How to say “moon” around the world
418 languages · 418 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 | 月亮 | yuèliàng | Sino-Tibetan |
| English | moon | Indo-European | |
| Spanish | luna | Indo-European | |
| Hindi | चांद | cānd | Indo-European |
| Arabic | قَمَر | qamar | Afro-Asiatic |
| Bengali | চাঁদ | cãd | Indo-European |
| Indonesian | bulan | Austronesian | |
| Portuguese | lua | Indo-European | |
| French | lune | Indo-European | |
| Russian | луна́ | luná | Indo-European |
| Japanese | 月 | tsuki | Japonic |
| Marathi | चंद्र | candra | Indo-European |
| Swahili | mwezi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Turkish | ay | Turkic | |
| Telugu | చంద్రుడు | candruḍu | Dravidian |
| Wu Chinese | 月亮 | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Korean | 달 | dal | Koreanic |
| German | Mond | Indo-European | |
| Vietnamese | trăng | Austroasiatic | |
| Tamil | நிலா | nilā | Dravidian |
| Cantonese | 月亮 | jyut⁶ loeng⁶ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Urdu | چانْد | cānd | Indo-European |
| Italian | luna | Indo-European | |
| Egyptian Arabic | قمر | ʔámar | Afro-Asiatic |
| Gujarati | ચંદ્ર | candra | Indo-European |
| Western Farsi | مَاه | māh | Indo-European |
| Min Nan Chinese | 月娘 | go̍eh-niû | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hakka Chinese | 月光 | ngie̍t-kông | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hausa | wata | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kannada | ಚಂದ್ರ | candra | Dravidian |
| Polish | księżyc | Indo-European | |
| Yoruba | òsùpá | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Malayalam | ചന്ദ്രന് | candraṉ | Dravidian |
| Odia | ଚନ୍ଦ୍ର | candra | Indo-European |
| Burmese | လ | la. | Sino-Tibetan |
| Moroccan Arabic | قمر | qamar | Afro-Asiatic |
| Ukrainian | мі́сяць | mísjacʹ | Indo-European |
| Uzbek | oy | Turkic | |
| Sindhi | چَنڊُ | canḍu | Indo-European |
| Romanian | lună | Indo-European | |
| Dutch | maan | Indo-European | |
| Amharic | ጨረቃ | č̣äräḳa | Afro-Asiatic |
| Thai | ดวงจันทร์ | jan | Tai-Kadai |
| Lingala | sánzá | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Serbian-Croatian-Bosnian | ме̏се̄ц | Indo-European | |
| Khmer | លោកខែ | Austroasiatic | |
| Somali | dayax | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Turkmen | aý | Turkic | |
| Cebuano | bulan | Austronesian | |
| Nepali | चन्द्रमा | candramā | Indo-European |
| Assamese | জোন | zün | Indo-European |
| Sinhala | චන්ද්රයා | candrayā | Indo-European |
| Greek | φεγγάρι | fengári | Indo-European |
| Kurdish | heyv | Indo-European | |
| Hijazi Arabic | قَمَر | gamar | Afro-Asiatic |
| Tajik | моҳ | moh | Indo-European |
| Kazakh | ай | ay | Turkic |
| Hungarian | hold | Uralic | |
| Zulu | inyanga | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Nyanja | mwezi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Akan | bosome | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Southern Pashto | سپوږمۍ | spoǵmëy | Indo-European |
| Czech | měsíc | Indo-European | |
| Uighur | ئاي | ay | Turkic |
| Afrikaans | maan | Indo-European | |
| Min Dong Chinese | 月光 | nguŏk-guŏng | Sino-Tibetan |
| Haitian | lalin | Indo-European | |
| Swedish | måne | Indo-European | |
| Azerbaijani | ay | Turkic | |
| Iloko | bulan | Austronesian | |
| Bulgarian | луна́ | luná | Indo-European |
| Hiligaynon | bulan | Austronesian | |
| Xhosa | inyanga | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Tachelhit | ayyur | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Belarusian | ме́сяц | mjésjac | Indo-European |
| Tigrinya | ወርሒ | wärḥi | Afro-Asiatic |
| Neapolitan | luna | Indo-European | |
| Tumbuka | mwezi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Kikuyu | mweri | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Danish | måne | Indo-European | |
| Slovak | mesiac | Indo-European | |
| Southern Sotho | kgwedi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Wolaytta | aginaa | Ta-Ne-Omotic | |
| Kabyle | ayyur | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Minangkabau | bulan | Austronesian | |
| Finnish | Kuu | Uralic | |
| Lao | ດວງຈັນ | dūang chan | Tai-Kadai |
| Norwegian | måne | Indo-European | |
| Tatar | ай | ay | Turkic |
| Buginese | uleng | Austronesian | |
| Catalan | lluna | Indo-European | |
| Guarani | jasy | Tupian | |
| Sicilian | luna | Indo-European | |
| Kirghiz | ай | ay | Turkic |
| Swiss German | Mond | Indo-European | |
| Riffian | taziri | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Armenian | լուսին | lusin | Indo-European |
| S'gaw Karen | လါ | lah | Sino-Tibetan |
| Lithuanian | mėnulis | Indo-European | |
| Tok Pisin | mun | Indo-European | |
| Lombard | luna | Indo-European | |
| Georgian | მთვარე | mtvare | Kartvelian |
| Acehnese | buleuën | Austronesian | |
| Mazanderani | مونگ | mong | Indo-European |
| Albanian | hënë | Indo-European | |
| Shan | လိူၼ် | lǒen | Tai-Kadai |
| Mongolian | сар | sar | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Chadian Arabic | قمر | gamar | Afro-Asiatic |
| Galician | lúa | Indo-European | |
| Pampanga | bulan | Austronesian | |
| Slovenian | lúna | Indo-European | |
| Iban | bulan | Austronesian | |
| Esperanto | luno | Artificial Language | |
| Kʼicheʼ | ikʼ | Mayan | |
| Macedonian | месечина | mesečina | Indo-European |
| Sichuan Yi | ꆪ | hlep | Sino-Tibetan |
| Venetian | łuna | Indo-European | |
| Zhuang | ronghndwen | Tai-Kadai | |
| Rohingya | san | Indo-European | |
| Sidamo | agano | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Afar | alsá | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kabardian | мазэ | mazɛ | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Limburgan | maon | Indo-European | |
| Makasar | bulang | Austronesian | |
| Latvian | mēness | Indo-European | |
| Quechua | killa | Quechuan | |
| Scots | muin | Indo-European | |
| Tày | hai | Tai-Kadai | |
| Manipuri | ꯊꯥ | thā | Sino-Tibetan |
| Chechen | бутт | butt | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Estonian | kuu | Uralic | |
| Acoli | dwee | Nilotic | |
| Bashkir | ай | ay | Turkic |
| Tibetan | ཟླ་བ | zla ba | Sino-Tibetan |
| Muong | tlăng | Austroasiatic | |
| Maguindanao | ulan-ulan | Austronesian | |
| Tausug | bulan | Austronesian | |
| Gorontalo | hula | Austronesian | |
| Newari | तिमिला | timilā | Sino-Tibetan |
| Central Okinawan | 月 | chichi | Japonic |
| Kachin | shata | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Nuer | pay | Nilotic | |
| Pa'o Karen | လာ | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Western Frisian | moanne | Indo-European | |
| Kalmyk | сар | sar | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Maranao | olan | Austronesian | |
| Avar | моцӏ | mocʼ | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Talysh | oşım | Indo-European | |
| Basque | ilargi | Isolates | |
| Hani | ba'la | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Chuvash | уйӑх | ujăh | Turkic |
| Welsh | lleuad | Indo-European | |
| Yucatec Maya | luuna | Mayan | |
| Lü | ᦵᦡᦲᧃ | ḋoen | Tai-Kadai |
| Lezghian | варз | varz | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Rusyn | мі́сяць | mísjacʹ | Indo-European |
| Morisyen | lalinn | Indo-European | |
| Walloon | lune | Indo-European | |
| Adyghe | мазэ | mazɛ | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Classical Syriac | ܣܗܪܐ | sahrā | Afro-Asiatic |
| Maltese | qamar | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Crimean Tatar | ay | Turkic | |
| Occitan | luna | Indo-European | |
| Vlax Romani | ćhon | Indo-European | |
| Kaqchikel | ikʼ | Mayan | |
| Ligurian | lünn-a | Indo-European | |
| Mari | тылзе | tylze | Uralic |
| Tetum | fulan | Austronesian | |
| Silesian | mjeśůnček | Indo-European | |
| Asturian | lluna | Indo-European | |
| Yakut | ый | ïy | Turkic |
| Sranan Tongo | mun | Indo-European | |
| Ibanag | vulan | Austronesian | |
| Mingrelian | თუთა | tuta | Kartvelian |
| Fijian | vula | Austronesian | |
| Dhivehi | ހަނދު | haⁿdu | Indo-European |
| Papiamento | luna | Indo-European | |
| Icelandic | tungl | Indo-European | |
| Ngazidja Comorian | mwezi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Naxi | heimei | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Friulian | lune | Indo-European | |
| Tuvinian | ай | ay | Turkic |
| Khowar | مَس | mas | Indo-European |
| Saho | alsa | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Udmurt | толэзь | toleź | Uralic |
| Ao Naga | ita | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Plautdietsch | Mon | Indo-European | |
| Laz | tuta | Kartvelian | |
| Dzongkha | ཟླ་བ | zla ba | Sino-Tibetan |
| Enga | mae | Nuclear Trans New Guinea | |
| Buriat | һара | hara | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Amis | folad | Austronesian | |
| Māori | marama | Austronesian | |
| West Coast Bajau | buan | Austronesian | |
| Extremaduran | luna | Indo-European | |
| Dongxiang | sara | Mongolic-Khitan | |
| Abkhaz | амза | amza | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Tonga (Tonga Islands) | māhina | Austronesian | |
| Navajo | ooljééʼ | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Komi | тöлысь | tölyś | Uralic |
| Corsican | luna | Indo-European | |
| Solu-Khumbu Sherpa | ཨུག་ལ | ug la | Sino-Tibetan |
| Irish | gealach | Indo-European | |
| Aromanian | lunã | Indo-European | |
| Kashubian | miesąc | Indo-European | |
| Breton | loar | Indo-European | |
| Mwani | mwezi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Erzya | ков | kov | Uralic |
| Torwali | یُن | yūn | Indo-European |
| Atayal | byacing | Austronesian | |
| Tabasaran | ваз | vaz | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Faroese | máni | Indo-European | |
| Chamorro | pulan | Austronesian | |
| Rawang | shvlá | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Marshallese | allōn̄ | Austronesian | |
| Scottish Gaelic | gealach | Indo-European | |
| Mansaka | boran | Austronesian | |
| Aguaruna | nantu | Chicham | |
| Southern Altai | ай | ay | Turkic |
| Sanskrit | चन्द्र | candrá | Indo-European |
| Ternate | ara | North Halmahera | |
| Dungan | йүәлён | yüəlion | Sino-Tibetan |
| Plains Cree | ᑎᐱᔅᑳᐅᐲᓯᒻ | tipiskaaopiisim | Algic |
| Higaonon | bulan | Austronesian | |
| Bau-Jagoi Bidayuh | buran | Austronesian | |
| Hawaiian | mahina | Austronesian | |
| North Saami | mánnu | Uralic | |
| Kajtak | бацц | bacc | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Inabaknon | bulan | Austronesian | |
| Andi | борцӏцӏи | borccʼi | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Taroko | idas | Austronesian | |
| Palauan | buil | Austronesian | |
| Central Yupik | iraluq | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Evenki | бега | bega | Tungusic |
| Comorian | mwezi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Tohono O'odham | maṣad | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Svan | დოშდულ | došdul | Kartvelian |
| Drung | svla | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Western Apache | tł'é'gona'áí | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Upper Sorbian | měsačk | Indo-European | |
| Cherokee | ᏅᏓ | nvda | Iroquoian |
| Yagnobi | маҳтоб | mahtob | Indo-European |
| Duwai | kiya | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Northern Frisian | moune | Indo-European | |
| Semai | gecek | Austroasiatic | |
| Zuni | yachunne | Isolates | |
| Macushi | kapoi | Cariban | |
| Nauru | maramen | Austronesian | |
| Choctaw | hvshi ninak a̱ya | Muskogean | |
| Nheengatu | yasi | Tupian | |
| Udi | хаш | ꭓaš | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Chitral Kalasha | mastrúk | Indo-European | |
| Hopi | muuyaw | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Lower Sorbian | mjasec | Indo-European | |
| Atikamekw | tipiskaw pisimw | Algic | |
| Yanomám | peripo | Yanomamic | |
| Even | бяг | ʙẹg | Tungusic |
| Chukchi | йъиԓгын | jʺiḷgyn | Chukotko-Kamchatkan |
| Jejueo | ᄃᆞᆯ | dawl | Koreanic |
| Megleno-Romanian | lună | Indo-European | |
| Rapanui | māhina | Austronesian | |
| Dolgan | ый | Turkic | |
| Pitjantjatjara | kiṉaṟa | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Wutunhua | yailiang | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Yami | vehan | Austronesian | |
| Warlpiri | kirntangi | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Cheyenne | taa'éeše'he | Algic | |
| Moksha | ков | kov | Uralic |
| Lakota | haŋwí | Siouan | |
| Mòcheno | mu' | Indo-European | |
| Manx | eayst | Indo-European | |
| Interlingua | luna | Artificial Language | |
| Bororo | ari | Bororoan | |
| Nanai | биа | bia | Tungusic |
| Pipil | metzti | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Khinalug | вацӏ | wac̣ | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Archi | бац | bac | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Kala Lagaw Ya | moelpal | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Comanche | mʉa | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Taos Northern Tiwa | pʼóna | Kiowa-Tanoan | |
| Cornish | loor | Indo-European | |
| Hixkaryána | nuno | Cariban | |
| Yankunytjatjara | piṟa | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Maliseet-Passamaquoddy | nipawset | Algic | |
| Pela | la̠³⁵ | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Paumari | masiko | Arawan | |
| Budukh | вез | vez | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Godoberi | пурццу | purccu | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Irántxe-Münkü | wirapu | Isolates | |
| Kutenai | k¢iǂmitiǂnukqa | Isolates | |
| Karaim | ай | ay | Turkic |
| Chickasaw | hashi' ninak | Muskogean | |
| Maricopa | xalyaa | Cochimi-Yuman | |
| Wiradhuri | burganburgan | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Manchu | ᠪᡳᠶᠠ | biya | Tungusic |
| Ainu | チュㇷ゚ | cup | Ainu |
| N||ng | ǂoro | Tuu | |
| Akkadian | 𒌚 | warḫum | Afro-Asiatic |
| Aklanon | buean | Austronesian | |
| Guerrero Amuzgo | chi' | Otomanguean | |
| Gulf Arabic | قمر | gumar | Afro-Asiatic |
| Classical Mandaic | ࡎࡉࡓࡀ | sira | Afro-Asiatic |
| Jewish Babylonian Aramaic (ca. 200-1200 CE) | סַהֲרָא | sahărā | Afro-Asiatic |
| Arikapú | kupa | Nuclear-Macro-Je | |
| Aymara | phaxsi | Aymaran | |
| Baima | dza¹³ | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Western Balochi | ماہ | máh | Indo-European |
| Baram Kayan | bulan | Austronesian | |
| Baure | kiher | Arawakan | |
| Bole | tere | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Eastern Bru | casâi | Austroasiatic | |
| Brunei Bisaya-Dusun | ulan | Austronesian | |
| Busang Kayan | bulaːn | Austronesian | |
| Central Atlas Tamazight | ⴰⵢⵓⵔ | ayur | Afro-Asiatic |
| Cerma | cɛiŋo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Chagatai | آی | ʾāy | Turkic |
| Coptic | ⲓⲟϩ | ioh | Afro-Asiatic |
| Dalmatian | loina | Indo-European | |
| Hawkesbury | gûndong | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Etruscan | 𐌕𐌉𐌖𐌓 | tiur | Isolates |