“Nightmare” is a term used to describe a frightening dream that can disturb one’s sleep. It’s a concept experienced universally, and each language has its own word for it. In this article, we’ll explore how the word for “nightmare” is expressed in various languages around the world, from the most commonly spoken languages to some of the lesser-known ones.
Here is a list of how to say “nightmare” in 70 different languages:
- Albanian (🇦🇱) – Makth | Pronunciation: Mahkth
- Arabic (Standard) (🇸🇦) – كابوس (Kaboos) | Pronunciation: Kah-boos
- Armenian (🇦🇲) – մղձավանջ (Mghdzavanj) | Pronunciation: Mgh-dza-vanj
- Azerbaijani (🇦🇿) – Kabus | Pronunciation: Kah-boos
- Basque (🇪🇸) – Ametsgaizto | Pronunciation: Ah-mets-gaiz-toh
- Belarusian (🇧🇾) – Кашмар (Kashmar) | Pronunciation: Kash-mar
- Bengali (🇧🇩) – দুঃস্বপ্ন (Dusswapno) | Pronunciation: Dush-swap-no
- Bosnian (🇧🇦) – Noćna mora | Pronunciation: Noch-nah mo-rah
- Bulgarian (🇧🇬) – Кошмар (Koshmar) | Pronunciation: Kosh-mar
- Catalan (🇪🇸 – Catalonia) – Malson | Pronunciation: Mal-son
- Czech (🇨🇿) – Noční můra | Pronunciation: Noch-nee moo-rah
- Danish (🇩🇰) – Mareridt | Pronunciation: Mah-re-rit
- Dutch (🇳🇱) – Nachtmerrie | Pronunciation: Nakht-mer-ree
- English (🇺🇸 / 🇬🇧) – Nightmare | Pronunciation: Nyt-mare
- Estonian (🇪🇪) – Luupainaja | Pronunciation: Loo-pai-na-ya
- Farsi (Persian) (🇮🇷) – کابوس (Kaboos) | Pronunciation: Kah-boos
- Finnish (🇫🇮) – Painajainen | Pronunciation: Pai-na-ya-nen
- French (🇫🇷) – Cauchemar | Pronunciation: Kohsh-mar
- Georgian (🇬🇪) – კოშმარი (Koshmari) | Pronunciation: Kosh-mah-ree
- German (🇩🇪) – Albtraum | Pronunciation: Alp-trowm
- Greek (🇬🇷) – Εφιάλτης (Efialtis) | Pronunciation: Efi-al-tees
- Hebrew (🇮🇱) – סיוט (Siyut) | Pronunciation: See-yoot
- Hindi (🇮🇳) – बुरा सपना (Bura sapna) | Pronunciation: Boo-rah sap-nah
- Hungarian (🇭🇺) – Rémálom | Pronunciation: Raym-ah-lom
- Icelandic (🇮🇸) – Martröð | Pronunciation: Mar-treth
- Indonesian (🇮🇩) – Mimpi buruk | Pronunciation: Mim-pee boo-rook
- Irish Gaelic (🇮🇪) – Tromluí | Pronunciation: Trom-loo-ee
- Italian (🇮🇹) – Incubo | Pronunciation: In-coo-boh
- Japanese (🇯🇵) – 悪夢 (Akumu) | Pronunciation: Ah-koo-moo
- Kazakh (🇰🇿) – Қорқынышты түс (Qorqynyshty tús) | Pronunciation: Kor-kyn-yshty tus
- Khmer (Cambodian) (🇰🇭) – យប់អាក្រក់ (Yub akrok) | Pronunciation: Yup ah-krok
- Korean (🇰🇷) – 악몽 (Akmong) | Pronunciation: Ahk-mong
- Kurdish (🇮🇶 / 🇸🇾 / 🇹🇷 / 🇮🇷) – Xewnên xerab | Pronunciation: Khe-w-nen khe-rab
- Kyrgyz (🇰🇬) – Коркунучтуу түш (Korkunuchtuu tush) | Pronunciation: Kor-ku-nuch-too tush
- Lao (🇱🇦) – ນອນຝັນຮ້າຍ (Non fan hai) | Pronunciation: Non fan hi
- Latvian (🇱🇻) – Murgs | Pronunciation: Moorgs
- Lithuanian (🇱🇹) – Košmaras | Pronunciation: Kosh-mah-ras
- Luxembourgish (🇱🇺) – Albdram | Pronunciation: Alp-dram
- Macedonian (🇲🇰) – Кошмар (Koshmar) | Pronunciation: Kosh-mar
- Malay (🇲🇾 / 🇮🇩) – Mimpi ngeri | Pronunciation: Mim-pee nge-ree
- Maltese (🇲🇹) – Ħolma ħażina | Pronunciation: Hol-ma ha-zee-na
- Mandarin Chinese (🇨🇳) – 噩梦 (Èmèng) | Pronunciation: Uh-muhng
- Marathi (🇮🇳) – दु:स्वप्न (Dusswapna) | Pronunciation: Dush-swap-na
- Mongolian (🇲🇳) – Хар дарсан зүүд (Khar darsan züüd) | Pronunciation: Khar dar-san zood
- Nepali (🇳🇵) – डरलाग्दो सपना (Darlagdo sapana) | Pronunciation: Dar-lag-do sa-pa-na
- Norwegian (🇳🇴) – Mareritt | Pronunciation: Mah-re-rit
- Pashto (🇦🇫) – وېروونکی خوب (Werunkai khob) | Pronunciation: We-run-kai khob
- Polish (🇵🇱) – Koszmar | Pronunciation: Kosh-mar
- Portuguese (🇵🇹 / 🇧🇷) – Pesadelo | Pronunciation: Peh-sa-de-lo
- Romanian (🇷🇴) – Coșmar | Pronunciation: Kosh-mar
- Russian (🇷🇺) – Кошмар (Koshmar) | Pronunciation: Kosh-mar
- Serbian (🇷🇸) – Ноћна мора (Noćna mora) | Pronunciation: Noch-na mo-ra
- Sinhala (🇱🇰) – දරුණු සිහින (Darunu sihina) | Pronunciation: Da-roo-nu si-hi-na
- Slovak (🇸🇰) – Nočná mora | Pronunciation: Noch-na mora
- Slovenian (🇸🇮) – Nočna mora | Pronunciation: Noch-na mo-ra
- Somali (🇸🇴) – Riyo cabsi leh | Pronunciation: Ree-yo cab-si leh
- Spanish (🇪🇸) – Pesadilla | Pronunciation: Peh-sah-dee-ya
- Swahili (🇰🇪 / 🇹🇿) – Jinamizi | Pronunciation: Jee-nah-mee-zee
- Swedish (🇸🇪) – Mardröm | Pronunciation: Mar-drom
- Tajik (🇹🇯) – Хоби даҳшатнок (Khobi dahshatnok) | Pronunciation: Kho-be dah-shat-nok
- Tamil (🇮🇳) – கடுஞ்செவிலி (Kadunchevili) | Pronunciation: Ka-dun-che-vi-li
- Telugu (🇮🇳) – భయంకరమైన కల (Bhayan̄karaṁaina kala) | Pronunciation: Bha-yang-kara-mai-na ka-la
- Thai (🇹🇭) – ฝันร้าย (Fan rai) | Pronunciation: Fan rai
- Turkish (🇹🇷) – Kabus | Pronunciation: Kah-boos
- Ukrainian (🇺🇦) – Кошмар (Koshmar) | Pronunciation: Kosh-mar
- Urdu (🇵🇰) – ڈراؤنا خواب (Darauna khwab) | Pronunciation: Da-rao-na khwab
- Uzbek (🇺🇿) – Dahshatli tush | Pronunciation: Dah-shat-li tush
- Vietnamese (🇻🇳) – Ác mộng | Pronunciation: Ak mong
- Welsh (🇬🇧 – Wales) – Hunllef | Pronunciation: Hoon-lef
- Yoruba (🇳🇬) – Àlá búburú | Pronunciation: Ah-lah boo-boo-roo