“Embrace” is a warm and universal gesture of affection and support, but the word itself varies delightfully across languages. Whether you’re a traveler, a linguist, or simply curious, knowing how to express this comforting gesture can enrich your communication skills. Here’s a guide on how to say “embrace” in 70 different languages, complete with country names, flags, and pronunciations.
- Albanian (🇦🇱) – Përqafim | Pronunciation: Peur-qah-feem
- Arabic (Standard) (🇸🇦) – عناق (‘Unāq) | Pronunciation: U-naaq
- Armenian (🇦🇲) – Համբուրում (Hamburum) | Pronunciation: Ham-boo-room
- Azerbaijani (🇦🇿) – Qucaqlamaq | Pronunciation: Goo-jahk-lah-mak
- Basque (🇪🇸) – Besarkada | Pronunciation: Beh-sar-kah-dah
- Belarusian (🇧🇾) – Абдымка (Abdymka) | Pronunciation: Ab-dim-ka
- Bengali (🇧🇩) – আলিঙ্গন (Āliṅgana) | Pronunciation: Aa-ling-ga-non
- Bosnian (🇧🇦) – Zagrljaj | Pronunciation: Zah-gur-lyai
- Bulgarian (🇧🇬) – Прегръдка (Pregrădka) | Pronunciation: Preh-grud-ka
- Catalan (🇪🇸 – Catalonia) – Abraçada | Pronunciation: Ah-brah-sa-da
- Czech (🇨🇿) – Obětí | Pronunciation: Oh-bye-tee
- Danish (🇩🇰) – Kram | Pronunciation: Krahm
- Dutch (🇳🇱) – Omhelzing | Pronunciation: Om-hel-zing
- English (🇺🇸 / 🇬🇧) – Embrace | Pronunciation: Em-brace
- Estonian (🇪🇪) – Kallistus | Pronunciation: Kal-lis-tus
- Farsi (Persian) (🇮🇷) – آغوش (Aghoosh) | Pronunciation: Aa-ghoosh
- Finnish (🇫🇮) – Halaus | Pronunciation: Ha-lows
- French (🇫🇷) – Étreinte | Pronunciation: Eh-treint
- Georgian (🇬🇪) – ჩახუტება (Chakhuteba) | Pronunciation: Cha-khoo-te-ba
- German (🇩🇪) – Umarmung | Pronunciation: Oo-mar-moong
- Greek (🇬🇷) – Αγκαλιά (Agkaliá) | Pronunciation: An-ga-lee-a
- Hebrew (🇮🇱) – חיבוק (Hibuk) | Pronunciation: Hee-book
- Hindi (🇮🇳) – गले लगाना (Gale Lagānā) | Pronunciation: Ga-lay La-gaa-naa
- Hungarian (🇭🇺) – Ölelés | Pronunciation: Er-leh-laysh
- Icelandic (🇮🇸) – Faðmlag | Pronunciation: Fath-mlag
- Indonesian (🇮🇩) – Pelukan | Pronunciation: Pe-lu-kan
- Irish Gaelic (🇮🇪) – Barróg | Pronunciation: Bar-rog
- Italian (🇮🇹) – Abbraccio | Pronunciation: Ab-brah-cho
- Japanese (🇯🇵) – 抱擁 (Hōyō) | Pronunciation: Ho-yo
- Kazakh (🇰🇿) – Құшақтау (Qushaqtau) | Pronunciation: Qoo-shak-tow
- Khmer (Cambodian) (🇰🇭) – កោរស្វាយ (Kaorsvay) | Pronunciation: Kowr-svay
- Korean (🇰🇷) – 포옹 (Poyong) | Pronunciation: Poh-yong
- Kurdish (🇮🇶 / 🇸🇾 / 🇹🇷 / 🇮🇷) – Pelkîşîn | Pronunciation: Pel-keesh-in
- Kyrgyz (🇰🇬) – Кучактоо (Kuchaktоo) | Pronunciation: Koo-chat-toh
- Lao (🇱🇦) – ອ້ອຍອານ (‘Ōi ‘ān) | Pronunciation: Oy-an
- Latvian (🇱🇻) – Apkārtiens | Pronunciation: Ap-kar-tyens
- Lithuanian (🇱🇹) – Apkabinimas | Pronunciation: Ap-ka-bee-ni-mas
- Luxembourgish (🇱🇺) – Ëmäerzung | Pronunciation: Uhm-ahr-zung
- Macedonian (🇲🇰) – Прегратка (Pregratka) | Pronunciation: Preh-grat-ka
- Malay (🇲🇾 / 🇮🇩) – Pelukan | Pronunciation: Pe-lu-kan
- Maltese (🇲🇹) – Ħadna | Pronunciation: Hah-dna
- Mandarin Chinese (🇨🇳) – 拥抱 (Yōngbào) | Pronunciation: Yong-bao
- Marathi (🇮🇳) – मिठी (Miṭhī) | Pronunciation: Mee-thee
- Mongolian (🇲🇳) – Өглөө (Öglöö) | Pronunciation: Ur-glo
- Nepali (🇳🇵) – अंगालो (Angālo) | Pronunciation: Ang-gaa-lo
- Norwegian (🇳🇴) – Klem | Pronunciation: Klem
- Pashto (🇦🇫) – پيغور (Payghor) | Pronunciation: Pay-ghor
- Persian (Farsi) (🇮🇷) – آغوش (Aghoosh) | Pronunciation: Aa-ghoosh
- Polish (🇵🇱) – Przytulenie | Pronunciation: Pshee-too-leh-nee
- Portuguese (🇵🇹 / 🇧🇷) – Abraço | Pronunciation: Ah-bra-so
- Romanian (🇷🇴) – Îmbrățișare | Pronunciation: Eem-bra-tee-share
- Russian (🇷🇺) – Объятие (Obyatie) | Pronunciation: Ob-ya-tye
- Serbian (🇷🇸) – Загрљај (Zagrljaj) | Pronunciation: Zah-gur-lyai
- Sinhala (🇱🇰) – ඇලිම්හැදීම (Alimhædīma) | Pronunciation: A-lee-m-hae-dee-ma
- Slovak (🇸🇰) – Objatie | Pronunciation: Ob-yah-tee-eh
- Slovenian (🇸🇮) – Objem | Pronunciation: Ob-yem
- Somali (🇸🇴) – Qaadid | Pronunciation: Qaa-did
- Spanish (🇪🇸) – Abrazo | Pronunciation: Ah-brah-tho
- Swahili (🇰🇪 / 🇹🇿) – Kumbatia | Pronunciation: Koom-ba-tee-a
- Swedish (🇸🇪) – Kram | Pronunciation: Krahm
- Tajik (🇹🇯) – Оғӯш (Oghoosh) | Pronunciation: O-ghoosh
- Tamil (🇮🇳) – கட்டியணைப்பு (Kaṭṭiyaṇaippu) | Pronunciation: Kaṭ-ṭi-ya-nai-pu
- Telugu (🇮🇳) – కౌగిలింత (Kougilinta) | Pronunciation: Kow-gi-lin-ta
- Thai (🇹🇭) – กอด (Kod) | Pronunciation: Koad
- Turkish (🇹🇷) – Sarılma | Pronunciation: Sah-ruhl-ma
- Ukrainian (🇺🇦) – Обійми (Obijmy) | Pronunciation: Oh-bee-jmee
- Urdu (🇵🇰) – گلے لگانا (Gale Lagānā) | Pronunciation: Ga-lay La-gaa-naa
- Uzbek (🇺🇿) – Quchoqlash | Pronunciation: Koo-chock-lash
- Vietnamese (🇻🇳) – Ôm | Pronunciation: Ohm
- Welsh (🇬🇧 – Wales) – Cwtch | Pronunciation: Kutch
Exploring how different cultures express this universal act of love and connection can deepen our appreciation for the rich tapestry of human expression.