Spirit in Different Languages
Discover 'Spirit' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Spirit
Afrikaans gees | ||
Albanian shpirti | ||
Amharic መንፈስ | ||
Arabic روح | ||
Armenian ոգի | ||
Assamese আত্মা | ||
Aymara ajayu | ||
Azerbaijani ruh | ||
Bambara ni | ||
Basque espiritua | ||
Belarusian дух | ||
Bengali আত্মা | ||
Bhojpuri आत्मा | ||
Bosnian duh | ||
Bulgarian дух | ||
Catalan esperit | ||
Cebuano espiritu | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 精神 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 精神 | ||
Corsican spiritu | ||
Croatian duh | ||
Czech duch | ||
Danish ånd | ||
Dhivehi ސްޕިރިޓް | ||
Dogri रुह् | ||
Dutch geest | ||
English spirit | ||
Esperanto spirito | ||
Estonian vaim | ||
Ewe gbɔgbɔ | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) espiritu | ||
Finnish henki | ||
French esprit | ||
Frisian geast | ||
Galician espírito | ||
Georgian სული | ||
German geist | ||
Greek πνεύμα | ||
Guarani ãnga | ||
Gujarati ભાવના | ||
Haitian Creole lespri | ||
Hausa ruhu | ||
Hawaiian ʻuhane | ||
Hebrew רוּחַ | ||
Hindi आत्मा | ||
Hmong ntsuj plig | ||
Hungarian szellem | ||
Icelandic andi | ||
Igbo mmụọ | ||
Ilocano espiritu | ||
Indonesian roh | ||
Irish spiorad | ||
Italian spirito | ||
Japanese 精神 | ||
Javanese roh | ||
Kannada ಚೇತನ | ||
Kazakh рух | ||
Khmer វិញ្ញាណ | ||
Kinyarwanda umwuka | ||
Konkani तेज | ||
Korean 정신 | ||
Krio spirit | ||
Kurdish rewş | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) گیان | ||
Kyrgyz рух | ||
Lao ນ້ໍາໃຈ | ||
Latin spiritus | ||
Latvian gars | ||
Lingala elimo | ||
Lithuanian dvasia | ||
Luganda omwooyo | ||
Luxembourgish geescht | ||
Macedonian духот | ||
Maithili साहस | ||
Malagasy fanahy | ||
Malay semangat | ||
Malayalam ആത്മാവ് | ||
Maltese spirtu | ||
Maori wairua | ||
Marathi आत्मा | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯏꯊꯤꯜ | ||
Mizo thlarau | ||
Mongolian сүнс | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) စိတ်ဓာတ် | ||
Nepali आत्मा | ||
Norwegian ånd | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) mzimu | ||
Odia (Oriya) ଆତ୍ମା | ||
Oromo hafuura | ||
Pashto روح | ||
Persian روح | ||
Polish duch | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) espírito | ||
Punjabi ਆਤਮਾ | ||
Quechua espiritu | ||
Romanian spirit | ||
Russian дух | ||
Samoan agaga | ||
Sanskrit आत्मा | ||
Scots Gaelic spiorad | ||
Sepedi moya | ||
Serbian дух | ||
Sesotho moea | ||
Shona mweya | ||
Sindhi روح | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) ආත්මය | ||
Slovak duch | ||
Slovenian duha | ||
Somali ruuxa | ||
Spanish espíritu | ||
Sundanese sumanget | ||
Swahili roho | ||
Swedish anda | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) diwa | ||
Tajik рӯҳ | ||
Tamil ஆவி | ||
Tatar рух | ||
Telugu ఆత్మ | ||
Thai วิญญาณ | ||
Tigrinya መንፈስ | ||
Tsonga moya | ||
Turkish ruh | ||
Turkmen ruh | ||
Twi (Akan) honhom | ||
Ukrainian дух | ||
Urdu روح | ||
Uyghur روھ | ||
Uzbek ruh | ||
Vietnamese tinh thần | ||
Welsh ysbryd | ||
Xhosa umoya | ||
Yiddish גייסט | ||
Yoruba ẹmi | ||
Zulu umoya |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | The word "gees" in Afrikaans derives from the Dutch word "geest" meaning "mind, soul, spirit" or "ghost, apparition". |
| Albanian | The word 'shpirti' in Albanian derives from the Latin word 'spiritus', meaning both 'breath' and 'ghost', reflecting the dual nature of the concept. |
| Amharic | The Amharic word "መንፈስ" comes from the Greek word "πνεῦμα" and can also mean "breath" or "wind". |
| Arabic | The Arabic word "روح" is also used to refer to "life" or "the faculty of life". |
| Armenian | The Armenian word 'ոգի' (spirit) is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂wesu-, meaning 'to breathe' or 'to blow'. |
| Azerbaijani | The word "ruh" in Azerbaijani originally meant "wind", and is cognate with the English "rough". |
| Basque | Though "espiritua" is often translated as "spirit," it can also refer to the respiratory system, one's demeanor, and the wind. |
| Belarusian | Дух is cognate with English "ghost" and German "Geist". It can also mean essence. |
| Bengali | The word "আত্মা" can also refer to the "inner self" or "essence" of something. |
| Bosnian | The word 'duh' can also refer to a 'ghost', or a 'specter' |
| Bulgarian | The word "дух" in Bulgarian also means "smell" or "fragrance". |
| Catalan | The word 'esperit' also has other meanings, such as 'ghost', 'wit', or 'intellect'. |
| Cebuano | In the Cebuano language, the word "espiritu" has religious and non-religious meanings, including "spirituality" and "soul." |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 精神 is used to refer to the psychological or emotional state of a person or group |
| Chinese (Traditional) | This word literally means 'essence' of the 'mind', and has many meanings, including "soul", "intellect", and "morale". |
| Corsican | The word is of Latin origin and derives from the verb “spirare”, meaning to breathe. |
| Croatian | "Duh" also relates to "breath", "wind" and in the plural form "duhovi" often means "ghosts" or "demons". |
| Czech | Czech 'duch' can also mean 'ghost'. |
| Danish | In Danish, "ånd" can also mean "breath" or "inspiration", reflecting its root meaning "to blow". |
| Dutch | Dutch "geest" also refers to "barley mash" (for beer production) or a "swampy area" |
| Esperanto | The Esperanto word "spirito" is derived from the Latin "spiritus", which can mean "breath", "soul", or "ghost". |
| Estonian | The Finnish word "vainaa" ("dead body") probably derives from the same Proto-Finnic root, giving "vaim" the connotation of "life-force". |
| Finnish | In Japanese, the same word 変化 (henko) means "change" and "transformation". |
| French | In French, "esprit" retains its Latin root's connotation of breath, wind, or animating principle. |
| Frisian | The Old Frisian word 'geast' can also refer to a 'guest'. It is related to the Old English word 'gæst' and the Dutch word 'gast'. |
| Galician | In Galician, "espírito" also means "humour" or "wit". |
| Georgian | The Georgian word "სული" (spirit) can also refer to "soul", "wind", "breath", "essence", or "life". |
| German | The word Geist derives from an Indo-European root, ghei- or ghoi-, meaning to stir or inspire, and is related to the English words "guest" and "ghost." |
| Greek | The Greek word "πνεύμα" encompasses meanings such as "breath", "wind", and "inspiration" beyond the common translation "spirit". |
| Gujarati | The Gujarati word "ભાવના" can also refer to an "emotion" or a "feeling". |
| Haitian Creole | In Haitian Creole, “lespri” (spirit) also refers to an individual's character or personality. |
| Hausa | The Hausa word ruhu can also refer to a person's character, inner feelings, or essence. |
| Hawaiian | 'Uhane' also means 'breath' in Hawaiian, reflecting the traditional belief that breath is the essence of life. |
| Hebrew | In addition to its meaning of "spirit", רוּחַ (ruah) can also refer to "wind" or "breath", reflecting the multifaceted nature of the concept of spirit in Hebrew thought. |
| Hindi | The Hindi word "आत्मा" (ātmā) comes from the Sanskrit word "ātman," which has a wide range of meanings including "breath," "life principle," and "individual self." |
| Hmong | The Hmong word "ntsuj plig" can also refer to the soul or the afterlife, depending on the context. |
| Hungarian | The word szellem can also mean 'ghost' or 'intellect'. |
| Icelandic | The word "andi" can also refer to one's breath or one's soul. |
| Igbo | Igbo word 'mmụọ' originates from 'mmụ' ('breath') and denotes both spirits and spiritual energy. |
| Indonesian | "Roh" in Indonesian does not mean "soul" (jiwa), but rather refers to the disembodied entity (ghost) of a deceased person or an immaterial being like deities or mythical creatures (jinn). |
| Irish | The Gaelic word "spiorad" refers to both "spirit" and "air" or "wind". |
| Italian | In Italian, the word 'spirito' derives from the Latin 'spiritus', meaning 'breath', and also has the alternate meaning of 'soul' or 'ghost'. |
| Japanese | The kanji "精神" can also mean "mind" or "soul". |
| Javanese | In Javanese, 'roh' can also refer to a person's soul or essence. |
| Kannada | In addition to indicating the soul or spirit, the word "ಚೇತನ" also denotes "consciousness" in Kannada. |
| Kazakh | "Рух" in Kazakh also refers to a mythical creature, a giant bird inhabiting the upper world in Kazakh mythology. |
| Khmer | Though វិញ្ញាណ usually means "spirit", it can also refer to "mind", "intellect", or "consciousness". |
| Korean | "정신" can also mean "mind," "consciousness," or "intellect." |
| Kurdish | The word 'rewş' is also used in a broader sense, denoting personal, social, emotional, spiritual and metaphysical concepts, as well as the abstract qualities or essence of something. |
| Kyrgyz | The Kyrgyz word "рух" also has the alternate meanings of "breath" and "soul". |
| Latin | The Latin word "spiritus" originally referred to breath and air, and retained that sense as an alternate meaning, but also acquired the philosophical and religious senses it bears in English. |
| Latvian | Gars can also mean a ghost, a witch, a demon, or a god. |
| Lithuanian | The word "dvasia" originally meant "breath" and is cognate with Latin "spiritus" and Gothic "ahma". |
| Luxembourgish | The word "Geescht" can also refer to a state of excitement or enthusiasm. |
| Macedonian | The word "духот" is also used in Macedonian to refer to "air" or "breeze". |
| Malagasy | The word "fanahy" can also refer to a "tombstone" or "ancestor" in Malagasy. |
| Malay | "Semangat" in Malay can also refer to a guardian spirit, a soul, or a ghost. |
| Malayalam | ആത്മാവ് (aatmaav) derives from Sanskrit and can also mean "life" or "the breath of life." |
| Maltese | In Maltese, 'spirtu' can also refer to alcohol. |
| Maori | Wairua translates to "spirit" in Māori and also refers to the vital principle or essence of a person. |
| Marathi | The word "आत्मा" is derived from the Sanskrit root "at", meaning "to blow" or "to breathe". |
| Mongolian | The word "сүнс" in Mongolian can also refer to the essence or core of something. |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | The word "စိတ်ဓာတ်" has the primary meaning of "spirit", but also figuratively designates various mental and emotional qualities like "courage" and "determination" in Myanmar (Burmese). |
| Nepali | The Nepali word आत्मा originates from the Sanskrit word "atman", meaning "breath". It can also refer to the essential nature of a being or the universe. |
| Norwegian | Ånd also means 'breath' in Norwegian, as in 'to run out of breath'. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | Nyanja word "mzimu" can also mean "a god" or "a supernatural being". |
| Pashto | The word "روح" can also refer to a ghost, a demon, or a living being. |
| Persian | روح (rūḥ) in Persian derives from the Akkadian rūhū (“breath of life, wind”), cognate with Hebrew rūªḥ and Aramaic ruªḥā, all tracing back to the Proto-Semitic term *rūḥ- (“breath, spirit”). |
| Polish | "Duch" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "dъхъ" meaning "breath" or "wind". |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | In Portuguese, "espírito" (spirit) can also refer to "breath" or "essence". |
| Punjabi | "ਆਤਮਾ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "atman," meaning "breath" or "essence". |
| Romanian | The Romanian word for "spirit" can also mean "smell" or "breath". |
| Russian | The word “дух” (spirit) in Russian has several meanings, including “intellect” and an archaic meaning of “breath.” |
| Samoan | The word "agaga" in Samoan can also refer to a supernatural being or a manifestation of divine power. |
| Scots Gaelic | The word "spiorad" has its root in the Latin "spiritus", denoting "breath" as an emblem of life. |
| Serbian | The word "дух” originates from Proto-Slavic *dyxъ and is cognate with "дышать” meaning to breathe, and also “душно” meaning stuffy. |
| Sesotho | The word "moea" can also refer to a ghost, an apparition or a dream. |
| Shona | Mweya has connotations of "wind" and "breath" similar to the Greek "pneuma" and the Hebrew "ruach" |
| Sindhi | In Sindhi, the word "روح" (rūḥ) has alternate meanings including "wind," "air," and "life." |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The word "ආත්මය" (āthmaya) in Sinhala can also mean "self" or "soul", depending on the context. |
| Slovak | The word "duch" in Slovak is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "dux" meaning "breath" or "wind", and is cognate with the English word "spirit". |
| Slovenian | The word "duha" in Slovenian can also refer to a rainbow. |
| Somali | The word "ruuxa" comes from the Arabic word "ruh" which also means "spirit." |
| Spanish | In Spanish, "espíritu" can also refer to an alcoholic beverage, an extract or concentrated substance, or essential oil. |
| Sundanese | The term 'sumanget' also refers to an individual's enthusiasm, zeal, and motivation. |
| Swahili | The Swahili term "roho" not only means "spirit" but also refers to "breath" or the "vital force" that gives life to a body. |
| Swedish | Anda is also used informally to refer to a person's attitude or style. |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | The word 'diwa' likely derives from the Sanskrit word 'dhi,' meaning intellect or understanding. |
| Tajik | The Tajik word "рӯҳ" comes from the Arabic word "روح" (rūḥ) and also means "life" and "soul". |
| Tamil | The Tamil word "ஆவி" can also refer to "vapour", "steam", "smell" or "fragrance" and is cognate with the Sanskrit term "ātmā" or "self". |
| Telugu | The word "ఆత్మ" can also refer to "breath" in Telugu. |
| Thai | The word "วิญญาณ" in Thai can also refer to the faculties of perception, cognition, and consciousness. |
| Turkish | "Ruh," meaning "spirit" in Turkish, derives from the Arabic "rūḥ," signifying "breath" or "wind." |
| Ukrainian | The word "дух" in Ukrainian can also mean "stench", "smell", or "odor"} |
| Urdu | The origin of the word is from the Arabic root "rwḥ," which means "life, soul, breath," and it has many different meanings in the context of Urdu literature, philosophy, and spirituality. |
| Uzbek | The Uzbek word "ruh" can be translated as "breeze" or "wind", referring to its incorporeal nature as spirit in contrast with its corporeal, mortal nature as body that may be perceived as earth. |
| Vietnamese | In Vietnamese, the word "tinh thần" can also refer to a person's morale, mood, or mental state. |
| Welsh | In Welsh mythology, "ysbryd" can refer to a supernatural being, a ghost, or an aspect of a person's character resembling an animal. |
| Xhosa | "Umoya" also refers to air, breath or wind. |
| Yiddish | Despite its religious connotation, "גייסט" can also refer to mischievous spirits or even a playful mood. |
| Yoruba | Ẹmi can also mean 'life' or 'soul' and as such is sometimes interchangeable with the word 'ọkàn'. |
| Zulu | "Umoya" (spirit) in Zulu is the same as "moya" in Xhosa and "pneuma" in Greek, all originating from the Proto-Bantu term "*mweya" (breath, life-force). |
| English | The word "spirit" comes from the Latin word "spiritus," meaning "breath" or "air." |