Wondering how to say DRESS in different languages?

Whether a traveler, language lover, or exploring global fashion, learning to say “dress” worldwide can enrich your vocabulary and deepen cultural appreciation.

This guide offers translations, pronunciations, and cultural nuances related to the word “dress” in over 100 languages.

Why Understanding “Dress” in Multiple Languages Matters

The word “dress” goes beyond a simple garment—it can symbolize identity, tradition, and self-expression. Learning its variations across languages enhances your appreciation for fashion’s role in cultures worldwide.

Saying “Dress” in European Languages

Western European Languages

  • English: Dress (pronounced dres)
  • French: Robe (pronounced rohb)
  • German: Kleid (pronounced klahyd)
  • Spanish: Vestido (pronounced ves-TEE-doh)
  • Italian: Vestito (pronounced ves-TEE-toh)
  • Portuguese: Vestido (pronounced ves-TEE-doo)
  • Dutch: Jurk (pronounced yurk)
  • Catalan: Vestit (pronounced ves-TEET)

Northern European Languages

  • Swedish: Klänning (pronounced KLEN-ing)
  • Danish: Kjole (pronounced KYOH-leh)
  • Norwegian: Kjole (pronounced KYOH-leh)
  • Finnish: Mekko (pronounced MEK-koh)
  • Icelandic: Kjól (pronounced KYOH-l)

Eastern European Languages

  • Russian: Платье (pronounced PLAH-tyeh)
  • Polish: Sukienka (pronounced soo-KYEN-kah)
  • Czech: Šaty (pronounced SHAH-tee)
  • Hungarian: Ruha (pronounced ROO-hah)
  • Slovak: Šaty (pronounced SHAH-tee)
  • Ukrainian: Сукня (pronounced SOOK-nya)
  • Bulgarian: Рокля (pronounced ROK-lyah)
  • Serbian: Хаљина (pronounced KHAL-yee-na)

Celtic Languages

  • Irish Gaelic: Gúna (pronounced GOO-nah)
  • Scottish Gaelic: Dreasa (pronounced DRAY-sah)
  • Welsh: Ffrog (pronounced frog)

Other European Languages

  • Basque: Jantzi (pronounced YAN-tsee)
  • Maltese: Libsa (pronounced LEEB-sah)
  • Albanian: Fustan (pronounced foos-TAHN)

Saying “Dress” in Asian Languages

East Asian Languages

  • Chinese (Simplified): 连衣裙 (pronounced lee-an yee-chwen)
  • Chinese (Traditional): 連衣裙 (pronounced lee-an yee-chwen)
  • Japanese: ドレス (pronounced doh-reh-su) for western dress, ワンピース (pronounced wan-pees) for one-piece dress
  • Korean: 드레스 (pronounced deuh-reh-su) for Western dress, 원피스 (pronounced won-pee-suh) for one-piece dress

South Asian Languages

  • Hindi: पोशाक (pronounced po-shahk)
  • Bengali: পোশাক (pronounced po-shaak)
  • Tamil: உடை (pronounced oo-dai)
  • Urdu: لباس (pronounced leh-bas)
  • Punjabi: ਪਹਿਰਾਵਾ (pronounced peh-rah-va)
  • Telugu: దుస్తులు (pronounced doo-stoo-loo)
  • Gujarati: વસ્ત્ર (pronounced vas-tra)
  • Kannada: ಉಡುಪು (pronounced oo-du-poo)

Southeast Asian Languages

  • Thai: ชุด (pronounced choot)
  • Vietnamese: Áo dài (pronounced ow-zai) for traditional dress
  • Indonesian: Gaun (pronounced gown)
  • Malay: Pakaian (pronounced pah-kai-ahn)
  • Khmer (Cambodian): សម្លៀកបំពាក់ (pronounced sahm-lee-ek bom-pek)
  • Burmese (Myanmar): အဝတ်အစား (pronounced ah-woot ah-sah)

Central Asian Languages

  • Kazakh: Көйлек (pronounced KOY-lek)
  • Uzbek: Libos (pronounced lee-boss)
  • Turkmen: Don (pronounced don)
  • Tajik: Либос (pronounced lee-boss)

Saying “Dress” in Middle-Eastern Languages

  • Arabic: فستان (pronounced foos-TAN)
  • Hebrew: שמלה (pronounced seem-LAH)
  • Persian (Farsi): لباس (pronounced leh-bas)
  • Turkish: Elbise (pronounced el-bee-seh)
  • Kurdish (Sorani): Xez (pronounced khehz)

Saying “Dress” in African Languages

  • Swahili: Gauni (pronounced GAH-oo-nee)
  • Zulu: Ingubo (pronounced een-GOO-bo)
  • Afrikaans: Rok (pronounced rok)
  • Amharic: ልብስ (pronounced leh-bes)
  • Yoruba: Ibo aṣọ (pronounced ee-boh ah-shoh)
  • Igbo: uwe (pronounced oo-way)
  • Hausa: Riga (pronounced ree-gah)
  • Somali: Dharka (pronounced dar-kah)

Saying “Dress” in Austronesian Languages

  • Filipino (Tagalog): Bestida (pronounced bes-TEE-dah)
  • Cebuano: Bestida (pronounced bes-TEE-dah)
  • Maori: Kākahu (pronounced kah-kah-hoo)
  • Hawaiian: Lole (pronounced lo-leh)
  • Javanese: Klambi (pronounced klam-bee)
  • Malagasy: Akanjo lava (pronounced ah-kahn-joo lah-vah)

Saying “Dress” in Indigenous Languages

Native American Languages

  • Quechua: Watarina (pronounced wah-tah-ree-nah)
  • Navajo: Át’ééd bíʼílį́ (traditional women’s dress, approximate pronunciation ah-teh-ed bee-ee-lin)

Australian Aboriginal Languages

  • Pitjantjatjara: Maru (clothing term in general)

More Translations of DRESS in Different Languages

  1. Amharic (Ethiopia): ልብስ (leh-bes)
  2. Georgian: კაბა (ka-ba)
  3. Mongolian: Даашинз (dah-shinz)
  4. Nepali: पोशाक (po-shaak)
  5. Sinhala (Sri Lanka): ඇඳුම (en-du-ma)
  6. Estonian: Kleit (pronounced kleit)
  7. Latvian: Kleita (pronounced kley-tah)
  8. Lithuanian: Suknelė (pronounced sook-neh-leh)
  9. Macedonian: Фустан (pronounced foos-tahn)
  10. Armenian: Հագուստ (pronounced ha-gust)
  11. Bosnian: Haljina (pronounced hal-yee-na)
  12. Albanian: Fustan (pronounced foos-tahn)
  13. Finnish: Mekko (pronounced mek-ko)
  14. Icelandic: Kjóll (pronounced kyoh-l)
  15. Norwegian: Kjole (pronounced kyoh-leh)
  16. Swahili: Gauni (pronounced gah-oo-nee)
  17. Afrikaans: Rok (pronounced rok)
  18. Swedish: Klänning (pronounced klehn-ing)
  19. Danish: Kjole (pronounced kyoh-leh)
  20. Greek: Φόρεμα (pronounced fo-reh-mah)
  21. Hebrew: שמלה (pronounced seem-lah)
  22. Turkish: Elbise (pronounced el-bee-seh)
  23. Portuguese: Vestido (pronounced ves-tee-doo)
  24. Romanian: Rochie (pronounced ro-kee-yeh)
  25. Czech: Šaty (pronounced sha-tee)
  26. Hungarian: Ruha (pronounced roo-hah)
  27. Ukrainian: Сукня (pronounced sook-nya)
  28. Russian: Платье (pronounced plah-tyeh)
  29. Polish: Sukienka (pronounced soo-kyen-kah)
  30. Arabic: فستان (pronounced foos-tan)
  31. Bengali: পোশাক (pronounced po-shaak)
  32. Hindi: पोशाक (pronounced po-shaak)
  33. Japanese: ドレス (pronounced doh-reh-su)
  34. Korean: 드레스 (pronounced deuh-reh-su)
  35. Tamil: உடை (pronounced oo-dai)
  36. Urdu: لباس (pronounced leh-bas)
  37. Thai: ชุด (pronounced choot)
  38. Lao: ເສື້ອຜ້າ (pronounced suah-pa)
  39. Cambodian: សម្លៀកបំពាក់ (pronounced sahm-leek-bom-peak)
  40. Indonesian: Gaun (pronounced gown)
  41. Malay: Pakaian (pronounced pah-kai-ahn)
  42. Filipino (Tagalog): Bestida (pronounced bes-tee-dah)
  43. Cebuano: Bestida (pronounced bes-tee-dah)
  44. Haitian Creole: Wòb (pronounced wawb)
  45. Maori: Kākahu (pronounced kah-kah-hoo)
  46. Hawaiian: Lole (pronounced lo-leh)
  47. Kazakh: Көйлек (pronounced koy-lek)
  48. Uzbek: Libos (pronounced lee-boss)
  49. Tajik: Либос (pronounced lee-boss)
  50. Persian (Farsi): لباس (pronounced leh-bas)
  51. Pashto: جامه (pronounced jaa-mah)
  52. Kurdish: Xem (pronounced khem)
  53. Somali: Dharka (pronounced dar-kah)
  54. Yoruba: Aṣọ (pronounced ah-shaw)
  55. Igbo: uwe (pronounced oo-way)
  56. Hausa: Riga (pronounced ree-gah)
  57. Zulu: Ingubo (pronounced een-goo-boh)
  58. Xhosa: Isinxibo (pronounced ee-seen-xee-boh)
  59. Esperanto: Robo (pronounced roh-boh)
  60. Bosnian: Haljina (pronounced hal-yee-nah)
  61. Serbian: Хаљина (pronounced hal-yee-na)
  62. Slovak: Šaty (pronounced sha-tee)
  63. Bulgarian: Рокля (pronounced rok-lya)
  64. Slovenian: Obleka (pronounced ob-leh-ka)
  65. Luxembourgish: Rack (pronounced rahk)
  66. Maltese: Libsa (pronounced leeb-sah)
  67. Estonian: Kleit (pronounced kleit)
  68. Latvian: Kleita (pronounced kley-tah)
  69. Lithuanian: Suknelė (pronounced sook-neh-leh)
  70. Basque: Jantzi (pronounced yan-tsee)
  71. Galician: Vestido (pronounced ves-tee-do)
  72. Catalan: Vestit (pronounced ves-teet)
  73. Greenlandic: Attavippoq (pronounced ah-ta-vee-pop)
  74. Samoan: Ofu (pronounced oh-foo)
  75. Fijian: Isulu (pronounced ee-soo-loo)
  76. Tongan: Taʻovala (pronounced tah-oh-vah-lah)
  77. Māori: Kakahu (pronounced kah-kah-hoo)
  78. Javanese: Klambi (pronounced klam-bee)
  79. Mongolian: Даашинз (pronounced dah-shinz)
  80. Navajo: Át’ééd bííl (pronounced ah-teh-ed bee-l)
  81. Twi: Atadeɛ (pronounced ah-tah-deh)
  82. Azerbaijani: Don (pronounced doon)
  83. Belarusian: Сукенка (pronounced soo-ken-ka)
  84. Wolof: Ndamme (pronounced n-dahm)
  85. Armenian: Զգեստ (pronounced zg-est)
  86. Cantonese: 裙 (pronounced kwun)
  87. Malagasy: Akanjo (pronounced ah-kahn-joo)
  88. Tibetan: དགོས་མཛད་ (pronounced doh-meh-zay)
  89. Nepali: पहिरन (pronounced pay-hee-run)
  90. Telugu: దుస్తులు (pronounced doo-stoo-loo)
  91. Kannada: ಉಡುಪು (pronounced oo-du-poo)
  92. Gujarati: કાપડ (pronounced kah-pad)
  93. Punjabi: ਕਪੜੇ (pronounced ka-par-ray)
  94. Burmese (Myanmar): အဝတ်အစား (pronounced ah-woot ah-sah)
  95. Sinhala: ඇඳුම (pronounced en-du-ma)
  96. Malaysian: Gaun (pronounced gown)
  97. Arabic: ثوب (pronounced thob)
  98. Greek: Φόρεμα (pronounced fo-reh-mah)
  99. Dutch: Jurk (pronounced yurk)
  100. Luxembourgish: Rack (pronounced rahk)
  101. Latvian: Kleita (pronounced kley-tah)
  102. Haitian Creole: Wòb (pronounced wawb)
  103. Quechua: Watarina (pronounced wah-tah-ree-nah)
  104. Portuguese: Vestido (pronounced ves-tee-doo)
  105. Scots Gaelic: Dreasa (pronounced dre-sa)
  106. Scottish Gaelic: Dreasa (pronounced dre-sa)
  107. Swedish: Klänning (pronounced klan-ing)
  108. Thai: ชุด (pronounced choot)
  109. Japanese: ドレス (pronounced doh-reh-su)
  110. Filipino: Damit (pronounced dah-meet)
  111. Chichewa: Zovala (pronounced zo-vah-la)
  112. Hausa: Riga (pronounced ree-ga)

Pronunciation Guide and Cultural Insights

Understanding how to say “dress” in various languages provides insights into global fashion norms, traditions, and forms of expression.

Tips for Proper Pronunciation

  • Listen and Repeat: Use language resources to hear native speakers.
  • Use Phonetic Spelling: Follow the phonetic guides to get close to the original sound.
  • Practice Often: Consistent practice improves accuracy.

Cultural Significance

Dresses play a significant role in traditional and modern attire across cultures:

  • National Dress: Many countries have specific dress styles as cultural symbols, like the Vietnamese Áo dài or Indian Sari.
  • Historical Significance: Dresses often reflect a region’s history, such as the French robe evolving through centuries.
  • Fashion Expression: Modern dresses can symbolize self-expression, independence, and style.

Translation, Meaning, and Usage in Sentences

Examples in Different Languages

French

  • Translation: Robe
  • Meaning: Dress
  • Sentence: Elle porte une belle robe. (She is wearing a beautiful dress.)

Russian

  • Translation: Платье
  • Meaning: Dress
  • Sentence: Она носит красивое платье. (She is wearing a beautiful dress.)

Swahili

  • Translation: Gauni
  • Meaning: Dress
  • Sentence: Anavaa gauni zuri. (She is wearing a beautiful dress.)

Arabic

  • Translation: فستان
  • Meaning: Dress
  • Sentence: هي ترتدي فستان جميل. (She is wearing a beautiful dress.)

Hindi

  • Translation: पोशाक
  • Meaning: Dress
  • Sentence: वह सुंदर पोशाक पहन रही है। (She is wearing a beautiful dress.)

Conclusion

Learning to say “dress” in different languages connects you to global fashion, cultural identity, and expressions of beauty.

Each translation reflects the unique styles, traditions, and ways people worldwide perceive attire as a traditional garment or a piece of modern fashion.

By learning these translations, you gain insight into how clothing serves as a bridge between cultures and an expression of personal and societal values.

Whether traveling, studying languages, or simply curious about fashion terms, knowing how to say “dress” in multiple languages can enrich your interactions and appreciation for global diversity in style.

Take this knowledge with you as you explore different cultures and engage with others through the universal language of clothing and self-expression.

Source: Kent State Translation Studies

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