Prison in different languages

Prison in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

Prison is a word that carries significant weight in our global vocabulary. It represents a place of confinement, punishment, and rehabilitation, and has been a part of human societies for centuries. The concept of imprisonment is not only a legal or criminal justice term, but also a cultural and historical concept that varies across different societies and time periods.

For instance, did you know that the ancient Greeks and Romans used prisons primarily as holding cells before trial or execution? Or that the infamous Bastille in Paris, which was stormed during the French Revolution, was originally built as a royal fortress and later turned into a state prison?

Understanding the translation of prison in different languages can provide insight into how different cultures view and approach the concept of imprisonment. Here are a few examples:

  • Spanish: prisión
  • French: prison
  • German: Gefängnis
  • Mandarin: 狱 (__yù)
  • Japanese: 牢 (__rō)

Prison


Prison in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansgevangenis
The word 'gevangenis' likely originates from the Latin 'captivus', meaning 'captive.'
Amharicእስር ቤት
The word 'እስር ቤት' in Amharic literally means 'house of chains'.
Hausakurkuku
The Hausa word "kurkuku" also means "a small hole"
Igboụlọ mkpọrọ
Malagasyam-ponja
"Am-ponja" is derived from the Malay word "penjara", originally meaning "trap".
Nyanja (Chichewa)ndende
In Nyanja, 'ndende' is also a type of wooden fence used to encircle villages or cattle pens.
Shonajeri
The word "jeri" in Shona, meaning "prison," originates from the verb "kujira" (to shut or enclose).
Somalixabsi
The Somali word "xabsi" also means "cage" or "confinement".
Sesothochankana
The word "chankana" also means "to trap" or "to ensnare" in Sesotho.
Swahiligereza
The term 'gereza' may be related to 'gerezo', a type of tree found near a prison in Zanzibar and used to make prison walls.
Xhosaintolongo
The word 'intolongo' in Xhosa also carries connotations of isolation and containment.
Yorubatubu
Tubu is thought to be derived from the word 'tu', meaning 'to guard' in Yoruba.
Zuluijele
The word "ijele" in Zulu, meaning "prison," is etymologically related to the verb "jele," meaning "to lock up or imprison."
Bambarakaso
Ewe
Kinyarwandagereza
Lingalaboloko
Lugandaekkomera
Sepedikgolego
Twi (Akan)afiase

Prison in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicالسجن
The Arabic word "السجن" (al-sijn) also means "fortification" or "stronghold" and is derived from the root word "سجن" (sajana), meaning "to enclose" or "to shut in."
Hebrewבית כלא
בית כלא in Hebrew comes from the Talmudic phrase על בית סוהר, and originally meant a place of detention for non-criminals
Pashtoزندان
The Pashto word "زندان" is cognate with the Persian word "زندان", both of which derives from the Arabic root word "ز-ن-د" meaning "to restrain" or "to imprison".
Arabicالسجن
The Arabic word "السجن" (al-sijn) also means "fortification" or "stronghold" and is derived from the root word "سجن" (sajana), meaning "to enclose" or "to shut in."

Prison in Western European Languages

Albanianburgu
An alternative meaning is "a place where animals are kept".
Basquekartzela
"Kartzel" is a loanword from Spanish "cárcel" which, in turn, comes from Latin "carcer". It has been part of the Basque language since at least the 16th century.
Catalanpresó
The word "presó" in Catalan is derived from the Latin word "prensus", meaning "captured" or "seized".
Croatianzatvor
"Zatvor" is derived from the Croatian word "zatvoriti," meaning "to close" or "to lock," and originally referred to a closed-off space; it can also mean "constipation" or "a blockage."
Danishfængsel
The word "fængsel" is derived from the Old Norse word "fengs" meaning "fetter" and the Old Danish word "sal" meaning "house".
Dutchgevangenis
"Gevangenis" is derived from the Middle Dutch word "gevangenisse," meaning "captivity" or "imprisonment."
Englishprison
The word "prison" derives from the Old French word "prisun" meaning "capture," and ultimately from the Latin word "prehendere" meaning "to seize."
Frenchprison
The French word 'prison' comes from the Latin 'prehendere', meaning 'to seize or capture'.
Frisiangefangenis
In some contexts, the West Frisian word "gefangenis" can refer to the act of capturing or imprisonment.
Galicianprisión
In the Galician language, the word "prisión" can also refer to a clamp used to fasten something tightly.
Germangefängnis
The word "Gefängnis" derives from the Old High German word "givancnissa", meaning "capture" or "imprisonment".
Icelandicfangelsi
The term 'fangelsi' was originally a term for the space between two posts or branches supporting a trap.
Irishpríosún
The word "príosún" (prison) in Irish comes from the Latin word "prehensio" (seizure) and also means "capture".
Italianprigione
"Prigione" derives from the Latin word "prendere," meaning "to seize" or "to capture"
Luxembourgishprisong
The Luxembourgish word "Prisong" can also refer to a dungeon or a small cell.
Malteseħabs
The Maltese word for prison, "ħabs", also has an alternative meaning, "confines" or "boundaries".
Norwegianfengsel
The word 'fengsel' is derived from the Old Norse word 'fanga', meaning 'to catch or capture'.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)prisão
The Portuguese word "prisão" derives from the Latin "prehensio", meaning "seizure" or "capture", and can also refer to a legal restraint, such as an injunction or arrest.
Scots Gaelicphrìosan
The Scots Gaelic word "phrìosan" is related to the Latin word "prensio" meaning "to seize" and the Irish word "príosún" meaning "a catch or trap".
Spanishprisión
"Prisión" also means "pressure" or "tightness" in Spanish.
Swedishfängelse
"Fängelse" in Swedish originates from the Old Norse word "fengsel", meaning "to catch" or "to hold captive."
Welshcarchar
Carchar is derived from the Middle Welsh term 'carchar' meaning 'enclosure' or 'confine'

Prison in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianтурма
The term "турма" is also used in some Slavic languages to refer to a prison or a place of detention.
Bosnianzatvor
"Zatvor" has several meanings in Bosnian, including "constipation", "closure" and "conclusion of a case or meeting".
Bulgarianзатвор
The Bulgarian word "затвор" is related to the Serbian words "zatvor" ("closure, imprisonment") and "zatvoriti" ("to close, to imprison").
Czechvězení
The word "vězení" comes from the Old Czech word "věziti," meaning "to bind" or "to hold captive."
Estonianvangla
Etymology of "vangla" is uncertain, but it may derive from German "fangen" (to catch) or Latin "vinculum" (bond).
Finnishvankila
Its Proto-Germanic origin means 'curved', which could relate to a type of prison.
Hungarianbörtön
The Hungarian word "börtön" ("prison") is derived from the Turkic word "börte" meaning "tent" or "dwelling place".
Latviancietums
The word "cietums" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "*ketjōną", which originally meant "to bind together".
Lithuaniankalėjimas
"Kalėjimas" also means "blacksmithing" in Lithuanian and comes from the verb "kalti" ("to forge")
Macedonianзатвор
The word "затвор" ("zatvor") also refers to a hermit's cell in an Eastern Orthodox monastery, where a monk lives in secluded prayer.
Polishwięzienie
The Polish word "więzienie" can also mean "a bond" or "a fetter".
Romanianînchisoare
"Închisoare" is derived from the Latin word "incarcerare", meaning "to imprison". In Romanian, it can also refer to a monastery or a place of confinement.
Russianтюрьма
The word "тюрьма" (prison) in Russian comes from the Turkic word "türmä", meaning "dwelling" or "place of confinement".
Serbianзатвор
The word "затвор" (prison) is derived from the verb "затворити" (to close), suggesting a place of confinement or isolation.
Slovakväzenie
The word "väzenie" (prison) is derived from the Slavic verb "vęzati" (to bind), implying confinement and restriction of movement.
Slovenianzapor
"Zapor" in Slovenian can also refer to a barrier or enclosure, not just a prison.
Ukrainianтюрма
The word "тюрма" (prison) in Ukrainian originates from the ancient Greek word "turme" (watchtower, dungeon).

Prison in South Asian Languages

Bengaliকারাগার
"কারাগার" can also mean "captivity," "bondage," or "slavery" in Bengali.
Gujaratiજેલ
"જેલ" can refer to prison or a lattice of any material
Hindiजेल व
The word "जेल" is derived from the Persian word "زندان" (zindān), meaning "a place of confinement".
Kannadaಜೈಲು
The word "ಜೈಲು" in Kannada is thought to be derived from the Portuguese word "gaiola" or the English word "jail", both meaning "prison".
Malayalamജയിൽ
The word "ജയിൽ" also means "successful" in Malayalam.
Marathiतुरुंग
"तुरुंग" (prison) originated from "तुरुंग" (cave) and was later used for prisons possibly due to caves being used as makeshift prisons in the past.
Nepaliजेल
The word "जेल" is derived from the Persian word "زندان" (zindān), meaning "dungeon" or "prison".
Punjabiਜੇਲ
In Punjabi, "jail" can also be used as a verb meaning "to confine" or "to restrain".
Sinhala (Sinhalese)බන්ධනාගාර
The Sinhala term 'bandanagara' for 'prison' derives from Sanskrit and originally referred to a 'residence of the bound'
Tamilசிறையில்
The Tamil word "சிறையில்" comes from the Sanskrit word "श्री" meaning "prosperous" or "auspicious", which is ironic considering its current meaning of "prison".
Teluguజైలు
The word "జైలు" (prison) is derived from the Persian word "زندان" (zindān), meaning "stronghold" or "dungeon".
Urduجیل
The word "جیل" ultimately derives from the Latin word "caveola", meaning "small cave".

Prison in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)监狱
The Chinese word "监狱" (jiànyù) literally means "to isolate and educate".
Chinese (Traditional)監獄
The character 監 (jiàn) in 監獄 originally meant 'to supervise', while 獄 (yù) meant 'a place of detention'. During the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE), the character 監獄 was officially adopted to refer to prisons.
Japanese刑務所
The word "刑務所" is derived from the Chinese word "刑務", meaning "punishment".
Korean감옥
감옥 is derived from the Middle Chinese word 'kám-ngiok' meaning 'locked building' and its original meaning was more like 'jail' or 'detention centre'.
Mongolianшорон
In some dialects of Mongolian, this word refers to “fence made of reeds” or “sheep fold”
Myanmar (Burmese)အကျဉ်းထောင်

Prison in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianpenjara
The Indonesian word "penjara" can also refer to a cage, an enclosure, or a place of confinement.
Javanesepakunjaran
Pakunjaran, derived from Sanskrit, originally meant 'island', and evolved to refer to a place of confinement due to its isolation.
Khmerពន្ធនាគារ
In Khmer, the word "ពន្ធនាគារ" literally means "a place where you are wrapped up in chains of snakes."
Laoຄຸກ
In Lao, the word "ຄຸກ" can also refer to a "cage" or a "pen".
Malaypenjara
The word "penjara" originally meant "cage" or "enclosure" in Javanese.
Thaiคุก
The word "คุก" also means "to cough" in Thai.
Vietnamesenhà tù
"Nhà tù" can also refer to a specific type of traditional Vietnamese architecture.
Filipino (Tagalog)bilangguan

Prison in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanihəbsxana
"Həbsxana" is derived from the Persian word "habs", meaning "custody", and the Azerbaijani suffix "-xana", meaning "place". It can also refer to a detention center or a juvenile detention facility.
Kazakhтүрме
The Kazakh word "түрме" is also used in Turkish and means "tomb" or "sepulcher".
Kyrgyzтүрмө
The word "түрмө" (tyurma) is not originally Kyrgyz but has been adopted from Russian and is a cognate of the Turkic word "тюрьма" (tyurma), meaning "place of confinement".
Tajikзиндон
"Зиндон" is an Arabic loanword meaning "dungeon" or "cell". In modern Tajik, it is used to refer to prisons in general.
Turkmentürme
Uzbekqamoqxona
Qamoqxona is derived from the Persian word "qamoghikhounah" which means "place of arrest and detention".
Uyghurتۈرمە

Prison in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianhale paʻahao
Historically 'hale pa'ahao' referred to prisons with walls of stone or coral.
Maoriwhare herehere
The word "whare herehere" in Maori can also refer to a house of corrections or a place of confinement.
Samoanfalepuipui
The word "falepuipui" derives from the Samoan words "fale" (house) and "puipui" (to enclose), suggesting its historical use as a place of confinement.
Tagalog (Filipino)kulungan
The Tagalog word "kulungan" is derived from the root word "kulong," which means "to confine" or "to imprison."

Prison in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarajariyawi
Guaranika'irãi

Prison in International Languages

Esperantomalliberejo
"Malliberejo" literally means "free-unplace" or "not-liberty-place", which reflects the negative connotation associated with prison.
Latincarcerem
The word "carcerem" originates from the Latin verb "carcere," meaning "to enclose," and its root is shared with the word "coercive."

Prison in Others Languages

Greekφυλακή
The word 'φυλακή' (prison) in Greek also means 'guard', 'watch', or 'protection'.
Hmongnkuaj
The word "nkuaj" is possibly derived from the Vietnamese word "ngục," meaning "prison."
Kurdishgirtîgeh
The word 'girtîgeh' is derived from the Persian word 'gerdīgah', which means 'a place where people are detained'.
Turkishhapishane
The word "hapishane" originates from the Persian word "habs" meaning "detention" and the Turkish suffix "-hane" meaning "house".
Xhosaintolongo
The word 'intolongo' in Xhosa also carries connotations of isolation and containment.
Yiddishטורמע
In Hebrew, "טורמע" originally meant "wall" or "barrier" and was only later used figuratively to refer to "prison".
Zuluijele
The word "ijele" in Zulu, meaning "prison," is etymologically related to the verb "jele," meaning "to lock up or imprison."
Assameseকাৰাগাৰ
Aymarajariyawi
Bhojpuriजेल
Dhivehiޖަލު
Dogriजै'ल
Filipino (Tagalog)bilangguan
Guaranika'irãi
Ilocanopagbaludan
Kriojel
Kurdish (Sorani)بەندیخانە
Maithiliकारागार
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯐꯥꯗꯣꯛꯁꯪ
Mizolungin
Oromomana hidhaa
Odia (Oriya)କାରାଗାର
Quechuaatisanka wasi
Sanskritकारागृह
Tatarтөрмә
Tigrinyaእስር ቤት
Tsongakhotso

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