Shadow in Different Languages
Discover 'Shadow' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Shadows, those elusive companions that follow us wherever we go, have fascinated humans for centuries. They represent the intangible parts of ourselves and the world around us, the unseen aspects that only reveal themselves when the light is just right. From ancient myths and folklore to modern art and literature, shadows have held significant cultural importance across the globe.
Moreover, the word 'shadow' itself is a fascinating study in linguistic and cultural diversity. For instance, in Spanish, the word for shadow is 'sombra,' while in German, it's 'Schatten.' In Japanese, the word 'kage' encompasses not only the shadow cast by an object but also the essence or spirit of a person. Similarly, in Hebrew, the word 'tsel' not only means shadow but also denotes protection and shelter.
Given this rich cultural and linguistic significance, it's no wonder that someone might want to know the translation of 'shadow' in different languages. Whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural researcher, or simply curious, understanding the nuances of this simple yet profound word can open up new avenues of exploration and appreciation.
Shadow
Shadow in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | skaduwee | ||
| The Afrikaans word "skaduwee" has Old High German origins, where "skado" meant "shade" and "uu" meant "something covering a space." | |||
| Amharic | ጥላ | ||
| "ጥላ" can also mean "shade" or "darkness". | |||
| Hausa | inuwa | ||
| The Hausa word 'inuwa' can also refer to a guardian spirit or an invisible companion that protects a person. | |||
| Igbo | onyinyo | ||
| In Mbaise Igbo, "onyinyo" not only means "shadow" but also "evil spirit," and can be used to refer to a ghost or a demon. | |||
| Malagasy | aloky | ||
| "Aloky" also means "spirit" and "darkness". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mthunzi | ||
| The word "mthunzi" in Nyanja (Chichewa) can also refer to a protector or guardian. | |||
| Shona | mumvuri | ||
| The Shona word 'mumvuri' can also refer to a protective spirit or guardian angel. | |||
| Somali | hooska | ||
| The word "hooska" may have originated from the Arabic word "hawsh", meaning "enclosure" or "courtyard". | |||
| Sesotho | seriti | ||
| The word "seriti" can also refer to a dark-colored or shady place, or to a person with a dark complexion. | |||
| Swahili | kivuli | ||
| "Kivuli" derives from the verb "kuvulia" which means "to weep or cry" | |||
| Xhosa | isithunzi | ||
| 'Isthunzi' may also mean 'protection' in Xhosa language as a shadow has a protective connotation. | |||
| Yoruba | ojiji | ||
| The Yoruba word "ojiji" has an alternative meaning as a type of Yoruba masquerade. | |||
| Zulu | isithunzi | ||
| The Zulu word for "shadow", "isithunzi", also means "soul" or "essence". | |||
| Bambara | ja | ||
| Ewe | vɔvɔli | ||
| Kinyarwanda | igicucu | ||
| Lingala | elili | ||
| Luganda | ekisiikirize | ||
| Sepedi | morithi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | sunsum | ||
Shadow in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ظل | ||
| The Quranic word ظل (shadow) is derived from the verb ظلل (to shade), and its primary meaning is 'covering' or 'protection'. | |||
| Hebrew | צֵל | ||
| In Kabbalah, 'צל' can represent the negative aspect of Creation, the side of judgment and limitation | |||
| Pashto | سیوری | ||
| The word "سیوری" also means "the shade of a tree" or "darkness" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | ظل | ||
| The Quranic word ظل (shadow) is derived from the verb ظلل (to shade), and its primary meaning is 'covering' or 'protection'. | |||
Shadow in Western European Languages
| Albanian | hije | ||
| The Albanian word "hije" is cognate with the Latin "umbra" and the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₁éǵʰs", meaning "covering, veil, or protection". | |||
| Basque | itzala | ||
| The Basque word "itzala" also means "refuge" or "protection". | |||
| Catalan | ombra | ||
| "Ombra" can also mean shade, ghost, protection, and umbrella in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | sjena | ||
| The Croatian word 'sjena', meaning 'shadow', is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'sěna', which means 'darkness'. | |||
| Danish | skygge | ||
| The Danish word "skygge" has no clear etymology, but has been connected to "skjule" (conceal), "sky" (cloud), or the Proto-Indo-European root *skeu- 'to cover'. | |||
| Dutch | schaduw | ||
| The word "schaduw" could also mean "shade" or "shadow play" in the context of theater performances. | |||
| English | shadow | ||
| "Shadow" originates from an Old English word that can mean both "shade" and "a ghostlike figure" | |||
| French | ombre | ||
| French "ombre" comes from the Latin "umbra" for "shadow" but refers to a fish, the grayling, from its dark back. | |||
| Frisian | skaad | ||
| The Frisian word 'skaad' not only means 'shadow', but also 'ghost' and 'demon'. | |||
| Galician | sombra | ||
| The Galician word "sombra" can also mean "shade" or "protection from the sun or heat". | |||
| German | schatten | ||
| The word 'Schatten' also denotes the 'dark side' of a person or thing, or an 'image' or 'outline'. | |||
| Icelandic | skuggi | ||
| "Skuggi" derives from the Proto-Germanic root "*skuggjan" which can also be seen in English "shadow" or "shade". | |||
| Irish | scáth | ||
| The Irish word "scáth" also means "shelter", "protection", "safety", or "shelter from the elements". | |||
| Italian | ombra | ||
| The word "ombra" can also mean "spectre," "spirit," or "shade". | |||
| Luxembourgish | schied | ||
| The word 'Schied' in Luxembourgish can refer to both the literal meaning of 'shadow' and a state of sadness or depression. | |||
| Maltese | dell | ||
| The Maltese word 'dell' is also used to describe an area of low-lying land surrounded by hills or mountains. | |||
| Norwegian | skygge | ||
| In Old Norse, "skygge" meant "a ghost" or "a phantom". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | sombra | ||
| "Sombra" also means "umbrella" in Portuguese. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | sgàil | ||
| "Sgail" can also mean "shade", "shelter" or "hiding-place" in Scots Gaelic, and is cognate with the Irish "scáth". | |||
| Spanish | sombra | ||
| The word "sombra" in Spanish can also refer to a dark horse or an unexpected candidate in an election. | |||
| Swedish | skugga | ||
| "Skugga" is etymologically related to the English word "shelter" and also means "protection" in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | cysgodol | ||
| The word "cysgodol" in Welsh originates from the Proto-Celtic word "*ske(s)-to-lo-", meaning "shadow". It is also related to the Latin word "scutum", meaning "shield". | |||
Shadow in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | цень | ||
| The word цень (tsen') in Belarusian also refers to a dark, shadowy place or a hidden spot. | |||
| Bosnian | sjena | ||
| The Croatian cognate 'sjena' also had meanings of "spectre" or "apparition" but in Bosnian "sjena" only retains the meaning of "shadow". | |||
| Bulgarian | сянка | ||
| The word "сянка" is also used to refer to a "reflection" or a "silhouette" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | stín | ||
| The Czech word "stín" also means "shelter" or "protection". | |||
| Estonian | vari | ||
| In addition to its meaning of "shadow," "vari" can also refer to "a shade of color" or "a variant form of something" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | varjo | ||
| The Finnish word "varjo" (shadow) may also refer to a place of hiding or refuge. | |||
| Hungarian | árnyék | ||
| The word 'árnyék' also means 'contour' in Hungarian, indicating the shape or outline of something. | |||
| Latvian | ēna | ||
| The archaic root *ēn- may have derived from either of Proto-Indo-European roots *h₁eyn- “shade, darkness” or *h₁enʰ- “to blow”. | |||
| Lithuanian | šešėlis | ||
| The Lithuanian word "šešėlis" likely derives from the Proto-Baltic root "*sênslis, | |||
| Macedonian | сенка | ||
| The word "сенка" is also used in Macedonian to refer to a weak or pale color. | |||
| Polish | cień | ||
| The Polish word "cień" can also refer to a shade or a nuance and is related to the Proto-Slavic word *kъnь, which meant "dark spot". | |||
| Romanian | umbră | ||
| The Romanian word "umbră" is derived from the Latin word "umbra", meaning "shade" or "darkness". | |||
| Russian | тень | ||
| The word 'тень' not only means 'shadow', but also can mean 'shade', 'screen' or 'ghost' in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | сенка | ||
| "Senka" can also mean "reflection" or "image" in a figurative sense. | |||
| Slovak | tieň | ||
| The word "tieň" can also refer to a person's evil twin or alter ego. | |||
| Slovenian | senca | ||
| "Senca" also refers to an unpleasant or oppressive feeling. | |||
| Ukrainian | тінь | ||
| The word "тінь" in Ukrainian is also used metaphorically to refer to something that is hidden or mysterious. | |||
Shadow in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ছায়া | ||
| The Bengali word ছায়া (shadow) is cognate with the Sanskrit छाया (shadow) and also means 'reflection', 'image' or 'shade'. | |||
| Gujarati | પડછાયો | ||
| The Gujarati word "પડછાયો" (shadow) is derived from the Sanskrit word "प्रतिछाया" (praticchāyā), meaning "counter-image" or "reflection". It can also refer to a person's influence or reputation, or figuratively to a person who follows closely behind another. | |||
| Hindi | साया | ||
| The Sanskrit word 'छाय' (pronounced 'chāyā'), from which 'साय' ('sāyā') is derived, originally meant a 'shade' or 'reflected light'. | |||
| Kannada | ನೆರಳು | ||
| The Kannada word ಸೆರ್ಲು is derived from the Dravidian root ᔕ and also means "darkness" | |||
| Malayalam | നിഴൽ | ||
| The etymology of the Malayalam word "നിഴൽ" likely comes from Tamil and is related to the Sanskrit word "छाया" (shadow). | |||
| Marathi | सावली | ||
| "सावली" is related to the Sanskrit word "छाया" and the Prakrit word "छाया" (both meaning "shadow"). | |||
| Nepali | छाया | ||
| In Sanskrit and other Indo-Aryan languages, 'छाया' is also used to denote illusion or deception | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਰਛਾਵਾਂ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සෙවනැල්ල | ||
| Tamil | நிழல் | ||
| The word | |||
| Telugu | నీడ | ||
| The word "నీడ" can also refer to the shaded area created by an object blocking light. | |||
| Urdu | سایہ | ||
| The Urdu word "سایہ" means "shade or shelter provided by something that blocks the sunlight" and is thought to be an onomatopoeia referring to the shade's "hissing" sound when the leaves move. | |||
Shadow in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 阴影 | ||
| 阴影 (yīnyǐn) in Chinese can also refer to "influence" or "a sense of depression." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 陰影 | ||
| The word "陰影" (shadow) in Chinese also means "shady places" or "hidden truths". | |||
| Japanese | 影 | ||
| "影" can refer to both a physical or metaphorical shadow, as well as the ghost of a deceased person or an apparition. | |||
| Korean | 그림자 | ||
| The Korean word 그늘 (geuneul) is cognate with the Japanese word 日צל (hi-kage) and means 'shade'. It is a compound of 日 (il, 'sun') and צל (cheul, 'shadow'). The Korean word 그늘 can also be used to mean 'darkness' or 'gloom'. | |||
| Mongolian | сүүдэр | ||
| The word 'сүүдэр' also refers to the 'dark side of an object' or 'shade' in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အရိပ် | ||
Shadow in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bayangan | ||
| The word 'bayangan' also means 'imagination' or 'vision' in Indonesian and is derived from the Old Javanese word 'bayang', meaning 'shadow' or 'phantom'. | |||
| Javanese | bayangan | ||
| In Javanese, "bayangan" not only means "shadow," but also refers to one's "image" or "reflection." | |||
| Khmer | ស្រមោល | ||
| The word "ស្រមោល" (shadow) in Khmer is derived from the Sanskrit word "chāya" (shadow, shade). | |||
| Lao | ເງົາ | ||
| It is pronounced “ngao” and can also mean “impression”, “reflection”, or “silhouette”. | |||
| Malay | bayangan | ||
| The word "bayangan" also means an estimate or forecast in Malay and "bayang" can mean projection or outline. | |||
| Thai | เงา | ||
| The Thai word "เงา" not only means "shadow," but also an invisible, ephemeral object that accompanies a person throughout their life and vanishes upon their death, serving as a metaphor for the transience of existence. | |||
| Vietnamese | bóng | ||
| "Bóng" also means "bulb" because it emits light and creates shadows. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | anino | ||
Shadow in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kölgə | ||
| The word "kölgə" is derived from the Turkic root "köl" meaning "lake" or "pool". | |||
| Kazakh | көлеңке | ||
| In Kazakh, the word "көлеңке" also refers to the shade on the dial of a clock, or to the shade left behind by the sunlight, i.e. what in English would be called "penumbra". | |||
| Kyrgyz | көлөкө | ||
| The word "көлөкө" in Kyrgyz is most likely derived from the Proto-Turkic word "kökö", meaning "ghost" or "spirit". It can also be used to refer to a reflection or an image. | |||
| Tajik | соя | ||
| The Tajik word "соя" also means "reflection" or "image". | |||
| Turkmen | kölege | ||
| Uzbek | soya | ||
| In Uzbek, "soya" also means "coolness" or "darkness". | |||
| Uyghur | سايە | ||
Shadow in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | aka | ||
| In Hawaiian, "aka" can refer to shadows, spirits of the dead, or ancestors that guide and protect the living. | |||
| Maori | atarangi | ||
| The word atarangi also signifies 'otherworldliness', a realm of gods, dead, and those who are yet unborn. | |||
| Samoan | ata lafoia | ||
| The Samoan word "ata lafoia" can also refer to a figure of speech that describes something as hidden or kept secret. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | anino | ||
| The Tagalog word "anino" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *qaNiŋu, which also means "ghost" or "spirit". | |||
Shadow in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ch'iwi | ||
| Guarani | kuarahy'ã | ||
Shadow in International Languages
| Esperanto | ombro | ||
| The word "ombro" also means "shade" or "tint" as in the phrases "sunshade" and "skin tone". | |||
| Latin | umbra | ||
| The Latin word "umbra" meant either "darkness, shade, gloom" or "the shadowy form of an object as marked out by shade". | |||
Shadow in Others Languages
| Greek | σκιά | ||
| The word "σκιά" comes from the Indo-European root "skei-," which means "to cover" or "to protect." | |||
| Hmong | duab ntxoov ntxoo | ||
| In Hmong, the word "duab ntxoov ntxoo" also refers to a person's reflection in a mirror or water. | |||
| Kurdish | sî | ||
| In Sorani Kurdish, "sî" also refers to the soul or spirit of a person when they are away from their body. | |||
| Turkish | gölge | ||
| The word "gölge" comes from the Proto-Turkic word "kölgö", which also means "darkness" and "night". | |||
| Xhosa | isithunzi | ||
| 'Isthunzi' may also mean 'protection' in Xhosa language as a shadow has a protective connotation. | |||
| Yiddish | שאָטן | ||
| In Yiddish, "שאָטן" can refer to both a literal shadow and a shade of color. | |||
| Zulu | isithunzi | ||
| The Zulu word for "shadow", "isithunzi", also means "soul" or "essence". | |||
| Assamese | ছাঁ | ||
| Aymara | ch'iwi | ||
| Bhojpuri | परछाई | ||
| Dhivehi | ހިޔަނި | ||
| Dogri | छौरा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | anino | ||
| Guarani | kuarahy'ã | ||
| Ilocano | anniniwan | ||
| Krio | shed | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سێبەر | ||
| Maithili | परछाई | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯝꯃꯤ | ||
| Mizo | hlimthla | ||
| Oromo | gaaddidduu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଛାୟା | ||
| Quechua | llantu | ||
| Sanskrit | छाया | ||
| Tatar | күләгә | ||
| Tigrinya | ፅላሎት | ||
| Tsonga | ndzhuti | ||