Animal Sounds in written.


Animal Sounds

In different languages what do we say to mimic
animal sounds? Below is the world’s biggest multilingual list.
A guiding principle behind this list is to visualise a comic
book, in your language, and imagine what would be written in
the text balloon coming from the mouth of an animal. For languages
that use a different alphabet, I have tried to transliterate
the word into the English alphabet for ease of comparison. A
forward slash is used to separate alternative words. Please
email me at dabbott(at)eleceng.adelaide.edu.au if you have any
comments, corrections or additions.

Acknowledgements: (Danish)
Per-Anker Lindgard; (Dutch) Henk van Beijeren; (English) Derek
Abbott, Lloyd Irving, Cosma Shalizi, Oxford English Dictionary;
(Finnish) Antti-Pekka Jauho; (French) Frederic Bonnet; (German)
Ehrhard Behrends, Inke Pitz, Irena Hajnsek; (Greek) Anna Tanatzi;
(Hebrew) Amit Singer; (Hungarian) Janos Bergou, Andrea Kish;
(Italian) Riccardo Mannella, Louise Giamarino; (Japan) Miki
Kurahashi, Nobuko Fuchikami; (Russian) Vadim Smelyanski, Slava
Soskin, Kira Foygel, Mark Dykman; (Spanish) Jose Francisco Lopez
Feliciano, Sebastian "Chano" Lopez Suarez, Jorge Rodriguez,
Armando Morales-Castorena; (Swedish) Lisen Kulman; (Turkish)
Nesimi Ertugrul.

Animal Sound
Danish Dutch English Finnish French German Greek Hebrew Hungarian Italian Japanese Portugese Russian Spanish Swedish Turkish Urdu
Bee droning bzzz buzz buzz/bzzz bzz bzzz summ summ zoum zoum bzzz bzzz zzzz boon boon   zh-zh-zh bzzz buzz buzz vizzz bzzz
Bird (small) pip-pip tjiep

cheep/chirp/

chirrup/peep

piip   piep piep tsiou tsiou tziff-tziff csip-csirip chip

pee pee/

pii pii

  fiyt-fiyt   pip-pip jiyk jiyk  
Bird (medium) dit kari jay sige lige sa tit son jay vol  

cheep cheep/

tweet

tsirk/

piip

cui cui tschiwitt tsiou tsiou   csirip chip   pio   pío pío pip-pip juyk juyk  
Bird (big)     squawk kvak     kra kra    

hihihi/

chip (loudly)

    ouh-ouh        
Bird (many birds)     warble/twitter             chip chip              
Camel nuzzing     grumph                   ga-a-a-a-h        
Cat mewing miav miauw meow miau miaou miau miaou miyau miau miau

nyan nyan/

nyaa nyaa

  miyau miao mjan mjan miyav meow
Cat purring pierr prrr purr hrr ronron srr     doromb purr goro goro   mrrr rrr      
Chaffinch     pink                            
Chicken (hen) clucking   tok tok cluck cluck kot-kot cotcotcodet tock tock ko ko ko/ka ka ka chuck-chuck kot kot coccodé

ku-ku-ku-ku/

ko-ko-ko-ko

  ko-ko-ko

caca-racá/

cocorocó/

ock-ock gut gut gdak  
Rooster (cock) crowing kykyliky kukeleku cock-a-doodle-doo kukko kiekuu cocorico kikeriki

kikiriku/

kikiriki

coo-koo-ri-koo kukuriku chicchirichí ko-ke-kok-ko-o cucurucu kukareku

quiquiriquí/

kikiriki

kuckeliku

kuk-kurri-kuuu

u uru uuu (pron: oo-oore-oo)

kuklooku
Chick (baby chicken) pip-pip piep piep cheep/peep piip piou piou piep piep ko ko ko   csip-csip pio pio piyo piyo   pi-pi-pi pi-pi pip-pip

jiyk jiyk

tsik-tsik
Cow lowing  

moe/

boe

moo

ammuu/

möö (calf)

meuh mmuuh moo moo mu muu mau mau   mu-u-u

muuu/

meee

mu mu mooo (pron: meuh) baeh
Cow/Bull (angry) snorting   snurk snort pärsk           pfff       buff      
Crane     clang                            
Crocodile (biting)   klap snap   clap klap       gnam      

clap/

clack

     
Crow cawing kra-kra kra kra

kaak/

caw

kraa/

vaak

croa croa kräh kräh kra-kra krak-krak kár-kár cra cra kar-kar   kar-kar ah ah kra kra gaak gaak  
Cuckoo   koekoek cuckoo kukkuu coucou kuckuck   cuckoo kakukk cucú

kakko-kakko/

tokkyo-kyoka-kyoku (baby cuckoo)

  ku-ku cu-cu ko-ko    
Deer     troat                            
Donkey braying   i-a

hee haw/

eeyore

  hihan iaah iaah iaa iaa yi-ah iá-iá ioh ioh     ia-ia

iha iha/

ji-jo

  a-iiii a-iiii  
Dog barking (small dog) vov-vov (in a high voice) waf waf

yap yap/

arf arf

hau hau ouah ouah (in a high voice) wau wau
(in a high voice)
  how-how vau vau

arf arf/

bau bau

kian kian  

hav-hav/

gav-gav

guau/

gua

bjäbb-bjäbb hev hev  
Dog barking (medium dog) vov-vov woef woef

woof woof/

ruff ruff

vuff ouah ouah wau wau gav gav woof-woof vau vau bau bau wan wan  

hav-hav/

gav-gav

guav

vov-vov/

voff

hauv hauv  
Dog barking (big dog) vov-vov (in a low voice)   bow wow

vuff/

rouf

ouah ouah (in a low voice) wuff wuff     vau vau bau bau wan wan  

hav-hav/

gav-gav

guf guf   hov hov bow bow
Dog (biting)    

gnash/

snap

naps           gnam gari gari     chac      
Dog (gnawing bone) knor  

chomp/

chump/

gnaw

    chrong         paku paku   chua-chua     haart haart  
Dog (angry) grrr grr

grrr/

snarl/

growl

mrr grrr grrr     grrr grr uuuuu   grrrrr grrr grr hirrrr  
Dog (crying)     whine/whimper     juhhh       yu-yu-yuuu!              

Dog (panting)

  ha ha pant pant lääh-lääh   cha-cha       pant pant hah hah   he-he-he eh eh eh   heh heh heh  
Dog (distressed) peep-peep  

yelp/yip/

howl/yowl

ui-ui   juhhh       huuu     o-u-u-u-h auu      
Dog (drinking)     lap lap glup   schlapp schlapp     lefety lefety

slop slop/

slurp

    hu-up hu-up blap blap   slap slap slap (pron: schlup)  
Dove crooding   roekoe coo kurr rou rou guru guru     burukk uuu     grl-grl

gu gu/

cucurrucu

oo ho oo ho gu gu gu guuk  
Duck gabbing rap-rap kwak kwak quack quack kvak coin coin quack quack pa-pa-pa quak-quak háp-háp qua qua ga ga   krya-krya cua cua kvack-kvack vak vak quak quak
Elephant trumpeting     baraag tööt   toerroe       baaa paoh-paoh   u-u-u biaaah      
Frog kvæk-kvæk kwak kwak

croak/

ribbit (USA)

kvaak croa croa quaak quaak quak-quak  

bre-ke-ke/

kuty kurutty/

kurutty (pron: kurutch)

cra cra kero kero   kva-kva croac croac ko ack ack ack vrak vrak  
Goat bleating mæh mè mè naa mää bêê maehh maehh maehehe meh meh mek-mek bee me-e me-e   me-e-e beee määk määk me-e-e me-e-e meh
Goose cackling   gak gak honk tööt   gak gak     gá-gá   ga-a ga-a   ga-ga-ga     gak gak  

Horse neighing

    neigh               hi-hiin   i-go-go   iihaha    
Horse shuddering

prrr/

vrinsk

  brrr     brrr bhhh                    
Horse whinnying   hi hi wehee iha-haa hiiiii wihiie     nyihaha hiii hihiiiiin     ihiii   e-he-he-he  
Horse (hoof sound) klip-klap klip klap clip clop kopotikop clip clop klip klap      

clippete/

clip clop

paka paka   ta-tá ta-tá ta-tá cotocloc   deg-a-dek  
Lion roaring  

grrrr/

grauuw

raa/grr/roar   raoh grr ah ah/gra gra    

grr/

roar

gaooooo   r-r-r-r grr   uagh  
Moose                             bröl    
Mouse squeeking   piep piep eek     piep piep     cin-cin (pron: tsin-tsin) squit chu-chu   pi-pi-pi iiik pip-pip viyk viyk  
Owl hooting   oe hoe twit twoo/hoo hoo/whit woo/terwit terwoo huhuu hou hou

uhu/

huuh huuh

    hu hu hu hoh hoh   uh! uh! uh! uhh uhh ho-ho uuu uuu hoo hoo
Ox lowing     boo/booh   meuh                        
Parrot  

lorre/

Lora Lora

pretty Polly/

Who’s a pretty boy?

  coco Lora Lora gyuri   pityu Portobello ohayo (=good morning)   Pópka-durák lorito lorito vakra klara

naaber naaber/

nasilin nasilin/

mucuk mucuk (pron: mujuk)

mea mitu/

churi

Pig grunting øf-øf knor knor oink nöff groin groin grunz     röf-röf (pron: reuf-reuf) oink boo boo   hrgu-hrgu

oink/

oinc

nöff-nöff    
Pig squealing hvin sweek wee wee     quiek     ui-uii   bu-hii bu-hii    

iiih/

uiii/

cuiii

     
Pigeon cooing     coo kurr rou rou guru guru gru uu woo-woo burukk hu hu     guli-guli

ruú-ruú/

cucurrocu

oo ho oo ho gu gu gu guuk  
Raven croaking kra-kra kra kra caw   croâ croâ kra-kra     kár-kár cra cra kar-kar       kra-kra    
Sheep bleating mæh-mæh bè bè baa mäh bêê baehh baehh mae-ee   beee bee meh meh   beee beee beee bä bä maeh maeh  
Snake hissing sss sss sss hiss sss sss sss psss sz-sz hshs     ssss sss sss sss  
Sparrow                     chun chun            
Tiger roaring grr grr raa/grr   grr grr grr     grr gaooooo   grrr grrr grr    
Turkey (male cock)     gobble gobble   glou glou   glou glou            

clou clou/

goro-goro-goro (Mexico)

  glu glu  
Turkey (female hen)     yelp                            
Wolf howling oou

ahoo/

hoeea

owooooo uhuu ooouh huh   oou   huu     uuu auuuh oooahh ooo  
Woodcock     peent                            

 

Animal Commands

In different languages what do we say when we tell an animal
to do something?

Animal Command
Danish Dutch English Finnish French German Greek Hebrew Hungarian Italian Japanese Portugese Russian Spanish Swedish Turkish Urdu
Go faster (horse) hyp-hyp hort giddyup hep hu

hueah/

hüh

hei-hei hoysa

gyi/

rá-rá

vai     poshlá arre (This is unwritable as it is a sound made
with the lips)
deh tazebahaga
Slow down (horse) prr-prr ho whoa ptruu ho brr sh-sh-sh   piano doh doh   stoy! sooo prot brr aista
Come here (cat) kissar-kissar

poes poes/

ps ps ps

here kitty kitty kis-kis bi biss mietz mietz ps-ps-ps pss-pss cic-cic vieni ricio neko chan oide   ks-ks-ks

misu misu/

bishito bishito (Mexico)

kiss-kiss pissy-pissy ahow
Go away (cat) hiss

kst/

ksjjjt

scat     schhh psit!! kishta

sic/

hess

via     bryss!

zupe/

sáquese (Mexico)

shas kis kis (pron: kisht) huto
Come here (dog) kom kom kom here boy     komm hier ela!  

hozzám/

ide

quí wan chan oide   syudá tiu kom nit

gel/

kucu kucu (pron: kucher)

ahow
Sit down (dog) sit zit sit istu assis sitz katse!! shev

üi/

ülj

siedi     sidét

sit/

sientate

sitt otur bato
Walk behind me (dog)   volg heel paikka   bei Fuss     takarj dietro     za mnoy   fot   peachao
Get stick (dog) aport raport

fetch/

get

hae va chercher hol’s

hup!/

piasto!

tfos hozd ide prendi     apórt cogeb apport

tut/

yeakalla

utalao
Go away (dog) vak

weg/

vort

      verschwinde exo! kishta el via    

poshlá/

von

fuera/

ajucia/
(Las Palmas)

sáquese (Mexico)

host (pron: hosht) hoosh
Go away (any animal) vak

kst/

weg/

vort

shoo/

scram

 

chassez/

va-t’en

ab/

husch/

geh weg

exo! kishta el via   espante

poshlá/

von

vete/

fuera

shas defol  
Go away (bird) vak kst             hess shó shi shi   kysh!

ssk/

shh/

sio

     
Come here (cow) buzo-buzo   booie           ide         vacaaa kossera kossera kossera mi gel sari kiz ao
Come here (pig)     sooie           ide         turre turre      

Come here (chicken)

          put-put             tsip tsip        
                                   

 

Animal Pet Names

In different languages what are the most typical names we give
to our pets or animals in children’s story books?

Animal
Danish Dutch English Finnish French German Greek Hebrew Hungarian Italian Japanese Portugese Russian Spanish Swedish Turkish Urdu
Bear     Pooh, Paddington nalle, otso, mesikämmen Winny Puh       Bubu              
Bull     Angus                     Torito      
Cat     Tom, Boots kisu Félix         Pussi       Micifús      
Ceyote     Wiley                            
Chicken     Chicken Licken tipu Cocotte         Coco              
Cow    

Daisy, Voilet, Mavis

ammu, Mansikki Marguerite        

Carolina/

Margherita

             
Donkey     Eeyore                            
Dog (small)     Fifi, Tiddles hauva

Toutou/

Oscar

        Musetta      

Solovino
(Stray dog)

     
Dog (medium)    

Lassie, Rover, Spot, Fluffy, Snowy

            Rintintin              
Dog
(big)
   

Bounder, Rex, Bowser

                           
Dog
(bad)
    Gnasher, Bruiser                     Nerón      
Duck     Jemima, Donald Kalle ja Liisa (name for a pair of ducks)          

Paperino/

Paperina

      Pascual      
Elephant    

Jumbo, Nellie, Dumbo

  Baban         Dumbo              
Frog     Kermit                     René      
Goat     Billy, Nanny                            
Horse     Trigger, Silver heppa, humma, koni Jolly Jumper         Furia              
Kangaroo     Skippy             Skipper       Skippy      
Lion     Reggie, Leo   Leo         Kimba              
Moose     Bullwinkle                            
Mouse     Jerry, Mickey, Minnie hiiru, hiirulainen          

Topolino/

Jerry

      Speedy González      
Owl     Whootie                            
Parrot     Polly                            
Pig     Piglet nasu, possu                   Cuinito      
Rabbit     Bugs,
Peter,
Brer
kani           Bugs              
Rat     Roland                            
Reindeer     Rudolph, Prancer, Dasher, Dancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid,
Fabian
    Rudolf               Rodolfo      
Sheep     Agnes                            
Snake     Lucifer                            
Tiger    

Simba, Tigger, Tony

  Tigrou