Upper in Different Languages
Discover 'Upper' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 5, 2024
The word 'upper' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, often used to describe something that is higher in position or superior in quality. Its cultural importance is evident in various aspects of our lives, from fashion (upper wear) to anatomy (upper body) and even in social contexts (upper class).
But did you know? The concept of 'upper' has been interpreted differently across languages and cultures, reflecting unique perspectives and societal norms. For instance, in German, 'upper' can be translated to 'ober' as in 'oberhalb' (above) or 'Oberteil' (top part of clothing). In Spanish, it's 'superior', in French 'supérieur', and in Japanese, it's '上' (uwagi) which literally means 'upper garment'.
Understanding the translation of 'upper' in different languages not only enriches our linguistic abilities but also provides a fascinating glimpse into diverse cultural mindsets. Dive into this global exploration of 'upper' below!
Upper
Upper in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | boonste | ||
| The word 'boonste' in Afrikaans ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰer- ('to carry'). | |||
| Amharic | የላይኛው | ||
| "የላይኛው" can also mean "the one above" or "the highest one". | |||
| Hausa | na sama | ||
| The term "na sama" can also refer to a social or economic stratum, particularly the elite or upper classes. | |||
| Igbo | elu | ||
| In some cases, the word "elu" can also refer to the sky, the heavens, or the spiritual realm. | |||
| Malagasy | ambony | ||
| The Malagasy word | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chapamwamba | ||
| The word 'chapamwamba' in Nyanja (Chichewa) can also refer to the upper body or the top of something. | |||
| Shona | okumusoro | ||
| The Shona word "okumusoro" literally means "on the head" and is used to describe things that are high or above. | |||
| Somali | sare | ||
| The Somali word "sare" can also mean "high" or "tall" in the sense of a physical dimension. | |||
| Sesotho | hodimo | ||
| The word 'hodimo' shares a root with the word 'hoeletsa', meaning 'to lift' or 'to carry on the head'. | |||
| Swahili | juu | ||
| The word "juu" in Swahili can also mean "on top of" or "above". | |||
| Xhosa | ngaphezulu | ||
| The Xhosa word 'ngaphezulu' is related to 'ngapha', meaning both 'side' and 'to add'. It literally means the 'added-on' side. | |||
| Yoruba | oke | ||
| The Yoruba word "oke" may also refer to a deity of the mountain and forest. | |||
| Zulu | ngenhla | ||
| The term 'ngenhla' can also refer to a specific social hierarchy in Zulu society or to the region of the sky associated with the sun. | |||
| Bambara | sanfɛ | ||
| Ewe | dzigbe gome | ||
| Kinyarwanda | hejuru | ||
| Lingala | likoló | ||
| Luganda | waggulu | ||
| Sepedi | ka godimo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | soro | ||
Upper in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | العلوي | ||
| In Arabic, the word “العلوي” refers to someone who belongs to a religious, political, or ethnic group claiming descent from Ali, the fourth caliph. | |||
| Hebrew | עֶלִיוֹן | ||
| The Hebrew word "עלי" means "on" and "עליון" can mean "top". The word "עליה" can mean "ascent" or "attic". In the Bible, "עליון" often refers to God and means "most high". | |||
| Pashto | پورتنی | ||
| The Pashto word "پورتنی" is of Sanskrit origin, with its cognate "pūrtti" meaning "completion, fullness, accomplishment." | |||
| Arabic | العلوي | ||
| In Arabic, the word “العلوي” refers to someone who belongs to a religious, political, or ethnic group claiming descent from Ali, the fourth caliph. | |||
Upper in Western European Languages
| Albanian | sipërme | ||
| Sipërme is possibly derived from the Proto-Albanian word *sypərmə (“highest”) | |||
| Basque | goikoa | ||
| The Basque word "goikoa" is the origin of the name of the town "Goikoetxea". | |||
| Catalan | superior | ||
| In Catalan, the word | |||
| Croatian | gornji | ||
| In Croatian, "Gornji" can describe an item's quality, geographical location, or time period. | |||
| Danish | øverst | ||
| Its historical meanings include 'greatest, highest (amount), outermost', and 'top, roof'. | |||
| Dutch | bovenste | ||
| The Dutch word "bovenste" can also refer to a "top hat" or a "topper." | |||
| English | upper | ||
| The term | |||
| French | plus haut | ||
| In heraldy, the word "plus haut" refers to the upper part of an escutcheon. | |||
| Frisian | heger | ||
| The Frisian word "heger" also refers to the "loft" or "hayloft" of a barn. | |||
| Galician | superior | ||
| German | oberer, höher | ||
| "Ober" and "hoch" are derived from the same Indo-European word "up". | |||
| Icelandic | efri | ||
| As a noun, "efri" can refer to the upper (and outer) surface of an object. | |||
| Irish | uachtarach | ||
| Uachtarach is also part of the Irish word for elbow, uilinn, which translates literally to 'joint of the upper'. | |||
| Italian | superiore | ||
| The Italian word "superiore" originally referred to a monk of higher rank, later extended to any superior, and eventually to anything that is above or greater than another. | |||
| Luxembourgish | iewescht | ||
| "Iewescht" also means "upper" in the sense of superior or high-quality. | |||
| Maltese | ta 'fuq | ||
| Norwegian | øverste | ||
| The Norwegian word "øverste" can also mean "highest" or "topmost". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | superior | ||
| The Portuguese word "superior" can also mean "better, most excellent". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | àrd | ||
| Àrd can also mean "noble" or "chief" and comes from the same Indo-European root as "lord." | |||
| Spanish | superior | ||
| "Superior" in Spanish can also mean "excellent" or "of higher quality". | |||
| Swedish | övre | ||
| "Övre" can also mean eastern, as in when the word is part of place names, like Övre Soppero in northern Sweden. | |||
| Welsh | uchaf | ||
Upper in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | верхняя | ||
| In many Slavic languages, including Belarusian, "верхняя" can also refer to the upper or front teeth. | |||
| Bosnian | gornji | ||
| The word 'gornji' can also mean 'eastern' or 'outer' in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | горен | ||
| The word "горен" can also refer to a type of traditional Bulgarian bread.} | |||
| Czech | horní | ||
| In dialects, "horní" can also mean "better" or "greater". | |||
| Estonian | ülemine | ||
| The term "ülemine", besides meaning "upper," can also refer to a transition to another condition. | |||
| Finnish | ylempi | ||
| The word "ylempi" is also used in the sense of "superior" or "higher" in a hierarchy or social status. | |||
| Hungarian | felső | ||
| The word "felső" also means "surface" or "top" in Hungarian, and is related to the Finnish word "ylä" (up, above). | |||
| Latvian | augšējā | ||
| The word "augšējā" can also mean "upper floor" or "higher level", as in "augšējā stāvā" (on the upper floor). | |||
| Lithuanian | viršutinė | ||
| Although "viršutinė" means "upper" in Lithuanian, it can also refer to the bodice of a woman's dress. | |||
| Macedonian | горниот | ||
| Горниот is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *gornь, which also means "mountain" or "highland". | |||
| Polish | górny | ||
| "Górny" also means "mountainous" in Polish, derived from Slavic "gora" (mountain), just like English "gore". | |||
| Romanian | superior | ||
| In Romanian, "superior" has retained both its Latin meaning of "higher" and has taken on the additional meaning of "excellent" or "of higher quality." | |||
| Russian | верхний | ||
| In old Slavonic, "верхний" meant "highest" or "supreme." | |||
| Serbian | горња | ||
| The word "горња" can also refer to the Upper Town or uphill part of a town. | |||
| Slovak | horný | ||
| The Slovak word "horný" derives from the Proto-Slavic "*gornъ", which also meant "bitter or acrid". | |||
| Slovenian | zgornji | ||
| "Zgornji" also means "rotten" in Slovenian and derives from the Slavic word "goru" | |||
| Ukrainian | верхній | ||
| The word "верхній" in Ukrainian can also mean "supreme" or "highest", referring to a higher power or authority. | |||
Upper in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | উপরের | ||
| The word "উপরের" can also mean "on top of" or "above". | |||
| Gujarati | ઉપલા | ||
| In Gujarati, "ઉપલા" can also refer to a type of lentil or pea. | |||
| Hindi | ऊपरी | ||
| ऊपरी also means 'superficial' or 'external' and is an antonym of भीतरी ('inner') | |||
| Kannada | ಮೇಲ್ಭಾಗ | ||
| The word "ಮೇಲ್ಭಾಗ" can also refer to the top of a tree or hill. | |||
| Malayalam | മുകളിലെ | ||
| മുകളിലെ also means "top" (like "top of the mountain"), "above" (like "the stars above"), or "over" (like "the house over there"). | |||
| Marathi | वरील | ||
| The word "वरील" is used to refer to the "upper" part of something or to indicate a superior position, but it can also mean "former" or "past". | |||
| Nepali | माथिल्लो | ||
| The word "माथिल्लो" (upper) in Nepali also means "higher" or "superior". | |||
| Punjabi | ਵੱਡੇ | ||
| The word "ਵੱਡੇ" (upper) also serves as a term of respect for elders in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ඉහළ | ||
| The word "ඉහළ" (upper) can also mean "high", "above", "on top", or "over" in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | மேல் | ||
| மேல் is used figuratively to indicate superiority or dominance. | |||
| Telugu | ఎగువ | ||
| Urdu | اوپری | ||
| The Urdu word "اوپری" also means "superficial" or "foreign". | |||
Upper in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 上 | ||
| The character "上" can also mean "to go up," "to ascend," or "to rise." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 上 | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "upper," the character "上" can also mean "ascend," "above," or "begin." | |||
| Japanese | アッパー | ||
| The word | |||
| Korean | 높은 | ||
| Originally, the word meant “to put high,” and only later “to be high”. | |||
| Mongolian | дээд | ||
| The word "дээд" also means "top" and "superior". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အထက် | ||
| The word "အထက်" (upper) in Myanmar (Burmese) can also mean "above" or "higher". | |||
Upper in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | atas | ||
| The word "atas" is thought to have originated from the Sanskrit word "uttas" meaning "upward" or "higher up". It can also be used to refer to a person's social status or rank. | |||
| Javanese | ndhuwur | ||
| The Javanese word | |||
| Khmer | ខាងលើ | ||
| The word "ខាងលើ" is also used in Khmer to mean "above" or "on top of". | |||
| Lao | ເທິງ | ||
| The word | |||
| Malay | bahagian atas | ||
| The word "bahagian atas" also means "heaven" in Malay. | |||
| Thai | ด้านบน | ||
| The word "ด้านบน" can also mean "on top of" or "above" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | phía trên | ||
| "Phía trên" (upper) in Vietnamese can also refer to the northern region of the country or to an area that is higher in elevation. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | itaas | ||
Upper in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | yuxarı | ||
| "Yuxarı" is also an Azerbaijani word for "upward" and a Turkish surname. | |||
| Kazakh | жоғарғы | ||
| The Kazakh word жоғарғы (joğarğı) is cognate with the Turkish word yukarı, both meaning "upper" or "above". | |||
| Kyrgyz | жогорку | ||
| "Жогорку" also refers to a traditional Kyrgyz headdress worn by married women. | |||
| Tajik | болоӣ | ||
| The word "болоӣ" has been used as a synonym for "head" in Persian texts since the 13th century. | |||
| Turkmen | ýokarky | ||
| Uzbek | yuqori | ||
| The word "yuqori" means "upper" in Uzbek | |||
| Uyghur | ئۈستى | ||
Upper in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | luna | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word "luna" can also refer to the high chief or overseer of a district. | |||
| Maori | whakarunga | ||
| Samoan | i luga | ||
| In Samoan, the word "i luga" not only means "upper" but also "above, on top, on the surface of, over, and up." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | itaas | ||
| Itaas can also mean "more than" and "best part". | |||
Upper in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | pata tuqina | ||
| Guarani | yvategua | ||
Upper in International Languages
| Esperanto | supra | ||
| The Esperanto word "supra" also means "over" or "above" in Latin. | |||
| Latin | superiores | ||
| "Superiores" could also mean "priests" or "ancestors". | |||
Upper in Others Languages
| Greek | ανώτερος | ||
| The word | |||
| Hmong | qaum | ||
| The word "qaum" also means "above". | |||
| Kurdish | yên jorîn | ||
| "Yên jorîn" in Kurdish is derived from the Persian "bālā tar", which also refers to the upper or higher part of something. | |||
| Turkish | üst | ||
| The word "üst" can also mean "dominant" or "superior" in Turkish, as well as referring to the topmost part of something. | |||
| Xhosa | ngaphezulu | ||
| The Xhosa word 'ngaphezulu' is related to 'ngapha', meaning both 'side' and 'to add'. It literally means the 'added-on' side. | |||
| Yiddish | אויבערשטער | ||
| Yiddish "אויבערשטער" can also be the Yiddish translation for God or the devil. | |||
| Zulu | ngenhla | ||
| The term 'ngenhla' can also refer to a specific social hierarchy in Zulu society or to the region of the sky associated with the sun. | |||
| Assamese | ওপৰৰ | ||
| Aymara | pata tuqina | ||
| Bhojpuri | ऊपर के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | މަތީގައެވެ | ||
| Dogri | ऊपरी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | itaas | ||
| Guarani | yvategua | ||
| Ilocano | ngato | ||
| Krio | ɔp | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سەرەوە | ||
| Maithili | ऊपरी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯊꯛꯀꯤ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | chunglam chu a ni | ||
| Oromo | gubbaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଉପର | ||
| Quechua | hanaq | ||
| Sanskrit | ऊर्ध्वम् | ||
| Tatar | өске | ||
| Tigrinya | ላዕለዋይ ክፋል | ||
| Tsonga | ehenhla | ||