Are you struggling to find the ultimate way to describe SNOW in different languages? You’re not alone! Many language learners and culture enthusiasts want to know how this word, symbolizing the beauty and tranquility of winter, is expressed in other languages.

Here’s the good news: I have you covered with translations, pronunciations, and cultural insights that make this word universal yet unique.

SNOW is more than just frozen water particles falling from the sky; it’s a phenomenon that evokes emotions, inspires art, and plays a significant role in the cultural traditions of many societies.

Across cultures and languages, this term reflects the universal human fascination with the wonder of winter.

In this post, we’ll explore the translations of “snow” in various languages, its cultural significance, and its role in different contexts worldwide.

Why it is Important to Know SNOW in Different Languages

1. Expressing Appreciation Globally

Whether discussing snowy landscapes, winter sports, or seasonal festivities, knowing how to say “snow” in different languages helps you share experiences and connect with people worldwide who cherish this natural marvel.

2. Cultural Appreciation

Every culture has its unique relationship with snow. Learning these terms allows you to delve into diverse traditions, stories, and perspectives about winter and nature.

3. Practical Usage

From planning trips to snowy destinations to understanding weather reports abroad, “snow” is a commonly used in various contexts, including travel, literature, and everyday conversation.

Saying “SNOW” in European Languages

Western European Languages

  • English: Snow (pronounced snoh)
  • French: Neige (pronounced nehzh)
  • German: Schnee (pronounced shnay)
  • Spanish: Nieve (pronounced nee-eh-veh)
  • Italian: Neve (pronounced neh-veh)
  • Portuguese: Neve (pronounced neh-veh)
  • Dutch: Sneeuw (pronounced snay-oo)
  • Catalan: Neu (pronounced neh-oo)

Northern European Languages

  • Swedish: Snö (pronounced snuh)
  • Danish: Sne (pronounced sneh)
  • Norwegian: Snø (pronounced snuh)
  • Finnish: Lumi (pronounced loo-mee)
  • Icelandic: Snjór (pronounced snyohr)

Eastern European Languages

  • Russian: Снег (pronounced snyeg)
  • Polish: Śnieg (pronounced shnyeh-g)
  • Czech: Sníh (pronounced sneekh)
  • Hungarian: Hó (pronounced hoh)
  • Ukrainian: Сніг (pronounced sneeh)

Saying “SNOW” in Asian Languages

East Asian Languages

  • Chinese (Simplified): 雪 (pronounced xuě)
  • Chinese (Traditional): 雪 (pronounced xuě)
  • Japanese: 雪 (pronounced yuki)
  • Korean: 눈 (pronounced noon)

South Asian Languages

  • Hindi: बर्फ़ (pronounced barf)
  • Bengali: তুষার (pronounced too-shar)
  • Tamil: பனி (pronounced pah-nee)
  • Urdu: برف (pronounced barf)

Southeast Asian Languages

  • Thai: หิมะ (pronounced hi-ma)
  • Vietnamese: Tuyết (pronounced twee-et)
  • Indonesian: Salju (pronounced sal-joo)
  • Malay: Salji (pronounced sal-jee)
  • Khmer (Cambodian): ព្រិល (pronounced pril)

Saying “SNOW” in Middle Eastern Languages

  • Arabic: ثلج (pronounced thalj)
  • Hebrew: שלג (pronounced sheh-leg)
  • Persian (Farsi): برف (pronounced barf)
  • Turkish: Kar (pronounced kar)

Saying “SNOW” in African Languages

  • Swahili: Theluji (pronounced theh-loo-jee)
  • Zulu: Iqhwa (pronounced ee-qwa)
  • Afrikaans: Sneeu (pronounced snee-oo)
  • Amharic: በረዶ (pronounced be-re-do)
  • Hausa: Kankara (pronounced kan-ka-ra)
  • Igbo: Snow (English term commonly used)
  • Yoruba: Yinyin (pronounced yin-yin)

SNOW in Austronesian Languages

  • Filipino (Tagalog): Niyebe (pronounced nee-yeh-beh)
  • Cebuano: Niebe (pronounced nee-eh-beh)
  • Maori: Huka (pronounced hoo-ka)
  • Hawaiian: Hau (pronounced how)

SNOW in Indigenous Languages

Native American Languages

  • Navajo: Yas (pronounced yas)
  • Inuit (Greenlandic): Aput (pronounced ah-poot)

Australian Aboriginal Languages

  • Pitjantjatjara: Puyu (used to describe snow, pronounced poo-yoo)

More Translations of SNOW in Different Languages with Pronunciations

LanguageWord for SnowPronunciation
EnglishSnow/snoʊ/
SpanishNieve/ˈnje.βe/
FrenchNeige/nɛʒ/
GermanSchnee/ʃneː/
ItalianNeve/ˈneː.ve/
PortugueseNeve/ˈnɛ.vi/
DutchSneeuw/sneːu̯/
SwedishSnö/snøː/
NorwegianSnø/snøː/
DanishSne/sneː/
FinnishLumi/ˈlu.mi/
IcelandicSnjór/stnjouːr/
RussianСнег (Sneg)/sʲnʲek/
PolishŚnieg/ɕɲɛk/
CzechSníh/sɲiːx/
Hungarian/hoː/
UkrainianСніг (Snih)/s⁽ʲ⁾nʲiɦ/
LithuanianSniegas/ˈsɲeː.ɡɐs/
LatvianSniegs/sniɛɡs/
EstonianLumi/ˈlu.mi/
SlovakSneh/sɲɛx/
SlovenianSneg/snɛɡ/
CroatianSnijeg/sniː.jɛɡ/
SerbianСнег (Sneg)/snêːɡ/
BosnianSnijeg/sniː.jɛɡ/
BulgarianСняг (Snyag)/sɲak/
RomanianZăpadă/zəˈpa.də/
AlbanianBorë/bɔɾə/
GreekΧιόνι (Chióni)/ˈçoni/
TurkishKar/kaɾ/
MacedonianСнег (Sneg)/snɛɡ/
ArmenianՁյուն (Dzyun)/dzjun/
Georgianთოვლი (Tovli)/tʰɔvli/
AzerbaijaniQar/ɡɑɾ/
KazakhҚар (Qar)/qɑr/
UzbekQor/qɒr/
KyrgyzКар (Kar)/kar/
TatarКар (Kar)/kɑr/
BashkirҠар (Qar)/qɑr/
MongolianЦас (Tsas)/t͡sʰaːs/
Chinese (Mandarin)雪 (Xuě)/ɕyɛ˨˩˦/
Japanese雪 (Yuki)/jɯki/
Korean눈 (Nun)/nun/
VietnameseTuyết/twiə̯t/
Thaiหิมะ (Hima)/hì.máʔ/
Laoຫິມະ (Hima)/hī.maʔ/
Khmerព្រិល (Prœl)/prɨl/
Burmeseနှင်း (Hnîn)/n̥ɪ́ɴ/
Malay/IndonesianSalju/sal.dʒu/
Filipino (Tagalog)Niyebe/niˈjɛbɛ/
CebuanoNiebe/niˈɛbɛ/
JavaneseSalju/sal.dʒu/
SundaneseSalju/sal.dʒu/
Hindiबर्फ़ (Barf)/bərf/
Urduبرف (Barf)/bəɾf/
Bengaliতুষার (Tushar)/tuʃar/
Punjabiਬਰਫ਼ (Barf)/bərf/
Gujaratiબરફ (Baraf)/bəɾəf/
Marathiबर्फ (Barf)/bəɾf/
Tamilபனி (Pani)/pəni/
Teluguమంచు (Manchu)/man.tʃu/
Kannadaಹಿಮ (Hima)/hima/
Malayalamമഞ്ഞ് (Manju)/manɟu/
Sinhalaහිම (Hima)/hima/
Nepaliहिउँ (Hiu)/hiũ/
Tibetanགངས (Gang)/kɑŋ/
MongolianЦас (Tsas)/t͡sʰaːs/
Pashtoواوره (Wawra)/wɑwra/
Persian (Farsi)برف (Barf)/bæɾf/
Arabicثلج (Thalj)/θælʒ/
Hebrewשלג (Sheleg)/ˈʃeleg/
Amharicበረዶ (Beredo)/bəɾədo/
SwahiliTheluji/θe.lu.d͡ʒi/
ZuluIqhwa/í.qʰwa/
XhosaIkhephu/i.kʰɛ.pʰu/
YorubaYinyin/ji.jin/
HausaKankara/kan.ka.ra/
IgboSnow(English term used)
SesothoLehloa/lɛɬoa/
TswanaSefako/sɛ.fɑ.kɔ/
AfrikaansSneeu/sneːu/
IrishSneachta/ˈʃnʲaxt̪ˠə/
Scottish GaelicSneachda/ˈʃnʲɛxkə/
WelshEira/ˈei.ra/
CornishErgh/ɛrx/
BretonErc’h/ɛrx/
BasqueElurra/eˈlu.ra/
GalicianNeve/ˈnɛ.ve/
CatalanNeu/ˈnɛw/
EsperantoNeĝo/ˈne.ɡʒo/
InterlinguaNevene.ve/
MāoriHuka/ˈhʊka/
HawaiianHau/həu/
SamoanKiona/kiˈo.na/
TonganSione/siˈo.ne/
FijianUca ni vanua lasa/u.ða ni βa.nu.a la.sa/
InuktitutAput/a.put/
GreenlandicAput/a.put/
NavajoYas/jɑs/
CherokeeᎤᏴᏝ (Uyvtla)/u.jə.tɬa/
Lakota/waː/
OjibweZoogipon/zoː.ɡi.pɔn/
NahuatlIztli/ˈist͡ɬi/
QuechuaRit’i/ˈritʃi/
AymaraCh’iyara/tʃʰiˈjara/
GuaraniYrypy’á/ɨ.ɾɨ.pɨˈʔa/
HmongDaus/daʊ̯s/
Laoຫິມະ (Hima)/hī.maʔ/
Khmerព្រិល (Prœl)/prɨl/
Mandarin (Taiwan)雪 (Xuě)/ɕyɛ˥˩/
Cantonese雪 (Syut)/syːt̚˧/
Shanghainese雪 (Shü)/ɕy˩˧/
Hokkien雪 (Soat)/suat̚/
Uighurقار (Qar)/qɑr/
TatarКар (Kar)/kar/
TurkmenGar/ɡar/
SomaliBaraf/bɑrɑf/
SundaneseSalju/sal.dʒu/
JavaneseSalju/sal.dʒu/
ZuluIqhwa/í.qʰwa/
SwatiLikhephu/li.kʰɛ.pʰu/
VendaMupfumo/mu.pfu.mo/
TsongaMhandzi/mha.ndzi/
KurdishBerf/bɛɾf/
MalteseBorra/ˈbɔr.ra/
LatinNix/nɪks/
Sanskritहिम (Hima)/ˈhɪ.mɐ/
UrhoboOghene/ɔ.ɣɛ.nɛ/
KanuriBaraf/bɑ.rɑf/
ZuluIqhwa/í.qʰwa/
IgboSnow(English term used)
AfrikaansSneeu/sneːu/
NdebeleIqhwa/iːkʰwa/

The Cultural Significance of “Snow”

1. Symbol of Purity and Peace

  • Japanese Culture: Snow is associated with purity, a common haiku poetry theme.
  • Western Traditions: Snow often symbolizes peace and tranquility, especially during the holiday season.

2. Inspiration in Art and Literature

  • Russian Literature: Snow plays a significant role in setting scenes and symbolizing emotion in works by authors like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.
  • Native American Cultures: Snow is part of many creation myths and traditional stories.

3. Seasonal Celebrations

  • Winter Festivals: Many countries have festivals celebrating snow, such as the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan and the Snow and Ice Festival in China.
  • Sports and Recreation: Snow is essential for winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, and sledding, which are integral to many cultures.

Practical Uses of “Snow”

1. Traveling and Weather Preparedness

Knowing the word for “snow” is crucial when traveling to cold climates to understand weather forecasts and safety instructions.

2. Cultural Exchange

Discussing snow can be a conversation starter, allowing you to share experiences and learn about others’ traditions and stories related to winter.

3. Educational and Professional Contexts

Knowing this term in various languages benefits students and professionals in meteorology, geography, or environmental science.

How to Learn “Snow” in Different Languages

Use Language Learning Apps

Platforms like Duolingo or Rosetta Stone can help you learn new vocabulary, including seasonal terms like “snow.”

Practice with Native Speakers

Engage in language exchange communities or find a language partner to practice pronunciation and usage.

Immerse Yourself in Media

Watch movies, listen to songs, or read books that feature snow to understand its context and significance in different cultures.

Fun Facts About “Snow”

The Many Words for Snow

  • Inuit Languages: It’s a myth that Inuit languages have hundreds of words for snow, but they do have multiple terms to describe different types of snow.
  • Scots Language: There are over 400 words and expressions for snow in Scots, such as “feefle” (to swirl) and “flindrikin” (a slight snow shower).

Snow in Literature

  • “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen: A famous fairy tale that has inspired numerous adaptations.
  • “Snow Country” by Yasunari Kawabata: A classic Japanese novel that explores love and tradition in a snowy setting.

Snow Festivals Around the World

  • Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival: Held annually in China, it’s the largest ice and snow festival globally.
  • Quebec Winter Carnival: One of the oldest winter festivals, featuring ice sculptures, parades, and winter sports.

Usage Examples of “Snow” in Different Languages

  • Italian: La neve cade silenziosamente.
    (The snow falls silently.)
  • Portuguese: As crianças estão brincando na neve.
    (The children are playing in the snow.)
  • Chinese (Mandarin): 外面正在下雪。 (Wàimiàn zhèngzài xià xuě.)
    (It is snowing outside.)
  • Dutch: Ik hou van wandelen in de sneeuw.
    (I love walking in the snow.)
  • Swedish: Snön täcker marken.
    (The snow covers the ground.)
  • Norwegian: Snøen smelter om våren.
    (The snow melts in the spring.)
  • Finnish: Lumi on valkoista ja puhdasta.
    (The snow is white and pure.)
  • Turkish: Kar yağmaya başladı.
    (It has started to snow.)
  • Hebrew: יורד שלג בירושלים. (Yored sheleg biYerushalayim.)
    (It is snowing in Jerusalem.)
  • Polish: Uwielbiam patrzeć na padający śnieg.
    (I love watching the snow fall.)
  • Greek: Το χιόνι καλύπτει τα βουνά. (To chióni kalýptei ta vouná.)
    (The snow covers the mountains.)
  • Thai: หิมะตกที่เชียงใหม่วันนี้. (Himá tok thîi Chiang Mai wan níi.)
    (It is snowing in Chiang Mai today.)
  • Vietnamese: Tuyết đang rơi ngoài trời.
    (Snow is falling outside.)
  • Zulu: Iqhwa liwa ezintabeni.
    (Snow falls on the mountains.)
  • Afrikaans: Sneeu bedek die landskap.
    (Snow covers the landscape.)
  • Hindi: बच्चे बर्फ़ में खेल रहे हैं। (Bacche barf mein khel rahe hain.)
    (Children are playing in the snow.)
  • Hungarian: Szeretem a hóesést nézni.
    (I like watching the snowfall.)
  • Czech: Sníh křupe pod nohama.
    (The snow crunches underfoot.)
  • Romanian: Ninge de azi dimineață.
    (It has been snowing since this morning.)
  • Amharic: በረዶ በአዲስ አበባ እየወረደ ነው። (Beredo be Addis Ababa iyewerede new.)
    (It is snowing in Addis Ababa.)
  • Swahili: Watoto wanapenda kucheza kwenye theluji.
    (Children love playing in the snow.)
  • Bengali: বাহিরে তুষারপাত হচ্ছে। (Bahire tusharpat hocche.)
    (It is snowing outside.)
  • Urdu: باہر برف پڑ رہی ہے۔ (Baahar barf par rahi hai.)
    (It is snowing outside.)
  • Malay/Indonesian: Salju turun di gunung.
    (Snow is falling on the mountain.)
  • Tagalog: Umuulan ng niyebe sa ibang bansa.
    (It is snowing in other countries.)
  • Persian (Farsi): برف در حال باریدن است. (Barf dar hâl-e bâridan ast.)
    (It is snowing.)
  • Mongolian: Цас орж байна. (Tsas orj bain.)
    (It is snowing.)
  • Nepali: हिउँ परिरहेको छ। (Hiun pariraheko cha.)
    (It is snowing.)
  • Georgian: თოვლი მოდის ქალაქში. (Tovli modis kalakshi.)
    (Snow is coming to the city.)
  • Estonian: Lumi langeb vaikselt.
    (The snow is falling quietly.)
  • Latvian: Sniegs klāj zemi.
    (Snow covers the ground.)
  • Lithuanian: Vaikai žaidžia sniege.
    (Children are playing in the snow.)
  • Icelandic: Snjórinn er hvítur og fallegur.
    (The snow is white and beautiful.)
  • Inuit (Greenlandic): Aput apuutivoq.
    (Snow is falling.)
  • Maori: Kei te hukarere te maunga.
    (The mountain is covered in snow.)
  • Hawaiian: Hau e heleleʻi ana ma nā mauna.
    (Snow is falling on the mountains.)

Final Thoughts

The word “snow” transcends linguistic barriers, evoking similar feelings of wonder and beauty across different cultures.

By learning how to express this term in various languages, you enhance your vocabulary and gain insights into how people worldwide experience and celebrate this enchanting aspect of nature.

Happy Learning!

Reference: “Snow” – Wiktionary

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