Strong in Different Languages
Discover 'Strong' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'strong' carries a significant weight in our vocabulary, denoting power, resilience, and unyielding determination. Its cultural importance is woven into the fabric of our societies, inspiring stories of heroism and perseverance that transcend languages and borders. From the mighty Atlas of Greek mythology, who was condemned to bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders, to the modern-day superheroes who protect the innocent, the concept of 'strong' has been a constant source of fascination and admiration.
Delving into the translations of 'strong' in different languages not only satiates our linguistic curiosity but also unveils intriguing cultural nuances. For instance, the German word 'stark' shares the same Indo-European root as its English counterpart, while the Russian 'сильный' (sil'nyy) reflects a Slavic origin. The Mandarin Chinese '强大' (qiángdà) and Japanese '強い' (tsuyoi) both convey a sense of robustness and might, yet they are written with different characters, each with their own unique historical context.
Join us as we embark on a journey to explore the word 'strong' in various languages, shedding light on the rich tapestry of human culture and language.
Strong
Strong in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | sterk | ||
| "Sterk" in Afrikaans has historical roots in the Germanic language and is related to the English word "stark". | |||
| Amharic | ጠንካራ | ||
| The word "ጠንካራ" also has connotations of resilience and durability in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | karfi | ||
| The word "karfi" in Hausa also carries the meanings of "firm" and "unyielding" in addition to "strong."} | |||
| Igbo | sie ike | ||
| "Sie ike" is also an Igbo term for a type of traditional wrestling known for its strength and agility. | |||
| Malagasy | mahery | ||
| "Mahery" also relates to the word "mafy," meaning "heavy" in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wamphamvu | ||
| The word "wamphamvu" can also refer to something that is solid or durable. | |||
| Shona | yakasimba | ||
| The term 'yakasimba' in Shona language shares its root with words 'simba' (lion) and 'simba' (roar), referencing the strength and ferocity of lions as a symbol of bravery and might. | |||
| Somali | xoog leh | ||
| The word "xoog leh" in Somali can also mean "powerful" or "capable". | |||
| Sesotho | matla | ||
| The word "matla" in Sesotho can also refer to a person who has been initiated into adulthood. | |||
| Swahili | nguvu | ||
| "Nguvu" can also mean "might, power, strength, energy, or ability" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | yomelele | ||
| The word "yomelele" can also mean "sturdy" or "firm" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | lagbara | ||
| In Yoruba, 'agbara' refers to brute force while 'lagbara' is strength of character. | |||
| Zulu | eqinile | ||
| "Eqinile" is a Zulu word that can also mean "unyielding" or "determined". | |||
| Bambara | fɔrɔlen | ||
| Ewe | sẽ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | komera | ||
| Lingala | makasi | ||
| Luganda | obugumu | ||
| Sepedi | maatla | ||
| Twi (Akan) | den | ||
Strong in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | قوي | ||
| قوي (qūwī) is derived from the root ق و ي (q-w-y), meaning "to have strength, power, or authority." | |||
| Hebrew | חָזָק | ||
| The word "חָזָק" can also mean "tough" or "resilient" in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | قوي | ||
| In Pashto, "قوي" also refers to a specific type of fabric known as cotton or silk cloth. | |||
| Arabic | قوي | ||
| قوي (qūwī) is derived from the root ق و ي (q-w-y), meaning "to have strength, power, or authority." | |||
Strong in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i fortë | ||
| The Albanian word "i fortë" can also refer to a type of Albanian cheese or a brave person, depending on the context. | |||
| Basque | indartsua | ||
| The word "indartsua" derives from the Latin "induratus" and the Basque "indar" (strength), implying resistance and strength. | |||
| Catalan | fort | ||
| In Catalan, "fort" can also mean "great" or "very" and derives from the Latin word "fortis". | |||
| Croatian | jaka | ||
| The word "jaka" in Croatian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*jьkъ", which means "strong", "powerful", or "mighty". | |||
| Danish | stærk | ||
| Stærk is also a verb in Danish which can mean "to strengthen" as in "at styrke sin immunitet" (= to strengthen ones immunity). | |||
| Dutch | sterk | ||
| In modern Dutch, "sterk" usually means "physically strong," but the Proto-Germanic root "sterka- " also meant "difficult, troublesome" and this meaning is preserved in the word "sterk" in some dialects of Dutch. | |||
| English | strong | ||
| The word "strong" originates from the Proto-Germanic "straggan-ja", meaning "to exert force or pressure." | |||
| French | fort | ||
| In French, the word "fort" has multiple meanings beyond "strong," such as: "loud," "loudly," "much," or "very." | |||
| Frisian | sterk | ||
| The Frisian word "sterk" also means "rigid", "stiff", or "inflexible". | |||
| Galician | forte | ||
| The Galician word "forte" derives from the Latin "fortis," meaning "strong, brave, or powerful." | |||
| German | stark | ||
| Stark is derived from the Old High German 'starc', meaning stiff or rigid, and is related to the English word 'stark'. | |||
| Icelandic | sterkur | ||
| The word "sterkur" in Icelandic originates from an Old Norse word that also meant "stiff" or "rigid". | |||
| Irish | láidir | ||
| The word "láidir" in Irish also means "strength" and "vigor", and is related to the Old Irish word "laidir" meaning "firm". | |||
| Italian | forte | ||
| The Italian word 'forte' not only means 'strong' but also refers to a fortified place or a musical piece's most powerful section. | |||
| Luxembourgish | staark | ||
| The word "staark" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "starkaz", meaning "rigid" or "firm". | |||
| Maltese | qawwi | ||
| The word "qawwi" has an alternate meaning in astronomy: "magnitude" | |||
| Norwegian | sterk | ||
| "Sterk" has cognates in many other Germanic languages, such as "stark" in German and "sterk" in Dutch. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | forte | ||
| The word "Forte" can also refer to a military stronghold, a fortified place or a stronghold in general. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | làidir | ||
| The word "làidir" can also mean "brave" and is the root of the Irish word "laidir" meaning "firm". | |||
| Spanish | fuerte | ||
| In architecture, "fuerte" can refer to a fortress or fortification, while in music it can describe a loud or powerful sound. | |||
| Swedish | stark | ||
| Swedish "stark" also means "naked" or "unvarnished" | |||
| Welsh | cryf | ||
| The Welsh word 'cryf' can also mean 'able' or 'capable', and is related to the English word 'cripple', which originally meant 'to make weak' or 'lame'. | |||
Strong in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | моцны | ||
| "Моцны" - not only means "strong", but can also act as a synonym for "крепкий" (alcoholic beverage), "здоровый" (healthy), or "полный" (full). | |||
| Bosnian | jaka | ||
| The word 'jaka' can also mean 'firm' or 'tough' in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | силен | ||
| The word "силен" in Bulgarian shares its roots with the ancient Indo-European word "*ḱer-/*ḱre-**, meaning "to cut." | |||
| Czech | silný | ||
| The word "silný" also means "powerful" or "influential" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | tugev | ||
| The word "tugev" in Estonian can also mean "severe" or "harsh", which is related to its original meaning of "to hit" or "to push". | |||
| Finnish | vahva | ||
| The word "vahva" shares a common root with the Russian word "bogatyr" meaning "hero". | |||
| Hungarian | erős | ||
| The word "erős" can also refer to intense flavors or emotions, and is related to the word "erő" meaning "force". | |||
| Latvian | spēcīgs | ||
| The Latvian word "spēcīgs" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*speḱ-," which means "to succeed" or "to prosper." | |||
| Lithuanian | stiprus | ||
| The word "stiprus" in Lithuanian is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *steh₂-, meaning "to stand" or "to be firm". | |||
| Macedonian | силен | ||
| The word "силен" in Macedonian can also refer to something that is durable or robust. | |||
| Polish | silny | ||
| Silny's alternate translation is 'powerful' in the sense of influence or authority, not just physical strength. | |||
| Romanian | puternic | ||
| The word "puternic" is derived from the Latin word "potens", meaning "powerful" or "mighty". It can also be used to describe something that is intense or severe. | |||
| Russian | сильный | ||
| "Сильный" can also mean "intense" or "powerful" when referring to emotions, smells, or other sensations. | |||
| Serbian | јака | ||
| The word "јака" also refers to the collar of a shirt or dress in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | silný | ||
| The Czech and Slovak word can also be interpreted as | |||
| Slovenian | močna | ||
| The word "močna" in Slovenian also means "powerful" or "intense". | |||
| Ukrainian | сильний | ||
| In Ukrainian, сильний (strong) also means powerful, potent, or intense. | |||
Strong in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | শক্তিশালী | ||
| The word 'শক্তিশালী' originated from the Sanskrit word 'शक्ति', meaning 'power' or 'energy'. In Bengali, it also has a spiritual connotation, referring to the divine power of deities. | |||
| Gujarati | મજબૂત | ||
| "મજબૂત" is a Gujarati word that means "strong" and is also used to describe someone who is physically or emotionally resilient or determined. | |||
| Hindi | बलवान | ||
| बलवान comes from the Sanskrit word "बल" (bala), meaning "strength" or "power"} | |||
| Kannada | ಬಲವಾದ | ||
| The word “ಬಲವಾದ” originates from the Sanskrit word “बलवत्” which means “strong or powerful” and is often used to describe someone or something that possesses great strength or power. | |||
| Malayalam | ശക്തമായ | ||
| "ശക്തമായ" also means "powerful", "potent", "forceful", "vigorous", "robust", "sturdy", "tough", "resilient", "influential", or "effective" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | मजबूत | ||
| The word "मजबूत" in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "मज्ज" meaning "marrow" or "core", and also means "firm", "solid", or "unbreakable". | |||
| Nepali | कडा | ||
| The word "कडा" can also mean a bracelet or bangle, particularly one made of iron or metal. | |||
| Punjabi | ਮਜ਼ਬੂਤ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ශක්තිමත් | ||
| ශක්තිමත් can mean either "strong" in the literal physical sense, or "authoritative" in the sense of "having power or authority within an organization". | |||
| Tamil | வலுவான | ||
| "வலுவான" can also mean "capable" or "sturdy" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | బలంగా ఉంది | ||
| Telugu "బలంగా ఉంది" (balanga undi) also refers to the firmness of a substance, such as the hardness of a rock or the stiffness of a metal. | |||
| Urdu | مضبوط | ||
| In some regional dialects, "مضبوط" can also denote hardness and strength of material objects like metalwork. | |||
Strong in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 强大 | ||
| In Mandarin Chinese, the character "强大" can refer to physical strength or a state of empowerment. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 強大 | ||
| In Traditional Chinese, 強大 can also refer to the power or influence that one entity holds over another. | |||
| Japanese | 強い | ||
| The word "強い" (tsuyoi) also has connotations of "strength of character" or "resilience." | |||
| Korean | 강한 | ||
| The word "강한" is derived from the Middle Korean word "강하다," which means "to be strong, firm, or powerful." | |||
| Mongolian | хүчтэй | ||
| The word "хүчтэй" in Mongolian can also mean "potent" or "vigorous". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အားကြီး | ||
Strong in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kuat | ||
| The word | |||
| Javanese | kuwat | ||
| Javanese "kuwat" also means "capable" and derives from Sanskrit "kuwata" (ability). | |||
| Khmer | ខ្លាំង | ||
| The word ខ្លាំង can also refer to the strength of a magnet or the intensity of a feeling. | |||
| Lao | ເຂັ້ມແຂງ | ||
| Malay | kuat | ||
| The Malay word "kuat" is cognate with the Indonesian "kuat" and Tagalog "kuyat", all meaning "strong" or "firm". | |||
| Thai | แข็งแรง | ||
| แข็งแรง also carries the meaning of "stiff" or "hard", as in the case ofแข็งแรงแข็งแรงแข็งแรง (strong and stiff). | |||
| Vietnamese | mạnh | ||
| The Vietnamese word "mạnh" can also mean "hard" or "firm" in the context of objects or materials. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | malakas | ||
Strong in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | güclü | ||
| "Güclü," meaning "strong" in Azerbaijani, can also mean "sturdy," "firm," or even "powerful." | |||
| Kazakh | күшті | ||
| "Күшті" can also mean "brave" or "powerful" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | күчтүү | ||
| The word "күчтүү" can also mean "powerful" or "mighty" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | қавӣ | ||
| The word "қавӣ" means "strong" in Tajik, but the word "coffee" comes from Arabic "قهوة" while the adjective "strong" derives from Old French "conf(o)rt" from Latin "confortem". | |||
| Turkmen | güýçli | ||
| Uzbek | kuchli | ||
| The word "kuchli" can also be used to indicate "powerful", "mighty", or "vigorous". | |||
| Uyghur | كۈچلۈك | ||
Strong in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ikaika | ||
| Ikaika originates from the word "ika" which means "fish" and may refer to the strength and agility of a fish in water. | |||
| Maori | kaha | ||
| "Kaha" is also used as an imperative for encouragement to someone who is weak. | |||
| Samoan | malosi | ||
| The term 'malosi' can also denote 'tough' depending on context when describing a person or object. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | malakas | ||
| The Tagalog word 'malakas' can also refer to a person who is stubborn or inflexible. | |||
Strong in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ch'ullqhi | ||
| Guarani | mbarete | ||
Strong in International Languages
| Esperanto | forta | ||
| In Spanish "forta" means "strong" and in Polish "forta" means "fort". | |||
| Latin | fortis | ||
| The Latin word "fortis" also means "brave" or "valiant". | |||
Strong in Others Languages
| Greek | ισχυρός | ||
| "Ισχυρός" can mean "strong" or "powerful" in Greek, deriving from the root "χυ-," meaning "to pour" or "to flow, | |||
| Hmong | muaj zog | ||
| "Muaj zog" in Hmong has connotations of physical and mental resilience. | |||
| Kurdish | qewî | ||
| A variation of 'qewî' is 'qewam', originally meaning 'subsistance' and 'power'. | |||
| Turkish | kuvvetli | ||
| "Kuvvetli" comes from the Arabic word "kuwwa", meaning "force". | |||
| Xhosa | yomelele | ||
| The word "yomelele" can also mean "sturdy" or "firm" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | שטאַרק | ||
| The Yiddish word שטאַרק (stark) is derived from the Middle High German "starc", meaning "intact, uninjured, severe" | |||
| Zulu | eqinile | ||
| "Eqinile" is a Zulu word that can also mean "unyielding" or "determined". | |||
| Assamese | শক্তিশালী | ||
| Aymara | ch'ullqhi | ||
| Bhojpuri | मजबूत | ||
| Dhivehi | ވަރުގަދަ | ||
| Dogri | मजबूत | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | malakas | ||
| Guarani | mbarete | ||
| Ilocano | napigsa | ||
| Krio | strɔng | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەهێز | ||
| Maithili | मजबूत | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯀꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | chak | ||
| Oromo | cimaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଶକ୍ତିଶାଳୀ | ||
| Quechua | sinchi | ||
| Sanskrit | समर्थः | ||
| Tatar | көчле | ||
| Tigrinya | ጠንካራ | ||
| Tsonga | tiya | ||