron standing in the water. | |||
| Khmer | បង្គោល | ||
| The Khmer word "បង្គោល" also refers to a long, slender piece of wood or metal used as a lever or fulcrum. | |||
| Lao | ເສົາ | ||
| The Lao word "ເສົາ" has numerous alternate meanings including "stick","post", and "pillar". | |||
| Malay | tiang | ||
| The word "tiang" can also refer to the "pillar" of a house or a "post" in a fence. | |||
| Thai | เสา | ||
| The word "เสา" also means "pillar" and "column", and can refer to the support of a building, a commemorative monument, or a flagstaff. | |||
| Vietnamese | cây sào | ||
| The word "cây sào" can also be translated as "staff", "club", or "shaft" depending on the context. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | wala naman | ||
Pole in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dirək | ||
| In some dialects, | |||
| Kazakh | полюс | ||
| The Kazakh word "полюс" can also refer to a political or social extreme. | |||
| Kyrgyz | устун | ||
| "Устун" also means "honour" and "reputation" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | сутун | ||
| "Сутун" is also used to describe the trunk of a tree or the back of a person. | |||
| Turkmen | ýok | ||
| Uzbek | qutb | ||
| "Qutb" is also used in Uzbek to refer to the axis of the celestial sphere. | |||
| Uyghur | ئۇ يەردە يوق | ||
Pole in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kia | ||
| The word | |||
| Maori | pou | ||
| The word 'pou' also carries the meaning 'post' and can refer to a standing figure carved out of wood or stone. | |||
| Samoan | pou | ||
| The Samoan word 'pou' not only refers to a pole, but also plays a significant role in Samoan culture, representing family lineage and serving as boundary markers for sacred and chiefly areas. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | poste | ||
| The word "poste" in Tagalog can also refer to a flagpole or a goalpost in sports. | |||
Pole in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | janiwa utjkiti | ||
| Guarani | ndaipóri | ||
Pole in International Languages
| Esperanto | stango | ||
| "Stango" may also refer to a rod or beam, or to a person who is tall and thin. | |||
| Latin | polus | ||
| The Latin word "polus" derives from the Greek word "polos" meaning "pivot, axis, or hinge." | |||
Pole in Others Languages
| Greek | πόλος | ||
| In Ancient Greek, "Πόλος" also referred to the axis around which the celestial sphere rotates. | |||
| Hmong | tus ncej | ||
| The Hmong word "tus ncej" is also used to refer to a person who serves as a guide. | |||
| Kurdish | cemser | ||
| "Cemser" also means "thin and fragile" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | kutup | ||
| The word "kutup" in Turkish originated from the Arabic word "qutb" and also refers to a "leader or guide of a community". | |||
| Xhosa | ipali | ||
| Ibali word may either refer to a stick or a pole depending on the context in which it is used | |||
| Yiddish | פלאָקן | ||
| The Yiddish word פלאָקן comes from the German word "Flach", meaning "flat" or "shallow". | |||
| Zulu | isigxobo | ||
| Zulu word 'isigxobo' is also used to describe other meanings like a 'barrier', or 'obstruction'. | |||
| Assamese | নাই | ||
| Aymara | janiwa utjkiti | ||
| Bhojpuri | नइखे भइल | ||
| Dhivehi | ނެތް | ||
| Dogri | नहीं है | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | wala naman | ||
| Guarani | ndaipóri | ||
| Ilocano | awan | ||
| Krio | nɔ de | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | لێی نی یه | ||
| Maithili | नहि अछि | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯩꯇꯦ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | a awm lo | ||
| Oromo | hin jiru | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସେଠାରେ ନାହିଁ | ||
| Quechua | mana kanchu | ||
| Sanskrit | नास्ति | ||
| Tatar | юк | ||
| Tigrinya | የለን | ||
| Tsonga | a ku na swona | ||