Pure in Different Languages
Discover 'Pure' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'pure' holds a profound significance across cultures and languages, denoting something free from contamination, corruption, or adulteration. Its cultural importance is evident in various contexts, from religious ceremonies to artistic expressions, where purity is often associated with innocence, truth, and perfection.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'pure' in different languages can provide unique insights into the values and beliefs of various cultures. For instance, in Sanskrit, 'pure' translates to 'shuddha', emphasizing the concept of spiritual purity, while in Hebrew, 'pure' is 'tahor', which also implies a state of ritual cleanliness.
Did you know that the English word 'pure' originates from the Old French 'pure', which means 'unmixed, unadulterated, or sincere'? This historical context underscores the enduring significance of purity as an ideal.
Given the universal appeal of the concept of purity, it's no surprise that many are curious about how to express this idea in different languages. Here are some translations of 'pure' to pique your interest:
Pure
Pure in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | suiwer | ||
| The word "suiwer" is derived from the Dutch word "zuider", meaning "southern", and was originally used to refer to the purity of the water in the southern rivers of South Africa. | |||
| Amharic | ንፁህ | ||
| Etymology: from the Semitic root ṣḥḥ (pure, unblemished). | |||
| Hausa | tsarkakakke | ||
| In Hausa, the word 'tsarkakakke' can refer to both 'cleanliness' and 'chastity'. | |||
| Igbo | dị ọcha | ||
| Igbo word "dị ọcha" derives from the root "ọcha" meaning "white," emphasizing the association between purity and the color white in Igbo culture. | |||
| Malagasy | madio | ||
| The word "madio" in Malagasy can also mean "in vain" or "without success". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zoyera | ||
| The verb 'zoyera' means 'to be clean,' 'to be free of spots or stains,' but there is a second meaning. When applied to someone's thoughts, 'zoyera' might mean "clear,' "unconfused' or 'unclouded. | |||
| Shona | yakachena | ||
| The word 'yakachena' in Shona can also refer to something that is unblemished, spotless, or flawless. | |||
| Somali | saafi ah | ||
| The word "saafi ah" can also refer to something being clean or free from error. | |||
| Sesotho | hloekile | ||
| The word "hloekile" comes from the same root as "ho lekanya", meaning "to be free from dirt"} | |||
| Swahili | safi | ||
| The word "safi" in Swahili is derived from the Arabic word "safa" meaning "clean, clear". | |||
| Xhosa | nyulu | ||
| In Xhosa, "nyulu" also means "a small, smooth pebble used for playing the game of intsomi". | |||
| Yoruba | funfun | ||
| In Yoruba, the word “funfun” can also mean “white” or “fair-skinned,” and is often used to describe a person's complexion. | |||
| Zulu | umsulwa | ||
| Zulu "umsulwa" translates to "pure" or "cleansed", and also refers to a traditional cleansing ceremony. | |||
| Bambara | yɛrɛyɛrɛ | ||
| Ewe | si me kɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | cyera | ||
| Lingala | peto | ||
| Luganda | obutukuvu | ||
| Sepedi | hlwekile | ||
| Twi (Akan) | korogyee | ||
Pure in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نقي | ||
| نقي - نقئ نقاء و نقاءه تنقيته من الشوائب و النقء هو الكدر و النقي ايضا نقي الكلام لغة و هو ما لا يعتاده الناس و لا يعرفه إلا اللغويون و أهل العلم. | |||
| Hebrew | טָהוֹר | ||
| The Hebrew word טָהוֹר (pure) is related to the Arabic word طَهَر, which means 'to cleanse' | |||
| Pashto | پاک | ||
| The word "پاک" in Pashto also means "holy" or "cleansed". | |||
| Arabic | نقي | ||
| نقي - نقئ نقاء و نقاءه تنقيته من الشوائب و النقء هو الكدر و النقي ايضا نقي الكلام لغة و هو ما لا يعتاده الناس و لا يعرفه إلا اللغويون و أهل العلم. | |||
Pure in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i pastër | ||
| The word "i pastër" in Albanian is derived from the Proto-Albanian word *pastër, which is related to the Greek word άγνος (hagnos), meaning "pure". It also has the alternate meaning of "clear" or "transparent". | |||
| Basque | hutsa | ||
| The Basque word "hutsa" means "empty" or "lacking", and is often used to describe a space that is devoid of objects or people. | |||
| Catalan | pur | ||
| Catalan 'pur' comes from Latin 'purus' but also means 'very' or 'simply'. This is because 'purus' meant both 'pure' and 'all'. | |||
| Croatian | čist | ||
| In Old Church Slavonic, čistь can also mean 'frequently', 'often'. | |||
| Danish | ren | ||
| In Danish, the word "ren" can also refer to cleaning tools such as brooms or brushes. | |||
| Dutch | zuiver | ||
| In the Limburgish dialect of Dutch, 'zuiver' can also refer to a 'cow giving milk for the first time'. | |||
| English | pure | ||
| The word 'pure' comes from the Latin word 'purus', meaning 'clean' or 'free of impurities'. | |||
| French | pur | ||
| In French, "pur" also means "free of error" or "of high quality." | |||
| Frisian | suver | ||
| The Frisian word 'suver' is likely derived from the Pre-Germanic root *sweh₂ 'one's own'. | |||
| Galician | puro | ||
| Although "puro" in Galician shares the same etymological root with "puro" in Spanish and Portuguese, it is not used as an adjective referring to the absence of impurities, but rather as a noun used to refer to a type of cigar. | |||
| German | rein | ||
| The German word "rein" can also mean "clean" or "clear", and is related to the English verb "to cleanse". | |||
| Icelandic | hreint | ||
| Hreint is also used in various Old Norse compound words that have no equivalent in Modern English such as hreinfetill, meaning 'purifying cauldron'. | |||
| Irish | íon | ||
| The word "íon" in Irish can also refer to a meadow or pasture. | |||
| Italian | puro | ||
| The Italian word "puro" derives from the Latin word "purus," meaning "pure," but can also refer to "pure wool" or "purebred." | |||
| Luxembourgish | pur | ||
| The word "pur" in Luxembourgish has the same meaning as the German word "pur" and can also mean "simply" or "exclusively". | |||
| Maltese | pur | ||
| In Maltese, "pur" can mean both "pure" and "clean," likely due to the influence of Italian or Sicilian. | |||
| Norwegian | ren | ||
| The word "ren" in Norwegian can also mean "clean" or "neat". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | puro | ||
| The Portuguese word "puro" can also mean "genuine, authentic" and "unadulterated." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fìor-ghlan | ||
| Its second meaning is “innocent” or “chaste”. | |||
| Spanish | puro | ||
| The Spanish word "puro" can also refer to a type of cigar or a traditional Mexican stew. | |||
| Swedish | ren | ||
| "Ren" also means "rain" in the old Swedish words, "regna". | |||
| Welsh | pur | ||
| The Welsh word "pur" can also mean a "gentleman". | |||
Pure in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | чысты | ||
| The word "чысты" can also mean "clean" or "clear" in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | čisto | ||
| "Čisto" in Bosnian can also mean "only" or "just". | |||
| Bulgarian | чист | ||
| The word "чист" in Bulgarian is used to describe a state of physical or moral purity, and in some contexts it can also mean "neat" or "tidy". | |||
| Czech | čistý | ||
| The word "čistý" also means "clear" or "transparent" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | puhas | ||
| The Estonian word 'puhas' likely derives from Proto-Uralic '*puča', meaning 'to clean'. | |||
| Finnish | puhdas | ||
| The word 'puhdas' shares a root with 'puhdistaa', which means 'to clean' and 'purify' | |||
| Hungarian | tiszta | ||
| "Tiszta" comes from the Proto-Uralic "*tiśta" meaning "clear, pure" and also means "neat" and "clean" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | tīrs | ||
| The word "tīrs" in Latvian also means "clean" or "unblemished". | |||
| Lithuanian | grynas | ||
| Grynas derives from the Proto-Indo-European word *ǵʰer- meaning 'to warm, shine' and is related to žarija ('ember') and žarstyti ('to sprinkle'). | |||
| Macedonian | чиста | ||
| The word "чиста" can also mean "clean" or "innocent" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | czysty | ||
| The word 'czysty' also means 'neat', as in having a tidy appearance. | |||
| Romanian | pur | ||
| The word "pur" in Romanian can also mean "very", "very good", or "real". | |||
| Russian | чистый | ||
| The Russian word "чистый" ("pure") can also mean "blank," "clear," "empty," or "free" | |||
| Serbian | чиста | ||
| The Serbian word "чиста" also means "clear" or "blank" indicating the absence of impurities or marks. | |||
| Slovak | čistý | ||
| Čistý derives from the verb "čistiť" meaning "to clean", and thus can also mean "cleaned" or "cleansed". | |||
| Slovenian | čisto | ||
| 'Čisto' can also mean 'only' or 'just' in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | чистий | ||
| Чистий shares a root with its English cognate “clean” from an Indo-European root meaning “to wash”. | |||
Pure in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | খাঁটি | ||
| The word 'খাঁটি' originates from the Sanskrit word 'kānti' meaning 'lustre' or 'brightness'. | |||
| Gujarati | શુદ્ધ | ||
| The Gujarati word "Shudh" is cognate with the Sanskrit word "Shuddh" and the Latin word "Purus", which also mean "pure". | |||
| Hindi | शुद्ध | ||
| The word 'शुद्ध' also means 'correct', 'faultless', or 'accurate', alluding to its primary meaning of 'pure' or 'clean'. | |||
| Kannada | ಶುದ್ಧ | ||
| In Kannada, "ಶುದ್ಧ" means not only "pure" but also "clear" or "unadulterated". | |||
| Malayalam | ശുദ്ധം | ||
| The Malayalam word 'ശുദ്ധം' derives from Sanskrit, and it can mean 'complete', 'unmixed', 'refined', or 'authentic', among other meanings. | |||
| Marathi | शुद्ध | ||
| The word 'शुद्ध' in Marathi also means 'correct' or 'accurate'. | |||
| Nepali | शुद्ध | ||
| The word "शुद्ध" in Nepali can also mean "correct" or "accurate". | |||
| Punjabi | ਸ਼ੁੱਧ | ||
| The word "ਸ਼ੁੱਧ" (pure) in Punjabi also means "accurate" or "correct". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පිරිසිදුයි | ||
| Tamil | தூய்மையானது | ||
| Telugu | స్వచ్ఛమైన | ||
| "స్వచ్ఛ" (pure) is derived from the Sanskrit word "suddha," and also means "clear," "uncontaminated," or "undefiled." | |||
| Urdu | خالص | ||
| The word "خالص" also means "genuine", "true", or "unadulterated" in Urdu. | |||
Pure in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 纯 | ||
| 纯 (chún) also means 'complete' or 'genuine' and is associated with the notion of 'simplicity', as in '淳朴' (chúnpǔ = simple and honest). | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 純 | ||
| The character 純 can also refer to 'thorough' or 'concentrated'. | |||
| Japanese | ピュア | ||
| The word "ピュア" (pure) in Japanese can also refer to a person who is uninitiated or inexperienced. | |||
| Korean | 순수한 | ||
| The word 순수한 (pure) is derived from the Middle Korean word 순수히 (completely), which in turn is derived from the Chinese word 純粹 (pure). | |||
| Mongolian | цэвэр | ||
| "Цэвэр" can also mean 'bright' and is derived from the Proto-Mongolic root *čebür meaning 'light' or 'clear'" | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စင်ကြယ်သည် | ||
| The word “စင်ကြာ” (“sin kra” or “bright”) is also a synonym of “pure” and can be used as a noun, meaning “moon light”. | |||
Pure in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | murni | ||
| "Murni" in Indonesian has the same origin as "morality" in English, both deriving from the Latin "mos, moris" meaning "custom, habit." | |||
| Javanese | murni | ||
| Murni means both 'pure' and 'complete' in Javanese, reflecting its cultural emphasis on the wholeness and integrity of things. | |||
| Khmer | សុទ្ធ | ||
| 'សុទ្ធ' (suddh) is a Pali loanword that also means 'free from defilements', 'uncontaminated', 'unadulterated', and 'genuine'. | |||
| Lao | ບໍລິສຸດ | ||
| The ບໍລິສຸດ (“pure”) is cognate with the Sanskrit word “pārisuddha,” meaning something that has been “thoroughly purified.” | |||
| Malay | suci | ||
| "Suci" comes from the Sanskrit word "शुचि" (śuci) and can also mean "clean" or "bright" in Malay. | |||
| Thai | บริสุทธิ์ | ||
| The Thai word "บริสุทธิ์" also means "innocent", "untainted", "holy", "chaste", "spotless", "unadulterated", and "genuine". | |||
| Vietnamese | nguyên chất | ||
| "Nguyên chất" also means "essential" and "elemental" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | dalisay | ||
Pure in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | təmiz | ||
| The word "təmiz" also means "bright" or "light" in Azerbaijani, reflecting its connection to purity and cleanliness. | |||
| Kazakh | таза | ||
| The word "таза" in Kazakh can also refer to "cleanliness" or "purity". | |||
| Kyrgyz | таза | ||
| The word таза (pure) also refers to a kind of fabric used in traditional Kyrgyz clothing. | |||
| Tajik | пок | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "pure", "пок" can also convey the concept of "absolute", "unadulterated", or "untainted" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | arassa | ||
| Uzbek | toza | ||
| The word "toza" also means "full" or "complete" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | ساپ | ||
Pure in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | maemae | ||
| The word "maemae" in Hawaiian also means "to be clear or transparent". | |||
| Maori | ma | ||
| The word “ma” can also signify a separation from something, as it is a prefix to many words denoting a state of being without, such as “māori” and “mākete.” | |||
| Samoan | mamā | ||
| The word "mamā" in Samoan can also mean "sacred" or "holy". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | puro | ||
| The Tagalog word "puro" is derived from the Malay word "buroh" which means "pure", "unadulterated", or "genuine". | |||
Pure in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | puru | ||
| Guarani | marã'ỹ | ||
Pure in International Languages
| Esperanto | pura | ||
| The word "pura" in Esperanto, originally meaning "sheer" or "mere," has taken on the connotation of "unadulterated" or "genuine" over time. | |||
| Latin | pura | ||
| The word "pura" in Latin also referred to a priestly assembly, a temple building, or a sacred space. | |||
Pure in Others Languages
| Greek | καθαρος | ||
| "Καθαρός" is also used as a synonym for "clean," "spotless," "uncontaminated," and "unmixed." | |||
| Hmong | ntshiab | ||
| "Ntshiab" is derived from proto-Hmong-Mien *ɲ-tɕʰiəp, also meaning "salty." | |||
| Kurdish | safî | ||
| The word "safî" in Kurdish can also mean "clear, bright, or transparent" | |||
| Turkish | saf | ||
| The word "saf" in Turkish originally meant a row or line in battle formation. | |||
| Xhosa | nyulu | ||
| In Xhosa, "nyulu" also means "a small, smooth pebble used for playing the game of intsomi". | |||
| Yiddish | ריין | ||
| Yiddish ריין "pure" also means "rain" and is related to Old English "rīne" and Middle Dutch "reen," also meaning rain. | |||
| Zulu | umsulwa | ||
| Zulu "umsulwa" translates to "pure" or "cleansed", and also refers to a traditional cleansing ceremony. | |||
| Assamese | বিশুদ্ধ | ||
| Aymara | puru | ||
| Bhojpuri | पवित्र | ||
| Dhivehi | ސާފުތާހިރު | ||
| Dogri | शुद्ध | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | dalisay | ||
| Guarani | marã'ỹ | ||
| Ilocano | puro | ||
| Krio | klin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پاک | ||
| Maithili | शुद्ध | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯁꯦꯡꯕ | ||
| Mizo | fir | ||
| Oromo | calala | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଶୁଦ୍ଧ | ||
| Quechua | chuya sunqu | ||
| Sanskrit | पवित्र | ||
| Tatar | саф | ||
| Tigrinya | ፅሩይ | ||
| Tsonga | tenga | ||