Way in Different Languages
Discover 'Way' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'way' is a small but powerful term, holding great significance in various cultures and languages. It can refer to a road or path, a manner or method, or even a philosophical concept of a person's journey through life. Its cultural importance is evident in literature, music, and art, where 'the way' often symbolizes a journey, a process of self-discovery, or a path to enlightenment.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'way' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the unique perspectives of various cultures. For instance, in Japanese, 'way' translates to 'do' (道), reflecting the country's emphasis on discipline and practice in various arts and activities. Meanwhile, in Spanish, 'way' translates to 'manera' (manera), emphasizing the manner or style in which something is done.
With this in mind, let's explore some of the many translations of 'way' in different languages, shedding light on the unique cultural perspectives and linguistic nuances that shape our understanding of this versatile term.
Way
Way in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | manier | ||
| The word "manier" (way) in Afrikaans derives from the Dutch "manier" (manner), and can also refer to fashion or style. | |||
| Amharic | መንገድ | ||
| "መንገድ" also means "method" or "path" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | hanya | ||
| "Hanya" in old Hausa meant "a track in the bush followed by animals or hunters," implying a hidden, indirect approach. | |||
| Igbo | ụzọ | ||
| The word 'ụzọ' in Igbo can also mean 'method', 'process', or 'manner' | |||
| Malagasy | lalana | ||
| The Malagasy word "lalana" can also refer to a space, road, street, or journey. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | njira | ||
| The word 'njira' can also mean 'road' or 'path' in some contexts. | |||
| Shona | nzira | ||
| The word 'nzira' may come from the Proto-Bantu root *-jila 'road, path'. | |||
| Somali | jidka | ||
| The word "jidka" is derived from the Arabic word "al-tariq", meaning "the path". | |||
| Sesotho | tsela | ||
| Tsela can also refer to a path, road, or manner in which something is done. | |||
| Swahili | njia | ||
| The word "njia" in Swahili can also mean "manner" or "method". | |||
| Xhosa | indlela | ||
| The word 'indlela' means 'path, manner of acting' and is also related to 'indlebele' (ear), indicating that the path of the ear leads to wisdom. | |||
| Yoruba | ọna | ||
| "Ọna" also means "manner" or "method". | |||
| Zulu | indlela | ||
| The Zulu word "indlela" is derived from the Proto-Bantu word "ndela", meaning "path" or "route". In addition to its literal meaning, "indlela" can also be used metaphorically to refer to a person's destiny or life path. | |||
| Bambara | cogo | ||
| Ewe | mᴐ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | inzira | ||
| Lingala | nzela | ||
| Luganda | engeri | ||
| Sepedi | tsela | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kwan | ||
Way in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الطريق | ||
| The term, derived from the root (t-r-q), is used metaphorically to mean method, path, manner, custom, style, and doctrine in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | דֶרֶך | ||
| "דֶרֶך" also means "direction", "method" or "manner", as in "הדרך שבה עושים את זה" ("the way it's done"). | |||
| Pashto | لاره | ||
| لاره (way) is also a Pashto word for a path, journey, method, manner, style, and mode. | |||
| Arabic | الطريق | ||
| The term, derived from the root (t-r-q), is used metaphorically to mean method, path, manner, custom, style, and doctrine in Arabic. | |||
Way in Western European Languages
| Albanian | mënyrë | ||
| The etymology of "mënyrë" is uncertain, but it may be related to the Proto-Albanian word "*monra" meaning "path" or "road". | |||
| Basque | bidea | ||
| The word "bidea" can also mean "method" or "process" in Basque | |||
| Catalan | manera | ||
| "Manera" comes from Latin "manus+" (hand) and "-arius" (related to), so it originally meant "handling" or "technique" | |||
| Croatian | put | ||
| The Croatian word "put" also means "road". | |||
| Danish | vej | ||
| The Danish word "vej" is also a cognate of the English word "weigh", sharing the same root meaning of "to go" or "to carry". | |||
| Dutch | manier | ||
| Some Dutch compound words including | |||
| English | way | ||
| In the late 14th century, “way” also came to mean “manner” or “method” — the way that something is done. | |||
| French | façon | ||
| The word "façon" in French has Latin origins, and its root "facere" means "to make" or "to do," which gives it a broader meaning of "manner" or "style." | |||
| Frisian | wei | ||
| The word 'wei' in Frisian can also mean 'path', 'road', or 'course'. | |||
| Galician | camiño | ||
| In addition to meaning "road", "camiño" also refers to the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago de Compostela. | |||
| German | weg | ||
| The word "Weg" derives from a Proto-Germanic term *wegą or *wegaz and is cognate with Sanskrit "vaha" meaning "to transport." | |||
| Icelandic | leið | ||
| In Icelandic, the word "leið" has two alternate meanings: 1. sorrow or grief, and 2. a group of people or animals traveling together. | |||
| Irish | bhealach | ||
| The word "bhealach" can also refer to a mountain pass or a difficult path. | |||
| Italian | modo | ||
| "Modo" is borrowed from the Latin word "modus" meaning "manner", "method", or "fashion" | |||
| Luxembourgish | manéier | ||
| Manéier is borrowed from a Germanic word for 'manner' and also means 'action' or 'activity'. | |||
| Maltese | mod | ||
| The word "mod" in Maltese is derived from the Italian word "modo", meaning "manner" or "way", and is also used to refer to a particular style or fashion. | |||
| Norwegian | vei | ||
| The word "vei" can also refer to a toll or a road tax. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | caminho | ||
| In Portuguese, "caminho" can also mean "destination"} | |||
| Scots Gaelic | dòigh | ||
| The Gaelic word 'dòigh' has several meanings, including 'way,' 'manner,' and 'method.' | |||
| Spanish | camino | ||
| In Spanish, 'camino' also means 'road' or 'journey', and shares its etymology with 'chimney' as it originally referred to an 'open fire'. | |||
| Swedish | sätt | ||
| The word "sätt" can also refer to a method, manner, or style. | |||
| Welsh | ffordd | ||
| The Welsh word "ffordd" has the same meaning as "ford" in English and "via" in Latin. | |||
Way in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | шлях | ||
| In many contexts, the Belarusian word “шлях” could be translated as the English “path”, as “шлях” may refer to smaller roads connecting settlements. | |||
| Bosnian | način | ||
| The word "način" in Bosnian can also refer to a "method" or "manner" of doing something. | |||
| Bulgarian | начин | ||
| "Начин" may also refer to "payment" or "fashion". | |||
| Czech | způsob | ||
| The Czech word "způsob" is also used to refer to a "kind" or "type" | |||
| Estonian | tee | ||
| In some Estonian dialects, "tee" means a "track" or a "footpath". | |||
| Finnish | tapa | ||
| In Finnish, "tapa" can also refer to a method, a custom, or a habit. | |||
| Hungarian | út | ||
| The word "út" also means "voyage" and originally meant "something that can be traversed". | |||
| Latvian | veidā | ||
| The word "veidā" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *weyd-, meaning "to go". | |||
| Lithuanian | būdu | ||
| The word "būdu" in Lithuanian is also used to refer to the concept of "being" or "existence." | |||
| Macedonian | начин | ||
| The word "начин" also means "manner" and "method" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | sposób | ||
| The word "sposób" can also mean "method" or "manner" in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | cale | ||
| In Romanian, «cale» originates from the Slavic word for «path» but also refers to a «road», «journey», «manner», «method», and a «musical scale». | |||
| Russian | путь | ||
| The Russian word "путь" can also refer to a "pathway" or a "route". | |||
| Serbian | начин | ||
| The word "начин" ("way") in Serbian also refers to a style, manner, or method of doing something. | |||
| Slovak | spôsobom | ||
| "Spôsobom" comes from the Slavic root *sobъ, which also appears in words like "способ" (Russian), "sposób" (Polish), and "spůsob" (Czech). | |||
| Slovenian | način | ||
| In Serbo-Croatian, the word 'način' also means 'manner,' 'style,' 'custom,' 'habit,' 'fashion,' 'method,' 'practice,' 'procedure,' or 'technique.' | |||
| Ukrainian | шлях | ||
| The Ukrainian word 'шлях' also means 'fate', 'track' or 'road' | |||
Way in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | উপায় | ||
| The word "উপায়" also means "means", "method", "resource", or "remedy" in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | માર્ગ | ||
| The word "માર્ગ" in Gujarati can also mean "method". | |||
| Hindi | मार्ग | ||
| 'Marg' in Hindi can refer to a path, a route, a journey, a method, a principle, a doctrine, a religion, or a scripture. | |||
| Kannada | ದಾರಿ | ||
| ದಾರಿ means "way," "path," or "road," and is derived from the Sanskrit word "dhāra," meaning "to take, draw, and carry." | |||
| Malayalam | വഴി | ||
| The word "വഴി" ("way") in Malayalam can also mean "method", "process", or "approach". | |||
| Marathi | मार्ग | ||
| In Sanskrit, 'मार्ग' ('way') refers to a type of knowledge, like the Yoga system. | |||
| Nepali | बाटो | ||
| Nepali 'बाटो' is related to the Hindi 'path' and the English 'foot,' signifying its original meaning as a path for walking. | |||
| Punjabi | ਤਰੀਕਾ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਤਰੀਕਾ" ('way') shares the same root as 'tariqa' in Urdu and Arabic, and 'tor' in Pashto, all of which refer to 'path' or 'method'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මාර්ගය | ||
| The word "මාර්ගය" (way) in Sinhala has a deeper etymology and alternate meanings relating to paths, paths of life, and the pursuit of knowledge. | |||
| Tamil | வழி | ||
| In Tamil, | |||
| Telugu | మార్గం | ||
| In Telugu, 'మార్గం' has the same meaning as 'way', but it can also refer to a road or path. | |||
| Urdu | راستہ | ||
| Rastah, an Urdu word meaning way, can also refer to the Rastafari movement and culture originating in Jamaica. | |||
Way in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 道路 | ||
| 道路 ('way' in Chinese) literally means 'earth' (土) that has been 'stepped on' (道). | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 方式 | ||
| "方式" can also refer to "style" or "manner". In Japanese, "方式" means "method" or "procedure". | |||
| Japanese | 仕方 | ||
| The word "仕方" also means "remedy" or "help" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 방법 | ||
| The word "방법" also means "method" or "procedure" in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | арга зам | ||
| The term "арга зам" can also refer to a path or a method. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လမ်း | ||
| လမ်း (way) can also mean path, method, manner, fashion, style, way or means, way out, and way of living. | |||
Way in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | cara | ||
| In Balinese, "cara" also means "to love" or "to like." | |||
| Javanese | cara | ||
| The word "cara" in Javanese can also mean "to try" or "to do something" | |||
| Khmer | វិធី | ||
| "វិធី" can also refer to a law or regulation. | |||
| Lao | ທາງ | ||
| In Lao, ທາງ ("thang") means "way" but also refers to "direction" or "route". | |||
| Malay | cara | ||
| The word "cara" also means "method" or "technique" in Malay. | |||
| Thai | ทาง | ||
| In Northern Thai, ทาง may also refer to a village, while in the South it may mean 'exit'. | |||
| Vietnamese | đường | ||
| Besides meaning “road”, the word đường is also used to refer to sugar in Vietnamese | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paraan | ||
Way in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | yol | ||
| The word "yol" also means "path, road, course, track, direction, line, channel, method, means, process, procedure, system, and rule, principle, or law. | |||
| Kazakh | жол | ||
| In Kazakh, "жол" not only means "way" but also "road" and "path". | |||
| Kyrgyz | жол | ||
| "Жол" in Kyrgyz can also refer to a road, path, route, journey, direction, or means. | |||
| Tajik | роҳ | ||
| In Tajik, "роҳ" ("way") can also refer to a "method", "manner", or "path". | |||
| Turkmen | ýol | ||
| Uzbek | yo'l | ||
| The word "yo'l" can also mean "method" or "means" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | way | ||
Way in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ala | ||
| The Hawaiian word "ala" can also mean "path", "manner", or "means". | |||
| Maori | ara | ||
| Ara is a Maori word for 'way' that is cognate with the Polynesian word 'ala', meaning 'path' or 'road'. | |||
| Samoan | ala | ||
| The Samoan word "ala" also means "route" or "path" and is related to the word "alatele" meaning "to travel". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | paraan | ||
Way in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | phurma | ||
| Guarani | mba'éichapa | ||
Way in International Languages
| Esperanto | vojo | ||
| "Vojo" can also mean "method" or "manner" in Esperanto, which is related to its original meaning of "way to achieve something". | |||
| Latin | ita | ||
| "Ita" also means "thus" and "so" in Latin. | |||
Way in Others Languages
| Greek | τρόπος | ||
| The word 'τρόπος' (way) also means 'manner' in Greek, similar to the French word 'manière'. | |||
| Hmong | txoj kev | ||
| The word "txoj kev" (way) in Hmong can also mean "method" or "process". | |||
| Kurdish | rê | ||
| The word "rê" in Kurdish can also refer to a "manner" or "method". | |||
| Turkish | yol | ||
| "Yol" derives from the Proto-Turkic word "yol" meaning "path, direction, method" and cognate with Mongolian "zol" meaning "road, path, way." | |||
| Xhosa | indlela | ||
| The word 'indlela' means 'path, manner of acting' and is also related to 'indlebele' (ear), indicating that the path of the ear leads to wisdom. | |||
| Yiddish | וועג | ||
| The Yiddish word "וועג" can also mean "direction," "route," or "road." | |||
| Zulu | indlela | ||
| The Zulu word "indlela" is derived from the Proto-Bantu word "ndela", meaning "path" or "route". In addition to its literal meaning, "indlela" can also be used metaphorically to refer to a person's destiny or life path. | |||
| Assamese | পথ | ||
| Aymara | phurma | ||
| Bhojpuri | राहि | ||
| Dhivehi | ގޮތް | ||
| Dogri | बत्त | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paraan | ||
| Guarani | mba'éichapa | ||
| Ilocano | wagas | ||
| Krio | we | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | رێگا | ||
| Maithili | रास्ता | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯝꯕꯤ | ||
| Mizo | kawng | ||
| Oromo | karaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଉପାୟ | ||
| Quechua | ñan | ||
| Sanskrit | वीथी | ||
| Tatar | юл | ||
| Tigrinya | መንገዲ | ||
| Tsonga | ndlela | ||