Student in Different Languages
Discover 'Student' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word student is universally recognized as a person who is studying at a school or university. But did you know that the concept of formal education dates back to ancient civilizations like Greece and Rome? The significance of being a student has evolved over time, but the cultural importance remains: students are the future leaders, innovators, and change-makers of society.
Delving into the word's translations in different languages offers a fascinating glimpse into how various cultures view education. For instance, in Spanish, a student is called an estudiante, while in French, they're known as an étudiant. In Mandarin Chinese, a student is called a 学生 (xuéshēng), and in Japanese, they're referred to as a 学生 (gakusei).
Understanding the word student in various languages can be beneficial for travelers, international students, or anyone interested in global culture. Keep reading to discover more translations and insights into this significant term.
Student
Student in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | student | ||
| In Afrikaans, "student" can also refer to a college or university residence. | |||
| Amharic | ተማሪ | ||
| The word "ተማሪ" in Amharic can also refer to a person who learns a skill or trade. | |||
| Hausa | dalibi | ||
| In the Hausa language, the word “dalibi” also means "a learner or a disciple". | |||
| Igbo | nwa akwukwo | ||
| The Igbo word "nwa akwukwo" also means "child of the book" or "book child." | |||
| Malagasy | nianatra | ||
| The term "nianatra" is an abbreviation of the Malagasy phrase "niantso an-tatra", meaning "the one who receives or absorbs knowledge." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wophunzira | ||
| The Nyanja word 'wophunzira' also refers to a person who is taught or instructed. | |||
| Shona | mudzidzi | ||
| Somali | arday | ||
| The word "arday" in Somali could be related to the Arabic word "'ard" meaning "land" or "soil," or to the Somali word "arag" meaning "to see" or "to study." | |||
| Sesotho | moithuti | ||
| The Sesotho word "moithuti" is derived from the verb "ho ithuta," meaning "to study," and primarily refers to a person engaged in the process of learning or acquiring knowledge. | |||
| Swahili | mwanafunzi | ||
| The word "mwanafunzi" is derived from the root word "funza" meaning "to learn" and the prefix "mwa" meaning "of" or "related to". | |||
| Xhosa | umfundi | ||
| The Xhosa word 'umfundi' is also used to describe an apprentice, learner, or beginner in any field. | |||
| Yoruba | akeko | ||
| The word "akeko" can also mean "schoolboy" or "schoolgirl" depending on the context. | |||
| Zulu | umfundi | ||
| The word "umfundi" in the Zulu language is derived from the verb "funda" (to learn) and means both "student" and "teacher". | |||
| Bambara | kalanden | ||
| Ewe | nusrɔ̃la | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umunyeshuri | ||
| Lingala | mwana-kelasi | ||
| Luganda | omuyizi | ||
| Sepedi | moithuti | ||
| Twi (Akan) | osuani | ||
Student in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | طالب علم | ||
| The word "طالب علم" (student) derives from the root word "طلب" (to seek), indicating the student's quest for knowledge. | |||
| Hebrew | סטוּדֶנט | ||
| The Hebrew word "סטוּדֶנט" is derived from the Latin "studens" meaning "one who studies or pursues knowledge." | |||
| Pashto | زده کونکی | ||
| The word "زده کونکی" ("student") in Pashto is derived from the Persian word "زده" ("learned") and the Pashto word "کونکی" ("little one"). | |||
| Arabic | طالب علم | ||
| The word "طالب علم" (student) derives from the root word "طلب" (to seek), indicating the student's quest for knowledge. | |||
Student in Western European Languages
| Albanian | student | ||
| The Albanian word "student" may also refer to a military recruit or a trainee. | |||
| Basque | ikaslea | ||
| "Ikasle" is derived from the words "ikasi" (to study) and "-le" (nominal suffix indicating the one who does an action). | |||
| Catalan | estudiant | ||
| The term estudiant in Catalan comes from the Latin word for | |||
| Croatian | student | ||
| It is also used as the feminine form of an apprentice or disciple | |||
| Danish | studerende | ||
| The word 'studerende' is derived from the Latin word 'studens' meaning 'one who is eager to learn'. | |||
| Dutch | leerling | ||
| "Leerling" is related to the German word "lernen," meaning "to learn" and can also refer to an apprentice. | |||
| English | student | ||
| The word "student" is derived from the Latin word "studere," which means "to be zealous or eager." | |||
| French | étudiant | ||
| The word "étudiant" derives from the Latin "studere," meaning "to be zealous" or "to apply oneself." | |||
| Frisian | studint | ||
| In Frisian, the word "studint" also carries the connotation of "scholar" or "one who is studious". | |||
| Galician | estudante | ||
| The Galician word "estudante" is derived from the Latin word "studere," which means "to apply oneself to study or learn." | |||
| German | student | ||
| In German, the word "Student" is also used to refer to a member of a fraternity or sorority. | |||
| Icelandic | nemandi | ||
| The word "nemandi" comes from the Old Norse word "nem", meaning "to take". Therefore, it originally meant "one who takes" or "one who receives". | |||
| Irish | dalta | ||
| In ancient Gaelic, 'dalta' also referred to a "fosterling" or a student who lived and trained with the master, forming an intense master-disciple bond. | |||
| Italian | alunno | ||
| "Alunno" is a Latin word that originally meant "nurtured" or "foster child." | |||
| Luxembourgish | studentin | ||
| The term "Studentin" can also refer to a student in higher education or university, similar to its usage in German. | |||
| Maltese | student | ||
| The Maltese word "student" comes from the Latin word "studens", meaning "someone who is eager to learn". The root of the word, "stud", means "to be eager." | |||
| Norwegian | student | ||
| Student in Norwegian can mean either “university student” or the noun phrase “one who studies”. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | aluna | ||
| The word "aluna" derives from the Latin word "alumnus," which means "foster child" or "pupil." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | oileanach | ||
| The word "oileanach" in Scots Gaelic is also an archaic term for a pilgrim or a hermit. | |||
| Spanish | estudiante | ||
| The word 'estudiante' comes from the Latin word 'studens', meaning 'one who studies' or 'one who is zealous'. | |||
| Swedish | studerande | ||
| "Studerande" is related to "stud" meaning "support" and "ande" indicating "spirit". | |||
| Welsh | myfyriwr | ||
| The word "myfyriwr" can also refer to an apprentice, a pupil, or a disciple. | |||
Student in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | студэнт | ||
| The word "студэнт" comes from the Latin word "studens," which means "eager to learn". | |||
| Bosnian | student | ||
| In Bosnian, the word 'student' can also refer to someone who is in a state of contemplation or reflection, and not necessarily a person enrolled in an educational institution. | |||
| Bulgarian | студент | ||
| The word "студент" is derived from the Latin word "studere", which means "to study". | |||
| Czech | student | ||
| In Czech, the word "student" can also refer to a university graduate who has completed their studies and earned a degree. | |||
| Estonian | õpilane | ||
| The word "õpilane" derives from the verb "õppima" meaning "to learn" and originally referred to a person who was learning a trade or profession. | |||
| Finnish | opiskelija- | ||
| The word "opiskelija" comes from the verb "opiskella," which means "to study," and originally referred to a member of a religious order who was studying theology. | |||
| Hungarian | diák | ||
| The word 'diák' originally meant 'servant' and could refer to any young person in service, such as apprentices and scribes. | |||
| Latvian | students | ||
| In Latvian, the word "students" derives from the Latin word "studens, studentis," meaning "one who studies". | |||
| Lithuanian | studentas | ||
| "Studentas" literally means a "learner" in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | студент | ||
| The word "студент" comes from the Latin word "studere", which means "to zealously apply oneself to learning". | |||
| Polish | student | ||
| In Polish, "student" also means "listener" or "pupil". | |||
| Romanian | student | ||
| In Romanian, the word "student" can also refer to a person who is engaged in self-education or who is an apprentice in a trade. | |||
| Russian | студент | ||
| The word "студент" is derived from the Latin word "studens", meaning "diligent, zealous". | |||
| Serbian | ученик | ||
| The word 'ученик' is also used to refer to an apprentice or a disciple. | |||
| Slovak | študent | ||
| "Študent" in Slovak originally referred to a member of the student union or organization, rather than a person enrolled in a school. | |||
| Slovenian | študent | ||
| The word "študent" in Slovenian has a similar origin to the English word "student", both deriving from the Latin word "studere", meaning "to study" or "to apply oneself to learning." | |||
| Ukrainian | студент | ||
| Укр. слово “студент” від лат. studens (навчаюся). Озн. також – “людина, яка займається наукою”. | |||
Student in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ছাত্র | ||
| The word "ছাত্র" can also refer to a disciple or an apprentice. | |||
| Gujarati | વિદ્યાર્થી | ||
| The word 'विद्यार्थी' ('student') is derived from the Sanskrit roots 'vidya' ('knowledge') and 'artha' ('meaning'), and can also refer to a 'seeker of knowledge'. | |||
| Hindi | छात्र | ||
| The word "छात्र" also means "a disciple" or "a pupil", and comes from the Sanskrit root "छद्" meaning "to cover" or "to protect". | |||
| Kannada | ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿ | ||
| Malayalam | വിദ്യാർത്ഥി | ||
| The word "വിദ്യാർത്ഥി" (student) in Malayalam is derived from the Sanskrit words "vidya" (knowledge) and "artha" (purpose), indicating a person dedicated to acquiring knowledge. | |||
| Marathi | विद्यार्थी | ||
| विद्यार्थी comes from 'विद्युत्', meaning energy, and 'अर्थी', meaning seeker; students pursue energy-based knowledge. | |||
| Nepali | विद्यार्थी | ||
| The word 'विद्यार्थी' is derived from the Sanskrit root 'विद्' (to know or understand), and originally referred to someone who was pursuing knowledge, either through formal education or self-study. | |||
| Punjabi | ਵਿਦਿਆਰਥੀ | ||
| Punjabi word “vidyaarthi” may also mean a person who is learning something other than formal education. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ශිෂ්ය | ||
| ශිෂ්ය is derived from Pali and Sanskrit and can also mean 'pupil of the eye' or 'disciple'. | |||
| Tamil | மாணவர் | ||
| In Tamil the word "மாணவர்" ("student") is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit "manavin" meaning "to think," and can also convey a "seeker of knowledge." | |||
| Telugu | విద్యార్థి | ||
| Urdu | طالب علم | ||
| The word "طالب علم" is derived from the Arabic root word "طلب" (talab), meaning "to seek" or "to strive for". Therefore, a "طالب علم" is someone who strives to acquire knowledge, not merely a "student". | |||
Student in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 学生 | ||
| The word "学生" is also used in Chinese to refer to someone who is studying something, not necessarily in a formal educational setting. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 學生 | ||
| 學生 (traditional Chinese) literally means "learning generation". | |||
| Japanese | 学生 | ||
| "学生" is a combination of two kanji characters: "学" (meaning "study") and "生" (meaning "person"). | |||
| Korean | 학생 | ||
| The word "학생" is derived from the Korean word "학(學)" meaning "study" and the Chinese word "生" meaning "life" or "person." | |||
| Mongolian | оюутан | ||
| The word оюутан derives from the Mongolian word оюун, meaning 'knowledge' or 'intellect'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကျောင်းသား | ||
Student in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | siswa | ||
| Derived from Sanskrit, 'siswa' can also refer to any disciple, apprentice, or follower. | |||
| Javanese | murid | ||
| The Javanese word "murid" also refers to a disciple or follower. | |||
| Khmer | និស្សិត | ||
| The term និស្សិត also carries a connotation of "person seeking instruction", highlighting the active learning process of a student. | |||
| Lao | ນັກຮຽນ | ||
| The Lao word ນັກเรียน is derived from the Sanskrit word 'nakshatra' meaning 'star'. | |||
| Malay | pelajar | ||
| The word "pelajar" is derived from the Sanskrit word "pela-jar" meaning "one who learns". | |||
| Thai | นักเรียน | ||
| In Old Thai, the word นักเรียน (nak-rian) means to 'imitate' something | |||
| Vietnamese | sinh viên | ||
| The word "sinh viên" in Vietnamese may be derived from the Chinese word "生员" (shēngyuán), which referred to a student at an imperial academy in the past. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mag-aaral | ||
Student in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | tələbə | ||
| The word | |||
| Kazakh | студент | ||
| The word "студент" in Kazakh also means a "pupil" and is derived from the Latin word "studēre", which means "to be zealous". | |||
| Kyrgyz | студент | ||
| Kyrgyz "студент" derives from the Latin word "studere" which means "to study". | |||
| Tajik | донишҷӯ | ||
| The word "донишҷӯ" originates from the Persian word "دانشجو" (dāneshjū), which is a compound of "دانش" (dānesh, "knowledge") and "جو" (jū, "seeker"). | |||
| Turkmen | okuwçy | ||
| Uzbek | talaba | ||
| The word "talaba" can also refer to a religious or spiritual seeker in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | ئوقۇغۇچى | ||
Student in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | haumana | ||
| A traditional Hawaiian word for 'student' or 'learner', haumana shares roots with the word haʻumāna, which translates to 'to study, to learn, to gain knowledge'. | |||
| Maori | akonga | ||
| "Akonga" is also a term for a young sapling, emphasizing the nurturing and growth of knowledge in Maori culture. | |||
| Samoan | tamaiti aʻoga | ||
| This term is derived from the word "tama" (child) and "aoga" (school), and is used to refer to individuals who are actively engaged in formal education. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | mag-aaral | ||
| The root word is **aral** meaning 'to study,' so the student is the one who 'studies'. | |||
Student in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | yatiqiri | ||
| Guarani | temimbo'e | ||
Student in International Languages
| Esperanto | studento | ||
| The plural form studentoj was coined by the founder of Esperanto, L.L. Zamenhof, as a neutral plural that is not gender-specific like studentoj (male) or studentinoj (female). | |||
| Latin | discipulus | ||
| Related to the word 'discipline', 'discipulus' derives from 'discere', 'to learn', with the implication of being in a position of receiving instruction and guidance. | |||
Student in Others Languages
| Greek | μαθητης σχολειου | ||
| In ancient Greek, the word 'μαθητης σχολειου' also meant 'disciple' or 'pupil' of a philosopher or religious teacher. | |||
| Hmong | tub ntxhais kawm | ||
| "Tub ntxhais kawm" means "student" in Hmong, but it can also mean "one who learns" or "one who studies". | |||
| Kurdish | zankoyî | ||
| The word “zankoyî” originates from the Persian word “zanakôy”, meaning “school”. | |||
| Turkish | öğrenci | ||
| The word 'Öğrenci' in Turkish derives from the verb 'Öğrenmek' (to learn), connoting an ongoing process of acquiring knowledge and skills. | |||
| Xhosa | umfundi | ||
| The Xhosa word 'umfundi' is also used to describe an apprentice, learner, or beginner in any field. | |||
| Yiddish | תּלמיד | ||
| In Yiddish, the word "תּלמיד" (talmid) also means "scholar" and is derived from the Hebrew word "למד" (lamad), meaning "to learn." | |||
| Zulu | umfundi | ||
| The word "umfundi" in the Zulu language is derived from the verb "funda" (to learn) and means both "student" and "teacher". | |||
| Assamese | ছাত্ৰ | ||
| Aymara | yatiqiri | ||
| Bhojpuri | छात्र | ||
| Dhivehi | ދަރިވަރު | ||
| Dogri | विद्यार्थी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mag-aaral | ||
| Guarani | temimbo'e | ||
| Ilocano | estudiante | ||
| Krio | studɛnt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | قوتابی | ||
| Maithili | छात्र | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯍꯩꯔꯣꯏ | ||
| Mizo | zirlai | ||
| Oromo | barataa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଛାତ୍ର | ||
| Quechua | yachakuq | ||
| Sanskrit | विद्यार्थी | ||
| Tatar | студент | ||
| Tigrinya | ተምሃራይ | ||
| Tsonga | xichudeni | ||