Birth Across Lands: The Meaning of Childbirth through Languages

Recently someone told me that since labour carries the meaning of hard work, birth must be a hard work. In English ... however, birth goes beyond language. So I was curious what does labour translate into in other languages. And what does it say about birth.

From English “labor” to Yoruba “Ìbí,” the language of childbirth is as diverse as the cultures that speak it. Each word carries with it a story—of community, tradition, spirituality, and the deep human connection to birth. This global journey through language reveals how childbirth is not just a physical act, but a reflection of how we understand life, lineage, and belonging.

Language	Term	Literal or Cultural Meaning	Historical and Cultural Context
English	Labor / Childbirth	Labor = work; Childbirth = act of bearing a child	From Latin 'labor'. Industrial-age framing of birth as effortful and medical.
Spanish	Parto / Trabajo de parto	Parto = to bring forth; Trabajo = work	Latin root 'partus'. Birth as sacred and communal in Spanish-speaking cultures.
Latin	Natus / Partus	Natus = born; Partus = childbirth	Foundation for many Romance languages. Emphasized lineage and family.
German	Geburt / Wehen	Geburt = to be born; Wehen = waves, surges	Nature-linked metaphor. Strong medical traditions in obstetrics.
Dutch	Bevalling / Geboorte	Bevalling = to relieve; Geboorte = birth	Dutch midwifery and home birth traditions stress autonomy.
Swedish	Förlossning / Födsel	Förlossning = release; Födsel = to be born	Cultural view of natural, midwife-led birth.
Norwegian	Fødsel / Barsel	Fødsel = birth; Barsel = postpartum	Highlights both birth and recovery period.
Old Norse	Burðr	Bearing, birth, load	Root of English 'birth'. Tied to Viking social and mythic views.
Russian	Роды (Rody)	Births or childbearing	Tied to the root 'rod' for kin. Orthodox and folk ritual importance.
Bulgarian	Раждане (Razhdane)	To be born	Slavic root for giving life; embedded in folklore.
Basque	Jaiotza	Derived from 'jai' = festival	Birth tied to celebration, culturally communal.
Welsh	Geni	To be born	Reflects Celtic naturalistic worldview.
Breton	Ganedigezh	Birth	Celtic heritage, emphasizes shared experience.
Sami (Northern)	Riegádan	Birth	Tied to natural cycles and spiritual significance.
Romani	Te kerel čhavo	To make a child	Reflects familial and communal responsibility.
Erromintxela	Gazinain kheautu	To make a child	Mix of Romani and Basque. Reflects integration.
Finnish	Syntymä	Birth	Natural and supported process.
Estonian	Sünd	Birth	Similar cultural approach to Finnish.
Hungarian	Születés	Birth	Cultural and celebratory.
Arabic	ولادة (Wiladah)	To be born	Often spiritually framed; significant in Islamic tradition.
Persian (Farsi)	زایمان (Zayeman)	To give birth	Commonly used; framed within family honor and continuity.
Hindi	प्रसव (Prasav)	Delivery, bringing forth	Deep roots in Ayurveda and spiritual philosophy.
Tamil	பெற்றெடுக்கும் (Petradukkum)	Bringing forth a child	Framed in Dravidian culture and goddess-centered reverence.
Chinese (Mandarin)	分娩 (Fēnmiǎn)	To divide and give birth	Linked to yin-yang balance and ancestral continuity.
Korean	출산 (Chulsan)	Childbirth, to give birth	Strong Confucian influence on motherhood and rituals.
Japanese	出産 (Shussan)	To go out + production	Historically midwife-led; spiritual and family-based context.
Thai	การคลอด (Kaan Khlôt)	The act of birth	Buddhist and animist birth traditions influence ritual care.
Indonesian	Melahirkan	To birth	Strong midwife (dukun bayi) tradition in many islands.
Armenian	ծնունդ (Tsnund)	Birth	Culturally tied to family continuity and tradition.
Swahili	Kujifungua	To release oneself	Reflects empowerment and liberation during birth.
Zulu	Ukuzala	To give birth	Birth viewed as ancestral continuation and community event.
Yoruba	Bí	To give birth	Deeply spiritual; linked to destiny and reincarnation.
Xhosa	Ukuzala	To produce (offspring)	Ceremonial aspects common; focus on lineage.
Hausa	Haihuwa	Birth	Strong integration with Islamic rites and local customs.
Navajo	Díí'ígíí yáhoot'ééł	It will be born	Holistic and ceremonial; tied to harmony and balance.
Cherokee	ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒ (Unadotlvsesdi)	Act of giving birth	Ceremony and naming deeply connected to birth.
Nahuatl (Aztec)	Pipiyoh	To give birth	Women who died in childbirth were honored as warriors.
Maya (Yucatec)	K'ex	To change or transition	Birth seen as transformation of soul and family.

Whether it's a whispered blessing, a ceremonial naming, or the quiet presence of a midwife, birth is spoken in many tongues. But what do these words really say about how we view beginnings, identity, and care? If language shapes thought, then how does the way we speak about childbirth shape the way we experience it—and value it?

The answers might not be in the delivery room, but in the words we’ve used for generations. So—what does your language say about birth? And what might it be leaving out?