Whisper in different languages

Whisper in Different Languages

Discover 'Whisper' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

Whispering is a universal form of quiet communication that transcends language barriers. A whisper can signify intimacy, secrecy, or even danger, making it a culturally significant act across the globe. Have you ever wondered how to say 'whisper' in different languages? Understanding this term in various languages can enrich your conversations and cultural experiences. For instance, in Spanish, 'whisper' is 'susurro', while in French, it's 'chuchotement'. In German, it's 'flüstern', and in Japanese, it's 'sasayaki'.

Moreover, whispers have played intriguing roles in history. In ancient Rome, whispering was a preferred method of communication in the Senate, as it prevented eavesdropping. In various cultures, whispering has been associated with superstitions, such as bringing bad luck or awakening spirits. Thus, exploring the word 'whisper' in different languages can lead to fascinating discoveries.

Whisper


Whisper in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansfluister
The word "fluister" derives from the Middle Dutch word "fluisteren," which means "to whisper" or "to talk softly."
Amharicሹክሹክታ
Hausawaswasi
The Hausa word "waswasi" comes from the Arabic word "waswasa," which means "whisper" or "instigation."
Igbogbanye onu
The word “gbanye onu” can also mean “to say something so only the intended recipient can hear” in Igbo.
Malagasybitsika
The word "bitsika" in Malagasy can also mean "secret" or "confidential information."
Nyanja (Chichewa)kunong'oneza
Kunong'oneza originates from the Bantu root '-nong'ona', meaning 'to speak softly'.
Shonazevezeve
The word "zevezeve" in Shona, which means "whisper," also relates to a style of traditional singing accompanied by drumming and clapping.
Somalicodbaahiye
The Somali word "codbaahiye" can also refer to a "secret" or "confidential matter".
Sesothohoeshetsa
"Hoeshetsa" is derived from the word "hoesa" (to talk), which implies a soft and secretive form of communication.
Swahilikunong'ona
"Kunong'ona" (to whisper) is also an idiom in Swahili meaning to spread false information quietly.
Xhosasebeza
The Xhosa word 'sebeza' can also refer to the act of informing someone of a secret matter.
Yorubakẹlẹkẹlẹ
Zulukuhleba
"Kuhleba" in Zulu finds its roots from the word "khuka," meaning to smell or inhale, suggesting that the act of whispering involves quietly breathing out words.
Bambaraŋùnuŋunu
Ewedali
Kinyarwandakwongorera
Lingalakonguniangunia
Lugandaakaama
Sepedihwenahwena
Twi (Akan)ka no bɔkɔɔ

Whisper in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicهمسة
The word "همسة" ("whisper") derives from the root "ه̉م̉س" ("to be quiet") and is related to the word "همس" ("to whisper").
Hebrewלַחַשׁ
The Hebrew word "לחש" can also mean "magic spell" or "incantation," as seen in the biblical verse "ולחש על המכים" (Exodus 7:11).
Pashtoڅاڅکی
The word “څاڅکی” can also refer to a 'secret' or 'gossip'.
Arabicهمسة
The word "همسة" ("whisper") derives from the root "ه̉م̉س" ("to be quiet") and is related to the word "همس" ("to whisper").

Whisper in Western European Languages

Albanianpëshpëritje
The Albanian word "pëshpëritje" is related to the Proto-Albanian word "*pëshpër" and the Proto-Indo-European root "*pes-kow-," meaning "to squeak, creak."
Basquexuxurlatu
The Basque word "xuxurlatu" also means "to murmur" or "to say something secretly".
Catalanxiuxiuejar
The word "xiuxiuejar" comes from the onomatopeia for whispering.
Croatianšapat
The word "šapat" can also refer to a "secret", "rumor", or "gossip".
Danishhviske
The word "hviske" is onomatopoeic, derived from the sound "hvis", meaning "a sound resembling a whisper".
Dutchfluisteren
"Fluisteren" can also mean the sound made by wind or leaves or the very low sound of a musical instrument
Englishwhisper
The term 'whisper' comes from the Old English word 'wisprian,' meaning 'to speak quietly,' and is related to the Dutch 'fluisteren' and German 'flüstern'.
Frenchchuchotement
Chuchotement can also mean 'a whispery noise' or 'a hint'.
Frisianflústerje
The Frisian word "flústerje" may derive from the Old Frisian word "flustrian," meaning "to whisper," or from the Proto-Germanic word "*hlustrōn," meaning "to listen."
Galicianmurmurar
Galician "murmurar" can also mean "to grumble" or "to complain in a low voice".
Germanflüstern
"Flüstern" is related to the Old English word "flysteran" which means to talk in hushed tones, and the Old Norse word "flustra" meaning whisper.
Icelandichvísla
The Old Norse cognate of "hvísla" was "hvísl", which means "hiss, noise" and is onomatopoeic.
Irishcogar
Cogar is also used to refer to the sound of the wind in the trees or the sound of waves breaking on the shore.
Italiansussurro
The word 'sussurro' can also refer to a secret or rumor.
Luxembourgishflüsteren
The Luxembourgish word "flüsteren" originates from the German word "flüstern", which means "to whisper".
Maltesewhisper
The Maltese word "whisper" comes from the Arabic word "waswasa", which means "to whisper". It can also mean "to gossip" or "to spread rumors".
Norwegianhviske
Hviske (pronounced “vhee-sk-eh”) is thought to have originated from Proto-Germanic “hwasjanan,” meaning to “swish” or “rustle.”
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)sussurro
"Sussurro" comes from the Latin *subsurdus* meaning "half-deaf"
Scots Gaelicuisge-beatha
"Uisge-beatha" is also the Scots Gaelic name for the drink whisky, translating to "water of life."
Spanishsusurro
The Latin origin of "susurro" also gives rise to related words such as "murmur" and "sussurate".
Swedishviska
In Proto-Germanic, “*wiskōn” referred to the noise made by horses or donkeys as well as whispers and curses
Welshsibrwd
The word "sibrwd" can also refer to a soft murmuring sound or a secret communication.

Whisper in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianшэптам
Bosnianšapat
In Bosnian, "šapat" can also refer to the rustling of leaves, the sound of water flowing, or a secret conversation.
Bulgarianшепнеш
The word "шепнеш" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *šepъ, meaning "sound" or "noise".
Czechšepot
The word šepot comes from the Old Czech word šeptati, meaning "to rustle".
Estoniansosistama
The word “sosistama” is a derivative of the verb “sosima”, which means to whisper or to murmur.
Finnishkuiskaus
Finnish "kuiskaus" and Swedish "kvissla" (to whistle) originate from the same source, and the words share the idea of a quiet, barely perceptible noise.
Hungariansuttogás
Suttogás is derived from the word 'sut', meaning 'to slide', referring to the subtle motion of the lips when whispering.
Latviančukstēt
The Latvian word "čukstēt" is also used in Lithuanian (čiùstis) and is likely of Slavic origin, perhaps influenced by the Polish "szeptać" ("whisper").
Lithuanianšnabždėti
The word 'šnabždėti' also has a dialectal meaning of 'to snore'.
Macedonianшепоти
The word "шепоти" is also used to refer to someone who is a gossip or a tale-bearer.
Polishszept
"Szept" etymologically derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*sep-" meaning "to speak".
Romanianşoaptă
The Romanian word "şoaptă" is derived from the Latin "susurrus" and also means "murmur" or "rustle".
Russianшептать
The word "шептать" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "šepotati", meaning "to rustle". Today it means "to whisper", but it can also be used to describe the rustling of leaves or the sound of the wind.
Serbianшапутати
The word "шапутати" in Serbian also means "to murmur" or "to mumble".
Slovakšepkať
The word "šepkať" in Slovak also means "to rustle" or "to murmur", possibly derived from the sound of rustling leaves or murmuring water.
Slovenianšepetati
"Šepetati" is onomatopoeic, derived from the sound of breathing during whispering.
Ukrainianпошепки
Пошепки is a cognate of “шушукать” and “шептать” in Russian and originally referred to rustling noises

Whisper in South Asian Languages

Bengaliফিসফিস
Gujaratiબબડાટ
Hindiफुसफुसाना
The word 'फुसफुसाना' (to whisper) literally means to make a 'blown-out' sound, and is thought to be onomatopoeic in origin.
Kannadaಪಿಸುಮಾತು
Malayalamമന്ത്രിക്കുക
Marathiकुजबुजणे
The Marathi word "कुजबुजणे" also means to murmur or speak in a low or indistinct voice.
Nepaliफुसफुस
The word "फुसफुस" is also used to refer to a kind of plant known as "cat's whiskers" or "cat's tail" in English.
Punjabiਫੁੱਫੜ
The word "ਫੁੱਫੜ" can also refer to the lungs in Punjabi, highlighting the connection between breath and speech.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)විහඟි
The word "විහඟි" can also mean "messenger", as in the case of a bird carrying a message.
Tamilஇரகசியம் பேசு
Teluguగుసగుస
Urduسرگوشی
The word

Whisper in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)耳语
The character "耳" in "耳语" is used as a measure word for "words" in Chinese, meaning "耳语" can also mean "a few words".
Chinese (Traditional)耳語
"耳語" (whisper) literally means "ear speech" in Chinese (Traditional).
Japaneseささやく
"ささやく" can also mean "to be a voice of someone who has passed away".
Korean속삭임
"속삭임" literally means
Mongolianшивнэх
The Mongolian word "шивнэх" can also mean "to speak softly" or "to murmur".
Myanmar (Burmese)တိုးတိုးလေး

Whisper in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianbisikan
"Bisikan" also means "secret" in Indonesian.
Javanesebisik-bisik
The word "bisik-bisik" in Javanese is derived from the root word "bisik" meaning "to whisper", and the reduplication of the word indicates a repeated or ongoing action.
Khmerខ្សឹប
The word "ខ្សឹប" comes from the Proto-Austroasiatic root *ksap, meaning "to speak softly".
Laoກະຊິບ
The word "ກະຊິບ" can also refer to the rustling of leaves.
Malaybisik
"Bisik" comes from the Proto-Austronesian root *bisik, which also means "secret" in several other Austronesian languages.
Thaiกระซิบ
The word "กระซิบ" literally means "close to the ear" in Thai and is derived from a Sanskrit term
Vietnamesethì thầm
In Vietnamese, "thì thầm" can also mean "to confide in" or "to divulge a secret".
Filipino (Tagalog)bulong

Whisper in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanipıçıltı
Pıçıltı in Azeri comes from the Turkish word
Kazakhсыбырлау
Kyrgyzшыбыроо
The word "шыбыроо" also means "to gossip" in Kyrgyz.
Tajikпичир-пичир кардан
Turkmenpyşyrdady
Uzbekpichirlash
The verb
Uyghur- دەپ پىچىرلىدى

Whisper in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianhāwanawana
Hāwanawana also means "to speak" or "to talk" in Hawaiian.
Maorikomuhumuhu
In Maori, 'komuhumuhu' also means 'a gentle breeze' and refers to the 'whispering' movement of leaves in the wind.
Samoanmusumusu
"Musumusu" is the onomatopoeic word for a whisper, and so is the name of a quiet and shy type of banana.
Tagalog (Filipino)pabulong
The word pabulong is derived from the Tagalog word 'bulong', which means 'to murmur' or 'to speak in a low voice'.

Whisper in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarauxuri
Guaraniñe'ẽñemi

Whisper in International Languages

Esperantoflustras
"Flustras" comes from the Latin "flustro," which originally meant "to deceive" or "to mock".
Latinvix parvam stillam
"vix parvam stillam" can also be translated to "scarcely a tiny drop" in Latin.

Whisper in Others Languages

Greekψίθυρος
In ancient Greek, "ψίθυρος" also meant "rustling" or "murmuring" of leaves or water.
Hmongntxhi
"Ntxhi" derives from the Proto-Hmong-Mien word "*ntʰɔŋ", meaning "to talk secretly".
Kurdishpispisî
The word "pispisî" can also refer to a type of small bird, particularly one that makes a chirping sound.
Turkishfısıltı
The word
Xhosasebeza
The Xhosa word 'sebeza' can also refer to the act of informing someone of a secret matter.
Yiddishשעפּטשען
The word "шептать" means "whisper" in Russian, and is also used in Yiddish to mean "to speak quietly or confidentially".
Zulukuhleba
"Kuhleba" in Zulu finds its roots from the word "khuka," meaning to smell or inhale, suggesting that the act of whispering involves quietly breathing out words.
Assameseফুচফুচাই কোৱা
Aymarauxuri
Bhojpuriफुसफुसाईल
Dhivehiނޭވާ އަޑުން ވާހަކަ ދެއްކުން
Dogriफुसर-फुसर
Filipino (Tagalog)bulong
Guaraniñe'ẽñemi
Ilocanoarasaas
Kriotɔk saful wan
Kurdish (Sorani)چرپە
Maithiliफुसफुसानाइ
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯆꯤꯔꯣꯟ ꯇꯧꯕ
Mizohrilhru
Oromoasaasuu
Odia (Oriya)ଫୁସ୍ଫୁସ୍
Quechuawararay
Sanskritघूर्घायेत्
Tatarпышылдау
Tigrinyaሕሹኽሹኽ
Tsongahlevetela

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