If you are wondering how to say “zombie” in different languages, you will find that many languages use a form of the English word, while others have their own traditional or descriptive terms. From European languages such as French, German, and Spanish to Asian languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, and Korean, the word has traveled widely through popular culture, folklore, movies, games, and literature.
This guide gives you zombie translations in 70 languages, including the native expression, an easy English pronunciation, and a simple example sentence. It is useful for language learners, writers, travelers, gamers, and anyone curious about how the idea of a zombie is expressed around the world.
The translations below use common modern forms where available. Some languages also have alternative expressions meaning “undead,” “walking dead,” or “reanimated corpse.”
Zombie in 70 Different Languages
| # | Language | Native Phrase | Easy English Pronunciation | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | zombie | ZOM-bee | The zombie is coming. | The zombie is coming. |
| 2 | Afrikaans | zombie | ZOM-bee | Die zombie kom nader. | The zombie is coming closer. |
| 3 | Albanian | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi po afrohet. | The zombie is approaching. |
| 4 | Arabic | زومبي | ZOOM-bee | الزومبي يقترب. | The zombie is approaching. |
| 5 | Armenian | զոմբի | ZOM-bee | Զոմբին մոտենում է։ | The zombie is approaching. |
| 6 | Azerbaijani | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi bizə yaxınlaşır. | The zombie is approaching us. |
| 7 | Basque | zonbi | ZON-bee | Zonbia kalean dago. | The zombie is in the street. |
| 8 | Belarusian | зомбі | ZOM-bee | Зомбі набліжаецца. | The zombie is approaching. |
| 9 | Bengali | জোম্বি | JOM-bee | জোম্বি এগিয়ে আসছে। | The zombie is coming forward. |
| 10 | Bosnian | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi dolazi. | The zombie is coming. |
| 11 | Bulgarian | зомби | ZOM-bee | Зомбито идва. | The zombie is coming. |
| 12 | Catalan | zombi | ZOM-bee | El zombi s’acosta. | The zombie is approaching. |
| 13 | Chinese (Mandarin) | 僵尸 | JYANG-shrr | 僵尸来了。 | The zombie has come. |
| 14 | Croatian | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi dolazi. | The zombie is coming. |
| 15 | Czech | zombie | ZOM-bee | Zombie přichází. | The zombie is coming. |
| 16 | Danish | zombie | ZOM-bee | Zombien kommer. | The zombie is coming. |
| 17 | Dutch | zombie | ZOM-bee | De zombie komt eraan. | The zombie is coming. |
| 18 | Estonian | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi tuleb. | The zombie is coming. |
| 19 | Finnish | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi tulee. | The zombie is coming. |
| 20 | French | zombi | ZON-bee | Le zombi arrive. | The zombie is arriving. |
| 21 | Georgian | ზომბი | ZOM-bee | ზომბი მოდის. | The zombie is coming. |
| 22 | German | Zombie | TSOM-bee | Der Zombie kommt. | The zombie is coming. |
| 23 | Greek | ζόμπι | ZOHM-bee | Το ζόμπι έρχεται. | The zombie is coming. |
| 24 | Hebrew | זומבי | ZOM-bee | הזומבי מגיע. | The zombie is arriving. |
| 25 | Hindi | ज़ोंबी | ZON-bee | ज़ोंबी आ रहा है। | The zombie is coming. |
| 26 | Hungarian | zombi | ZOM-bee | A zombi közeledik. | The zombie is approaching. |
| 27 | Icelandic | uppvakningur | UP-vak-ning-ur | Uppvakningurinn kemur. | The zombie is coming. |
| 28 | Indonesian | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi itu datang. | That zombie is coming. |
| 29 | Irish | zombaí | ZOM-bee | Tá an zombaí ag teacht. | The zombie is coming. |
| 30 | Italian | zombi | DZOM-bee | Lo zombi arriva. | The zombie is arriving. |
| 31 | Japanese | ゾンビ | ZON-bee | ゾンビが来る。 | The zombie is coming. |
| 32 | Korean | 좀비 | JOM-bee | 좀비가 온다. | The zombie is coming. |
| 33 | Kurdish | زۆمبی | ZOM-bee | زۆمبییەکە دێت. | The zombie is coming. |
| 34 | Latvian | zombijs | ZOM-bee-yis | Zombijs nāk. | The zombie is coming. |
| 35 | Lithuanian | zombis | ZOM-bis | Zombis ateina. | The zombie is coming. |
| 36 | Macedonian | зомби | ZOM-bee | Зомбито доаѓа. | The zombie is coming. |
| 37 | Malay | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi itu datang. | That zombie is coming. |
| 38 | Malayalam | സോംബി | SOM-bee | സോംബി വരുന്നു. | The zombie is coming. |
| 39 | Maltese | żombi | ZOM-bee | Iż-żombi ġej. | The zombie is coming. |
| 40 | Marathi | झोम्बी | ZHOM-bee | झोम्बी येत आहे. | The zombie is coming. |
| 41 | Mongolian | зомби | ZOM-bee | Зомби ирж байна. | The zombie is coming. |
| 42 | Nepali | जोम्बी | JOM-bee | जोम्बी आउँदैछ। | The zombie is coming. |
| 43 | Norwegian | zombie | ZOM-bee | Zombien kommer. | The zombie is coming. |
| 44 | Persian | زامبی | ZAM-bee | زامبی نزدیک میشود. | The zombie is getting closer. |
| 45 | Polish | zombie | ZOM-bee | Zombie nadchodzi. | The zombie is approaching. |
| 46 | Portuguese | zumbi | ZOOM-bee | O zumbi está chegando. | The zombie is arriving. |
| 47 | Punjabi | ਜ਼ੌਂਬੀ | ZON-bee | ਜ਼ੌਂਬੀ ਆ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। | The zombie is coming. |
| 48 | Romanian | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombiul vine. | The zombie is coming. |
| 49 | Russian | зомби | ZOM-bee | Зомби приближается. | The zombie is approaching. |
| 50 | Serbian | зомби | ZOM-bee | Зомби долази. | The zombie is coming. |
| 51 | Slovak | zombie | ZOM-bee | Zombie prichádza. | The zombie is arriving. |
| 52 | Slovenian | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi prihaja. | The zombie is coming. |
| 53 | Spanish | zombi | ZOM-bee | El zombi se acerca. | The zombie is approaching. |
| 54 | Swahili | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi anakuja. | The zombie is coming. |
| 55 | Swedish | zombie | SOM-bee | Zombien kommer. | The zombie is coming. |
| 56 | Tagalog | sombi | SOM-bee | Paparating ang sombi. | The zombie is coming. |
| 57 | Tamil | சோம்பி | SOM-bee | சோம்பி வருகிறது. | The zombie is coming. |
| 58 | Telugu | జాంబీ | JAM-bee | జాంబీ వస్తోంది. | The zombie is coming. |
| 59 | Thai | ซอมบี้ | SOM-bee | ซอมบี้กำลังมา | The zombie is coming. |
| 60 | Turkish | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi geliyor. | The zombie is coming. |
| 61 | Turkmen | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi gelýär. | The zombie is coming. |
| 62 | Ukrainian | зомбі | ZOM-bee | Зомбі наближається. | The zombie is approaching. |
| 63 | Urdu | زومبی | ZOOM-bee | زومبی آ رہا ہے۔ | The zombie is coming. |
| 64 | Uzbek | zombi | ZOM-bee | Zombi kelyapti. | The zombie is coming. |
| 65 | Vietnamese | thây ma | TAI-ma | Thây ma đang đến. | The zombie is coming. |
| 66 | Welsh | sombi | SOM-bee | Mae’r sombi yn dod. | The zombie is coming. |
| 67 | Xhosa | umzombi | oom-ZOM-bee | Umzombi uyeza. | The zombie is coming. |
| 68 | Yiddish | זאָמביע | ZOM-bee | דער זאָמביע קומט. | The zombie is coming. |
| 69 | Zulu | umzombi | oom-ZOM-bee | Umzombi uyeza. | The zombie is coming. |
| 70 | Yoruba | zombie | ZOM-bee | Zombie náà ń bọ̀. | The zombie is coming. |
How to Say Zombie in Different Languages
The word zombie is surprisingly recognizable around the world. In many European languages, the English spelling is borrowed directly or adapted slightly. Examples include zombie in German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Polish, while languages such as Spanish, French, Italian, Romanian, and Turkish commonly use forms such as zombi.
Asian languages often adapt the word to their own writing systems. Japanese uses ゾンビ, Korean uses 좀비, Chinese commonly uses 僵尸, and Thai uses ซอมบี้.
Zombie Translations That Mean “Undead” or “Walking Dead”
Not every language relies only on a direct loanword. Some languages also use descriptive expressions connected with the idea of a reanimated or undead person.
For example, Mandarin Chinese uses 僵尸 (jiāngshī), while Vietnamese uses thây ma, a term associated with a reanimated corpse. Portuguese uses zumbi, and Persian commonly uses زامبی, alongside descriptive expressions for the undead.
These differences are useful because the best translation can depend on whether you mean a fictional monster, a folklore figure, or a general “undead” creature.
Zombie Around the World
The modern image of a zombie has become a global part of popular culture. Horror films, television series, novels, video games, Halloween celebrations, and online entertainment have helped spread the word across languages and cultures.
Interestingly, many translations are phonetic adaptations rather than completely unrelated native words. This makes zombie in all languages an especially interesting example of how modern vocabulary travels between cultures.
Some languages preserve a recognizable form such as zombi, while others use a more descriptive expression. This is why you may encounter several valid translations for the same concept.
Why Zombie Translations Can Differ
A language may have more than one word for zombie because the concept has different meanings.
A traditional folklore zombie may refer to a person controlled through supernatural forces. In modern horror fiction, a zombie is usually an animated corpse that attacks living people. Some dictionaries therefore list both a direct loanword and a phrase meaning “undead” or “living dead.”
Regional spelling can also vary. For example, Portuguese distinguishes zumbi in Brazil from zombie in Portugal, while Chinese has multiple commonly used terms depending on context.
Common Uses of the Word Zombie
The word is not limited to horror stories. In everyday English, “zombie” can sometimes describe someone who looks extremely tired or acts without much awareness.
For example:
- “I was a zombie after working all night.”
- “The movie features an army of zombies.”
- “The game lets you fight waves of zombies.”
- “She looked like a zombie after the long flight.”
The exact figurative meaning may not transfer directly into another language, so context matters when translating the word.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do you say zombie in different languages?
The word varies by language. Common examples include zombie in German, zombi in Spanish and Italian, ゾンビ in Japanese, 좀비 in Korean, 僵尸 in Mandarin Chinese, and зомби in Russian.
2. What is zombie in all languages?
There is no single universal translation for zombie. Many languages borrow and adapt the word, while others use expressions referring to an undead or reanimated person. The table above provides 70 commonly used forms.
3. What is zombie in Spanish?
In Spanish, zombi is a common form, although zombie is also used. A simple example is “El zombi se acerca,” meaning “The zombie is approaching.”
4. What is zombie in Japanese?
In Japanese, zombie is written ゾンビ and pronounced approximately “ZON-bee.” It is a widely recognized loanword used in movies, games, manga, and everyday discussions of the genre.
5. What is zombie in Chinese?
In Mandarin Chinese, 僵尸 (jiāngshī) is a common term for a zombie or reanimated corpse. Another modern term, 丧尸 (sàngshī), is also widely associated with zombies in contemporary fiction.
Conclusion
Learning how to say zombie in different languages shows how vocabulary can travel across borders. While many languages use an adapted form of “zombie,” others have distinctive words connected to the ideas of undead creatures, reanimated corpses, or the walking dead.
Whether you are studying languages, writing a story, creating a game, or simply exploring zombie translations around the world, these 70 examples provide a useful starting point.
I am Ricardo Hunter, Administrator at LingoBuz, passionate about languages, translations, and global communication. I help create useful, clear content that makes exploring different languages simple, enjoyable, and accessible.
