Wave in Different Languages
Discover 'Wave' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'wave' holds a significant place in our lives, often symbolizing change, motion, and connection. From the majestic ocean waves to the simple gesture of waving hello, this term is a universal language that transcends borders. Its cultural importance is evident in various art forms, literature, and even in science, where waves are fundamental concepts in physics.
Understanding the translation of 'wave' in different languages can provide unique insights into diverse cultures and traditions. For instance, in Spanish, 'wave' is 'ola', while in Japanese, it's 'nami'. In German, it's 'Welle', and in Mandarin, it's '波浪' (bōlàng). These translations not only represent the word but also carry the cultural nuances of the languages they belong to.
Moreover, knowing the translation of 'wave' can be practical in various situations, such as while traveling, studying foreign languages, or communicating with people from different linguistic backgrounds. It's a small step towards cultural understanding and appreciation.
Wave
Wave in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | waai | ||
| The Afrikaans word "waai" also means "to blow" or "to swing". | |||
| Amharic | ማዕበል | ||
| The word "ማዕበል" (wave) is thought to have derived from "ማዕመር" meaning "to flow" and "በል" meaning "to spread". | |||
| Hausa | kalaman | ||
| The word 'kalaman' can also refer to the 'crest of a wave' or the 'top of the head'. | |||
| Igbo | ife | ||
| The word "ife" in Igbo can also mean "life" or "existence". | |||
| Malagasy | ahevaheva | ||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | yoweyula | ||
| Shona | wave | ||
| The Shona word "wave" also means "water", "sea", or "river". | |||
| Somali | ruxruxo | ||
| The Somali word "ruxruxo" can also refer to a type of dance performed by women during weddings and other celebrations. | |||
| Sesotho | tsokoang | ||
| Swahili | wimbi | ||
| The word "wimbi" can also be used to refer to a crest of a wave or a ripple in water. | |||
| Xhosa | wave | ||
| Some isiXhosa dialects use the word 'wave' to also refer to a 'crest' or 'peak'. | |||
| Yoruba | igbi | ||
| "Igbi" also denotes an unexpected turn of affairs, misfortune or bad luck in Yoruba parlance. | |||
| Zulu | igagasi | ||
| Igagasi in Zulu also refers to a type of small sea fish | |||
| Bambara | jikuru | ||
| Ewe | ƒutsotsoe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umuraba | ||
| Lingala | mbonge | ||
| Luganda | amayengo | ||
| Sepedi | lephoto | ||
| Twi (Akan) | him | ||
Wave in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | موجة | ||
| The word "موجة" (wave) in Arabic is derived from the root "وج" (to push or move), suggesting its association with the motion of water. | |||
| Hebrew | גַל | ||
| The root of the word גַל ('wave') in Hebrew is גלל ('roll, whirl'), and it is also the root of the word גלגל ('wheel'). | |||
| Pashto | څپې | ||
| The word "څپې" also means "splash" or "splashing" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | موجة | ||
| The word "موجة" (wave) in Arabic is derived from the root "وج" (to push or move), suggesting its association with the motion of water. | |||
Wave in Western European Languages
| Albanian | valë | ||
| Albanian “valë” is probably borrowed from Latin “volna” or Old Slavic “volna”. As in many Indo-European languages, this word originally referred also to "wool" and is related to the Latin “vellus”. | |||
| Basque | olatu | ||
| The word "olatu" in Basque derives from the Proto-Basque form *olattu, which may stem from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to push, drive, roll". | |||
| Catalan | onada | ||
| The word "onada" in Catalan also means "a large amount of something that comes suddenly or unexpectedly". | |||
| Croatian | val | ||
| The Croatian word "val" is derived from the Proto-Slavic "vъlna", also meaning "wave." | |||
| Danish | bølge | ||
| The word "bølge" is derived from the Proto-Germanic *bulgijō, meaning "swelling" or "bulge". | |||
| Dutch | golf | ||
| The Dutch word 'golf' can also refer to a large, long-haired sheepdog, a hairstyle with bangs, or a golf course. | |||
| English | wave | ||
| The word 'wave' can also refer to a curl of hair, a ripple in the fabric of spacetime, or a surge in public sentiment. | |||
| French | vague | ||
| The French word "vague" (wave) also means "vague" (imprecise) in English. | |||
| Frisian | weach | ||
| In some regions, "weach" is also used to denote a ripple or a shallow depression on land. | |||
| Galician | onda | ||
| In Galician, "onda" can also mean "fashion" or "trend". | |||
| German | welle | ||
| In surfing, the word "Welle" used to describe a "tube" or "barrel" ridden by the surfer. | |||
| Icelandic | veifa | ||
| The word "veifa" in Icelandic not only means "wave" but also "weave" or "waft", reflecting its connection to the movement of water or air. | |||
| Irish | tonn | ||
| The Irish word "tonn" is related to the Welsh "ton", meaning "wave", and the Breton "tonn", meaning "barrel" or "tub". | |||
| Italian | onda | ||
| "Onda" in Italian also means "mood" or "vibe," and can refer to a positive or negative state of mind. | |||
| Luxembourgish | wellen | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "wellen" is cognate with the German word "wohlan" and the Old English word "welan", both meaning "well". | |||
| Maltese | mewġa | ||
| The Maltese word "mewġa" is derived from the Italian word "moggia", originally meaning a measure of water or an amount of wheat. | |||
| Norwegian | bølge | ||
| In Old Norse, | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | onda | ||
| In Brazilian Portuguese | |||
| Scots Gaelic | tonn | ||
| Tonn, a Gaelic wave, originates in the Proto-Indo-European word ten-, which also gave us "thunder," "tension" & "tone." | |||
| Spanish | ola | ||
| The word "ola" in Spanish originates from the Arabic word "al-mawj" meaning "water in motion". | |||
| Swedish | vinka | ||
| The word "vinka" also means to wave goodbye in Swedish, as in "vinka av". | |||
| Welsh | ton | ||
| The Welsh word "ton" can also mean "tune" or "sound", reflecting its association with the rhythmic motion of waves. | |||
Wave in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | хваля | ||
| The word "хваля" can also refer to the water body affected by waves, a lake or sea. | |||
| Bosnian | talasa | ||
| The word "talasa" is of Greek origin and is related to the word "thalassa," meaning "sea". | |||
| Bulgarian | вълна | ||
| The word "вълна" can also refer to wool or a type of fabric made from wool. | |||
| Czech | mávat | ||
| The Czech word 'mávat' also means 'to flap'. | |||
| Estonian | laine | ||
| "Laine" is likely to originate from the Finnish language, where it was used to describe water in general. | |||
| Finnish | aalto | ||
| The word 'aalto' in Finnish is cognate with the Estonian word 'aald' meaning 'undulation' and the Old Prussian word 'alton', meaning 'wave' and is probably also related to the Proto-Germanic word *altjaz, meaning 'wave', and to the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂el-, meaning 'to flow'. | |||
| Hungarian | hullám | ||
| "Hullám" not only denotes a wave but can also refer to the hull of a boat or a ripple effect. | |||
| Latvian | vilnis | ||
| The word “vilnis” may have originated from Proto-Baltic, where “wilnis” meant “boiling water”. In Old Prussian, the word was “wilnis” and also meant “wave” and “sea”. | |||
| Lithuanian | banga | ||
| The term "banga" is also a Lithuanian colloquialism for a strong emotion, particularly one that is sudden and overwhelming. | |||
| Macedonian | бран | ||
| {"text": "The Slavic word "bran" also carries the meaning of "battlefield" or "fight," suggesting its role in tumultuous events."} | |||
| Polish | fala | ||
| In Polish, "fala" also means a musical phrase or a ripple effect. | |||
| Romanian | val | ||
| The Romanian word "val" likely originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *wel-, meaning "to turn" or "to roll". | |||
| Russian | волна | ||
| Besides "wave", "волна" can also mean "hair" or figuratively "a large amount of something" in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | талас | ||
| The Serbian word "талас" also has a alternate meaning: a roll or coil.} | |||
| Slovak | mávať | ||
| The word mávať also has the alternate meaning of 'to gesture' in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | val | ||
| The word "val" in Slovenian can also refer to a ripple, a ridge, or a furrow. | |||
| Ukrainian | хвиля | ||
| "Khvilya" also means a riot or popular unrest. | |||
Wave in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | waveেউ | ||
| The word "wave" in Bengali, "waveেউ" (pronounced "o-bey"), can also mean "wind" or "current of water". | |||
| Gujarati | તરંગ | ||
| "તરંગ" is also a term used to refer to a state of mental calmness and tranquility in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | लहर | ||
| The word 'लहर' (wave) in Hindi is also used in a figurative sense to refer to a surge or flow of emotion or enthusiasm. | |||
| Kannada | ಅಲೆ | ||
| "ಅಲೆ" in Kannada comes from the Sanskrit word "alam," which also means "boundary" or "edge". | |||
| Malayalam | തരംഗം | ||
| The word | |||
| Marathi | लाट | ||
| The Marathi word "लाट" (wave) is derived from the Sanskrit word "लट" (creeping), which also refers to a woman's long, flowing hair. | |||
| Nepali | लहर | ||
| The word "लहर" can also mean "rhythm" or "beat" in Nepali music. | |||
| Punjabi | ਲਹਿਰ | ||
| ਲਹਿਰ (Laher) can also refer to a wave or motion on the surface of a liquid, like water or oil. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | රැල්ල | ||
| In folklore, රැල්ල is also used to refer to the water that carries boats. | |||
| Tamil | அலை | ||
| The Tamil word 'அலை' ('wave') also refers to a type of traditional dance performed in Tamil Nadu. | |||
| Telugu | అల | ||
| The Telugu word "అల" can also mean "ripple", "surge", or "undulation". | |||
| Urdu | لہر | ||
| The word "لہر" has other meanings in Urdu, including "desire" and "emotion." | |||
Wave in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 波 | ||
| The original form of "波" was the shape of water ripples; now refers to water, light, and sound | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 波 | ||
| 「波」最早指「水波」，引申為「波浪狀的起伏」，後又引申為「波動」、「波紋」等義。 | |||
| Japanese | 波 | ||
| The word "波" also means "ripple" or "undulation" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 웨이브 | ||
| "웨이브" in Korean also means "to wave one's hand" or "to beckon someone" | |||
| Mongolian | давалгаа, долгио | ||
| The Mongolian word “давалгаа, долгио” is also used to mean “ripple” in water. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လှိုင်း | ||
Wave in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | gelombang | ||
| "Gelombang" also means "a fluctuation in a medium (especially air, water, or ether)." | |||
| Javanese | ombak | ||
| In Javanese, “ombak” not only refers to ocean waves, but also represents undulating movements, including those of the body. | |||
| Khmer | រលក | ||
| The Khmer word "រលក" can also mean "ripple" or "undulation". | |||
| Lao | ຄື້ນ | ||
| The Lao word "ຄື້ນ" can also mean "to shake" or "to move back and forth". | |||
| Malay | gelombang | ||
| "Gelombang" is also used in Malay to mean "wave of emotion" or "wave of change". | |||
| Thai | คลื่น | ||
| คลื่น derives from Sanskritคล (klan) meaning “sound” and Proto-Austronesian *quluŋ meaning “ripple”. | |||
| Vietnamese | làn sóng | ||
| While "làn sóng" literally translates to "layer of water", it can also refer to a crowd, usually in a derogatory sense. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kumaway | ||
Wave in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dalğa | ||
| In Azerbaijani, "dalğa" also has the alternate meaning of "noise, commotion, or fuss". | |||
| Kazakh | толқын | ||
| The word "толқын" can also refer to a "ripple" or a "surge" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | толкун | ||
| In Kyrgyz, "толкун" can also refer to a type of folk dance or a ripple effect. | |||
| Tajik | мавҷи | ||
| In English, the word wave originates from the Old English word "wæg" and from the Proto-Germanic word "*wēgą," meaning "to move up and down, to sway." | |||
| Turkmen | tolkun | ||
| Uzbek | to'lqin | ||
| Uyghur | دولقۇن | ||
Wave in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | nalu | ||
| "Nalu" derives from the Proto-Austronesian words "*calu" ("to flow") and "*walu" ("to wave"). | |||
| Maori | ngaru | ||
| Ngaru is also a type of freshwater mussel, thought to have been named after the sound it makes when opened. | |||
| Samoan | galu | ||
| In Samoan, the word "galu" can also mean "to move in a wave-like motion" or "to undulate". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kumaway | ||
| Kumaway is a word in Tagalog that means "wave" and is also used as a farewell gesture. | |||
Wave in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kamisaki | ||
| Guarani | ypyu'ã | ||
Wave in International Languages
| Esperanto | ondo | ||
| Esperanto's "ondo" has separate etymologies for its meanings of "wave" (derived from Latin) and "electricity" (derived from Greek). | |||
| Latin | fluctus | ||
| "Fluctus" can mean "gush of liquid" or "stream". | |||
Wave in Others Languages
| Greek | κύμα | ||
| The word "κύμα" (wave) in Greek also means "a swelling" or "an elevation". | |||
| Hmong | yoj | ||
| The Hmong word "yoj" not only means "wave", but also carries the connotation of ripples or vibrations. | |||
| Kurdish | pêl | ||
| Pêl can also denote 'a mass of something', such as the 'pel' of water | |||
| Turkish | dalga | ||
| The word "dalga" also refers to a ripple effect in liquids and has a figurative meaning of "stir, hype". | |||
| Xhosa | wave | ||
| Some isiXhosa dialects use the word 'wave' to also refer to a 'crest' or 'peak'. | |||
| Yiddish | כוואַליע | ||
| The Yiddish word 'khvalie' originated from the German 'welle', meaning 'wave', and shares the same root with the Russian 'volna'. | |||
| Zulu | igagasi | ||
| Igagasi in Zulu also refers to a type of small sea fish | |||
| Assamese | সোঁত | ||
| Aymara | kamisaki | ||
| Bhojpuri | लहर | ||
| Dhivehi | ރާޅު | ||
| Dogri | लैहर | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kumaway | ||
| Guarani | ypyu'ã | ||
| Ilocano | alon | ||
| Krio | wev | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | شەپۆڵ | ||
| Maithili | लहर | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯔꯩ | ||
| Mizo | vai | ||
| Oromo | dambalii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ତରଙ୍ଗ | ||
| Quechua | ola | ||
| Sanskrit | तरंगं | ||
| Tatar | дулкын | ||
| Tigrinya | ማዕበል | ||
| Tsonga | gandlati | ||