Port in Different Languages
Discover 'Port' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A 'port' is a place of great significance in maritime culture, often serving as a gateway to the world for many countries. Historically, ports have been vital for trade and commerce, enabling the exchange of goods and ideas between different civilizations. This cultural exchange has led to the spread of languages, traditions, and technological advancements.
Moreover, ports hold a special place in the world of gastronomy, with many ports being famous for their unique culinary offerings. For instance, the Portuguese city of Porto is renowned for its namesake fortified wine, 'port wine', which is produced in the Douro Valley.
Given the global importance of ports, it's no surprise that the word 'port' has been translated into various languages around the world. For instance, in Spanish, a port is called 'puerto', while in French, it is referred to as 'port'. In German, the word for port is 'Hafen', and in Japanese, it is 'minato'.
In this article, we explore the translations of the word 'port' in different languages, shedding light on the cultural significance of this important maritime term.
Port
Port in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hawe | ||
| The Afrikaans word "hawe" is derived from the Dutch word "haven", meaning "port" or "harbour". | |||
| Amharic | ወደብ | ||
| The Amharic word "ወደብ" (port) originally referred to a "place where cargo is unloaded" or a "landing place". | |||
| Hausa | tashar jiragen ruwa | ||
| The term 'tashar jiragen ruwa' in Hausa translates to 'harbour' in English, but it literally means 'watercraft landing site'. | |||
| Igbo | n'ọdụ ụgbọ mmiri | ||
| "N'ọdụ ụgbọ mmiri" in Igbo literally means "wharf", but it also refers to a place where boats anchor or dock. | |||
| Malagasy | port | ||
| The word "Port" in Malagasy is borrowed from Arabic and has several meanings, but does not mean "port" as it does in European languages. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | doko | ||
| Nyanja or Chichewa 'doko' is also a large round basket used to carry various items on the back. | |||
| Shona | chiteshi | ||
| The word 'chiteshi' also refers to 'a place where fish are kept' in Shona. | |||
| Somali | dekedda | ||
| The word "dekedda" also means "a place with a well where boats may be repaired" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | boema-kepe | ||
| There are two words for "port" in Sesotho, "boema-kepe" for a river port and "boema-maoto" for a seaport. | |||
| Swahili | bandari | ||
| The Swahili term "bandari" also refers to a type of Swahili music and dance originating from the coastal region of East Africa. | |||
| Xhosa | izibuko | ||
| "Izibuko" has multiple meanings in Xhosa, including "safe harbour" and "source of water." | |||
| Yoruba | ibudo | ||
| The word "ibudo" is also used to refer to a place where ships are repaired or built. | |||
| Zulu | itheku | ||
| "Itheku" also means "haven" in isiZulu. | |||
| Bambara | pɔri | ||
| Ewe | ʋudzeƒe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | icyambu | ||
| Lingala | ekuke | ||
| Luganda | omwaalo | ||
| Sepedi | phote | ||
| Twi (Akan) | suhyɛnnyinaeɛ | ||
Port in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ميناء | ||
| The name "ميناء" is derived from Proto-Semitic language and originally meant "to rest or reside". | |||
| Hebrew | נמל | ||
| The word 'נמל' ('port') in Hebrew originally referred to a resting place for camels. | |||
| Pashto | درشل | ||
| The word "درشل" also means "harbor" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | ميناء | ||
| The name "ميناء" is derived from Proto-Semitic language and originally meant "to rest or reside". | |||
Port in Western European Languages
| Albanian | port | ||
| The word "port" in Albanian can also refer to a type of wine or a type of door | |||
| Basque | ataka | ||
| "Ataka" is also the name of a variety of the Basque sheepdog and a Basque cheese made from sheep's milk. | |||
| Catalan | port | ||
| The Catalan word "port" also means "bearing" or "deportment". | |||
| Croatian | luka | ||
| "Luka" is also a popular Croatian male name, and "luka" is a verb meaning "to bend". | |||
| Danish | havn | ||
| Havn derives from a PIE root, indicating a shelter from water, while also bearing similar roots with ‘have’ (garden) and ‘habit’ (shelter). | |||
| Dutch | haven | ||
| In Dutch, the word "haven" can also refer to a protected harbor or a safe place. | |||
| English | port | ||
| The word 'port' derives from Latin 'portus', meaning 'harbor', but in computing, it stands for 'parallel output'} | |||
| French | port | ||
| The word "Port" in French also means "demeanor" or "carriage". | |||
| Frisian | haven | ||
| Frisian "haven" derives from Proto-Germanic *habaną "to have", cognate with English "have". | |||
| Galician | porto | ||
| Galician "Porto" (port in English) comes from Latin "Portus Cale" (warm port) and also means "safe place". | |||
| German | hafen | ||
| In Middle High German, "hafen" could also mean a cooking or serving dish. | |||
| Icelandic | höfn | ||
| The Icelandic word "höfn" not only means "port", but also "forearm" or "shin." | |||
| Irish | port | ||
| The Irish word "port" can also refer to a harbor, a gate, or a door. | |||
| Italian | porta | ||
| The Latin word “porta” meaning “gate” is the root of the Italian word “porta” meaning “port”. | |||
| Luxembourgish | port | ||
| In Luxembourgish, the word "port" can also refer to a type of fortified wine. | |||
| Maltese | port | ||
| In Maltese, 'port' can also refer to a small window or porthole on a ship. | |||
| Norwegian | havn | ||
| Havn (port) shares its root with the English word haven, both deriving from the Old Norse word höfn, meaning harbor or haven. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | porta | ||
| In Portuguese, "porta" can also mean "door" or "gate" in addition to "port". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | port | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, "port" can also mean "harbor," "refuge," "haven," and "a place of safety." | |||
| Spanish | puerto | ||
| Puerto, despite deriving from the Latin word "portus," also carries the meaning of "mountain pass" in Spanish. | |||
| Swedish | hamn | ||
| The word 'hamn' is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word 'hafn' meaning 'haven' or 'shelter'. | |||
| Welsh | porthladd | ||
| Historically 'porthladd' referred to a harbour, while 'port' in modern Welsh is 'pôr'. | |||
Port in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | порт | ||
| In Belarusian, the word "порт" can also refer to a type of tea | |||
| Bosnian | luka | ||
| The word "luka" also means "wound" or "injury" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | пристанище | ||
| The word "пристанище" (port) comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "пристань", which means "a place where ships can land". | |||
| Czech | přístav | ||
| The Czech word "přístav" not only means "port" but also "haven" or "refuge". | |||
| Estonian | sadam | ||
| "Sadam" (port) is also the name of a male given name in Estonia, derived from the Semitic root meaning "mighty" and "firm." | |||
| Finnish | satamaan | ||
| The word "satamaan" likely comes from the Proto-Finnic word *setame, meaning "landing place" or "refuge." | |||
| Hungarian | kikötő | ||
| The word "kikötő" also means "to stick out" in Hungarian, likely derived from the verb "kikiált" meaning "to cry out" or "to shout". | |||
| Latvian | osta | ||
| The word “osta” (“port”) may have originated from a Proto-Finno-Ugric word meaning “mouth”. | |||
| Lithuanian | uostas | ||
| Although "uostas" means "port", etymologically the word is related to staying (from Proto-Indo-European root of *wes- "to remain, to dwell"). | |||
| Macedonian | пристаниште | ||
| The word "пристаниште" is also used to refer to a refuge or sanctuary. | |||
| Polish | port | ||
| The word "port" in Polish can also refer to a dark-red wine used in religious ceremonies. | |||
| Romanian | port | ||
| The Romanians borrowed the word "port" from the Italian "porto," which originates from the Latin "portus" meaning "harbor" or "haven." | |||
| Russian | порт | ||
| The Russian word "порт" (port), besides meaning "port" in the nautical sense, can also refer to a type of wine or to a digital interface for communication. | |||
| Serbian | лука | ||
| The word "Лука" in Serbian is also used to refer to a curved bend in a river. | |||
| Slovak | prístav | ||
| The word "prístav" (port) also means "shelter" or "refuge" in Slovak, as it's derived from the verb "príst" (to arrive at). | |||
| Slovenian | pristanišče | ||
| The word "pristanišče" in Slovenian originated from the Proto-Slavic word *pristanъ, meaning "a place to land". | |||
| Ukrainian | порт | ||
| Besides the meaning "port", "порт" in Ukrainian also refers to a type of wine or a glass of wine. | |||
Port in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বন্দর | ||
| In Bengali, "বন্দর" (port) also means a big city or town on the bank of a river, deriving from the Sanskrit word "bandara" (a place where ships are tied up). | |||
| Gujarati | બંદર | ||
| The Gujarati word 'બંદર' (bandar) shares an etymological root with the English word 'harbour' and can also refer to a type of monkey known as a langur. | |||
| Hindi | बंदरगाह | ||
| The word "बंदरगाह" originally referred to a type of boat or ship, and is derived from the words "बंदर" (port, harbour) and "गाह" (place). | |||
| Kannada | ಬಂದರು | ||
| The word "ಬಂದರು" (bandaru) is derived from the Sanskrit word "बंदर" (bandara), meaning "a landing place or a harbour". It also has a secondary meaning of "a large town or a city" | |||
| Malayalam | പോർട്ട് | ||
| The word ʼപോർട്ട്ʼ (port) in Malayalam is derived from the Portuguese word ʼportoʼ, meaning ʼharborʼ or ʼtrading postʼ. | |||
| Marathi | बंदर | ||
| The Marathi word "बंदर" also means "monkey" in Hindi. | |||
| Nepali | पोर्ट | ||
| The word "पोर्ट" can also refer to a harbour or a type of red wine. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪੋਰਟ | ||
| The word "ਪੋਰਟ" ("port") in Punjabi can also refer to a "harbor" or a "gateway". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වරාය | ||
| වරාය (varaaya) can be traced back to the Pali word "vāra" meaning "a gate" or "an entrance". | |||
| Tamil | போர்ட் | ||
| The word 'போர்ட்' ('port') can also refer to a 'harbor' in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | పోర్ట్ | ||
| In English, "port" can also mean a particular type of wine, a type of computer connector, or even the left side of a ship. | |||
| Urdu | بندرگاہ | ||
| The word "بندرگاہ" is also used to refer to a city or town that is located on or near a body of water. | |||
Port in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 港口 | ||
| In Mandarin, 港口 (gǎngkǒu) not only refers to a natural or artificial harbour, but also carries the additional meaning of a 'harbour city' such as Hong Kong. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 港口 | ||
| The Chinese word "港口" can also be used to refer to a place where goods are traded, or a place where ships are built or repaired. | |||
| Japanese | ポート | ||
| The word "ポート" (pōto) can also refer to the port of a computer or a musical port. | |||
| Korean | 포트 | ||
| 포트(port)는 기원전 4세기 후반 아테네의 항구인 피레아스(Piraeus)에서 유래했습니다. | |||
| Mongolian | боомт | ||
| The word "боомт" in Mongolian is derived from the Turkic word "boğmak", meaning "to drown", referring to the function of ports as places for ships to dock and unload safely. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဆိပ်ကမ်း | ||
| The word ဆိပ်ကမ်း can also be used to refer to the area around a port or to the community of people who live there. | |||
Port in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pelabuhan | ||
| "Pelabuhan" is also used figuratively to refer to a shelter or refuge. | |||
| Javanese | plabuhan | ||
| The word “plabuhan” can also mean "the place where people stay" and "a place where ships are made" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ច្រក | ||
| The word "ច្រក" can also refer to a gap or opening in a surface. | |||
| Lao | ທ່າເຮືອ | ||
| Malay | pelabuhan | ||
| The word "pelabuhan" is derived from the Sanskrit word "plava" meaning "a ship" or "a boat"} | |||
| Thai | ท่าเรือ | ||
| ท่าเรือ literally means "boat wharf" and can also refer to a "posture" or "stance". | |||
| Vietnamese | hải cảng | ||
| The word "Hải cảng" originally referred to a coastal area where ships could anchor, but now it primarily means a port or harbor. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | daungan | ||
Port in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | liman | ||
| The word "liman" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Greek word "limēn", meaning "harbor" or "port". It also has the alternate meaning of "refuge" or "sanctuary". | |||
| Kazakh | порт | ||
| The Kazakh word "порт" can also mean "suitcase" or "luggage". | |||
| Kyrgyz | порт | ||
| The word "порт" in Kyrgyz can also refer to "a dock" or "a harbor". | |||
| Tajik | бандар | ||
| The word "бандар" can also refer to a monkey or to a port on the Caspian Sea. | |||
| Turkmen | port | ||
| Uzbek | port | ||
| Port is an old form of 'gate' that has been preserved in nautical and anatomical contexts, and as a place name, and also survives in 'portal.' | |||
| Uyghur | ئېغىز | ||
Port in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | awa | ||
| The word 'awa' in Hawaiian can also refer to the spicy root of the kava plant, which is used to make a traditional drink. | |||
| Maori | tauranga | ||
| The word tauranga has multiple meanings in Maori, including "anchorage", "landing place", and "place of many people". | |||
| Samoan | uafu | ||
| The term "uafu" in Samoan is derived from the word "ua" meaning "water" and "fu" meaning "to enter", hence "uafu" means "an entrance to water." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | daungan | ||
| In various Filipino languages, the word "daungan" also signifies a dock, anchorage, moorings, or landing place. | |||
Port in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | puyrtu | ||
| Guarani | ygag̃uahẽha | ||
Port in International Languages
| Esperanto | haveno | ||
| "Haveno" can also mean "place of peace and security". | |||
| Latin | portum | ||
| The Latin word "portum" has been used in English since 1605, and was borrowed via French, where the term referred to a town on a harbor, a point of arrival, or a safe haven. | |||
Port in Others Languages
| Greek | λιμάνι | ||
| The word 'Λιμάνι' originates from the Ancient Greek word 'λιμήν', meaning 'haven' or 'refuge'. | |||
| Hmong | chaw nres nkoj | ||
| In Hmong, chaw nres nkoj has an alternate meaning of "the back of the house." | |||
| Kurdish | bender | ||
| The Kurdish word 'bender' also refers to a type of curved musical instrument similar to a flute. | |||
| Turkish | liman | ||
| The word "Liman" derives from Greek and means "an entrance to a lake from the sea". | |||
| Xhosa | izibuko | ||
| "Izibuko" has multiple meanings in Xhosa, including "safe harbour" and "source of water." | |||
| Yiddish | port | ||
| In Yiddish, "port" can also mean "fate" or "destiny". | |||
| Zulu | itheku | ||
| "Itheku" also means "haven" in isiZulu. | |||
| Assamese | বন্দৰ | ||
| Aymara | puyrtu | ||
| Bhojpuri | बंदरगाह | ||
| Dhivehi | ބަނދަރު | ||
| Dogri | बंदरगाह् | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | daungan | ||
| Guarani | ygag̃uahẽha | ||
| Ilocano | puerto | ||
| Krio | waf | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەندەر | ||
| Maithili | बंदरगाह | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯤꯊꯥꯡꯐꯝ | ||
| Mizo | lawngchawlhna | ||
| Oromo | buufata doonii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବନ୍ଦର | ||
| Quechua | yaykuna | ||
| Sanskrit | पोताश्रय | ||
| Tatar | порт | ||
| Tigrinya | ወደብ | ||
| Tsonga | ribuweni | ||