Room in different languages

Room in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word "room" holds a significant place in our daily lives, often acting as a versatile space that adapts to our various needs. It can be a place for relaxation, work, or socializing, depending on its purpose and design. Throughout history, rooms have played a crucial role in shaping cultural experiences, from the grand halls of ancient castles to the minimalist interiors of modern homes.

Moreover, the concept of a room transcends linguistic boundaries, making it a fascinating subject for language enthusiasts. For instance, did you know that the French equivalent of "room" is "chambre", while in Spanish, it is "habitación"? These translations not only offer insights into the vocabulary of different languages but also provide a glimpse into the unique ways various cultures perceive and utilize space.

In this article, we delve into the translations of the word "room" in a variety of languages, from the familiar to the exotic. Prepare to embark on a linguistic and cultural journey that will expand your understanding of this common yet intriguing term.

Room


Room in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaanskamer
The Afrikaans word "kamer" derives from the Dutch word "kamer", which meant "a small, windowless room" in Middle Dutch.
Amharicክፍል
"ክፍል" means space, division, or portion in Amharic and refers to more than just a room.
Hausadaki
"Daki" in Hausa can also refer to a prison cell or the area of a house dedicated to young adult children.
Igboime ụlọ
The Igbo word “ime ụlọ” means “inside the house,” and it is often shortened to simply “ime.”
Malagasyefitra
"Efitra" also means "wife" or "spouse" in Malagasy, suggesting its historical function as a living space for married couples.
Nyanja (Chichewa)chipinda
"Chipinda" can also refer to a traditional hut or a small hut-like structure.
Shonaimba
The word "imba" in Shona can also refer to a shelter, a hut, or a place of residence.
Somaliqol
The term "Qol" in Somali can also refer to a chamber in a house or a prison cell.
Sesothokamore
The word "kamore" in Sesotho can also refer to a specific type of room used for traditional ceremonies or rituals.
Swahilichumba
The Swahili word "chumba" can also refer to a prison cell, a private apartment, or a cubicle and originates from the Arabic "ghurfa".
Xhosaigumbi
The word "igumbi" can also refer to a specific room within a house, such as the kitchen or the bedroom.
Yorubayara
The Yoruba word 'yara' can also mean 'chamber', 'apartment' or 'den'.
Zuluigumbi
The word "igumbi" derives from the Nguni root "-gumba", meaning "to be shut or closed," suggesting a private or enclosed space.
Bambarasoden
Ewe
Kinyarwandaicyumba
Lingalachambre
Lugandaekisenge
Sepedikamora
Twi (Akan)dan mu

Room in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicغرفة
The word "غرفة" can also refer to a place where a person resides (e.g., a home) or a place of business (e.g., an office).
Hebrewחֶדֶר
The Hebrew word "חדר" (room) also refers to a "chamber in the heart" or the "inner sanctum" of a temple.
Pashtoکوټه
The word "کوټه" in Pashto is derived from the Persian word "اتاق" (atāq) and the Sanskrit word "कुटी" (kuṭī), both meaning "room" or "house". It can also mean "place" or "location" in a more general sense.
Arabicغرفة
The word "غرفة" can also refer to a place where a person resides (e.g., a home) or a place of business (e.g., an office).

Room in Western European Languages

Albaniandhoma
The word "dhoma" in Albanian is derived from the Proto-Albanian "*dhau̯mō", which originally meant "dwelling" or "hut".
Basquegela
The word 'gela' is also used in Basque to refer to a 'classroom' or a 'group of people'.
Catalanhabitació
The term "habitació" (room) in Catalan is derived from the Latin word "habitare," meaning "to dwell" or "to inhabit."
Croatiansoba
The word 'soba' also refers to a 'barrel', suggesting its original usage as a storage space.
Danishværelse
The word "værelse" in Danish is related to the word "være," meaning "to be" or "to exist," suggesting a room as a space where one can be or exist.
Dutchkamer
The word "kamer" is cognate with the English "chamber" and originally denoted a private room within a palace.
Englishroom
The word 'room' also means 'space', as in 'there is no room for doubt'
Frenchpièce
French word "pièce" originates from Latin "pensum" meaning task or assignment - a room being a space for work or rest.
Frisiankeamer
The Dutch word "kamer", from which "keamer" ultimately derives, is first recorded in 1387 as "camere", and is likely derived from French "chambre" or Latin "camera".
Galiciancuarto
In Galician, "cuarto" also means "a quarter" or "a quarter of an hour."
Germanzimmer
In certain dialects, 'Zimmer' can also refer to small enclosures or compartments, such as 'cow chambers' or 'dog kennels'.
Icelandicherbergi
The word "herbergi" originally meant "resting place" or "shelter"
Irishseomra
The word "seomra" in Irish can also refer to a chamber, a compartment, or a space.
Italiancamera
The origin of the Italian word 'camera' has another interpretation, deriving from the Greek 'kammara', which translates to 'vault'.
Luxembourgishzëmmer
The word "Zëmmer" is derived from the Latin "camera", meaning "vaulted chamber" or "room".
Maltesekamra
The word "kamra" originally meant "chamber" or "cabin" and is also used to refer to a prison cell.
Norwegianrom
The Norwegian word "rom" has its roots in the Old Norse word "rúm", meaning "space" or "place".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)quarto
In Portuguese (both Portugal and Brazil), "quarto" also means a musical interval of a fourth.
Scots Gaelicrùm
The Gaelic word "rùm" can also refer to a meadow, pasture, or open space.
Spanishhabitación
"Habitación" comes from the Latin "habitare" (to dwell), and originally meant "dwelling place" or "house".
Swedishrum
In Swedish, "rum" also means "space" or "volume".
Welshystafell
The word 'ystafell' can also refer to a 'stable', 'parlour' or 'study'.

Room in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianпакой
The word "пакой" in Belarusian language can also mean a "corpse" or a "dead body".
Bosniansoba
In Bosnian, the word "soba" can also mean a "hall" or "apartment", and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*izba", meaning "a heated living space".
Bulgarianстая
The word "стая" derives from the Proto-Slavic root "*stъja" which refers to the place where a flock (especially of birds) stays.
Czechpokoj, místnost
The word "pokoj" is also a Slavic word for "peace" and "quiet."
Estoniantuba
In the Võro dialect of Estonian, "tuba" can also mean "house" or "flat".
Finnishhuone
In Finnish, the word "huone" can have different meanings, depending on the context, such as a "room" in a building or a "cell" in a structure.
Hungarianszoba
Despite its use for "room" today, "szoba" likely derives from the Ottoman Turkish word for "hall" or "chamber"
Latvianistaba
The word "istaba" is derived from the Proto-Baltic *stubā, and is cognate with the Lithuanian stuba, the Old Prussian stubo, and the Gothic stoba, all meaning "room."
Lithuaniankambarys
The word "kambarys" in Lithuanian possibly evolved from the word "komora" meaning "storeroom" in Old Prussian.
Macedonianсоба
In Turkish, 'soba' means 'stove' and in Romanian it means 'wife'.
Polishpokój
The Polish word "Pokój" has several meanings, including "room", "peace", and "reconciliation."
Romaniancameră
"Cameră" (room) comes from the Latin word for "chamber" or "room": camera.
Russianкомната
The word "комната" can also mean "compartment" or "apartment".
Serbianсоба
The Serbian word "соба" can also refer to a dog house or a cell in a prison.
Slovakmiestnosti
The word "místnost" originally meant "a place" or "a space" in Old Church Slavonic.
Sloveniansobi
The word "sobi" in Slovenian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *sъba, which also meant "apartment" or "dwelling".
Ukrainianкімнати
The word “кімнати” (“room”) is a plural form of “кімната”, derived from the Proto-Slavic word “komъnata”, from Proto-Indo-European “*kam-”, meaning “to hide, cover”. It can also refer to a chamber or apartment.

Room in South Asian Languages

Bengaliঘর
The word "ঘর" in Bengali is derived from the Sanskrit word "गृह" (gr̥ha), meaning "house" or "dwelling."
Gujaratiઓરડો
The Gujarati word "ઓરડો" also means "an enclosed part of a building". In other Indian languages this word often denotes "a hall". In Gujarati literature it has been used since ancient times for "a tent" as well.
Hindiकक्ष
The Sanskrit word "kaksham" (arm pit) is the origin of the Hindi word "kaks" (arm pit), which through a semantic extension, also means "room".
Kannadaಕೊಠಡಿ
The word "ಕೊಠಡಿ" is also used to refer to a section or division of a larger space, such as a room in a house or a compartment in a train.
Malayalamമുറി
In Malayalam, "മുറി" (room) is derived from the root "മുറ" (to cut or divide), indicating its function as a space separated from larger areas.
Marathiखोली
Also called "kholi", a "kothri" is a small traditional hut with thatched roof and mud walls used as a dwelling, especially in the Konkan region of Maharashtra.
Nepaliकोठा
Punjabiਕਮਰਾ
The word "ਕਮਰਾ" can also refer to a specific room in a house, such as a bedroom or a living room.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)කාමරය
The word "කාමරය" in Sinhala can also refer to a chamber or a section of a building.
Tamilஅறை
The Tamil word "അறை" also means "fight" or "quarrel".
Teluguగది
The word "గది" (room) in Telugu is derived from the Proto-Dravidian root *kaṭi, meaning "a space or enclosure".
Urduکمرہ
It shares an etymology with "kamar" which means "belt" and "waist" in Hindi.

Room in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)房间
房间 in Chinese, pronounced fángjiān, originally meant 'the space between two pillars' or 'the space for one pillar', indicating a spatial concept.
Chinese (Traditional)房間
房間 (room) comes from the Old Chinese word 宏, meaning 'large'.
Japaneseルーム
The word "ルーム" (room) is derived from the English word "room" and can also refer to a space, area, or compartment within a larger structure.
Korean
The Korean word "방" ("room") can also refer to a house, a space, or a compartment, and its root word means "to divide" or "to enclose."
Mongolianөрөө
The word "өрөө" can also refer to a yurt or a specific part of a yurt
Myanmar (Burmese)အခန်း
The word "အခန်း" can also refer to a space or division within a larger area, such as a room within a house or a chapter within a book.

Room in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiankamar
The word "kamar" can also refer to a chamber in a firearm or the interior of a vehicle.
Javanesekamar
Javanese "kamar" (room) is cognate with Malay "bilik" and Sanskrit "griha" (house).
Khmerបន្ទប់
បន្ទប់ derives from the Sanskrit word 'panth' which referred to a wayside shelter and resting place along roads or forests.
Laoຫ້ອງ
The Lao word ຫ້ອງ (hɔ̌ɔŋ) is derived from the Proto-Tai word *ʔɔːŋ, which also means "house" or "building."
Malaybilik
Bilik can also refer to a compartment within a plant or animal, such as a flower's ovary or a bird's nest.
Thaiห้อง
The word "ห้อง" (room) in Thai, is derived from the Sanskrit word "कोष्ठ" (kostha), meaning "cavity" or "chamber."
Vietnamesephòng
"Phòng" shares its etymology with the word "phòng" meaning "defence".
Filipino (Tagalog)silid

Room in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniotaq
In Kazakh and Uzbek, "otaq" means "yurt", a portable, round tent covered with skins or felt.
Kazakhбөлме
The word "бөлме" is also used to refer to a division or section of a country, organization, or department.
Kyrgyzбөлмө
The Kyrgyz word "бөлмө" also refers to a small section or division within a larger space.
Tajikҳуҷра
The word "ҳуҷра" (room) in Tajik is derived from the Arabic word "حجرة" (room, chamber) and has the alternate meaning of "a cell or room in a monastery or other religious institution".
Turkmenotag
Uzbekxona
"Xona" is cognate with the Persian word "khaneh", meaning "house", and is used in Uzbek to refer to a room within a house or building.
Uyghurياتاق

Room in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianlumi
The Hawaiian word "lumi" also signifies "shelter" or "dwelling place"
Maoriruuma
"Ruuma" is not the Maori word for "room"; its literal translation is "belly".
Samoanpotu
The word "potu" can also mean "house" or "building" in Samoan.
Tagalog (Filipino)silid
The word 'silid' in Tagalog is derived from the Sanskrit word 'shalya', which means 'house' or 'dwelling'.

Room in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarauta
Guaraniirundyha

Room in International Languages

Esperantoĉambro
Ĉambro derives from Latin camera, which referred to a vaulted space or room and is the root for many English words including chamber, camera, and chimney.
Latinlocus
The Latin word _locus_ not only means a `room`, but a location, position (in space/time) or passage (in a book).

Room in Others Languages

Greekδωμάτιο
The word also shares a common root with the word
Hmongchav tsev
The term "chav tsev" in Hmong can also refer to a gathering place or venue.
Kurdishjûre
Kurdish "jûre" also means "dwelling" and derives from the Proto-Indo-European word "*h₂ew-es-ro-", meaning "hearth".
Turkishoda
The word "oda" originates from the Arabic word "ghawthah" meaning "help or assistance" and came to Turkish through Persian during the Seljuk era
Xhosaigumbi
The word "igumbi" can also refer to a specific room within a house, such as the kitchen or the bedroom.
Yiddishצימער
"צימער" also means a prison cell in Yiddish.
Zuluigumbi
The word "igumbi" derives from the Nguni root "-gumba", meaning "to be shut or closed," suggesting a private or enclosed space.
Assameseকোঠা
Aymarauta
Bhojpuriकमरा
Dhivehiކޮޓަރި
Dogriकमरा
Filipino (Tagalog)silid
Guaraniirundyha
Ilocanokuarto
Kriorum
Kurdish (Sorani)ژوور
Maithiliकमरा
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯀꯥ
Mizopindan
Oromokutaa
Odia (Oriya)କୋଠରୀ
Quechuahabitacion
Sanskritकक्ष
Tatarбүлмә
Tigrinyaክፍሊ
Tsongakamara

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