Snakes are one of the most widely recognized creatures in the world, appearing in the mythologies, folklore, and languages of many different cultures.
While these limbless reptiles might invoke a range of emotions—from fear to reverence—it’s fascinating to see how different languages have interpreted and named them.
This post explores how different languages describe snakes and the cultural nuances they bring with them, from el Prague in Spanish to lend madu in Estonian.
Let’s dive into the various translations of the word “snake” in different languages and the significance of these words across cultures.
You’ll also discover related terms, cultural myths, such as the Chinese dragons, and fun facts along the way!

Search For Translation of Snake in various Languages:
- Abkhaz: аҩны (awyn)
- Acehnese: ulee
- Acholi: lubwoc
- Afar: qaxan
- Afrikaans: slang
- Albanian: gjarpër
- Amharic: እባብ (’ibāb)
- Arabic: ثعبان (thu’ban)
- Armenian: օձ (odz)
- Assamese: সাপ (sap)
- Avar: чӏал (ch’al)
- Awadhi: साँप (sanp)
- Aymara: katari
- Azerbaijani: ilan
- Balinese: ula
- Baluchi: مار (mar)
- Bambara: nakon
- Baoulé: serpent
- Bashkir: йылан (ylan)
- Basque: suge
- Batak Karo: ular
- Batak Simalungun: ular
- Batak Toba: ular
- Belarusian: змяя (zmya)
- Bemba: insoka
- Bengali: সাপ (sap)
- Betawi: ular
- Bhojpuri: साँप (sanp)
- Bikol: orong
- Bosnian: zmija
- Breton: naer
- Bulgarian: змия (zmiya)
- Buryat: могой (mogoy)
- Cantonese: 蛇 (se)
- Catalan: serp
- Cebuano: bitin
- Chamorro: månnok
- Chechen: чӏила (ch’ila)
- Chichewa: njoka
- Chinese (Simplified): 蛇 (shé)
- Chinese (Traditional): 蛇 (shé)
- Chuukese: pwnis
- Chuvash: ÿҫÿл (yҫyl)
- Corsican: serpe
- Crimean Tatar: yılan
- Croatian: zmija
- Czech: had
- Danish: slange
- Dari: مار (mar)
- Dhivehi: އަނބަނީ (anbani)
- Dinka: kor
- Dogri: ਸੱਪ (sapp)
- Dombe: serpent
- Dutch: slang
- Dyula: seere
- Dzongkha: སྦྲག་ཀྱག (brak kyag)
- English: snake
- Esperanto: serpento
- Estonian: madu
- Ewe: tsitsinya
- Faroese: ormur
- Fijian: gata
- Filipino: ahas
- Finnish: käärme
- Fon: sã
- French: serpent
- Frisian: slang
- Friulian: serp
- Fulani: daa
- Ga: tshɔ
- Galician: serpe
- Georgian: გველი (gveli)
- German: Schlange
- Greek: φίδι (fídi)
- Guarani: mbói
- Gujarati: સાપ (sāp)
- Haitian Creole: koulèv
- Hakha Chin: 蛇 (sâ)
- Hausa: maciji
- Hawaiian: nahesa
- Hebrew: נחש (nahash)
- Hiligaynon: banwa
- Hindi: साँप (sanp)
- Hmong: nab
- Hungarian: kígyó
- Hunsrik: schlange
- Iban: ular
- Icelandic: snákur
- Igbo: agwọ
- Ilocano: urat
- Indonesian: ular
- Irish: nathair
- Italian: serpente
- Jamaican Patois: sneek
- Japanese: 蛇 (hebi)
- Javanese: ulo
- Jingpo: အစေ့ (asi)
- Kalaallisut: aavá
- Kannada: ಹಾವು (hāvu)
- Kanuri: maciji
- Kapampangan: bitin
- Kazakh: жылан (zhylan)
- Khasi: u nyit
- Khmer: ពស់ (pous)
- Kiga: nyoka
- Kikongo: nyoka
- Kinyarwanda: inzoka
- Kituba: nyoka
- Kokborok: thlen
- Komi: вӱндӱл (vündül)
- Konkani: साप (sap)
- Korean: 뱀 (baem)
- Krio: sneik
- Kurdish (Kurmanji): mar
- Kurdish (Sorani): مار (mar)
- Kyrgyz: жылан (zhylan)
- Lao: ງູ (ngu)
- Latgalian: čūska
- Latin: anguis
- Latvian: čūska
- Ligurian: serpente
- Limburgish: slang
- Lingala: nyoka
- Lithuanian: gyvatė
- Lombard: serpente
- Luganda: omwavu
- Luo: ng’adi
- Luxembourgish: Schlaang
- Macedonian: змија (zmija)
- Madurese: ulo
- Maithili: साँप (sanp)
- Makassar: ular
- Malagasy: bibilava
- Malay: ular
- Malay (Jawi): ثعبان (thu’ban)
- Malayalam: പാമ്പ് (pāmpu)
- Maltese: serp
- Mam: chik
- Manx: phéist
- Maori: nakahi
- Marathi: साप (sāp)
- Marshallese: kunu
- Marwadi: साँप (sanp)
- Mauritian Creole: serpan
- Meadow Mari: улан (ulan)
- Meiteilon (Manipuri): সাপ (sap)
- Minang: ular
- Mizo: mithi
- Mongolian: могой (mogoy)
- Myanmar (Burmese): မြွေ (mwé)
- Nahuatl (Eastern Huasteca): cōātl
- Ndau: inyoka
- Ndebele (South): inyoka
- Nepalbhasa (Newari): सर्प (sarp)
- Nepali: सर्प (sarp)
- NKo: ߢߍ߲߬ߘߍ߲߬ (ngenden)
- Norwegian: slange
- Nuer: nyok
- Occitan: serpent
- Odia (Oriya): ସାପ (sap)
- Oromo: bofa
- Ossetian: саг (sag)
- Pangasinan: sawa
- Papiamento: sneku
- Pashto: مار (mar)
- Persian: مار (mar)
- Polish: wąż
- Portuguese (Brazil): cobra
- Portuguese (Portugal): cobra
- Punjabi (Gurmukhi): ਸੱਪ (sapp)
- Punjabi (Shahmukhi): سانپ (sanp)
- Quechua: amaru
- Qʼeqchiʼ: chilal
- Romani: şarpa
- Romanian: șarpe
- Rundi: inzoka
- Russian: змея (zmeya)
- Sami (North): sarvvis
- Samoan: gata
- Sango: mboro
- Sanskrit: सर्पः (sarpaḥ)
- Santali: ᱞᱤᱥᱚᱣ (lisow)
- Scots Gaelic: nathair
- Sepedi: noga
- Serbian: змија (zmija)
- Sesotho: noha
- Seychellois Creole: serpan
- Shan: မြွေ (mwe)
- Shona: nyoka
- Sicilian: serpi
- Silesian: żmija
- Sindhi: سانپ (sanp)
- Sinhala: සර්පයා (sarpaya)
- Slovak: had
- Slovenian: kača
- Somali: mas
- Spanish: serpiente
- Sundanese: oray
- Swahili: nyoka
- Swedish: orm
- Tagalog: ahas
- Tahitian: mo’o
- Tajik: мор (mor)
- Tamil: பாம்பு (pāmpu)
- Tatar: йылан (ylan)
- Telugu: పాము (pamu)
- Tetum: lalarai
- Thai: งู (ngu)
- Tibetan: sbrul
- Tigrinya: ሊቀ (liqe)
- Tongan: ngaue
- Tok Pisin: snek
- Tsonga: nyoka
- Tswana: nogana
- Turkmen: ilan
- Turkish: yılan
- Tuvaluan: nakele
- Ukrainian: змія (zmiya)
- Upper Sorbian: zmiju
- Urdu: سانپ (sanp)
- Uyghur: يىلان (yilan)
- Uzbek: ilon
- Vietnamese: con rắn
- Volapük: slawüka
- Walloon: serpint
- Walser: slangg
- Waray: halas
- Welsh: neidr
- Mingrelian: ჭია (chia)
- Xhosa: inyoka
- Yiddish: שנעק (shnek)
- Yoruba: ejò
- Zazaki: yilan
- Zulu: inyoka
Snake in Different Languages
One of the most intriguing aspects of languages is how they name animals, especially those as symbolically loaded as snakes. Here’s a list of translations for “snake” in various languages:
- French: Serpent
The French translation for snake is “serpent,” derived from the Latin word serpens, which directly means “creeping.” In French culture, snakes have had positive and negative connotations, much like in English. - German: Schlange
In German, the word “snake” translates to Schlange. The term has roots in ancient Germanic languages and, like in other cultures, snakes often symbolize danger and transformation. - Scots Gaelic: Nathair
In Scots Gaelic, the word for snake is nathair. While the snake doesn’t appear as frequently in Scottish mythology as in other traditions, it is still viewed with intrigue. - Hakka Dialect: 蛇 (Sè)
The Hakka dialect of Chinese uses 蛇 (Sè) for snake. In Chinese culture, snakes, particularly those associated with the Chinese zodiac, carry a mix of meanings, from wisdom to danger. - Spanish: Serpiente or El Draque
Serpiente is the most common Spanish word for snake. Interestingly, “El Draque” is sometimes used colloquially in certain dialects to refer to a mythical serpent or dragon-like figure. - Estonian: Lendav Madu
In Estonian, the translation lendav madu refers to a mythical “flying snake.” Estonian folklore, like many cultures, often attributes magical qualities to snakes.
Middle English and Old English Terms for Snake

In Middle English, the word for snake was “snake” or “snack,” which resembles today’s English term.
In Old English, the term snack was used to describe any crawling or creeping creature, not just snakes. This term evolved into the modern English word “snake.”
Snake Sounds in Different Languages
Different languages often mimic the sounds animals make differently, and while snakes don’t make a typical “sound,” hissing is universally associated with them. Here are a few words for the sound a snake makes across cultures:
- French: Sifflement (hiss)
- German: Zischen (hiss)
- Spanish: Silbido (hiss)
- Chinese: 嘶 (sī) for hiss
Interestingly, though referring to the same sound, these words evoke different cultural impressions of the snake.
For example, in Spanish, silbido can also be associated with a whistling sound, giving the snake a more melodic or mysterious character.
Cultural Significance: Chinese Dragons and Snakes

Snakes have special significance in Chinese mythology, especially considering their connection to dragons. The Chinese dragon (龙, Lóng) symbolises power, strength, and good fortune.
While dragons are generally seen as positive, the line between snake and dragon can blur. Many Chinese dragons are depicted with serpentine bodies, highlighting the reverence for this creature’s flexibility, power, and mystery.
In the Hakka dialect and other Chinese languages, snakes often symbolise wisdom and rebirth. They are particularly linked to the cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
The year of the snake is considered a time of transformation and growth, reflecting the snake’s shedding of skin.
Snakes as Symbols of Good Harvest

In various cultures, including some Native American traditions and African mythologies, snakes are viewed as protectors of crops and symbols of a good harvest.
In many ancient cultures, snakes were considered fertility symbols, possibly because of their phallic shape and ability to shed skin, symbolizing rebirth and renewal.
Acrylic Prints and Canvas Prints of Snakes in Art

Snakes are popular subjects for acrylic and canvas prints in art and home decor. They can make for striking imagery, whether it’s the dramatic coil of a cobra or the mesmerizing patterns of a python.
Artists often use snakes to explore themes of danger, transformation, or temptation, drawing from the creature’s deep mythological roots.
When considering snake-themed art for your home, acrylic and canvas prints are fantastic ways to showcase this limbless reptile.
Acrylic prints offer a modern, sleek finish, while canvas prints evoke a classic, timeless appeal.
Fun Products: Snake Coffee Mugs and Tote Bags

Snakes are not just serious symbols in culture and mythology; they also appear in various fun products. You can find snake-themed coffee mugs and tote bags that showcase these creatures in playful and artistic designs.
These items make for unique gifts, especially those fascinated by snakes’ beauty and mystery.
Privacy Policy and Cultural Nuances
Why mention privacy policy in a discussion about snakes? “privacy” ties into the snake’s reputation as a quiet, often hidden creature.
Culturally, snakes are often symbols of secrecy or keeping things private, much like a well-crafted privacy policy in a business.
This subtle connection between the snake’s stealthy nature and privacy policies is a fun way to look at how we use metaphor in everyday terms.
Learning New Languages with the Word Snake

One of the most fun ways to learn new languages is to discover how different cultures describe animals, especially those with rich symbolic meanings, such as snakes.
If you’re passionate about language learning, translating basic words like “snake” can be a fantastic way to start understanding a new language’s structure and cultural nuances.
You might notice that the word “snake” tends to carry heavy symbolic baggage, depending on the language and culture.
Tote Bags and Snake Symbolism

Interestingly, snake-themed tote bags have become popular fashion accessories. Snakes, often associated with danger, cunning, or rebirth, make for bold and expressive design choices on everyday items like tote bags.
Whether it’s a design inspired by Chinese dragons or a modern take on snake patterns, tote bags with snake motifs are trendy and symbolic.
German Translations and the Snake in Culture

The German translation of snake, Schlange, extends beyond just naming the animal. Like many other European traditions, German folklore featured snakes as cunning creatures or magical beings.
Stories like the “Lindworm,” a serpent-like dragon in Germanic mythology, show how intertwined snake imagery is with larger-than-life creatures in German culture.
Learning the Word Snake in Scots Gaelic

If you’re learning Scots Gaelic, nathair is the word for snake, which has survived in Gaelic culture despite the snake not being a prominent figure in Scottish folklore.
This simple yet evocative word represents the strength and resilience of Gaelic languages in preserving ancient words for modern usage.
Snake Myths and “El Draque”

In Spanish culture, the term el drague originates in the word “Draco,” which refers to dragons. While not directly meaning snake, it connotes mythical creatures that are often serpentine in shape.
Spanish-speaking cultures, particularly in Latin America, have rich mythologies involving snakes, dragons, and creatures that straddle both categories.
Conclusion: The Universal Fascination with Snakes
Snakes transcend cultures and languages, appearing in various forms across myths, art, and everyday speech.
Whether you’re translating “snake” into French, exploring ancient Chinese dragon myths, or picking up a snake-themed tote bag, this limbless reptile leaves an indelible mark on our global consciousness.
From serpent to nathair to lendav madu, snakes are a fantastic way to learn about different languages and the cultural significance they carry across the world.