A dog’s bark may sound like “woof woof” in English, but have you ever wondered how that same sound is perceived across the world? Here is a comparison of common onomatopoeia, and what they sound like in other languages. Which do you find more accurate?
A Dog’s Bark
English: woof, arf, bow, bark, ruff
French: wouf, ouah, ouaf
Spanish: guau guau
Italian: bau bau
Chinese: wang wang
Korean: mong mong
Japanese: wan wan
German: wau, waff, wuff
Polish: hau hau
Romanian: ham ham
(P.S. Teach your dog the language before bringing him in another country!)
Dog via (Shutterstock)
A Cat’s Meow
English: meow, mew, miaow
French: miaou
Spanish: miau
Chinese: miao
Korean: yaong
Japanese: nya
(P.S. “Kittish” is a pretty universal language)
Cats via (Shutterstock)
A Cow’s Moo:
English: moo
French: meuh
Spanish: mu
Dutch: boe
Chinese: mou
Korean: eum-ma
Japanese: mo-mo
German: muh
Tagalog: unga
Finnish: ammuu
(P.S. Cows can almost forgo the translator)
Cow via (Gettyimages)
A Rooster’s Morning Call
English: cock a doodle doo
French: cocorico
Spanish: quiquiriquí, cocoricó
Italian: chicchirichi
Arab: kuku-reekoo
Chinese: o-o-o
Korean: ggo-ggee-oh
Japanese: kokekokko
Irish: mac na hóighe slán
Thaï: aek ee aek aek
Bulgarian: arh-ah-ariihhr
(P.S. At least you can choose different alarm ringtones)
Rooster talk via (Shutterstock)
Cry of Pain (Human):
English: ouch, ow
French: ouïlle, aïlle
Spanish: au
Québécois (Quebec French): ayoye
Chinese: aiyo, aiyo wei, aiya
Korean: apa
Japanese: itai
Polish: awa
Romanian: valeu
(P.S. Please take care to scream correctly when in a foreign country)
Pain via (Shutterstock)
A Super Sized Sneeze
English: achoo
French: atchoum
Italian: etciú
German: hatschi
Chinese: a-qi, a-qia, a-qiu
Korean: etchi
Japanese: hakushon, kushan, kushi
Thaï: hud chei
Tagalog: aching
(P.S. And now you know how to sneeze in other languages!)
Sneeze via (Shutterstock)
*Image of “Language“ via Shutterstock
