Volunteer in Different Languages
Discover 'Volunteer' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Volunteering is a selfless act that has been a part of human culture for centuries. Its significance lies in the fact that it allows individuals to contribute to their communities and causes they care about, without expecting any monetary compensation. This cultural importance is reflected in the various ways the word 'volunteer' is translated across different languages.
For instance, in Spanish, 'volunteer' is 'voluntario,' while in French, it's 'bénévole.' In German, it's 'Freiwilliger,' and in Japanese, it's 'ボランティア・ワーカー (borantia waakaa).' These translations not only give us insight into the linguistic diversity of the world but also highlight the global impact of volunteering.
Understanding the translation of 'volunteer' in different languages can be beneficial for those who wish to volunteer abroad or work in international organizations. It can help break language barriers and foster better communication, leading to more effective volunteering efforts.
Volunteer
Volunteer in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vrywilliger | ||
| "Vrywilliger" in Afrikaans stems from the Dutch word "vrijwilliger," meaning "freely willing" and carries the same connotation of choice and agency. | |||
| Amharic | ፈቃደኛ | ||
| The word "ፈቃደኛ" originally meant "willing" or "compliant" and only later took on the meaning of "volunteer". | |||
| Hausa | mai sa kai | ||
| The term "mai sa kai" loosely translates to "one who offers their services for the greater good," often referring to community volunteers. | |||
| Igbo | ọrụ afọ ofufo | ||
| The Igbo word "ọrụ afọ ofufo" can be interpreted as both "work of the year you find yourself" and "work that makes you happy". | |||
| Malagasy | mpilatsaka an-tsitrapo | ||
| 'Mpivolatsaka an-tsitrapo' literally means 'someone who throws themselves into the fight'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kudzipereka | ||
| In Chichewa, "kudzipereka" has connotations of self-reliance and acting without external motivation, capturing the spirit of volunteerism. | |||
| Shona | kuzvipira | ||
| Kuzvipira is related to kuzviro which means to sacrifice something for a greater cause. | |||
| Somali | iskaa wax u qabso | ||
| The Somali word "iskaa wax u qabso" derives from "iskaa" (self), "wax" (thing), and "u qabso" (to take hold), implying taking matters into one's own hands. | |||
| Sesotho | moithaopi | ||
| The word 'moithaopi' in Sesotho is also used to refer to someone who offers their services for free or on a voluntary basis. | |||
| Swahili | kujitolea | ||
| The word "kujitolea" also means "to dedicate oneself" or "to offer oneself". It is derived from the root word "-jitoa," which means "to give". | |||
| Xhosa | ivolontiya | ||
| In Xhosa, 'ivolontiya' comes from the English word 'volunteer', but can also refer to paid work or other forms of assistance. | |||
| Yoruba | yọọda | ||
| "Yọọda" can also mean "to help" or "to assist" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | ivolontiya | ||
| In Zulu, 'ivolontiya' also refers to a person who does work for no pay or reward. | |||
| Bambara | wɔlɔntɛri | ||
| Ewe | tsɔ ɖokui na | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umukorerabushake | ||
| Lingala | mosali ya bolingo malamu | ||
| Luganda | okwewaayo | ||
| Sepedi | moithaopi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | tu wo ho si hɔ | ||
Volunteer in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تطوع | ||
| "تطوع" in Arabic can also mean "to act on one's own accord" or "to offer oneself". | |||
| Hebrew | לְהִתְנַדֵב | ||
| The Hebrew word להתנדב originated from the word "נדר", which means a vow, commitment, or obligation. | |||
| Pashto | داوطلب | ||
| The word "داوطلب" (volunteer) is derived from the Persian word "دولت" (government), referring to those who are willing to serve the state.} | |||
| Arabic | تطوع | ||
| "تطوع" in Arabic can also mean "to act on one's own accord" or "to offer oneself". | |||
Volunteer in Western European Languages
| Albanian | vullnetar | ||
| The word "vullnetar" in Albanian derives from the Latin word "voluntarius," meaning "willing" or "of one's own free will." | |||
| Basque | boluntarioa | ||
| The Basque word "boluntarioa" is derived from the Latin word "voluntarius," which means "willing or free". It can also refer to someone who works without pay for a cause or organization. | |||
| Catalan | voluntari | ||
| Voluntari also means "a volunteer who works without compensation, or for little pay" and comes from the Latin word "voluntarius", which in turn derives from "voluntas", meaning "will". | |||
| Croatian | dobrovoljac | ||
| Dobrovoljac is thought to derive from the Slavic word "dobro" meaning "good". | |||
| Danish | frivillig | ||
| The word 'frivillig' in Danish derives from a combination of the words 'fri' (free) and 'villig' (willing). | |||
| Dutch | vrijwilliger | ||
| The word "vrijwilliger" is derived from the Middle Dutch word "vrywillich", meaning "free will" or "willingly". It can also refer to someone who is not conscripted or forced to do something. | |||
| English | volunteer | ||
| The word 'volunteer' originated in the 17th century from the French word 'volontaire,' which means 'willing' or 'eager'. | |||
| French | bénévole | ||
| 'Bénévole' derives from the Latin 'bene volens,' meaning 'well wishing', and can also refer to a person who provides free services. | |||
| Frisian | frijwilliger | ||
| The word "frijwilliger" in Frisian is derived from the Old Frisian word "frijwillich", meaning "free will". | |||
| Galician | voluntario | ||
| In Galician, "voluntario" may also refer to an unmercenary soldier or a piece of land given to a person to cultivate. | |||
| German | freiwillige | ||
| The German word "Freiwillige" can also refer to a voluntary or reserve military force. | |||
| Icelandic | sjálfboðaliði | ||
| Irish | oibrí deonach | ||
| Italian | volontario | ||
| "Volontario" also means "freely chosen" in Italian. | |||
| Luxembourgish | fräiwëlleg | ||
| Maltese | voluntier | ||
| In Maltese, "voluntier" can also refer to a person who receives alms. | |||
| Norwegian | frivillig | ||
| The word 'frivillig' is derived from the Latin word 'voluntarius', meaning 'willing' or 'of one's own free will'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | voluntário | ||
| In Brazilian Portuguese, the word "voluntário" not only means a "volunteer," but also refers to a "soldier enlisted for one or two years" in the army and, when combined with a noun, means "related to the will," such as in "ato voluntário" (voluntary act). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | saor-thoileach | ||
| Saor-thoileach is a Scots Gaelic word meaning "free-willed," with the prefix "saor" corresponding to the English word "free". | |||
| Spanish | voluntario | ||
| The word "voluntario" can also mean "auxiliary" or "reservist" in Spanish. | |||
| Swedish | volontär- | ||
| "Volontär" is also the Swedish word for a member of the Swedish Volunteers, a regiment formed in 1803 that participated in the Napoleonic Wars. | |||
| Welsh | gwirfoddolwr | ||
| The Welsh word "gwirfoddolwr" literally means "one who does something truly free of obligation". | |||
Volunteer in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | валанцёр | ||
| The Belarusian word “валанцёр” also means “a tightrope walker”, which has some parallels with the duties of a volunteer. | |||
| Bosnian | dobrovoljac | ||
| Originally, "dobrovoljac" meant "a person who gives gifts to beggars". | |||
| Bulgarian | доброволец | ||
| The word "доброволец" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "добръ воля", meaning "good will". In modern Bulgarian, the word can also refer to a person who donates blood or organs. | |||
| Czech | dobrovolník | ||
| The word "dobrovolník" comes from the Slavic root "dobro" meaning "good" and the suffix "-ník" meaning "doer" or "person who does something". | |||
| Estonian | vabatahtlik | ||
| The word "vabatahtlik" comes from the Estonian words "vaba" (free) and "tahe" (will), meaning someone who acts out of their own free will. | |||
| Finnish | vapaaehtoinen | ||
| The word "vapaaehtoinen" literally means "free-willed" in Finnish, reflecting the voluntary nature of the role. | |||
| Hungarian | önkéntes | ||
| In Hungarian, "önkéntes" means "voluntary" or "of one's own free will," and is derived from the word "önként" meaning "of one's own accord." | |||
| Latvian | brīvprātīgais | ||
| The word "brīvprātīgais" comes from the Latvian word "brīvs" meaning "free" and the suffix "-ātīgais", which indicates that something is prone to or willing to do something. | |||
| Lithuanian | savanoris | ||
| The word "savanoris" originates from the Latin word "spontaneus", meaning "voluntary". It was introduced into the Lithuanian language in the 19th century. | |||
| Macedonian | волонтер | ||
| Polish | wolontariusz | ||
| Polish word "wolontariusz" (volunteer) derives from Latin "voluntas" (will) and "-arius" (related to), so it literally means "related to one's will or wish." | |||
| Romanian | voluntar | ||
| "Voluntar" can also mean "auxiliary" or "substitute" in Romanian in certain contexts. | |||
| Russian | волонтер | ||
| "Волонтер" происходит от французского слова «volontaire» и изначально означало «охотник, стрелок». | |||
| Serbian | добровољац | ||
| The word "dobrovoljac" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *dobrovolьnikъ, meaning "a free man or woman". | |||
| Slovak | dobrovoľník | ||
| In Slovak, 'dobrovoľník' comes from the root 'dobro', meaning 'good' or 'kind', indicating the benevolent nature of voluntary work. | |||
| Slovenian | prostovoljec | ||
| The term 'prostovoljec' originally meant a member of an informal militia who was not compensated, and who fought alongside professional soldiers. | |||
| Ukrainian | волонтер | ||
| The Ukrainian word 'волонтер' is a cognate of the French 'volontaire', and has the alternate meanings of 'auxiliary' or 'temporary worker'. | |||
Volunteer in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | স্বেচ্ছাসেবক | ||
| The word "স্বেচ্ছাসেবক" ("volunteer") in Bengali derives from the Sanskrit word "স্বেচ্ছা" ("own wish"). | |||
| Gujarati | સ્વયંસેવક | ||
| Hindi | स्वयंसेवक | ||
| स्वयंसेवक, meaning "volunteer" in Hindi, also refers to a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu nationalist organization in India. | |||
| Kannada | ಸ್ವಯಂಸೇವಕ | ||
| Malayalam | സദ്ധന്നസേവിക | ||
| The word is derived from the Sanskrit word 'saddharmashevika' meaning 'one who serves the righteous' | |||
| Marathi | स्वयंसेवक | ||
| The word "स्वयंसेवक" in Marathi can also mean "a member of a volunteer corps or organization" or "a person who works for a cause without expecting any reward or payment." | |||
| Nepali | स्वयंसेवक | ||
| स्वयंसेवक may also refer to a member of the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) | |||
| Punjabi | ਵਾਲੰਟੀਅਰ | ||
| ਵਾਲੰਟੀਅਰ শব্দটি लॅटिन शब्द voluntarius থেকে এসেছে যার অর্থ "স্বেচ্ছায় কাজ করা"। | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ස්වේච්ඡා සේවය | ||
| Tamil | தன்னார்வ | ||
| Telugu | వాలంటీర్ | ||
| The word "వాలంటీర్" (volunteer) is derived from the Latin word "voluntarius", meaning "willing". | |||
| Urdu | رضاکار | ||
Volunteer in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 志愿者 | ||
| The word "志愿者” can also mean "aspiration" or "desire" in Chinese. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 志願者 | ||
| 志願者, refers to a person who does public-serving work by their own free will. | |||
| Japanese | ボランティア | ||
| "ボランティア" derives from the French "volontaire" and, originally, referred to a type of soldier or other military personnel, only later coming to mean an unpaid worker." | |||
| Korean | 지원자 | ||
| The Korean word "지원자" comes from the chinese characters 지원(参政), meaning "to assist" or "to help", and 자(宏), meaning "self" or "person." | |||
| Mongolian | сайн дурын ажилтан | ||
| The term can also refer to 'an unpaid assistant or subordinate worker'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စေတနာ့ဝန်ထမ်း | ||
Volunteer in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | sukarelawan | ||
| The word 'sukarelawan' in Indonesian is composed of Sanskrit words 'suka' ( | |||
| Javanese | sukarelawan | ||
| "Sukarelawan" is derived from the Sanskrit word "svaraj" which means self-rule but in the Javanese context, it means a person who works without being forced. | |||
| Khmer | អ្នកស្ម័គ្រចិត្ត | ||
| Lao | ອາສາສະ ໝັກ | ||
| This word derives from Pali and Sanskrit and relates to desire or devotion to an activity. | |||
| Malay | sukarelawan | ||
| The word "sukarelawan" derives from the Sanskrit word "sukara" meaning "good" and "lavan" meaning "desire". | |||
| Thai | อาสาสมัคร | ||
| The word "อาสาสมัคร" can also mean "candidate" or "applicant" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | tình nguyện viên | ||
| Tình nguyện viên, in Vietnamese, literally means "one who offers their heart," implying a deep commitment to helping others. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | boluntaryo | ||
Volunteer in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | könüllü | ||
| In the Ottoman period, the Ottoman army was largely composed of professional soldiers called "yeniçeriler" (janissaries), while volunteers were known as "könüllüler". Thus, the word "könüllü" also took on the meaning of "mercenary" in that period. | |||
| Kazakh | ерікті | ||
| The word "ерікті" in Kazakh has an alternate meaning of "willing" or "ready" | |||
| Kyrgyz | ыктыярдуу | ||
| The word "ыктыярдуу" is derived from the Arabic word "iḫtiyār", meaning "choice" or "option." | |||
| Tajik | ихтиёрӣ | ||
| The word | |||
| Turkmen | meýletinçi | ||
| Uzbek | ko'ngilli | ||
| The word "ko'ngilli" in Uzbek is derived from the word "ko'ngil", meaning "heart", and refers to the selflessness and dedication of volunteers. | |||
| Uyghur | پىدائىي | ||
Volunteer in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hana manawaleʻa | ||
| Hana Manawa is the Hawaiian phrase meaning volunteer, however it's original meaning refers to the sharing of a skill, service or resource without expectation of payment. | |||
| Maori | tūao | ||
| The word "tūao" in Maori originates from the Polynesian Proto-Oceanic root "tūa", meaning "to stand" or "to be in the right place". | |||
| Samoan | ofo | ||
| The Samoan word 'ofo' also means 'to help someone' or 'to do something for someone'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | magboluntaryo | ||
| "Magboluntaryo" originally meant "to do freely, without being forced." | |||
Volunteer in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | wuluntaryu | ||
| Guarani | kyre'ỹ | ||
Volunteer in International Languages
| Esperanto | volontulo | ||
| In Esperanto, the word "volontulo" can also refer to someone who does something without being paid. | |||
| Latin | voluntarius | ||
| Voluntarius initially meant "of one's own free will" or "willing" in Latin, later taking the meaning "volunteer" in English. | |||
Volunteer in Others Languages
| Greek | εθελοντής | ||
| The Greek word εθελοντής, derived from the root εθελ-, meaning 'willing', originally referred to soldiers who fought without pay. | |||
| Hmong | tuaj pab dawb | ||
| The word "tuaj pab dawb" can also mean "to work for free" or "to do something without being paid".} | |||
| Kurdish | dilxwaz | ||
| The word "dilxwaz" in Kurdish has alternative meanings such as "kind" and "devoted". | |||
| Turkish | gönüllü | ||
| "Gönüllü" kelimesi Osmanlı döneminde "gönlünü veren kişi" anlamına gelirdi. | |||
| Xhosa | ivolontiya | ||
| In Xhosa, 'ivolontiya' comes from the English word 'volunteer', but can also refer to paid work or other forms of assistance. | |||
| Yiddish | פרייַוויליקער | ||
| Zulu | ivolontiya | ||
| In Zulu, 'ivolontiya' also refers to a person who does work for no pay or reward. | |||
| Assamese | স্বেচ্ছাসেৱক | ||
| Aymara | wuluntaryu | ||
| Bhojpuri | स्वंयसेवक | ||
| Dhivehi | ވޮލަންޓިއަރ | ||
| Dogri | रजाकार | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | boluntaryo | ||
| Guarani | kyre'ỹ | ||
| Ilocano | situtulnog | ||
| Krio | kam fɔ ɛp | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | خۆبەخش | ||
| Maithili | स्वयंसेवी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯁꯥꯅ ꯊꯣꯛꯆꯕ | ||
| Mizo | tlawmngaia inpe | ||
| Oromo | tola ooltummaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସ୍ୱେଚ୍ଛାସେବୀ | ||
| Quechua | voluntario | ||
| Sanskrit | स्वयंसेवी | ||
| Tatar | волонтер | ||
| Tigrinya | ግዱስ | ||
| Tsonga | tinyiketela | ||