Smooth in Different Languages
Discover 'Smooth' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'smooth' holds a special place in our vocabulary, evoking a sense of effortless ease and unruffled calm. Its significance extends beyond the literal, as it often symbolizes efficiency, grace, and even allure in various cultural contexts. For instance, a 'smooth' operator in English-speaking cultures might refer to a charming and unflappable individual, while in Japanese, the term 'suberu' (素晴らしい) captures the essence of something being exceptionally good or smooth.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'smooth' in different languages can enrich your cross-cultural communication and deepen your appreciation for the richness of linguistic diversity. For example, the Spanish 'suave' not only means smooth but also implies sophistication, while the German 'glatt' conveys a similar meaning but can also refer to a surface's sleekness.
Join us as we explore the various translations of 'smooth' in different languages, from the elegant 'liscio' in Italian to the subtle 'hien' in Vietnamese, and discover the unique cultural nuances that these words convey.
Smooth
Smooth in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | glad | ||
| The Afrikaans word "glad" has the same origin as the English word "glaze", and it can also mean "shiny" or "slippery". | |||
| Amharic | ለስላሳ | ||
| The term 'ለስላሳ' can also mean 'polished' or 'shiny', as if something has been rubbed to achieve a glossy surface. | |||
| Hausa | santsi | ||
| 'Santsi' also means 'bald' in Hausa, likely due to the shared quality of having a flat, even surface. | |||
| Igbo | ezigbo | ||
| "Ezigbo" in Igbo is not only used to describe something smooth in texture but also to refer to something that is good or excellent. | |||
| Malagasy | mitovy tantana | ||
| The word "mitovy tantana" can also be used to mean "flat, level, or even". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | yosalala | ||
| The word 'yosalala' is related to 'kusalala' which means 'to be tired' and 'kuyala' which means 'to sleep', indicating that something smooth is easy and effortless to interact with. | |||
| Shona | anotsvedzerera | ||
| The word "anotsvedzerera" also means "to make something straight." | |||
| Somali | siman | ||
| The word "siman" can also refer to a "boundary" or "limit" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | boreleli | ||
| "Boreleli" in Sesotho can also mean something that is not rough or abrasive. | |||
| Swahili | nyororo | ||
| The word "Nyororo" can also refer to a slippery or difficult situation. | |||
| Xhosa | agudileyo | ||
| The word "agudileyo" in Xhosa is a loanword from Zulu, where it can also mean "to be sly" or "to flatter". | |||
| Yoruba | dan | ||
| The Yoruba word "dan" can also mean "even" or "level". | |||
| Zulu | bushelelezi | ||
| Bushelelezi is an onomatopoeic word and can also mean "without folds". | |||
| Bambara | nugu | ||
| Ewe | zrɔ̃ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | neza | ||
| Lingala | pete | ||
| Luganda | obugonvu | ||
| Sepedi | boreledi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | motoo | ||
Smooth in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ناعم | ||
| The Arabic word "ناعم" (na'im) also means "soft," "delicate," or "fine." | |||
| Hebrew | חלק | ||
| The word "חלק" (smooth) is also used in Hebrew to describe something that is "easy" or "simple". | |||
| Pashto | نرم | ||
| In Pashto, "نرم" also means "soft" or "gentle". | |||
| Arabic | ناعم | ||
| The Arabic word "ناعم" (na'im) also means "soft," "delicate," or "fine." | |||
Smooth in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i qetë | ||
| The Albanian word "i qetë" can also mean "serene" or "peaceful". | |||
| Basque | leuna | ||
| The Basque word "leuna" derives from the Proto-Basque root "*len-**" and also means "soft, gentle". | |||
| Catalan | llis | ||
| Catalan word "llis" originally derived from Proto-Germanic "*sliþjaz", meaning "slippery", related to English "sly" and "slide". | |||
| Croatian | glatko, nesmetano | ||
| In the expression "glatko, nesmetano" (smooth), the word "nesmetano" does not mean "without cream" but rather "without obstacles" or "unimpeded". | |||
| Danish | glat | ||
| The word "glat" can also mean "bald" or "icy" in Danish. | |||
| Dutch | glad | ||
| In Dutch, "glad" can also refer to a type of ice skate, the blade of a sword, or the surface of a lake. | |||
| English | smooth | ||
| The word 'smooth' comes from the Old English word 'smēþe', meaning 'even' or 'level'. | |||
| French | lisse | ||
| French "lisse" has roots in Old French "lice" meaning "thread" and Latin "līcius" meaning "smooth" | |||
| Frisian | glêd | ||
| "Glêd" is a cognate of the English word "glad", meaning "happy" or "joyful". | |||
| Galician | suave | ||
| In Galician, “suave” also means friendly, polite, and pleasant. | |||
| German | glatt | ||
| "Glatt" may also derive from Old English and refers to slippery substances. | |||
| Icelandic | slétt | ||
| In Old Norse literature, the word "slétt" meant "straight" and "even." | |||
| Irish | réidh | ||
| "Réidh" also means "ready" or "prepared" (to do something). | |||
| Italian | liscio | ||
| "Liscio" also means "folk music of Romagna" in Italian. | |||
| Luxembourgish | glat | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "glat" (smooth) is derived from the Proto-West-Germanic word "glattaz", and is related to the English word "glad" (happy). | |||
| Maltese | bla xkiel | ||
| The word "bla xkiel" is a contraction of "bla skiel," where "skiel" means "skin" in Maltese. | |||
| Norwegian | glatt | ||
| In Norwegian, "glatt" can also refer to a surface that is icy or slippery. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | suave | ||
| In Portuguese, "suave" also means gentle, mild, sweet, and pleasant. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | rèidh | ||
| The word "rèidh" can also refer to a paved road or a clearing in a forest in Scots Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | suave | ||
| The word "suave" can also mean "gentle" or "soft" in Spanish. | |||
| Swedish | slät | ||
| The word "slät" comes from the Old Swedish word "slætter", meaning "even" or "level". | |||
| Welsh | llyfn | ||
| The Welsh word "llyfn" derives from the Proto-Celtic root "*likno-" meaning "to lick", implying a sense of smoothness analogous to the tongue caressing a surface. | |||
Smooth in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | гладкая | ||
| A synonym for "гладкая" is "ровная" which could mean "flat" as well. | |||
| Bosnian | glatka | ||
| In some contexts, "glatka" can also mean "bald". | |||
| Bulgarian | гладка | ||
| In Bulgarian, "гладка" also means "empty" or "plain". | |||
| Czech | hladký | ||
| The Czech word "hladký" can also mean "flat" or "level", and is related to the word "hladina", which means "surface" or "level". | |||
| Estonian | sile | ||
| The Estonian word "sile" is related to the Finnish word "sileä" and the Russian word "гладкий" (gladkiy), all meaning "smooth". | |||
| Finnish | sileä | ||
| The word "sileä" also refers to a type of Finnish folk song, which is often characterized by its smooth and flowing melody. | |||
| Hungarian | sima | ||
| Sima, derived from Proto-Finno-Ugric *sima, also means "pretty, lovely, graceful". | |||
| Latvian | gluda | ||
| The word "gluda" also means "naked" or "bare" in Latvian, highlighting its connection to the absence of obstructions or imperfections. | |||
| Lithuanian | lygus | ||
| The word "lygus" in Lithuanian can also refer to a flat or level surface, or to equality or fairness. | |||
| Macedonian | мазна | ||
| The word "мазна" can also mean "oily" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | gładki | ||
| "Gładki" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root "*gladъ" with the meaning "flat, open, even". | |||
| Romanian | neted | ||
| In old Romanian, «neted» was also used to refer to the smoothness of a person's behavior. | |||
| Russian | гладкий; плавный | ||
| The word "гладкий; плавный" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *gladъkъ, which also means "bare, naked". | |||
| Serbian | глатка | ||
| The word "глатка" can also mean "flat" or "even", and it is related to the word "глава" (head), which reflects the idea of a smooth surface with no bumps or irregularities. | |||
| Slovak | hladký | ||
| The name of the city Bratislava comes from the word «hladký» («smooth»), which refers to the location on the flat and smooth land by the riverbank. | |||
| Slovenian | gladko | ||
| The word "gladko" also means "fluent" or "without difficulty" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | гладка | ||
| The word "гладка" in Ukrainian can also mean "flat" or "even". | |||
Smooth in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মসৃণ | ||
| The word "মসৃণ" can also mean "fine" or "thin". | |||
| Gujarati | સરળ | ||
| The word "સરળ" can also mean "plain", "straightforward", "simple", or "uncomplicated" in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | चिकनी | ||
| The word "चिकनी" also refers to a dish made with spinach and gram flour in some parts of India. | |||
| Kannada | ನಯವಾದ | ||
| "ನಯವಾದ" also means "to polish something" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | മിനുസമാർന്ന | ||
| Marathi | गुळगुळीत | ||
| The word 'गुळगुळीत' can also be used to describe a person with a gentle and pleasant disposition. | |||
| Nepali | चिल्लो | ||
| Nepali 'चिल्लो' is also the term for the smooth Himalayan snow trout, which is highly valued for its taste and is an important food source for the people of the Himalayan region. | |||
| Punjabi | ਨਿਰਵਿਘਨ | ||
| The word 'ਨਿਰਵਿਘਨ' in Punjabi is derived from the Sanskrit word 'nirvighna', which means 'free from obstacles or hindrances'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සිනිඳුයි | ||
| The Sinhala word "සිනිඳුයි" is also used to describe someone who is soft-spoken or gentle in nature. | |||
| Tamil | மென்மையான | ||
| The word "மென்மையான" can also mean "soft", "gentle", or "kind" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | మృదువైన | ||
| మృదువైన is a Telugu word that can also refer to gentleness or kindness. | |||
| Urdu | ہموار | ||
| The word "ہموار" (hamvār) shares its origin with the English word "hummock", meaning a small, rounded elevation or mound of earth or sand. | |||
Smooth in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 光滑 | ||
| In the past, “光滑” referred to “baldness,” the “bald” area of a monk’s head. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 光滑 | ||
| 光滑 can also mean 'bright', 'radiant', or 'lustrous' in classical Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | スムーズ | ||
| Originally meaning flat or level, now "smooth" in any sense including emotionally, like the English sense. | |||
| Korean | 부드러운 | ||
| "부드러운" (smooth) also refers to a kind and gentle nature, such as in the phrase "부드러운 사람" (a kind person). | |||
| Mongolian | гөлгөр | ||
| "Гөлгөр" also refers to the smoothness of speech and calmness of character, as well as to an easy and unhurried pace. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ချောချောမွေ့မွေ့ | ||
Smooth in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | halus | ||
| In ancient Malay, "halus" also meant "fine" (small in size) or "soft" (not hard). | |||
| Javanese | gamelan | ||
| The term 'gamelan' is derived from the Javanese word 'gamel', meaning 'hammer' or 'mallet' | |||
| Khmer | រលោង | ||
| The word "រលោង" can also refer to a type of fish called the "smooth-head catfish". | |||
| Lao | ກ້ຽງ | ||
| The Lao word "ກ້ຽງ" can also mean "to be at peace" or "to be calm". | |||
| Malay | lancar | ||
| In Indonesian and Javanese, lancar also means free, clear, and fluent. | |||
| Thai | เรียบ | ||
| "เรียบ" (smooth) can also mean to be gentle, calm, or serene. | |||
| Vietnamese | trơn tru | ||
| Trơn tru (smooth) is also used to describe the surface of roads or the smoothness of a ride or movement, and can have the figurative meaning of "smooth-talking" or "glib".} | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | makinis | ||
Smooth in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | hamar | ||
| The word "hamar" in Azerbaijani can have alternate meanings such as "flat" or "even". | |||
| Kazakh | тегіс | ||
| Тегіс (tegis) in Kazakh also means 'flat' or 'level', and is related to the word 'тең' (ten), meaning 'equal' or 'similar'. | |||
| Kyrgyz | жылмакай | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "жылмакай" is derived from the Turkic root "жыл" meaning "to polish" or "to make smooth". | |||
| Tajik | ҳамвор | ||
| The word "ҳамвор" in Tajik also means "uniform" or "level". | |||
| Turkmen | ýylmanak | ||
| Uzbek | silliq | ||
| In Uzbek, 'silliq' also means 'to polish' or 'to make something shiny' and has Turkic roots | |||
| Uyghur | سىلىق | ||
Smooth in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | laumania | ||
| The word "laumania" also translates to "without wrinkles" or "unwrinkled". | |||
| Maori | maeneene | ||
| In addition to "smooth," maeneene can mean "quiet" or "calm."} | |||
| Samoan | lamolemole | ||
| "Lamolemole" also means "calm", "serene" or "quietly" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | makinis | ||
| The Philippine word makinis ('smooth') is ultimately derived from Proto-Austronesian languages | |||
Smooth in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jasa | ||
| Guarani | apesỹi | ||
Smooth in International Languages
| Esperanto | glata | ||
| Esperanto's "glata" is also a noun meaning "flatness" or "the quality of being smooth." | |||
| Latin | smooth | ||
| "Smooth" derives from the Latin "levem", meaning 'to polish', and also means 'mild' or 'gentle'. | |||
Smooth in Others Languages
| Greek | λείος | ||
| The word "λείος" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰleiǵʰ-, also found in English "glade" and Sanskrit "ghṛtá-m" (clarified butter). | |||
| Hmong | du | ||
| In Hmong, 'du' also means 'soft', 'silky', and 'gentle'. | |||
| Kurdish | serrast | ||
| The word "serrast" in Kurdish is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁serǵ-, meaning "to flow". | |||
| Turkish | pürüzsüz | ||
| The word 'pürüzsüz' is of Persian origin, and its original meaning is 'without knots'. | |||
| Xhosa | agudileyo | ||
| The word "agudileyo" in Xhosa is a loanword from Zulu, where it can also mean "to be sly" or "to flatter". | |||
| Yiddish | גלאַט | ||
| The Yiddish word "גלאַט" (glatt) is derived from the German word "glatt," which also means "smooth." It can also be used to describe something that is kosher, as in "glatt kosher." | |||
| Zulu | bushelelezi | ||
| Bushelelezi is an onomatopoeic word and can also mean "without folds". | |||
| Assamese | মসৃণ | ||
| Aymara | jasa | ||
| Bhojpuri | चिकन | ||
| Dhivehi | އޮމާން | ||
| Dogri | मलैम | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | makinis | ||
| Guarani | apesỹi | ||
| Ilocano | nalammuyot | ||
| Krio | fayn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | لووس | ||
| Maithili | चिक्कन | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯅꯥꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | mam | ||
| Oromo | kan hin quuqne | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଚିକ୍କଣ | | ||
| Quechua | llanpu | ||
| Sanskrit | मसृणः | ||
| Tatar | шома | ||
| Tigrinya | ለሚፅ | ||
| Tsonga | rheta | ||