Tap in Different Languages
Discover 'Tap' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'tap' is a simple, everyday term that holds great significance in many aspects of our lives. It can refer to the action of striking a surface lightly and quickly, or the sound that results from such an action. In the world of plumbing, a tap is the device that controls the flow of water in a pipe. Culturally, tapping can also refer to a lively, rhythmic dance, or the beat that drives it.
Given its wide range of uses, it's no surprise that the word 'tap' has been translated into various languages around the world. For instance, in Spanish, 'tap' translates to 'pestillo' or 'grifo' depending on the context. In French, it's 'robinet', while in German, it's 'Hahn'. In Japanese, the word for tap is 'タップ (tappu)', which is derived from the English word.
Exploring the translations of 'tap' in different languages offers a fascinating glimpse into the cultural nuances and linguistic diversity of the world. Below is a list of translations of 'tap' in various languages, providing a small but enlightening journey into the rich tapestry of global language and culture.
Tap
Tap in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | tik | ||
| "Tik" in Afrikaans also refers to the sound made by a clock or watch. | |||
| Amharic | መታ ያድርጉ | ||
| The Amharic word መታ ያድርጉ originates from the verb መትቶ (to hit or strike) and means literally “to make something hit,” suggesting the action of tapping or gently hitting. | |||
| Hausa | famfo | ||
| "Famfo" can also refer to any part of the body that protrudes, such as the elbow, knee, or forehead. | |||
| Igbo | mgbata | ||
| In Igbo language, 'Mgba-ta' can also refer to a tree, a medicinal herb, and a part of a traditional Igbo attire for women. | |||
| Malagasy | paompy | ||
| The word "paompy" in Malagasy is a homonym for "tap" and "to punch". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | dinani | ||
| The word "dinani" in Nyanja can also be used to refer to a water pipe. | |||
| Shona | pombi | ||
| "Pombi" is a Shona word likely derived from the indigenous Zulu word "ibhomu" meaning spring or natural water source. | |||
| Somali | tubbada | ||
| "Tubbada" can also refer to a water pipe or fountain in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | tlanya | ||
| The word "tlanya" can also mean "to draw water" or "to pour water". | |||
| Swahili | bomba | ||
| The Swahili word "bomba" derives from the Portuguese term "bomba", meaning "pump", further related to the Latin verb "bombare" signifying "to make a noise". The word "bomba" also commonly denotes "explosion" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | itephu | ||
| Itephu is also a type of spear that was used by the Xhosa people. | |||
| Yoruba | tẹ ni kia kia | ||
| The verb `tẹ ni kia kia` also means to `knock` on a surface. | |||
| Zulu | thepha | ||
| The Zulu word “thepha” can also refer to the act of tapping or knocking. | |||
| Bambara | worobinɛ | ||
| Ewe | ƒo edzi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kanda | ||
| Lingala | beta | ||
| Luganda | taapu | ||
| Sepedi | thepe | ||
| Twi (Akan) | twe bi | ||
Tap in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | صنبور | ||
| The Arabic word "صنبور" (tap) originates from the Persian word "سنبور", which itself is derived from the Greek word "σιφωνος" (siphon). | |||
| Hebrew | בֶּרֶז | ||
| "בֶּרֶז" is the Hebrew word for tap, faucet or valve and it etymologically relates to the term "to separate (waters)" (בָּרַז). | |||
| Pashto | د نل | ||
| The Pashto word "د نل" ("tap") is derived from the Persian word "نل" ("tap") | |||
| Arabic | صنبور | ||
| The Arabic word "صنبور" (tap) originates from the Persian word "سنبور", which itself is derived from the Greek word "σιφωνος" (siphon). | |||
Tap in Western European Languages
| Albanian | trokitje e lehtë | ||
| This polysemic expression can also denote a simple, quick, and effective technique in different fields, as well as a kind of traditional Albanian cheese. | |||
| Basque | ukitu | ||
| The Basque word "ukitu" also means "to touch". | |||
| Catalan | aixeta | ||
| In old Catalan texts, 'aixeta' was a synonym of 'aigua beneita' (holy water) and 'aixetar' meant 'to bless with holy water' | |||
| Croatian | tapnite | ||
| In Croatian, the word "tapnite" can also mean "to hit" or "to strike". | |||
| Danish | tryk på | ||
| "Tryk på" originally means "press onto", and is a common idiom for hitting a key e.g. "tryk på enter". | |||
| Dutch | kraan | ||
| "Kraan" in Dutch can mean tap, but it can also refer to the bird known as the crowned crane. | |||
| English | tap | ||
| The word 'tap' can refer to a flowing liquid, a device used to release liquid, or the act of slightly hitting something. | |||
| French | robinet | ||
| The French word "robinet" (tap) derives from the Old French word "robin" (spigot), which in turn comes from the Latin word "rostrum" (beak). | |||
| Frisian | tap | ||
| In some Frisian dialects, "tap" can also refer to a young male sheep. | |||
| Galician | toque | ||
| In Galician, "toque" also means "knock" or "touch", and is related to the English word "tact". | |||
| German | zapfhahn | ||
| The word "Zapfhahn" is cognate with the English "tap" and the Middle Low German word "tappe". | |||
| Icelandic | bankaðu á | ||
| The word "bankaðu á" can also mean "knock on" or "ring". | |||
| Irish | sconna | ||
| The word "sconna" in Irish can also refer to an opening or hole, such as the eye of a needle, the nozzle of a teapot, or a vent for smoke. | |||
| Italian | rubinetto | ||
| Rubinetto, the Italian word for "tap," originates from the Latin word "rubineus," meaning "reddish." | |||
| Luxembourgish | tippen | ||
| "Tippen" in Luxembourgish can also mean "to write" or "to type". | |||
| Maltese | taptap | ||
| The Maltese word "taptap" also refers to a shared mini-bus or taxi. | |||
| Norwegian | trykk | ||
| "Trykk" also refers to the pressure exerted by something. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | toque | ||
| The word "toque" derives from the French "touche" and can also mean "hat" in French Portuguese. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | tap | ||
| Scots Gaelic "tap" also means "ram". | |||
| Spanish | grifo | ||
| In Spanish, the word "grifo" can also refer to a mythological creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, similar to the griffin in English. | |||
| Swedish | knacka | ||
| The word "knacka" in Swedish also means "knock" and "to break". | |||
| Welsh | tap | ||
| In Welsh, "tap" can also refer to a knob, peg, or tenon. | |||
Tap in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | кран | ||
| "Кран" is also the Belarusian word for "crane" (the bird), as in many other Slavic languages, although this usage is becoming outdated. | |||
| Bosnian | tapnite | ||
| "Tapnite" (tap) can also refer to a place where people gather to socialize, similar to a pub or bar. | |||
| Bulgarian | докоснете | ||
| The word "докоснете" also means "touch" or "come into contact with" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | klepněte na | ||
| In Czech, "klepněte na" is also used figuratively to mean "to contact" or "to approach" someone. | |||
| Estonian | puudutage | ||
| The word "puudutage" derives from the Estonian word "puutuma," meaning "to touch" or "to come into contact." | |||
| Finnish | napauta | ||
| "Napauttaa" can also mean "to type" or "to click". | |||
| Hungarian | koppintson a | ||
| In Hungarian colloquial usage, "koppintson a" also means "knock" or "call"} | |||
| Latvian | krāns | ||
| The Latvian word "krāns" is cognate with the Old Prussian "cranto" ("pipe") and the Lithuanian word "kranas," also meaning "tap". | |||
| Lithuanian | palieskite | ||
| Derived from the Slavic root "palit" meaning "to burn", "palieskite" also refers to burning incense during pagan rituals in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | допрете | ||
| "Допрете" can also mean "to reach" or "to arrive" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | kran | ||
| The Polish word 'kran' comes from the German 'Kran' meaning 'crane', as the earliest taps resembled cranes with a spout and handle. | |||
| Romanian | atingeți | ||
| In Romanian, "atingere" (touch) may also mean contact or communication. | |||
| Russian | нажмите | ||
| In Russian, the word "нажмите" can also mean "click". | |||
| Serbian | славина | ||
| The word "славина" (tap) in Serbian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "slavina", which means "glory" or "fame". | |||
| Slovak | ťuknite | ||
| The word "ťuknite" in Slovak also means "to click" and is related to the word "ťukanie" (knocking). | |||
| Slovenian | tapnite | ||
| In Slovenian, the word "tapnite" can also mean "to type" or "to write on a keyboard" | |||
| Ukrainian | натисніть | ||
| The prefix 'на' is used in this word to mean 'down,' and the verb 'ти́снути (tysnúty)' can mean to squeeze, to push, or even to oppress. | |||
Tap in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ট্যাপ করুন | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning, "tap" also refers to a light blow or a gentle touch. | |||
| Gujarati | નળ | ||
| The word "નળ" can refer to a "faucet", "tap", "pipe", or even a "fountain" depending on the context. | |||
| Hindi | नल टोटी | ||
| "नल टोटी" is a compound word formed by combining "नल" (pipe) and "टोटी" (spout), thus originally meaning "a pipe with a spout". | |||
| Kannada | ಟ್ಯಾಪ್ ಮಾಡಿ | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning, "ಟ್ಯಾಪ್ ಮಾಡಿ" can also refer to the act of tapping a surface to check its resonance. | |||
| Malayalam | ടാപ്പുചെയ്യുക | ||
| The Malayalam word "ടാപ്പുചെയ്യുക" can refer to extracting liquid from a vessel or to obtaining information from a source. | |||
| Marathi | टॅप करा | ||
| In Marathi, the word "टॅप (tap)" also means "to connect" or "to establish a connection". | |||
| Nepali | ट्याप गर्नुहोस् | ||
| The word "ट्याप गर्नुहोस्" (tap) in Nepali has many alternate meanings, from the act of lightly hitting something to the sound of a small bell. | |||
| Punjabi | ਟੈਪ ਕਰੋ | ||
| The word ਟੈਪ ਕਰੋ comes from the English word "tap", which has several meanings, including: a device for controlling the flow of a liquid; a faucet; a gentle blow; or a light touch. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තට්ටු කරන්න | ||
| තට්ටු කරන්න was also used in some contexts to mean to make an official statement by a body with legal jurisdiction. | |||
| Tamil | தட்டவும் | ||
| The Tamil word "தட்டவும்" ("tap") can also refer to the action of beating or striking something, or to the sound produced by such actions. | |||
| Telugu | నొక్కండి | ||
| Urdu | نل | ||
| The word "نل" also means "pipe" or "tube" in Urdu. | |||
Tap in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 轻拍 | ||
| The term "轻拍" can also refer to a gentle stroke, a pat, or figuratively, a slight reprimand. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 輕拍 | ||
| 輕拍 can be used metaphorically to refer to an extremely gentle action or the quiet sound that something makes when falling on the floor.} | |||
| Japanese | タップ | ||
| The Japanese word "tap" can also refer to a faucet, a spigot, or a tap dance. | |||
| Korean | 꼭지 | ||
| "꼭지" also means "top" or "peak" in Korean, referencing where water flows from a tap. | |||
| Mongolian | цорго | ||
| An alternate meaning of the Mongolian word "цорго" is "a short, thick stick". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ထိပုတ်ပါ | ||
Tap in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | keran | ||
| "Keran" is derived from the Dutch word "kraan" and is related to the German "kran" and English "crane". | |||
| Javanese | tutul | ||
| The Javanese word "tutul" also refers to a small, round mark similar to a dot. | |||
| Khmer | ប៉ះ | ||
| The term "ប៉ះ" also refers to the act of striking or touching an object. | |||
| Lao | ປາດ | ||
| The Lao word "ປາດ" (tap) is derived from the Pali and Sanskrit word "ਪਾਦਾ" meaning "foot," and is also used figuratively to refer to the "base" of a tree or mountain. | |||
| Malay | ketuk | ||
| The word "ketuk" in Malay is also used to describe a traditional form of percussion music. | |||
| Thai | แตะ | ||
| แตะ (tap) comes from Sanskrit "trapu" meaning "to clap, strike" | |||
| Vietnamese | gõ nhẹ | ||
| The word "gõ nhẹ" can also mean "knock" or "hit" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tapikin | ||
Tap in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | vurun | ||
| The Turkish word "vurmak" (to hit) may have ultimately derived from the Azerbaijan word "vurun" (to tap), which is used in a similar "percussive" sense. | |||
| Kazakh | түртіңіз | ||
| The word is also used in Kazakh to refer to a "tap" of a horse | |||
| Kyrgyz | таптап | ||
| The word "таптап" in Kyrgyz can also refer to a footbridge or a shallow ford. | |||
| Tajik | ламс кунед | ||
| The word "ламс кунед" comes from Persian which means either water or oil tap. | |||
| Turkmen | kran | ||
| Uzbek | ga teging | ||
| "Ga teging" is an Uzbek phrase that can also mean "to knock on a door". | |||
| Uyghur | tap | ||
Tap in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | piula wai | ||
| In Hawaiian, "piula wai" also refers to a faucet or a spigot, devices that control the flow of liquids. | |||
| Maori | paato | ||
| The Maori word 'paato' can also refer to a spigot, faucet, or valve. | |||
| Samoan | tata | ||
| "Tata" also means "to feel or grope about in the dark" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tapikin | ||
| The Tagalog word "tapikin" (tap) is also used to refer to a game similar to tag. | |||
Tap in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | llamkt'aña | ||
| Guarani | ysẽha | ||
Tap in International Languages
| Esperanto | frapeti | ||
| The word "frapeti" is based on the onomatopoeic word "frap" (to hit with a sharp sound) and the Esperanto suffix "-et-," which indicates a small action. | |||
| Latin | ictus | ||
| The word "ictus" also means stress or accent in prosody and rhythm, as well as a musical beat or pulsation. | |||
Tap in Others Languages
| Greek | παρακέντηση | ||
| The word “paracentesis” derives from Greek "para- + kenteein", meaning "to puncture beside" and refers to a surgical procedure in which fluid is removed from a body cavity using a small puncture. | |||
| Hmong | coj mus rhaub | ||
| In certain contexts, "coj mus rhaub" can also refer to "dripping" or "leaking". | |||
| Kurdish | dîk | ||
| The Kurdish word 'dîk' ('tap') may be derived from the Persian 'dīg', a term for a large cooking vessel. | |||
| Turkish | dokunmak | ||
| Dokunmak (tap) derives from Proto-Turkic *dok-, meaning "to push, to touch". | |||
| Xhosa | itephu | ||
| Itephu is also a type of spear that was used by the Xhosa people. | |||
| Yiddish | צאַפּן | ||
| The word "צאַפּן" can also mean "to draw liquid" or "to spout out" in Yiddish. | |||
| Zulu | thepha | ||
| The Zulu word “thepha” can also refer to the act of tapping or knocking. | |||
| Assamese | টিপক | ||
| Aymara | llamkt'aña | ||
| Bhojpuri | नल | ||
| Dhivehi | ފެން އިސްކުރު | ||
| Dogri | टूटी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tapikin | ||
| Guarani | ysẽha | ||
| Ilocano | pikpik | ||
| Krio | tap | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەلوعە | ||
| Maithili | नल | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯣꯟꯖꯤꯟ | ||
| Mizo | kik | ||
| Oromo | qeensuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଟ୍ୟାପ୍ କରନ୍ତୁ | | ||
| Quechua | takay | ||
| Sanskrit | नाल | ||
| Tatar | тап | ||
| Tigrinya | ንኽእ ኣብል | ||
| Tsonga | khumbha | ||