Speed in different languages

Speed in Different Languages

Discover 'Speed' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

Speed is a concept that has fascinated humans for centuries. From the early days of chariot races to the modern era of high-speed trains and internet connections, our obsession with speed has only grown stronger. It's a concept that represents progress, innovation, and efficiency, making it a significant cultural symbol in many societies.

But why would someone want to know the translation of speed in different languages? For one, it can be a fun and interesting way to learn about other cultures and their unique perspectives on this universal concept. For example, in Spanish, speed is translated as 'velocidad,' while in German, it's 'Geschwindigkeit.' In Japanese, the term for speed is 'スピード' (spīdo), reflecting the influence of Western culture on the language.

Moreover, understanding the translation of speed in different languages can be practical for travelers, athletes, and business professionals who need to communicate effectively across linguistic and cultural boundaries. So, whether you're a language enthusiast or a global citizen, exploring the many translations of speed is a worthwhile pursuit.

Speed

Speed in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansspoed
The word "spoed" can also refer to "urgency" or "haste".
Amharicፍጥነት
The word ፍጥነት may also refer to 'velocity'.
Hausagudu
The word "gudu" in Hausa also means "fast" or "rapid"
Igboọsọ
"Ọsọ" is often used as a suffix in Igbo names to connote "quickness" or "speed".
Malagasyhafainganam-pandeha
The word "hafainganam-pandeha" in Malagasy is also used to refer to a type of race or competition.
Nyanja (Chichewa)liwiro
The word 'liwiro' also means 'movement' or 'progress' in Nyanja, reflecting its broader connection to the concept of dynamics.
Shonakumhanya
Etymology unknown, but 'kunhanya' in Karanga means 'to be swift'.
Somalixawaare
In some parts of the Somali region, 'xawaare' is also used to describe the time between the afternoon and sunset.
Sesotholebelo
The Sesotho word "lebelo" also means "fastness" or "quickness".
Swahilikasi
"Kasi" also means "strength" or "power" in Swahili.
Xhosaisantya
Isantya, meaning "the one that brings speed" in Xhosa, also represents a powerful mythical snake.
Yorubaiyara
Yoruba word iyara can mean 'speed', 'agility', 'velocity', 'mobility' or 'quickness'.
Zuluisivinini
The Zulu word "isivinini" also means "a quick-moving person or animal"
Bambarateliya
Ewedusisi
Kinyarwandaumuvuduko
Lingalavitesi
Lugandasupiidi
Sepedilebelo
Twi (Akan)ɔhare

Speed in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicسرعة
The Arabic word "سرعة" also has the connotation of "haste" or "hurry".
Hebrewמְהִירוּת
The word "מְהִירוּת" ultimately derives from the root "מהר" (fast), but also has the homonymic meaning "hurry".
Pashtoسرعت
The Pashto word "سرعت" also means "the power of the soul", or "the power of the spirit."
Arabicسرعة
The Arabic word "سرعة" also has the connotation of "haste" or "hurry".

Speed in Western European Languages

Albanianshpejtësia
The Albanian word "shpejtësia" originally referred to swiftness of foot, but now has a broader meaning encompassing speed in general.
Basqueabiadura
Some Basque dictionaries consider the word "abiadura" to be a derivative of the verb "abiatu," meaning "to move" or "to set in motion."
Catalanvelocitat
The word "velocitat" comes from the Latin word "velocitas", also meaning speed, velocity, haste, or swiftness in motion.
Croatianubrzati
The word 'ubrzati' is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *orz-, meaning 'to move quickly'.
Danishhastighed
The Danish word "hastighed" can also refer to a hurry or haste.
Dutchsnelheid
"Snel" in "snelheid" also means "quick," "fast," or "sudden." Its original meaning was "to glide."
Englishspeed
"Speed" shares an origin with "succeed," both coming from the Late Latin "expeditus," meaning "unhindered".
Frenchla vitesse
The word "la vitesse" is derived from the Latin word "velocitas," which means "swiftness" or "rapidity."
Frisianfaasje
Faasje is also the name of a bird which is associated with speed in Frisian folklore.
Galicianvelocidade
In Galician, "velocidade" can also refer to frequency, haste or rush hour, the latter being a Galicianism.
Germangeschwindigkeit
The German word "Geschwindigkeit" originally translates to "hastiness" and is related to the word "geschehen", meaning "to happen".
Icelandichraði
In Old Norse, hraði meant "quick", but it also referred to a measurement of time equal to about 15 minutes.
Irishluas
Irish 'luas' also means 'force' or 'vigor' and is related to Latin 'validus' (strong).
Italianvelocità
In Italian, the word "velocità" not only means "speed," but also "swiftness" or "agility."
Luxembourgishgeschwindegkeet
The Luxembourgish word "Geschwindegkeet" can also refer to a sense of urgency, a sudden rush, or a quick burst of activity.
Malteseveloċità
Veloċità has a double etymology: from Latin *vēlox* "fast" (fem. vēlocis) and from Arabic *alwṣ* "pace".
Norwegianhastighet
Hastighet shares a connection with the German word 'Hastigkeit', which has the same root, meaning 'speed' and is also used figuratively to mean 'anger' or 'hastiness'.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)rapidez
The word "rapidez" comes from the Latin "rapidus," meaning "swift" or "quick."
Scots Gaelicastar
The word "astar" can also refer to "briskness" or "the action of moving quickly."
Spanishvelocidad
The word "velocidad" comes from the Latin "velocitas," meaning quickness or agility.
Swedishfart
Fart (meaning “speed”) comes from the Old Norse word “fór,” which means “journey.”
Welshcyflymder
Cyflymder derives from 'cyflym', meaning 'swift' or 'rapid', related to 'cyflymu', 'to move swiftly'. It can also refer to 'expedition', 'haste' or 'speed of thought'

Speed in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianхуткасць
The word "хуткасць" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *chьskъ, meaning "swift". It is cognates with the Polish "chyżość" and the Russian "скорость".
Bosnianbrzina
"Brzina" is a Slavic word also used for "fever", which explains why its derivative "brzinati" means "to rush, hurry, be in a hurry."
Bulgarianскорост
"Скорост" can mean "fast" as both an adjective and a noun.
Czechrychlost
Rychlost originates in the Proto-Slavic word for "leap" or "gallop".
Estoniankiirus
"Kiirus" in Estonian can also mean "hurry" or "haste".
Finnishnopeus
The word "nopeus" (speed) in Finnish comes from the root word "nopea" (fast), which is related to the German word "schnell" (fast) and the English word "swift"
Hungariansebesség
The word “sebesség” means “speed” in Hungarian, but it can also refer to “velocity” or “pace”.
Latvianātrums
The word "ātrums" shares an etymological root with other Latvian words referring to quick or agile movement
Lithuaniangreičiu
The word "greičiu" in Lithuanian is derived from the verb "greitai" which means "quickly" and is related to the word "greitis" which means "speed".
Macedonianбрзина
The word "брзина" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *bordъ, which also means "struggle" or "warfare".
Polishprędkość
The word "prędkość" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *pьrdь, meaning "to move quickly".
Romanianviteză
The Romanian word "viteză" (speed) derives from the Latin "velocitas" (swiftness, speed), which itself originates from "velox" (swift, rapid).
Russianскорость
The word "скорость" also means "rate" or "velocity" in Russian.
Serbianбрзина
The Serbian word "брзина" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "bystrъ", which also means "quick", "swift", or "agile".
Slovakrýchlosť
The Slavic root word "rychl-", meaning "fast", is found in words for speed in many other Slavic languages like Polish, Russian, and Czech.
Slovenianhitrost
Although hitrost means speed in English, its etymological origin is related to the word quick wittedness.
Ukrainianшвидкість
Etymology: The Old Slavic word *скорость* may originally have meant “free”.

Speed in South Asian Languages

Bengaliদ্রুততা
The word "দ্রুততা" (speed) in Bengali has a root in Sanskrit "dru" which means "to run".
Gujaratiઝડપ
The Gujarati word ઝડપ can also refer to quickness in the sense of alertness or readiness.
Hindiगति
The ancient Sanskrit root 'gam' from which Hindi word गति (speed) is derived also carries the idea of 'going from one place to another', thus hinting at motion
Kannadaವೇಗ
The word "ವೇಗ" also means "intensity" or "vehemence" in Kannada, highlighting its broad semantic range.
Malayalamവേഗത
The word "വേഗത" is also used in Malayalam to describe the "intensity" or "volume" of a voice, sound, etc.
Marathiवेग
'वेग' derives from the Sanskrit root 'vegayati' (
Nepaliगति
"Gati" comes from the Sanskrit term 'gati' meaning movement
Punjabiਗਤੀ
Sinhala (Sinhalese)වේගය
"වේගය" is derived from Sanskrit "वेग" and can also refer to "rate", "velocity" or "force."
Tamilவேகம்
வேகம் refers to the measurement of velocity but also means "fast" when used as an adjective in Tamil.
Teluguవేగం
"వేగం" is derived from the Sanskrit word "वेग" meaning "quickness" or "celerity".
Urduرفتار
The word "رفتار" comes from the Persian word "رفت" which means "walk" or "go".

Speed in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)速度
The word "速度" can also refer to "the rate of change of velocity" or "the rate of change of a physical quantity".
Chinese (Traditional)速度
The original meaning of "速度" is "a rapid flow", it can also be used as a metaphor for the rapid development of things.
Japanese速度
The word "speed," while typically used to refer to velocity, can have different meanings depending on the subject it's applied to
Korean속도
속도 is also a Korean word for "rate," especially "growth rate."
Mongolianхурд
The Mongolian word 'хурд' can also refer to 'anger' or 'haste'.
Myanmar (Burmese)မြန်နှုန်း
The word "myan nhun" can also mean "haste" or "hurry".

Speed in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiankecepatan
"Kecepatan" is also used to refer to "intensity" and "strength".
Javanesekacepetan
In Javanese, the word 'kacepetan' is a derivative of 'cepet' ('fast') and can also refer to the rate of change or the degree of acceleration.
Khmerល្បឿន
In Old Khmer, "ល្បឿន" referred to a fast-moving animal, likely a leopard or tiger.
Laoຄວາມໄວ
Malaykepantasan
The word "kepantasan" in Malay can also refer to the suitability or appropriateness of a particular action or thing.
Thaiความเร็ว
The Thai word "ความเร็ว" can also be used figuratively to refer to "agility" or "quick-wittedness."
Vietnamesetốc độ
"Tốc độ" is a Vietnamese word derived from the Chinese word " tốc độ", meaning "fast". It can also refer to the rate of change of a quantity over time.
Filipino (Tagalog)bilis

Speed in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanisürət
The word "sürət" in Azerbaijani also means "photograph" or "facial expression".
Kazakhжылдамдық
The Kazakh word жылдамдық (speed) also refers to the wind's velocity and the pace of a horse's run.
Kyrgyzылдамдык
Tajikсуръат
The word "суръат" can also mean "image" or "shape" in Tajik.
Turkmentizlik
Uzbektezlik
The word "tezlik" can also refer to "urgency" or "haste" in Uzbek.
Uyghurسۈرئەت

Speed in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianwikiwiki
In Hawaiian usage, the word wikiwiki has a broader meaning that includes 'fast', 'quick', 'swift', and even 'agile'.
Maoritere
The word 'tere' in Māori not only means 'speed' but also refers to 'flight' and 'swiftness'.
Samoansaosaoa
"Saosaoa" can also refer to a person who is swift or fast-moving in Samoan.
Tagalog (Filipino)bilis
"Bilis" also means "bile" in Tagalog, relating to the concept of "speed" as the flow of liquid.

Speed in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarajank'aki
Guaranipya'eterei

Speed in International Languages

Esperantorapideco
The word "rapideco" is derived from the Latin word "rapidus", meaning "swift" or "quick".
Latinceleritas
In Late Latin, “celeritas” also meant “briskness,” “quickness,” and “rapidity.”

Speed in Others Languages

Greekταχύτητα
Ταχύτητα derives from the Ancient Greek noun "tachys," meaning "swift" or "fast."
Hmongnrawm
In Hmong, "nrawm" also means "to go," "to come," "to run," or "to move."
Kurdishzûbûnî
The Kurdish word "zûbûnî" is derived from the Persian word "zubun", which means "fast" or "quick."
Turkishhız
The word "hız" in Turkish originates from the Persian word "tiz" meaning "fast or sharp" and also shares a relation with the Arabic word "sahih" meaning "fast or correct".
Xhosaisantya
Isantya, meaning "the one that brings speed" in Xhosa, also represents a powerful mythical snake.
Yiddishגיכקייט
The Yiddish word "גיכקייט" can also refer to a quick-witted or agile person.
Zuluisivinini
The Zulu word "isivinini" also means "a quick-moving person or animal"
Assameseবেগ
Aymarajank'aki
Bhojpuriचाल
Dhivehiސްޕީޑް
Dogriरफ्तार
Filipino (Tagalog)bilis
Guaranipya'eterei
Ilocanokapartak
Kriofas fas
Kurdish (Sorani)خێرایی
Maithiliगति
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯈꯣꯡꯖꯦꯜ
Mizochak
Oromosaffisa
Odia (Oriya)ଗତି
Quechuapaway
Sanskritगति
Tatarтизлек
Tigrinyaፍጥነት
Tsongarivilo

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