Porch in Different Languages
Discover 'Porch' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A porch is a truly special place. It's a transitional space that connects the inside of your home to the outside world, offering a place to relax, connect with nature, and enjoy the company of family and friends. Porches have been an essential part of homes for centuries, with historical examples dating back to ancient Greece and Rome. In fact, the word 'porch' comes from the Latin word 'porticus,' which means 'a colonnade or covered walk.'
Porches hold cultural significance in many regions around the world. In the American South, porches are a symbol of hospitality and a place where community bonds are formed. In Japan, verandas or 'engawa' are a key feature of traditional architecture, providing a space for quiet contemplation and connection with nature.
Understanding the translation of 'porch' in different languages can offer insight into the cultural importance of this architectural feature around the world. Here are a few examples: 'porche' in French, 'puerta' in Spanish, 'Treppenabsatz' in German, 'porche' in Italian, and 'veranda' in Dutch.
Porch
Porch in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | stoep | ||
| In the Afrikaans language, the term “stoep” was derived from the Dutch words “stoep” or “stoepe”, which mean “porch” or “threshold”. | |||
| Amharic | በረንዳ | ||
| The word "በረንዳ" can also refer to a shade or awning that extends away from a building, providing protection from the sun or rain. | |||
| Hausa | baranda | ||
| In Hausa, 'baranda' additionally means a type of small fence around a space. | |||
| Igbo | owuwu ụzọ mbata | ||
| The noun "owuwu ụzọ mbata" (porch) shares its root, "owu," with the noun "owu" (fence), suggesting a connection to the concept of enclosure or protection. | |||
| Malagasy | lavarangana fidirana | ||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | khonde | ||
| "khonde" derives from Portuguese " varanda" which came from Malayalam "varaṇṭa" meaning "outer verandah". | |||
| Shona | poranda | ||
| In Shona, 'poranda' also means 'a place where visitors may be received by the chief or head of the village'. | |||
| Somali | balbalada | ||
| Somali "balbalada" is borrowed from Arabic "balabal" which initially meant "place of gathering and chatting" and derives from "balbala" (to chatter). | |||
| Sesotho | mathule | ||
| The Sesotho word "mathule" can also refer to a veranda or a sheltered part of a building. | |||
| Swahili | ukumbi | ||
| The Swahili word "ukumbi" comes from the Proto-Bantu word */kumbi/ meaning "shaded area". | |||
| Xhosa | iveranda | ||
| In some contexts, "iveranda" can also refer to a balcony or a terrace. | |||
| Yoruba | iloro | ||
| In Yoruba, 'iloro' refers to a porch or outer room, a term also used to describe a meeting place or a gathering of people. | |||
| Zulu | umpheme | ||
| The word "umpheme" has its origins in the Zulu language, where it refers to a shelter, a verandah, or a covered place outside home | |||
| Bambara | barada la | ||
| Ewe | akpata me | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ibaraza | ||
| Lingala | veranda ya ndako | ||
| Luganda | ekisasi ky’ekisasi | ||
| Sepedi | foranteng | ||
| Twi (Akan) | abrannaa so | ||
Porch in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | رواق .. شرفة بيت ارضي | ||
| The Arabic word "رواق" has Persian origins and can also mean "cloister" or "corridor". | |||
| Hebrew | מִרפֶּסֶת | ||
| The word "מִרפֶּסֶת" (mirpeset) is derived from the Persian word "barzah" (بَرْزَة), meaning "a raised platform or terrace". | |||
| Pashto | پورچ | ||
| The Pashto word "پورچ" can also refer to a courtyard or an entrance hall. | |||
| Arabic | رواق .. شرفة بيت ارضي | ||
| The Arabic word "رواق" has Persian origins and can also mean "cloister" or "corridor". | |||
Porch in Western European Languages
| Albanian | hajat | ||
| The word "hajat" is a borrowing from the Ottoman Turkish word "hayat", which means "life" or "garden". | |||
| Basque | ataria | ||
| The word "ataria" could be derived from the Basque word "atar", meaning "gate, door, entrance", or from the Latin word "atrium", meaning "hall" or "courtyard". | |||
| Catalan | porxo | ||
| In Catalan, the word "porxo" can also mean a "covered passageway" or a "colonnade." | |||
| Croatian | trijem | ||
| The Croatian word “trijem” comes from the Venetian “trem” and the Tuscan “tribbuna”, both meaning “platform” or “raised floor”. | |||
| Danish | veranda | ||
| The Danish word "veranda" is derived from the Hindi word "varandah", meaning "outer room". | |||
| Dutch | veranda | ||
| The Dutch word 'veranda' is derived from the Hindi word 'baranda' meaning 'railing' or 'balcony'. | |||
| English | porch | ||
| The word 'porch' derived from Middle English word 'porche,' which itself came from the Old French word 'porche' meaning 'covered entrance to a building'. | |||
| French | porche | ||
| The French word "porche" ultimately derives from the Latin word "porticus," meaning a covered walkway or colonnade. | |||
| Frisian | veranda | ||
| The Frisian word "feroanda" is derived from the Dutch word "veranda", which in turn comes from the Portuguese word "varanda", meaning "balcony" or "porch". | |||
| Galician | alpendre | ||
| The word "alpendre" in Galician comes from the Latin word "appendere", meaning "to hang". This is because porches were often used to hang things, such as clothes or food. | |||
| German | veranda | ||
| In German, "veranda" can also refer to the covered area outside a house entrance. | |||
| Icelandic | verönd | ||
| Verönd (porch) originally meant 'place of protection' and was used to describe all outdoor areas protected from the weather. | |||
| Irish | póirse | ||
| The word "póirse" ultimately derives from Latin and is cognate with "portico." | |||
| Italian | portico | ||
| "Portico" originally meant "covered entrance" in Italian and still also means "covered walkway" in architecture. | |||
| Luxembourgish | veranda | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Veranda" can also refer to a conservatory, a type of glass-enclosed garden room. | |||
| Maltese | porch | ||
| The Maltese word 'porch' derives from the Italian 'portico', and can also refer to a veranda, piazza or entrance hall. | |||
| Norwegian | veranda | ||
| In Norwegian, the word 'veranda' can also refer to an attic or loft, and is derived from the Italian 'veranda', meaning 'balcony'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | varanda | ||
| In the 16th century in India "varanda" was the name given to open galleries in buildings. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | poirdse | ||
| The word 'poirdse' in Scots Gaelic has alternate meanings including gateway, doorway, or threshold. | |||
| Spanish | porche | ||
| In Spanish, "porche" specifically refers to a roofed entrance to a building, not an outdoor covered area. | |||
| Swedish | veranda | ||
| In Swedish, the word "veranda" is derived from the Urdu word "barāmadā" and originally referred to an open-sided porch or verandah. | |||
| Welsh | porth | ||
| The Welsh word "porth" also means "gate" or "entrance." | |||
Porch in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | ганак | ||
| The word "ганак" in Belarusian also refers to a raised platform or landing outside a building, often covered by a roof. | |||
| Bosnian | trijem | ||
| The word "trijem" in Bosnian shares the same root with the Latin word "atrium," both referring to a courtyard or open space within a building. | |||
| Bulgarian | веранда | ||
| "Веранда" is also used as a term of address for a married, respectable old woman | |||
| Czech | veranda | ||
| In Czech, the word "veranda" comes from the Persian word "baramda", meaning "open porch, portico." | |||
| Estonian | veranda | ||
| "Veranda" tuleneb sanskriti vāranḍā, "terrass", läbi ladina keele, kus seda kasutatakse "kardinateta akna" tähenduses. | |||
| Finnish | kuisti | ||
| The word "kuisti" is derived from the Russian word "крыльцо" (kryl'tso), meaning "porch". | |||
| Hungarian | veranda | ||
| The word "veranda" comes from the Portuguese "varanda," meaning "balcony" or "terrace." | |||
| Latvian | lievenis | ||
| The Latvian word "lievenis" for porch is related to the root "līt", meaning "to pour or to rain", referring to the function of a roof to keep people dry under rain. | |||
| Lithuanian | veranda | ||
| The word "veranda" derives from the Sanskrit word "varāṇḍa" meaning "porch" or "outer room". | |||
| Macedonian | трем | ||
| The word | |||
| Polish | ganek | ||
| In Polish, the word "ganek" also refers to the balcony or loggia of a building. | |||
| Romanian | verandă | ||
| "Verandă" is the Romanian word for "porch", but it also refers to a closed or glazed porch, a terrace or a balcony. | |||
| Russian | крыльцо | ||
| The word "крыльцо" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *krylь, meaning "wing" or "cover". | |||
| Serbian | трем | ||
| The word "трем" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *terьmъ, which also gave rise to the Russian word "терем" (palace). | |||
| Slovak | veranda | ||
| The word "veranda" in Slovak is derived from the Hindi word "baranda", meaning "railing" or "veranda". | |||
| Slovenian | veranda | ||
| The word 'veranda' in Slovenian also refers to a balcony or terrace. | |||
| Ukrainian | веранда | ||
| Ukrainian's word "веранда" derives from Hindustani via English, and denotes a structure attached to a house, not necessarily covered, with a view of the surrounding area. | |||
Porch in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বারান্দা | ||
| The word "বারান্দা" (porch) possibly derives from the Portuguese "varanda" or the Italian word "veranda" which means either the roofed or unroofed covered space on the outside of a house. | |||
| Gujarati | મંડપ | ||
| In Sanskrit, "mandap" also refers to a temporary structure erected for rituals or weddings, particularly in Hinduism and Jainism. | |||
| Hindi | बरामदा | ||
| An alternate meaning or etymology of बरामादा ("baramda") is "an open room or chamber, especially one with a wide entrance". | |||
| Kannada | ಮುಖಮಂಟಪ | ||
| The word 'ಮುಖಮಂಟಪ' also means a hall or pavilion in front of a temple or palace. | |||
| Malayalam | മണ്ഡപം | ||
| മണ്ഡപം is thought to be cognate with the Sanskrit word 'mandapa', which means a 'hall' or a 'pavilion'. | |||
| Marathi | पोर्च | ||
| In Marathi, the word "porch" can also refer to a covered platform or veranda, typically found in houses. | |||
| Nepali | पोर्च | ||
| The word "porch" is derived from the Old French word "porche", meaning "entrance to a building" or "covered walkway." | |||
| Punjabi | ਦਲਾਨ | ||
| Its Sanskrit etymology refers to a tree whose branches served as a natural shelter, possibly the Peepul or Bargad tree | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ආලින්දය | ||
| The word ආලින්දය is derived from the Sanskrit word ālaṃ, which means 'decoration', and the suffix -nda, which means 'place' or 'receptacle' | |||
| Tamil | தாழ்வாரம் | ||
| The word "தாழ்வாரம்" (porch) in Tamil is derived from the word "தாழ்" (low) and the word "வாரம்" (gate), and refers to the low gate or entrance to a building or house. | |||
| Telugu | వాకిలి | ||
| The word 'వాకిలి' originates from the Proto-Dravidian root '*wakil-' denoting 'threshold' and also means 'door frame' in Old Tamil (vākku) and Old Kannada (vāgil), suggesting its multifunctional aspect. | |||
| Urdu | پورچ | ||
| The word "porch" in Urdu can also mean "a verandah or a covered entrance to a building". | |||
Porch in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 门廊 | ||
| 最早的“门廊”是古代宫殿前供人们休息谈话的场所，后来才演变成了房屋的门廊。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 門廊 | ||
| "門廊" can also refer to a gate house or an ancestral temple. | |||
| Japanese | ポーチ | ||
| ポーチ (po-chi) can mean both a "porch" and a "coin purse" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 현관 | ||
| 현관 (현) : 밝은 현창, 남부 지방방언에서 방, 북부 지방방언에서 마루 | |||
| Mongolian | үүдний танхим | ||
| "Үүдний танхим" means "porch" in Mongolian, and is derived from the words "үүд" (door) and "танхим" (place). It can also refer to a small open area in front of a building. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မင် | ||
| The word "မင်" can also refer to a balcony or a verandah. | |||
Porch in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | beranda | ||
| The word "beranda" may originate from the Sanskrit word "varandah," meaning "open gallery" or "balcony." | |||
| Javanese | teras | ||
| The Javanese word 'teras' can also refer to the roof of a house. | |||
| Khmer | រានហាល | ||
| The word "រានហាល" (porch) in Khmer is derived from the Sanskrit word "ranga-shala", meaning "performance hall". | |||
| Lao | ລະບຽງ | ||
| Malay | serambi | ||
| "Serambi" in Malay, cognate with "sarambi" in Javanese, means "a large open room or space in front of a house or building." | |||
| Thai | ระเบียง | ||
| The word "ระเบียง" can also refer to a balcony or a veranda. | |||
| Vietnamese | hiên nhà | ||
| The word "hiên nhà" is the Sino-Vietnamese derivation of the Chinese word "xīnwù" (軒屋), which refers to a covered walkway around a house. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | beranda | ||
Porch in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | eyvan | ||
| The word "Eyvan" is derived from Arabic "Aywan" or Persian word "Iwan" which has more general meaning of 'hall' or 'hallway'. | |||
| Kazakh | кіреберіс | ||
| The word "кіреберіс" also means "threshold" and originates from the old Turkic word "kir" meaning "to enter". | |||
| Kyrgyz | подъезд | ||
| The word "подъезд" in Kyrgyz, meaning "entrance", "staircase", or "lobby", is rooted in the Persian word "paydar" meaning "foot". | |||
| Tajik | айвон | ||
| The word "айвон" can also refer to a balcony or terrace in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | eýwan | ||
| Uzbek | ayvon | ||
| "Ayvon" is an Uzbek word originally derived from the Persian word "ayvān", meaning a large open space or hallway in a building. | |||
| Uyghur | راۋاق | ||
Porch in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lanai | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word 'lanai' also refers to an outdoor space that connects the house and the yard. | |||
| Maori | whakamahau | ||
| The word "whakamahau" in Maori can also mean "a gathering place" or "a place of welcome". | |||
| Samoan | faapaologa | ||
| The word "faapaologa" in Samoan can also mean "a gathering place for people to talk" or "a place where people can meet and exchange ideas". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | balkonahe | ||
| The word "balkonahe" can also refer to a narrow passageway or a balcony on a ship. | |||
Porch in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | porche ukaxa | ||
| Guarani | porche rehegua | ||
Porch in International Languages
| Esperanto | verando | ||
| The word "verando" in Esperanto is derived from the French word "véranda" and the Latin word "veranda", both of which mean "porch" or "veranda". | |||
| Latin | porch | ||
| The Latin word "porticus" means not only a "porch" but also a "covered walkway or cloister." | |||
Porch in Others Languages
| Greek | βεράντα | ||
| In medieval Greek vernacular, the term βεράντα referred to an 'elevated place' as well as the 'platform' from which emperors gave their speeches. | |||
| Hmong | khav | ||
| The Hmong word "khav" can also refer to a courtyard or a terrace. | |||
| Kurdish | dik | ||
| The word "dik" in Kurdish also means "wall" or "rampart". | |||
| Turkish | sundurma | ||
| The word "sundurma" is derived from the Greek word "stegô", meaning "to shelter". | |||
| Xhosa | iveranda | ||
| In some contexts, "iveranda" can also refer to a balcony or a terrace. | |||
| Yiddish | גאַניק | ||
| The Yiddish word "גאַניק" ("ganik") likely derives from the Slavic word "ganek" meaning "porch" or "entryway". | |||
| Zulu | umpheme | ||
| The word "umpheme" has its origins in the Zulu language, where it refers to a shelter, a verandah, or a covered place outside home | |||
| Assamese | বাৰাণ্ডা | ||
| Aymara | porche ukaxa | ||
| Bhojpuri | बरामदा में बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ވަށައިގެންވާ ފާރުގައެވެ | ||
| Dogri | बरामदा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | beranda | ||
| Guarani | porche rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | beranda | ||
| Krio | porch we de na di wɔl | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پەنجەرەی پەنجەرە | ||
| Maithili | बरामदा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯣꯔꯆꯔꯗꯥ ꯂꯩꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | verandah a ni | ||
| Oromo | barandaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବାରଣ୍ଡା | ||
| Quechua | porche | ||
| Sanskrit | ओसारा | ||
| Tatar | подъезд | ||
| Tigrinya | በረንዳ | ||
| Tsonga | xivava xa le rivaleni | ||