Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'trail' holds a significant place in our lexicon, representing a path or route left behind by the passage of people or animals. Trails are not only important for navigation but also for the preservation of cultural and natural heritage. They serve as tangible connections to history, leading us through landscapes that have been shaped by the stories and footsteps of those who came before us.
Moreover, the concept of a trail transcends linguistic boundaries. In Spanish, a trail is known as 'sendero'. In French, it's 'sentier'. In German, 'Pfad'. In Mandarin Chinese, 'trail' is translated as '踪迹' (zhòngjī). In Japanese, it's '足跡' (ashiato). These translations not only offer insight into the word's global reach but also highlight the diverse ways in which different cultures perceive and interact with the natural world.
So, whether you're an avid hiker, a history buff, or a language enthusiast, understanding the translation of 'trail' in various languages can enrich your appreciation for the world's rich cultural tapestry. Here, we delve into the fascinating translations of 'trail' in a variety of languages, from English to Hindi, and from Swedish to Swahili.
Afrikaans | roete | ||
In Dutch, 'roete' can also mean 'route', suggesting a shared etymological origin | |||
Amharic | ዱካ | ||
"ዱካ" can also mean 'a kind of grass' or 'a type of grain' in Amharic. | |||
Hausa | sawu | ||
In Hausa, the word "sawu" can also refer to a "scar". | |||
Igbo | nzọ ụkwụ | ||
Malagasy | lalana | ||
The word 'lalana' can also refer to a 'pathway' or 'road' | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | njira | ||
The word "njira" in Nyanja (Chichewa) is also used to refer to a narrow strip of land between two bodies of water, such as a river and a lake, or a path between two villages. | |||
Shona | nzira | ||
In Manyika, 'nzira' also means 'a way of doing things'. In Karanga, it can mean 'a channel' or 'a path followed by water'. | |||
Somali | raad | ||
Raad also means a path or road in Somali, and comes from the Arabic word 'raad' which means 'a sign or trace'. | |||
Sesotho | tselana | ||
The Sesotho word "tselana" also means "path", "route", "course", "way", or "manner". | |||
Swahili | njia | ||
The word 'njia' also means 'way' or 'manner' in Swahili. | |||
Xhosa | umzila | ||
Umzila also means 'to travel', 'to follow', or 'to go on a journey' in Xhosa. | |||
Yoruba | itọpa | ||
"Itọpa" can also mean "to follow in the footsteps of" or "to inherit". | |||
Zulu | umzila | ||
The word 'umzila' in Zulu can also refer to a path or route. | |||
Bambara | kiri | ||
Ewe | le megbe | ||
Kinyarwanda | inzira | ||
Lingala | nzela | ||
Luganda | okulinnya akagere | ||
Sepedi | goga | ||
Twi (Akan) | ti | ||
Arabic | ممر المشاة | ||
The word "ممر المشاة" can also refer to a "pedestrian crossing". | |||
Hebrew | שביל | ||
The word "שביל" can also refer to a "row" or a "line" in Hebrew. | |||
Pashto | پلنه | ||
The Pashto word "پلنه" can also refer to the path of a person or animal or a line or row. | |||
Arabic | ممر المشاة | ||
The word "ممر المشاة" can also refer to a "pedestrian crossing". |
Albanian | shteg | ||
"Shteg" is the word for "bridge" in certain dialects in Kosovo, while in South Albania it can refer to a "riverbed with little or no running water." | |||
Basque | arrastoa | ||
The word "arrastoa" also means "dragging" or "pulling" in Basque, and is related to the verb "arrastatu" (to drag or pull). | |||
Catalan | corriol | ||
The Catalan word "corriol" also refers to a narrow path or track, especially one used by animals. | |||
Croatian | trag | ||
The word "trag" can also mean a trace or a track. | |||
Danish | sti | ||
"Sti" has many other meanings in Danish, including "path", "lane" and "alley." | |||
Dutch | spoor | ||
In Dutch, the word "spoor" can also refer to a railway track or a railway line. | |||
English | trail | ||
In addition to its meaning as a path, "trail" comes from the Old English "tragian" meaning "to drag" | |||
French | piste | ||
In French, "piste" can also mean "ski slope" or "clue" (in a mystery). | |||
Frisian | paad | ||
The Frisian word 'paad' ultimately descends from the Proto-Indo-European word 'péds', which also gave rise to English 'path' and Sanskrit 'padá' | |||
Galician | sendeiro | ||
Sendeiro, 'trail' in Galician, also means 'small path' and comes from the Latin 'semita', with the same meaning. | |||
German | weg | ||
Although the word "Weg" means "path" in German, it can also refer to a journey or a route. | |||
Icelandic | slóð | ||
The word "slóð" is a derivation of the Proto-Germanic word "*slōdiðaz" meaning "path". It also has a secondary meaning of "lineage" or "family line". | |||
Irish | rian | ||
"Rian" also means "path", "way" or "course". | |||
Italian | sentiero | ||
The Italian word "sentiero" derives from the Latin "semita," meaning "path" or "way." | |||
Luxembourgish | trail | ||
In Luxembourgish, "trail" can also refer to a path through the woods or a mark left by a person or animal. | |||
Maltese | traċċa | ||
The word "traċċa" can also refer to a trace or vestige. | |||
Norwegian | sti | ||
The Norwegian word "sti" is cognate with the English word "style," both derived from the same Proto-Germanic word for "path". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | trilha | ||
The Portuguese word "trilha" can also refer to a musical track or a path through a forest. | |||
Scots Gaelic | slighe | ||
Slighe is cognate to Irish slige 'way, road,' Welsh llwybr 'way' (whence English slough) and Breton hent 'way.' | |||
Spanish | sendero | ||
The word 'sendero' originates from the Latin 'semita,' meaning 'path' or 'footpath,' and can also refer to a narrow path, route, or track. | |||
Swedish | spår | ||
The Swedish word "spår" can also mean "track", "rail", or "trace". | |||
Welsh | llwybr | ||
"Llwybr" is cognate with "limbo" and shares the literal meaning of "boundary". |
Belarusian | сцежка | ||
The word "сцежка" is also used metaphorically to describe an easy or straightforward path to follow. | |||
Bosnian | staza | ||
The word 'staza' is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *stazъ, meaning 'path' or 'way'. | |||
Bulgarian | пътека | ||
"Пътека" is an old word with various meanings: a narrow road, a river channel, a groove on an object and more | |||
Czech | stezka | ||
The word "stezka" is derived from the Old Slavic word "stega", meaning "path" or "road". | |||
Estonian | rada | ||
"Rada" also means "opening" in Estonian. | |||
Finnish | polku | ||
"Polku" is cognate with Proto-Slavic *pъtь (path), and is related to Proto-Germanic *padaz (path) and Sanskrit पन्थास् (panthās) (path). | |||
Hungarian | nyom | ||
The word "nyom" in Hungarian can also refer to a footprint or a line of footsteps. | |||
Latvian | taka | ||
The word "taka" can also mean "path", "road", or "journey" in Latvian. | |||
Lithuanian | takas | ||
The Lithuanian word for trail, "takas," also refers to a path cleared through a forest, often used by animals. | |||
Macedonian | патека | ||
The word "патека" may also refer to a small road or a path, particularly one used by animals, as in "патеката води до реката" (the path leads to the river). | |||
Polish | ślad | ||
The word **ślad** also means 'vest' or 'track' in Polish. | |||
Romanian | poteca | ||
The word "poteca" is derived from the Slavic word "poteka", meaning "brook". | |||
Russian | след | ||
"След" also means a footprint, a track, a trace or a mark denoting the passage of a person, animal or object. | |||
Serbian | стаза | ||
The Serbian word "стаза" (trail) is also used to describe a narrow passage or a path in a forest. | |||
Slovak | stopa | ||
The Slovak word "stopa" also means "footprint" or "step". | |||
Slovenian | pot | ||
Although "pot" literally means "trail," it can also be figuratively used to refer to a "situation," "state," or "path forward." | |||
Ukrainian | стежка | ||
The word "стежка" can also mean "stitch" in Ukrainian, as in a stitch in needlework. |
Bengali | ট্রেইল | ||
The term 'trail' in Bengali can also denote a small village in remote hill areas | |||
Gujarati | પગેરું | ||
While "પગેરું" primarily means "trail", it also has the alternate meaning of "footpath". | |||
Hindi | निशान | ||
In Hindi, the word "निशान" (trail) also means "sign" or "mark". | |||
Kannada | ಜಾಡು | ||
The word "ಜಾಡು" in Kannada can also refer to a clue, track, or trace. | |||
Malayalam | നടപ്പാത | ||
The Malayalam word "നടപ്പാത" (naṭappāṭa) is derived from the word "നടക്കുക" (naṭakkuka) meaning "to walk", signifying its primary function as a path for pedestrian movement. | |||
Marathi | पायवाट | ||
'पायवाट' is derived from the Marathi word 'पाय' meaning 'foot' and 'वाट' meaning 'path', representing a path meant for foot travel. | |||
Nepali | ट्रेल | ||
The Nepali word "ट्रेल" ultimately derives from the Sanskrit "त्रेल," meaning "a creeping plant," and is cognate with the English "trail," meaning "a beaten path." | |||
Punjabi | ਟ੍ਰੇਲ | ||
The word ਟ੍ਰੇਲ is a loanword from English, where it has additional meanings such as 'the scent left by an animal' or 'to follow behind'. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මංපෙත් | ||
Tamil | பாதை | ||
The Tamil word "பாதை" can also be used to refer to a method or a style of approach in Tamil. | |||
Telugu | కాలిబాట | ||
"కాళ్లు" (legs, feet) + "వాటు" or "బాట" (path, route) implies a narrow passage created through frequent use or by the feet of people and/or animals. | |||
Urdu | پگڈنڈی | ||
"پگڈنڈی" is a Persian word meaning "a footpath or pathway" and is often used in Urdu poetry to refer to a journey or a quest. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 落后 | ||
The word "落后" in Chinese can also mean "backward" or "outdated". | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 落後 | ||
落後 ('trail') is also used to refer to the loss of a person's position, such as in a game or a race. | |||
Japanese | トレイル | ||
トレイル (Trail) は、もともと「ひきずること」や「ロープの末端」を意味していましたが、後に「足跡」や「小道」を指すようになりました。 | |||
Korean | 꼬리 | ||
"꼬리" has the meaning of "a tail" in Korean, but it can also mean "a line" or "a row". | |||
Mongolian | мөр | ||
The word 'мөр' also means 'vein' or 'blood vessel' in Mongolian, reflecting its snake-like appearance. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | လမ်းကြောင်း | ||
Indonesian | jejak | ||
"Jejak" comes from the Proto-Austronesian root *jaka, meaning "footprint". | |||
Javanese | tilase | ||
The Javanese word 'tilase' means "trail", "path", "trace" or "evidence". | |||
Khmer | ផ្លូវលំ | ||
Lao | ເສັ້ນທາງ | ||
Malay | jejak | ||
"Jejak" also means "footprint" or "trace" in Malay. | |||
Thai | เส้นทาง | ||
The word "เส้นทาง" can also refer to a "road" or "pathway". | |||
Vietnamese | đường mòn | ||
The word "đường mòn" also means a "small road" in Vietnamese. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | tugaygayan | ||
Azerbaijani | iz | ||
In the Turkic languages of Central Asia, the word "iz" often refers to the mark left by an animal's foot or hoof. | |||
Kazakh | із | ||
"Із" also means "mark", "sign" or "trace" in the Kazakh language. | |||
Kyrgyz | из | ||
The word "из" can also mean "way", "path", or "road" in Kyrgyz, indicating its broader significance beyond just a "trail". | |||
Tajik | гашти | ||
In Uzbek, the word "гашти" also means "a walk, a stroll". | |||
Turkmen | yz | ||
Uzbek | iz | ||
The word 'iz' also means 'scar' and 'track' in Uzbek. | |||
Uyghur | ئىز | ||
Hawaiian | ala hele | ||
'Ala hele' literally means 'walking path' and is a general term for any kind of trail. | |||
Maori | ara | ||
In Maori, "ara" also refers to a pathway or route, and is used in the phrase "ara whakahirahira" meaning "highway". | |||
Samoan | auala | ||
In some dialects of Samoan, "auala" can also mean "a way of doing something". | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | tugaygayan | ||
The Tagalog word "tugaygayan" originally meant "meeting place", from the root word "tugay" meaning "to meet". |
Aymara | thakhi | ||
Guarani | tapejehoha | ||
Esperanto | spuro | ||
The word "spuro" in Esperanto derives from the Latin word "spurium", meaning "illegitimate offspring" or "bastard". | |||
Latin | trahentium | ||
The word "trahentium" can also refer to a hauling or pulling, or a kind of net or seine. |
Greek | μονοπάτι | ||
The word "μονοπάτι" derives from the Ancient Greek "μόνος" (alone) and "πάτος" (path), referring to a "solitary path". | |||
Hmong | txoj kev taug | ||
The Hmong word "txoj kev taug" literally means "path of walking" and can refer to either a trail or a path taken in life. | |||
Kurdish | şop | ||
"Şop" means "trail" in Kurdish, but it can also refer to a "path" or "road". | |||
Turkish | iz | ||
The word "iz" can also mean "mark" or "trace". | |||
Xhosa | umzila | ||
Umzila also means 'to travel', 'to follow', or 'to go on a journey' in Xhosa. | |||
Yiddish | שטעג | ||
The word "שטעג" is also used to refer to a scaffold, a bridge, or a footbridge. | |||
Zulu | umzila | ||
The word 'umzila' in Zulu can also refer to a path or route. | |||
Assamese | গমনপথ | ||
Aymara | thakhi | ||
Bhojpuri | रास्ता | ||
Dhivehi | ޓްރެއިލް | ||
Dogri | बत्त | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | tugaygayan | ||
Guarani | tapejehoha | ||
Ilocano | sebbang | ||
Krio | rod | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | شوێنەوار | ||
Maithili | पाछू | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯔꯦꯡ | ||
Mizo | hnu | ||
Oromo | mallattoo | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଟ୍ରେଲ୍ | ||
Quechua | ñan | ||
Sanskrit | पादपद्धति | ||
Tatar | эз | ||
Tigrinya | ኣሰር | ||
Tsonga | nkondzo | ||