Wage in Different Languages
Discover 'Wage' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Wage, a simple word that holds great significance in our lives. It represents the compensation we receive for our time, skills, and labor. Wage is not just a means to earn a living, but it also symbolizes our social status and economic freedom. The concept of wage has been a crucial part of human civilization, shaping societies and economies throughout history.
Interestingly, the word 'wage' has fascinating translations in different languages, reflecting the cultural importance of work and compensation. For instance, in Spanish, 'wage' translates to 'salario', in French to 'salaire', and in German to 'Lohn'. These translations not only bridge language barriers but also provide insights into how different cultures perceive and value work and wages.
Whether you're a global citizen, a language learner, or a culture enthusiast, understanding the translation of 'wage' in various languages can enrich your perspective and deepen your appreciation for the cultural diversity that shapes our world.
Wage
Wage in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | loon | ||
| In South African Afrikaans, "loon" also means "reward" or "payment" in general. | |||
| Amharic | ደመወዝ | ||
| In Amharic, the word ደመወዝ comes from the root words ደም (blood) and ወዝ (payment), implying that wages were once paid in blood (livestock). | |||
| Hausa | lada | ||
| The word 'lada' in Hausa originally meant 'to carry' or 'to lift,' but now exclusively means 'wage.' | |||
| Igbo | ụgwọ | ||
| "ụgwọ" refers to an amount of money that was due to be paid for work done or services rendered. | |||
| Malagasy | karama | ||
| The Malagasy word "karama" also refers to the money given by a husband to his wife as a sign of gratitude for her faithfulness and submission to their marital vows. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | malipiro | ||
| "Malipiro" also means "food or sustenance given daily". | |||
| Shona | mubhadharo | ||
| The word "mubhadharo" in Shona also means "payment for services rendered." | |||
| Somali | mushahar | ||
| The word "mushahar" is borrowed from the Arabic word "ajr", which means "reward" or "salary". | |||
| Sesotho | moputso | ||
| The word "moputso" in Sesotho also means "reward" or "payment for services rendered." | |||
| Swahili | mshahara | ||
| Mshahara, also meaning "salary" in Swahili, is thought to derive from the Arabic word "ajr". | |||
| Xhosa | umvuzo | ||
| Yoruba | oya | ||
| The Yoruba word "oya" also refers to the Yoruba goddess of the Niger River and the wind, reflecting the importance of trade and commerce in Yoruba society. | |||
| Zulu | umholo | ||
| 'umholo' also means 'salary' or 'stipend' in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | sara | ||
| Ewe | fetu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umushahara | ||
| Lingala | salere | ||
| Luganda | empeera | ||
| Sepedi | moputso | ||
| Twi (Akan) | frɛ | ||
Wage in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الأجر | ||
| The word "الأجر" also means "reward" in Arabic, suggesting a connection between compensation and divine favor. | |||
| Hebrew | שָׂכָר | ||
| The word "שָׂכָר" also means "reward" in Hebrew, and is related to the verb "שָׂכַר" which means "to hire". | |||
| Pashto | مزد | ||
| In Pashto, "مزد" (pronounced "muzd") can also refer to a reward or compensation, similar to its usage in Persian. | |||
| Arabic | الأجر | ||
| The word "الأجر" also means "reward" in Arabic, suggesting a connection between compensation and divine favor. | |||
Wage in Western European Languages
| Albanian | pagë | ||
| The word "pagë" in Albanian also means "salary" or "pay". | |||
| Basque | soldata | ||
| The term "soldata" in Basque is derived from the Latin "soldata," and also refers to a "stipend," "pension," or a monetary payment to a soldier. | |||
| Catalan | salari | ||
| The word "salari" in Catalan, derives from Latin "salarium", meaning "money paid to Roman soldiers to buy salt". | |||
| Croatian | plaća | ||
| The word plaća ultimately derives from the Latin word platea, meaning "public square", where public assemblies were held and payments were made. | |||
| Danish | løn | ||
| Løn derives from an older 'løn' meaning concealed or secret. | |||
| Dutch | salaris | ||
| The Dutch word "salaris" originates from the Late Latin "salarium", meaning a payment of salt, which was used as currency and exchanged for various goods in ancient Rome. | |||
| English | wage | ||
| The word 'wage' derives from the medieval Latin 'vadia,' meaning 'pledge' or 'security.' | |||
| French | salaire | ||
| "Salaire" derives from the Latin "salarium", meaning a payment in salt, which was used as a form of currency in ancient Rome. | |||
| Frisian | lean | ||
| The Frisian word "lean" can also refer to a type of fishing net. | |||
| Galician | salario | ||
| "Salario" derives from the Latin "salarium", which originally referred to the salt rations given to Roman soldiers. | |||
| German | lohn | ||
| The term 'Lohn' has multiple meanings in German, denoting not only 'wages' but also 'reward,' 'payment,' and 'price'. | |||
| Icelandic | laun | ||
| Laun can also refer to a 'secret' or to 'hiding' something. | |||
| Irish | pá | ||
| The word "pá" in Irish also means "a portion," "a part," or "a share." | |||
| Italian | salario | ||
| "Salario" derives from the Roman salt ration given to legions, also referred to as "salarium." | |||
| Luxembourgish | loun | ||
| The word "Loun" can also refer to a bribe or a reward in Luxembourgish. | |||
| Maltese | paga | ||
| The word "paga" in Maltese comes from the Latin word "pacare", meaning "to pay" or "to satisfy". It can also refer to a "salary" or "stipend". | |||
| Norwegian | lønn | ||
| In Norwegian, "lønn" also means "maple tree," stemming from the Old Norse word "lǫunn," referring to the reddish wood of the maple. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | salário | ||
| The word "salário" comes from the Latin word "salarium", which originally meant "money paid for salt". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | tuarastal | ||
| 'Tuarastal' also means 'merit, desert, duty, service' in Scots Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | salario | ||
| The Spanish word "salario" originates from the Latin word "salarium", which originally referred to the salt ration given to Roman soldiers as part of their pay. | |||
| Swedish | lön | ||
| The word 'lön' is derived from the Old Norse word 'laun', which means 'payment' or 'reward' | |||
| Welsh | cyflog | ||
| The word 'cyflog' is derived from the Latin word 'stipendium', which originally referred to the payment made to Roman soldiers. | |||
Wage in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | заработная плата | ||
| The Belarusian word for "wage" is "заработная плата", which literally translates to "earned money" in Russian. | |||
| Bosnian | nadnica | ||
| "Nadnica" also means "the part of the day during which someone can work before needing to sleep" | |||
| Bulgarian | заплата | ||
| The word "заплата" also means "patch" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | mzda | ||
| The word "mzda" in Czech is cognate with the Proto-Slavic word "mъzda". | |||
| Estonian | palka | ||
| The Estonian word "palka" is possibly derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *peḱ- "to comb". | |||
| Finnish | palkan | ||
| Despite its literal translation as 'hire', palkan is also the word for 'salary' in Finnish, where 'hire' roughly translates as 'vuokrata'. | |||
| Hungarian | bér | ||
| The word "bér" is also used to refer to "rent" or "hire" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | alga | ||
| The word "alga" also means "salary" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | darbo užmokestis | ||
| The Lithuanian word "darbo užmokestis" comes from the word "darbas" (work) and the word "užmokestis" (payment). | |||
| Macedonian | плата | ||
| "Плата" (wage) in Macedonian is derived from the Greek word "πληρωτή" (pay), which is ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ple- (to fill). | |||
| Polish | gaża | ||
| The word | |||
| Romanian | salariu | ||
| The word "salariu" in Romanian is derived from the Latin word "salarium", meaning "money paid to soldiers for salt". | |||
| Russian | заработная плата | ||
| The term "заработная плата" (wage) is derived from the verb "зарабатывать" (to earn), and it refers to the financial compensation paid to employees in exchange for their labor or services. | |||
| Serbian | надница | ||
| The word "nadnica" comes from the Old Slavic word "nadъ", meaning "above" or "over", and the suffix "-ica", used to form nouns denoting the action or result of an act. Therefore, "nadnica" originally meant "something given in excess" or "a bonus". | |||
| Slovak | mzda | ||
| The word "mzda" in Slovak also refers to the monetary value of goods or services received in return for providing labor, or a form of income. | |||
| Slovenian | plača | ||
| Slovenian word “plača” comes from Latin “placa” meaning “flat cake” and was originally a term for the payment soldiers received to buy food. | |||
| Ukrainian | заробітна плата | ||
| "Зарплата" (wage) derives from the Old Church Slavonic word "работа" (work) and the Proto-Slavic word "plata" (payment). | |||
Wage in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বেতন | ||
| "বেতন" has other meanings in Bengali, including cane or rattan and salary or earnings. | |||
| Gujarati | વેતન | ||
| The word "વેતન" is derived from the Sanskrit word "व्यवधान" meaning "separation" or "division". | |||
| Hindi | वेतन | ||
| The word "वेतन" also means "a share" or "a portion" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ವೇತನ | ||
| The word "ವೇತನ" originates from the Sanskrit word "वेतन" (vetana) meaning "salary, wages". | |||
| Malayalam | വേതന | ||
| The word 'വേതന' is derived from the Sanskrit root 'वेतन' (vetana), meaning 'reward, payment'. | |||
| Marathi | वेतन | ||
| The Marathi word "वेतन" (wage) is derived from the Sanskrit "वतन," meaning "income, revenue." | |||
| Nepali | ज्याला | ||
| The word "ज्याला" is a term for a type of grain payment, and is also used to describe a person who has been hired to work on a daily basis. | |||
| Punjabi | ਤਨਖਾਹ | ||
| The word "ਤਨਖਾਹ" (wage) in Punjabi originates from the Persian word "tankhwah", which itself comes from the Mongolian word "tanggha", meaning "balance" or "scale". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වැටුප | ||
| "වැටුප" literally means "falling" or "dropping", referring to the payment "falling" into the recipient's hands. | |||
| Tamil | ஊதியம் | ||
| The word ஊதியம் ('wage') in Tamil originates from the Sanskrit word 'utthāna' meaning 'lifting up' or 'elevation'. | |||
| Telugu | వేతనం | ||
| Urdu | اجرت | ||
| In Urdu, "ajrat" can also mean "salary" or "remuneration" for services rendered. | |||
Wage in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 工资 | ||
| The word "工资" (wage) originates from the term "工食", where "工" means "labor" and "食" means "food". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 工資 | ||
| 工資一詞源自《說文解字》，由「工」與「資」組成，本義為「用工時取得的報酬」或「用工而獲得的財物」 | |||
| Japanese | 賃金 | ||
| 賃金 is a compound of the words 賃 (rent) and 金 (money), and originally meant a fee for rent or labour. | |||
| Korean | 값 | ||
| The etymology of the Korean word "값" is uncertain, but it is thought to be derived from the Middle Korean word "갑" (kap), meaning "price" or "value." | |||
| Mongolian | цалин | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လုပ်ခ | ||
| The word "လုပ်ခ" is a Burmese word for wage, but it can also refer to a fee or payment. | |||
Wage in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | upah | ||
| The word 'upah' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'upakāra,' meaning 'favor' or 'assistance'. | |||
| Javanese | upah | ||
| The word 'upah' in Javanese also refers to 'reward' or 'payment' for services rendered beyond the scope of one's regular duties. | |||
| Khmer | ប្រាក់ឈ្នួល | ||
| Lao | ຄ່າແຮງງານ | ||
| Malay | upah | ||
| The word | |||
| Thai | ค่าจ้าง | ||
| The word "ค่าจ้าง" can also mean "reward" or "compensation". | |||
| Vietnamese | tiền công | ||
| The word "tiền công" in Vietnamese comes from the Chinese word "工钱", which means "payment for work". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sahod | ||
Wage in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | əmək haqqı | ||
| Kazakh | жалақы | ||
| The word "жалақы" is derived from the Turkic root "calak", meaning "to work". | |||
| Kyrgyz | эмгек акы | ||
| The word "эмгек акы" is derived from the Turkic word "emgek", meaning "labor" or "work," and the Persian word "aky", meaning "price" or "value." | |||
| Tajik | музди меҳнат | ||
| The word «музди меҳнат» is also used to refer to a fixed or regular payment in a specific period, such as monthly salary. | |||
| Turkmen | aýlyk | ||
| Uzbek | ish haqi | ||
| "Ish haqi" (wage) comes from Chagatay "*iš hakki" ('due right for labor'), with "iš" coming from Persian "*kar" and "haq" from Arabic "*haqq" | |||
| Uyghur | ئىش ھەققى | ||
Wage in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | uku | ||
| The Hawaiian word “uku” has an ancient meaning of “to trade”, and also refers to a species of fish. | |||
| Maori | utu | ||
| The word "utu" can also refer to revenge or payback, emphasizing the Maori concept of reciprocity and balance in social interactions. | |||
| Samoan | totogi | ||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | sahod | ||
| 'Sahod' also means 'the amount of money given to a person for doing something, especially for work done for an employer' in Tagalog. | |||
Wage in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | payllawi | ||
| Guarani | mba'aporepyme'ẽ | ||
Wage in International Languages
| Esperanto | salajro | ||
| The word "salajro" can also mean "stipend" or "salary". | |||
| Latin | merces | ||
| "Merces" in Latin also means "goods, merchandise, reward," and "favor." | |||
Wage in Others Languages
| Greek | μισθός | ||
| The word "μισθός" in Greek comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*mey-," meaning "to measure" or "to portion out." | |||
| Hmong | nyiaj ua hauj lwm | ||
| In Hmong, the word "nyiaj ua hauj lwm" also means "money earned for work" or "payment for services rendered." | |||
| Kurdish | mûçe | ||
| Turkish | ücret | ||
| The word "ücret" derives from the Arabic word "أُجرة" (ujrah), which means "reward" or "payment for work". | |||
| Xhosa | umvuzo | ||
| Yiddish | לוין | ||
| לוין originates from the German word "Lohn" meaning "wage" and "reward". | |||
| Zulu | umholo | ||
| 'umholo' also means 'salary' or 'stipend' in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | দৰমহা | ||
| Aymara | payllawi | ||
| Bhojpuri | वेतन | ||
| Dhivehi | ވޭޖް | ||
| Dogri | मजूरी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sahod | ||
| Guarani | mba'aporepyme'ẽ | ||
| Ilocano | tangan | ||
| Krio | pe | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کرێ | ||
| Maithili | बेतन | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯨꯠꯁꯨꯃꯜ | ||
| Mizo | hlawh | ||
| Oromo | kaffaltii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମଜୁରୀ | ||
| Quechua | payllay | ||
| Sanskrit | भृति | ||
| Tatar | хезмәт хакы | ||
| Tigrinya | ደሞዝ | ||
| Tsonga | muholo | ||