Yellow in Different Languages
Discover 'Yellow' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Yellow, the color of sunshine and happiness, holds a significant place in various cultures and languages around the world. Often associated with optimism, enlightenment, and creativity, this luminous hue has been a source of inspiration for artists, designers, and thinkers alike. From the vibrant marigolds of India to the iconic yellow brick road in the Wizard of Oz, the symbolism of yellow transcends borders and resonates with people across the globe.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'yellow' in different languages can open up a world of cultural insights and nuances. For instance, in German, 'gelb' is the term for yellow, while in Spanish, it's 'amarillo'. In French, 'jaune' is the word used to describe this color, and in Japanese, it's 'kiroi'.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious about the world around you, learning the translations of 'yellow' in different languages is a great place to start. Keep reading to discover more fascinating translations and insights into this bright and cheerful color!
Yellow
Yellow in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | geel | ||
| The word “geel” can also mean “happy” or “excited” and is cognate with the Dutch word “geel” (“yellow”) and the German word “gelb” (“yellow”). | |||
| Amharic | ቢጫ | ||
| The word 'ቢጫ' is also used to describe a light-skinned person. | |||
| Hausa | rawaya | ||
| Ra'waya can also refer to a type of yellow dye used in traditional Hausa textiles. | |||
| Igbo | edo edo | ||
| The Igbo word "edo edo" may also refer to an infectious skin disorder that manifests as reddish-yellow spots. | |||
| Malagasy | mavo | ||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wachikasu | ||
| The Nyanja word "wachikasu" originally referred to the color of ripe sorghum, which is yellowish-brown. | |||
| Shona | yero | ||
| The word "yero" in Shona may also refer to a type of bird or a person with a light complexion. | |||
| Somali | jaalle | ||
| The word 'jaalle' can also refer to a type of traditional Somali dance. | |||
| Sesotho | bosehla | ||
| Swahili | manjano | ||
| "Manjano" is also the Swahili word for turmeric, a spice that is also yellow. | |||
| Xhosa | lubhelu | ||
| "Lubhelu" can also mean "autumn" in Xhosa | |||
| Yoruba | ofeefee | ||
| "Ofeefee" is a Yoruba word that can also refer to the color of urine or someone who is sickly or pale. | |||
| Zulu | ophuzi | ||
| The word "ophuzi" can also refer to a type of grass or a yellowish-green colour. | |||
| Bambara | nɛrɛmuguman | ||
| Ewe | aŋgbaɖiɖi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umuhondo | ||
| Lingala | jaune | ||
| Luganda | kyenvu | ||
| Sepedi | serolane | ||
| Twi (Akan) | yɛlo | ||
Yellow in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الأصفر | ||
| The word "الأصفر" is derived from the root word "صفر" which also means "empty" or "zero" in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | צהוב | ||
| The Hebrew word "צהוב" (yellow) is related to the Arabic "صَهَابَة" (companions), as both come from the Semitic root צ-ה-ב, which refers to brightness and companionship. | |||
| Pashto | ژیړ | ||
| Arabic | الأصفر | ||
| The word "الأصفر" is derived from the root word "صفر" which also means "empty" or "zero" in Arabic. | |||
Yellow in Western European Languages
| Albanian | e verdhe | ||
| The word "e verdhe" in Albanian is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʰel-, meaning "to shine" or "to be bright" | |||
| Basque | horia | ||
| The word "horia" also refers to a type of bird and the color of ripe wheat. | |||
| Catalan | groc | ||
| The word “groc” may also refer to the yellow-green part of a plant or to the yolk of an egg. | |||
| Croatian | žuta boja | ||
| In Croatian, "žuta boja" literally means "bitter color," suggesting a historical association between the color yellow and the taste of bitterness. | |||
| Danish | gul | ||
| Danish 'gul' comes from Proto-Germanic 'gela', meaning "glowing". | |||
| Dutch | geel | ||
| Geel also refers to the urine of a pregnant mare, which was used to treat certain diseases in the past. | |||
| English | yellow | ||
| "Yellow" is derived from the Old English word "geolu" meaning yellow and gold. | |||
| French | jaune | ||
| In heraldry, jaune refers to gold, while 'or' refers to yellow. | |||
| Frisian | giel | ||
| The word "giel" in Frisian is cognate with the English word "yellow", and is also used to describe the color of the yolk of an egg. | |||
| Galician | amarelo | ||
| The Galician word "amarelo" comes from the Medieval Galician "amarélo," from Latin "amarēllus," which means "slightly bitter". | |||
| German | gelb | ||
| In Bavarian and Austrian dialects, "Gelb" can also refer to "envy" or "cowardice". | |||
| Icelandic | gulur | ||
| It can also mean 'pale' or 'green'. | |||
| Irish | buí | ||
| The Irish word "buí" is also used figuratively to mean "happy" or "pleasant". | |||
| Italian | giallo | ||
| In Italian, 'giallo' also refers to the mystery genre in fiction, due to the yellow covers of popular mystery novels in the 1920s and '30s. | |||
| Luxembourgish | giel | ||
| "Giel" also means "jaundice" in Luxembourgish, as it is a yellowish pigment that can result from liver problems. | |||
| Maltese | isfar | ||
| The Maltese word "isfar" also refers to a type of dye or pigment, particularly a yellow or golden color. | |||
| Norwegian | gul | ||
| The word "gul" in Norwegian also means "gold". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | amarelo | ||
| In Portuguese, "amarelo" can also mean "cowardly" or "jealous", deriving from the verb "amar" (to love), hence indicating a lack thereof. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | buidhe | ||
| The word 'buidhe' in Scots Gaelic also refers to a blonde or fair person. | |||
| Spanish | amarillo | ||
| The name of the city of Amarillo, Texas, derives from the Spanish word for yellow and refers to the area's distinctive soil color. | |||
| Swedish | gul | ||
| In older Swedish, 'gul' could also refer to gold or a golden hue. | |||
| Welsh | melyn | ||
| Melyn can also refer to honey, butter, or egg yolk because of their yellow colour. | |||
Yellow in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | жоўты | ||
| The word "жоўты" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *žьl̥tъ, which also means "bile". | |||
| Bosnian | žuto | ||
| "Žuto" in Bosnian can also mean "pale", "sickly", or "cowardly". | |||
| Bulgarian | жълт | ||
| The Bulgarian word "жълт" is a false cognate of the Russian word "желтый" which indeed means "yellow". In Russian, "ж" stands for the consonant we typically spell in English with "zh". In Bulgarian, however, this letter denotes the consonant we typically spell with "y". | |||
| Czech | žlutá | ||
| "Žlutá" is originally a diminutive form of the noun "žluč" ("bile") and is related to the verb "žluknout" ("to turn yellow"). | |||
| Estonian | kollane | ||
| The word "kollane" is etymologically related to the word "kuld" (gold) and the Latvian word "dzeltens" (yellow). | |||
| Finnish | keltainen | ||
| "Keltainen" derives from "kulta" (gold), and is the root for the name of Estonia (Viron kulta ranta = the Golden Coast of Estonia). | |||
| Hungarian | sárga | ||
| The word "sárga" also refers to bile in Hungarian, which contributes to the yellowish colour of urine and feces. | |||
| Latvian | dzeltens | ||
| "Dzeltens" is also related to "dzelt", meaning "to glow", and "dzilna", meaning "spark". | |||
| Lithuanian | geltona | ||
| The word "geltona" is derived from Proto-Baltic *gelta, cognate with Latvian "dzeltena" and Prussian "geltans." | |||
| Macedonian | жолто | ||
| The word "жолто" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *žьltъ, which also meant "green". | |||
| Polish | żółty | ||
| The word "żółty" derives from the Proto-Slavic "*žьltъ", meaning "bile". Bile is a greenish-yellow substance produced by the liver that aids in digestion. Thus, "żółty" also refers to the greenish-yellow color of bile. | |||
| Romanian | galben | ||
| The word "galben" is also used in Romanian for the color pale yellow and sometimes yellowed due to sickness. | |||
| Russian | желтый | ||
| The word "желтый" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*žьltъ", meaning "bile". It is also related to the English word "gall" and the Latin word "fel", both of which refer to bile. | |||
| Serbian | жуто | ||
| Slovak | žltá | ||
| The Slovak word 'žltá' is likely derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'žьltъ', meaning 'golden' or 'green'. | |||
| Slovenian | rumena | ||
| The word "rumena" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "ruměnъ" meaning "red" or "yellow" and is related to the Lithuanian word "raũdonas" meaning "red". | |||
| Ukrainian | жовтий | ||
| The word | |||
Yellow in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | হলুদ | ||
| হলুদ (halud) comes from Sanskrit 'haridra', meaning 'a yellow pigment or dye'. | |||
| Gujarati | પીળો | ||
| The word "પીળો" (yellow) in Gujarati, derived from Sanskrit "पीत" (yellow), also means "pale" or "deteriorated" in some contexts. | |||
| Hindi | पीला | ||
| पीला is also used to indicate old age or decline in someone's powers or beauty | |||
| Kannada | ಹಳದಿ | ||
| "ಹಳದಿ" also means "turmeric" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | മഞ്ഞ | ||
| The word "മഞ്ഞ" in Malayalam also means "turmeric", which is a spice that gives food a yellow color. | |||
| Marathi | पिवळा | ||
| Nepali | पहेंलो | ||
| "पहेंलो" is derived from the Sanskrit word "पिंगल," which also means "tawny" or "brownish-yellow." | |||
| Punjabi | ਪੀਲਾ | ||
| The word "ਪੀਲਾ" also means "green" in Old Punjabi and some other Indian languages. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කහ | ||
| The Sinhalese word "කහ" also refers to the colour "golden", and is likely related to the Sanskrit term "कनक" (kanaka) which has the same double meaning. | |||
| Tamil | மஞ்சள் | ||
| Telugu | పసుపు | ||
| "Pasupu" (turmeric) and "pasupu" (gold) are cognate words in Telugu, both derived from the Sanskrit word "pishu", meaning "to be yellow." | |||
| Urdu | پیلا | ||
| The word 'پیلا' can also mean 'pale' or 'faded' in Urdu. | |||
Yellow in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 黄色 | ||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 黃色 | ||
| Japanese | 黄 | ||
| The Chinese character 黄 (yellow) can also mean 'king' or 'centre' in the context of Chinese astronomy and philosophy. | |||
| Korean | 노랑 | ||
| The word "노랑" can also refer to jealousy or envy, and is related to the word "노루" (deer), which were often depicted as yellow in traditional Korean paintings. | |||
| Mongolian | шар | ||
| Шар ("yellow") comes from a Middle Mongolian root also meaning "gold," but derives from Proto-Mongolic for "white." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အဝါရောင် | ||
Yellow in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kuning | ||
| "Kuning" also refers to the color of the skin of a Southeast Asian person. | |||
| Javanese | kuning | ||
| The word "kuning" can also refer to the color of ripe banana, which is called "kuning kepok" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | លឿង | ||
| "លឿង" (yellow) is a Khmer word also used to refer to the color saffron. | |||
| Lao | ສີເຫຼືອງ | ||
| Malay | kuning | ||
| "Kuning" comes from Javanese or Sanskrit and originally meant "gold". | |||
| Thai | สีเหลือง | ||
| In Thai, "สีเหลือง" does not only refer to the color, but also to the revered royal color of the Thai monarchy. | |||
| Vietnamese | màu vàng | ||
| The word màu vàng derives from the Sanskrit word "varna" which also refers to gold, gold color, and light. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | dilaw | ||
Yellow in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | sarı | ||
| The word "sarı" also means "drunk" or "tipsy" in Azerbaijani, originating from the yellowish hue of a drunk person's face. | |||
| Kazakh | сары | ||
| The word "сары" in Kazakh, meaning "yellow," also denotes the concepts of "pale" and "greenish-yellow". | |||
| Kyrgyz | сары | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "Сары" not only means "yellow", but it also refers to "the west" and "autumn". | |||
| Tajik | зард | ||
| The word «зард» can also mean «pale» or «greenish», and is sometimes used to describe an unhealthy complexion. | |||
| Turkmen | sary | ||
| Uzbek | sariq | ||
| In Uzbek, “sariq” also means “jealous,” “envious,” or “pale.” | |||
| Uyghur | سېرىق | ||
Yellow in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | melemele | ||
| The word "melemele" in Hawaiian can also mean "sweet" or "rich". | |||
| Maori | kōwhai | ||
| The Māori word "kōwhai" also refers to the native New Zealand tree Sophora microphylla, known for its bright yellow flowers. | |||
| Samoan | lanu samasama | ||
| The Samoan word "lanu samasama" also refers to a person with a fair skin complexion. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | dilaw | ||
Yellow in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | q'illu | ||
| Guarani | sa'yju | ||
Yellow in International Languages
| Esperanto | flava | ||
| The Esperanto word "flava" is derived from the Latin "flavus" and also means "blond" in addition to "yellow". | |||
| Latin | flavo | ||
| The word "flavo" is also used to describe a reddish-yellow or orange-yellow shade. | |||
Yellow in Others Languages
| Greek | κίτρινος | ||
| The word "κίτρινος" (yellow) in Greek is derived from the word "κίτρος" (citron), which refers to the fruit of the citrus tree. | |||
| Hmong | daj | ||
| The word "daj" can also refer to a type of tree and its fruit | |||
| Kurdish | zer | ||
| Zer is cognate with the Persian word 'zar' and the Armenian word 'zarb' meaning 'gold'. | |||
| Turkish | sarı | ||
| The word "Sarı" in Turkish, meaning "yellow," also has alternate meanings such as "blonde" and "cowardly."} | |||
| Xhosa | lubhelu | ||
| "Lubhelu" can also mean "autumn" in Xhosa | |||
| Yiddish | געל | ||
| The Yiddish word "געל" (gel) is also related to the German word "gelb" (yellow), which is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "gelwaz" (yellow). | |||
| Zulu | ophuzi | ||
| The word "ophuzi" can also refer to a type of grass or a yellowish-green colour. | |||
| Assamese | হালধীয়া | ||
| Aymara | q'illu | ||
| Bhojpuri | पियर | ||
| Dhivehi | ރީނދޫ | ||
| Dogri | पीला | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | dilaw | ||
| Guarani | sa'yju | ||
| Ilocano | duyaw | ||
| Krio | yala | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | زەرد | ||
| Maithili | पीयर | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯥꯄꯨ ꯃꯆꯨ | ||
| Mizo | eng | ||
| Oromo | keelloo | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ହଳଦିଆ | ||
| Quechua | qillu | ||
| Sanskrit | पीतं | ||
| Tatar | сары | ||
| Tigrinya | ብጫ | ||
| Tsonga | xitshopana | ||