Wake in Different Languages
Discover 'Wake' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'wake' holds a unique significance in many cultures and languages around the world. Derived from Old English 'wacian,' meaning 'to become awake or watchful,' the term has evolved to encompass a variety of meanings, from the simple act of waking up to the broader concept of a funeral wake. In many Western cultures, a wake is a social gathering associated with death, where friends and family gather to mourn and remember the deceased. But in other languages, the word 'wake' can have vastly different meanings and connotations.
For example, in Dutch, 'wake' translates to 'wekken,' which means 'to wake up' or 'to awaken.' In Spanish, 'wake' becomes 'vigilia,' which can refer to a wake, but also to a period of vigilant watching or expectation. And in Japanese, 'wake' is '目覚め (mezame),' which means 'to awaken' or 'to come to one's senses.'
Understanding the translation of 'wake' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and traditions of various societies. Join us as we explore the fascinating world of language and culture through the lens of this simple yet powerful term.
Wake
Wake in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | wakker word | ||
| The Afrikaans word "wakker word" can also refer to an alarm clock, a coffee mug, or a person's sense of awareness. | |||
| Amharic | ንቃ | ||
| The word "ንቃ" also means "to be alert" or "to be watchful" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | tashi | ||
| The word "tashi" in Hausa can also mean "be born" or "the act of being born." | |||
| Igbo | teta | ||
| The word 'teta' also means 'to be awakened' or 'to be made to stand up' in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | mifoha | ||
| The name "mifoha" originated centuries before French colonisation, from Arabic sources, meaning "a time, instance." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | dzuka | ||
| "Dzuka" also means "to open" or "to uncover", referring to the action of opening one's eyes upon waking. | |||
| Shona | muka | ||
| The Shona word "muka" can also refer to the act of staying awake or keeping watch, as well as the state of being awake or alert. | |||
| Somali | toosin | ||
| The word "toosin" can also refer to a "funeral rite or ceremony" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | tsoha | ||
| The word "tsoha" in Sesotho can also refer to a dance or a gathering for a religious ceremony. | |||
| Swahili | amka | ||
| The word 'amka' may also mean to rise, stand, or start out in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | vuka | ||
| In Xhosa, 'vuka' also means 'to call forth', 'to conjure' or 'to create' | |||
| Yoruba | ji | ||
| In Yoruba, the word 'ji' can also refer to 'arousing', 'waking from sleep', or 'bringing something to life'. | |||
| Zulu | vuka | ||
| "Vuka" also means "arise", "get up", "emerge", and "become visible" in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | ka wuli | ||
| Ewe | nyɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kanguka | ||
| Lingala | kolamuka | ||
| Luganda | okuzuukuka | ||
| Sepedi | tsoga | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nyane | ||
Wake in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | استيقظ | ||
| استيقظ means 'get up early in the morning' and also 'resuscitate'. | |||
| Hebrew | לְהִתְעוֹרֵר | ||
| Its root (עור) can mean 'to uncover' or 'to strip off'. | |||
| Pashto | پاڅیدل | ||
| The Pashto word "پاڅیدل" can also be used to translate the word "rise," as in "the sun rises in the east. | |||
| Arabic | استيقظ | ||
| استيقظ means 'get up early in the morning' and also 'resuscitate'. | |||
Wake in Western European Languages
| Albanian | zgjim | ||
| "Zgjim" is a derivative of the Proto-Albanian word "srgj" meaning "to wake up", cognate with Slavic words "zréti" and "zьrěti" meaning "to look" or "to see". | |||
| Basque | iratzarri | ||
| The word 'iratzarri' comes from the verb 'iratu' ('to bring to life') and the suffix '-zuri' ('-ing'), referring to the process of reviving someone or bringing them back from a state of unconsciousness or death. | |||
| Catalan | despert | ||
| Despert is derived from 'dexpertare', meaning to awaken or rouse from sleep. | |||
| Croatian | probuditi | ||
| Probuditi is derived from Proto-Slavic and has meanings 'awake' and 'recover'. | |||
| Danish | vågne | ||
| Dutch | wakker worden | ||
| The verb "wakker worden" derives from the old Dutch "wacker" meaning "watchful, alert". | |||
| English | wake | ||
| "Wake" can also mean a vigil held before a funeral, or the track left by a ship in water. | |||
| French | réveiller | ||
| Réveiller can also mean to provoke or arouse, as in “réveiller les soupçons” (to arouse suspicion). | |||
| Frisian | wake | ||
| In Frisian, "wake" can also refer to a funeral vigil or a path cut through the ice. | |||
| Galician | espertar | ||
| The Galician verb "espertar" also means "to wait" or "to expect" from the Latin "exspectare." | |||
| German | aufwachen | ||
| The German word "aufwachen" derives from the Old High German "ufwachan," meaning "to become aware or awake." | |||
| Icelandic | vakna | ||
| The word "vakna" is related to the Swedish word "vakna" which means "to become awake". | |||
| Irish | dúisigh | ||
| Italian | svegliarsi | ||
| The Italian word "svegliarsi" comes from the Latin "ex-vigilare," meaning "to be vigilant" or "to keep watch." | |||
| Luxembourgish | erwächen | ||
| The verb "erwächen" also has the figuratively meaning of "to revive", or "to be aware" in Luxembourgish. | |||
| Maltese | qajjem | ||
| The Maltese word "qajjem" is derived from the Arabic word "qayyim," which has multiple meanings including "to keep watch". | |||
| Norwegian | våkne | ||
| Våken in Norwegian can also mean “staying up late” and is related to the verb “to watch” in English. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | despertar | ||
| "Despertar" means "to awaken" in Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, and Galician, and "to open someone's eyes" in Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | dùsgadh | ||
| The word "dùsgadh" (wake) in Scots Gaelic is derived from the Proto-Celtic root "*dus-g-o-", meaning "to awake". | |||
| Spanish | despertar | ||
| The verb "despertar" in Spanish, besides meaning "to wake," also means "to awaken feelings or thoughts". | |||
| Swedish | vakna | ||
| "Vakna" derives from the Proto-Germanic root *wakaną, meaning "to be awake or alert" or "to stir". In German, it became "wachen", in English "to wake", and in Dutch "waken". | |||
| Welsh | deffro | ||
| "Deffro" in Welsh also refers to a morning gathering after a funeral in which the deceased's family and friends share memories and support while consuming food and drink. | |||
Wake in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | прачнуцца | ||
| The Belarusian word "прачнуцца" can also mean "to recover one's senses" or "to come to one's senses". | |||
| Bosnian | probuditi se | ||
| "Probuditi se" also means "to start to live or function" in Bosnian | |||
| Bulgarian | събуждам | ||
| The word "събуждам" comes from the Proto-Slavic *sъbǫditi, meaning "to bring to consciousness". Alternative meaning: "to excite". | |||
| Czech | probudit | ||
| The word "probudit" comes from the Proto-Slavic root *bud-, meaning "to awaken." | |||
| Estonian | ärkama | ||
| The word "ärkama" is a derivative of the Proto-Finnic "*ärkä-," and is related to the Finnish word "heräämään" and the Hungarian "ébredek" in terms of their etymological roots and semantic development | |||
| Finnish | herätä | ||
| "Herätä" is also a derivative of the word "herja" (to mock, to insult), which implies that waking someone up can be an act of provocation. | |||
| Hungarian | ébred | ||
| Ébred derives from the verb 'aludni' ('to sleep'), and shares its root with the verb 'örülni' ('to rejoice'). | |||
| Latvian | pamodināt | ||
| The Latvian word "pamodināt" also means "to alert" or "to warn". | |||
| Lithuanian | pabusti | ||
| The word "pabusti" in Lithuanian can also refer to the act of getting out of bed. | |||
| Macedonian | будење | ||
| The verb "будење" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *bъd-, meaning "to be awake" or "to stir". | |||
| Polish | budzić | ||
| Polish "budzić" comes from a Proto-Slavic root meaning "to stir up" and has the alternate meaning "to rouse" in some Slavic languages. | |||
| Romanian | trezi | ||
| In Romanian, "trezi" (meaning "wake") can also refer to the process of waking someone up or the state of being awake. | |||
| Russian | просыпаться | ||
| "Просыпаться" can also be used to describe the start of an event, such as a war or revolution. | |||
| Serbian | пробудити се | ||
| The verb "пробудити" and the noun "буђење" both derive from the Old Church Slavonic word "бъдити" (bъditi). | |||
| Slovak | zobudiť sa | ||
| The Slovak verb "zobudiť sa" derives from the Old Church Slavonic word "zobǫdъ", originally meaning "to sting", and now refers to waking up from sleep. | |||
| Slovenian | zbudi se | ||
| The word "zbudi se" in Slovenian can also mean "to become aware" or "to be born." | |||
| Ukrainian | прокинутися | ||
| The Ukrainian word "прокинутися" (wake) is derived from the verb "кидати" (to throw), indicating the act of being thrown out of sleep. | |||
Wake in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | জাগা | ||
| In some Indian contexts, 'jaaga' also refers to a night-long religious festival or prayer service. | |||
| Gujarati | જાગવું | ||
| In Gujarati, "જાગવું" also means "to stay awake" or "to be vigilant". | |||
| Hindi | जाग | ||
| In Hindi, "जाग" (jāg) not only means "to wake", but also refers to a traditional ritual of singing and dancing performed in remembrance of deceased loved ones. | |||
| Kannada | ಎಚ್ಚರ | ||
| "ಎಚ್ಚರ" can also mean "attention" or "carefulness". | |||
| Malayalam | ഉണരുക | ||
| The word "ഉണരുക" in Malayalam also has the connotation of "to awaken" or "to become alert". | |||
| Marathi | जागे होणे | ||
| The word "जागे होणे" (jāge hoṇe) in Marathi can also mean "to be alert" or "to be aware". | |||
| Nepali | उठ्नु | ||
| Derived from the Sanskrit root 'uttha', also meaning 'to rise or get up'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਜਾਗ | ||
| The word "ਜਾਗ" also means "to awake" or "to keep awake" in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අවදි වන්න | ||
| Tamil | எழுந்திரு | ||
| The Tamil word 'எழுந்திரு' ('wake') shares a root with 'எழு' ('rise'), suggesting a connection between the concepts of being awake and standing up. | |||
| Telugu | మేల్కొలపండి | ||
| The term "మేల్కొలపండి" originates from the Proto-Dravidian root *meːrk-, meaning "to arise" or "to awaken." | |||
| Urdu | جاگو | ||
| "贾戈"本意为"唤醒", 引申义为"熬夜"或"彻夜狂欢". | |||
Wake in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 唤醒 | ||
| "唤醒" 也可表示「呼び覚ます」などの意味を持つ。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 喚醒 | ||
| "喚醒" is also used to mean "to call someone's name to wake them up" and "to remind someone of something they have forgotten or neglected". | |||
| Japanese | ウェイク | ||
| The word 「ウェイク」 can also mean 「お通夜 (tsuya)」 in Japanese, which refers to the vigil held before a funeral. | |||
| Korean | 일어나 다 | ||
| Mongolian | сэрэх | ||
| In Mongolian, "сэрэх" can also refer to the act of waiting for someone or something to arrive or happen. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | နိုး | ||
| The word 'နိုး' can also mean 'to come to consciousness' or 'to become sensible'. | |||
Wake in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bangun | ||
| The Indonesian word "bangun" can also mean "to build" or "to form". | |||
| Javanese | tangi turu | ||
| The word "tangi turu" in Javanese is derived from the words "tangi" (to rise) and "turu" (to sleep), which signifies the transition from the state of sleeping to waking, a metaphor for the transition from death to afterlife. | |||
| Khmer | ភ្ញាក់ | ||
| ភ្ញាក់ can also be used figuratively to refer to a sudden realization or understanding. | |||
| Lao | ຕື່ນ | ||
| The Lao word "ຕື່ນ" (tua) has various meanings, including: to excite, to wake up, to become aware, and to feel awake and lively. | |||
| Malay | bangun | ||
| Thai | ตื่น | ||
| The word "ตื่น" (wake) in Thai can also mean "to be startled" or "to be surprised". | |||
| Vietnamese | thức dậy | ||
| "Thức dậy" (to wake): from "thức" (to be awake) and "dậy" (to rise). Also refers to "coming to awareness" or "awakening" to an idea or concept. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gising | ||
Wake in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | oyan | ||
| The Azerbaijani word | |||
| Kazakh | ояну | ||
| The verb "ояну" also means "to come to one's senses" or "to understand" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | ойгон | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "ойгон" can also refer to a traditional social gathering where people sing, dance, and tell stories. | |||
| Tajik | бедор шудан | ||
| The verb "бедор шудан" in Tajik can also mean "to rise", "to get up", or "to awaken". | |||
| Turkmen | oýan | ||
| Uzbek | uyg'onish | ||
| The word "uyg'onish" in Uzbek can also mean "to become conscious" or "to come to one's senses". | |||
| Uyghur | ئويغىن | ||
Wake in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | e ala ʻoe | ||
| "E Ala 'oe" can also refer to a state of unconsciousness, or to the act of awakening someone from sleep or unconsciousness. | |||
| Maori | ara ake | ||
| Samoan | ala mai | ||
| The word 'ala mai' can also refer to a gathering to remember the deceased, similar to a 'vigil' or 'shiva'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | gisingin mo | ||
| The Tagalog word "gisingin mo" can also mean "to awaken" or "to stir up" something. | |||
Wake in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | sartayaña | ||
| Guarani | páy | ||
Wake in International Languages
| Esperanto | maldormo | ||
| The word "maldormo" is a compound of the Esperantido prefixes mal- and dormo-. However, the suffix does not carry the same meaning as in other words like "malsana" (sick) or "malriĉa" (poor), because "maldormo" does not refer to a negative state of sleep, but rather to a state of being awake. | |||
| Latin | surgere | ||
| The Latin word "surgere" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₂ers-," meaning "to rise" or "to stand up." | |||
Wake in Others Languages
| Greek | ίχνη | ||
| Ίχνη is cognate with English "mark" and can also mean "trace," "footprint," "step," "path," "row," or "rank." | |||
| Hmong | sawv | ||
| The word "sawv" in Hmong also means "to know" or "to understand." | |||
| Kurdish | hişyarbûn | ||
| Hişyarbûn also means awakening, arousing, or stirring (of consciousness, memory, etc.) in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | uyanmak | ||
| "Uyanmak' is derived from the Turkish word 'uyan', meaning 'to be awake' or 'to awaken,' and can also refer to the act of waking up from sleep or a state of unconsciousness." | |||
| Xhosa | vuka | ||
| In Xhosa, 'vuka' also means 'to call forth', 'to conjure' or 'to create' | |||
| Yiddish | וועקן | ||
| In Yiddish, "וועקן" can also refer to the act of awakening or arousing from sleep. | |||
| Zulu | vuka | ||
| "Vuka" also means "arise", "get up", "emerge", and "become visible" in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | জাগ্ৰত | ||
| Aymara | sartayaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | जाग जा | ||
| Dhivehi | ހޭލުން | ||
| Dogri | जागना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gising | ||
| Guarani | páy | ||
| Ilocano | agriing | ||
| Krio | wek | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەئاگا | ||
| Maithili | उठलक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯌꯥꯍꯧꯕ | ||
| Mizo | harh | ||
| Oromo | dammaquu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଜାଗ୍ରତ ହୁଅ | | ||
| Quechua | rikchariy | ||
| Sanskrit | उत्थापयति | ||
| Tatar | уян | ||
| Tigrinya | ምቕስቃስ | ||
| Tsonga | pfuka | ||