Prayer in different languages

Prayer in Different Languages

Discover 'Prayer' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

Prayer is a powerful and universal concept that transcends cultures and languages. It refers to the act of communicating with a higher power, be it a deity, spirit, or the universe itself. Prayer can take many forms, from spoken words and written petitions to silent meditation and musical worship.

Throughout history, prayer has played a significant role in shaping human culture and society. It has been a source of comfort and guidance in times of need, a means of expressing gratitude and joy, and a way to seek forgiveness and make amends. From ancient civilizations to modern-day communities, prayer remains an integral part of religious and spiritual practices worldwide.

Given its cultural importance and universal appeal, it's no wonder that people might want to know the translation of prayer in different languages. Whether you're traveling to a new country, studying a foreign language, or simply curious about the world around you, understanding the nuances of this powerful word can open up new avenues of communication and connection.

In this article, we'll explore some of the many translations of prayer in different languages, from Arabic and Hebrew to Spanish and Chinese. Whether you're a language enthusiast, a spiritual seeker, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty and diversity of human culture, we hope you'll find this exploration fascinating and enlightening.

Prayer


Prayer in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansgebed
Gebed is etymologically related to the English word "gibbet"
Amharicጸሎት
The word "ጸሎት" (prayer) is derived from the Ge'ez word "ṣalāʾt," which also means "prostration".
Hausaaddu'a
In Hausa, the word "addu'a" can also refer to blessings, supplications, or appeals to God or other deities.
Igboekpere
Igbo word "ekpere" also means "request", "supplication" or "petition" in English.
Malagasyvavaka
The word "VAVAKA" (prayer) in Malagasy finds its roots in the Sanskrit language and literally means "to ask or request".
Nyanja (Chichewa)pemphero
It is also used to refer to a gift given to a person who has helped you.
Shonamunamato
The Shona word for 'prayer' can be a noun - 'munamato', or 'minamato'. The noun 'munamato' can become a verb meaning 'to intercede for someone as an individual' or it can be 'to have a discussion with someone'.
Somalisalaadda
"Salaadda" comes from the root word "salaam," meaning "peace," and signifies the connection between prayer and seeking inner tranquility.
Sesothothapelo
Thapelo can also refer to a person who is devout or who prays frequently.
Swahilisala
The Swahili word "sala" can also refer to a greeting or a form of respect shown to elders.
Xhosaumthandazo
The word umthandazo in Xhosa shares its etymology with the verb ukuthandazela (to pray over something), hinting at the idea of intercession.
Yorubaadura
The term 'adura' may also refer to the physical posture or attitude taken while praying.
Zuluumkhuleko
The word "umkhuleko" can also mean "to cry out" or "to call upon".
Bambaradelili kɛ
Ewegbedodoɖa
Kinyarwandagusenga
Lingalalosambo
Lugandaokusaba
Sepedithapelo
Twi (Akan)mpaebɔ

Prayer in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicدعاء
The word "دعاء" (du'a) in Arabic can also refer to "invocation" or "supplication" and shares a root with the verb "to call".
Hebrewתְפִלָה
תְפִלָה (Tefillah) comes from the root פלל (Pallel) meaning 'to judge'
Pashtoلمونځ
The word "لمونځ" (prayer) in Pashto is derived from the Proto-Indo-Iranian root *mazd-, meaning "to think" or "to worship"
Arabicدعاء
The word "دعاء" (du'a) in Arabic can also refer to "invocation" or "supplication" and shares a root with the verb "to call".

Prayer in Western European Languages

Albanianlutje
The Albanian word "lutje" is derived from the Latin word "laudare," meaning "to praise."
Basqueotoitza
In Basque, the word "otoitza" is related to the word "otoi," meaning "voice", suggesting its origin as a form of verbal communication with a higher power.
Catalanoració
The Catalan word "oració" derives from the Latin word "oratio" meaning "speech" or "discourse".
Croatianmolitva
The word "molitva" originally meant "request", and is cognate with "molba" (request), "moliti" (to ask for), and "moljak" (supplicant).
Danishbøn
In Norwegian, "bønn" can also mean "request" or "petition".
Dutchgebed
The word "gebed" in Dutch is derived from the Old Dutch word "gebeden" meaning "to ask for something."
Englishprayer
The word "prayer" derives from the Latin term "precari," meaning "to beg or entreat," and is related to the French word "prière," meaning "request," and the Spanish word "plegaria," meaning "supplication."
Frenchprière
The word "prière" derives from the Latin "precaria," meaning "entreaty," and also refers to a legal petition.
Frisianbea
The word "bea" in Frisian can also mean "wish" or "request".
Galicianoración
En gallego, oración se puede referir a la petición a una divinidad o a una construcción gramatical con sentido completo.
Germangebet
The German word "Gebet" is related to the word "geben" ("to give") and originally referred to an offering, vow or promise to a deity.
Icelandicbæn
The word "bæn" also means "petition" or "request" in Icelandic, similar to its Old Norse origin.
Irishpaidir
Some Irish versions of the Bible still use the spelling "paidir" because of its resemblance to the Latin word "pater" (from Pater Noster, "Our Father").
Italianpreghiera
The word "preghiera" in Italian also means an entreaty, request, or supplication, from the Latin "precari" (to beg).
Luxembourgishgebiet
Maltesetalb
"Talb" can also mean a 'request' or a 'quest' in Maltese.
Norwegianbønn
The word "bønn" in Norwegian also means "request" or "petition".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)oração
In Portuguese, the word "oração" also means "speech" or "oration", and is derived from the Latin word "oratio", meaning "speech or discourse"}
Scots Gaelicùrnaigh
The Scots Gaelic word ùrnaigh can also refer to a particular form of metrical hymn or a period of time set aside for religious devotion.
Spanishoración
The Spanish word "oración" also refers to a type of sentence (namely an independent clause) in grammar.
Swedishbön
Besides "prayer," "bön" also means "supplication" and "entreaty" in Swedish.
Welshgweddi
Its root 'gwed' also means 'weave' and is cognate with the Latin 'precor', meaning 'ask' or 'beg'.

Prayer in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianмалітва
The Belarusian word 'малітва' ('prayer') comes from the Proto-Slavic word 'molitva', which is related to the Sanskrit word 'marana', meaning 'death' or 'killing'. This suggests that the word 'prayer' may have originally had a more sinister meaning, such as 'pleading for one's life'.
Bosnianmolitva
The verb "moliti se" is semantically equivalent to the English "to pray", but also has the archaic meaning "to entreat" or "to beg".
Bulgarianмолитва
The Bulgarian word "молитва" (prayer) has many alternate meanings, including "request" "plea" and "supplication".
Czechmodlitba
Modlitba has also other meanings such as request, demand, petition, suit, supplication, plea, rogation, or invocation.
Estonianpalve
The word "palve" in Estonian is thought to be derived from the Indo-European root "pelh-," meaning "to protect" or "to watch over."
Finnishrukous
The word "rukous" in Finnish also means "petition" and comes from the Proto-Finnic word "ruokše" meaning "to ask for something."
Hungarianima
Ima is not only a prayer but also a 'spell' in Hungarian. The word comes from a Germanic word meaning 'power' or 'strength'.
Latvianlūgšana
The word lūgšana is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *leug-, meaning “to bend, to bow”.
Lithuanianmalda
This word may be related to the Sanskrit word "mal" (to bind), and the Old Irish word "mol" (praise).
Macedonianмолитва
"Молитва" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*molitva", meaning "request" or "entreaty".
Polishmodlitwa
The word 'modlitwa' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'molitva', meaning 'request' or 'plea'.
Romanianrugăciune
The Romanian word "rugăciune" evolved from a Slavic word "rogъ" meaning "to ask" or "to request" and it has synonyms like "plecăciune" (bow) and "cerere" (request).
Russianмолитва
The word "молитва" derives from the Proto-Slavic "molitva" meaning "request" or "entreaty".
Serbianмолитва
In Serbian, "молитва" can also mean "appeal" or "entreaty".}
Slovakmodlitba
The word 'modlitba' comes from the Old Church Slavonic word 'molitva', which means 'request' or 'supplication'.
Slovenianmolitev
The word 'molitev' is also used to denote a supplication for grace, especially before a meal, which is known as the 'prayer at table' (molitev pred jedjo) in Slovenian.
Ukrainianмолитва
The word "молитва" in Ukrainian also refers to the genre of religious poetry.

Prayer in South Asian Languages

Bengaliপ্রার্থনা
The word "প্রার্থনা" also means "entreaty" or "request".
Gujaratiપ્રાર્થના
"Prarthana" is derived from the Sanskrit word "prarthayati," meaning "to ask or request" and has the alternate meaning of "a plea or petition."
Hindiप्रार्थना
प्रार्थना originates from the root "प्रार्थ्" meaning "to ask, to request" and "to beseech" and implies a heartfelt appeal for something.
Kannadaಪ್ರಾರ್ಥನೆ
The Kannada word "ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥನೆ" originates from Sanskrit, ultimately linked to the Proto-Indo-European root *prek-, meaning "ask, question," further connected to the Proto-Dravidian word *peːrkka, meaning "speak, beseech"
Malayalamപ്രാർത്ഥന
പ്രാർത്ഥന, which means 'prayer', also refers to a type of folk dance performance in which a devotional song is sung
Marathiप्रार्थना
The word "प्रार्थना" in Marathi originally meant "request" or "petition" and evolved to signify spiritual supplication.
Nepaliप्रार्थना
The word "प्रार्थना" is derived from the Sanskrit root "प्रार्थ" (to ask or request) and is closely related to the English word "petition."
Punjabiਪ੍ਰਾਰਥਨਾ
The word "prarthana" comes from the Sanskrit word "prarthayati" meaning "to ask" or "to request".
Sinhala (Sinhalese)යාච්ඤාව
The word 'යාච්ඤාව' (yācñāva) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'याचना' (yācanā), which means 'begging' or 'requesting'.
Tamilபிரார்த்தனை
The Tamil word "பிரார்த்தனை" (prayer) is derived from the Sanskrit word "प्रार्थना" (request), which is ultimately derived from the root "प्र" (to ask).
Teluguప్రార్థన
The word "ప్రార్థన" (prārthana) is derived from the Sanskrit word "प्रार्थना" (prārthanā), which means "begging, asking, or entreating".
Urduدعا
The word **دعا** derives from an Arabic root meaning "to call", and can also mean "call to arms" or "invitation" in a more general sense.

Prayer in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)祷告
祷告 was originally a sacrificial ritual (告 = announce, 祭 = sacrifice)
Chinese (Traditional)禱告
禱, an ancient form of praying, means chanting a mantra; 告, meaning to tell, suggests an utterance of supplication to a deity, thus 禱告 refers to prayers to the divine.
Japanese祈り
The word "祈り" also connotes "wishes" or "hopes".
Korean기도
"기도" is a Sino-Korean word consisting of the Hanja "祈" (to pray) and "禱" (to beseech), thus reinforcing the sense of earnestly pleading to a deity.
Mongolianзалбирал
The word "залбирал" has an alternate meaning in Mongolian besides "prayer", which is "wish".
Myanmar (Burmese)ဆုတောင်းပဌနာ

Prayer in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiandoa
"Doa" derives from Sanskrit "dhyana" meaning "contemplation" or "meditation".
Javanesepandonga
"Pandonga" in Javanese also means a "whisper" or a "confession".
Khmerការអធិស្ឋាន
Laoການອະທິຖານ
Malaysolat
The word "solat" is derived from the Arabic word "salat", which means "connection" or "communication" with God.
Thaiคำอธิษฐาน
The word "คำอธิษฐาน" can also mean "blessing" or "vow" in certain contexts.
Vietnamesengười cầu nguyện
In addition to its religious meaning, 'người cầu nguyện' can also refer to someone who begs or pleads.
Filipino (Tagalog)panalangin

Prayer in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaninamaz
The word "namaz" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Persian word "namaz", which in turn comes from the Arabic word "salat", meaning "prayer."
Kazakhдұға
Дұға can also mean "to pray" or "to ask for something."
Kyrgyzтиленүү
Etymology: The word "тиленүү" is derived from the Turkic root "til-", meaning "to speak" or "to ask."
Tajikдуо
From Old Tajik "duov", which may also refer to a type of prayer made by women.
Turkmendoga
Uzbekibodat
The word "ibodat" in Uzbek is derived from the Arabic word "ibadah" meaning "worship" or "devotion" and can also refer to "religious rituals" or "acts of piety".
Uyghurدۇئا

Prayer in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianpule
The word "pule" in Hawaiian can also refer to a gathering of people for a religious ceremony or ritual.
Maorikarakia
In Maori, `karakia` refers to both incantations to invoke deities and the accompanying rituals or ceremonies.
Samoantatalo
The Samoan word "tatalo" (prayer) is derived from the Proto-Polynesian root *tatalo*, meaning "to ask, request".
Tagalog (Filipino)pagdarasal
Pagdarasal comes from the Spanish word rezar, which means to pray.

Prayer in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaramayisiña
Guaraniñembo’e

Prayer in International Languages

Esperantopreĝo
From the French "prier" and Latin "precari", which also means "to beg".
Latinorationis
Alternatively, "orationis" can mean a "speech" in Latin from its root word "oro" ("to speak" or "pray").

Prayer in Others Languages

Greekπροσευχή
The Greek word "προσευχή" (proseuchē) originates from "πρός" (pros) meaning "towards" and "εὔχομαι" (euchomai) meaning "to pray; wish, desire".
Hmongkev thov vajtswv
It is a term of respect towards God or other spirits that are being spoken to or revered in the prayer.
Kurdishdûa
In Kurmanji Kurdish, the word "dûa" also means "blessing" or "invocation".
Turkishnamaz
The word "namaz" is derived from the Persian word "namaz" (itself from the Arabic word "صلاة" (ṣalāh)), and also means "bow" or "prostration" in Turkish.
Xhosaumthandazo
The word umthandazo in Xhosa shares its etymology with the verb ukuthandazela (to pray over something), hinting at the idea of intercession.
Yiddishתפילה
The Yiddish word "תפילה" can also mean "a song" or "a poem"
Zuluumkhuleko
The word "umkhuleko" can also mean "to cry out" or "to call upon".
Assameseপ্ৰাৰ্থনা
Aymaramayisiña
Bhojpuriप्रार्थना कइल जाला
Dhivehiނަމާދެވެ
Dogriदुआ
Filipino (Tagalog)panalangin
Guaraniñembo’e
Ilocanokararag
Krioprea we yu de pre
Kurdish (Sorani)نوێژ
Maithiliप्रार्थना
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯄ꯭ꯔꯥꯔꯊꯅꯥ ꯇꯧꯕꯥ꯫
Mizotawngtai a ni
Oromokadhannaa
Odia (Oriya)ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା
Quechuamañakuy
Sanskritप्रार्थना
Tatarдога
Tigrinyaጸሎት
Tsongaxikhongelo

Click on a letter to browse words starting with that letter

Weekly TipWeekly Tip

Deepen your understanding of global issues by looking at keywords in multiple languages.

Immerse Yourself in the World of Languages

Type in any word and see it translated into 104 languages. Where possible, you'll also get to hear its pronunciation in languages your browser supports. Our goal? To make exploring languages straightforward and enjoyable.

How to use our multi-language translation tool

How to use our multi-language translation tool

Turn words into a kaleidoscope of languages in a few simple steps

  1. Start with a word

    Just type the word you're curious about into our search box.

  2. Auto-complete to the rescue

    Let our auto-complete nudge you in the right direction to quickly find your word.

  3. See and hear translations

    With a click, see translations in 104 languages and hear pronunciations where your browser supports audio.

  4. Grab the translations

    Need the translations for later? Download all the translations in a neat JSON file for your project or study.

Explore More Apps You'll Love

Utilize our Free Word Finder to ease your search for the perfect word. It's an excellent tool for anyone looking to quickly elevate their word game expertise without any cost.

Make every word count by utilizing this writing enhancement tool. Perfect for writers and communicators aiming for impact.

Seeking a quick and effective way to improve your verbal communication? Look no further than this communication skill improvement tool.

Features section image

Features overview

  • Instant translations with audio where available

    Type in your word and get translations in a flash. Where available, click to hear how it's pronounced in different languages, right from your browser.

  • Quick find with auto-complete

    Our smart auto-complete helps you quickly find your word, making your journey to translation smooth and hassle-free.

  • Translations in 104 Languages, no selection needed

    We've got you covered with automatic translations and audio in supported languages for every word, no need to pick and choose.

  • Downloadable translations in JSON

    Looking to work offline or integrate translations into your project? Download them in a handy JSON format.

  • All free, All for you

    Jump into the language pool without worrying about costs. Our platform is open to all language lovers and curious minds.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you provide translations and audio?

It's simple! Type in a word, and instantly see its translations. If your browser supports it, you'll also see a play button to hear pronunciations in various languages.

Can I download these translations?

Absolutely! You can download a JSON file with all the translations for any word, perfect for when you're offline or working on a project.

What if I can't find my word?

We're constantly growing our list of 3000 words. If you don't see yours, it might not be there yet, but we're always adding more!

Is there a fee to use your site?

Not at all! We're passionate about making language learning accessible to everyone, so our site is completely free to use.