One loan word per language

Language English Original word Original meaning Further etymology or notes

Indoeuropean

Germanic

West Germanic

South Africa Afrikaans trek trek A journey Dutch trek “journey, migration”
the Netherlands DutchNederlands boss baas Mid. Dutch baes “master”
[loc.country.gb/wessex] Old EnglishÆnglisc weird wyrd Fate, destiny Proto-Indoeuropean *wert- “to turn, to wind”
Germany GermanDeutsch schadenfreude Schadenfreude ” (Enjoyment from another’s misfortune) Schaden “harm” + Freude “joy”
[loc.country.yiddish] Yiddishיידיש Yidisch klutz קלאָץ klots A wooden beam Proto–West Germanic *klott, whence English clod

Nordic

Denmark DanishDansk angst angst Fear, dread, anxiety, angst Proto-Germanic *angustiz “narrowness, tightness, fear, anxiety”
the Færoe Islands FæroeseFøroyskt skua skúgvur A great skua Old Norse skúfr “great skua”
Iceland IcelandicÍslenska geyser Geysir Name of a large geyser in southwestern Iceland Literally “gusher”, from geysa “to gush”
[loc.country.viking] Old NorseNorrǿna window vindauga vindr “wind” + auga “eye”
Norway NorwegianNorsk ski ski Old Norse skíð “snowshoe, stick of wood”
Sweden SwedishSvenska moped moped tramp-cykel med motor och pedaler “bicycle with engine and pedals”

Romance

[loc.country.es/cat] CatalanCatalà paella paella A frying pan, a paella Latin patella “pan”
[loc.country.fr/bourbon] Old FrenchFranceis air air Air, the atmosphere, a breeze, the weather Ancient Greek ᾱ̓ήρ āḗr air, mist, wind
Spain CastillianCastellano tornado tronada A thunderstorm tronar “to thunder”
France FrenchFrançais hotel hôtel A mansion, a hotel Latin hospitāle “hospital, guesthouse”
Italy ItalianItaliano balcony balcone augmentative of balco “scaffold, balcony”
[loc.country.it/rm] LatinLatina nature nātūra A nature, an essence, the natural world, a penis nāscor “be born”
Portugal PortuguesePortuguês dodo doudo A crazy person dated form of doido

Indoiranian

the Maldives Dhivehiދިވެހި atoll އަތޮޅު atholhu A province, an atoll Uncertain; suggestions include Sanskrit अन्तर antara “interior”
India Pakistan Hindi–Urduहिंदी اردو pyjamas पाजामा پاجامہ pājāmā Loose cotton trousers Persian پايجامه pâyjâma “leg garment”
Iran Persianفارسی Fārsi caravan کاروان kārvān A caravan, a convoy Mid. Persian 𐭪𐭠𐭫𐭥𐭠𐭭𐭥 kārawān “military column”
[loc.country.sikh] Punjabiਪੰਜਾਬੀ Paṁjābī Sikh ਸਿੱਖ sikhkha A Sikh, the Sikh community Sanskrit शिक्षा śikṣā “learning, study, skill”
[loc.country.roma] RomanyRromani ćhib pal phral A brother Cognate with English brother, Latin frater, &c.
India Sanskritसंस्कृतम् Saṃskṛtam karma कर्मन् kárman An act, an action, a performance, karma

Slavic

Czechia CzechČeština robot robot robota “servitude, drudgery”
Poland PolishPolski sabre szabla via German Säbel, French sabre
Russia RussianРусский Russkij mammoth мамонт mamont Compare Proto-Uralic *mëxeearth, land”
Serbia Serbo-CroatianСрпскохрватски Srpskohrvatski vampire вампир vampir via German Vampir, French vampire
Ukraine UkrainianУкраїнська Ukrainska Cossack козак kozak via Polish kozak, French cosaque

Hellenic

[loc.country.gr/ancient] Ancient GreekἈρχαία ἑλληνική Archǽa hellēnicḗ iris ἶρις îris A rainbow via Latin īris
Greece GreekΕλληνικά Elliniká malarkey μαλακία malakía Masturbation, nonsense

Celtic

[loc.country.fr/bre] BretonBrezhoneg menhir maen-hir A long stone Via French menhir
Ireland IrishGaeilge tory tóraí An outlaw, a pursuer Originally applied to Irish Catholic rebels, then to supporters of the Catholic king James VII
Scotland Scots GaelicGàidhlig slogan sluagh-ghairm A battle cry sluagh “crowd, (obsolete) army” + ghairm “cry”
Wales WelshCymraeg corgi corgi cor “dwarf” + ci “dog”

Other

Albania AlbanianShqip dhampir dhampir ” (A half-human, half-vampire) From a South Slavic language, possibly Serbo-Croatian or Bulgarianвампир vampir

Sinotibetan

Hong Kong Cantonese廣東話 Gwóngdūng wǎ kowtow 叩頭 kautàu To bow so deeply one’s forehead touches the ground “knock” + “head”
Taiwan Hokkien閩南語 Bân-lâm-gí ginseng 人參 jîn-sim
China Mandarin官話 Guānhuà kung-fu 功夫 gōngfu Skill, accomplishment “achievement” + “man”
[loc.country.cn/xz] Tibetanབོད་ཡིག Pöyig lama བླ་མ lama

Niger–Congo

[loc.country.ng/biafra] IgboÌgbò okra ọ́kụ̀rụ̀ Disputed, may well come from some other related language
Tanzania SwahiliKiswahili safari safari A journey, a trip Arabic سفر safar “departure, journey, military campaign”
Senegal Wolof banana banaana Arabic بنانة banāna “fingertip, finger”
South Africa XhosaIsiXhosa ubuntu ubuntu Ubuntu, humaneness, solidarity Also borrowed from Zulu ubuntu “ubuntu, solidarity, humanity”
Nigeria YorubaYorùbá dashiki dàńṣíkí Hausa ɗan ciki “inner garment”
South Africa ZuluIsiZulu impala impala Proto-Bantu *mpàdá “impala”

Afroasiatic

[loc.country.assyria] Akkadian𒀝𒅗𒁺𒌑 Akkadû lamassu 𒀭𒆗 lamassu ” (A sphinx-like guardian Deity of Assyrian myth)
Ethiopia Amharicአማርኛ Amari̠nya teff ጤፍ ṭef ” (An edible grass native to the Horn of Africa)
[loc.country.arableague] Arabicالعربية al-ʻArabiyyah coffee قهوة qahwa Wine, coffee via Turkish kahve, Dutch koffie
[loc.country.aramaic] Aramaicארמיא Ārāmāyā abbot אבא ʾabbā A father, an ancestor, a teacher, a leader, an author
Egypt EgyptianRa ni Ku:mat lily ḥaru:rat A flower, a blossom via Coptic ϩⲗⲏⲣⲓ hlēri, Ancient Greek λείριον leírion, Latin līlium
Israel Hebrewעִבְרִית Ivrit hallelujah הללויה halleluyah Praise God! הללו “praise” + יה (personal name of God)

Austronesian

Malayopolynesian

Philippine

[loc.country.ph/ilocano] IlocanoIlokano yo-yo yóyo
the Philippines Tagalog boondocks bundok A mountain

Oceanic

[loc.country.us/hi] HawaiʻianʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi ukulele ʻukulele ʻuku “flea” + lele “to jump”
[loc.country.nz/maori] MāoriTe reo Māori kiwi kiwi A kiwi bird Onomatopœic
the Marshall Islands MarshalleseKajin Ṃajeḷ bikini Pikinni Bikini Atoll, where the U.S. tested its nuclear arsenal Bestowed to the garment in 1946 by its designer, Louis Réard
[loc.country.cl/easterisland] Rapa Nui moai moꞌai A statue
French Polynesia TahitianReo Tahiti tattoo tātau Proto-Polynesian tatau; borrowed into English by James Cook as tattow while in Tahiti
Tonga TonganLea faka-Tonga taboo tapu Prohibited, sacred Also found in Māori, Rapa Nui, Samoan, and Tahitian

Other

[loc.country.majapahit] Javaneseꦧꦱꦗꦮ Basa Jawa satay ꦱꦠꦺ saté Tamil சதை catai “flesh”
Madagascar Malagasy fossa fosa Pronounced /fusə/ (King Julien was right); cognate with Tagalog pusa “cat”
Malaysia MalayBahasa Melayu orangutan orang utan orang “person” + utan “forest”

Dravidian

[loc.country.in/ka] Kannadaಕನ್ನಡ Kannaḍa bamboo ಬಂಬು baṁbu via Malay bambu, Dutch bamboe
India Malayalamമലയാളം Malayāḷaṁ mango മാങ്ങ māṅṅa An unripe mango fruit via Malay mangga, Portuguese manga
India Tamilதமிழ் Tamil̮ pariah பறையர் paṟaiyar Drummers; the Paraiyar, a lower caste in southern Indian society பறை paṟai “drum”
India Teluguతెలుగు Tĕlugu bandicoot పందికొక్కు paṁdikŏkku A bandicoot rat (unrelated to actual bandicoots, who are native to New Guinea) పంది paṁdi “pig” + కొక్కు kŏkku “great rat, bandicoot”

Kra–Dai

Laos Laoລາວ Lao saola ເສົາຫລາ saola ” (A vanishingly rare endangered bovid discovered in 1992) Literally “spindle-horned”
Thailand Thaiไทย Thai wat วัด wat A temple, a cathedral, a place of worship Sanskrit वाट vāṭa “enclosure”

Uralic

Finland FinnishSuomi sauna sauna A sauna, (obsolete) a pit dug into snow for temporary shelter
Hungary HungarianMagyar coach kocsi A cart, a carriage, a car via German Kutsche, French coche; after the cart-buildng town of Kocs
[loc.country.sami] Kildin SámiКӣллт са̄мь Kiillt saam’ tundra тӯнтар tuuntar A mountain fell, a fjeld
[loc.country.ru/nen] NenetsНенэцяʼ Njenecja’ parka парка parka

Algic

[loc.country.abenaki] AbenakiAlnôbaôdwawôgan skunk segôgw Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa, literally “pissing fox”; cognate with Chicago via Miami šikaakwa.
[loc.country.cree] Creeᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᐏᐣ Nêhiyawêwin pemmican ᐱᒦᐦᑳᐣ pimîhkân ” (A nutrient-rich paste of dried meat, berries, and fat) ᐱᒥᕀ pimiy “fat, lard” + ᐃᐦᑳᐣ -ihkân “artificial, man-made”
[loc.country.ca/mikmaq] Mi’kmaqMiʼkmawiʼsimk caribou qalipu Proto-Algonquian *maka·lipowa “it shovels snow”
[loc.country.ca/ojibwe] OjibweAnishinaabemowin totem odoodem Their (sg.) clan, their totem
[loc.country.us/powhatan] PowhatanKikitowämak raccoon arahkun arahkuněm “he scratches with his hands”
[loc.country.wampanoag] WampanoagWôpanâôtuwâôk powwow pawâw A shaman Proto-Algonquian *pawe·wa “shaman, dreamer”

Hyperborean

Greenland GreenlandicKalaallisut kayak qajaq via Danish kajak
[loc.country.ca/nu] Inuktitutᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ igloo ᐃᒡᓗ iglu A house, a building Proto–Inuit–Yupik *ǝŋlu
[loc.country.us/ak] IñupiaqIñupiatun malamute malimiut The Malimiut people of northwestern Alaska Known for breeding malamutes
[loc.country.us/ak] Yup’ikYugtun mukluk maklak A bearded seal

Pama–Nyungan

[loc.country.au/aboriginal] Arabana witchetty witjuti A witchetty bush (a wattle of the Australian outback, often home to the eponymous critter)
[loc.country.au/aboriginal] Dharug koala gula
[loc.country.au/aboriginal] Gamilaraay bilby bilbi
[loc.country.au/aboriginal] Guugu Yimidhirr kangaroo gangurru An eastern grey kangaroo
[loc.country.au/aboriginal] Noongar quokka gwaga
[loc.country.au/aboriginal] Wadawurrung bunyip ban-yib ” (A swamp-dwelling monster of Australian folklore)
[loc.country.au/aboriginal] Wiradjuri kookaburra guuguubarra Onomatopœic
[loc.country.au/aboriginal] Woiwurrung yabber yaba To speak, to talk
[loc.country.au/aboriginal] Yagara yakka yaga Work

Muscogean

[loc.country.us/choctaw] ChoctawChahta bayou bayuk A creek, a river via French bayou
[loc.country.us/muscogee] MuscogeeMvskoke tupelo topilwa ito “tree” + opilwa “swamp”

Salishan

[loc.country.ca/musqueam] Halkomelemhalq̓eméylem sasquatch sesq̓ec
[loc.country.us/tulalip] Lushootseeddxʷləšucid geoduck gʷidəq ” (A phallic saltwater clam of the northern Pacific)

Other

Africa

[loc.country.nama] KhoekhoeKhoekhoegowab gnu !nu via Dutch gnoe

Asia

[loc.country.evenk] EvenkiЭвэды̄ Ēvēdee shaman шаман xaman Possibly Sanskrit श्रमण śramaṇá “ascetic, monk, devotee”
Japan Japanese日本語 Nihongo futon 布団 futon A foldable mattress & duvet placed on the floor Mid. Chinese 蒲團 bu-dwan “meditation cushion”
South Korea Korean한국어 Han’gugeo taekwondo 태권도 taegwondo 태권 taegwon “kicking and punching” + do “the way”
Turkey TurkishTürkçe yoghurt yoğurt
Vietnam VietnameseTiếng Việt pho phở

North America

the United States American Sign Lang.𝣷𝪜𝤃𝪜𝣜𝪜 🤟 𝢜𝪜 I love you; to love Blend of 𝢒𝪜𝣜𝪜𝢚𝪜 (I-L-Y)
[loc.country.us/cherokee] CherokeeᏣᎳᎩ Tsalagi sequoia ᏍᏏᏉᏯ Ssiquoyah Sequoyah (the Cherokee silversmith who invented his language’s writing system) Disputed; may also be derived from Latin sequor “i follow”
[loc.country.cascadia] Chinook JargonChinuk wawa potlatch palach A gift, a potlatch; to give Nuu-chah-nulth p̕ačiƛ “give in ceremony”
[loc.country.us/lakota] LakotaLakȟótiyapi teepee thípi A house, a building thípi “they live (somewhere)”
Mexico NahuatlNāhuatl axolotl āxōlōtl ātl “water” + xōlōtl “naked one”
[loc.country.taino] Taíno canoe *kanowa A dugout canoe Proto-Arawak *kanawa

South America

[loc.country.bo/wiphala] AymaraAymar aru alpaca allpaqa via Spanish alpaca
[loc.country.bo/wiphala] QuechuaRunasimi jerky ch’arki Dried meat, jerky; thin, miserly, stingy via Spanish charqui
Brazil TupiTupinambá capybara kapi’iûara Literally “grass-eater”
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