Urban in Different Languages
Discover 'Urban' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 5, 2024
The word 'urban' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, signifying anything related to a city or densely populated area. Its cultural importance is undeniable, as urban areas are often the birthplaces of innovative ideas, trends, and movements. From architecture and fashion to music and art, the urban landscape shapes and is shaped by a diverse range of influences.
Moreover, the concept of urbanization has been a crucial aspect of human history, driving societal development and shaping our relationship with the environment. Understanding the word 'urban' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how various cultures perceive and interact with city life.
For instance, the German translation of 'urban' is 'städtisch,' while in Spanish, it becomes 'urbano.' In French, the word takes the form 'urbain,' and in Japanese, 'urban' is translated as ' urbano' (shiminteki).
Delving into the translations of 'urban' in various languages not only enriches our linguistic abilities but also offers a fascinating glimpse into the cultural nuances of urban living around the world. Discover more translations of 'urban' below and expand your understanding of this vital concept.
Urban
Urban in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | stedelik | ||
| The word "stedelik" comes from the Dutch word "stedelijk", which means "of or pertaining to a city". | |||
| Amharic | የከተማ | ||
| In addition to 'urban', የከተማ can also refer to the physical infrastructure and built environment of a city, including its buildings, roads, and utilities. | |||
| Hausa | birni | ||
| The Hausa word for "urban", "birni", also means "walled city or town". | |||
| Igbo | mepere emepe | ||
| The Igbo word "mepere emepe" has an alternate meaning of "densely populated".} | |||
| Malagasy | an-drenivohitra | ||
| "Drenivohitra" comes from French "drainage" and means "sewage system" or "drainage trench" in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | m'tawuni | ||
| The word "m'tawuni" in Nyanja is derived from the Bantu root "-taw" meaning "to build". | |||
| Shona | mumaguta | ||
| The term "mumaguta" can also refer to the "place of the chief" or "the homestead of the chief" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | reer magaal ah | ||
| The term 'reer magaal ah' also encompasses the nomadic Somali population who reside on the outskirts of cities. | |||
| Sesotho | litoropo | ||
| Swahili | mijini | ||
| The term 'mijini' can also refer specifically to the central business district of a city. | |||
| Xhosa | ezidolophini | ||
| The word "ezidolophini" in Xhosa comes from the Zulu word "idolobha", which means "town". It is also sometimes used to refer to people who live in urban areas. | |||
| Yoruba | ilu | ||
| In Yoruba, "ilu" can also refer to a town or city, and is cognate with the Igbo word "obodo" meaning "town" or "country". | |||
| Zulu | zasemadolobheni | ||
| The word "zasemadolobheni" is derived from the Zulu words "isidolobheni" (town) and "asemadolo" (urban or suburban). | |||
| Bambara | duguba | ||
| Ewe | dugãme | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umujyi | ||
| Lingala | ya engumba | ||
| Luganda | mukibuga | ||
| Sepedi | motsesetoropo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kurom | ||
Urban in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الحضاري | ||
| The word "الحضاري" also means "civilized" or "cultured" in Arabic, which reflects the historical connection between urban life and the development of civilization. | |||
| Hebrew | עִירוֹנִי | ||
| The Hebrew word עִירוֹנִי (urban) is also used in the sense of “belonging to or inhabiting a town or city,” as in the expression עִירֹנִים כְּפָרִיִים (urban-rural). | |||
| Pashto | ښاري | ||
| The Pashto word "ښاري" can also refer to a person from the city or a place associated with the city. | |||
| Arabic | الحضاري | ||
| The word "الحضاري" also means "civilized" or "cultured" in Arabic, which reflects the historical connection between urban life and the development of civilization. | |||
Urban in Western European Languages
| Albanian | urbane | ||
| In Albanian, "urbane" also means "gentlemanly" or "refined." | |||
| Basque | hirikoa | ||
| The word "hirikoa" in Basque is derived from the Latin word "urbs," meaning "city." | |||
| Catalan | urbà | ||
| The word "urbà" has a secondary meaning that translates as "elegant" or "refined". | |||
| Croatian | urbani | ||
| The word "urbani" also means "polite" or "refined" in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | urban | ||
| Ordet "urban" stammer fra latin og betyder oprindeligt "af eller på landet". | |||
| Dutch | stedelijk | ||
| The word "stedelijk" in Dutch is derived from the Old Saxon word "stedi", meaning "place" or "settlement". | |||
| English | urban | ||
| The word "urban" originally derives from the Latin word "urbs", meaning city. | |||
| French | urbain | ||
| The French word "Urbain" also refers to the inhabitants of a city. | |||
| Frisian | urban | ||
| The word "urban" in Frisian also means "civilized" or "refined". | |||
| Galician | urbano | ||
| In Galician, the word "urbano" can also mean "kindly" or "polite." | |||
| German | städtisch | ||
| "Städtisch" was once used to differentiate city dwellers from peasants (bäuerlich). | |||
| Icelandic | þéttbýli | ||
| Irish | uirbeach | ||
| The word "uirbeach" in Irish can also mean "land belonging to a tribe" or "territory of a tribe". | |||
| Italian | urbano | ||
| The word “urbano“ derives from Latin, meaning "of or pertaining to the city". | |||
| Luxembourgish | urban | ||
| The word "urban" in Luxembourgish can also refer to the countryside or farmland. | |||
| Maltese | urbani | ||
| The word "urbani" in Maltese derives from the Latin word for "city" or "town" and can also refer to "polite" or "refined" behavior. | |||
| Norwegian | urban | ||
| In Norwegian, "urban" also refers to a type of popular music. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | urbano | ||
| In Portuguese, the word "urbano" can also mean "civil" or "polite" | |||
| Scots Gaelic | bailteil | ||
| Spanish | urbano | ||
| The word "urbano" in Spanish also means "courteous" or "civilized." | |||
| Swedish | urban | ||
| The word "urban" in Swedish comes from the Latin word "urbs", meaning "city". In addition to its literal meaning, "urban" is also used to describe something that is stylish, trendy, or sophisticated. | |||
| Welsh | trefol | ||
| The word "trefol" originally meant "townland" and is derived from the Welsh words "tref" (town) and "ol" (a suffix indicating a place). | |||
Urban in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | гарадскі | ||
| The term "гарадскі" is also used to describe the style of Belarusian folk music, often performed at urban weddings. | |||
| Bosnian | urbano | ||
| The word 'urbano' comes from the Latin 'urbanus', meaning 'of the city' and is related to 'urbs', meaning 'city'. | |||
| Bulgarian | градски | ||
| The word 'градски' in Bulgarian is derived from the noun 'град' ('city'), and it originally meant 'of or pertaining to a city' | |||
| Czech | městský | ||
| The word "městský" in Czech can also refer to something that is "civic" or "municipal" in nature. | |||
| Estonian | linnalik | ||
| In Northern Sami, "linnalik" means "rural" and is an antonym to "borri" which means "urban". | |||
| Finnish | kaupunkimainen | ||
| The word "kaupunkimainen" (urban) is derived from the Finnish word "kaupunki" (town) and the suffix "-mainen" (-like). | |||
| Hungarian | városi | ||
| Hungarian "városi" derives from the Slavic "var" (town) but also has an antiquated meaning of "of the city of Várad" (Oradea). | |||
| Latvian | pilsētas | ||
| The word "pilsētas" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱer- "to settle" and refers to a fortified place or settlement surrounded by a wall. | |||
| Lithuanian | miesto | ||
| The word "miesto" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*mei-," which also means "to change, exchange." | |||
| Macedonian | урбанистички | ||
| The word "урбанистички" in Macedonian not only means "urban" but also "urbanist" and "urbanistic" (relating to the planning and development of cities and towns). | |||
| Polish | miejski | ||
| The word "miejski" can also refer to a type of bread in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | urban | ||
| In Romanian, "urban" can also mean "polite" or "courteous". | |||
| Russian | городской | ||
| The word “городской” derives from the Proto-Slavic word *gordъ, meaning “enclosed space” or “fortification”. | |||
| Serbian | урбани | ||
| While the word 'urb' means 'city' in Latin, 'urbs' means 'city' in Old English, and 'урбани' is derived from the French word 'urbain', which ultimately comes from the Latin word 'urbanus', meaning 'of or belonging to a city'. Thus, in some Slavic languages, such as Polish and Ukrainian, 'urban' also refers to 'refined' or 'polite'. In Serbian, the word can also mean 'civic' or 'civil' in addition to 'urban'. | |||
| Slovak | mestský | ||
| “Mestský” in Slovak can also refer to someone who lives in a city or to something characteristic of a city. | |||
| Slovenian | mestni | ||
| The word "mestni" in Slovenian can also refer to "local" or "native" when used in a different context. | |||
| Ukrainian | міський | ||
| Міський can also refer to a person from the city or to something pertaining to the city. | |||
Urban in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | শহুরে | ||
| The word "শহুরে" in Bengali is derived from the Sanskrit word "शहर" (shahar), which means "city". | |||
| Gujarati | શહેરી | ||
| Originally, 'shehari' meant 'pertaining to a city', but today it often refers to 'stylish' or 'modern'. | |||
| Hindi | शहरी | ||
| The term 'शहरी' derives from Sanskrit 'सुख' + 'अरि,' signifying 'foe of happiness' or 'causing discomfort,' and later 'inhabitant of a town'. | |||
| Kannada | ನಗರ | ||
| The word ನಗರ in Kannada can also mean 'heaven' or 'abode of gods' | |||
| Malayalam | നഗര | ||
| "നഗര" can also refer to a large market or commercial town. | |||
| Marathi | शहरी | ||
| The word "शहरी" (urban) in Marathi can also refer to a "city-dweller" or "someone who is well-versed in urban life". | |||
| Nepali | शहरी | ||
| The word "शहरी" is derived from the Sanskrit word "शहर" (nagar), meaning "town" or "city" | |||
| Punjabi | ਸ਼ਹਿਰੀ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නාගරික | ||
| The word නාගරික (urban) is derived from the Sanskrit word नागरी (nāgarī), which means 'of a city' or 'urban'. In Sinhala, it is also used to refer to a person who lives in a city. | |||
| Tamil | நகர்ப்புற | ||
| Telugu | నగరాల | ||
| The word "నగరాల" can also refer to "city-dwellers" or "town-dwellers" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | شہری | ||
| The word "شہری" also means "a resident of a city" and is derived from the Persian word "شهر" meaning "city" and "ی" meaning "of". | |||
Urban in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 城市的 | ||
| “城市的”在中文的另一个意思是“市里的” | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 城市的 | ||
| 「城市的」一詞源於古希臘語 ἄστυ（astu），意指城市、城鎮或堡壘。 | |||
| Japanese | 都市 | ||
| "都" means "capital" and "市" means "city" in Japanese, so "都市" together means "urban". | |||
| Korean | 도시 | ||
| The term | |||
| Mongolian | хотын | ||
| The word | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မြို့ပြ | ||
Urban in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | perkotaan | ||
| The word "perkotaan" (urban) in Indonesian derives from the Sanskrit word "purakuta" meaning "fortress" or "city". | |||
| Javanese | kutha | ||
| "Kuttha" is a shortened form of "kutatha", which means "city". It is a loanword from Sanskrit meaning "fort" or "fortress". | |||
| Khmer | ទីប្រជុំជន | ||
| The word "ទីប្រជុំជន" is derived from Sanskrit and refers to a place of gathering for a community or assembly, as well as to a place of learning or religious instruction. | |||
| Lao | ຕົວເມືອງ | ||
| Malay | bandar | ||
| The word "bandar" derives from Sanskrit and originally referred to a wharf or trading centre beside a river. | |||
| Thai | ในเมือง | ||
| While ในเมือง literally translates to "in the city," it often refers to the central business district as a distinct area. | |||
| Vietnamese | thành thị | ||
| The word "thành thị" in Vietnamese can also be translated as "city" or "town." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | urban | ||
Urban in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | şəhər | ||
| The term "şəhər" is a derivative of the word "şəh" meaning "settlement, inhabited place", which has roots in ancient languages such as Akkadian and Sumerian. | |||
| Kazakh | қалалық | ||
| "Қалалық" can also mean "civilized" or "cultured" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | шаардык | ||
| The word "шаардык" in Kyrgyz can also refer to a type of fabric or a person from a city. | |||
| Tajik | шаҳрӣ | ||
| The Tajik word "шаҳрӣ" (urban) is derived from the Persian word "شهر" (city) and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱer- (to dwell). | |||
| Turkmen | şäher | ||
| Uzbek | shahar | ||
| In Uzbek, "shahar" also means "city center" or "downtown." | |||
| Uyghur | شەھەر | ||
Urban in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kūlanakauhale | ||
| Kūlanakauhale also means 'place where people live' (n.) or 'to live in a populated area' (v.), and is derived from the Hawaiian words 'kūlana' (position, place) and 'kauhale' (town, city, village). | |||
| Maori | taone nui | ||
| The word 'taone nui' is also used to refer to a 'large tree' or a 'big root' in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | taulaga | ||
| The word 'taulaga' originally referred to a gathering place or village meeting house. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | urban | ||
| Tagalog "urban" also means "rough" and "coarse". | |||
Urban in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | urwanu | ||
| Guarani | tavayguáva | ||
Urban in International Languages
| Esperanto | urba | ||
| "Urba" is derived from the Latin word "urbs", meaning "city". | |||
| Latin | urbana | ||
| The Latin word 'urbana' can also refer to someone who lives in a city. | |||
Urban in Others Languages
| Greek | αστικός | ||
| The Greek word “αστικός” initially denoted a citizen, a free resident of the city-state and was used to distinguish between the citizens and metics (foreigners) in ancient Athens. | |||
| Hmong | nroog | ||
| The term "nroog" can also mean "town" or "city". | |||
| Kurdish | bajarî | ||
| The word 'bajarî' in Kurdish has alternate meanings including 'belonging to the city' and 'of the people of the city', showcasing the interconnectedness of urbanity and community. | |||
| Turkish | kentsel | ||
| Kentsel' is a Turkish word derived from the Persian 'Khandaq' and the French 'Cantonal', and also has the alternate meaning of 'ditch'. | |||
| Xhosa | ezidolophini | ||
| The word "ezidolophini" in Xhosa comes from the Zulu word "idolobha", which means "town". It is also sometimes used to refer to people who live in urban areas. | |||
| Yiddish | שטאָטיש | ||
| The Yiddish word 'שטאָטיש' (urban) derives from the German word 'städtisch,' meaning 'pertaining to a city'. | |||
| Zulu | zasemadolobheni | ||
| The word "zasemadolobheni" is derived from the Zulu words "isidolobheni" (town) and "asemadolo" (urban or suburban). | |||
| Assamese | নগৰ | ||
| Aymara | urwanu | ||
| Bhojpuri | शहरी | ||
| Dhivehi | ރަށްފުށު | ||
| Dogri | शैहरी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | urban | ||
| Guarani | tavayguáva | ||
| Ilocano | ili | ||
| Krio | siti | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | شارستان | ||
| Maithili | शहरी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯍꯔ | ||
| Mizo | khawpui | ||
| Oromo | magaalaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସହରୀ | ||
| Quechua | urbano | ||
| Sanskrit | नगरीय | ||
| Tatar | шәһәр | ||
| Tigrinya | ከተማ | ||
| Tsonga | doroba | ||