Wealthy in Different Languages
Discover 'Wealthy' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'wealthy' is often associated with abundance and prosperity. It signifies not just monetary wealth, but also an abundance of resources, opportunities, and experiences. The concept of wealth has been significant throughout history, shaping societies and cultures around the world.
In many cultures, wealth is seen as a blessing, a sign of good fortune and hard work. In others, it is viewed with suspicion, as something that can lead to greed and corruption. Yet, regardless of cultural context, the allure of wealth remains a powerful force, driving people to pursue it in various ways.
Understanding the translation of 'wealthy' in different languages can provide insight into how different cultures view and value wealth. For example, in Spanish, 'wealthy' translates to 'ricos', while in French, it is 'riches'. In Mandarin, the word for 'wealthy' is '富有', which is composed of the characters for 'rich' and 'have'.
Exploring the translations of 'wealthy' in different languages can also be a fascinating way to learn about the nuances and complexities of different cultures. Join us as we delve into the many translations of 'wealthy', and discover the rich cultural contexts that underpin this simple word.
Wealthy
Wealthy in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | welgesteld | ||
| "Welgesteld" was oorspronkelijk een participium van het werkwoord "stellen" met de betekenis "goed geplaatst". | |||
| Amharic | ሀብታም | ||
| Hausa | masu arziki | ||
| The word "masu arziki" in Hausa refers to an important class of merchants in the early history of the Hausa city-states | |||
| Igbo | bara ọgaranya | ||
| The word "bara ọgaranya" in Igbo can also mean "to be free from want or debt." | |||
| Malagasy | nanan-karena | ||
| The Malagasy word "nanan-karena" originally meant "to have a lot of cattle" but now means "wealthy" in general. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | olemera | ||
| The word 'olemera' also refers to a type of fish and a large type of bird in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | kupfuma | ||
| The word "kupfuma" in Shona is derived from the root word "pfuma," which means "to thrive" or "to flourish." | |||
| Somali | hodan ah | ||
| In Somali, 'hodan ah' also signifies a 'well-behaved or cultured person'. | |||
| Sesotho | ruileng | ||
| The word "ruileng" in Sesotho can also mean "wealth" or "riches". | |||
| Swahili | tajiri | ||
| 'Tajiri' also means 'king' in Kimwera and other Bantu languages such as Nyakyusa in Njombe and Songea, Luhaya in Tanzania, Nyanja in Zambia and Malawi, Makua in northern Mozambique and Ndau in eastern Zimbabwe. | |||
| Xhosa | osisityebi | ||
| The word "osisityebi" can also refer to a person who is generous or affluent. | |||
| Yoruba | olowo | ||
| In the Yoruba language, 'olowo' is linked to the concept of 'owo', meaning money or wealth. | |||
| Zulu | abacebile | ||
| Abacebile can also refer to a person of high status or a chief. | |||
| Bambara | nafolotigiya | ||
| Ewe | gatɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | abakire | ||
| Lingala | mozwi | ||
| Luganda | obugagga | ||
| Sepedi | humile | ||
| Twi (Akan) | sikani | ||
Wealthy in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ثري | ||
| The word "ثري" also means "three" in Arabic, hence the Arabic expression "ثلاثة أثرياء" (three wealthy men) is a pun that means "the number three". | |||
| Hebrew | עָשִׁיר | ||
| עָשִׁיר also means ‘warrior’ (Isaiah 9:5); the root meaning is ‘to be strong or mighty’. | |||
| Pashto | شتمن | ||
| "شتمن" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*steh₂-", meaning "to stand", and is cognate with words like "statute" and "status" in English. | |||
| Arabic | ثري | ||
| The word "ثري" also means "three" in Arabic, hence the Arabic expression "ثلاثة أثرياء" (three wealthy men) is a pun that means "the number three". | |||
Wealthy in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i pasur | ||
| "I pasur" originates from the Proto-Albanian term "*pasur" meaning "to have" and is related to the Latin word "posse" meaning "to be able to" or "to have the power to". | |||
| Basque | aberatsa | ||
| Catalan | benestant | ||
| The word "benestant" in Catalan is derived from the Latin phrase "bene stantem", meaning "standing well" or "in good condition". | |||
| Croatian | imućan | ||
| Croatian 'imućan' derives from Proto-Slavic word 'iměti' which means 'to have, to own' and is related to English 'eminent' (someone who has wealth) and 'opulent' (wealthy and luxurious). | |||
| Danish | velhavende | ||
| The word "velhavende" is a compound of the words "vel" (well) and "havende" (having), suggesting "having much, well-off." | |||
| Dutch | rijk | ||
| The Dutch word "rijk" can also refer to empires, such as the "Verenigd Koninkrijk" (United Kingdom). | |||
| English | wealthy | ||
| The word 'wealthy' is derived from the Old English word 'welig,' which means 'rich' or 'abundant'. | |||
| French | riches | ||
| The French word "richesse" comes from the Latin word "ridicia," meaning "laughter" or "joy," suggesting that wealth was once associated with happiness. | |||
| Frisian | ryk | ||
| The word "Ryk" in Frisian can also refer to a rich or powerful person or to richness, abundance, or affluence. | |||
| Galician | rico | ||
| In Galician, "rico" can also mean "tasty" or "delicious". | |||
| German | wohlhabend | ||
| The German word "wohlhabend" derives from two Old High German words meaning "well" and "having," and also has the connotation of "well-being." | |||
| Icelandic | auðugur | ||
| In Old Norse, the word 'auðugr' also referred to a person of great importance or status. | |||
| Irish | saibhir | ||
| The word "saibhir" has its roots in the Proto-Indo-European word "seibh-", meaning "to satisfy" or "to make abundant." | |||
| Italian | ricco | ||
| While the etymology of "ricco" isn't definitively known, it's sometimes linked to the Latin word "regi" ("king"), suggesting "wealthy" and "royal" may have shared a semantic root in the minds of ancient Romans. | |||
| Luxembourgish | räich | ||
| The word "räich" in Luxembourgish has the same root as the German word "reich" and the English word "rich". | |||
| Maltese | sinjur | ||
| "Sinjur" is originally a title, cognate to Italian and Spanish "Signor." | |||
| Norwegian | rik | ||
| The word "rik" can also mean "powerful" or "mighty" in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | rico | ||
| "Rico" derives from the Latin "dives," meaning "divine"; thus, the original concept of "wealth" is "what comes from the gods". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | beairteach | ||
| The Scottish word "beairteach" comes from "beartach," which means "a man of property," from Middle Irish word "bert," which means "property," from a Proto-Celtic word "*bero-", which means “to carry, bear. | |||
| Spanish | rico | ||
| The word "rico" derives from the Latin word "recus," meaning "possessing." | |||
| Swedish | rik | ||
| The word "rik" can also mean "realm" or "kingdom" in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | cyfoethog | ||
| The word 'cyfoethog' is derived from the Proto-Celtic root *koit-, meaning 'possession, wealth'. | |||
Wealthy in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | заможны | ||
| The word "заможны" in Belarusian derives from the Proto-Slavic word "*zamogъ", meaning "capable", "able" or "strong". | |||
| Bosnian | bogat | ||
| The Bosnian word 'bogat' also means 'God' and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word '*bogъ', meaning 'God' or 'wealth'. | |||
| Bulgarian | богат | ||
| The Bulgarian word "богат" can also mean "abundant" or "fertile". | |||
| Czech | bohatý | ||
| The word "bohatý" in Czech comes from the Proto-Slavic word *bogatъ, meaning "rich in goods and property". | |||
| Estonian | jõukas | ||
| The word 'jõukas' is derived from the Proto-Finnic word 'jɨ̀ŋgəs' meaning 'large'. | |||
| Finnish | varakas | ||
| The word "varakas" is derived from the word "vara," which means "property" or "assets". | |||
| Hungarian | gazdag | ||
| The word "gazdag" in Hungarian is derived from the word "gazd" meaning "farmer". | |||
| Latvian | turīgs | ||
| The Latvian word “turīgs” initially referred to the possession of herds and cattle, but over time its meaning evolved to include wealth in general. | |||
| Lithuanian | pasiturintis | ||
| The word "pasiturintis" in Lithuanian is cognate with the word "turėti" (to have), suggesting that wealth in Lithuanian is closely tied to the idea of possession. | |||
| Macedonian | богати | ||
| The word "богати" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *bogъ, meaning "god" or "rich, fortunate." | |||
| Polish | zamożny | ||
| "Zamożny" is thought to be derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*zamъ", meaning "beyond" or "outside". This suggests that wealth was originally seen as something that was "beyond" or "outside" the normal reach of people. | |||
| Romanian | bogat | ||
| "Bogat" is derived from the Turkish word "boğaç" meaning "calf" or "bullock" and signifies wealth as cattle are a traditional measure of it among nomadic peoples. | |||
| Russian | богатый | ||
| The word "богатый" shares its root with the word "бог" (god), and originally meant "blessed by God" or "having God's favor." | |||
| Serbian | имућан | ||
| The word 'имућан' ('wealthy') in Serbian is derived from the Proto-Slavic noun 'imutie', which means 'estate' or 'property'. | |||
| Slovak | bohatý | ||
| The word "bohatý" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *bogatъ, which also means "god" or "rich in spirit." | |||
| Slovenian | premožni | ||
| The word "premožni" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*prěmožĭti", meaning "to overcome", and is related to the Latin word "praemiare", meaning "to reward". | |||
| Ukrainian | заможні | ||
| The word 'заможні' in Ukrainian is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *možь, meaning 'man', and originally referred to a person who was 'able' or 'capable' in terms of their wealth or social status. | |||
Wealthy in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ধনী | ||
| The word "ধনী" (dhoni) in Bengali also means "boatman" or "one who carries wealth". | |||
| Gujarati | શ્રીમંત | ||
| Hindi | धनी | ||
| The word "धनी" can also mean "intelligent" or "wise" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಶ್ರೀಮಂತ | ||
| The word "ಶ್ರೀಮಂತ" in Kannada can also refer to a person who is noble, virtuous, or prosperous. | |||
| Malayalam | സമ്പന്നർ | ||
| Marathi | श्रीमंत | ||
| The word "श्रीमंत" is derived from the Sanskrit word "श्रीमान्" which means "fortunate" or "blessed" | |||
| Nepali | धनी | ||
| The word "धनी" is also used to refer to the sun, which is considered a source of wealth and prosperity in Nepali culture. | |||
| Punjabi | ਅਮੀਰ | ||
| The word "ਅਮੀਰ" (amīr) in Punjabi is derived from the Arabic word "أمير" (amīr), which means "prince" or "commander". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ධනවත් | ||
| Tamil | செல்வந்தர் | ||
| The word "செல்வந்தர்" can also refer to "one who has wealth or riches" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | ధనవంతుడు | ||
| Urdu | دولت مند | ||
| "دولت مند" is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit words "dhana" (wealth) and "manta" (possessing), and it originally meant "one who has wealth or property". | |||
Wealthy in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 富裕 | ||
| "富" was originally a kind of sacrifice offered to gods. "裕" used to mean "abundant". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 富裕 | ||
| The word 富裕, meaning wealthy, is comprised of two characters: 富, meaning abundant, and 裕, meaning having enough. | |||
| Japanese | 裕福な | ||
| "裕福な" (wealthy) literally means "having plenty to spare". | |||
| Korean | 풍부한 | ||
| "풍부한" means rich or abundant, and derives from the Middle Korean word "풍부하(p'ungpuha)". | |||
| Mongolian | чинээлэг | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ချမ်းသာကြွယ်ဝ | ||
Wealthy in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kaya | ||
| As an alternate meaning, the word 'kaya' means 'thick' or 'rich', as in the texture of a sauce. | |||
| Javanese | sugihe | ||
| "Sugihe" is derived from the Sanskrit word "sukhi," meaning "contented" or "happy," and is also related to the Javanese word "suka," meaning "to love" or "to enjoy." | |||
| Khmer | អ្នកមាន | ||
| Lao | ຮັ່ງມີ | ||
| Malay | kaya | ||
| The Malay word 'kaya' is also used to refer to a sweet coconut-based jam, often used as a spread for bread or roti canai. | |||
| Thai | ร่ำรวย | ||
| The word "ร่ำรวย" can also mean "to be abundant" or "to have a lot of something". | |||
| Vietnamese | giàu có | ||
| The word "giàu có" in Vietnamese is derived from the Chinese word "jiāo fù", meaning "abundant." It can also refer to prosperity, affluence, or opulence. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mayaman | ||
Wealthy in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | varlı | ||
| Varlı also means | |||
| Kazakh | бай | ||
| The word "бай" in Kazakh is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "bay" meaning "rich" or "leader". | |||
| Kyrgyz | бай | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "бай" also has the alternate meaning of "sir" or "master". | |||
| Tajik | сарватманд | ||
| Turkmen | baý | ||
| Uzbek | boy | ||
| The Uzbek word "boy" can also mean "boy" or "son" in Persian. | |||
| Uyghur | باي | ||
Wealthy in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | waiwai | ||
| In Hawaiian, "waiwai" means "wealthy," but it also has the alternate meaning of "trouble" or "noise." | |||
| Maori | whai rawa | ||
| The Maori word "whai rawa" also means "to seek after" or "to pursue diligently". | |||
| Samoan | mauoa | ||
| The word "mauoa" in Samoan can also mean "rich" or "affluent." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | mayaman | ||
| Mayaman is derived from the Tagalog word "yaman", meaning either "wealth" or "sickness". | |||
Wealthy in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | janchitakjama | ||
| Guarani | viruhetáva | ||
Wealthy in International Languages
| Esperanto | riĉa | ||
| Esperanto 'riĉa' is derived from Latin 'rex', meaning both 'king' and 'rich'. | |||
| Latin | opulentos | ||
| "Opulentos" derives from the Latin verb "opulere" (meaning "to be rich"), which is itself derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₃ép-ó-" (meaning "abundance"). | |||
Wealthy in Others Languages
| Greek | πλούσιος | ||
| The Greek word "πλούσιος" is also cognate with the English word "opulent," meaning luxurious or extravagant. | |||
| Hmong | nplua nuj | ||
| "Npluj nuj" in Hmong is often used to describe those with more material possessions, but also carries connotations of wisdom and experience acquired through age or social standing. | |||
| Kurdish | dewlemend | ||
| The word 'dewlemend' can also refer to a wealthy person or a person of high social status. | |||
| Turkish | zengin | ||
| The word "zengin" in Turkish also means "rich in content" or "copious". | |||
| Xhosa | osisityebi | ||
| The word "osisityebi" can also refer to a person who is generous or affluent. | |||
| Yiddish | רייַך | ||
| The Yiddish word "רײַך" also means abundant, fertile, or generous. | |||
| Zulu | abacebile | ||
| Abacebile can also refer to a person of high status or a chief. | |||
| Assamese | সমৃদ্ধিশালী | ||
| Aymara | janchitakjama | ||
| Bhojpuri | पईसा वाला मनई | ||
| Dhivehi | މުއްސަނދި | ||
| Dogri | मालदार | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mayaman | ||
| Guarani | viruhetáva | ||
| Ilocano | nabaknang | ||
| Krio | jɛntri | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دەوڵەمەند | ||
| Maithili | धनी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯅꯥꯛ ꯈꯨꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | hausa | ||
| Oromo | dureessa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଧନୀ | ||
| Quechua | qullqisapa | ||
| Sanskrit | धनी | ||
| Tatar | бай | ||
| Tigrinya | ሃብታም | ||
| Tsonga | rifumo | ||