Wine in Different Languages
Discover 'Wine' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Wine, a fermented drink made from grapes, has been a significant part of human culture for thousands of years. Its significance extends beyond its role as a beverage, with wine often being a symbol of celebration, relaxation, and sophistication. The word 'wine' itself is a testament to the drink's global impact, with translations varying widely across different languages and cultures.
For instance, in Spanish, wine is 'vino', in French it's 'vin', and in German, it's 'Wein'. Each translation not only reflects a linguistic difference but also a cultural one, offering a glimpse into how wine is perceived and enjoyed in different parts of the world.
Understanding the translations of 'wine' in various languages can be a fun and enlightening journey. It can help you appreciate the global diversity of wine culture, and perhaps even inspire you to try new wines and explore new traditions.
So, whether you're a wine enthusiast, a language learner, or simply curious, join us as we explore the translations of 'wine' in different languages.
Wine
Wine in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | wyn | ||
| Wyn in Afrikaans derives from the old Dutch word "wijn", with the alternate meaning of "vineyard" or "winery". | |||
| Amharic | የወይን ጠጅ | ||
| The word can also refer to honey wine and is cognate with the Arabic word نَبِيذ (nabīdh), also meaning “wine.” | |||
| Hausa | ruwan inabi | ||
| In Hausa, the word 'ruwan inabi' can also refer to a type of traditional alcoholic beverage brewed from palm sap. | |||
| Igbo | mmanya | ||
| In addition to referring to alcoholic beverages, mmanya also denotes 'strong' or 'powerful' liquids. | |||
| Malagasy | divay | ||
| The word "divay" can also refer to any alcoholic beverage, or even non-alcoholic drinks in some contexts. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | vinyo | ||
| The etymology of the Nyanja word 'vinyo' is uncertain, but it may be related to the Yao word 'vinyo' meaning 'drink' or 'beer'. | |||
| Shona | waini | ||
| The Shona word "waini" originated from the Afrikaans word "wyn", which in turn derives from the French "vin", ultimately coming from the Latin "vinum". | |||
| Somali | khamri | ||
| The word "khamri" means both "wine" and "grapes" in Somali, with the latter usage more common in poetry. | |||
| Sesotho | veini | ||
| The word "veini" also refers to a specific type of traditional beer made from sorghum in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | divai | ||
| The word "divai" in Swahili originates from the Arabic word "dīwān", meaning "a collection of poems." | |||
| Xhosa | isiselo somdiliya | ||
| The Xhosa word 'isiselo somdiliya' translates to 'wine,' but it literally means 'a drink that makes you forget.' | |||
| Yoruba | waini | ||
| Yoruba word 'waini' can also mean 'a drink' or 'a beverage'. | |||
| Zulu | iwayini | ||
| The word 'iwayini' may have originated from the Portuguese word 'vinho', meaning wine. | |||
| Bambara | diwɛn | ||
| Ewe | wain | ||
| Kinyarwanda | vino | ||
| Lingala | vino | ||
| Luganda | omwenge | ||
| Sepedi | beine | ||
| Twi (Akan) | bobe | ||
Wine in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نبيذ | ||
| The word "نبيذ" (wine) in Arabic is derived from the verb "نَبَذَ" (to cast away, to discard), as wine was often made from discarded grapes. | |||
| Hebrew | יַיִן | ||
| The word "יַיִן" in Hebrew is ultimately derived from the Akkadian word "inu" and the Hittite word "wiyan-", both of which probably referred to beer. | |||
| Pashto | دانګورو شراب | ||
| The word "دانګورو شراب" in Pashto can also mean "sweet wine" or "grape juice" depending on the context. | |||
| Arabic | نبيذ | ||
| The word "نبيذ" (wine) in Arabic is derived from the verb "نَبَذَ" (to cast away, to discard), as wine was often made from discarded grapes. | |||
Wine in Western European Languages
| Albanian | verë | ||
| The word "verë" can also refer to "summer" or "season" in Albanian due to its shared Proto-Indo-European root *wesr- with the Latin word "ver" (spring). | |||
| Basque | ardoa | ||
| In the Basque language, "ardoa" is thought to be derived from the Latin word "ardere" (to burn), possibly referencing the fermentation process or the burning sensation it induces. | |||
| Catalan | vi | ||
| The word "vi" in Catalan is derived from the Latin word "vinum", which also means "wine" in English. | |||
| Croatian | vino | ||
| Croatian "vino" also means "fault", while its plural "vina" includes meanings such as "guilt" and "charges". | |||
| Danish | vin | ||
| Danish "vin" is cognate with Old English "win" and derives from Proto-Indo-European *wey-no- meaning "to wind." | |||
| Dutch | wijn | ||
| The word | |||
| English | wine | ||
| The etymology of the word "wine" goes back to the Greek "oinos" and the Latin "vinum," both of which referenced fermented grape juice. | |||
| French | du vin | ||
| The term "du vin" can also refer to the grape harvest or to a wine-producing region. | |||
| Frisian | wyn | ||
| The Frisian word "wyn" is derived from the Old English word "wīn", which is itself derived from the Latin word "vīnum". It also has the alternate meaning of "friendship" or "joy". | |||
| Galician | viño | ||
| "Viño" derives from the Latin "vinum" and also means "intoxication" in Galician. | |||
| German | wein | ||
| The German word 'Wein' originates from the Latin 'vīnum', which also refers to grapes specifically intended for winemaking. | |||
| Icelandic | vín | ||
| In Icelandic, "vín" refers not only to wine but also to any type of alcoholic beverage except beer. | |||
| Irish | fíon | ||
| "Fíon" also means "grape" in Irish and is cognate with "vine" in Latin and "oinos" (οἶνος) in Ancient Greek. | |||
| Italian | vino | ||
| In Italian, "vino" can also refer to the grape harvest or the period in which it occurs. | |||
| Luxembourgish | wäin | ||
| Maltese | inbid | ||
| The word "inbid" might originate from the Arabic "nabīdh", a fermented grape juice, or the Hebrew "yayin", meaning wine. | |||
| Norwegian | vin | ||
| The word "vin" in Norwegian can also refer to a "friend" or a "companion". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | vinho | ||
| The word "vinho" comes from the Latin word "vinum", which means "wine". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fìon | ||
| The word "fìon" in Scots Gaelic is cognate with the Old Irish "fín", likely deriving from a Celtic root "*wīno-" meaning "joy" or "festivity". | |||
| Spanish | vino | ||
| "Vino" can also refer to the act of drinking in general, or to a particular type of distilled liquor (such as grappa). | |||
| Swedish | vin | ||
| Swedish 'vin' also refers to a friend or acquaintance | |||
| Welsh | gwin | ||
| Gwin can also mean 'white' or 'fair' in Welsh, and is seen in other Celtic languages such as Irish and Breton. | |||
Wine in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | віна | ||
| Belarusian "віна" (wine) is derived from Proto-Slavic *vino, also meaning "guilt" and "debt", likely due to its role as a blood substitute in ancient rituals. | |||
| Bosnian | vino | ||
| The word "vino" is originally derived from Latin "vinum" and is closely related to the German word "Wein". | |||
| Bulgarian | вино | ||
| In Old Bulgarian the word also meant 'vineyard'. | |||
| Czech | víno | ||
| The word vino also means "guilt" as it derives from Latin "culpa" referring to the sins in the Bible which were often associated with drinking. | |||
| Estonian | vein | ||
| The word "vein" in Estonian comes from the Proto-Germanic word "*wīnaz", which also meant "loved one" or "friend." | |||
| Finnish | viiniä | ||
| The Finnish word "viiniä" derives from the Proto-Germanic word "wīna", meaning "vine" or "wine". | |||
| Hungarian | bor | ||
| "Bor" is also an archaic Hungarian term for "forest" or "wilderness". | |||
| Latvian | vīns | ||
| "Vīns" is derived from the Old High German word "wīn" and is related to the English word "wine." | |||
| Lithuanian | vynas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "vynas" is thought to derive from the Old Prussian word "wainas" or the Low German word "wien". | |||
| Macedonian | вино | ||
| Macedonian "вино" derives from Proto-Indo-European "*wīno-", a stem for "vine" found in many languages of the Indo-European family. | |||
| Polish | wino | ||
| Polish "wino" derives from Proto-Slavic "vino" but is also colloquial for "alcoholic". | |||
| Romanian | vin | ||
| In Romanian, "vin" comes from the same Proto-Indo-European root as "vine" in English, but also encompasses fermented drinks such as beer and brandy. | |||
| Russian | вино | ||
| "Вино" in Russian comes from the Proto-Slavic "vaino", meaning "water" or "moisture", and is related to the Latin "vinum" and the Greek "οἶνος" (oinos) | |||
| Serbian | вино | ||
| The word "вино" in Serbian originates from the Proto-Slavic word "*vino", which is possibly derived from the Greek word "οἶνος" (oinos). | |||
| Slovak | víno | ||
| The word "víno" in Slovak may come from the Old Slavonic "venu", meaning "gift of God". It can also refer to grapes and vines. | |||
| Slovenian | vino | ||
| In Slovenian, "vino" also refers to grapes, as in "vino trta" (grapevine). | |||
| Ukrainian | вино | ||
| The word "вино" is derived from Proto-Indo-European "*wey-no-" meaning "to ferment". In Ukrainian, it also refers to a type of alcoholic beverage.} | |||
Wine in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মদ | ||
| Gujarati | વાઇન | ||
| The Gujarati word "વાઇન" (wine) is derived from the Persian "واین" (vāyn) and ultimately from the Latin "vinum". It can also refer to any alcoholic beverage or a party where alcohol is served. | |||
| Hindi | वाइन | ||
| The word "वाइन" (vaina) in Hindi also refers to a musical instrument played with a bow. | |||
| Kannada | ವೈನ್ | ||
| The word "ವೈನ್" in Kannada can also refer to a grapevine, a place where grapevines grow, or a grape itself. | |||
| Malayalam | വൈൻ | ||
| Malayalam 'വൈൻ,' from Middle English, ultimately derives from Latin "vinum" and is also used to denote vinegar. | |||
| Marathi | वाइन | ||
| In Marathi, the word "वाइन" (wine) can also refer to a type of plant or a particular variety of grape. | |||
| Nepali | रक्सी | ||
| "रक्सी" can also be used to refer to any other alcoholic beverages | |||
| Punjabi | ਸ਼ਰਾਬ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਸ਼ਰਾਬ" (wine) is of Persian origin and also carries the alternate meaning of "alcohol". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වයින් | ||
| The word "වයින්" ("wine") is also used to refer to a type of grapevine or a wine-colored garment. | |||
| Tamil | மது | ||
| The word 'மது' is used to refer to both 'wine' and 'madness' in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | వైన్ | ||
| The Telugu word "వైన్" can also refer to a type of palm tree known as the coconut palm. | |||
| Urdu | شراب | ||
| The word "شراب" can also mean "juice" or "intoxicating drink" in Urdu. | |||
Wine in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 葡萄酒 | ||
| 葡萄酒, the Chinese word for wine, is also the name of a legendary medicinal elixir brewed by the Jade Emperor. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 葡萄酒 | ||
| Japanese | ワイン | ||
| The Japanese word ワイン (wain) is derived from the Middle Dutch word wiin, which is in turn derived from the Latin word vinum, meaning "wine". | |||
| Korean | 포도주 | ||
| The word "포도주" (wine) in Korean is derived from the Chinese word "葡萄酒" (literally "grape wine") and was first used in the 16th century. | |||
| Mongolian | дарс | ||
| The Mongolian word "дарс" (wine) is derived from the Persian word "شراب" (sharāb), which also means wine. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဝိုင် | ||
| The Burmese word for "wine," ဝိုင်, shares the same etymology as the Chinese word "葡萄酒," which literally means "grape wine." | |||
Wine in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | anggur | ||
| Anggur is a loanword from Sanskrit meaning "grape" and has been used to refer to both grapes and wine in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | anggur | ||
| The Javanese word "anggur" is also a general term for all fruit of the vine, as well as a synonym for the betel nut. | |||
| Khmer | ស្រា | ||
| "ស្រា" means "wine" in Khmer, but it can also refer to any alcoholic beverage, including beer and liquor. | |||
| Lao | ເຫຼົ້າແວງ | ||
| Malay | arak | ||
| The word | |||
| Thai | ไวน์ | ||
| In the past, the Thai word for 'wine' (ไวน์) referred to all alcoholic beverages except beer and Laotian whiskey. | |||
| Vietnamese | rượu | ||
| The word "rượu" can also mean "alcohol" in general, including distilled spirits like vodka or whiskey. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | alak | ||
Wine in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | şərab | ||
| The word "şərab" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Persian word "sharāb" and has the alternate meaning of "drink" or "beverage". | |||
| Kazakh | шарап | ||
| Шарап derives from Persian شراب (šarāb), and cognates include Russian вино (víno), Spanish vino, and Latin vinum, all meaning "wine". | |||
| Kyrgyz | шарап | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "шарап" is derived from the Persian word "شراب" (sharāb), meaning "fermented drink". | |||
| Tajik | вино | ||
| In Tajik, "вино" can also refer to "grape juice". | |||
| Turkmen | çakyr | ||
| Uzbek | vino | ||
| The word "vino" may also refer to a type of grape variety called the vino grape. | |||
| Uyghur | شاراب | ||
Wine in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | waina | ||
| In Hawaiian, “waina” refers to both traditional Hawaiian wine made from fermented sugarcane and the European grape wine introduced by missionaries. | |||
| Maori | wāina | ||
| The Maori word "waina" is derived from the English word "wine" but also has the secondary meaning of "intoxication". | |||
| Samoan | uaina | ||
| The word "uaina" can also mean "juice" or "beverage" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | alak | ||
| Tagalog 'alak', deriving from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian, refers to both wine and other alcoholic drinks. | |||
Wine in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | winu | ||
| Guarani | kag̃ui | ||
Wine in International Languages
| Esperanto | vinon | ||
| The word "vinon" derives from the French "vin" and the Slavic "vino". | |||
| Latin | vinum | ||
| The Latin word "vinum" also refers to plants that produce wine, like the vine. | |||
Wine in Others Languages
| Greek | κρασί | ||
| "Κρασί" derives from the ancient Greek verb "κεράννυμι," meaning "mix," as wine was often mixed with water. | |||
| Hmong | cawv txiv hmab | ||
| Kurdish | şerab | ||
| The Kurdish word "şerab" originally referred to a sweet beverage made from fermented grapes, but its meaning has since expanded to include all types of alcoholic drinks. | |||
| Turkish | şarap | ||
| "Şarap" is also used in Turkish to refer to various colorful fabrics, clothes, and decorations, likely due to the vibrant colors often associated with wine. | |||
| Xhosa | isiselo somdiliya | ||
| The Xhosa word 'isiselo somdiliya' translates to 'wine,' but it literally means 'a drink that makes you forget.' | |||
| Yiddish | ווייַן | ||
| Yiddish 'ווייַן' is derived from Old High German 'wīn', meaning 'grape juice', and is unrelated to English 'wine'. | |||
| Zulu | iwayini | ||
| The word 'iwayini' may have originated from the Portuguese word 'vinho', meaning wine. | |||
| Assamese | সুৰা | ||
| Aymara | winu | ||
| Bhojpuri | शराब | ||
| Dhivehi | ރާ | ||
| Dogri | वाइन | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | alak | ||
| Guarani | kag̃ui | ||
| Ilocano | arak | ||
| Krio | wayn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | مەی | ||
| Maithili | अंगूर बला दारु | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯌꯨ | ||
| Mizo | uain | ||
| Oromo | daadhii wayinii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମଦ | ||
| Quechua | vino | ||
| Sanskrit | मदिरा | ||
| Tatar | кызыл аракы | ||
| Tigrinya | ወይኒ | ||
| Tsonga | vhinyo | ||