How to say “three” around the world
451 languages · 451 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 | 三 | sān | Sino-Tibetan |
| English | three | Indo-European | |
| Spanish | tres | Indo-European | |
| Hindi | तीन | tīn | Indo-European |
| Arabic | ثَلَاثَة | ṯalāṯa | Afro-Asiatic |
| Bengali | তিন | tin | Indo-European |
| Indonesian | tiga | Austronesian | |
| Portuguese | três | Indo-European | |
| French | trois | Indo-European | |
| Russian | три | tri | Indo-European |
| Japanese | 三 | san | Japonic |
| Marathi | तीन | tīn | Indo-European |
| Swahili | tatu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Turkish | üç | Turkic | |
| Telugu | మూడు | mūḍu | Dravidian |
| Wu Chinese | 三 | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Korean | 셋 | set | Koreanic |
| German | drei | Indo-European | |
| Vietnamese | ba | Austroasiatic | |
| Tamil | மூன்று | mūṉṟu | Dravidian |
| Cantonese | 三 | saam¹ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Urdu | تِین | tīn | Indo-European |
| Italian | tre | Indo-European | |
| Egyptian Arabic | تلاتة | talāta | Afro-Asiatic |
| Gujarati | ત્રણ | traṇ | Indo-European |
| Western Farsi | سِه | se | Indo-European |
| Min Nan Chinese | 三 | saⁿ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hakka Chinese | 三 | sāng | Sino-Tibetan |
| Nigerian Pidgin | tre | Indo-European | |
| Hausa | ukù | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kannada | ಮೂರು: | mūru | Dravidian |
| Polish | trzy | Indo-European | |
| Yoruba | ẹ̀ta | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Malayalam | മൂന്നു | mūnnu | Dravidian |
| Odia | ତିନି | tini | Indo-European |
| Burmese | သုံး | sum: | Sino-Tibetan |
| Moroccan Arabic | تلاتة | tlāta | Afro-Asiatic |
| Igbo | atọ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Ukrainian | три | try | Indo-European |
| Uzbek | uch | Turkic | |
| Sindhi | ٽي | ti | Indo-European |
| Romanian | trei | Indo-European | |
| Dutch | drie | Indo-European | |
| Amharic | ሦስት | śost | Afro-Asiatic |
| Thai | สาม | sǎam | Tai-Kadai |
| Lingala | mísáto | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Serbian-Croatian-Bosnian | три̑ | Indo-European | |
| Khmer | បី | bəy | Austroasiatic |
| Somali | saddex | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Turkmen | üç | Turkic | |
| Cebuano | tulo | Austronesian | |
| Nepali | तीन | tīna | Indo-European |
| Assamese | তিনি | tini | Indo-European |
| Sinhala | තුන | tuna | Indo-European |
| Greek | τρία | tría | Indo-European |
| Madurese | telloʔ | Austronesian | |
| Kurdish | sê | Indo-European | |
| Hijazi Arabic | ثلاثة | talāta | Afro-Asiatic |
| Tajik | се | se | Indo-European |
| Sylheti | ꠔꠤꠘ | tin | Indo-European |
| Kazakh | үш | üš | Turkic |
| Hungarian | három | Uralic | |
| Zulu | thathu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Nyanja | tatu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Akan | abiɛsa | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Southern Pashto | درې | dre | Indo-European |
| Czech | tři | Indo-European | |
| Uighur | ئۈچ | üch | Turkic |
| Afrikaans | drie | Indo-European | |
| Min Dong Chinese | 三 | săng | Sino-Tibetan |
| Haitian | twa | Indo-European | |
| Kanuri | yaske | Saharan | |
| Swedish | tre | Indo-European | |
| Azerbaijani | üç | Turkic | |
| Iloko | tallo | Austronesian | |
| Bulgarian | три | tri | Indo-European |
| Hiligaynon | tatlo | Austronesian | |
| Xhosa | thathu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Tachelhit | krad | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Belarusian | тры | try | Indo-European |
| Tigrinya | ሰለስተ | sälästä | Afro-Asiatic |
| Central Kurdish | سێ | sê | Indo-European |
| Santali | ᱯᱮ | pe | Austroasiatic |
| Tumbuka | tatu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Luba-Lulua | satu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Northern Thai | ᩈᩣ᩠ᨾ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Danish | tre | Indo-European | |
| Slovak | tri | Indo-European | |
| Minangkabau | tigo | Austronesian | |
| Finnish | kolme | Uralic | |
| Lao | ສາມ | sām | Tai-Kadai |
| Norwegian | tre | Indo-European | |
| Tatar | өч | öç | Turkic |
| Buginese | tellu | Austronesian | |
| Catalan | tres | Indo-European | |
| Guarani | mbohapy | Tupian | |
| Sicilian | tri | Indo-European | |
| Kirghiz | үч | üc | Turkic |
| Armenian | երեք | erekʻ | Indo-European |
| S'gaw Karen | သၢ | thuh | Sino-Tibetan |
| Lithuanian | trys | Indo-European | |
| Tok Pisin | tripela | Indo-European | |
| Lombard | tri | Indo-European | |
| Georgian | სამი | sami | Kartvelian |
| Acehnese | lhèë | Austronesian | |
| Mazanderani | سه | se | Indo-European |
| Waray | bungto | Austronesian | |
| Albanian | tre | Indo-European | |
| Ewe | etɔ̃ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Luo | adek | Nilotic | |
| Shan | သၢမ် | sǎam | Tai-Kadai |
| Mongolian | гурав | gurav | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Gilaki | سه | se | Indo-European |
| Bikol | tulo | Austronesian | |
| Galician | tres | Indo-European | |
| Pampanga | atlu | Austronesian | |
| Slovenian | tríje | Indo-European | |
| Swati | tsatfu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Batak Toba | tolu | Austronesian | |
| Esperanto | tri | Artificial Language | |
| Kʼicheʼ | ox | Mayan | |
| Macedonian | три | tri | Indo-European |
| Sichuan Yi | ꌕ | suo | Sino-Tibetan |
| Piedmontese | tre | Indo-European | |
| Venetian | tre | Indo-European | |
| Zhuang | sam | Tai-Kadai | |
| Brahui | musiŧ | Dravidian | |
| Rohingya | tin | Indo-European | |
| Sidamo | sase | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kabardian | щы | śə | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Bini | èhá | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Igala | ẹ̀ta | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Makasar | tallu | Austronesian | |
| Latvian | trīs | Indo-European | |
| Quechua | kimsa | Quechuan | |
| Scots | three | Indo-European | |
| Chechen | кхоъ | qoʔ | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Emilian | trî | Indo-European | |
| Estonian | kolm | Uralic | |
| Bashkir | өс | ös | Turkic |
| Tibetan | གསུམ | gsum | Sino-Tibetan |
| Muong | pà | Austroasiatic | |
| Maguindanao | telu | Austronesian | |
| Romagnol | tri | Indo-European | |
| Tausug | tū | Austronesian | |
| Urhobo | érha | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Soninke | síkkò | Mande | |
| Kinaray-a | tatlo | Austronesian | |
| Central Okinawan | 三 | san | Japonic |
| Isekiri | mẹ́ẹta | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Kabuverdianu | tres | Indo-European | |
| Mon | ပိ | Austroasiatic | |
| Western Frisian | trije | Indo-European | |
| Tigre | ሰለስ | säläs | Afro-Asiatic |
| Kalmyk | һурвн | ğurvn | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Maranao | telo | Austronesian | |
| Avar | лъабго | lˢabgo | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Talysh | se | Indo-European | |
| Tai Dam | ꪎꪱꪣ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Basque | hiru | Isolates | |
| Ga | etɛ̃ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Chuvash | виҫӗ | viś̬ĕ | Turkic |
| Welsh | tri | Indo-European | |
| Yucatec Maya | óox | Mayan | |
| Hlai | fus | Tai-Kadai | |
| Kok Borok | tham | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Lü | ᦉᦱᧄ | ṡaam | Tai-Kadai |
| Tai Nüa | ᥔᥣᥛᥴ | sáam | Tai-Kadai |
| Lezghian | пуд | pud | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Rusyn | три | try | Indo-European |
| Morisyen | trwa | Indo-European | |
| Réunion Creole French | troi | Indo-European | |
| Walloon | troes | Indo-European | |
| Adyghe | щы | śə | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Maltese | tlieta | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Crimean Tatar | üç | Turkic | |
| Occitan | tres | Indo-European | |
| Vlax Romani | trin | Indo-European | |
| Ligurian | tréi | Indo-European | |
| Mizo | pathum | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Mari | кумыт | kumyt | Uralic |
| Tetum | tolu | Austronesian | |
| Asturian | tres | Indo-European | |
| Yakut | үс | üs | Turkic |
| Kumyk | уьч | üç | Turkic |
| Bassa | tã | Kru | |
| Samoan | tolu | Austronesian | |
| Sranan Tongo | dri | Indo-European | |
| Fijian | tolu | Austronesian | |
| Dhivehi | ތިން | tin̊ | Indo-European |
| Ingush | кхоъ | qoʔ | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Papiamento | tres | Indo-European | |
| Icelandic | þrír | Indo-European | |
| Ngazidja Comorian | -raru | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Karachay-Balkar | юч | üç | Turkic |
| Friulian | trê | Indo-European | |
| Tuvinian | үш | üş | Turkic |
| Aari | makkán | South Omotic | |
| Beria | we | Saharan | |
| Saho | adox | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Udmurt | куинь | kuiń | Uralic |
| Jarai | klâo | Austronesian | |
| Nama | ǃnona | Khoe-Kwadi | |
| Dzongkha | གསུམ | gsum | Sino-Tibetan |
| Assyrian Neo-Aramaic | ܬܠܵܬܵܐ | tlātā | Afro-Asiatic |
| Enga | tema | Nuclear Trans New Guinea | |
| Zeelandic | drie | Indo-European | |
| Buriat | гурбан | gurban | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Māori | toru | Austronesian | |
| Extremaduran | tres | Indo-European | |
| Abkhaz | хԥа | xpa | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Garifuna | ürüwa | Arawakan | |
| Central Dusun | tolu | Austronesian | |
| Hiri Motu | toi | Pidgin | |
| Navajo | tááʼ | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Komi | куим | kuim | Uralic |
| Corsican | trè | Indo-European | |
| Solu-Khumbu Sherpa | གསུམ | gsum | Sino-Tibetan |
| Gagauz | üç | Turkic | |
| Pennsylvania German | drei | Indo-European | |
| Irish | trí | Indo-European | |
| Western Highland Purepecha | tanimu | Tarascan | |
| Gilbertese | tenua | Austronesian | |
| Aromanian | trei | Indo-European | |
| Yakan | tellu | Austronesian | |
| Kashubian | trzë | Indo-European | |
| Breton | tri | Indo-European | |
| Mwani | vitatu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Tai Laing | ꩬꩼၢမ် | Tai-Kadai | |
| Erzya | колмо | kolmo | Uralic |
| Nogai | уьш | üş | Turkic |
| Võro | kolm | Uralic | |
| Tabasaran | шубуб | šubub | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Asháninka | mawa | Arawakan | |
| Sikkimese | སུམ | sum | Sino-Tibetan |
| Faroese | tríggir | Indo-European | |
| Tahitian | toru | Austronesian | |
| Chamorro | tres | Austronesian | |
| Komi-Permyak | куим | kuim | Uralic |
| Rawang | shø̀m | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Marshallese | jilu | Austronesian | |
| Zou | thum | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Scottish Gaelic | trì | Indo-European | |
| Mansaka | toro | Austronesian | |
| Southern Altai | ӱч | üč | Turkic |
| Chuukese | unungat | Austronesian | |
| Sanskrit | त्रि | tri | Indo-European |
| Abaza | хпа | xpa | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Argobba | ሶአስተ | sost | Afro-Asiatic |
| Khakas | ӱс | üs | Turkic |
| Ternate | raange | North Halmahera | |
| Dungan | сан | san | Sino-Tibetan |
| Romansh | trais | Indo-European | |
| Motu | toi | Austronesian | |
| Chepang | सुम् | sum | Sino-Tibetan |
| Karelian | kolme | Uralic | |
| Plains Cree | nisto | Algic | |
| Higaonon | tatulo | Austronesian | |
| Hawaiian | kolu | Austronesian | |
| North Saami | golbma | Uralic | |
| Kajtak | я́бал | ə́bal | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Pijin | tri | Indo-European | |
| Wakhi | tru | Indo-European | |
| Andi | лъобгу | lˢobgu | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Rarotongan | toru | Austronesian | |
| Central Yupik | pingayun | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Evenki | илан | ilan | Tungusic |
| Western Bukidnon Manobo | tetelu | Austronesian | |
| Mirandese | trés | Indo-European | |
| Tohono O'odham | vaik | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Leh Ladakhi | གསུམ | gsum | Sino-Tibetan |
| Drung | vseum | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Western Apache | táági | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Upper Sorbian | třo | Indo-European | |
| Tuvalu | tolu | Austronesian | |
| Cherokee | ᏦᎢ | tsoi | Iroquoian |
| Yagnobi | тирай | tiray | Indo-European |
| Innu-aimun | nishtᵘ | Algic | |
| Bislama | tri | Indo-European | |
| Northern Frisian | trii | Indo-European | |
| Louisiana Creole | trò | Indo-European | |
| Niuean | tolu | Austronesian | |
| Kalo Finnish Romani | triin | Indo-European | |
| Semai | tige | Austroasiatic | |
| Zuni | ha'i | Isolates | |
| Nauru | aiju | Austronesian | |
| Aragonese | tres | Indo-European | |
| Udi | хиб | ꭓib | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Hopi | pàayoʼ | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Lower Sorbian | tśi | Indo-European | |
| Even | илан | ilan | Tungusic |
| Chukchi | ӈыроӄ | ŋəroq | Chukotko-Kamchatkan |
| Siksiká | nioókska | Algic | |
| Jejueo | 싯 | sit | Koreanic |
| Megleno-Romanian | trei | Indo-European | |
| Rapanui | ka toru | Austronesian | |
| Dolgan | үс | üs | Turkic |
| Koryak | ӈыёӄ | ŋəjoq | Chukotko-Kamchatkan |
| Mrassu Shor-Tutal | ӱш | üş | Turkic |
| Lakota | yámni | Siouan | |
| Mòcheno | drai | Indo-European | |
| Manx | three | Indo-European | |
| Interlingua | tres | Artificial Language | |
| Veps | koume | Uralic | |
| Pipil | yey | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Istriot | trì | Indo-European | |
| Istro-Romanian | trei | Indo-European | |
| Northern Mansi | хӯрум | hūrum | Uralic |
| Archi | лъеб | lʰeb | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Tlingit | nás’k | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Hadza | samaka and inflections | Isolates | |
| Taos Northern Tiwa | póyuo | Kiowa-Tanoan | |
| Cornish | tri | Indo-European | |
| Southern Sami | golme | Uralic | |
| Pacific Gulf Yupik | pingayun | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Skolt Sami | koumm | Uralic | |
| Inari Sami | kulmâ | Uralic | |
| Aleut | qaankun | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Budukh | шуб | šub | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Amur Nivkh | тяӄр̌ | țaqř | Nivkh |