Ship in Different Languages
Discover 'Ship' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'ship' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, symbolizing much more than just a large boat. It represents a concept that has been a crucial part of human civilization, shaping our history, culture, and progress. From transporting goods and people across oceans to exploring new frontiers, ships have been instrumental in our journey as a species. Moreover, 'ship' has also found its way into various colloquialisms and internet slang, often used to describe relationships or fandoms.
Given its importance, it's fascinating to learn how 'ship' translates into different languages around the world. For instance, in Spanish, 'ship' is 'barco'; in German, it's 'Schiff'; in French, it's 'bateau'; and in Japanese, it's 'fune'. Each translation offers a unique cultural perspective, enriching our understanding of this universal concept.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a history buff, or just curious, exploring the translations of 'ship' is a journey worth embarking on. Here's a list of 'ship' in various languages to get you started.
Ship
Ship in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | skip | ||
| Afrikaans word "skip" derives from Dutch "schip" but has evolved to encompass meanings of "boat", "vessel", and even "spaceship". | |||
| Amharic | መርከብ | ||
| The Amharic word መርከብ ('ship') is related to the Ge'ez word መርከብ ('chariot') and the Arabic word مركب ('mount, vehicle'). | |||
| Hausa | jirgin ruwa | ||
| "Jirgin ruwa" (ship) is cognate with the Arabic word "safinah" and the English word "vessel". | |||
| Igbo | ụgbọ mmiri | ||
| In Igbo, the word | |||
| Malagasy | sambo | ||
| The word "sambo" also means "container" or "vessel" in Malagasy, suggesting its close association with the concept of transportation. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | sitimayo | ||
| The word sitimayo, or sitima, can mean a 'ship' or a 'canoe' | |||
| Shona | ngarava | ||
| In the Tonga language, the word "ngarava" has the primary meaning of "an ancient boat," extending the meaning of the word in Shona. | |||
| Somali | markab | ||
| The word "markab" in Somali can also refer to a type of traditional boat used by fishermen and traders. | |||
| Sesotho | sekepe | ||
| The word "sekepe" in Sesotho is derived from the Bantu root "kepa," meaning "to travel by water." | |||
| Swahili | meli | ||
| "Meli" has no alternate meanings, but it is a cognate with the Indonesian word "meli" (which also means "ship") and the Philippine word "bangka" (meaning "boat"). | |||
| Xhosa | inqanawa | ||
| The Xhosa word "inqanawa" is possibly derived from the Malay word "kandaraan", meaning "vehicle". | |||
| Yoruba | ọkọ oju omi | ||
| Zulu | umkhumbi | ||
| In Zulu, 'umkhumbi' also refers to a large container for storing liquids, especially beer. | |||
| Bambara | baton | ||
| Ewe | mɛli | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubwato | ||
| Lingala | masuwa | ||
| Luganda | emmeeri | ||
| Sepedi | sekepe | ||
| Twi (Akan) | suhyɛn | ||
Ship in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | سفينة | ||
| The word "سفينة" can also refer to a type of cloud formation. | |||
| Hebrew | ספינה | ||
| The word ספינה has origins in the Greek word σκάφη and can also refer to a bowl, cup, or dish. | |||
| Pashto | بېړۍ | ||
| The Pashto word “بېړۍ” originally meant boat, and derives from the Sanskrit “pīṛa” referring to a kind of boat. | |||
| Arabic | سفينة | ||
| The word "سفينة" can also refer to a type of cloud formation. | |||
Ship in Western European Languages
| Albanian | anije | ||
| Anije is derived from the Illyrian word *anijā and is cognate with the Greek word ναῦς (naus). | |||
| Basque | ontzia | ||
| The word "ontzia" in Basque is also used to refer to a container, a vessel, or a receptacle. | |||
| Catalan | vaixell | ||
| In Catalan, "vaixell" derives from the Latin word "vascellum," meaning "small vessel" or "boat." | |||
| Croatian | brod | ||
| The word 'brod' originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰer- ('to carry'), and is also related to the English word 'ferry'. | |||
| Danish | skib | ||
| Skib is also a slang expression for 'drunk'. | |||
| Dutch | schip | ||
| The Dutch word "schip" is also used to refer to a variety of other types of vessels, including boats, barges, and ferries. | |||
| English | ship | ||
| The word "ship" originates from the Old English word "scip", meaning "a boat or vessel". | |||
| French | navire | ||
| The word 'navire' is derived from the Latin word 'navis', meaning 'ship', and can also refer to a spacecraft or an aircraft. | |||
| Frisian | skip | ||
| The Frisian word 'skip' is derived from the Old Norse word 'skip' meaning 'ship', and also has the alternate meaning of 'barn'. | |||
| Galician | barco | ||
| The Galician word "barco" comes from the Latin "barca," which can also refer to a small boat or a boat used for fishing. | |||
| German | schiff | ||
| The German word "Schiff" is cognate with the English word "ship" and the Latin word "scapus" or "scapha," meaning "boat, vessel or shaft." | |||
| Icelandic | skip | ||
| "Skip" (ship) is derived from Old Icelandic "skip" (boat). | |||
| Irish | long | ||
| "Long" in Irish, originally a type of ancient Celtic boat, later evolved to describe modern sailing vessels. | |||
| Italian | nave | ||
| The Italian word "nave" can also refer to the central space of a church. | |||
| Luxembourgish | schëff | ||
| "Schëff" can also refer to a large container or a part of a building. | |||
| Maltese | vapur | ||
| The Maltese word "vapur" is derived from the Italian word "vapore", meaning "steamboat", and originally referred to steamships. | |||
| Norwegian | skip | ||
| In Norwegian, "skip" is a cognate of the English word "ship" and can also mean "skipping" or "jumping over". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | navio | ||
| "Navio" comes from Latin "navis", meaning "ship" or "vessel". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | long | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "long" can also refer to a sea loch or fjord. | |||
| Spanish | embarcacion | ||
| The word "embarcacion" comes from the Latin word "imbarcare", which means "to go on board". | |||
| Swedish | fartyg | ||
| Fartyg derives from the Old Norse "far", meaning to travel. | |||
| Welsh | llong | ||
| The word "llong" is derived from the Proto-Celtic root *longo-, meaning "ship" or "boat." | |||
Ship in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | карабель | ||
| In Russian, the word "корабль" also means "starship". | |||
| Bosnian | brod | ||
| In Serbian and Croatian, "brod" means both "ship" and "ford". | |||
| Bulgarian | кораб | ||
| The word "кораб" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *korabь, which also meant "cart" or "wagon". | |||
| Czech | loď | ||
| "Loď" can also refer to an excavation hole or a hollowed-out trunk. | |||
| Estonian | laev | ||
| Laev is not only an Estonian word but is shared in similar form across most of the Finno-Ugric family of languages. | |||
| Finnish | alus | ||
| The Finnish word "alus" comes from the Proto-Finnic "alus" which also means "base" and "lower part". | |||
| Hungarian | hajó | ||
| In Hungarian, "hajó" can also refer to a container, vessel or a craft, and is derived from the Slavic word "*korab". | |||
| Latvian | kuģis | ||
| The word "kuģis" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *keuǵʰ-, meaning "to bend" or "to curve." | |||
| Lithuanian | laivas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "laivas" is cognate with the Latin word "navis" and the Old Church Slavonic word "ладья", meaning "boat or ship". | |||
| Macedonian | брод | ||
| The word "брод" is a cognate of the Croatian word "brod" and the Slovene word "brod". | |||
| Polish | statek | ||
| The word "statek" in Polish can also refer to a "land estate". | |||
| Romanian | navă | ||
| The Romanian word "navă" ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *new-, meaning "to sail" or "to flow". | |||
| Russian | судно | ||
| The Russian word "судно" (ship) derives from the root meaning "to carry" and can also refer to a vessel that carries a specific purpose, such as a warship or transport ship. | |||
| Serbian | брод | ||
| The Slavic word "брод" also refers to a "ford", meaning a shallow place in a river or stream where one can cross on foot or by horse. | |||
| Slovak | loď | ||
| The word "loď" also refers to the outer shell of a nut or fruit in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | ladja | ||
| Originally, "ladja" referred to a canoe and was the only native Slovenian word for watercraft until the adoption of "bark" from Germanic languages. | |||
| Ukrainian | корабель | ||
| The word "корабель" also refers to a military ship or warship in Ukrainian. | |||
Ship in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | জাহাজ | ||
| Bengali word "জাহাজ" (ship) shares the root with the Persian "darya" meaning "sea" and ultimately derives from the Greek "thalassa" meaning "sea". | |||
| Gujarati | વહાણ | ||
| The word 'વહાણ' ('ship') in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word 'वाहन' ('vehicle'), and also refers to aircraft and spacecraft in more modern contexts. | |||
| Hindi | समुंद्री जहाज | ||
| "समुंद्री जहाज" literally means "ship of the ocean," with "समुंद्री" meaning "of the ocean" and "जहाज" meaning "ship." | |||
| Kannada | ಹಡಗು | ||
| The word "ಹಡಗು" in Kannada is derived from the Sanskrit word "हडग" meaning "to go". | |||
| Malayalam | കപ്പൽ | ||
| "കപ്പൽ" may come from the Persian "kāpul" meaning "boat" or "small ship". | |||
| Marathi | जहाज | ||
| The word जहाज originates from the Sanskrit word जाहनव which refers to a large water body and is also the name of the river Ganga. | |||
| Nepali | जहाज | ||
| The word "जहाज" originated from the Sanskrit word "यहाँ" ('here') and "जा" ('to go') as it is a vehicle that allows people to move across water. | |||
| Punjabi | ਜਹਾਜ਼ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නැව | ||
| The word "නැව" (ship) is also used to refer to "a large number" in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | கப்பல் | ||
| The word | |||
| Telugu | ఓడ | ||
| "ఓడ" may also mean womb, or a vessel or receptacle in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | جہاز | ||
| جہاز derives from a Sanskrit word for 'boat' that is also cognate with the English 'yacht'. | |||
Ship in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 船 | ||
| "船" originally meant a vehicle for conveying things, including carts, but its meaning was narrowed down to boats in the Song Dynasty. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 船 | ||
| The Traditional Chinese character "船" can also mean "to transport" or "to ferry". | |||
| Japanese | 輸送する | ||
| The word "輸送する" is also used to mean "to convey," "to transport," or "to deliver." | |||
| Korean | 배 | ||
| In Korean, the word "배" (ship) can also refer to the stomach or a pear-shaped gourd. | |||
| Mongolian | усан онгоц | ||
| In Mongolian, "усан онгоц" (ship) literally translates to "water wagon" or "water cart". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သင်္ဘော | ||
| The word "သင်္ဘော" (ship) in Myanmar (Burmese) likely originated from the Sanskrit word "संस्था" (saṃsthā), meaning "establishment, institution, organization, assembly, society." | |||
Ship in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kapal | ||
| The Indonesian word "kapal" is derived from the Sanskrit word "kapala", meaning "skull" or "bowl". | |||
| Javanese | kapal | ||
| The Javanese word "kapal" can also refer to a type of traditional Javanese headgear worn by women | |||
| Khmer | នាវា | ||
| The word "នាវា" can also refer to a chariot, a plane, or even a space shuttle, highlighting its broader meaning beyond just watercraft. | |||
| Lao | ເຮືອ | ||
| The Lao word for ship, ເຮືອ, can also refer to a banana leaf used as a plate or a container for food. | |||
| Malay | kapal | ||
| In Old Malay, 'kapal' could also refer to a type of wooden plank used to make boats and buildings. | |||
| Thai | เรือ | ||
| The word "เรือ" also means a "vessel used for transportation on water" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | tàu | ||
| Tàu can also refer to a train, a car, or a stage in a theatrical performance. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | barko | ||
Ship in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | gəmi | ||
| The word | |||
| Kazakh | кеме | ||
| The word "кеме" in Kazakh not only means "ship" but also refers to a large wooden trough used for making dough. | |||
| Kyrgyz | кеме | ||
| Historically, the Kyrgyz people have used the word “кеме” to refer to both boats (as a whole) and parts of the vessel (specifically, the hull). | |||
| Tajik | киштӣ | ||
| The word "киштӣ" in Tajik can also mean "boat", "vessel", or "raft". | |||
| Turkmen | gämi | ||
| Uzbek | kema | ||
| The word "kema" in Uzbek means "ship" and also can be used to refer to a "boat" or a "vessel". | |||
| Uyghur | پاراخوت | ||
Ship in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | moku | ||
| The word "moku" in Hawaiian can refer to both a ship, which is called 'moku ho'olohua', or a district, which is called 'moku' | |||
| Maori | kaipuke | ||
| The word "kaipuke" comes from the Maori words "kai" (eat) and "puke" (hill), referring to the idea of ships carrying food supplies. | |||
| Samoan | vaʻa | ||
| The Samoan word "vaʻa" comes from the Proto-Polynesian word "*waka", which also means "canoe" in many other Polynesian languages. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | barko | ||
| Barko derives from the Sanskrit varga meaning 'group', 'class', or 'set'. | |||
Ship in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jach'a yampu | ||
| Guarani | ygarata rehegua | ||
Ship in International Languages
| Esperanto | ŝipo | ||
| Esperanto's "ŝipo" also means "to break with a strong blow," similar to English "cleave". | |||
| Latin | navis | ||
| The Latin word 'navis' also meant a temple and was the root of the word 'navy'. | |||
Ship in Others Languages
| Greek | πλοίο | ||
| The word πλοίο derives from the Indo-European root *pleu-, meaning 'to float'. | |||
| Hmong | nkoj | ||
| In the Hmong language, the word "nkoj" also means "a group of people who travel together". | |||
| Kurdish | gemî | ||
| In Akkadian, the word "gimmê " means "reed boat". This was borrowed into Old Persian with the meaning "ship" as "*gām-" and is the origin of the Kurdish word "gemî" | |||
| Turkish | gemi | ||
| "Gemi" also means "a woman who has a wide and prominent hip structure" in Ottoman Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | inqanawa | ||
| The Xhosa word "inqanawa" is possibly derived from the Malay word "kandaraan", meaning "vehicle". | |||
| Yiddish | שיף | ||
| The Yiddish word "שיף" also means "sheep" and derives from the Middle High German word "schaf". | |||
| Zulu | umkhumbi | ||
| In Zulu, 'umkhumbi' also refers to a large container for storing liquids, especially beer. | |||
| Assamese | জাহাজ | ||
| Aymara | jach'a yampu | ||
| Bhojpuri | जहाज | ||
| Dhivehi | ބޯޓުފަހަރު | ||
| Dogri | ज्हाज | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | barko | ||
| Guarani | ygarata rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | barko | ||
| Krio | bot | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کەشتی | ||
| Maithili | जहाज | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯖꯍꯥꯖ | ||
| Mizo | lawng | ||
| Oromo | doonii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଜାହାଜ | ||
| Quechua | wanpu | ||
| Sanskrit | नौका | ||
| Tatar | кораб | ||
| Tigrinya | መርከብ | ||
| Tsonga | xikepe | ||