How to say “fire” around the world
5,761 languages · 513 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 | 火 | huǒ | Sino-Tibetan |
| English | fire | Indo-European | |
| Spanish | fuego | Indo-European | |
| Hindi | आग | āg | Indo-European |
| Arabic | نَار | nār | Afro-Asiatic |
| Bengali | আগুন | agun | Indo-European |
| Indonesian | api | Austronesian | |
| Portuguese | fogo | Indo-European | |
| French | feu | Indo-European | |
| Russian | ого́нь | ogónʹ | Indo-European |
| Japanese | 火 | hi | Japonic |
| Marathi | अग्नि | agni | Indo-European |
| Swahili | moto | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Turkish | ateş | Turkic | |
| Telugu | అగ్ని | agni | Dravidian |
| Wu Chinese | 火 | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Korean | 불 | bul | Koreanic |
| German | Feuer | Indo-European | |
| Vietnamese | lửa | Austroasiatic | |
| Tamil | நெருப்பு | neruppu | Dravidian |
| Cantonese | 火 | fo² | Sino-Tibetan |
| Urdu | آگ | āg | Indo-European |
| Italian | fuoco | Indo-European | |
| Egyptian Arabic | نار | nar | Afro-Asiatic |
| Gujarati | આગ | āga | Indo-European |
| Western Farsi | آتَش | ātaš | Indo-European |
| Min Nan Chinese | 火 | hóe | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hakka Chinese | 火 | fó | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hausa | wuta | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kannada | ಬೆಂಕಿ | beṅki | Dravidian |
| Polish | ogień | Indo-European | |
| Yoruba | iná | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Malayalam | തീ | tī | Dravidian |
| Odia | ଅଗ୍ନି | agni | Indo-European |
| Maithili | आगि | āgɨ | Indo-European |
| Burmese | မီး | mi: | Sino-Tibetan |
| Moroccan Arabic | عافية | ʕāfya | Afro-Asiatic |
| Igbo | ọku | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Ukrainian | вого́нь | vohónʹ | Indo-European |
| Uzbek | oʻt | Turkic | |
| Sindhi | باھِ | bāhi | Indo-European |
| Romanian | foc | Indo-European | |
| Dutch | vuur | Indo-European | |
| Awadhi | आगि | āgi | Indo-European |
| Amharic | እሳት | ʾəsat | Afro-Asiatic |
| Magahi | 𑂄𑂏𑂱 | āgi | Indo-European |
| Thai | ไฟ | fai | Tai-Kadai |
| Lingala | mɔ̌tɔ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Serbian-Croatian-Bosnian | ва̏тра | Indo-European | |
| Khmer | ភ្លើង | pləəng | Austroasiatic |
| Somali | dab | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Turkmen | ot | Turkic | |
| Cebuano | kalayo | Austronesian | |
| Nepali | आगो | āgo | Indo-European |
| Assamese | জুই | zui | Indo-European |
| Sinhala | ගින්න | ginna | Indo-European |
| Greek | φωτιά | fotiá | Indo-European |
| Northeastern Thai | ไฟ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Madurese | apoy | Austronesian | |
| Kurdish | agir | Indo-European | |
| Hijazi Arabic | نار | nār | Afro-Asiatic |
| Tajik | оташ | otaš | Indo-European |
| Sylheti | ꠀꠉꠥꠁꠘ | aguin | Indo-European |
| Kazakh | от | ot | Turkic |
| Hungarian | tűz | Uralic | |
| Zulu | umlilo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Nyanja | moto | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Akan | ogya | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Southern Pashto | اور | or | Indo-European |
| Czech | oheň | Indo-European | |
| Uighur | ئوت | ot | Turkic |
| Afrikaans | vuur | Indo-European | |
| Min Dong Chinese | 火 | huōi | Sino-Tibetan |
| Haitian | dife | Indo-European | |
| Kanuri | kánnu | Saharan | |
| Swedish | eld | Indo-European | |
| Azerbaijani | od | Turkic | |
| Iloko | apoy | Austronesian | |
| Bulgarian | о́гън | ógăn | Indo-European |
| Shona | moto | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Hiligaynon | kalayo | Austronesian | |
| Xhosa | umlilo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Belarusian | аго́нь | ahónʹ | Indo-European |
| Mossi | bùgúm | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Tigrinya | ሓዊ | ḥawi | Afro-Asiatic |
| Neapolitan | fuoco | Indo-European | |
| Central Kurdish | ئاگِر | agir | Indo-European |
| Santali | ᱥᱮᱺᱜᱮᱹᱞ | sĕ̃gĕl | Austroasiatic |
| Tumbuka | moto | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Kashmiri | اۆگُن | ogun | Indo-European |
| Kikuyu | mwaki | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Northern Thai | ᨼᩱ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Danish | ild | Indo-European | |
| Slovak | oheň | Indo-European | |
| Southern Sotho | mollo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Wolaytta | tamaa | Ta-Ne-Omotic | |
| Minangkabau | api | Austronesian | |
| Finnish | tuli | Uralic | |
| Lao | ໄຟ | fai | Tai-Kadai |
| Norwegian | ild | Indo-European | |
| Tatar | ут | ut | Turkic |
| Buginese | api | Austronesian | |
| Catalan | foc | Indo-European | |
| Guarani | tata | Tupian | |
| Sicilian | focu | Indo-European | |
| Kirghiz | от | ot | Turkic |
| Swiss German | Füür | Indo-European | |
| Tswana | molelo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Riffian | timessi | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Armenian | հուր | hur | Indo-European |
| Balinese | api | Austronesian | |
| S'gaw Karen | မ့ၣ် | maỳ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Lithuanian | ugnis | Indo-European | |
| Tok Pisin | paia | Indo-European | |
| Lombard | foeugh | Indo-European | |
| Georgian | ცეცხლი | cecxli | Kartvelian |
| Acehnese | apuy | Austronesian | |
| Mazanderani | تش | taš | Indo-European |
| Jamaican Creole English | faya | Indo-European | |
| Waray | kalayo | Austronesian | |
| Albanian | zjarr | Indo-European | |
| Southern Kurdish | ئاگِر | agir | Indo-European |
| Shan | ၽႆး | phái | Tai-Kadai |
| Mongolian | гал | gal | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Bikol | kalayo | Austronesian | |
| Galician | lume | Indo-European | |
| Slovenian | ogenj | Indo-European | |
| Iban | api | Austronesian | |
| Batak Toba | api | Austronesian | |
| Bouyei | fix | Tai-Kadai | |
| Esperanto | fajro | Artificial Language | |
| Kʼicheʼ | q’aq’ | Mayan | |
| Macedonian | оган | ogan | Indo-European |
| Sichuan Yi | ꃆꄔ | mup dut | Sino-Tibetan |
| Piedmontese | feugh | Indo-European | |
| Sasak | api | Austronesian | |
| Tulu | ತೂ | tū | Dravidian |
| Venetian | fogo | Indo-European | |
| Zhuang | feiz | Tai-Kadai | |
| Rohingya | ooin | Indo-European | |
| Sidamo | gira | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Afar | gira | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kabardian | мафӏэ | mafʼɛ | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Limburgan | vuur | Indo-European | |
| Makasar | pepe | Austronesian | |
| Laki | ئاگِر | agir | Indo-European |
| Latvian | uguns | Indo-European | |
| Quechua | nina | Quechuan | |
| Scots | fire | Indo-European | |
| Tày | fầy | Tai-Kadai | |
| Manipuri | ꯃꯩ | mei | Sino-Tibetan |
| Chechen | цӏе | cʼe | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Emilian | fûg | Indo-European | |
| Estonian | tuli | Uralic | |
| Bashkir | ут | ut | Turkic |
| Tibetan | མེ | me | Sino-Tibetan |
| Beja | n'e | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Muong | cúi | Austroasiatic | |
| Maguindanao | apuy | Austronesian | |
| Romagnol | fug | Indo-European | |
| Tausug | api | Austronesian | |
| Kinaray-a | kalayo | Austronesian | |
| Newari | मि | mi | Sino-Tibetan |
| Ngaju | apuy | Austronesian | |
| Pa'o Karen | မေး | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Mon | ဗမတ် | kəmot | Austroasiatic |
| Western Frisian | fjoer | Indo-European | |
| Frafra | bugum | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Iu Mien | douz | Hmong-Mien | |
| Kalmyk | һал | ğal | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Maranao | apoy | Austronesian | |
| Avar | цӏа | cʼa | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Talysh | otəş | Indo-European | |
| Tai Dam | ꪼꪡ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Basque | su | Isolates | |
| Chuvash | вут | vut | Turkic |
| Welsh | tân | Indo-European | |
| Yucatec Maya | kʼaʼajaleʼ | Mayan | |
| Lü | ᦺᦝ | fay | Tai-Kadai |
| Tai Nüa | ᥜᥭᥰ | fäy | Tai-Kadai |
| Lezghian | цӏай | c̣aj | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Rusyn | оге́нь | ohénʹ | Indo-European |
| Batak Karo | api | Austronesian | |
| Morisyen | dife | Indo-European | |
| Réunion Creole French | fé | Indo-European | |
| Walloon | feu | Indo-European | |
| Kara-Kalpak | ot | Turkic | |
| Adyghe | машӏо | mašʷʼo | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Maltese | nar | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Crimean Tatar | ot | Turkic | |
| Occitan | fuòc | Indo-European | |
| Vlax Romani | jag | Indo-European | |
| Upper Guinea Crioulo | fugu | Indo-European | |
| Ligurian | feugu | Indo-European | |
| Mizo | mei | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Mari | тул | tul | Uralic |
| Tetum | ahi | Austronesian | |
| Silesian | ôgyń | Indo-European | |
| Asturian | fueu | Indo-European | |
| Yakut | уот | uot | Turkic |
| Kumyk | от | ot | Turkic |
| Limbu | ᤔᤡ | mi | Sino-Tibetan |
| Samoan | afi | Austronesian | |
| Sranan Tongo | faya | Indo-European | |
| Tzotzil | kʼokʼ | Mayan | |
| Mingrelian | დაჩხირი | dačxiri | Kartvelian |
| Fijian | buka | Austronesian | |
| Dhivehi | އަލިފާން | alifān̊ | Indo-European |
| Ingush | цӏи | cʼi | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Icelandic | eldur | Indo-European | |
| Karachay-Balkar | от | ot | Turkic |
| Naxi | mi | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Friulian | fûc | Indo-European | |
| Mapuche | kütral | Araucanian | |
| Sui | vil | Tai-Kadai | |
| Tuvinian | от | ot | Turkic |
| Saho | gira | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Udmurt | тыл | tyl | Uralic |
| Jarai | apui | Austronesian | |
| Plautdietsch | Fia | Indo-European | |
| Laz | დაჩხირი | daçxiri | Kartvelian |
| Dzongkha | མེ | me | Sino-Tibetan |
| Iriga Bicolano | kalayō | Austronesian | |
| Enga | ita | Nuclear Trans New Guinea | |
| Zeelandic | vier | Indo-European | |
| Buriat | гал | gal | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Amis | namal | Austronesian | |
| Māori | ahi | Austronesian | |
| Extremaduran | huegu | Indo-European | |
| Dongxiang | khan | Mongolic-Khitan | |
| Abkhaz | амца | amca | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Tonga (Tonga Islands) | afi | Austronesian | |
| Mískito | pata | Misumalpan | |
| Navajo | kǫʼ | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Bahnar | ŭnh | Austroasiatic | |
| Komi | би | bi | Uralic |
| Lak | цӏу | cʼu | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Corsican | focu | Indo-European | |
| Bantoanon | kayado | Austronesian | |
| Solu-Khumbu Sherpa | མེ | me | Sino-Tibetan |
| Gagauz | ateş | Turkic | |
| Pennsylvania German | Feier | Indo-European | |
| Irish | tine | Indo-European | |
| Ladino | fuego | Indo-European | |
| Badaga | ಕಿಚ್ಚು | kiccu | Dravidian |
| Aromanian | foc | Indo-European | |
| Yakan | ebbut | Austronesian | |
| Kashubian | òdżin | Indo-European | |
| Breton | tan | Indo-European | |
| Mwani | moto | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Erzya | тол | tol | Uralic |
| Dagur | galy | Mongolic-Khitan | |
| Nogai | от | ot | Turkic |
| Mulam | fi¹ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Võro | tuli | Uralic | |
| Tabasaran | цӏа | c̣a | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Lepcha | ᰕᰧ | mi | Sino-Tibetan |
| Faroese | eldur | Indo-European | |
| Tahitian | auahi | Austronesian | |
| Shughni | йоц | yōc | Indo-European |
| Chamorro | guafi | Austronesian | |
| Marshallese | kijeek | Austronesian | |
| Zou | mei | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Scottish Gaelic | teine | Indo-European | |
| Southern Altai | от | ot | Turkic |
| Sanskrit | अग्नि | agni | Indo-European |
| Rutul | цӏай | c̣aj | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Argobba | ኢሳት | isat | Afro-Asiatic |
| Khakas | от | ot | Turkic |
| Ternate | uku | North Halmahera | |
| Dungan | хуә | huə | Sino-Tibetan |
| Romansh | fieu | Indo-European | |
| Tlaxcala-Puebla-Central Nahuatl | tletl | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Chepang | म्हेः | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Karelian | tuli | Uralic | |
| Plains Cree | ᐃᔥᑯᑌᐤ | ishkotew | Algic |
| Aukan | faya | Indo-European | |
| Balantak | apu | Austronesian | |
| Ladin | fech | Indo-European | |
| Bau-Jagoi Bidayuh | apuy | Austronesian | |
| Hawaiian | ahi | Austronesian | |
| North Saami | dolla | Uralic | |
| Kajtak | цӏа | c̣a | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Tsakhur | цӏи | c̣ʲi | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Andi | цӏа | cʼa | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Palauan | ngau | Austronesian | |
| Central Yupik | keneq | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Sarikoli | yuc | Indo-European | |
| Evenki | тог | tog | Tungusic |
| Western Bukidnon Manobo | hapuy | Austronesian | |
| Mirandese | fuogo | Indo-European | |
| Svan | ლემესგ | lemesg | Kartvelian |
| Drung | tvmi | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Upper Sorbian | woheń | Indo-European | |
| Cherokee | ᎠᏥᎳ | atsila | Iroquoian |
| West Makian | ipi | North Halmahera | |
| Yagnobi | олов | olov | Indo-European |
| Fala | fogu | Indo-European | |
| Bonan | xal | Mongolic-Khitan | |
| Northern Frisian | ial | Indo-European | |
| Niuean | afi | Austronesian | |
| Palu'e | abi | Austronesian | |
| Vaghri | અગ્ગ | agg | Indo-European |
| Rotuman | rạhi | Austronesian | |
| Aragonese | fuego | Indo-European | |
| Puyuma | apue | Austronesian | |
| Lower Sorbian | wogeń | Indo-European | |
| Yidgha | yūṛ | Indo-European | |
| Chukchi | йынйын | jynjyn | Chukotko-Kamchatkan |
| Megleno-Romanian | foc | Indo-European | |
| Rapanui | ahi | Austronesian | |
| Dolgan | уот | uot | Turkic |
| Pitjantjatjara | waṟu | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Munji | yūr | Indo-European | |
| Bats | წე | c̣e | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Tokelau | afi | Austronesian | |
| Yazgulyam | yec | Indo-European | |
| Mrassu Shor-Tutal | от | ot | Turkic |
| Arawak | ikihi | Arawakan | |
| Cheyenne | ho'ësta | Algic |