How to say “sleep” around the world
253 languages · 253 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 | 睡觉 | shuìjiào | Sino-Tibetan |
| English | sleep | Indo-European | |
| Spanish | dormir | Indo-European | |
| Hindi | सोना | sonā | Indo-European |
| Arabic | نَامَ | nāma | Afro-Asiatic |
| Bengali | শোয়া | śōẇa | Indo-European |
| Indonesian | tidur | Austronesian | |
| Portuguese | dormir | Indo-European | |
| French | dormir | Indo-European | |
| Russian | спать | spatʹ | Indo-European |
| Japanese | 寝る | neru | Japonic |
| Marathi | झोपणे | jhopṇe | Indo-European |
| Swahili | kulala | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Turkish | uyumak | Turkic | |
| Telugu | నిద్రించు | nidriñcu | Dravidian |
| Wu Chinese | 困 | ¹khuen | Sino-Tibetan |
| Korean | 자다 | jada | Koreanic |
| German | schlafen | Indo-European | |
| Vietnamese | ngủ | Austroasiatic | |
| Tamil | தூங்கு | tūṅku | Dravidian |
| Cantonese | 睏 | fan³ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Urdu | سونا | sonā | Indo-European |
| Italian | dormire | Indo-European | |
| Egyptian Arabic | نام | nām | Afro-Asiatic |
| Gujarati | ઊંઘવું | ū̃ghavũ | Indo-European |
| Western Farsi | خوابیدَن | xâbidan | Indo-European |
| Min Nan Chinese | 睏 | khùn | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hakka Chinese | 睡目 | soi-muk | Sino-Tibetan |
| Polish | spać | Indo-European | |
| Xiang Chinese | 困觉 | kun⁴ gau⁴ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Malayalam | ഉറങ്ങുക | uṟaṅṅuka | Dravidian |
| Odia | ନିଦ୍ରାଯିବା | nidrājibā | Indo-European |
| Burmese | အိပ် | ip | Sino-Tibetan |
| Moroccan Arabic | نعس | nʕas | Afro-Asiatic |
| Ukrainian | спа́ти | spáty | Indo-European |
| Uzbek | uxlamoq | Turkic | |
| Romanian | dormi | Indo-European | |
| Dutch | slapen | Indo-European | |
| Gan Chinese | 困 | kun³ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Thai | นอน | nɔɔn | Tai-Kadai |
| Lingala | lala | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Serbian-Croatian-Bosnian | спа́вати | Indo-European | |
| Khmer | ដេក | deek | Austroasiatic |
| Turkmen | ýatmak | Turkic | |
| Cebuano | tulog | Austronesian | |
| Nepali | सुत्नु | sutnu | Indo-European |
| Assamese | শো | xü | Indo-European |
| Sinhala | නිදියනවා | nidiyanawā | Indo-European |
| Greek | κοιμάμαι | koimámai | Indo-European |
| Kurdish | nivistin | Indo-European | |
| Hijazi Arabic | نام | nām | Afro-Asiatic |
| Tajik | хобидан | xobidan | Indo-European |
| Sylheti | ꠢꠥꠔꠣ | huta | Indo-European |
| Kazakh | ұйықтау | uyıqtaw | Turkic |
| Hungarian | alszik | Uralic | |
| Zulu | lala | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Nyanja | gona | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Akan | deda | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Southern Pashto | اوده کېدل | udǝ́ kedǝ́l | Indo-European |
| Czech | spát | Indo-European | |
| Uighur | ئۇخلىماق | uxlimaq | Turkic |
| Afrikaans | slaap | Indo-European | |
| Min Dong Chinese | 睏 | káung | Sino-Tibetan |
| Haitian | dòmi | Indo-European | |
| Swedish | sova | Indo-European | |
| Azerbaijani | yatmaq | Turkic | |
| Iloko | turug | Austronesian | |
| Bulgarian | спя | spja | Indo-European |
| Hiligaynon | tulug | Austronesian | |
| Xhosa | lala | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Belarusian | спаць | spacʹ | Indo-European |
| Neapolitan | dormì | Indo-European | |
| Central Kurdish | خەوتن | xewtin | Indo-European |
| Tumbuka | gona | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Kashmiri | نِندٕر | nindụr | Indo-European |
| Northern Thai | ᨶᩬᩁ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Danish | sove | Indo-European | |
| Slovak | spať | Indo-European | |
| Finnish | nukkua | Uralic | |
| Lao | ນອນ | nǭn | Tai-Kadai |
| Norwegian | sove | Indo-European | |
| Tatar | йокларга | yoqlarğa | Turkic |
| Catalan | dormir | Indo-European | |
| Guarani | ke | Tupian | |
| Sicilian | dòrmiri | Indo-European | |
| Kirghiz | укта | ukta | Turkic |
| Swiss German | schlaaffe | Indo-European | |
| Armenian | քնել | kʻnel | Indo-European |
| Lithuanian | miegoti | Indo-European | |
| Lombard | dormì | Indo-European | |
| Georgian | ძილი | ʒili | Kartvelian |
| Waray | katurog | Austronesian | |
| Albanian | fle | Indo-European | |
| Southern Kurdish | خەفتِن | xeftin | Indo-European |
| Shan | ၼွၼ်း | náun | Tai-Kadai |
| Mongolian | унтах | untax | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Galician | durmir | Indo-European | |
| Slovenian | spati | Indo-European | |
| Batak Toba | modom | Austronesian | |
| Esperanto | dormi | Artificial Language | |
| Macedonian | спие | spie | Indo-European |
| Venetian | dormir | Indo-European | |
| Zhuang | ninz | Tai-Kadai | |
| Rohingya | gúm za- | Indo-European | |
| Limburgan | slaope | Indo-European | |
| Laki | ھوەتِن | hwetin | Indo-European |
| Latvian | gulēt | Indo-European | |
| Quechua | puñuy | Quechuan | |
| Chechen | тхъанг | txʔang | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Estonian | magama | Uralic | |
| Bashkir | йоҡлау | yoqlaw | Turkic |
| Tibetan | ཉལ་བ | nyal ba | Sino-Tibetan |
| Romagnol | durmir | Indo-European | |
| Tausug | tūg | Austronesian | |
| Kachin | yup | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Manado Malay | tidor | Austronesian | |
| Western Frisian | sliepe | Indo-European | |
| Frafra | gĩse | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Iu Mien | bueix | Hmong-Mien | |
| Avar | кьижизе | kkˡʼižize | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Tai Dam | ꪙꪮꪙ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Basque | lo egin | Isolates | |
| Chuvash | ҫывӑр | śyvăr | Turkic |
| Welsh | cysgu | Indo-European | |
| Yucatec Maya | wenel | Mayan | |
| Lü | ᦓᦸᧃ | noan | Tai-Kadai |
| Batak Karo | medem | Austronesian | |
| Morisyen | dormi | Indo-European | |
| Walloon | doirmi | Indo-European | |
| Classical Syriac | ܕܡܟ | dəmeḵ | Afro-Asiatic |
| Maltese | raqad | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Crimean Tatar | yuqlamaq | Turkic | |
| Occitan | dormir | Indo-European | |
| Vlax Romani | sovel | Indo-European | |
| Asturian | dormir | Indo-European | |
| Yakut | утуй | utuy | Turkic |
| Chavacano | dormi | Indo-European | |
| Kumyk | юхламакъ | yuxlamaq | Turkic |
| Samoan | moe | Austronesian | |
| Sranan Tongo | sribi | Indo-European | |
| Ibanag | katurug | Austronesian | |
| Papiamento | drumi | Indo-European | |
| Icelandic | sofa | Indo-European | |
| Friulian | durmî | Indo-European | |
| Guianese Creole French | dronmi | Indo-European | |
| Tuvinian | удуур | uduur | Turkic |
| Udmurt | изьыны | iźyny | Uralic |
| Jarai | pĭt | Austronesian | |
| Ao Naga | ayip | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Tyap | kai nda | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Zeelandic | slaepe | Indo-European | |
| Māori | moe | Austronesian | |
| Tonga (Tonga Islands) | mohe | Austronesian | |
| Navajo | ałhosh | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Komi | узьны | uźny | Uralic |
| Solu-Khumbu Sherpa | གཟིམས | gzims | Sino-Tibetan |
| Irish | codail | Indo-European | |
| Khün | ᨶᩬᩁ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Gilbertese | matu | Austronesian | |
| Aromanian | dormu | Indo-European | |
| Kashubian | spac | Indo-European | |
| Breton | kousket | Indo-European | |
| Gallurese Sardinian | drummí | Indo-European | |
| Sassarese Sardinian | drummí | Indo-European | |
| Erzya | удомс | udoms | Uralic |
| Faroese | sova | Indo-European | |
| Wolio | kole | Austronesian | |
| Scottish Gaelic | caidil | Indo-European | |
| Sanskrit | स्वपिति | svapiti | Indo-European |
| Ternate | hotu | North Halmahera | |
| Dungan | фи | fi | Sino-Tibetan |
| Romansh | durmir | Indo-European | |
| Gurani | وتەی | wtey | Indo-European |
| Balantak | royot | Austronesian | |
| Higaonon | hiduga | Austronesian | |
| Hawaiian | moe | Austronesian | |
| North Saami | oađđit | Uralic | |
| Andi | кьихинну | kkˡʼixinnu | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Central Yupik | qavartuq | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Evenki | а- | a- | Tungusic |
| Western Bukidnon Manobo | lipezeng | Austronesian | |
| Mirandese | drumir | Indo-European | |
| Tohono O'odham | ko꞉ṣ | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Upper Sorbian | spać | Indo-European | |
| Cherokee | ᎦᏟᎭ | gatliha | Iroquoian |
| Northern Frisian | sliip | Indo-European | |
| Lower Sorbian | spaś | Indo-European | |
| Chukchi | йыԓӄэтык | jyḷqėtyk | Chukotko-Kamchatkan |
| Rapanui | moe | Austronesian | |
| Mrassu Shor-Tutal | узурға | uzurğa | Turkic |
| Cheyenne | -énome | Algic | |
| Moksha | удомс | udoms | Uralic |
| Mòcheno | schloven | Indo-European | |
| Interlingua | dormir | Artificial Language | |
| Nanai | ао- | ao- | Tungusic |
| Pipil | kuchi | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Istro-Romanian | durmi | Indo-European | |
| Cornish | koska | Indo-European | |
| Kildin Saami | вуэдтӭ | vuedt’e | Uralic |
| Pela | ja̠p⁵⁵ | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Aleut | sagakux | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Ket | таӷут ~ тадам | Yeniseian | |
| Chickasaw | nosi | Muskogean | |
| Manchu | ᠠᠮᡤᠠᠮᠪᡳ | amgambi | Tungusic |
| N||ng | ʘun | Tuu | |
| Ahom | 𑜃𑜨𑜃𑜫 | non | Tai-Kadai |
| Aiton | ꩫ︀ွꩫ︀် | non | Tai-Kadai |
| Akateko | wey | Mayan | |
| Ambonese Malay | sono | Austronesian | |
| Batak Simalungun | modom | Austronesian | |
| Min Bei Chinese | 目䁒 | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Coptic | ⲉⲛⲕⲟⲧ | enkot | Afro-Asiatic |
| Dalmatian | dormer | Indo-European | |
| Fataluku | caia | Timor-Alor-Pantar | |
| Old French | dormir | Indo-European | |
| Yuwaalaraay-Gamilaraay | baabili | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Gothic | 𐍃𐌻𐌴𐍀𐌰𐌽 | slēpan | Indo-European |
| Ancient Greek | καθεύδω | katheúdō | Indo-European |
| Kalaallisut | sinippoq | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Hebrew | יָשֵׁן | yashén | Afro-Asiatic |
| Hittite | 𒊺𒌍𒍣 | še-eš-zi | Indo-European |
| Hmong Daw | pw | Hmong-Mien | |
| Inuktitut | sinik | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Javanese | turu | Austronesian | |
| Kawi | turu | Austronesian | |
| South-Central Koongo | kulala | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Latin | dormiō | Indo-European | |
| Livonian | maggõ | Uralic | |
| Low German | slapen | Indo-European | |
| Moselle Franconian | schlofen | Indo-European | |
| Makasae-Makalero | ta'e | Timor-Alor-Pantar | |
| Malay | tidur | Austronesian | |
| Middle English | slepen | Indo-European | |
| Khiamniungan Naga | sàih | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Classical Nahuatl | cochi | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Church Slavic | съпати | sŭpati | Indo-European |
| Old Russian | съпати | sŭpati | Indo-European |
| Old English | sƿefan | Indo-European | |
| Iron Ossetian | хуыссын | Indo-European | |
| Pacoh | bíq | Austroasiatic | |
| Eastern Panjabi | ਸੌਣਾ | sauṇā | Indo-European |
| Campidanese Sardinian | dòrmiri | Indo-European | |
| Savosavo | izi | Isolates | |
| Sundanese | kulem | Austronesian | |
| Tagalog | matulog | Austronesian | |
| Tokharian B | klänts- | Indo-European | |
| Tooro | -byama | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Ugaritic | 𐎊𐎌𐎐 | yšn | Afro-Asiatic |
| Unami | kawi | Algic | |
| Wolof | nelaw | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Yiddish | שלאָפֿן | shlofn | Indo-European |
| Yurok | chkeyek' | Algic | |
| Dimli | rakewten | Indo-European |