Rough in Different Languages
Discover 'Rough' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'rough' is a common English term that can have a variety of meanings and uses. At its most basic level, 'rough' can describe a textured surface that is coarse or abrasive to the touch. However, 'rough' can also be used to describe an estimate or approximation, as in 'give me a rough idea of how long it will take.'
Beyond its practical uses, 'rough' also has cultural significance. In music, a 'rough mix' refers to an early version of a song that still needs refinement. In literature, a 'rough draft' is a preliminary version of a piece of writing that will be revised and edited. And in everyday speech, 'rough' can be used to describe a difficult or challenging situation.
Given its versatility and importance, it's no wonder that people around the world might want to know how to say 'rough' in different languages. Below, you'll find a list of translations for 'rough' in a variety of languages, from Spanish and French to Chinese and Arabic.
Rough
Rough in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | rof | ||
| The Afrikaans word "rof" has Old Dutch and Old High German roots and also means "coarse, shaggy, disheveled," "wild, untamed," or "uncultivated." | |||
| Amharic | ሻካራ | ||
| "ሻካራ" is derived from the onomatopoeia "ሻክ" (a scratching sound) and its causative form "ሻካረ". | |||
| Hausa | m | ||
| The Hausa word for "rough" is a homograph with 6 different meanings, 4 of them nominal and 2 verbal. | |||
| Igbo | ike ike | ||
| In Igbo, the word 'ike ike' also means 'very strong' or 'difficult'. | |||
| Malagasy | lava volo | ||
| The word "lava volo" in Malagasy can also mean "coarse" or "rough to the touch." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | akhakula | ||
| The word "akhakula" is also used to describe the surface of something that has not been polished or refined. | |||
| Shona | rough | ||
| The Shona word "rough" derives from the verb "kurova", meaning "to plow". In addition to its literal meaning, it is also used to describe someone who is uncouth or unrefined. | |||
| Somali | qallafsan | ||
| The word 'qallafsan' is derived from the Arabic word 'qallaf,' which means 'to peel' or 'to shave'. | |||
| Sesotho | kaba | ||
| In Sesotho, "kaba" can also refer to anything that is unripe, immature, or raw. | |||
| Swahili | mbaya | ||
| The word "mbaya" also conveys various negative connotations depending on the context, sometimes even suggesting something harmful or wicked. | |||
| Xhosa | erhabaxa | ||
| The word "erhabaxa" in Xhosa has alternate meanings of "rough terrain" and "difficult to traverse." | |||
| Yoruba | ti o ni inira | ||
| "Ti o ni inira" also means "having a strong or rough tongue" or "one who is difficult to convince or handle" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | kabuhlungu | ||
| In Xhosa, the word "kabuhlungu" also refers to a type of rough, coarse cloth made from animal hide or bark. | |||
| Bambara | gɛlɛnman | ||
| Ewe | ƒlatsa | ||
| Kinyarwanda | bikabije | ||
| Lingala | makasi | ||
| Luganda | obukakanyavu | ||
| Sepedi | makgwakgwa | ||
| Twi (Akan) | basaa | ||
Rough in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الخام | ||
| The Arabic word "الخام" can also refer to a type of raw silk or to something that is unprocessed or unfinished. | |||
| Hebrew | מְחוּספָּס | ||
| The word מְחוּספָּס, meaning "rough" in modern Hebrew, is derived from the root חרץ, meaning "to engrave". | |||
| Pashto | خراب | ||
| The word "خراب" in Pashto can also refer to a ruined or destroyed place. | |||
| Arabic | الخام | ||
| The Arabic word "الخام" can also refer to a type of raw silk or to something that is unprocessed or unfinished. | |||
Rough in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i përafërt | ||
| The word "i përafërt" can also mean "approximate" or "nearby". | |||
| Basque | latza | ||
| Latza may derive from the proto-Basque term *latsa 'cold', and may originally have meant 'freezing'. | |||
| Catalan | aspre | ||
| The word 'aspre' in Catalan can also refer to something that is harsh, bitter, or difficult. | |||
| Croatian | hrapav | ||
| 'Hrapav' might be connected to the word 'hrabriti' ('to encourage'), but their semantic evolution is uncertain. | |||
| Danish | ru | ||
| The Danish word "ru" is also an archaic form of "ry" (rye) and can refer to a type of coarse bread made from rye flour. | |||
| Dutch | ruw | ||
| Ruig is also used in the Netherlands to describe someone's hair, or fur, meaning unkempt or shaggy. | |||
| English | rough | ||
| The word "rough" derives from the Old English word "ruh", meaning "hairy" or "shaggy." | |||
| French | rugueux | ||
| "Rugueux" comes from the Latin "rugosus" meaning "wrinkled," from the root "ruga." The word "ruga" itself can mean both "wrinkle" and "street," and is related to the English word "rut." | |||
| Frisian | rûch | ||
| The word “rûch” (“rough”) in Frisian can also mean “hairy” and is cognate with the English word “rug”. | |||
| Galician | bruto | ||
| "Bruto" in Galician can also mean "uneducated" or "uncouth". | |||
| German | rau | ||
| In botany, 'rau' refers to plants with hairy or bristly leaves, while in mineralogy, it describes stones with a rough surface. | |||
| Icelandic | gróft | ||
| The word "gróft" shares an etymology with the English word "gravitas," meaning "seriousness" or "dignity." | |||
| Irish | garbh | ||
| The Modern Irish term 'garbh' may come from the reconstructed Proto-Celtic word 'karbos', meaning 'horned'. | |||
| Italian | ruvido | ||
| The Italian "ruvido" can also mean "harsh" in the sense of unpleasant or offensive speech. | |||
| Luxembourgish | graff | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "graff" is a cognate of the German word "grob", and it can also mean "coarse" or "crude". | |||
| Maltese | mhux maħduma | ||
| The Maltese word "mhux maħduma" literally translates to "not worked" in English, hinting at its original meaning of "unworked, raw, or unfinished". | |||
| Norwegian | ujevn | ||
| "Ujevn" is derived from the Old Norse word "ójafn," meaning "unequal" or "undulating." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | rude | ||
| The Portuguese word "rude" (pronounced [ˈʁudi]), which is also used in Brazil, comes from the Latin "rudis", meaning "rough," and has a similar meaning to its English cognate, but also carries the meaning of "unrefined" or "uncouth" behavior. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | garbh | ||
| The Gaelic word "garbh" originates from Old Irish "garb," meaning rough or coarse, and is cognate with Welsh "garw" and Cornish "garow". | |||
| Spanish | áspero | ||
| "Áspero" is related to the Latin "asper" (rough, cruel), which also derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ak-s" (sharp). | |||
| Swedish | grov | ||
| The Swedish word "grov" can also refer to something that is large or coarse | |||
| Welsh | garw | ||
| The Welsh word "garw" originally meant "coarse" or "harsh" in reference to the texture of fabrics, but later came to be used more generally for anything that was rough or uneven. | |||
Rough in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | шурпаты | ||
| The word «шурпаты» can also mean «unpleasant in character». | |||
| Bosnian | grubo | ||
| While the word "grubo" generally means "rough" in Bosnian, it can also refer to something that is coarse, or to a person who is rude or uncultured. | |||
| Bulgarian | груб | ||
| The word "груб" can also mean "impolite" or "rude" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | hrubý | ||
| The word "hrubý" can also mean "thick" or "coarse" in Czech, referring to the physical properties of objects or substances. | |||
| Estonian | karm | ||
| The word "karm" also means "harsh; fierce; violent" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | karkea | ||
| The word "karkea" also means "coarse" or "rough-hewn" in Finnish and is often used to describe fabrics and other materials. | |||
| Hungarian | durva | ||
| Durva has connotations of something being dirty, clumsy, or tasteless in Hungarian slang. | |||
| Latvian | raupja | ||
| The word "raupja" is also used to describe a coarse-grained or unrefined texture. | |||
| Lithuanian | šiurkštus | ||
| The Lithuanian word "šiurkštus" is cognate with the Sanskrit word "karkasha", which also means "rough". | |||
| Macedonian | грубо | ||
| The word "грубо" can also mean "rude" or "coarse" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | szorstki | ||
| "Szorstki" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*šьrstъ" meaning "hair" or "bristle". | |||
| Romanian | stare brută | ||
| The word "stare brută" (rough) derives from the Latin statura (stance), so its primary meaning is "stature", i.e., body height and proportion. | |||
| Russian | грубый | ||
| Грубый (grooby) can also mean "coarse" or "obscene" | |||
| Serbian | грубо | ||
| In Serbocroatian, the term "grube nespretnosti ili maniri" means 'gross discourteousness or manners'. | |||
| Slovak | drsný | ||
| The Slovak word "drsný" can also mean harsh or severe in nature, as in the phrase "drsné poveternostné podmienky" (severe weather conditions). | |||
| Slovenian | grobo | ||
| In Slovene, the etymology of "grobo" comes from Proto-Slavic "*gordъ", which could also mean "thick" or "sturdy". | |||
| Ukrainian | грубий | ||
| The word "грубий" can also mean "arrogant" or "coarse" in Ukrainian. | |||
Rough in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মোটামুটি | ||
| The Bengali word 'মোটামুটি' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'मोट' meaning 'thick', and 'মূতি' meaning 'form', thus implying something that is 'roughly shaped' or 'not refined'. | |||
| Gujarati | રફ | ||
| The word "rough" can also mean harsh, unpleasant, or difficult. | |||
| Hindi | असभ्य | ||
| The term असभ्य also means crude, uncultured, vulgar, ill-mannered, rude, ill-behaved, etc. | |||
| Kannada | ಒರಟು | ||
| "ಒರಟು" (oratu) can also mean "bold" or "harsh". | |||
| Malayalam | പരുക്കൻ | ||
| Marathi | उग्र | ||
| The word "उग्र" (rough) in Marathi can also mean "harsh", "intense", or "violent". | |||
| Nepali | असभ्य | ||
| असभ्य is derived from "सभ्य," which means "civilized," and thus has connotations of lacking refinement or education. | |||
| Punjabi | ਰੁੱਖੀ | ||
| The word "ਰੁੱਖੀ" may also refer to an uncooked vegetable, or to a person who lacks manners. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | රළු | ||
| The Sinhalese word "රළු" (rough) can also mean "strong" or "fierce" in some contexts. | |||
| Tamil | தோராயமாக | ||
| The term "தோராயமாக" (rough) in Tamil also refers to something that is not exact or precise. | |||
| Telugu | కఠినమైన | ||
| కఠినమైన is derived from the Proto-Dravidian root *kaṭa- meaning 'to be hard'. | |||
| Urdu | کھردرا | ||
| The word "کھردرا" (rough) in Urdu can also mean "coarse" or "gravelly". | |||
Rough in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 粗 | ||
| "粗" originally meant "raw silk" and, by extension, something "rough" or "unrefined." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 粗 | ||
| 粗 can also mean "not refined" or "not polished". | |||
| Japanese | 粗い | ||
| "粗い" can also mean "coarse" or "hasty." | |||
| Korean | 거칠게 | ||
| Korean term '거칠게' is also used to describe the rough texture of fabric or the choppy movement of the sea. | |||
| Mongolian | барзгар | ||
| The word | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကြမ်းတမ်း | ||
Rough in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kasar | ||
| The Indonesian word "kasar" can also refer to "coarse", "harsh", or "vulgar" speech. | |||
| Javanese | kasar | ||
| The word "kasar" in Javanese can also mean "coarse" or "vulgar". | |||
| Khmer | រដុប | ||
| The word "រដុប" can also mean "to be rough or harsh to someone" in Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ຫຍາບ | ||
| The Lao word "ຫຍາບ" (rough) can also refer to the texture of a surface, or the manner in which something is done. | |||
| Malay | kasar | ||
| "Kasar" also means coarse, crude, plain, and uncultured. | |||
| Thai | ขรุขระ | ||
| The word "ขรุขระ" can also mean "uneven" or "irregular". | |||
| Vietnamese | thô | ||
| The word "thô" in Vietnamese can also mean "unrefined" or "rustic". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magaspang | ||
Rough in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kobud | ||
| The word "kobud" in Azerbaijani can also mean "unrefined" or "uncultivated." | |||
| Kazakh | өрескел | ||
| "Өрескел" also means "brave" or "courageous". | |||
| Kyrgyz | орой | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "орой" can also be used to describe a person who is difficult or unpleasant to deal with. | |||
| Tajik | ноҳамвор | ||
| The word "ноҳамвор" originates from the Persian word "ناهموار" and also means "uneven" or "rugged". | |||
| Turkmen | gödek | ||
| Uzbek | qo'pol | ||
| Uzbek "qo'pol" originally meant "clumsy" or "poorly done" but later came to mean "rough." | |||
| Uyghur | قوپال | ||
Rough in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻoʻoleʻa | ||
| The word ʻoʻoleʻa can also refer to a type of grass used for thatching or to a rough-skinned variety of banana. | |||
| Maori | taratara | ||
| In Maori, "taratara" can also refer to a type of tree bark used for building and as a traditional medicine. | |||
| Samoan | talatala | ||
| The word "talatala" can also mean "completely" or "very much" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | magaspang | ||
| "Magaspang" derives from the root word "gaspang," which means "rough or coarse." | |||
Rough in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jan tuxatata | ||
| Guarani | korócho | ||
Rough in International Languages
| Esperanto | malglata | ||
| "Malglata" can also mean "disgusting" or "distasteful." | |||
| Latin | aspero | ||
| The Latin word "aspero" shares its root with the Greek word "aspros" meaning "white" or "bright". | |||
Rough in Others Languages
| Greek | τραχύς | ||
| Τραχύς ('rough') comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *treḱ-, meaning 'to pull' or 'to tear'. | |||
| Hmong | ntxhib | ||
| The verb ntxhib, meaning 'to be/get rough,' is based on the noun txhiab meaning 'a scab.' This suggests a connection between skin and roughness. | |||
| Kurdish | kortekort | ||
| The word "kortekort" in Kurdish originates from the Sorani word "kort" meaning "cut", implying a rugged or coarse texture. | |||
| Turkish | kaba | ||
| "Kaba" can also refer to coarse fabric, vulgar language, or a clumsy person in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | erhabaxa | ||
| The word "erhabaxa" in Xhosa has alternate meanings of "rough terrain" and "difficult to traverse." | |||
| Yiddish | פּראָסט | ||
| The word פּראָסט ('rough') in Yiddish may also refer to a commoner or layman. | |||
| Zulu | kabuhlungu | ||
| In Xhosa, the word "kabuhlungu" also refers to a type of rough, coarse cloth made from animal hide or bark. | |||
| Assamese | খহটা | ||
| Aymara | jan tuxatata | ||
| Bhojpuri | खुरदुराह | ||
| Dhivehi | ގަދަ | ||
| Dogri | खौहरा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magaspang | ||
| Guarani | korócho | ||
| Ilocano | nagurdo | ||
| Krio | at | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نزیکە | ||
| Maithili | रूख | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | biboh | ||
| Oromo | shaakarraa'aa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ରୁଗ୍ | ||
| Quechua | qachqa | ||
| Sanskrit | रूक्षः | ||
| Tatar | тупас | ||
| Tigrinya | ሓርፋፍ | ||
| Tsonga | gwanya | ||
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