Song in Different Languages
Discover 'Song' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A 'song' is more than just words and melody - it's a universal language that transcends borders and cultures. From ancient tribal chants to modern pop hits, songs have been a vital part of human expression and communication for centuries. They have the power to evoke emotions, preserve history, and bring people together.
Did you know that the oldest known song, the 'Hurrian Hymn No. 6', dates back to around 1400 BCE? Found in modern-day Syria, this song is a testament to the enduring power of music. Or that in many African cultures, songs are used as a tool for passing down oral histories and cultural values to future generations?
Understanding the translation of 'song' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural significance of music around the world. For example, in Spanish, a song is known as a 'canción', while in French, it's called a 'chanson'. In Mandarin, the word for song is '歌', which is pronounced 'ge'.
Join us as we explore the translations of 'song' in various languages, shedding light on the unique cultural perspectives and musical traditions that shape our world.
Song
Song in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | liedjie | ||
| "Liedjie" can also mean a short poem, especially in a folk song. | |||
| Amharic | ዘፈን | ||
| The verb 'ዘፈን' also refers to 'spinning yarn', and can be related to the word 'ፈንድ' which means 'spindle'. | |||
| Hausa | waƙa | ||
| The word waƙa can also refer to "speech" or "verse" particularly in praise, panegyric, or satire. | |||
| Igbo | abu | ||
| An alternate meaning of "abu" is "a tale, legend, or story." | |||
| Malagasy | hira | ||
| The word 'hira' is also used in Malagasy to refer to a funeral dirge or lament. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | nyimbo | ||
| "Nyimbo" in Nyanja can also refer to a traditional folk song and dance performance. | |||
| Shona | rwiyo | ||
| The term "rwiyo" also signifies an invocation made to a spirit in Shona culture and religion. | |||
| Somali | hees | ||
| The word "hees" in Somali also refers to a specific type of traditional Somali music characterized by its slow tempo and emotional lyrics. | |||
| Sesotho | pina | ||
| The word "pina" in Sesotho can also refer to a praise poem or a traditional dance. | |||
| Swahili | wimbo | ||
| The word 'wimbo' has roots in Bantu languages, with similar words referring to songs or dances in many other languages of the group. | |||
| Xhosa | ingoma | ||
| The Xhosa word "ingoma" (song) also means "council of elders". | |||
| Yoruba | orin | ||
| In some contexts, "orin" can mean "sound" or "voice" and not necessarily a song with lyrics. | |||
| Zulu | iculo | ||
| Bambara | dɔnkili | ||
| Ewe | ha | ||
| Kinyarwanda | indirimbo | ||
| Lingala | loyembo | ||
| Luganda | oluyimba | ||
| Sepedi | koša | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nnwom | ||
Song in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | أغنية | ||
| The word "أغنية" is derived from the root "غنّ" (to sing) and is cognate with the Hebrew word "שיר" (song), both ultimately derived from the Proto-Semitic root *šwr. | |||
| Hebrew | שִׁיר | ||
| The Hebrew word for "song" ("שִׁיר") also means "poetry" and is derived from the root "שור" ("to sing") | |||
| Pashto | سندره | ||
| The Pashto word "سندره" also means "a small piece of wood" | |||
| Arabic | أغنية | ||
| The word "أغنية" is derived from the root "غنّ" (to sing) and is cognate with the Hebrew word "שיר" (song), both ultimately derived from the Proto-Semitic root *šwr. | |||
Song in Western European Languages
| Albanian | këngë | ||
| "Këngë" is also the name of a large bird of prey, possibly related etymologically to "eagle" and "hawk". | |||
| Basque | abestia | ||
| The Basque word "abestia" is derived from the Proto-Basque root "abi" meaning "sound" and "ahotsa" meaning "voice". | |||
| Catalan | cançó | ||
| The word "cançó" in Catalan derives from the Latin root "cantus" and is related to the French word "chanson". | |||
| Croatian | pjesma | ||
| The word 'pjesma' derives from PIE *ǵʰéw- 'to call, to speak', and its cognates include words such as 'speech', 'phrase', 'spell', and 'fable'. | |||
| Danish | sang | ||
| In Danish, "sang" not only means "song" but also refers to the act of singing itself. | |||
| Dutch | lied | ||
| The word "lied" in Dutch can also refer to a type of folk song sung without accompaniment. | |||
| English | song | ||
| "Song" comes from Old English "sang," meaning "song, poem, or music." | |||
| French | chanson | ||
| In French, the term "chanson" also refers to a lyrical poem, particularly in the medieval period. | |||
| Frisian | liet | ||
| The word "liet" in Frisian can also refer to a "religious song." | |||
| Galician | canción | ||
| The Galician word "canción" (song) originally referred to a love song in the Occitan language, and it retains this meaning in some Galician dialects. | |||
| German | lied | ||
| In German, "Lied" not only refers to a song but also encompasses the specific genre of German art song or Lieder. | |||
| Icelandic | lag | ||
| In Icelandic, "lag" can also refer to a "layer" or "stratum". | |||
| Irish | amhrán | ||
| The Irish word \ | |||
| Italian | canzone | ||
| The word "canzone" derives from the Latin "cantio," meaning "song," and is related to "chant" | |||
| Luxembourgish | lidd | ||
| The verb “lieden” (to sing) existed before the substantiv “Lidd” (song); this word is related to the German verb “leiden” (to suffer). | |||
| Maltese | kanzunetta | ||
| The Maltese word "kanzunetta" derives from the Italian "canzonetta", a short lyrical song. | |||
| Norwegian | sang | ||
| The word "sang" in Norwegian also means "to sing". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | canção | ||
| Canção, a Portuguese word for "song," likely derives from the Latin word "cantio." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | òran | ||
| The word òran can also mean an elegy, a hymn, a psalm, a lay, or the chanting of a bard. | |||
| Spanish | canción | ||
| The word "canción" in Spanish comes from the Latin "cantio," meaning "chant" or "melody." | |||
| Swedish | låt | ||
| The word "låt" may also refer to a layer of sediment or a type of dance in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | cân | ||
| The word "cân" can also refer to a melody or tune, as well as a poem or hymn. | |||
Song in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | песня | ||
| In Belarusian, "песня" can also mean a "fable", "fairytale", or "story". | |||
| Bosnian | pjesma | ||
| The word pjesma comes from the Proto-Slavic word *pěsnь, which also means 'song' or 'poem'. | |||
| Bulgarian | песен | ||
| The Bulgarian word for "song", "песен", shares a common Slavic root with "pen" and "paint". | |||
| Czech | píseň | ||
| The term "píseň" in Czech can also refer to a lyric poem intended to be accompanied by music. | |||
| Estonian | laul | ||
| The word "laul" can also mean a "lament" or a "melody" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | laulu | ||
| In the epic poem Kalevala, the word "laulu" refers to both songs and spells. | |||
| Hungarian | dal | ||
| In addition to "song", "dal" can also refer to "melody," "music" or, more widely, "a piece of art that provides joy." | |||
| Latvian | dziesma | ||
| The word "dziesma" also means "poem" or "verse" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | daina | ||
| Daina comes from Old Prussian and Sanskrit root *dei- | |||
| Macedonian | песна | ||
| The word 'песна' derives from the Proto-Slavic word 'pьsnь', which originally meant 'lament' but evolved to mean any form of sung poetry or music. | |||
| Polish | piosenka | ||
| The word 'piosenka' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'pěsna', which also meant 'chant' or 'verse'. | |||
| Romanian | cântec | ||
| The Romanian word "cântec" is derived from the Latin word "canticum," which means "sung poem" or "song." | |||
| Russian | песня | ||
| The word "песня" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "pѣsnь", meaning "praise" or "hymn". | |||
| Serbian | песма | ||
| In Serbian, the word "песма" ("song") can also refer to a "poem" or a "folk song." | |||
| Slovak | pieseň | ||
| In some dialects, "pieseň" can also mean "lullaby" or "carol". | |||
| Slovenian | pesem | ||
| The Slovenian word "pesem" originally referred to a "story" or "narrative poem", distinct from lyrics or music. | |||
| Ukrainian | пісня | ||
| The verb 'співати' (to sing) is a cognate of 'speak' and 'spell' in English, as well as 'spreken' in Dutch, originating from the Proto-Indo-European root '*bʰeh₂-' (to speak). | |||
Song in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | গান | ||
| গান (gaan) can also mean to sing, to utter, to resound, to make a humming sound, to recite, to chant, to narrate, to whistle and to chirp. | |||
| Gujarati | ગીત | ||
| ગીત (geet) comes from the Sanskrit word 'geeta' and also means 'melody' or 'music' in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | गीत | ||
| "गीत," meaning "song," is a Sanskrit word cognate with the English word "lyric" and originally also meant "verse" and "text." | |||
| Kannada | ಹಾಡು | ||
| The word "ಹಾಡು" literally means "to play music" and has other meanings including "performance, drama, play" and "musical composition". | |||
| Malayalam | ഗാനം | ||
| The word "ഗാനം" in Malayalam can also mean "myth" or "legend." | |||
| Marathi | गाणे | ||
| "गाणे" in Marathi can refer to both singing as an action and the song itself (composition). | |||
| Nepali | गीत | ||
| The word 'गीत' can also refer to a specific genre of Nepali folk music with a slow tempo and lyrical focus. | |||
| Punjabi | ਗਾਣਾ | ||
| "Gana" can also refer to a unit of time in music or a small bell attached to a percussion instrument. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සිංදුව | ||
| The word "සිංදුව" (song) in Sinhala is derived from the Sanskrit word "sindhu" (river), possibly due to the metaphorical use of rivers as a symbol of music's flow and continuity. | |||
| Tamil | பாடல் | ||
| The word பாடல் (pāṭal) is derived from the verb பாட (pāṭu), meaning 'to sing, recite, or praise'. | |||
| Telugu | పాట | ||
| "పాట" can also mean 'a row', 'a series', or 'a section' in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | نغمہ | ||
| The word "نغمہ" (naghma) comes from the Persian word "ناله" (naala), meaning "a cry" or "a moan" | |||
Song in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 歌曲 | ||
| 歌曲(gēqǔ) is also an archaic term for 'musical instruments'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 歌曲 | ||
| 曲 is used for melody, while 歌 is used for lyrics. | |||
| Japanese | 歌 | ||
| 歌 (uta) is an umbrella concept in Japanese that refers to various forms of vocal expression, including poetry, lyrics, and melodies. | |||
| Korean | 노래 | ||
| The Korean word "노래" is derived from the Middle Korean word "노라기" meaning "to play a stringed instrument" or "to sing to the tune of a stringed instrument." | |||
| Mongolian | дуу | ||
| "Дуу" means not only "song" but also "melody" and "music" in Mongolian language. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သီချင်း | ||
| Besides its primary meaning, "သီချင်း" can also refer to a genre of Myanmar traditional music characterized by a slow tempo and lyrical melodies. | |||
Song in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | lagu | ||
| The word "lagu" in Indonesian can also mean "pattern" or "style", referring to the rhythmic or melodic structure of a song. | |||
| Javanese | kidung | ||
| The word "kidung" in Javanese also means "a small bird" or "a musical instrument that produces a soft sound." | |||
| Khmer | ចម្រៀង | ||
| The word "ចម្រៀង" can also refer to a style of traditional Khmer music characterized by vocal improvisation and elaborate melodies. | |||
| Lao | ເພງ | ||
| The Lao word "ເພງ" (song) can also refer to a type of traditional Lao music with a slow tempo and gentle melody. | |||
| Malay | lagu | ||
| Malay "lagu," meaning song, may derive from "langgu," an archaic word meaning to speak or a verse. | |||
| Thai | เพลง | ||
| เพลง derives from the Khmer word "pleng" which may mean both music and drama. | |||
| Vietnamese | bài hát | ||
| This word can also mean a 'poem' and is cognate with the Chinese word for 'poem', bài 詩. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kanta | ||
Song in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | mahnı | ||
| "Mahni" word is derived from the Persian word "mahan", meaning "skill". It can also mean a poem or a melody. | |||
| Kazakh | өлең | ||
| The word "өлең" in Kazakh may also refer to poetry. | |||
| Kyrgyz | ыр | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "ыр" also means "melody" | |||
| Tajik | суруд | ||
| "Суруд" is also the name for the | |||
| Turkmen | aýdym | ||
| Uzbek | qo'shiq | ||
| The word "Qo'shiq" is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "qošiq" meaning "duet" or "choir". | |||
| Uyghur | song | ||
Song in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mele | ||
| "Mele" also means dance or poetry in the Hawaiian language. | |||
| Maori | waiata | ||
| The word "waiata" can also refer to a type of traditional Maori chant or lament, often performed in a group setting. | |||
| Samoan | pese | ||
| The Samoan word "pese" can also mean "dance" or "chant" | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kanta | ||
| The word "kanta" in Tagalog can also refer to a unit of currency in pre-colonial Philippines or to a type of ritual chant in some Visayan languages. | |||
Song in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jaylli | ||
| Guarani | purahéi | ||
Song in International Languages
| Esperanto | kanto | ||
| In Japanese, "kanto" can refer to a region or a style of folk music. | |||
| Latin | canticum | ||
| The word 'canticum' in Latin can also refer to a type of Biblical song or passage intended to be sung. | |||
Song in Others Languages
| Greek | τραγούδι | ||
| In Ancient Greek, "τραγούδι" also referred to the choral sections of tragedies. | |||
| Hmong | nkauj | ||
| The word 'nkauj' can also refer to poems or storytelling in Hmong culture. | |||
| Kurdish | stran | ||
| The Kurdish word "stran" also refers to a type of oral storytelling tradition that involves singing, instrumental accompaniment, and spoken narration. | |||
| Turkish | şarkı | ||
| The word "şarkı" is derived from the Persian word "šork" meaning "song" or "melody". | |||
| Xhosa | ingoma | ||
| The Xhosa word "ingoma" (song) also means "council of elders". | |||
| Yiddish | ליד | ||
| 'ליד' also refers to a type of folk song originating among Ashkenazi Jews in Russia. | |||
| Zulu | iculo | ||
| Assamese | গান | ||
| Aymara | jaylli | ||
| Bhojpuri | गीत | ||
| Dhivehi | ލަވަ | ||
| Dogri | गाना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kanta | ||
| Guarani | purahéi | ||
| Ilocano | kanta | ||
| Krio | siŋ | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گۆرانی | ||
| Maithili | गाना | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯁꯩ | ||
| Mizo | hla | ||
| Oromo | faarfannaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଗୀତ | ||
| Quechua | taki | ||
| Sanskrit | गीतं | ||
| Tatar | җыр | ||
| Tigrinya | ደርፊ | ||
| Tsonga | risimu | ||