Principal in Different Languages
Discover 'Principal' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'principal' carries great significance in many aspects of life, denoting a primary source, chief person, or leading authority. Its cultural importance is evident in various fields, such as education where a principal is the head of a school, or finance, where principal refers to the original sum of money lent or invested. Understanding the translation of 'principal' in different languages can open up new avenues of communication and cultural appreciation.
Did you know that the word 'principal' has Latin roots, stemming from 'principalis' which means 'first in order of importance'? Or that in Hawaiian, the word for principal, 'kumu,' also means 'teacher' or 'source'? This linguistic and cultural connection highlights the revered role of educators in Hawaiian society.
Explore the many faces of 'principal' in our list below, and discover how this word is woven into the fabric of languages and cultures worldwide.
Principal
Principal in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | skoolhoof | ||
| The word "skoolhoof" (principal) in Afrikaans comes from the Dutch word "schoolhoofd", which literally means "school head". | |||
| Amharic | ዋና | ||
| The word 'ዋና' can also mean 'main', 'chief', or 'head'. | |||
| Hausa | shugaban makaranta | ||
| "Makaranta" means 'school' or 'education', and "shugaba" means 'leader' or 'head'", so the term literally means "the head of the school". | |||
| Igbo | onye isi ulo akwukwo | ||
| Malagasy | fototra | ||
| "Fototra" is cognate with "foto-foto", the reduplicated form of "foto" (first, eldest). | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wamkulu | ||
| "Wamkulu" can also refer to a chief, or a traditional healer. | |||
| Shona | mukuru | ||
| In addition to meaning "principal," the Shona word "mukuru" also refers to a "senior" or "elder." | |||
| Somali | maamulaha | ||
| The Somali word 'maamulaha' comes from the Arabic word 'mudir' meaning 'manager' or 'director'. | |||
| Sesotho | ka sehloohong | ||
| The word "ka sehloohong" in Sesotho literally translates to "of the big horn" and is also used to refer to a respected elder. | |||
| Swahili | mkuu | ||
| Mkuu derives from the Arabic word | |||
| Xhosa | inqununu | ||
| Inqununu, meaning 'chief' or 'head', is also a term used to refer to a school principal in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | olori ile-iwe | ||
| The term "olori ile-iwe" literally translates to "head of the house of books" in Yoruba, highlighting its connection to leadership and education. | |||
| Zulu | uthishanhloko | ||
| The Zulu word "uthishanhloko" derives from the conjugation of the verb "ukuthi" (to tell, say) and the noun "isanhluko" (head), resulting in the meaning "the one who speaks on behalf of the head". | |||
| Bambara | ɲɛmaa | ||
| Ewe | nua ŋutɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umuyobozi | ||
| Lingala | ya yambo | ||
| Luganda | pulinsipaali | ||
| Sepedi | motheo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ankasa | ||
Principal in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | المالك | ||
| As a noun, "المالك" also means "owner". | |||
| Hebrew | קֶרֶן | ||
| "קרן" can also mean „horn” or „ray” and is related to the Latin word „cornu” (horn) and the Greek word “κέρας” (horn). | |||
| Pashto | پرنسپل | ||
| The word "پرنسپل" in Pashto can also mean "capital" or "principal money". | |||
| Arabic | المالك | ||
| As a noun, "المالك" also means "owner". | |||
Principal in Western European Languages
| Albanian | drejtori | ||
| "Drejtori" is derived from the Latin word "directus" meaning "straight" and also refers to a "leader" or "manager" in Albanian. | |||
| Basque | nagusia | ||
| The word "nagusia" can also mean "chief" or "elder" in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | principal | ||
| The Catalan word "principal" can also refer to the front door of a building or the main artery of a circulatory system. | |||
| Croatian | glavni | ||
| In Croatian, "glavni" can also mean "chief", "main", or "head" in various contexts. | |||
| Danish | rektor | ||
| The word "rektor" is derived from the Latin word "rector", meaning "ruler" or "director". | |||
| Dutch | opdrachtgever | ||
| Dutch "opdrachtgever" (principal) may also mean the commissioner of an artwork or the sender of a package. | |||
| English | principal | ||
| In education, 'principal' refers to the head of a school, derived from 'princeps' (Latin for 'first'). | |||
| French | principal | ||
| In French, the word "principal" can also mean "main" or "most important". | |||
| Frisian | rektor | ||
| The Frisian word "rektor" is derived from the Latin word "rector," which also means "ruler" and "steerer." | |||
| Galician | principal | ||
| In Galician, "principal" can also be a noun referring to a spring (source of water). | |||
| German | schulleiter | ||
| The term "Schulleiter" translates literally as "school leader" and historically was also used for other school leadership roles, such as head teacher and senior teacher. | |||
| Icelandic | skólastjóri | ||
| "Skólastjóri" literally means "school-steerer" or "helmsman of the school" in Icelandic. | |||
| Irish | príomhoide | ||
| Italian | principale | ||
| The word "principale" in Italian can also mean "primary" or "main". | |||
| Luxembourgish | haaptleit | ||
| The word Haaptleit can also mean 'head teacher' or 'head of an institution'. | |||
| Maltese | prinċipal | ||
| The Maltese term "prinċipal" originates from the Latin word "princeps," meaning "first or chief." | |||
| Norwegian | rektor | ||
| "Rektor" comes from the Latin "regere," meaning "to rule." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | diretor | ||
| The Portuguese word "diretor" originates from the Latin term "directus," meaning "straight" or "direct." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | prionnsapal | ||
| The word "prionnsapal" is derived from the Latin "princeps", meaning "first or chief". | |||
| Spanish | principal | ||
| Besides meaning "principal", "principal" can also mean "director". | |||
| Swedish | rektor | ||
| 'Rektor', which translates as 'principal', comes from the Latin 'regere', which means 'to rule or govern'. | |||
| Welsh | prifathro | ||
| Its Welsh form is sometimes rendered as 'prifathro', a word which also denotes a 'headmaster' in the language. | |||
Principal in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | галоўны | ||
| The word "галоўны" and its variants mean "head" as well as "main" in many Slavic languages. | |||
| Bosnian | glavnica | ||
| The word 'glavnica' can also refer to the 'capital' in the 'capital and interest' formula. | |||
| Bulgarian | главница | ||
| The word "главница" in Bulgarian can also refer to the "principal" amount of a loan, the "capital" of a company, or the "main" thing in general. | |||
| Czech | ředitel školy | ||
| The word "ředitel školy" can also refer to the head of a company or organization, not just an educational institution. | |||
| Estonian | peamine | ||
| Principal is related to the word “peal,” meaning “on” or “top,” but also refers to a “head” of a school or a “main” thing. | |||
| Finnish | päämies | ||
| The word "päämies" is derived from the word "pää" ("head") and denotes a person who is in charge or has authority over others. | |||
| Hungarian | fő | ||
| Fő can also mean 'main', 'major', 'head', or 'chief'. | |||
| Latvian | galvenais | ||
| The word “galvenais” can also mean “central” or “leading” in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | pagrindinis | ||
| Pagrindinis is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *per- ( | |||
| Macedonian | директор | ||
| In Greek, the word "διευθυντής" can refer to an "overseer" or "administrator," hinting at the role a principal plays in overseeing a school's daily operations. | |||
| Polish | dyrektor | ||
| The Polish word "dyrektor" originally meant "conductor" and is related to the Latin word "dirigere" (to direct). | |||
| Romanian | principal | ||
| In Romanian, "principal" can also mean "husband" or "head of a household," derived from the Latin word "principalis," meaning "first." | |||
| Russian | главный | ||
| The word "главный" (principal) in Russian can also refer to "most important" or "supreme". | |||
| Serbian | главни | ||
| "Главни" can be used in Serbian in contexts unrelated to education, for example, as a translation of "main". | |||
| Slovak | principál | ||
| The Slovak word "principál" can also mean "the main person or thing" in general. | |||
| Slovenian | ravnatelj | ||
| The word 'ravnatelj', meaning 'principal' in Slovenian, is derived from the verb 'ravnati', which means 'to manage' or 'to direct'. | |||
| Ukrainian | головний | ||
| The word "головний" ("principal") in Ukrainian can also refer to the head, the main part, or the most important thing. | |||
Principal in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অধ্যক্ষ | ||
| অধ্যক্ষ, Sanskrit for 'ruler or administrator', can refer to a school administrator (principal) or to a university vice-chancellor (president or provost). | |||
| Gujarati | આચાર્યશ્રી | ||
| Hindi | प्रधान अध्यापक | ||
| 'प्रधान अध्यापक' is also known as 'प्रधानाचार्य' and 'हेडमास्टर' in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಪ್ರಧಾನ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಪ್ರಧಾನ" (pradhāna) is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit word "pradhāna", which means "chief, main, essential". | |||
| Malayalam | പ്രിൻസിപ്പൽ | ||
| "പ്രിൻസിപ്പൽ" is commonly used in Malayalam banking industry with the same meaning "principal" in English, the money deposited or lent. | |||
| Marathi | प्राचार्य | ||
| The word "प्राचार्य" in Marathi ultimately derives from the Sanskrit word "pra-ācārya", meaning "the highest teacher or spiritual guide." | |||
| Nepali | प्रिंसिपल | ||
| The term 'प्रिंसिपल' ('principal') is derived from the Latin word 'principalis', meaning 'first' or 'chief'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪ੍ਰਿੰਸੀਪਲ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | විදුහල්පති | ||
| Tamil | முதன்மை | ||
| "முதன்மை" is also used to mean "the first", "the most important", or "the main". | |||
| Telugu | ప్రిన్సిపాల్ | ||
| Urdu | پرنسپل | ||
| The word "پرنسپل" can also mean "capital" or "amount invested" in Urdu. | |||
Principal in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 主要 | ||
| "主要" can also mean "majority" or "most important". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 主要 | ||
| In Japanese, "主要" can also refer to "the head of a family" or "the main part of a building." | |||
| Japanese | 主要な | ||
| "主要な" (shuyona) literally means "the important one" in Japanese, but it can also mean "main" as in "main entrance"} | |||
| Korean | 주요한 | ||
| The word "주요한" can also mean "chief", "main", or "essential" in English. | |||
| Mongolian | захирал | ||
| Originally meaning 'chief' or 'leader', захирал also means 'manager' in modern Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကျောင်းအုပ်ကြီး | ||
Principal in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kepala sekolah | ||
| Kepala Sekolah is a compound noun consisting of `Kepala` (literally `head`) and `Sekolah` (literally `school`), but it does not refer to the physical head of a school but rather to its administrative leader. | |||
| Javanese | kepala sekolah | ||
| "Kepala sekolah" can also mean "the head of a school" or "the leader of a school". | |||
| Khmer | នាយកសាលា | ||
| The Khmer word “នាយកសាល” (“principal”) also refers to a “mayor” or other village or city leader. | |||
| Lao | ອໍານວຍການ | ||
| Malay | pengetua | ||
| In Malay, "pengetua" can also refer to a dean or a warden, further emphasizing its broad role in education and leadership. | |||
| Thai | เงินต้น | ||
| The word "เงินต้น" in Thai can also mean "capital" or "funds invested". | |||
| Vietnamese | hiệu trưởng | ||
| In Vietnamese, the word "hiệu trưởng" is also used to refer to the head of a religious or educational institution, denoting their authority and leadership within the organization. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | punong-guro | ||
Principal in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | əsas | ||
| The word "əsas" in Azerbaijani also means "main, basic, fundamental, primary, chief". | |||
| Kazakh | негізгі | ||
| The word "негізгі" in Kazakh can also mean "basic" or "main". | |||
| Kyrgyz | негизги | ||
| The word "негизги" can also mean "essential" or "main" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | асосӣ | ||
| The word "асосӣ" also means "main" or "backbone" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | müdir | ||
| Uzbek | asosiy | ||
| The word "asosiy" in Uzbek not only means "principal", but also has the meanings "main", "primary", and "chief". | |||
| Uyghur | مەكتەپ مۇدىرى | ||
Principal in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | poʻokumu | ||
| Poʻokumu literally means 'the root of a tree', suggesting a solid foundation and enduring authority. | |||
| Maori | tumuaki | ||
| Tumuaki carries a primary and an alternate definition in te reo Māori, with the alternative meaning being "head of the land or people." | |||
| Samoan | pule aʻoga | ||
| The word "pule aʻoga" comes from the Samoan words "pule" (power, authority) and "aʻoga" (school). | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | punong-guro | ||
| "Punong-guro" is also a title given to an elementary school teacher in the Philippines. | |||
Principal in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | wakiskiri | ||
| Guarani | tenondetegua | ||
Principal in International Languages
| Esperanto | rektoro | ||
| The Esperanto word "rektoro" derives from the Latin "rector", meaning "ruler" or "director". | |||
| Latin | principalem | ||
| "Principalem" is used for a capital city and for the leading official of a province. | |||
Principal in Others Languages
| Greek | διευθυντρια σχολειου | ||
| Διευθύντρια (Greek) comes from the verb διευθύνω (I direct) and ultimately from the Greek word ἰθύνω (I lead, I control, I command, I guide). | |||
| Hmong | tus thawj xibfwb | ||
| I'm sorry, I don't know the etymology of tus thawj xibfwb in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | asasî | ||
| The word "asasî" can also mean "essential" or "basic" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | müdür | ||
| "Müdür" is the Turkish word for "principal" and derives from the Arabic word "mudir," also meaning "director" or "manager" | |||
| Xhosa | inqununu | ||
| Inqununu, meaning 'chief' or 'head', is also a term used to refer to a school principal in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | הויפּט | ||
| The word "hoipt" comes from the German word "Haufen", which means "heap" or "pile." | |||
| Zulu | uthishanhloko | ||
| The Zulu word "uthishanhloko" derives from the conjugation of the verb "ukuthi" (to tell, say) and the noun "isanhluko" (head), resulting in the meaning "the one who speaks on behalf of the head". | |||
| Assamese | প্ৰধান | ||
| Aymara | wakiskiri | ||
| Bhojpuri | प्रधानाध्यापक | ||
| Dhivehi | ޕްރިންސިޕަލް | ||
| Dogri | प्रिंसिपल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | punong-guro | ||
| Guarani | tenondetegua | ||
| Ilocano | kangrunaan | ||
| Krio | men | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەڕێوەبەر | ||
| Maithili | प्रधान | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯦꯜꯂꯦꯞ | ||
| Mizo | hruaitu | ||
| Oromo | oogganaa mana barnootaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ରଧାନ | ||
| Quechua | kuraq | ||
| Sanskrit | प्रधानाचार्य | ||
| Tatar | принципиаль | ||
| Tigrinya | ርእሰ መምህር | ||
| Tsonga | murhangeri | ||