Language

I was raised in the 60’s & 70’s, when everything was about love and peace.  Both are a universal language -I sure wished we would feel it more for one another.  I thought about the word LOVE.  It is such an amazing four letter word, with such power behind its meaning.  I pretty sure, the whole world has some knowledge of the way we Americans refer to this emotion.  But what about other countries.  Do we use their version of love?  Do we know what it is?  Will it have the same impact on us, just hearing it?  Let’s find out.

With the exception of the first 7 -which I already knew, the rest came from wordhippo.com.  The ones I know are probably translated “I love you!” instead of just the word “love.”

1. Korean’s say: Saranghaeyo
2. Japanese say: Aishiteru
3. Chinese say:
   喜爱
   Xǐ’ài  I know this word as (even though not sure of writing, so here is the sound) Whiney Wi Ni Ee something like this.  The I is long.
4. French say: Je t’aime (any word in French just strikes rhythm)

I love each of these versions, and regularly say them to my family.  What about the rest?

1. Italian: Amore
2. German’s: Ick liebe dick (I am not sure about this spelling.  Learned it from in-laws)
3. Spanish: te amo
4. Afrikaans: Liefde
5. Arabic:
   

   حب

6. Aremenian:
   իսեր
   iser
7. Azerbaijani:
   aşiqanə
8. Basque:Maitasun
9. Belarusian:

   Bengali: (this one sure is pretty to look at)

   অনুরক্তি
   Anurakti
10. Bosnian: Ljubav
11. Bulgarian
    кула
    kula

Okay, I never had any idea there were this many countries.  I’m going to write the countries we hear the most often.  If I make a mistake -please correct me.  If your word for “love” isn’t on the list -drop me a line, so others will know it too!

1. Fikipino: amor
2. Finnish: Intohimo
3. Greek: agape
4. Hindi: Pyara
5. Hungarian: Szerelem
6. Indoniesian: Asmara
7. Icelandic: Ast
8. Irish: A chroi
9. Latin: Gratia
10. Norwegian: Elske
11. Polish: Afekcja
12. Portuguese: Adorar
13. Romanian: Amor
14. Russian: Vlyublennost
15. Swahili: Mpenzi
16. Swedish: Alska
17. Thai: Rdi
18. Turkish: Ask
19. UKrainian: Zakokhanist
20. Vietnamese: Ai tinh
21. Welsh: Anwylyd
22. Yiddish: Lib hobn
23. Zulu: Cecezelela (I’ve never heard of this country but it starts with Z so I added it)

One word that pops up frequently is some writing of amour.  I really like Asmara, Mpenzi, Gratia, Agape, Adorar, and Pyara.  What about you?

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