Weak in Different Languages
Discover 'Weak' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'weak' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, often used to describe a lack of strength or power. But its implications extend far beyond the physical, encompassing emotional, mental, and moral spheres as well. From a cultural perspective, perceptions of weakness vary greatly across societies, with some valuing vulnerability as a sign of authenticity and others viewing it as a liability.
Given the complexity of this concept, it's no surprise that the word 'weak' has a rich history and a multitude of translations in different languages. For instance, in Spanish, 'weak' translates to 'débil', while in French, it becomes 'faible'. In German, the word is 'schwach', and in Japanese, '弱い' (yowai).
Understanding these translations can offer valuable insights into how other cultures view and approach weakness, making it a fascinating topic for language enthusiasts and cultural observers alike.
Weak
Weak in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | swak | ||
| The Afrikaans word "swak" is thought to have originated from the Dutch word "zwak", which also means "weak", or the Old English word "swāc", which means "pliant". | |||
| Amharic | ደካማ | ||
| The word "ደካማ" in Amharic also means "thin" or "lean". | |||
| Hausa | mai rauni | ||
| Mai rauni is also used to refer to a person who is not physically strong, or who is sick. | |||
| Igbo | adịghị ike | ||
| Malagasy | malemy | ||
| "Malemy" can also mean "humble". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ofooka | ||
| The word 'ofooka' can also mean 'inferior' or 'lowly' in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | kushaya simba | ||
| In Shona, 'kushaya simba' can also refer to a person who is easily intimidated or lacks confidence. | |||
| Somali | daciif ah | ||
| Sesotho | fokola | ||
| The Sesotho word "fokola" can also mean "to be sick" or "to be unable to do something." | |||
| Swahili | dhaifu | ||
| Dhaifu can also refer to a person who is disabled or sick. | |||
| Xhosa | buthathaka | ||
| Yoruba | alailera | ||
| The word "alailera" can be extended to mean "feeble" or "lacking energy." | |||
| Zulu | buthakathaka | ||
| In an alternate sense, a buthakathaka can refer to a person who is sickly or frail. | |||
| Bambara | fɛgɛnman | ||
| Ewe | gbᴐdzᴐ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | abanyantege nke | ||
| Lingala | kolemba | ||
| Luganda | obunafu | ||
| Sepedi | fokola | ||
| Twi (Akan) | mrɛ | ||
Weak in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ضعيف | ||
| The word "ضعيف" can also mean "ill" or "feeble" and is derived from the root "ضعف" meaning "to be weak or feeble." | |||
| Hebrew | חלש | ||
| The Hebrew word "חלש" (chalash) also means "to be ill" or "to be faint". | |||
| Pashto | ضعیف | ||
| The word "ضعیف" (pronounced "zayeef") is derived from the Arabic word "ضعف" (pronounced "zu'f"), which means "weakness" or "feebleness". | |||
| Arabic | ضعيف | ||
| The word "ضعيف" can also mean "ill" or "feeble" and is derived from the root "ضعف" meaning "to be weak or feeble." | |||
Weak in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i dobët | ||
| In Albanian, the word "i dobët" can also refer to a person who is easily deceived or manipulated. | |||
| Basque | ahula | ||
| The word "ahula" in Basque can also mean "fragile" or "delicate." | |||
| Catalan | feble | ||
| The Catalan word "feble" has Latin origins and can also mean "feeble-minded" or "foolish." | |||
| Croatian | slab | ||
| In Croatian the word "slab" can also mean "thin" or "slim". | |||
| Danish | svag | ||
| The Danish word "svag" can also refer to something that is flimsy, frail, or delicate. | |||
| Dutch | zwak | ||
| The word | |||
| English | weak | ||
| The word "weak" shares the same Germanic root as "wick" and "wicker" as something that can be twisted or woven. | |||
| French | faible | ||
| The French word "faible" can also mean "a preference" or "failing". | |||
| Frisian | swak | ||
| The Frisian word "swak" is related to the Old English word "swican", meaning "to deceive" or "to betray". | |||
| Galician | débil | ||
| «Débil» en gallego también puede significar «delicado» o «afectuoso». | |||
| German | schwach | ||
| "Schwach" also means "faint" and is related to the English word "swank" | |||
| Icelandic | veikburða | ||
| The word "veikburða" has an alternate meaning: "the one who is the weakest in a group" or "the one who is the least able to carry out a task". | |||
| Irish | lag | ||
| In Irish, "lag" can also refer to a lazy or slow person or a burden. | |||
| Italian | debole | ||
| "Debole" shares an etymology with "debilitate": both stem from a word that meant "to break in two." | |||
| Luxembourgish | schwaach | ||
| Maltese | dgħajjef | ||
| The Maltese word "dgħajjef" is derived from the Arabic word "ḍaʿeef", which also means "low" or "inferior". | |||
| Norwegian | svak | ||
| The word "svak" in Norwegian also refers to "a person of low social standing". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | fraco | ||
| The word "fraco" originally meant "fragile" or "delicate", and is related to the Latin word "frangere" (to break). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | lag | ||
| The word "lag" in Scots Gaelic can also mean "to be behind" or "to be slow". | |||
| Spanish | débiles | ||
| “Débil” means “feeble” or “weak” in Spanish but was originally used in the 13th century to describe “an evil or malicious intention”. | |||
| Swedish | svag | ||
| "Svag" ("weak") also means "inconsistent," "vacillating," "timid," "faint," "low," "pale," "insipid," and "poor." | |||
| Welsh | gwan | ||
| In Welsh, "gwan" can also refer to a "fault" or a "defect". | |||
Weak in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | слабы | ||
| The word "слабы" in Belarusian can also refer to a feeble person or something lacking in strength. | |||
| Bosnian | slaba | ||
| "Slaba" in Bosnian also refers to a syllable. | |||
| Bulgarian | слаб | ||
| The word "слаб" (slav) in Bulgarian also means "bad" or "inadequate". | |||
| Czech | slabý | ||
| The word "slabý" is also used to describe something that is thin or flat, or to refer to a person who is frail or feeble. | |||
| Estonian | nõrk | ||
| The word "nõrk" is also used to refer to something that is not strong enough or is lacking in some way. | |||
| Finnish | heikko | ||
| The word "heikko" is derived from the Proto-Finnic "*heikku," meaning "frail" or "feeble." | |||
| Hungarian | gyenge | ||
| The Hungarian word "gyenge" also has roots in the Turkish language, where it means "fine, small, thin" | |||
| Latvian | vājš | ||
| The Latvian word “vājš” comes from an older Indo-European root, *weg-, which also appears in Sanskrit and other related languages, where it meant “to move, shake, or tremble.” | |||
| Lithuanian | silpnas | ||
| The word „silpnas“ also means "lazy" in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | слаб | ||
| The word "слаб" (slah) in Macedonian also means "meek" or "gentle". | |||
| Polish | słaby | ||
| The etymology of **słaby** is likely related to the Proto-Slavic word *slabъ*, meaning "faint" or "sickly". | |||
| Romanian | slab | ||
| The word "slab" also means a block or flat piece, especially of stone or concrete. | |||
| Russian | слабый | ||
| In Russian, the word "слабый" also means "dizzy" or "sick". | |||
| Serbian | слаб | ||
| The word "слаб" (weak) in Serbian shares an etymology with "славан" (glorious) and "слава" (glory), implying a connection between strength and honor. | |||
| Slovak | slabý | ||
| "Slabý" is also used in Slovak to refer to something that is thin or flat, like a slab of meat or a slab of rock. | |||
| Slovenian | šibka | ||
| The word 'šibka' is also a noun meaning 'lever' in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | слабкий | ||
| The Ukrainian word "слабкий" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *slabъ, meaning "weak, feeble, or thin." | |||
Weak in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | দুর্বল | ||
| The term "দুর্বল" (weak) in Bengali can also refer to a person who is timid or lacking in confidence. | |||
| Gujarati | નબળું | ||
| The word 'નબળું' comes from the Sanskrit word 'नर्वल' which means 'feeble', 'delicate' or 'soft'. | |||
| Hindi | कमज़ोर | ||
| In Hindi, कमज़ोर can also mean 'feeble', 'delicate', 'unfit', 'fragile', or 'susceptible to being overcome'. | |||
| Kannada | ದುರ್ಬಲ | ||
| The word "ದುರ್ಬಲ" in Kannada can also mean "unstable" or "unsteady". | |||
| Malayalam | ദുർബലമാണ് | ||
| Marathi | कमकुवत | ||
| The word "कमकुवत" in Marathi can also mean "impotent" or "ineffective". | |||
| Nepali | कमजोर | ||
| The term 'कमजोर' is related to 'कम' meaning less and 'जोर' meaning force. | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਮਜ਼ੋਰ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | දුර්වල | ||
| The word "දුර්වල" ("weak") in Sinhala (Sinhalese) is derived from the Sanskrit word "दुर्बल" ("weak"), which is itself a compound of "दुः" ("bad") and "बल" ("strength"). | |||
| Tamil | பலவீனமான | ||
| The Tamil word "பலவீனமான" (palaveenamaana) derives from the Sanskrit "balavam" meaning "strong," and thus implies a reversal or deficiency of strength. | |||
| Telugu | బలహీనమైన | ||
| Urdu | کمزور | ||
| The word "کمزور" in Urdu derives from the Arabic word "قمر" meaning "moon" and can also mean "delicate" or "fragile". | |||
Weak in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 弱 | ||
| "弱" also means "small" or "young" in Chinese. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 弱 | ||
| The word "弱" also means "beautiful" or "charming" when used in a literary context. | |||
| Japanese | 弱い | ||
| "弱い" can also mean 'immature' or 'unfavorable' depending on context. | |||
| Korean | 약한 | ||
| The Sino-Korean word 약한 can also mean slow or dull. | |||
| Mongolian | сул | ||
| The Mongolian word "сул" also means "left" or "inauspicious". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အားနည်းနေ | ||
| အားနည်းနေ is a Burmese word that originally meant "to become thin or frail," but now more commonly means "to become weak" or "to lose strength." | |||
Weak in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | lemah | ||
| The Javanese word also has a sense of 'deference', and in the Bugis language means 'unripe' | |||
| Javanese | ringkih | ||
| The word "ringkih" in Javanese shares its etymology with the word "ringkih" in Indonesian, both meaning "brittle". | |||
| Khmer | ខ្សោយ | ||
| The word "ខ្សោយ" in Khmer can also refer to a lack of vigour, strength, or energy. | |||
| Lao | ອ່ອນແອ | ||
| Malay | lemah | ||
| The Malay word | |||
| Thai | อ่อนแอ | ||
| The word "อ่อนแอ" can also mean "tender" or "mellow" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | yếu | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mahina | ||
Weak in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | zəif | ||
| "Zəif" (weak) derives from Arabic and means "deficient", "poor", or "feeble". | |||
| Kazakh | әлсіз | ||
| The Kazakh word "әлсіз" is also used to describe someone who is powerless, or lacks authority. | |||
| Kyrgyz | алсыз | ||
| Tajik | суст | ||
| The word "суст" is derived from the Persian word "سست" (sust), which means "weak, feeble, or languid". | |||
| Turkmen | gowşak | ||
| Uzbek | zaif | ||
| In Uzbek, the word “zaif” shares roots with “zajf” in Arabic, “zəif” in Persian, and “zafi” in Tajiki, all with the same original meaning of 'feeble' or 'weak'. | |||
| Uyghur | ئاجىز | ||
Weak in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | nawaliwali | ||
| The word 'nawaliwali' in Hawaiian can also mean 'fragile' or 'susceptible to breakage'. | |||
| Maori | ngoikore | ||
| The word "ngoikore" comes from the Proto-Polynesian root *ngoi-, meaning "to break," and it also has the alternate meaning of "without foundation." | |||
| Samoan | vaivai | ||
| The word "vaivai" in Samoan not only means "weak," but also "frail," "delicate," or "feeble." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | mahina na | ||
| The word "mahina" can also mean "thin" or "frail" in Tagalog. | |||
Weak in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | t'ukha | ||
| Guarani | kangy | ||
Weak in International Languages
| Esperanto | malforta | ||
| Latin | infirmi | ||
| The Latin word "infirmi" originates from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₁enp-" (to weaken) and is related to the Sanskrit word "abala" (weak) and the Old English word "unfæle" (weak, feeble). | |||
Weak in Others Languages
| Greek | αδύναμος | ||
| The word 'αδύναμος' is derived from the root 'δυνα-' meaning 'power', and originally meant 'unable' or 'powerless'. | |||
| Hmong | tsis muaj zog | ||
| The Hmong word "tsis muaj zog" also means "without strength" or "lacking energy." | |||
| Kurdish | qels | ||
| The word "qels" in Kurdish can also refer to a "soft" or "gentle" quality or a "lack of strength". | |||
| Turkish | güçsüz | ||
| The word "güçsüz" can also refer to "powerless" or "helpless". | |||
| Xhosa | buthathaka | ||
| Yiddish | שוואַך | ||
| שװאַך is also used in Yiddish to mean “crazy” and is perhaps derived from the German word schwächlich, which means “feeble.” | |||
| Zulu | buthakathaka | ||
| In an alternate sense, a buthakathaka can refer to a person who is sickly or frail. | |||
| Assamese | দুৰ্বল | ||
| Aymara | t'ukha | ||
| Bhojpuri | कमजोर | ||
| Dhivehi | ވަރުދެރަ | ||
| Dogri | कमजोर | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mahina | ||
| Guarani | kangy | ||
| Ilocano | nakapsot | ||
| Krio | wik | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | لاواز | ||
| Maithili | कमजोर | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯁꯣꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | chak lo | ||
| Oromo | dadhabaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଦୁର୍ବଳ | ||
| Quechua | unpu | ||
| Sanskrit | सप्ताहः | ||
| Tatar | зәгыйфь | ||
| Tigrinya | ድኹም | ||
| Tsonga | vevuka | ||