Tunnel in Different Languages
Discover 'Tunnel' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Tunnels are fascinating feats of engineering that have played a crucial role in shaping human history and culture. From the ancient Romans who built underground aqueducts, to the modern-day engineers who construct complex transportation systems, tunnels have allowed us to overcome geographical barriers and connect in ways that would have otherwise been impossible.
Beyond their practical significance, tunnels have also captured our collective imagination, inspiring countless works of literature, art, and film. Whether it's the iconic tunnel scene in Alfred Hitchcock's 'North by Northwest', or the metaphorical use of tunnels in works like Dante's 'Inferno' or George Orwell's '1984', tunnels have become a powerful symbol of transformation, danger, and possibility.
Given their importance and cultural significance, it's no wonder that people around the world are interested in learning the translation of the word 'tunnel' in different languages. Whether you're a traveler looking to navigate a foreign city, a language learner seeking to expand your vocabulary, or a history buff interested in the cultural context of this fascinating word, understanding the translation of 'tunnel' in different languages can open up a whole new world of possibilities.
Here are some sample translations to get you started:
Tunnel
Tunnel in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | tonnel | ||
| The Afrikaans word "tonnel" comes from Dutch "ton" (barrel), a reference to its cylindrical shape. | |||
| Amharic | ዋሻ | ||
| The word ዋሻ derives from the Proto-Ethio-Semitic root ʾWŠ, which means "to bore through". | |||
| Hausa | rami | ||
| The word "rami" also means "path" or "way" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | ọwara | ||
| Ọwara also means a path through a dense forest in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | tonelina | ||
| The word was derived from the Malagasy 'tonelina', which means 'to go under or through'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ngalande | ||
| The word "ngalande" can also refer to a passage, channel, or narrow opening. | |||
| Shona | tunnel | ||
| The Shona word "tunnel" is derived from English and primarily refers to an underground passageway, rather than having any additional meanings or etymologies. | |||
| Somali | tunnel | ||
| Somali word 'tunnel' is borrowed from English and has no alternate meanings. | |||
| Sesotho | kotopo | ||
| Swahili | handaki | ||
| The word 'handaki' may originate from the Proto-Bantu term '*-daŋga', meaning 'to dig' or 'to penetrate'. | |||
| Xhosa | itonela | ||
| Itonela is also an isiXhosa term for a type of traditional necklace adorned with beads. | |||
| Yoruba | eefin | ||
| In some Yoruba dialects, "eefin" can also refer to a narrow path or passageway. | |||
| Zulu | umhubhe | ||
| Zulu word "umhubhe" also refers to someone who digs up or tunnels something. | |||
| Bambara | tunnel (tunɛli) la | ||
| Ewe | mɔ̃memimɔ̃ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umuyoboro | ||
| Lingala | tunnel na yango | ||
| Luganda | tunnel | ||
| Sepedi | thanele ya | ||
| Twi (Akan) | tunnel a wɔde fa nsu mu | ||
Tunnel in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نفق | ||
| The word "نفق" can also refer to a "burrow" or a "passageway" more generally. | |||
| Hebrew | מִנהָרָה | ||
| The word "מִנהָרָה" ("minhara") derives from the root "נ.ה.ר" ("n.h.r"), which means "to flow". It originally referred to a subterranean channel for water. | |||
| Pashto | تونل | ||
| The Pashto word "تونل" can also mean "underground passageway" or "secret passage". | |||
| Arabic | نفق | ||
| The word "نفق" can also refer to a "burrow" or a "passageway" more generally. | |||
Tunnel in Western European Languages
| Albanian | tunel | ||
| Albanian "tunel" comes from Ottoman Turkish "tünel" (modern "tünel"), meaning "tunnel". | |||
| Basque | tunel | ||
| The Basque word "tunel" is derived from the Greek word "tylos" meaning "knob" or "lump" and also referred to an artificial gallery through a hill. | |||
| Catalan | túnel | ||
| Túnel comes from the Latin word "tonnellus" meaning "large cask" or "barrel"} | |||
| Croatian | tunel | ||
| The word "tunel" in Croatian also refers to a narrow passageway in a mine or cave. | |||
| Danish | tunnel | ||
| In Danish, "tunnel" can also refer to a tube or duct, especially one used for transporting liquids or gases. | |||
| Dutch | tunnel | ||
| In Dutch, the word “tunnel” can also refer to a narrow passage or a funnel-shaped container. | |||
| English | tunnel | ||
| The word 'tunnel' originates from the Latin word 'tonnellus', meaning 'large cask'. | |||
| French | tunnel | ||
| In French, a "tunnel" can also refer to a narrow underground passageway, such as a mine shaft or a sewer. | |||
| Frisian | tunnel | ||
| The word "tunnel" in Frisian can also mean a drain or culvert, or a barrel that a liquid is passed through. | |||
| Galician | túnel | ||
| Galician "túnel" also refers to a small tunnel-shaped oven made in the ground to bake bread. | |||
| German | tunnel | ||
| The word ‘tunnel’ originated in the 17th century from the French word ‘tonnelle’ meaning ‘funnel’ or ‘vault’. | |||
| Icelandic | göng | ||
| In Old Icelandic, "göng" meant a walk or a journey. | |||
| Irish | tollán | ||
| The Proto-Celtic word "*tol" is cognate with the Latin "*tull" which means "to raise" or "to lift" in English, referring to the tunnel being a route "over" a river. | |||
| Italian | tunnel | ||
| In Italian, the word "galleria" can also refer to an art exhibition space | |||
| Luxembourgish | tunnel | ||
| Maltese | mina | ||
| The word 'mina' is used to refer to mines in Maltese, likely deriving from the French 'mine' or Spanish 'mina'. | |||
| Norwegian | tunnel | ||
| The Norwegian word "tunnel" is likely derived from the French word "tonnelle", meaning a barrel-vaulted structure. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | túnel | ||
| In Portuguese, "túnel" can also mean "underpass" or "subway station". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | tunail | ||
| The Gaelic word 'tunail' also shares roots with 'tonn', meaning 'wave', perhaps referring to a tunnel as a dark wave-like space. | |||
| Spanish | túnel | ||
| The word "túnel" in Spanish, besides meaning "tunnel", is also used to refer to a type of pastry filled with cream or jelly, or to a small, narrow passageway or space. | |||
| Swedish | tunnel | ||
| The Old Swedish synonym was "tunnle" with the same etymological root as in English, "tonnel". | |||
| Welsh | twnnel | ||
| The alternative meaning of twndell is an arbour; a hut with a roof constructed of boughs of trees. | |||
Tunnel in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | тунэль | ||
| Bosnian | tunel | ||
| In Turkish, "tünel" also means "funnel" or a "shaft of an elevator or well". | |||
| Bulgarian | тунел | ||
| The Bulgarian word "тунел" also refers to an underground passageway, or a covered-top arch bridge. | |||
| Czech | tunel | ||
| The word "tunel" is also used in Czech to refer to the space between the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is opened wide. | |||
| Estonian | tunnel | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning, the word tunnel can also refer to a long, narrow passage built in the ground or under a road or railway. | |||
| Finnish | tunneli | ||
| The word "tunneli" comes from the Swedish word "tunell", which in turn derives from the Latin word "tonnellus," meaning "a small cask". | |||
| Hungarian | alagút | ||
| The word "alagút" may originally stem from the word for "ditch" and is cognate with words such as "alj/olló" meaning "bottom". The Turkish word for tunnel is "tünel". Interestingly, "alagút" can also describe certain caves or other types of tunnels not related to human infrastructure. | |||
| Latvian | tunelis | ||
| The word “tunnel” (tunelis) is derived from the French “tonnelle,” meaning “a barrel vault,” which in turn comes from early Germanic “tunna,” meaning “cask”. | |||
| Lithuanian | tunelis | ||
| In Lithuanian the word "tunelis" also means a "funnel". | |||
| Macedonian | тунел | ||
| Тун, in Albanian, refers to a cave, suggesting the possible Albanian origin of the Macedonian word "тунел". | |||
| Polish | tunel | ||
| "Tunel" derives from French and can also mean "funnel" or, in the context of mining, "seam". | |||
| Romanian | tunel | ||
| The Romanian word "tunel" also means a type of sweet bread, similar to a croissant. | |||
| Russian | туннель | ||
| The word "туннель" in Russian is derived from the Latin word "tunica", meaning "coat" or "covering", and can also refer to a mine shaft or underground passage. | |||
| Serbian | тунел | ||
| The word "тунел" originally referred to a narrow underground passageway used by soldiers during a siege. | |||
| Slovak | tunel | ||
| "Tunel" can also refer to a type of oven or hearth in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | predor | ||
| Slovenian word "predor" derives from the Latin "prodire" meaning "to come forth", originally referring to a breakthrough of water in a mine. | |||
| Ukrainian | тунель | ||
| The word "тунель" in Ukrainian can also refer to a tunnel effect in physics. | |||
Tunnel in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | টানেল | ||
| The word 'টানেল' in Bengali also has the alternate meaning of 'a pipe for conveying liquids or gases'. | |||
| Gujarati | ટનલ | ||
| The word "tunnel" comes from the Latin word "tunna" meaning "pipe or barrel". | |||
| Hindi | सुरंग | ||
| The word 'सुरंग' ('surang') in Hindi can also refer to a mine or an underground passage. | |||
| Kannada | ಸುರಂಗ | ||
| The word "ಸುರಂಗ" in Kannada is derived from the Sanskrit word "suranga", which means "mine" or "passage under the ground." | |||
| Malayalam | തുരങ്കം | ||
| "തുരങ്കം" is cognate with the Tamil "துரங்கம்" (turankam) meaning 'a tunnel' and is derived from Proto-Dravidian *tur- 'to bore'. | |||
| Marathi | बोगदा | ||
| "बोगदा" (Marathi for "tunnel") has Sanskrit origins, possibly meaning "a hole made by boring" or "a cavern." | |||
| Nepali | सुरुnel | ||
| 'सुरुnel' (tunnel) derives from Sanskrit 'surang' meaning "mine". | |||
| Punjabi | ਸੁਰੰਗ | ||
| The word "surang" in Punjabi can also mean a mine or an underground passage. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | උමග | ||
| The word "උමග" also means "pathway" or "road" in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | சுரங்கம் | ||
| The word "சுரங்கம்" (tunnel) derives from the Sanskrit word "suranga" meaning "mine" or "underground passageway". | |||
| Telugu | సొరంగం | ||
| The word "సొరంగం" is derived from the Sanskrit word "suranga", which means "mine" or "underground passageway". | |||
| Urdu | سرنگ | ||
| The word "سرنگ" has its origin in the Sanskrit word "Suranga", meaning "underground passage or mine". | |||
Tunnel in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 隧道 | ||
| The word "隧道" (suìdào) originally meant "an underground passageway for water", but now it also refers to an underground passageway for transportation. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 隧道 | ||
| "隧道"指通过山岭或水体的人工通道，也可指通过困难或障碍的比喻途径。 | |||
| Japanese | トンネル | ||
| トンネル comes from the Dutch word "tonnel", which originally meant "barrel". | |||
| Korean | 터널 | ||
| The word "터널" can be traced back to the Latin word "tunica", meaning "tube" or "covering". | |||
| Mongolian | хонгил | ||
| "Хонгил" is also the name of a Mongolian folk song about two young nomads in love. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဥမင်လိုဏ်ခေါင်း | ||
Tunnel in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | terowongan | ||
| The word 'terowongan' in Indonesian is derived from the Malay word 'terong' ('eggplant') and 'an', a suffix denoting a place, due to an imagined resemblance between a tunnel and an eggplant. | |||
| Javanese | trowongan | ||
| "Trowongan" in Javanese also refers to a subterranean tunnel used for mining or drainage. | |||
| Khmer | ផ្លូវរូងក្រោមដី | ||
| Lao | ອຸໂມງ | ||
| The Lao word ອຸໂມງ is derived from the Sanskrit word 'udumbara', which means 'fig tree', and originally referred to a tunnel dug through a hill. | |||
| Malay | terowong | ||
| The Malay word "terowong" is cognate with "terong", meaning "eggplant". | |||
| Thai | อุโมงค์ | ||
| The word "อุโมงค์" (tunnel) is derived from the Sanskrit "udranga", meaning "cave" or "underpass". | |||
| Vietnamese | đường hầm | ||
| "Đường hầm" can also mean "sugar" in the context of Vietnamese iced coffee. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | lagusan | ||
Tunnel in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | tunel | ||
| "Tünel" refers to both a tunnel and an underground passageway with several entrances. | |||
| Kazakh | туннель | ||
| The word "туннель" in Kazakh also means "underground passageway" or "subway". | |||
| Kyrgyz | туннель | ||
| The word "туннель" also means "tube" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | нақб | ||
| The Tajik word "нақб" also has the alternate meaning of "conspiracy." | |||
| Turkmen | tunel | ||
| Uzbek | tunnel | ||
| In Uzbek, "tonel" comes from the Russian word "тоннель" meaning "underground tunnel" or "passage." | |||
| Uyghur | تونېل | ||
Tunnel in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | tunnel | ||
| The Hawaiian word "tunnel" can also refer to a narrow or enclosed space, like a cave or a narrow passageway. | |||
| Maori | kauhanga | ||
| The word "kauhanga" can also refer to a path or passageway, not necessarily underground. | |||
| Samoan | alavai | ||
| In Samoan, "alavai" can also refer to a dark, enclosed space or a hidden passageway. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | lagusan | ||
| The word "lagusan" is also used in Filipino slang to refer to a secret meeting place. | |||
Tunnel in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | túnel ukax mä juk’a pachanakanwa | ||
| Guarani | túnel rehegua | ||
Tunnel in International Languages
| Esperanto | tunelo | ||
| The word "tunelo" in Esperanto is derived from the French word "tunnel", meaning "underground passageway" or "subterranean gallery". | |||
| Latin | curriculum | ||
| The Latin word "curriculum" shares its root with "currere," meaning "to run," and was used to describe both a running track and a course of study. | |||
Tunnel in Others Languages
| Greek | σήραγγα | ||
| The word "σήραγγα" comes from the Latin word "sagitta", meaning "arrow". | |||
| Hmong | qhov av | ||
| "Qhov av" is also used to describe underground networks or tunnels formed naturally by water or animals. | |||
| Kurdish | tûnêl | ||
| 'Tûnêl' also refers to a hidden space used to store valuables or smuggled goods in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | tünel | ||
| The word "tünel" in Turkish comes from the French word "tonnelle", meaning "arbor" or "canopy". | |||
| Xhosa | itonela | ||
| Itonela is also an isiXhosa term for a type of traditional necklace adorned with beads. | |||
| Yiddish | טונעל | ||
| The Yiddish word "טונעל" also means "funnel". | |||
| Zulu | umhubhe | ||
| Zulu word "umhubhe" also refers to someone who digs up or tunnels something. | |||
| Assamese | সুৰংগ | ||
| Aymara | túnel ukax mä juk’a pachanakanwa | ||
| Bhojpuri | सुरंग के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ޓަނަލް އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | सुरंग | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | lagusan | ||
| Guarani | túnel rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | tanem ti tanem | ||
| Krio | tanɛl | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | تونێل | ||
| Maithili | सुरंग | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯇꯅꯦꯜ ꯇꯧꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | tunnel a ni | ||
| Oromo | tunnel jedhamuun beekama | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଟନେଲ୍ | ||
| Quechua | tunel | ||
| Sanskrit | सुरङ्गः | ||
| Tatar | тоннель | ||
| Tigrinya | ታንከር | ||
| Tsonga | mugodi wa mugodi | ||