How to say “big” around the world
287 languages · 287 in their own spelling
Dots of one colour begin with a similar sound. Colours group words by the class of their first consonant (a sound-class method used in linguistics): words that begin alike share a colour. This shows resemblance, not common origin — proving relationship needs case-by-case comparison. Readable forms come from Wiktionary translation tables; many smaller languages come from the ASJP word lists, in ASJP’s simplified transcription.
| Language | Word | Romanization | Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 大 | dà | Sino-Tibetan |
| English | big | Indo-European | |
| Spanish | grande | Indo-European | |
| Hindi | बड़ा | baṛā | Indo-European |
| Arabic | كَبِير | kabīr | Afro-Asiatic |
| Bengali | বড় | boṛ | Indo-European |
| Indonesian | besar | Austronesian | |
| Portuguese | grande | Indo-European | |
| French | grand | Indo-European | |
| Russian | большо́й | bolʹšój | Indo-European |
| Japanese | 大きい | ōkii | Japonic |
| Marathi | विशाल | viśāl | Indo-European |
| Swahili | kubwa | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Turkish | büyük | Turkic | |
| Telugu | పెద్ద | pedda | Dravidian |
| Korean | 크다 | keuda | Koreanic |
| German | groß | Indo-European | |
| Vietnamese | lớn | Austroasiatic | |
| Tamil | பெரு | peru | Dravidian |
| Cantonese | 大 | daai⁶ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Urdu | بڑا | baṛā | Indo-European |
| Italian | grande | Indo-European | |
| Egyptian Arabic | كبير | kibīr | Afro-Asiatic |
| Gujarati | મોટું | moṭũ | Indo-European |
| Western Farsi | بزرگ | bozorg | Indo-European |
| Min Nan Chinese | 大 | tōa | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hakka Chinese | 大 | thai | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hausa | bàbba | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kannada | ದೊಡ್ಡ | doḍḍa | Dravidian |
| Polish | duży | Indo-European | |
| Malayalam | വലിയ | valiya | Dravidian |
| Odia | ବଡ | baḍa | Indo-European |
| Burmese | ကြီး | kri: | Sino-Tibetan |
| Moroccan Arabic | كبير | kbīr | Afro-Asiatic |
| Igbo | ukwu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Ukrainian | вели́кий | velýkyj | Indo-European |
| Uzbek | katta | Turkic | |
| Sindhi | وَڏو | vaḏo | Indo-European |
| Romanian | mare | Indo-European | |
| Dutch | groot | Indo-European | |
| Amharic | ታላቁ | talaḳu | Afro-Asiatic |
| Thai | ใหญ่ | yài | Tai-Kadai |
| Lingala | -nene | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Serbian-Croatian-Bosnian | вѐлик | Indo-European | |
| Khmer | ធំ | thom | Austroasiatic |
| Somali | weyn | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Turkmen | uly | Turkic | |
| Cebuano | dako | Austronesian | |
| Nepali | ठूलो | ṭhūlo | Indo-European |
| Assamese | ডাঙৰ | daṅor | Indo-European |
| Sinhala | ලොකු | loku | Indo-European |
| Greek | μεγάλος | megálos | Indo-European |
| Kurdish | mezin | Indo-European | |
| Hijazi Arabic | كبير | kabīr | Afro-Asiatic |
| Tajik | бузург | buzurg | Indo-European |
| Sylheti | ꠛꠠꠧ | boṛo | Indo-European |
| Kazakh | зор | zor | Turkic |
| Hungarian | nagy | Uralic | |
| Zulu | khulu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Southern Pashto | غټ | ǧaṭ | Indo-European |
| Czech | velký | Indo-European | |
| Uighur | چوڭ | chong | Turkic |
| Afrikaans | groot | Indo-European | |
| Min Dong Chinese | 大 | duai | Sino-Tibetan |
| Haitian | gran | Indo-European | |
| Swedish | stor | Indo-European | |
| Azerbaijani | böyük | Turkic | |
| Bulgarian | голя́м | goljám | Indo-European |
| Hiligaynon | daku | Austronesian | |
| Xhosa | khulu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Tachelhit | imɣur | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Belarusian | вялі́кі | vjalíki | Indo-European |
| Mossi | kãsenga | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Neapolitan | gruosso | Indo-European | |
| Central Kurdish | گەورە | gewre | Indo-European |
| Santali | ᱰᱳᱵᱳ | ḍobo | Austroasiatic |
| Danish | stor | Indo-European | |
| Slovak | veľký | Indo-European | |
| Minangkabau | gadang | Austronesian | |
| Finnish | iso | Uralic | |
| Lao | ໂຕ | tō | Tai-Kadai |
| Norwegian | stor | Indo-European | |
| Tatar | зур | zur | Turkic |
| Buginese | wessa | Austronesian | |
| Catalan | gran | Indo-European | |
| Guarani | tuvicha | Tupian | |
| Sicilian | granni | Indo-European | |
| Kirghiz | чоң | coŋ | Turkic |
| Armenian | մեծ | mec | Indo-European |
| Balinese | gedé | Austronesian | |
| Lithuanian | didelis | Indo-European | |
| Lombard | grand | Indo-European | |
| Georgian | დიდი | didi | Kartvelian |
| Waray | dako | Austronesian | |
| Albanian | madh | Indo-European | |
| Ewe | gã | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Mongolian | том | tom | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Chadian Arabic | كبير | kabīr | Afro-Asiatic |
| Galician | grande | Indo-European | |
| Pampanga | maragul | Austronesian | |
| Slovenian | velik | Indo-European | |
| Esperanto | granda | Artificial Language | |
| Macedonian | голем | golem | Indo-European |
| Piedmontese | gròss | Indo-European | |
| Venetian | grando | Indo-European | |
| Zhuang | hung | Tai-Kadai | |
| Latvian | liels | Indo-European | |
| Northern Luri | گت | gat | Indo-European |
| Quechua | hatun | Quechuan | |
| Tày | cải | Tai-Kadai | |
| Chechen | доккха | doqqa | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Estonian | suur | Uralic | |
| Bashkir | ҙур | ður | Turkic |
| Tibetan | ཆེན་པོ | chen po | Sino-Tibetan |
| Batak Mandailing | godang | Austronesian | |
| Romagnol | grând | Indo-European | |
| Tausug | dakula | Austronesian | |
| Bakhtiari | گت | gat | Indo-European |
| Southern Luri | گت | gat | Indo-European |
| Central Okinawan | まぎさん | magisan | Japonic |
| Western Frisian | grut | Indo-European | |
| Frafra | kãtɛ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| South Sudanese Creole Arabic | kebiir | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kalmyk | ик | ik | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Maranao | dakola' | Austronesian | |
| Avar | кӏудияб | kʼudijab | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Talysh | yâl | Indo-European | |
| Tai Dam | ꪻꪐ꪿ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Basque | handi | Isolates | |
| Chuvash | пысӑк | pys̬ăk | Turkic |
| Welsh | mawr | Indo-European | |
| Lü | ᦺᦊᧈ | ẏay¹ | Tai-Kadai |
| Rusyn | великый | velykŷj | Indo-European |
| Morisyen | gran | Indo-European | |
| Réunion Creole French | gran | Indo-European | |
| Walloon | grand | Indo-European | |
| Adyghe | шхо | šxʷo | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Maltese | kbir | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Occitan | grand | Indo-European | |
| Vlax Romani | baro | Indo-European | |
| Mari | кугу | kugu | Uralic |
| Asturian | grande | Indo-European | |
| Yakut | улахан | ulaxan | Turkic |
| Kumyk | уллу | ullu | Turkic |
| Samoan | tele | Austronesian | |
| Sranan Tongo | bigi | Indo-European | |
| Ibanag | dakal | Austronesian | |
| Fijian | levu | Austronesian | |
| Ingush | доккха | doqqa | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Papiamento | grandi | Indo-European | |
| Icelandic | stór | Indo-European | |
| Ngazidja Comorian | -huu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Karachay-Balkar | уллу | ullu | Turkic |
| Friulian | grant | Indo-European | |
| Tuvinian | улуг | ulug | Turkic |
| Udmurt | бадӟым | baddźym | Uralic |
| Plautdietsch | groot | Indo-European | |
| Assyrian Neo-Aramaic | ܓܘܼܪܵܐ | gura | Afro-Asiatic |
| Zeelandic | groôt | Indo-European | |
| Buriat | томо | tomo | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Māori | nui | Austronesian | |
| Abkhaz | аду | adu | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Tonga (Tonga Islands) | lahi | Austronesian | |
| Central Dusun | agayo | Austronesian | |
| Navajo | tsoh | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Komi | ыджыд | ydžyd | Uralic |
| Corsican | grande | Indo-European | |
| Gagauz | büük | Turkic | |
| Irish | mór | Indo-European | |
| Ladino | grande | Indo-European | |
| Aromanian | mari | Indo-European | |
| Kashubian | wiôldżi | Indo-European | |
| Breton | bras | Indo-European | |
| Erzya | покш | pokš | Uralic |
| Mulam | lo⁴ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Võro | suur | Uralic | |
| Faroese | stórur | Indo-European | |
| Marshallese | ļap | Austronesian | |
| Scottish Gaelic | mòr | Indo-European | |
| Southern Altai | јаан | ǰaan | Turkic |
| Sanskrit | बृहत् | bṛhat | Indo-European |
| Khakas | улуғ | uluğ | Turkic |
| Nubi | kebir | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Ternate | lamo | North Halmahera | |
| Dungan | да | da | Sino-Tibetan |
| Romansh | grond | Indo-European | |
| Karelian | šuuri | Uralic | |
| Plains Cree | ᑭᐢᒋ | kisci- | Algic |
| Hawaiian | nui | Austronesian | |
| North Saami | stuoris | Uralic | |
| Kajtak | хула | ꭓula | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Lamboya | madaka | Austronesian | |
| Pijin | bigfala | Indo-European | |
| Evenki | хэгды | həgdi | Tungusic |
| Western Bukidnon Manobo | dekela' | Austronesian | |
| Svan | ძღჷდ | ʒɣəd | Kartvelian |
| Upper Sorbian | wulki | Indo-European | |
| Cherokee | ᎡᏆ | equa | Iroquoian |
| West Makian | lamo | North Halmahera | |
| Zuni | łana | Isolates | |
| Choctaw | chito | Muskogean | |
| Aragonese | gran | Indo-European | |
| Nheengatu | turusú | Tupian | |
| Lower Sorbian | wjeliki | Indo-European | |
| Rapanui | nui | Austronesian | |
| Dolgan | улакан | ulakan | Turkic |
| Koryak | нымэйыӈӄин | nəmejəŋqin | Chukotko-Kamchatkan |
| Mrassu Shor-Tutal | улуғ | uluğ | Turkic |
| Moksha | ошо | ošo | Uralic |
| Lakota | tȟáŋka | Siouan | |
| Mòcheno | groas | Indo-European | |
| Manx | mooar | Indo-European | |
| Interlingua | grande | Artificial Language | |
| Nanai | даи | dai | Tungusic |
| Veps | surʹ | Uralic | |
| Istriot | grando | Indo-European | |
| Northern Mansi | яныг | ânyg | Uralic |
| Hadza | pakapaa | Isolates | |
| Cornish | bras | Indo-European | |
| Selkup | вәрӄы | wərqy | Uralic |
| Kildin Saami | шӯрр | šūrr | Uralic |
| Inari Sami | styeres | Uralic | |
| Amur Nivkh | пилдь | pild̦ | Nivkh |
| Ket | қя | Yeniseian | |
| Nganasan | аніˮә | aniʔə | Uralic |
| Ingrian | suur | Uralic | |
| Chickasaw | ishto' | Muskogean | |
| Votic | suuri | Uralic | |
| Manchu | ᠠᠮᠪᠠ | amba | Tungusic |
| Tundra Enets | ага | aga | Uralic |
| Central Sierra Miwok | ˀýṭ·y·kyta- | Miwok-Costanoan | |
| Forest Enets | ага | aga | Uralic |
| Dyirbal | bulgan | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Chamicuro | s̈hojta | Arawakan | |
| Ahom | 𑜐𑜧 | ñaw | Tai-Kadai |
| Akkadian | 𒃲 | rabûm | Afro-Asiatic |
| Northern Altai | улуг | ulug | Turkic |
| Alviri-Vidari | بزرگ | bozorg | Indo-European |
| Boloki | -nene | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Catawba | tro | Siouan | |
| Ancient Egyptian | wr:r | wr | Afro-Asiatic |
| Eshtehardi | پیل | pil | Indo-European |
| Gothic | 𐌼𐌹𐌺𐌹𐌻𐍃 | mikils | Indo-European |
| Ancient Greek | μέγας | mégas | Indo-European |
| Kalaallisut | angisooq | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Hebrew | גָּדוֹל | gadól | Afro-Asiatic |
| Hittite | 𒊩𒇷𒅖 | sallis | Indo-European |
| Hmong Daw | loj | Hmong-Mien | |
| Inuktitut | angiyok | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Old Irish | mór | Indo-European | |
| Isnag | dakkal | Austronesian | |
| Ibatan | rakoh | Austronesian | |
| Jarawa (India) | huʈʰu | Jarawa-Onge | |
| Javanese | gedhé | Austronesian | |
| Kaingang | mág | Nuclear-Macro-Je | |
| Kamas-Koibal | урго | urgo | Uralic |
| Kazym-Berezover-Suryskarer Khanty | әнәԓ | ənəł | Uralic |
| Latin | magnus | Indo-European | |
| Moselle Franconian | grouss | Indo-European | |
| Malay | besar | Austronesian | |
| Brunei | basar | Austronesian | |
| Mator-Taigi-Karagas | орго | orgo | Uralic |
| Khiamniungan Naga | hàkǜtî | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Classical Nahuatl | huey | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Tundra Nenets | ӈаԓка | ŋałka | Uralic |
| Ojibwa | gichi- | Algic | |
| Church Slavic | великъ | velikŭ | Indo-European |
| Old Russian | великъ | velikŭ | Indo-European |
| Old English | miċel | Indo-European | |
| Oromo | guddaa | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Iron Ossetian | стыр | styr | Indo-European |
| Pumpokol | xääse | Yeniseian | |
| Eastern Panjabi | ਬੜਾ | baṛā | Indo-European |
| Ratahan | lowen | Austronesian | |
| Sundanese | ageung | Austronesian | |
| Tagalog | malaki | Austronesian | |
| Muslim Tat | kələ | Indo-European | |
| Tidore | lamo | North Halmahera | |
| Tokharian B | orotstse | Indo-European | |
| Tooro | -kooto | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Tupinambá | gûasu | Tupian | |
| Ugaritic | 𐎗𐎁 | rb | Afro-Asiatic |
| Unami | kit- | Algic | |
| Woiwurrung-Thagungwurrung | buladu | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Yámana | manakata | Isolates | |
| Yiddish | גרויס | groys | Indo-European |
| Dimli | gırd | Indo-European |