Ski in Different Languages
Discover 'Ski' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Skiing is an invigorating and popular sport, enjoyed by millions of people around the world. Its significance extends beyond recreation, as skiing has played a crucial role in shaping transportation, economies, and even warfare strategies in certain cultures. For instance, did you know that skiing has been a part of Scandinavian culture for over 5,000 years? Or that during World War II, the German and Finnish armies used skis as standard equipment?
Understanding the translation of 'ski' in different languages can open doors to new cultural experiences and connections. Here are a few examples:
- German: Ski
- French: Ski
- Spanish: Esquí
- Italian: Sci
- Chinese: 滑雪 (Huáxuě)
- Japanese: スキ (Suki)
Explore the world of skiing through language and culture, and discover how this thrilling activity transcends borders and unites people.
Ski
Ski in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | ski | ||
| The Afrikaans word "ski" can also refer to a thin slice of bread. | |||
| Amharic | ስኪ | ||
| The Amharic root "ስኪ" is also used for "to throw". In some contexts, it can mean "to throw oneself" or "to glide or skid." | |||
| Hausa | gudun kankara | ||
| The word 'gudun kankara' in Hausa does not mean 'ski', but rather 'to slide on ice'. | |||
| Igbo | skai | ||
| In Igbo, "skai" means "to slide" or "to glide", hinting at the motion of skiing. | |||
| Malagasy | ski | ||
| "Ski" means "to wash" in Malagasy, and can also mean "to clean" or "to purify." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kutsetsereka | ||
| The word 'kutsetsereka' also means 'to slide' or 'to glide'. | |||
| Shona | ski | ||
| The word 'ski' in Shona can also refer to a type of grass used for thatching roofs. | |||
| Somali | baraf | ||
| The Somali word "baraf" is derived from the Arabic word "barad" meaning "to make cold". | |||
| Sesotho | ski | ||
| The Sesotho word "seski" also means "slippery." | |||
| Swahili | ski | ||
| The Swahili word "ski" comes from the Arabic "sak" meaning "leg" and may have originally meant the type of pants that ski pants are descended from. | |||
| Xhosa | ukuskiya | ||
| The word "Ukuskiya" in Xhosa derives from the Bantu root "-ski-", meaning "to glide" or "to move smoothly". | |||
| Yoruba | siki | ||
| The Yoruba word "siki" also translates to "to climb", "to jump", or "to soar". | |||
| Zulu | ski | ||
| The word "ski" has no direct translation in Zulu, but it can be described as "isikhali sokuhamba phezu kwekhephu" (a device for moving on ice). | |||
| Bambara | ski | ||
| Ewe | ski | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ski | ||
| Lingala | ski | ||
| Luganda | ski | ||
| Sepedi | ski | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ski | ||
Ski in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تزلج | ||
| The word "تزلج" also means "sliding" or "slippery" in Arabic, denoting the motion of skiing. | |||
| Hebrew | סקִי | ||
| The word סקי ("ski") also means "look" when used as a verb in Hebrew, deriving from the Aramaic verb סכי ("to look"). | |||
| Pashto | سکی | ||
| The word "سکی" in Pashto has the alternate meaning of "horse's saddle". | |||
| Arabic | تزلج | ||
| The word "تزلج" also means "sliding" or "slippery" in Arabic, denoting the motion of skiing. | |||
Ski in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ski | ||
| The word "ski" in Albanian can also refer to a type of long, pointed knife or a wooden wedge used to split logs. | |||
| Basque | eskiatu | ||
| The suffix '-atu' can indicate a location, so 'eskiatu' could mean 'a place for skis'. | |||
| Catalan | esquiar | ||
| "Esquiar" in Catalan (like "ski" in English) has other meanings, like "to dodge" or "to avoid". | |||
| Croatian | skijati | ||
| The word 'skijati' in Croatian also means 'to play' or 'to jump'. | |||
| Danish | ski | ||
| The word "ski" is derived from the Old Norse word "skíð", meaning "a thin, flat piece of wood". | |||
| Dutch | ski | ||
| In Dutch, "ski" can also refer to a large, flat wooden board used as a table or counter. | |||
| English | ski | ||
| Old Norse "skíð" (plural) is also the origin of "skid" in English. | |||
| French | ski | ||
| The word "ski" comes from the Norwegian word "ski" meaning "piece of wood" or "runner". | |||
| Frisian | sky | ||
| In Frisian, "sky" can also mean "cloud". | |||
| Galician | esquí | ||
| The word "esquí" in Galician derives from the Proto-Basque term for "stick" or "rod". | |||
| German | ski | ||
| The word "Ski" comes from the Old Norse word "skíð", meaning "piece of wood". | |||
| Icelandic | skíði | ||
| The word "skíði" in Icelandic can also refer to a type of flatbread or a wooden plank used for scraping or smoothing surfaces. | |||
| Irish | sciála | ||
| The word "sciála" in Irish can refer to a type of winter footwear or to a skiing activity, both derived from the Norwegian word "ski". | |||
| Italian | sciare | ||
| The word "sciare" in Italian also means "to know" or "to be able to do something", derived from the Latin "scire". | |||
| Luxembourgish | ski | ||
| In Luxembourgish, “ski” can also refer to a wooden beam used in construction or to a type of wooden sled used for carrying loads. | |||
| Maltese | ski | ||
| In Maltese, "ski" means "to slide," and is related to the Arabic word "sakka," meaning "to pour." | |||
| Norwegian | ski | ||
| The word 'ski' in Norwegian is cognate with the English word 'shoe' and originally referred to a long, narrow piece of wood worn on the foot for protection or warmth. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | esqui | ||
| Esqui comes from the Proto-Germanic word "skīdh". It shares the same root with the English word "shoe" and the Persian word "kashk" (slipper). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | sgitheadh | ||
| Sgìthe means “a glide, a slide, a swift motion” in Scottish Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | esquí | ||
| The word "esquí" in Spanish is related to the Basque word "eski" meaning "flat wooden shoe". | |||
| Swedish | åka skidor | ||
| The verb 'åka skidor' in Swedish is a compound of 'åka' ('to travel') and 'skidor' ('skis'), suggesting the action of 'travelling on skis'. | |||
| Welsh | sgïo | ||
| The word "sgïo" can also refer to a "slide", "gliding motion", or "glide" in Welsh. | |||
Ski in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | лыжныя | ||
| The Belarusian word "лыжныя" can also refer to a type of mushroom known as oyster mushrooms. | |||
| Bosnian | ski | ||
| Bosnian "ski" is a loanword from Persian and is related to the Slavic word "skok" meaning "leap". | |||
| Bulgarian | ски | ||
| The word "ски" can also mean "sticks" or "poles" in Bulgarian, reflecting its original meaning as a tool for sliding on snow. | |||
| Czech | lyže | ||
| The word "lyže" in Czech is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "lyzъ", which also means "ice skate". | |||
| Estonian | suusatama | ||
| The word "suusatama" is also used in Estonian to refer to "glide" or "slide." | |||
| Finnish | hiihtää | ||
| The word "hiihtää" is also used to refer to a type of skiing that involves gliding across snow on flat skis with one foot in front of the other. | |||
| Hungarian | sí | ||
| While "sí" also means "here" in Hungarian, it does not have an alternate meaning of "ski". | |||
| Latvian | slēpot | ||
| The word "slēpot" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ḱleu̯-/*ḱlu̯-/", meaning "to glide" or "to flow". | |||
| Lithuanian | slidinėti | ||
| The word "slidinėti" also means "to glide" or "to slide" in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | скијање | ||
| The word "скијање" in Macedonian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *skьjǫ, which also means "to glide". | |||
| Polish | narty | ||
| The etymology of the Polish word "narty" is thought to originate from the Old Norse word "nartr", meaning "narrow snowshoe". | |||
| Romanian | schi | ||
| Schi comes from the same root as 'shield' and 'separate' - it referred to long boards used to split the surface of snow. | |||
| Russian | кататься на лыжах | ||
| The word 'кататься на лыжах' in Russian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'lyžь', meaning 'runner' or 'slider'. | |||
| Serbian | ски | ||
| The word 'ски' in Serbian ultimately derives from Old Norse 'skíð' meaning thin board or lath | |||
| Slovak | lyžovať | ||
| "Lyžovať" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "lyžě", meaning "ski", but in some Slavic languages it also means "skate" or "slide". | |||
| Slovenian | smučanje | ||
| The word "smučanje" in Slovenian comes from the German word "Schuh", meaning "shoe". | |||
| Ukrainian | лижні | ||
| "Лижні" is derived from the Slavic word "lyzhnă", meaning "plank." | |||
Ski in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | স্কি | ||
| সাচারাচর মতের বিপরীতে শব্দটির উৎপত্তি নরওয়েজিয়ান শব্দ “skíð” থেকে নয় বরং সিন্ধিতে এর প্রকৃত অর্থ রয়েছে “গাছ” শব্দের প্রতিধ্বনিমূলক থেকে এসেছে। | |||
| Gujarati | સ્કી | ||
| The word 'સ્કી' ('ski') in Gujarati comes from the Norwegian word 'ski' meaning 'a long, narrow piece of wood used for gliding over snow'. The word 'ski' is also used in Gujarati to refer to a type of dance performed by women in pairs, in which they hold onto a long stick and slide across the floor. | |||
| Hindi | स्की | ||
| The word "स्की" in Hindi also refers to a tree with edible leaves. | |||
| Kannada | ಸ್ಕೀ | ||
| The word 'ಸ್ಕೀ' ('ski') is derived from the Old Norse word 'skíð', meaning 'a piece of wood'. | |||
| Malayalam | സ്കൂൾ | ||
| The Malayalam word "സ്കൂൾ" (ski) comes from the English word "sky", and can also refer to something that is high, lofty, or grand. | |||
| Marathi | स्की | ||
| "स्की" (ski): A term borrowed from English that may refer to either skiing or the equipment | |||
| Nepali | स्की | ||
| The word 'ski' is an acronym for 'Snow, Knife, and Ice', which are three essential elements for skiing. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਕੀ | ||
| The word "ਸਕੀ" (ski) in Punjabi can also refer to a type of small knife used for cutting vegetables or fruit. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ස්කී | ||
| The word "ස්කී" (ski) in Sinhala can also refer to a type of wooden pole used for sliding objects. | |||
| Tamil | ஸ்கை | ||
| In Tamil, "ski" can refer to an instrument used in the sport of skiing or to the action of gliding down a snowy slope on skis. | |||
| Telugu | స్కీ | ||
| The word "ski" is derived from the Old Norse word "skíð", meaning "piece of wood". It can also refer to a type of watercraft or a measure of length. | |||
| Urdu | اسکی | ||
| In Urdu, "اسکی" (ski) literally translates to "ice", but it can also refer to frozen water or a tool used for moving on snow. | |||
Ski in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 滑雪 | ||
| “滑雪”一词在古汉语中意为“滑冰”，后来特指在雪地中借助雪板滑行。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 滑雪 | ||
| 滑雪 is also the Chinese term for "to ski" in both Simplified and Traditional Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | スキー | ||
| While the word "スキー" is typically used to refer to the sport or equipment, it can also be used to describe a wooden float used in religious ceremonies. | |||
| Korean | 스키 | ||
| 스키 is similar to the Mongolian word (сихи) meaning 'to cut'. It may be ultimately derived from Persian سغ (sagh) and Turkish sağ 'shank' or 'leg' | |||
| Mongolian | цана | ||
| "цана" также означает "лыжню" или "саму дорогу". Это отражают примеры из монгольской литературы. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | နှင်းလျှောစီး | ||
Ski in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | main ski | ||
| The Indonesian word "main ski" is a loanword from Dutch, and it can also mean "to play" or "to do something for fun". | |||
| Javanese | ski | ||
| In Javanese, "ski" also means "to rub against something" or "to wipe with a cloth." | |||
| Khmer | ជិះស្គី | ||
| Lao | ສະກີ | ||
| In Lao, the word "ສະກີ" can also refer to a type of traditional Laotian dance. | |||
| Malay | ski | ||
| The Malay word "ski" also means "to slide" or "to glide". | |||
| Thai | สกี | ||
| สกี is also a Lao word meaning "to slice" and an alternate spelling of the Thai word "สกี" ("ski"). | |||
| Vietnamese | trượt tuyết | ||
| The word "trượt tuyết" in Vietnamese literally means "to slide on snow" and is derived from the Chinese word "shuixue". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ski | ||
Ski in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | xizək | ||
| The word "xizək" is derived from the Persian word "chizhak" meaning "a type of wood". It can also refer to a "wooden peg" or a "crossbeam" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | шаңғы | ||
| The word "шаңғы" comes from the Persian word "تشينك" (chāniīk), which means "a wooden bar for sliding on snow". | |||
| Kyrgyz | лыжа | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "лыжа" can also refer to a type of wooden sled used for transportation. | |||
| Tajik | лижаронӣ | ||
| The word «лижаронӣ» comes from the French word «ski», meaning «to slide on the snow». | |||
| Turkmen | lykiada typmak | ||
| Uzbek | chang'i | ||
| The word "chang'i" in Uzbek can also refer to a type of wooden sled used for transportation or recreation. | |||
| Uyghur | قار تېيىلىش | ||
Ski in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ski | ||
| In Hawaiian, "ski" means "to strip" or "to pull." | |||
| Maori | retireti | ||
| The word "retireti" in Maori is not related to the word "retire" in English but is instead derived from the French word "tirer" meaning "to pull". | |||
| Samoan | faaseʻe | ||
| In Samoan, the word 'faaseʻe' also means 'to slide', reflecting the motion of skiing. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | mag-ski | ||
| "Mag-ski" is the Tagalog translation of "ski". The word itself does not have any alternate meanings. | |||
Ski in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | esquí | ||
| Guarani | esquí rehegua | ||
Ski in International Languages
| Esperanto | skii | ||
| "Skii" has different meanings in Esperanto: 1) part of the human body 2) an animal 3) a type of mushroom | |||
| Latin | ski | ||
| The Latin word "scindere" (to split) is the origin of the word "ski." | |||
Ski in Others Languages
| Greek | σκι | ||
| "Σκι" is also used colloquially in Modern Greek to mean "go for a walk in the countryside." | |||
| Hmong | caij saum daus | ||
| The word "caij saum daus" also means "footwear for snow" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | befirajo | ||
| The word 'befirajo' literally means 'to cut through snow' and is used to describe the action of skiing in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | kayak | ||
| In Turkish, the word "kayak" can also mean "canoe" or "flat-bottomed boat". | |||
| Xhosa | ukuskiya | ||
| The word "Ukuskiya" in Xhosa derives from the Bantu root "-ski-", meaning "to glide" or "to move smoothly". | |||
| Yiddish | אייז גליטשן | ||
| "אייז גליטשן" (ski) in Yiddish may also refer to the verb "to glide effortlessly" or "to skip or skim across a surface". | |||
| Zulu | ski | ||
| The word "ski" has no direct translation in Zulu, but it can be described as "isikhali sokuhamba phezu kwekhephu" (a device for moving on ice). | |||
| Assamese | ski | ||
| Aymara | esquí | ||
| Bhojpuri | स्की के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ސްކީ އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | स्की | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ski | ||
| Guarani | esquí rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | ski | ||
| Krio | ski | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | خلیسکێنەی سەر بەفر | ||
| Maithili | स्की | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁ꯭ꯀꯤ | ||
| Mizo | ski | ||
| Oromo | ski | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସ୍କି | ||
| Quechua | esquí | ||
| Sanskrit | स्की | ||
| Tatar | чаңгы | ||
| Tigrinya | ስኪ | ||
| Tsonga | ski | ||