How to say “eat” around the world
289 languages · 289 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 | 吃 | chī | Sino-Tibetan |
| English | eat | Indo-European | |
| Spanish | comer | Indo-European | |
| Hindi | खाना | khānā | Indo-European |
| Arabic | أَكَلَ | ʔakala | Afro-Asiatic |
| Bengali | খাওয়া | khaōẇa | Indo-European |
| Indonesian | makan | Austronesian | |
| Portuguese | comer | Indo-European | |
| French | manger | Indo-European | |
| Russian | есть | jestʹ | Indo-European |
| Japanese | 食べる | taberu | Japonic |
| Marathi | खाणे | khāṇe | Indo-European |
| Swahili | kula | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Turkish | yemek | Turkic | |
| Telugu | తిను | tinu | Dravidian |
| Wu Chinese | 吃 | ⁷chiq | Sino-Tibetan |
| Korean | 먹다 | meokda | Koreanic |
| German | essen | Indo-European | |
| Vietnamese | ăn | Austroasiatic | |
| Tamil | சாப்பிடு | cāppiṭu | Dravidian |
| Cantonese | 食 | sik⁶ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Urdu | کھانا | khānā | Indo-European |
| Italian | mangiare | Indo-European | |
| Egyptian Arabic | أكل | akal | Afro-Asiatic |
| Gujarati | ખાવું | khāvũ | Indo-European |
| Western Farsi | خورْدَن | xurdan | Indo-European |
| Min Nan Chinese | 食 | chia̍h | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hakka Chinese | 食 | sṳ̍t | Sino-Tibetan |
| Nigerian Pidgin | chop | Indo-European | |
| Jinyu Chinese | 吃 | ceh⁴ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hausa | ci | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kannada | ತಿನ್ನು | tinnu | Dravidian |
| Polish | jeść | Indo-European | |
| Yoruba | jẹ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Xiang Chinese | 吃 | qia⁶ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Malayalam | കഴിക്കുക | kaḻikkuka | Dravidian |
| Odia | ଖାଇବା | khāibā | Indo-European |
| Burmese | စား | ca: | Sino-Tibetan |
| Igbo | ri | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Ukrainian | ї́сти | jísty | Indo-European |
| Uzbek | yemoq | Turkic | |
| Sindhi | کائِڻُ | khāiṇu | Indo-European |
| Romanian | mânca | Indo-European | |
| Dutch | eten | Indo-European | |
| Gan Chinese | 吃 | qiah⁶ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Amharic | መብላት | mäblat | Afro-Asiatic |
| Thai | กิน | gin | Tai-Kadai |
| Lingala | lia | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Serbian-Croatian-Bosnian | је̏сти | Indo-European | |
| Khmer | ញ៉ាំ | ñam | Austroasiatic |
| Turkmen | iýmek | Turkic | |
| Cebuano | kaun | Austronesian | |
| Nepali | खानु | khānu | Indo-European |
| Assamese | খা | kha | Indo-European |
| Sinhala | කනවා | kanawā | Indo-European |
| Greek | τρώω | tróo | Indo-European |
| Kurdish | xwarin | Indo-European | |
| Tajik | хӯрдан | xürdan | Indo-European |
| Sylheti | ꠈꠣꠃꠣ | xáua | Indo-European |
| Kazakh | жеу | jew | Turkic |
| Hungarian | eszik | Uralic | |
| Zulu | -dla | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Nyanja | kudya | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Akan | di | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Southern Pashto | خوړل | xwaṛᶕl | Indo-European |
| Czech | jíst | Indo-European | |
| Uighur | يېمەك | yëmek | Turkic |
| Afrikaans | eet | Indo-European | |
| Min Dong Chinese | 食 | sĭk | Sino-Tibetan |
| Haitian | manje | Indo-European | |
| Swedish | äta | Indo-European | |
| Azerbaijani | yemək | Turkic | |
| Bulgarian | ям | jam | Indo-European |
| Hiligaynon | kaon | Austronesian | |
| Belarusian | е́сці | jésci | Indo-European |
| Neapolitan | mangià | Indo-European | |
| Central Kurdish | خواردن | xwardin | Indo-European |
| Kashmiri | کھیٛۆن | kh'on | Indo-European |
| Kikuyu | kũrĩa | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Northern Thai | ᨠᩥ᩠ᨶ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Danish | spise | Indo-European | |
| Slovak | jesť | Indo-European | |
| Southern Sotho | ja | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Wolaytta | ma | Ta-Ne-Omotic | |
| Kabyle | ečč | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Minangkabau | makan | Austronesian | |
| Finnish | syödä | Uralic | |
| Lao | ກິນ | kin | Tai-Kadai |
| Norwegian | spise | Indo-European | |
| Tatar | ашарга | aşarğa | Turkic |
| Catalan | menjar | Indo-European | |
| Guarani | 'u | Tupian | |
| Sicilian | manciàri | Indo-European | |
| Kirghiz | жеш | jeş | Turkic |
| Swiss German | ässe | Indo-European | |
| Armenian | ուտել | utel | Indo-European |
| Ganda | okulya | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Lithuanian | valgyti | Indo-European | |
| Tok Pisin | kai | Indo-European | |
| Lombard | mangià | Indo-European | |
| Georgian | ჭამა | č̣ama | Kartvelian |
| Waray | ka-un | Austronesian | |
| Albanian | ha | Indo-European | |
| Luo | chamo | Nilotic | |
| Shan | ၵိၼ် | kǐn | Tai-Kadai |
| Mongolian | идэх | idex | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Bikol | kaon | Austronesian | |
| Galician | comer | Indo-European | |
| Slovenian | jesti | Indo-European | |
| Esperanto | manĝi | Artificial Language | |
| Macedonian | јаде | jade | Indo-European |
| Piedmontese | mangé | Indo-European | |
| Shilluk | camo | Nilotic | |
| Venetian | magnar | Indo-European | |
| Zhuang | gwn | Tai-Kadai | |
| Brahui | kunak | Dravidian | |
| Sidamo | it- | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Igala | jẹ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Limburgan | aete | Indo-European | |
| Latvian | ēst | Indo-European | |
| Quechua | mikhuy | Quechuan | |
| Chechen | даа | daa | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Estonian | sööma | Uralic | |
| Bashkir | ашау | aşaw | Turkic |
| Tibetan | ཟ | za | Sino-Tibetan |
| Maguindanao | kuman | Austronesian | |
| Romagnol | magnê | Indo-European | |
| Tausug | kaun | Austronesian | |
| Bakhtiari | خردن | xarden | Indo-European |
| Central Okinawan | 食むん | kamun | Japonic |
| Kabuverdianu | kume | Indo-European | |
| Khasi | bam | Austroasiatic | |
| Western Frisian | ite | Indo-European | |
| Kalmyk | идх | idx | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Maranao | kan | Austronesian | |
| Avar | кваназе | kʷanaze | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Tai Dam | ꪀꪲꪙ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Basque | jan | Isolates | |
| Welsh | bwyta | Indo-European | |
| Yucatec Maya | hanal | Mayan | |
| Lü | ᦂᦲᧃ | k̇iin | Tai-Kadai |
| Rusyn | ї́сти | jísty | Indo-European |
| Morisyen | manze | Indo-European | |
| Maltese | kiel | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Crimean Tatar | aşamaq | Turkic | |
| Occitan | manjar | Indo-European | |
| Vlax Romani | hal | Indo-European | |
| Tetum | han | Austronesian | |
| Asturian | yantar | Indo-European | |
| Yakut | аһаа | ahaa | Turkic |
| Kumyk | ашамакъ | aşamaq | Turkic |
| Sranan Tongo | nyan | Indo-European | |
| Fijian | daliga | Austronesian | |
| Ingush | даа | daa | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Icelandic | borða | Indo-European | |
| Ngazidja Comorian | hula | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Friulian | mangjâ | Indo-European | |
| Tuvinian | чиир | çiir | Turkic |
| Jarai | ƀŏng | Austronesian | |
| Ao Naga | achi | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Assyrian Neo-Aramaic | ܐܵܟ݂ܹܠ | āḵēl | Afro-Asiatic |
| Zeelandic | ete | Indo-European | |
| Buriat | эдихэ | edixe | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Māori | kai | Austronesian | |
| Abkhaz | афара | afara | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Tonga (Tonga Islands) | kai | Austronesian | |
| Navajo | ayą́ | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Corsican | manghjà | Indo-European | |
| Solu-Khumbu Sherpa | ཟ | za | Sino-Tibetan |
| Pennsylvania German | esse | Indo-European | |
| Irish | ith | Indo-European | |
| Ladino | komer | Indo-European | |
| Aromanian | mãc | Indo-European | |
| Kashubian | jesc | Indo-European | |
| Breton | debriñ | Indo-European | |
| Mwani | kurya | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Atayal | niqun | Austronesian | |
| Faroese | eta | Indo-European | |
| Scottish Gaelic | ith | Indo-European | |
| Chuukese | mongo | Austronesian | |
| Sanskrit | अत्ति | atti | Indo-European |
| Dungan | чы | čɨ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Romansh | mangiar | Indo-European | |
| Higaonon | kaun | Austronesian | |
| Hawaiian | ʻai | Austronesian | |
| North Saami | borrat | Uralic | |
| Kajtak | бука́на | bukána | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Lamboya | ya | Austronesian | |
| Pijin | kaekae | Indo-European | |
| Andi | икунну | ikunnu | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Central Yupik | ner'uq | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Yeniche | achle | Mixed Language | |
| Evenki | девмӣ | ʒewmī | Tungusic |
| Comorian | uɗya | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Western Bukidnon Manobo | ka'an | Austronesian | |
| Western Apache | yiyąą | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Upper Sorbian | jěsć | Indo-European | |
| Yagnobi | хварак | xvarak | Indo-European |
| Bislama | kaekae | Indo-European | |
| Northern Frisian | iidj | Indo-European | |
| Louisiana Creole | manjé | Indo-European | |
| Aragonese | minchar | Indo-European | |
| Lower Sorbian | jěsć | Indo-European | |
| Atikamekw | mitciso | Algic | |
| Even | дебдэй | ʒeʙdəj | Tungusic |
| Chukchi | ӄамэтвак | qamėtvak | Chukotko-Kamchatkan |
| Jejueo | 먹다 | meokda | Koreanic |
| Megleno-Romanian | mănǫnc | Indo-European | |
| Rapanui | kai | Austronesian | |
| Dolgan | аһаа | Turkic | |
| Mòcheno | èssn | Indo-European | |
| Manx | ee | Indo-European | |
| Interlingua | mangiar | Artificial Language | |
| Nanai | депури | žepuri | Tungusic |
| Pipil | -kwa | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Istriot | magnà | Indo-European | |
| Istro-Romanian | măncå | Indo-European | |
| Sea Island Creole English | nyam | Indo-European | |
| Skolt Sami | poorrâd | Uralic | |
| Yonaguni | ハイ | hayi | Japonic |
| Judeo-Italian | אכלר | akhlare | Indo-European |
| Amur Nivkh | иньдь | iņd̦ | Nivkh |
| Ingrian | söövvä | Uralic | |
| Northern Yukaghir | лэв- | lew- | Yukaghir |
| Manchu | ᠵᡝᠮᠪᡳ | jembi | Tungusic |
| Ainu | エ | 'e | Ainu |
| N||ng | â | Tuu | |
| Ahom | 𑜀𑜢𑜃𑜫 | kin | Tai-Kadai |
| Akkadian | 𒅥 | akālu | Afro-Asiatic |
| Aklanon | kaon | Austronesian | |
| Ambonese Malay | makang | Austronesian | |
| Gulf Arabic | كَلْ | kal | Afro-Asiatic |
| Aramaic | אכל | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Classical-Middle Armenian | ուտեմ | utem | Indo-European |
| Literary Chinese | 餔 | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Dalmatian | mančur | Indo-European | |
| Middle Dutch | eten | Indo-European | |
| Ifè | dzɛ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Arpitan | mengier | Indo-European | |
| Old French | mangier | Indo-European | |
| Old Frisian | ita | Indo-European | |
| Saterland Frisian | iete | Indo-European | |
| Geez | በልዐ | bälʿä | Afro-Asiatic |
| Old High German | ezzan | Indo-European | |
| Gothic | 𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 | itan | Indo-European |
| Ancient Greek | ἔδω | édō | Indo-European |
| Kalaallisut | nerivoq | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Hebrew | אָכַל | akhál | Afro-Asiatic |
| Hittite | 𒂊𒀉𒈪 | e-id-mi | Indo-European |
| Diandongbei-Large Flowery Miao | 𖼐𖽻𖾏 | Hmong-Mien | |
| Hunsrik | esse | Indo-European | |
| Isnag | kan | Austronesian | |
| Javanese | dhahar | Austronesian | |
| Kituba (Democratic Republic of Congo) | dia | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Latin | edō | Indo-European | |
| Low German | eten | Indo-European | |
| Lucumi | yé | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Lautu | ce | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Cuneiform Luwian | 𒀀𒁺𒈾 | aduna | Indo-European |
| Moselle Franconian | iessen | Indo-European | |
| Malay | makan | Austronesian | |
| Sougb | et | East Bird's Head | |
| Middle English | eten | Indo-European | |
| Mori Bawah | kaa | Austronesian | |
| Mpade | sɨm | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Classical Nahuatl | cuā | Uto-Aztecan | |
| San Francisco Bay Ohlone | ahmush | Miwok-Costanoan | |
| Ojibwa | wiisini | Algic | |
| Church Slavic | ꙗсти | jasti | Indo-European |
| Old English | etan | Indo-European | |
| Old Norse | eta | Indo-European | |
| Old Saxon | etan | Indo-European | |
| Ulukwumi | zẹ́ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Oromo | nyaachuu | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Iron Ossetian | хӕрын | xæryn | Indo-European |
| Pali | khādati | Indo-European | |
| Eastern Panjabi | ਖਾਣਾ | khāṇā | Indo-European |
| Sardinian | mandigare | Indo-European | |
| Sundanese | tuang | Austronesian | |
| Tagalog | kain | Austronesian | |
| Tokharian B | śu- | Indo-European | |
| Tooro | -lya | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Ugaritic | 𐎀𐎋𐎍 | ảkl | Afro-Asiatic |
| Woiwurrung-Thagungwurrung | dhanga | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Yiddish | עסן | esn | Indo-European |
| Yurok | nepek' | Algic | |
| Dimli | werdene | Indo-European | |
| Zyphe | ee | Sino-Tibetan | |
| East Taa | ʻâã | Tuu |