“Dread” is an intense feeling of fear or apprehension about something that is about to happen. This emotion, while universal, is described differently in various languages around the world. Let’s explore how the word “dread” is expressed in 70 different languages, capturing the nuances that each language brings to this complex emotion.
- Albanian (🇦🇱) – Tmerri | Pronunciation: T’merry
- Arabic (Standard) (🇸🇦) – الرهبة (Al-Rahbah) | Pronunciation: Al-ra-hba
- Armenian (🇦🇲) – վախ (Vakh) | Pronunciation: Vahkh
- Azerbaijani (🇦🇿) – Qorxu | Pronunciation: Kor-khu
- Basque (🇪🇸) – Izua | Pronunciation: Ee-zoo-a
- Belarusian (🇧🇾) – Страх (Strakh) | Pronunciation: Strahk
- Bengali (🇧🇩) – ভীতি (Bhīti) | Pronunciation: Bhee-tee
- Bosnian (🇧🇦) – Strah | Pronunciation: Strah
- Bulgarian (🇧🇬) – Ужас (Uzhas) | Pronunciation: Oo-zhas
- Catalan (🇪🇸 – Catalonia) – Temor | Pronunciation: Tuh-mor
- Czech (🇨🇿) – Hrůza | Pronunciation: Hroo-za
- Danish (🇩🇰) – Frygt | Pronunciation: Frygt
- Dutch (🇳🇱) – Angst | Pronunciation: Ahngst
- English (🇺🇸 / 🇬🇧) – Dread | Pronunciation: Dred
- Estonian (🇪🇪) – Hirm | Pronunciation: Heerm
- Farsi (Persian) (🇮🇷) – وحشت (Vahshat) | Pronunciation: Vah-shat
- Finnish (🇫🇮) – Kauhu | Pronunciation: Kow-hoo
- French (🇫🇷) – Effroi | Pronunciation: Ef-fwah
- Georgian (🇬🇪) – შიში (Shishi) | Pronunciation: Shee-shee
- German (🇩🇪) – Grauen | Pronunciation: Grou-en
- Greek (🇬🇷) – Φόβος (Fovos) | Pronunciation: Fo-vos
- Hebrew (🇮🇱) – פחד (Pakhad) | Pronunciation: Pa-had
- Hindi (🇮🇳) – भय (Bhaya) | Pronunciation: Bhay-ya
- Hungarian (🇭🇺) – Félelem | Pronunciation: Fe-le-lem
- Icelandic (🇮🇸) – Hræðsla | Pronunciation: Hrye-th-sla
- Indonesian (🇮🇩) – Ketakutan | Pronunciation: Keh-ta-koo-tan
- Irish Gaelic (🇮🇪) – Uafás | Pronunciation: Oo-faas
- Italian (🇮🇹) – Terrore | Pronunciation: Teh-ro-re
- Japanese (🇯🇵) – 恐怖 (Kyōfu) | Pronunciation: Kyo-foo
- Kazakh (🇰🇿) – Қорқыныш (Qorqynysh) | Pronunciation: Kor-kin-ish
- Khmer (Cambodian) (🇰🇭) – ភាពភ័យខ្លាច (Pheap phĕy klach) | Pronunciation: Pee-ap pay kla-ch
- Korean (🇰🇷) – 공포 (Gongpo) | Pronunciation: Gong-po
- Kurdish (🇮🇶 / 🇸🇾 / 🇹🇷 / 🇮🇷) – ترس (Tirs) | Pronunciation: Teers
- Kyrgyz (🇰🇬) – Коркунуч (Korkunuch) | Pronunciation: Kor-koo-nuch
- Lao (🇱🇦) – ຄວາມຢ້ານ (Khwam yan) | Pronunciation: Kwaam yan
- Latvian (🇱🇻) – Bailes | Pronunciation: Bye-les
- Lithuanian (🇱🇹) – Baimė | Pronunciation: Bai-meh
- Luxembourgish (🇱🇺) – Angscht | Pronunciation: Ang-sht
- Macedonian (🇲🇰) – Страв (Strav) | Pronunciation: Strav
- Malay (🇲🇾 / 🇮🇩) – Ketakutan | Pronunciation: Keh-ta-koo-tan
- Maltese (🇲🇹) – Biża’ | Pronunciation: Bee-zah
- Mandarin Chinese (🇨🇳) – 恐惧 (Kǒngjù) | Pronunciation: Kong-joo
- Marathi (🇮🇳) – भीती (Bhītī) | Pronunciation: Bhee-tee
- Mongolian (🇲🇳) – Айдас (Aidas) | Pronunciation: Eye-dahs
- Nepali (🇳🇵) – डर (Dar) | Pronunciation: Dahr
- Norwegian (🇳🇴) – Frykt | Pronunciation: Frykt
- Pashto (🇦🇫) – وېره (Wira) | Pronunciation: Wee-rah
- Persian (Farsi) (🇮🇷) – ترس (Tars) | Pronunciation: Tars
- Polish (🇵🇱) – Strach | Pronunciation: Strahkh
- Portuguese (🇵🇹 / 🇧🇷) – Medo | Pronunciation: Meh-doo
- Romanian (🇷🇴) – Groază | Pronunciation: Gro-ah-zah
- Russian (🇷🇺) – Ужас (Uzhas) | Pronunciation: Oo-zhas
- Serbian (🇷🇸) – Страх (Strah) | Pronunciation: Strah
- Sinhala (🇱🇰) – බිය (Biya) | Pronunciation: Bee-ya
- Slovak (🇸🇰) – Hrôza | Pronunciation: Hroh-za
- Slovenian (🇸🇮) – Strah | Pronunciation: Strah
- Somali (🇸🇴) – Cabsi | Pronunciation: Cab-si
- Spanish (🇪🇸) – Temor | Pronunciation: Teh-mor
- Swahili (🇰🇪 / 🇹🇿) – Hofu | Pronunciation: Ho-foo
- Swedish (🇸🇪) – Skräck | Pronunciation: Skrek
- Tajik (🇹🇯) – Тарс (Tars) | Pronunciation: Tars
- Tamil (🇮🇳) – அச்சம் (Accam) | Pronunciation: Ah-chum
- Telugu (🇮🇳) – భయం (Bhayaṁ) | Pronunciation: Bhay-um
- Thai (🇹🇭) – ความหวาดกลัว (Khwam wad glua) | Pronunciation: Kwaam waad glua
- Turkish (🇹🇷) – Korku | Pronunciation: Kor-koo
- Ukrainian (🇺🇦) – Страх (Strakh) | Pronunciation: Strahk
- Urdu (🇵🇰) – خوف (Khof) | Pronunciation: Kho-f
- Uzbek (🇺🇿) – Qo’rquv | Pronunciation: Ko’r-kuv
- Vietnamese (🇻🇳) – Sợ hãi | Pronunciation: So hai
- Welsh (🇬🇧 – Wales) – Ofn | Pronunciation: Oh-vn