How to say “tongue” around the world
5,604 languages · 387 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 | 舌头 | shétou | Sino-Tibetan |
| English | tongue | Indo-European | |
| Spanish | lengua | Indo-European | |
| Hindi | जीभ | jībh | Indo-European |
| Arabic | لِسَان | lisān | Afro-Asiatic |
| Bengali | জিভ | jibh | Indo-European |
| Indonesian | lidah | Austronesian | |
| Portuguese | língua | Indo-European | |
| French | langue | Indo-European | |
| Russian | язы́к | jazýk | Indo-European |
| Japanese | 舌 | shita | Japonic |
| Marathi | जीभ | jībh | Indo-European |
| Swahili | ulimi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Turkish | dil | Turkic | |
| Telugu | నాలుక | nāluka | Dravidian |
| Wu Chinese | 舌头 | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Korean | 혀 | hyeo | Koreanic |
| German | Zunge | Indo-European | |
| Vietnamese | lưỡi | Austroasiatic | |
| Tamil | நாவு | nāvu | Dravidian |
| Cantonese | 舌頭 | sit⁶ tau⁴ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Urdu | جِیبھ | jībh | Indo-European |
| Italian | lingua | Indo-European | |
| Egyptian Arabic | لسان | lesān | Afro-Asiatic |
| Gujarati | જીભ | jībh | Indo-European |
| Western Farsi | زَبَان | zabān | Indo-European |
| Min Nan Chinese | 舌頭 | chi̍h-thâu | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hakka Chinese | 舌嫲 | sa̍t-mà | Sino-Tibetan |
| Jinyu Chinese | 舌头 | sah⁵ tou³ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Levantine Arabic | لسان | lsān | Afro-Asiatic |
| Hausa | harshe | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kannada | ನಾಲಿಗೆ | nālige | Dravidian |
| Polish | język | Indo-European | |
| Yoruba | ahọ́n | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Xiang Chinese | 舌子 | she⁶ zr | Sino-Tibetan |
| Malayalam | നാക്ക് | nākkŭ | Dravidian |
| Odia | ଜିଭ | jibha | Indo-European |
| Burmese | လျှာ | hlya | Sino-Tibetan |
| Moroccan Arabic | لسان | lsān | Afro-Asiatic |
| Ukrainian | язи́к | jazýk | Indo-European |
| Uzbek | til | Turkic | |
| Romanian | limbă | Indo-European | |
| Dutch | tong | Indo-European | |
| Gan Chinese | 舌头 | set⁷ teu | Sino-Tibetan |
| Amharic | ልሳን | ləsan | Afro-Asiatic |
| Thai | ลิ้น | lín | Tai-Kadai |
| Lingala | lolemu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Serbian-Croatian-Bosnian | јѐзик | Indo-European | |
| Khmer | អណ្ដាត | ʼɑɑndaat | Austroasiatic |
| Somali | carrab | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Turkmen | dil | Turkic | |
| Cebuano | dila | Austronesian | |
| Nepali | जिब्रो | jibro | Indo-European |
| Assamese | জিভা | zibha | Indo-European |
| Sinhala | දිව | diwa | Indo-European |
| Greek | γλώσσα | glóssa | Indo-European |
| Kurdish | ziman | Indo-European | |
| Hijazi Arabic | لسان | lisān | Afro-Asiatic |
| Tajik | забон | zabon | Indo-European |
| Sylheti | ꠎꠤꠙ꠆ꠞꠣ | zifra | Indo-European |
| Kazakh | тіл | til | Turkic |
| Hungarian | nyelv | Uralic | |
| Nyanja | lilime | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Akan | tɛkrɛma | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Southern Pashto | ژبه | žëba | Indo-European |
| Czech | jazyk | Indo-European | |
| Uighur | تىل | til | Turkic |
| Afrikaans | tong | Indo-European | |
| Min Dong Chinese | 喙舌 | chói-siĕk | Sino-Tibetan |
| Haitian | lang | Indo-European | |
| Kanuri | tǝlam | Saharan | |
| Swedish | tunga | Indo-European | |
| Azerbaijani | dil | Turkic | |
| Iloko | dila | Austronesian | |
| Bulgarian | ези́к | ezík | Indo-European |
| Hiligaynon | dila | Austronesian | |
| Belarusian | язы́к | jazýk | Indo-European |
| Tigrinya | ልሳን | ləsan | Afro-Asiatic |
| Neapolitan | lengua | Indo-European | |
| Central Kurdish | زمان | zman | Indo-European |
| Santali | ᱟᱞᱟᱝ | alaṅ | Austroasiatic |
| Tumbuka | lulimi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Kashmiri | زؠو | zyav | Indo-European |
| Danish | tunge | Indo-European | |
| Slovak | jazyk | Indo-European | |
| Southern Sotho | leleme | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Minangkabau | lidah | Austronesian | |
| Finnish | kieli | Uralic | |
| Lao | ລີ້ນ | līn | Tai-Kadai |
| Norwegian | tunge | Indo-European | |
| Tatar | тел | tel | Turkic |
| Buginese | lila | Austronesian | |
| Catalan | llengua | Indo-European | |
| Guarani | kũ | Tupian | |
| Sicilian | lingua | Indo-European | |
| Kirghiz | тил | til | Turkic |
| Riffian | ires | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Armenian | լեզու | lezu | Indo-European |
| Ganda | olulimi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| S'gaw Karen | ပျ့ၤ | plaȳ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Lithuanian | liežuvis | Indo-European | |
| Tok Pisin | tang | Indo-European | |
| Lombard | lingua | Indo-European | |
| Georgian | ენა | ena | Kartvelian |
| Bemba | ululimi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Mazanderani | زوون | zavun | Indo-European |
| Albanian | gjuhë | Indo-European | |
| Ewe | aɖe | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Luo | lep | Nilotic | |
| Shan | လိၼ်ႉ | lḭ̂n | Tai-Kadai |
| Mongolian | хэл | xel | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Chadian Arabic | لسان | lisān | Afro-Asiatic |
| Gilaki | زوون | zevan | Indo-European |
| Galician | lingua | Indo-European | |
| Slovenian | jêzik | Indo-European | |
| Bouyei | linx | Tai-Kadai | |
| Esperanto | lango | Artificial Language | |
| Kʼicheʼ | aaq' | Mayan | |
| Macedonian | јазик | jazik | Indo-European |
| Sichuan Yi | ꉐꆂ | hxa nie | Sino-Tibetan |
| Piedmontese | lenga | Indo-European | |
| Tulu | ಜಿಹ್ವೆ | jihve | Dravidian |
| Venetian | łéngua | Indo-European | |
| Zhuang | linx | Tai-Kadai | |
| Sidamo | arrawo | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Makasar | lila | Austronesian | |
| Laki | زوان | zwan | Indo-European |
| Latvian | mēle | Indo-European | |
| Quechua | qallu | Quechuan | |
| Scots | tung | Indo-European | |
| Chechen | мотт | mott | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Domari | jib | Indo-European | |
| Emilian | längua | Indo-European | |
| Estonian | keel | Uralic | |
| Bashkir | тел | tel | Turkic |
| Tibetan | ལྕེ | lce | Sino-Tibetan |
| Muong | lãi | Austroasiatic | |
| Maguindanao | dila | Austronesian | |
| Romagnol | lèngva | Indo-European | |
| Tausug | dila | Austronesian | |
| Central Okinawan | 舌 | shicha | Japonic |
| Nuer | lɛp | Nilotic | |
| Pa'o Karen | ဖြေ | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Western Frisian | tonge | Indo-European | |
| Iu Mien | mbietc | Hmong-Mien | |
| Tigre | ልሳን | ləsan | Afro-Asiatic |
| Kalmyk | келн | keln | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Maranao | dila' | Austronesian | |
| Avar | мацӏ | macʼ | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Talysh | zıvon | Indo-European | |
| Basque | mihi | Isolates | |
| Chuvash | чӗлхе | čĕlh̬e | Turkic |
| Welsh | tafod | Indo-European | |
| Yucatec Maya | aak’ | Mayan | |
| Lü | ᦟᦲᧃᧉ | liin² | Tai-Kadai |
| Lezghian | мез | mez | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Rusyn | язы́к | jazŷ́k | Indo-European |
| Morisyen | lalang | Indo-European | |
| Walloon | linwe | Indo-European | |
| Classical Syriac | ܠܫܢܐ | leššānā | Afro-Asiatic |
| Maltese | lsien | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Crimean Tatar | til | Turkic | |
| Occitan | lenga | Indo-European | |
| Vlax Romani | ćhib | Indo-European | |
| Kaqchikel | aq' | Mayan | |
| Ligurian | léngoa | Indo-European | |
| Mari | йылме | jylme | Uralic |
| Tetum | nanal | Austronesian | |
| Silesian | jynzyk | Indo-European | |
| Asturian | llingua | Indo-European | |
| Yakut | тыл | tïl | Turkic |
| Chavacano | lenggwa | Indo-European | |
| Kumyk | тил | til | Turkic |
| Sranan Tongo | tongo | Indo-European | |
| Ngas | lis | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Ingush | мотт | mott | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Papiamento | lenga | Indo-European | |
| Icelandic | tunga | Indo-European | |
| Ngazidja Comorian | ulime | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Friulian | lenghe | Indo-European | |
| Mapuche | dungun | Araucanian | |
| Tuvinian | дыл | dıl | Turkic |
| Saho | anrab | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Udmurt | кыл | kyl | Uralic |
| Ao Naga | temeli | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Plautdietsch | Tung | Indo-European | |
| Laz | ნენა | nena | Kartvelian |
| Assyrian Neo-Aramaic | ܠܸܫܵܢܵܐ | liššānā | Afro-Asiatic |
| Zeelandic | tonge | Indo-European | |
| Buriat | хэлэн | xelen | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Māori | arero | Austronesian | |
| Extremaduran | luenga | Indo-European | |
| Dongxiang | kielien | Mongolic-Khitan | |
| Abkhaz | абз | abz | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Navajo | atsooʼ | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Lak | маз | maz | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Bantoanon | rila | Austronesian | |
| Solu-Khumbu Sherpa | ལྕེ་ལ | lce la | Sino-Tibetan |
| Pennsylvania German | Zung | Indo-European | |
| Irish | teanga | Indo-European | |
| Ladino | lengua | Indo-European | |
| Aromanian | limbã | Indo-European | |
| Ibaloi | shila | Austronesian | |
| Kashubian | jãzëk | Indo-European | |
| Breton | teod | Indo-European | |
| Mwani | lulimi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Erzya | кель | keľ | Uralic |
| Paiwan | sema | Austronesian | |
| Atayal | hmali | Austronesian | |
| Võro | kiil' | Uralic | |
| Tabasaran | мелз | melz | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Faroese | tunga | Indo-European | |
| Zou | lei | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Scottish Gaelic | teanga | Indo-European | |
| Mansaka | dila | Austronesian | |
| Sanskrit | जिह्वा | jihvā́ | Indo-European |
| Yaeyama | 舌 | sïta | Japonic |
| Dungan | шәту | šətu | Sino-Tibetan |
| Romansh | lieunga | Indo-European | |
| Ashkun | žū | Indo-European | |
| Tlaxcala-Puebla-Central Nahuatl | nenepilli | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Car Nicobarese | litāk | Austroasiatic | |
| Chepang | ले | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Karelian | kieli | Uralic | |
| Balantak | sila' | Austronesian | |
| Higaonon | dila | Austronesian | |
| Hawaiian | alelo | Austronesian | |
| North Saami | njuovčča | Uralic | |
| Kajtak | луццу́м | luccúm | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Katë | dić | Indo-European | |
| Andi | мицӏцӏи | miccʼi | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Evenki | инни | inņi | Tungusic |
| Khaling | लेम | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Mirandese | lhéngua | Indo-European | |
| Drung | pvlai | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Upper Sorbian | jazyk | Indo-European | |
| Kikai | 唇 | suba | Japonic |
| Yagnobi | зивок | zivok | Indo-European |
| Nuristani Kalasha | ǰip | Indo-European | |
| Northern Amami-Oshima | 唇 | sïba | Japonic |
| Northern Frisian | Tunge | Indo-European | |
| Niuean | alelo | Austronesian | |
| Aragonese | luenga | Indo-European | |
| Prasun | luzuk | Indo-European | |
| Udi | муз | muz | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Torres Strait-Lockhart River Creole | tang | Indo-European | |
| Lower Sorbian | jězyk | Indo-European | |
| Bezhta | миц | mic | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Chukchi | йиԓыйиԓ | jiḷyjiḷ | Chukotko-Kamchatkan |
| Jejueo | 세 | se | Koreanic |
| Kunigami | 舌 | shichā | Japonic |
| Megleno-Romanian | limbă | Indo-European | |
| Rapanui | ꞌarero | Austronesian | |
| Dolgan | тыл | Turkic | |
| Moksha | кяль | käľ | Uralic |
| Manx | çhengey | Indo-European | |
| Southern Amami-Oshima | 唇 | sïba | Japonic |
| Khwarshi-Inkhoqwari | мец | mec | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Interlingua | lingua | Artificial Language | |
| Nanai | сиӈму | siŋmu | Tungusic |
| Veps | kelʹ | Uralic | |
| Oroqen | iŋi | Tungusic | |
| Istriot | lèngua | Indo-European | |
| Istro-Romanian | limbĕ | Indo-European | |
| Khinalug | мицӏ | mic̣ | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Northern Mansi | не̄лум | nēlum | Uralic |
| Shoshoni | a͟ikon | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Tregami | ǰip | Indo-European | |
| Archi | мац | mac | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Guugu Yimidhirr | nganhdhaar | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Southern Sami | njoektjeme | Uralic | |
| Kwakʼwala | k̓a̱la̱m | Wakashan | |
| Kildin Saami | ню̄ххчемь | njūxxčem’ | Uralic |
| Skolt Sami | njuuč | Uralic | |
| Pela | ʃa⁵⁵ | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Yonaguni | 舌 | tta | Japonic |
| Narrinyeri | tallanggi | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Inari Sami | njuovčâ | Uralic | |
| Budukh | мез | mez | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Ket | ӄо | qo | Yeniseian |
| Godoberi | мицци | Nakh-Daghestanian | |
| Ingrian | keeli | Uralic | |
| Wymysorys | cung | Indo-European | |
| Votic | čeeli | Uralic | |
| Macanese | língu | Indo-European | |
| Orok | сину | sinu | Tungusic |
| Northern Yukaghir | ванар | wanar | Yukaghir |
| Manchu | ᡳᠯᡝᠩᡤᡠ | ilenggu | Tungusic |
| Alawa | djeːjälŋ | Mangarrayi-Maran | |
| Karuk | ápriih | Isolates | |
| Ainu | チャルンペ | carunpe | Ainu |
| Hinuq | мец | mec | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Kanakanavu | ʼavasʉ | Austronesian | |
| Chamicuro | menu | Arawakan | |
| Chinook Jargon | lalang | Chinookan | |
| Ahom | 𑜎𑜢𑜃𑜫 | lin | Tai-Kadai |
| Aklanon | dila' | Austronesian | |
| Alviri-Vidari | زووان | zuvān | Indo-European |
| Ama (Papua New Guinea) | isauno | Left May | |
| Gulf Arabic | لسان | lsān | Afro-Asiatic |
| Gilit Mesopotamian Arabic | لسان | lsān | Afro-Asiatic |
| Jewish Babylonian Aramaic (ca. 200-1200 CE) | לִשָּׁנָא | liššānā | Afro-Asiatic |
| Arin | elep | Yeniseian | |
| Eastern Arrernte | alenye | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Western Balochi | زبان | zaban | Indo-European |
| Bamukumbit | alɨm | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Bobangi | lolemu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Bella Coola | tixca | Salishan | |
| Big Nambas | nəm' | Austronesian | |
| Central Atlas Tamazight | ⵉⵍⵙ | ils | Afro-Asiatic |
| Tedim Chin | leii | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Min Bei Chinese | 舌 | ṳè | Sino-Tibetan |
| Coptic | ⲗⲁⲥ | las | Afro-Asiatic |
| Dalmatian | langa | Indo-European | |
| Dargwa | лезми | lezmi | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Hawkesbury | dhallung | Pama-Nyungan | |
| E | lin³ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Saterland Frisian | Tunge | Indo-European | |
| Yuwaalaraay-Gamilaraay | thalay | Pama-Nyungan | |
| Geez | ልስሳን | ləssan | Afro-Asiatic |