Vulnerable in Different Languages
Discover 'Vulnerable' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'vulnerable' holds great significance in our daily lives, as it describes the state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, physically or emotionally. Its cultural importance is evident in various fields, such as psychology, social work, and even politics, where the term is used to highlight the need for protection and support for those who are most at risk.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'vulnerable' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how different cultures perceive and address the concept. For instance, in Spanish, 'vulnerable' translates to 'vulnerable' or 'expuesto', reflecting the language's straightforwardness. Meanwhile, in Japanese, the term '脆弱' (juujaku) conveys a sense of fragility and delicacy, highlighting the nuanced cultural differences in how the concept is perceived.
With that in mind, here are some translations of the word 'vulnerable' in different languages, providing a glimpse into the rich tapestry of cultural perspectives on this important concept.
Vulnerable
Vulnerable in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | kwesbaar | ||
| The Afrikaans word "kwesbaar" possibly derives from the Middle Dutch "quetsen" (to crush) or the Old Low German "kwesen" (to wound). | |||
| Amharic | ተጋላጭ | ||
| Hausa | m | ||
| The word "m" can also mean "weak", "feeble", or "fragile" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | ngwangwa | ||
| Igbo speakers also use "ngwangwa" as an endearing term to address their children. | |||
| Malagasy | marefo | ||
| The Malagasy word "marefo" is also used to describe a situation or person in need of protection. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | osatetezeka | ||
| "Osatetezeka" (vulnerable) literally means "to be easy to break" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | vanotambura | ||
| The word "vano-tambura" (vulnerable in Shona) literally translates to "lacking strength (tambo-ra)" | |||
| Somali | nugul | ||
| The Somali word "nugul" can also mean "weak" or "fragile". | |||
| Sesotho | tlokotsing | ||
| The word "tlokotsing" also refers to a state of being alone, isolated, or lacking support. | |||
| Swahili | mazingira magumu | ||
| The Swahili word 'mazingira magumu' can also mean 'adversity' or 'hardship'. | |||
| Xhosa | sesichengeni | ||
| The Xhosa word "sesichengeni" originally referred to a physical wound, but has since come to encompass a wide range of vulnerabilities, both physical and emotional. | |||
| Yoruba | ipalara | ||
| The word 'ipalara' in Yoruba can also mean 'soft' or 'delicate'. | |||
| Zulu | abasengozini | ||
| "Abasengozini" is derived from the Zulu verb "sengozini," which means "to be in danger or peril." | |||
| Bambara | barikatan | ||
| Ewe | gbᴐdzᴐ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | abatishoboye | ||
| Lingala | kozanga makasi | ||
| Luganda | omwaavu | ||
| Sepedi | ba kotsing | ||
| Twi (Akan) | mrɛ | ||
Vulnerable in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | غير حصين | ||
| Hebrew | פָּגִיעַ | ||
| The Hebrew word פָּגִיעַ (pagi`) also means 'struck' or 'wounded'. | |||
| Pashto | زیان منونکی | ||
| Arabic | غير حصين | ||
Vulnerable in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i prekshëm | ||
| The word "i prekshëm" in Albanian derives from the Latin word "pretiosus", meaning "precious" or "valuable", implying that something vulnerable is particularly delicate and deserving of protection. | |||
| Basque | zaurgarria | ||
| "Zaurgarria" is the Basque word for "vulnerable", but it originally meant "wounded". | |||
| Catalan | vulnerable | ||
| The word "vulnerable" comes from the Latin "vulnerare," meaning "to wound," and is related to the words "wound" and "vulnerability." | |||
| Croatian | ranjiv | ||
| The word "ranjiv" can also refer to the sensitive, tender part of a body or a state of being that is fragile and easily injured. | |||
| Danish | sårbar | ||
| 'Sårbar' is a compound of 'sår', meaning 'wound' and 'bar' meaning 'open' or 'unclosed'. | |||
| Dutch | kwetsbaar | ||
| The word 'kwetsbaar' is derived from the Middle Dutch word 'quetsuur', which means 'injury' or 'damage'. | |||
| English | vulnerable | ||
| The word "vulnerable" stems from the Latin word "vulnerare" which means to wound, while it also shares its etymological origin with "vulva" which means womb, thus being linked to notions of exposure and defenselessness. | |||
| French | vulnérable | ||
| The word "vulnérable" originates from the Latin word "vulnus", meaning "wound", and refers to a susceptibility to being wounded or harmed. | |||
| Frisian | kwetsber | ||
| The etymology of the Frisian word "kwetsber" is thought to come from the Proto-Germanic word "*kwets" meaning "weak" or "tender". | |||
| Galician | vulnerable | ||
| En gallego "vulnerable" (que en castellano significa vulnerable) también puede significar "irascible" | |||
| German | anfällig | ||
| The word "anfällig" can also mean "susceptible" or "prone" to something. | |||
| Icelandic | viðkvæmir | ||
| The Icelandic word "viðkvæmir" derives from the verb "kvæma," meaning "to hurt" or "injure." | |||
| Irish | leochaileach | ||
| The word "leochaileach" (vulnerable) comes from the Old Irish word "lochad" meaning "a wound". | |||
| Italian | vulnerabile | ||
| The word "vulnerabile" in Italian derives from the Latin "vulnerare", meaning "to wound", and is related to the word "vulnus", meaning "wound or injury". | |||
| Luxembourgish | vulnérabel | ||
| Maltese | vulnerabbli | ||
| The word "vulnerabbli" in Maltese comes from the Latin word "vulnerabilis", which means "easily wounded or injured". | |||
| Norwegian | sårbar | ||
| The word "sårbar" is derived from the Norwegian word "sår", which means both "wound" and "sore", conveying a notion of vulnerability and weakness. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | vulnerável | ||
| The word 'vulnerável' comes from the Latin 'vulnerabilis', which means 'capable of being wounded'. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | so-leònte | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "so-leóinte" can also mean "easily hurt" or "feeble." | |||
| Spanish | vulnerable | ||
| El primer uso de "vulnerable" en español no se refería a una persona en riesgo, sino a algo que causa daño o herida. | |||
| Swedish | sårbar | ||
| "Sårbar", meaning "vulnerable", stems from the Swedish word "sår", which means "wound", hence the literal translation: "wound-able." | |||
| Welsh | bregus | ||
| The Welsh word "bregus" shares an etymology with the English word "fragile" and refers to something that can be physically damaged easily. | |||
Vulnerable in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | уразлівы | ||
| Bosnian | ranjiva | ||
| Ranjiva is also an archaic term for 'sick' or 'unwell'. | |||
| Bulgarian | уязвим | ||
| “Уязвим” originates from the Middle French word “vulnerable,” which itself derives from Latin “vulnerare” (to wound) and is related to the Latin word for wound, “vulnus.” | |||
| Czech | zranitelný | ||
| The word "zranitelný" in Czech literally translates to "easily injured" or "wounded". | |||
| Estonian | haavatav | ||
| The Estonian word "haavatav" comes from the verb "haavata", meaning "to wound" or "to injure". | |||
| Finnish | haavoittuvia | ||
| The Finnish word haavoittuvia also means 'sensitive' or 'susceptible', deriving from the word haava (wound). | |||
| Hungarian | sebezhető | ||
| The Hungarian word "sebezhető" is derived from the Proto-Finno-Ugric word *śepe, which also means "to open" or "to tear". | |||
| Latvian | neaizsargāti | ||
| The Latvian word "neaizsargāti" is derived from the Middle Low German word "unsecher", and it can also have the meaning "exposed". | |||
| Lithuanian | pažeidžiamas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "pažeidžiamas" is derived from the verb "pažeisti," meaning "to damage" or "to harm." | |||
| Macedonian | ранливи | ||
| The original meaning of the word 'ранливи' ('vulnerable') was 'capable of being wounded'. | |||
| Polish | wrażliwy | ||
| Wrażliwy, meaning 'vulnerable' in Polish, can also refer to 'sensitive' or 'susceptible'. | |||
| Romanian | vulnerabil | ||
| The Romanian word "vulnerabil" comes from the Latin "vulnus" (wound), making it related to "vulnerable" in English. | |||
| Russian | уязвимый | ||
| The Russian word "уязвимый" derives from the Proto-Slavic verb "vęzę", meaning "to tie up". | |||
| Serbian | рањива | ||
| The Serbian word "рањива" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *ranьnъ, meaning "wounded". | |||
| Slovak | zraniteľný | ||
| The Slovak word "zraniteľný" originally meant "easily wounded" or "susceptible to injury" | |||
| Slovenian | ranljivi | ||
| The word ranljivi originates from a Proto-Slavic root raniti, meaning 'to strike' or 'to hurt'. | |||
| Ukrainian | вразливий | ||
| The word "вразливий" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "вразъ", meaning "suddenly", and can also mean "susceptible" or "impressionable" in Ukrainian. | |||
Vulnerable in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | দুর্বল | ||
| "দুর্বল" refers to a "state of being easily hurt or damaged" and not just "vulnerable". | |||
| Gujarati | સંવેદનશીલ | ||
| Hindi | चपेट में | ||
| चपेट में is a Hindi word that originates from the Sanskrit word 'grah', meaning 'to seize' or 'to grasp' | |||
| Kannada | ದುರ್ಬಲ | ||
| The word ದುರ್ಬಲ is etymologically derived from the Prakrit word 'dubbala', meaning 'weak' or 'feeble'. It also has metaphorical meanings indicating 'lack of strength, power, or stability' in various contexts. | |||
| Malayalam | ദുർബലമായ | ||
| The word 'ദുർബലമായ' ('vulnerable') in Malayalam comes from the Sanskrit word 'durbala,' which means 'weak' or 'feeble'. | |||
| Marathi | असुरक्षित | ||
| The word "असुरक्षित" (asurakshit) in Marathi has its roots in the Sanskrit word "असुर" (asura), meaning "demon", implying a state of being exposed to danger or harm. | |||
| Nepali | कमजोर | ||
| The word "कमजोर" is derived from the Sanskrit word "kam", meaning "desire" or "weakness", and "jur", meaning "to conquer". | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਮਜ਼ੋਰ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අවදානමට ලක්විය හැකි | ||
| Tamil | பாதிக்கப்படக்கூடிய | ||
| Telugu | హాని | ||
| హాని primarily means 'harm', 'damage', or 'loss' in Telugu, but can also mean 'weakness' or 'vulnerability' in some contexts. | |||
| Urdu | کمزور | ||
Vulnerable in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 脆弱的 | ||
| "脆弱的"来自古汉语, "弱"是身体孱弱的意思, "脆"是容易折断的意思。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 脆弱的 | ||
| 在古代，"脆弱的"一词除了指易碎或受伤之外，还引申出"柔弱的"、"意志不坚定的"等含义。 | |||
| Japanese | 脆弱 | ||
| The word "脆弱" (pronounced "zeroyaku" in Japanese) is a Sino-Japanese compound, meaning "vulnerable" or "fragile". | |||
| Korean | 취약 | ||
| 취약 is ultimately derived from the Latin term vulnerare, meaning "to wound". | |||
| Mongolian | эмзэг | ||
| The Mongolian word | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ထိခိုက်လွယ် | ||
Vulnerable in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | rentan | ||
| The word "rentan" is derived from the Dutch word "kwetsbaar", which means "exposed to harm or injury". | |||
| Javanese | ngrugekke | ||
| The word 'ngrugekke' in Javanese also means 'easy to be influenced'. | |||
| Khmer | ងាយរងគ្រោះ | ||
| The word "ងាយរងគ្រោះ" in Khmer originally meant "easily caught" or "susceptible to disease or attack". | |||
| Lao | ມີຄວາມສ່ຽງ | ||
| Malay | terdedah | ||
| The Malay word "terdedah" ultimately derives from the Sanskrit word "drdha", meaning strong. This suggests that the original meaning of "terdedah" was not vulnerability but rather exposure, openness, or transparency. | |||
| Thai | เสี่ยง | ||
| "เสี่ยง" (vulnerable) comes from the Mon word "เซียง" (danger), the root of "เสียว" (fear) and "เสี่ยง" (taking risks). | |||
| Vietnamese | dễ bị tổn thương | ||
| The Vietnamese word "dễ bị tổn thương" (vulnerable) also means "sensitive" or "fragile". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mahina | ||
Vulnerable in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | həssas | ||
| The word "həssas" can also mean "sensitive" or "delicate" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | осал | ||
| The word "осал" in Kazakh can also mean "weak" or "helpless." | |||
| Kyrgyz | аялуу | ||
| In the southern dialects of Kyrgyz "аялуу" can also refer to a person or animal with a physical illness or defect. | |||
| Tajik | осебпазир | ||
| The word "осебпазир" in Tajik ultimately derives from the Persian word "آسیب پذیر" (āsibpazīr), which literally means "prone to damage". | |||
| Turkmen | ejiz | ||
| Uzbek | zaif | ||
| "Zaif" also means "weak" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | ئاجىز | ||
Vulnerable in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pā wale | ||
| The Hawaiian word "pā wale" can also refer to a "fence without a gate". | |||
| Maori | whakaraerae | ||
| The word "whakaraerae" also means "to expose oneself and one's feelings or thoughts to others" in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | vaivai | ||
| Vāivai in Samoan can also mean exposed, unprotected and weak. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | mahina | ||
| In Tagalog, “mahina” (vulnerable) is used in a figurative sense, referring to a state of weakness in character or emotions | |||
Vulnerable in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | mayjt'ayata | ||
| Guarani | ipererĩva | ||
Vulnerable in International Languages
| Esperanto | vundebla | ||
| The Esperanto word "vundebla" is derived from the Latin word "vulnerabilis", but it can also refer to someone who is "easily wounded" or "sensitive" in the emotional sense. | |||
| Latin | vulnerable | ||
| The Latin word 'vulnerare' means 'to wound', and the word 'vulnus' means 'wound'. | |||
Vulnerable in Others Languages
| Greek | ευάλωτα | ||
| The word "ευάλωτα" also means "porous" in Greek, referring to the ability of something to be easily penetrated or damaged. | |||
| Hmong | yooj yim | ||
| The word "yooj yim" can also mean "susceptible to harm or injury" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | birîndibe | ||
| The word 'birîndibe' in Kurdish shares the same root with the word 'birîn', meaning 'wound' | |||
| Turkish | savunmasız | ||
| The word "savunmasız" in Turkish is also used to describe someone who is in a state of helplessness or weakness. | |||
| Xhosa | sesichengeni | ||
| The Xhosa word "sesichengeni" originally referred to a physical wound, but has since come to encompass a wide range of vulnerabilities, both physical and emotional. | |||
| Yiddish | שפּירעוודיק | ||
| The Yiddish word "שפּירעוודיק" literally refers to the sense of smell and suggests someone who can detect the faintest whiff of a threat. | |||
| Zulu | abasengozini | ||
| "Abasengozini" is derived from the Zulu verb "sengozini," which means "to be in danger or peril." | |||
| Assamese | দুৰ্বল | ||
| Aymara | mayjt'ayata | ||
| Bhojpuri | छुईमुई | ||
| Dhivehi | ނާޒުކު | ||
| Dogri | बड़ा कमजोर | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mahina | ||
| Guarani | ipererĩva | ||
| Ilocano | nalupoy | ||
| Krio | nɔ gɛt pɔsin fɔ ɛp am | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | لاواز | ||
| Maithili | अति संवेदनशील | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯨꯗꯣꯡꯊꯤꯕ ꯅꯪꯒꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | hlauthawnawm | ||
| Oromo | saaxilamaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅସୁରକ୍ଷିତ | ||
| Quechua | unpu | ||
| Sanskrit | वेधनीयः | ||
| Tatar | зәгыйфь | ||
| Tigrinya | ተቃላዒ | ||
| Tsonga | ekhombyeni | ||