Sir in Different Languages
Discover 'Sir' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The term 'sir' is a title of respect, often used in English-speaking countries to address a man of high social standing or a superior in a military or professional context. Its significance extends beyond its literal meaning, as it symbolizes respect, honor, and recognition for one's achievements and status. The word has a rich cultural importance, with a history that can be traced back to medieval Europe, where it was used as a title for knights and other noblemen.
Moreover, the term 'sir' has been adopted and adapted in various languages and cultures around the world, reflecting the global influence of the English language and the cultural significance of respect and hierarchy. For example, in Spanish, 'sir' is translated as 'señor,' while in French, it is 'monsieur.' In German, the equivalent is 'herr,' and in Japanese, it is 'sama.'
Understanding the translation of 'sir' in different languages can help bridge cultural gaps, foster respect and understanding, and enhance communication in a globalized world. Here are some translations of 'sir' in various languages:
Sir
Sir in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | meneer | ||
| The Afrikaans word "meneer" ("sir") is derived from the Dutch word "mijnheer" ("my lord"), which itself originated from the German word "mein Herr" ("my Lord"). | |||
| Amharic | ጌታዬ | ||
| "ጌታዬ" (sir) originates from the Ge'ez word "ጌተ" (master) and originally referred to a wealthy person or landowner. | |||
| Hausa | sir | ||
| In Hausa, 'sir' is derived from Arabic 'sayyid' meaning 'lord' or 'master'. | |||
| Igbo | nwem | ||
| Nwanyi, from which the word nwem derives, denotes a married woman or a female that belongs to the highest echelon of society. | |||
| Malagasy | tompoko | ||
| The word "tompoko" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "*tampa" meaning "chief" or "leader". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | bwana | ||
| The term 'bwana' is derived from the Bantu root word 'bana', which means 'father', and was adopted by Swahili speakers to refer to European colonizers. | |||
| Shona | changamire | ||
| The word 'changamire' also means 'a great chief' or 'a commander' in Shona. | |||
| Somali | mudane | ||
| In its original sense, "mudane" meant "old man" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | mohlomphehi | ||
| Mohlomphehi is also used to refer to a young male goat or sheep. | |||
| Swahili | bwana | ||
| The Swahili word "bwana" originated from the Persian word "ban" which means "lord" or "master". | |||
| Xhosa | mhlekazi | ||
| The word "mhlekazi" may be related to the verb "-hlekaza," meaning "to scatter" or "to destroy," suggesting the historical connection with warriors scattering or destroying enemies. | |||
| Yoruba | sir | ||
| The Yoruba word "sir" (ọkọ) can also refer to a "husband" | |||
| Zulu | mnumzane | ||
| Mnumzane, derived from "umnumzane", is commonly translated as "sir" but historically was a title of respect for any man, particularly a leader or elder. | |||
| Bambara | cɛ | ||
| Ewe | amega | ||
| Kinyarwanda | nyakubahwa | ||
| Lingala | monsieur | ||
| Luganda | ssebo | ||
| Sepedi | morena | ||
| Twi (Akan) | sa | ||
Sir in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | سيدي المحترم | ||
| سيدي المحترم, as is the case with many other Arabic words, is derived from the root "س-ي-د" (s-y-d), which means "master" or "lord". | |||
| Hebrew | אֲדוֹנִי | ||
| The Hebrew word "אֲדוֹנִי" is also used to refer to God, a master, or a married man. | |||
| Pashto | صاحب | ||
| "صاحب" can mean either "master" or "friend" in Pashto, with the latter usage being more common in Kandahar. | |||
| Arabic | سيدي المحترم | ||
| سيدي المحترم, as is the case with many other Arabic words, is derived from the root "س-ي-د" (s-y-d), which means "master" or "lord". | |||
Sir in Western European Languages
| Albanian | zotëri | ||
| Etymology: derives from the Proto-Indo-European word for "king," "master," or "lord" and is related to the Latin word "dominus" | |||
| Basque | jauna | ||
| The Basque word "jauna" can also mean "master"} | |||
| Catalan | senyor | ||
| The Catalan word "senyor" originates from the Latin word "senior" and can also mean "lord" or "master" in a feudal context. | |||
| Croatian | gospodine | ||
| The word 'gospodine' is derived from the Slavic word 'gospod', meaning 'master' or 'lord'. | |||
| Danish | hr | ||
| The word hr is derived from the Old Norse word 'herra', meaning 'master' or 'lord'. | |||
| Dutch | meneer | ||
| The word "meneer" is derived from the Dutch word "man" (meaning "man") and the French word "sieur" (meaning "lord"). | |||
| English | sir | ||
| The word 'sir' is derived from the Old French word 'sire', which in turn comes from the Latin word 'senior', meaning 'elder' or 'superior'. | |||
| French | monsieur | ||
| "Monsieur" comes from "mon sieur," which is itself the contraction of "mon seigneur" meaning "my lord." | |||
| Frisian | mynhear | ||
| The word "mynhear" comes from the Middle Dutch "mijnheer" and eventually Latin "dominus," meaning "lord" or "master." | |||
| Galician | señor | ||
| In Galician, "señor" can also refer to a landowner or a feudal lord. | |||
| German | herr | ||
| Originally meaning "master", the word "Herr" still carries connotations of authority or respect in certain contexts. | |||
| Icelandic | herra | ||
| "Herra" in Icelandic can also refer to "lord", "master", or "husband." | |||
| Irish | a dhuine uasail | ||
| "A dhuine uasail" can also mean "nobleman" or "gentleman", and has the literal meaning "good person". | |||
| Italian | signore | ||
| In Italian, "signore" can also refer to God, a husband, or a feudal lord. | |||
| Luxembourgish | här | ||
| In German, "Här" is also used to address a person with a position of authority, like a teacher or a policeman. | |||
| Maltese | sinjur | ||
| In medieval times, "Sinjur" was also used to refer to feudal lords. | |||
| Norwegian | herr | ||
| In Norway, 'Herr' can also be a military rank similar to 'lieutenant'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | senhor | ||
| In Portuguese, "Senhor" is historically related to "senior" from Latin, originally meaning "older", and also denotes God. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | sir | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, the word "sir" can also mean a male horse beast. | |||
| Spanish | señor | ||
| The Spanish word "señor" can also be used as a term of respect for an elder or superior, or to refer to a landowner or feudal lord. | |||
| Swedish | herr | ||
| The word "herr" in Swedish derives from the Old Norse word "herr" meaning "lord" or "master", and is cognate with the German word "Herr". | |||
| Welsh | syr | ||
| The Welsh word "syr" also means "sour" or "bitter". | |||
Sir in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | сэр | ||
| In Belarusian, "сэр" can also mean "husband" or "master". | |||
| Bosnian | gospodine | ||
| Like the Russian word «господин» (gospodin), the word «господине» (gospodine) derives from the Church Slavonic language and ultimately the Greek word «κύριος» (kyrios), meaning "lord". | |||
| Bulgarian | сър | ||
| The word "сър" also means "heart" in Bulgarian and is related to the word "сърце" which means "heart" in Russian and other Slavic languages. | |||
| Czech | vážený pane | ||
| Despite its respectful connotation, "Vážený pane" literally means "esteemed lord" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | sir | ||
| The word | |||
| Finnish | arvon herra | ||
| Alternate meanings of the word 'arvon herra' in Finnish include 'distinguished lord' and 'respected gentleman'. | |||
| Hungarian | uram | ||
| The Hungarian word "uram" is derived from the Old Turkish word "er" meaning "man" or "husband" and entered the Hungarian language through the Slavic languages. | |||
| Latvian | ser | ||
| "Ser" is cognate with the English "sir" and the Latin word "serus", meaning "late". | |||
| Lithuanian | pone | ||
| 'Pone' is a Lithuanian borrowing from Polish pan ('mister'). | |||
| Macedonian | господине | ||
| Господине е таква христијанско убива славенското лично име милостивотската на бога "bogini" (бохини). | |||
| Polish | pan | ||
| In Polish, "Pan" can also refer to a pagan lord or a gentleman, and is cognate with the English word "pawn" | |||
| Romanian | domnule | ||
| The Romanian word "domnule" is derived from Latin "dominus" meaning "master" or "lord", and originally referred to a feudal lord or landowner. | |||
| Russian | сэр | ||
| The word "сэр" can also refer to a type of horse or a type of plow. | |||
| Serbian | господине | ||
| The word 'господине' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word '*gospodь' meaning 'master' or 'lord' and is cognate with the Russian word 'господин'. | |||
| Slovak | pane | ||
| The word "pane" in Slovak can also refer to a master or a lord, and is derived from the Slavic root "pan" meaning "master". | |||
| Slovenian | gospod | ||
| The word 'gospod' also means 'God' in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | сер | ||
| Ukrainian "сер" is cognate to Russian "сэр", but has an alternate meaning of "heart" or "mind". | |||
Sir in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | স্যার | ||
| Derived from Proto-Indo-European *ḱer- "to make" or *ǵʰer- "to be warm." | |||
| Gujarati | સર | ||
| The word "સર" in Gujarati is also used as a polite form of address for elders or superiors. | |||
| Hindi | महोदय | ||
| The word 'महोदय' (sir) originates from the Sanskrit word 'महत्' (great) and 'उदय' (rise), meaning 'one who rises to greatness'. | |||
| Kannada | ಶ್ರೀಮಾನ್ | ||
| The word "ಶ್ರೀಮಾನ್" also means "wealthy" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "Shriman" meaning "auspicious" or "fortunate". | |||
| Malayalam | സാർ | ||
| The word "സാർ" ("sir") in Malayalam can also mean "father" or "teacher", and is derived from the Sanskrit word "shreshtha" meaning "best". | |||
| Marathi | सर | ||
| The Marathi word "सर" (sir) is derived from the Sanskrit word "शिरा" (head), which also means "crown" or "top". | |||
| Nepali | सर | ||
| In the past, "सर" (pronounced "sur") was a name of respect and a way to address one's father in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਰ | ||
| ਸਰ (sir) is derived from the Persian word سر (sar), meaning 'head' or 'chief', and can also refer to a respectable or elderly person. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සර් | ||
| This word also means 'master', 'boss', 'lord' or any person who is addressed respectfully. | |||
| Tamil | ஐயா | ||
| Telugu | సార్ | ||
| The word 'సార్' ('sir') in Telugu can also refer to a teacher or an elder brother. | |||
| Urdu | جناب | ||
| The term 'جناب' (sir) derives from the Arabic word 'جنب', meaning 'side', possibly alluding to the attendant standing beside a noble person. | |||
Sir in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 先生 | ||
| "先生" originally meant "teacher," but is now commonly used as a respectful way to address a man. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 先生 | ||
| The Chinese character "先生" also means 'teacher', which reflects the traditional Chinese respect and honor to knowledge. | |||
| Japanese | お客様 | ||
| The word "お客様" ("okyaku-sama") literally means "honorable guest" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 경 | ||
| "경" is derived from "京", which originally meant "capital" and came to be used for high-ranking officials in the palace or government. | |||
| Mongolian | эрхэм ээ | ||
| The word may derive from the Mongolian word | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဆရာ | ||
| In Burmese, "ဆရာ" can also refer to a professor, guru, or religious teacher. | |||
Sir in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pak | ||
| "Pak" can also be used as an affectionate term for an older male friend or relative. | |||
| Javanese | pak | ||
| "Pak" is cognate to "bapak" in Indonesian and "bapa" in Javanese Old Javanese language, and is also related to the Malay word "bapa" (father). | |||
| Khmer | លោក | ||
| The Khmer word "លោក" can also refer to a husband or a man who is older than the speaker. | |||
| Lao | ທ່ານ | ||
| "ທ່ານ" is also used to address a king, a lord or a royal, an honored person, or an elderly person. | |||
| Malay | tuan | ||
| The word tuan is derived from the Chinese word "tuan" (大人), meaning "master" or "lord". | |||
| Thai | ท่าน | ||
| The Thai word "ท่าน" derives from the Sanskrit word "sthana", meaning "position" or "rank", reflecting its use as a reverential term for individuals in positions of respect. | |||
| Vietnamese | quý ngài | ||
| "Quý ngài" is used to address a male of any age and is also used as a formal title for a noble or high-ranking official. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sir | ||
Sir in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | cənab | ||
| The word "cənab" in Azerbaijani originates from the Persian word "janab" meaning "excellency" or "majesty". | |||
| Kazakh | мырза | ||
| The Kazakh word "мырза" is related to the Persian word "emir," which also means "sir." | |||
| Kyrgyz | мырза | ||
| The word "мырза" is also used to address a distinguished guest or elder in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | ҷаноб | ||
| The word "ҷаноб" is derived from the Persian word "janab", which means "side" or "direction". | |||
| Turkmen | jenap | ||
| Uzbek | janob | ||
| Janob is derived from the Arabic word 'janab', meaning 'side' or 'direction'. | |||
| Uyghur | ئەپەندىم | ||
Sir in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | haku | ||
| The term "haku" can also refer to a master, expert, or chief. | |||
| Maori | ariki | ||
| The word 'ariki' in Maori also refers to a high-ranking chief or nobleman, and is cognate with the Hawaiian word 'ali'i'. | |||
| Samoan | aliʻi | ||
| The Samoan word "aliʻi" also refers to a chiefly rank or a high-ranking family, with distinct connotations depending on the context. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | ginoo | ||
| "Ginoo" comes from the Spanish word "señor", meaning "lord" or "master". | |||
Sir in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | tata | ||
| Guarani | karai | ||
Sir in International Languages
| Esperanto | sinjoro | ||
| The word 'sinjoro' also means 'lord', 'master' and 'Mr.' | |||
| Latin | domine | ||
| The term "domine" also appears in the Christian Latin Bible and is sometimes used to refer to God or Jesus. | |||
Sir in Others Languages
| Greek | κύριε | ||
| The word 'Κύριε' in Greek originally meant 'lord' or 'master', and is also used as a term of respect for God. | |||
| Hmong | txiv neej | ||
| "Txiv neej" is also the term for a paternal uncle. | |||
| Kurdish | mirze | ||
| The Kurdish word "mirze" is derived from the Persian word "mir," meaning "lord" or "prince." | |||
| Turkish | bayım | ||
| Bayım, or bayum, also means 'to faint' or 'to get drowsy,' originating from the Arabic 'bayyûm', meaning 'night sleep'. | |||
| Xhosa | mhlekazi | ||
| The word "mhlekazi" may be related to the verb "-hlekaza," meaning "to scatter" or "to destroy," suggesting the historical connection with warriors scattering or destroying enemies. | |||
| Yiddish | הער | ||
| הער literally means "the master" in German, though it is used to translate the English "mister" into Yiddish. | |||
| Zulu | mnumzane | ||
| Mnumzane, derived from "umnumzane", is commonly translated as "sir" but historically was a title of respect for any man, particularly a leader or elder. | |||
| Assamese | মহোদয় | ||
| Aymara | tata | ||
| Bhojpuri | हुजूर | ||
| Dhivehi | ސަރ | ||
| Dogri | सर | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sir | ||
| Guarani | karai | ||
| Ilocano | apo | ||
| Krio | sa | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەڕێز | ||
| Maithili | महाशय | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯔ | ||
| Mizo | ka pu | ||
| Oromo | obboo | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସାର୍ | ||
| Quechua | sir | ||
| Sanskrit | महोदयः | ||
| Tatar | сэр | ||
| Tigrinya | ሃለቃ | ||
| Tsonga | nkulukumba | ||