Have you ever stopped to watch a butterfly flutter by and wondered what this delicate creature is called in other parts of the world?
Just like its wings, the word for butterfly takes on many beautiful shapes and sounds across languages.
In this article, we’ll explore Butterfly in Different Languages, uncovering how people from around the globe describe one of nature’s most enchanting symbols of change and freedom.
This guide is made especially for you — the kind of reader who loves discovering the magic hidden within words.
As you move through each translation, you’ll not only see how different cultures express the beauty of a butterfly, but also feel the shared wonder it inspires everywhere.
By the end, you might even find a new favorite word that flutters right into your heart.
🌐 How to Say Butterfly in 70 Different Languages
- English (🇬🇧) – Butterfly | Pronunciation: BUH-ter-flai
Example: The butterfly landed on the flower. - Spanish (🇪🇸) – Mariposa | Pronunciation: mah-ree-POH-sah
Example: La mariposa es muy colorida. (The butterfly is very colorful.) - French (🇫🇷) – Papillon | Pronunciation: pah-pee-YON
Example: Le papillon vole dans le jardin. (The butterfly flies in the garden.) - German (🇩🇪) – Schmetterling | Pronunciation: SHMET-er-ling
Example: Der Schmetterling ist schön. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Italian (🇮🇹) – Farfalla | Pronunciation: far-FAH-lah
Example: La farfalla è delicata. (The butterfly is delicate.) - Portuguese (🇵🇹) – Borboleta | Pronunciation: bor-boh-LEH-tah
Example: A borboleta pousou na flor. (The butterfly landed on the flower.) - Russian (🇷🇺) – Бабочка (Babochka) | Pronunciation: BAH-boch-ka
Example: Бабочка летает над садом. (The butterfly flies over the garden.) - Chinese (Mandarin) (🇨🇳) – 蝴蝶 (Húdié) | Pronunciation: hoo-dyeh
Example: 蝴蝶在花园里飞. (The butterfly flies in the garden.) - Japanese (🇯🇵) – 蝶 (Chō) | Pronunciation: cho
Example: 蝶が花にとまった. (The butterfly landed on the flower.) - Korean (🇰🇷) – 나비 (Nabi) | Pronunciation: nah-bee
Example: 나비가 예쁘다. (The butterfly is pretty.) - Arabic (🇸🇦) – فراشة (Farāsha) | Pronunciation: fa-RAH-sha
Example: الفراشة تطير في السماء. (The butterfly flies in the sky.) - Hindi (🇮🇳) – तितली (Titli) | Pronunciation: TIT-lee
Example: तितली फूल पर बैठी है। (The butterfly sat on the flower.) - Urdu (🇵🇰) – تتلی (Titli) | Pronunciation: TIT-lee
Example: تتلی بہت خوبصورت ہے۔ (The butterfly is very beautiful.) - Turkish (🇹🇷) – Kelebek | Pronunciation: keh-leh-BEK
Example: Kelebek çiçeğe kondu. (The butterfly sat on the flower.) - Greek (🇬🇷) – Πεταλούδα (Petaloúda) | Pronunciation: peh-ta-LOO-tha
Example: Η πεταλούδα είναι όμορφη. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Hebrew (🇮🇱) – פרפר (Parpar) | Pronunciation: par-PAR
Example: הפרפר עף בגינה. (The butterfly flies in the garden.) - Thai (🇹🇭) – ผีเสื้อ (Phī sʉ̂a) | Pronunciation: pee-seua
Example: ผีเสื้อบินไปในสวน. (The butterfly flies in the garden.) - Vietnamese (🇻🇳) – Bướm | Pronunciation: boo-um
Example: Con bướm rất đẹp. (The butterfly is very beautiful.) - Swahili (🇰🇪) – Kipepeo | Pronunciation: kee-peh-PEH-oh
Example: Kipepeo ameruka juu ya maua. (The butterfly flew over the flowers.) - Zulu (🇿🇦) – Umdlezane | Pronunciation: oohm-dleh-ZAH-neh
Example: Umdlezane ubuhle kakhulu. (The butterfly is very beautiful.) - Dutch (🇳🇱) – Vlinder | Pronunciation: VLIN-der
Example: De vlinder vliegt in de tuin. (The butterfly flies in the garden.) - Polish (🇵🇱) – Motyl | Pronunciation: MOH-til
Example: Motyl siedzi na kwiatku. (The butterfly sits on the flower.) - Czech (🇨🇿) – Motýl | Pronunciation: MOH-teel
Example: Motýl je krásný. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Slovak (🇸🇰) – Motýľ | Pronunciation: MOH-teel
Example: Motýľ lieta v záhrade. (The butterfly flies in the garden.) - Hungarian (🇭🇺) – Pillangó | Pronunciation: PEEL-lahn-go
Example: A pillangó szép. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Finnish (🇫🇮) – Perhonen | Pronunciation: PER-ho-nen
Example: Perhonen lentää puutarhassa. (The butterfly flies in the garden.) - Swedish (🇸🇪) – Fjäril | Pronunciation: FYAH-ril
Example: Fjärilen är vacker. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Norwegian (🇳🇴) – Sommerfugl | Pronunciation: SOM-mer-fool
Example: Sommerfuglen flyr i hagen. (The butterfly flies in the garden.) - Danish (🇩🇰) – Sommerfugl | Pronunciation: SOM-mer-fool
Example: Sommerfuglen er smuk. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Icelandic (🇮🇸) – Fiðrildi | Pronunciation: FITH-ril-di
Example: Fiðrildið er fallegt. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Romanian (🇷🇴) – Fluture | Pronunciation: FLOO-teh-reh
Example: Fluturele este frumos. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Bulgarian (🇧🇬) – Пеперуда (Peperuda) | Pronunciation: peh-peh-ROO-da
Example: Пеперудата лети над цветята. (The butterfly flies over the flowers.) - Serbian (🇷🇸) – Лептир (Leptir) | Pronunciation: LEP-teer
Example: Лептир је леп. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Croatian (🇭🇷) – Leptir | Pronunciation: LEP-teer
Example: Leptir je šaren. (The butterfly is colorful.) - Bosnian (🇧🇦) – Leptir | Pronunciation: LEP-teer
Example: Leptir leti po vrtu. (The butterfly flies in the garden.) - Slovenian (🇸🇮) – Metulj | Pronunciation: meh-TOOL
Example: Metulj je lep. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Latvian (🇱🇻) – Tauriņš | Pronunciation: TOW-rinsh
Example: Tauriņš lido pa dārzu. (The butterfly flies in the garden.) - Lithuanian (🇱🇹) – Drugelis | Pronunciation: droo-GEH-lis
Example: Drugelis yra gražus. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Estonian (🇪🇪) – Liblikas | Pronunciation: LEE-bli-kahs
Example: Liblikas lendab aias. (The butterfly flies in the garden.) - Malay (🇲🇾) – Rama-rama | Pronunciation: rah-mah RAH-mah
Example: Rama-rama cantik. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Indonesian (🇮🇩) – Kupu-kupu | Pronunciation: koo-poo KOO-poo
Example: Kupu-kupu hinggap di bunga. (The butterfly landed on the flower.) - Tagalog (🇵🇭) – Paruparo | Pronunciation: pah-roo-PAH-roh
Example: Ang paruparo ay makulay. (The butterfly is colorful.) - Filipino (🇵🇭) – Paruparo | Pronunciation: pah-roo-PAH-roh
Example: Ang paruparo ay maganda. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Mongolian (🇲🇳) – Эрвээхэй (Erveekhii) | Pronunciation: air-veh-khay
Example: Эрвээхэй цэцэг дээр буув. (The butterfly landed on the flower.) - Nepali (🇳🇵) – पुतली (Putali) | Pronunciation: POO-ta-lee
Example: पुतली सुन्दर छ। (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Bengali (🇧🇩) – প্রজাপতি (Projapati) | Pronunciation: pro-ja-PO-ti
Example: প্রজাপতি খুব সুন্দর। (The butterfly is very beautiful.) - Punjabi (🇮🇳) – ਤਿਤਲੀ (Titli) | Pronunciation: TIT-lee
Example: ਤਿਤਲੀ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਹੈ। (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Tamil (🇮🇳) – வண்ணத்துப்பூச்சி (Vaṇṇattuppūcci) | Pronunciation: van-na-thoo-poo-chee
Example: வண்ணத்துப்பூச்சி அழகானது. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Telugu (🇮🇳) – సీతాకోకచిలుక (Sītākōkaciluka) | Pronunciation: see-tha-ko-ka-chi-loo-ka
Example: సీతాకోకచిలుక అందంగా ఉంది. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Kannada (🇮🇳) – ಚಿಟ್ಟೆ (Chitte) | Pronunciation: chit-teh
Example: ಚಿಟ್ಟೆ ಹೂ ಮೇಲೆ ಕುಳಿತಿದೆ. (The butterfly sat on the flower.) - Marathi (🇮🇳) – फुलपाखरू (Phulpakharu) | Pronunciation: phool-pah-kharoo
Example: फुलपाखरू सुंदर आहे. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Gujarati (🇮🇳) – પતંગિયું (Patangiyuṁ) | Pronunciation: pah-tahn-gee-yoon
Example: પતંગિયું ખૂબ સુંદર છે. (The butterfly is very beautiful.) - Malayalam (🇮🇳) – ശലഭം (Shalabham) | Pronunciation: sha-la-bham
Example: ശലഭം മനോഹരം ആണ്. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Sinhala (🇱🇰) – සලාබය (Salabaya) | Pronunciation: sah-la-ba-ya
Example: සලාබය ලස්සනයි. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Pashto (🇦🇫) – پروانه (Parwana) | Pronunciation: par-WAH-na
Example: پروانه ښکلی دی. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Persian (Farsi) (🇮🇷) – پروانه (Parvāneh) | Pronunciation: par-VAH-neh
Example: پروانه زیبا است. (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Kurdish (🇮🇶) – پەروانە (Parwana) | Pronunciation: par-WAH-na
Example: ئەو وەک پەروانەیە. (She is like a butterfly.) - Amharic (🇪🇹) – እርበበ (Erbebe) | Pronunciation: er-beh-beh
Example: እርበበ ውብ ነው። (The butterfly is beautiful.) - Somali (🇸🇴) – Shinbir-balaayo | Pronunciation: shin-beer ba-LA-yo
Example: Shinbir-balaayo waa qurux badan. (The butterfly is beautiful.)
🌸 Conclusion
Across 70 languages, the butterfly is celebrated as a symbol of beauty, freedom, and transformation. No matter where you go, the word “butterfly” carries joy and wonder, reminding us of the colorful gifts of nature.
John Preston is a passionate American author known for his insightful storytelling and thought-provoking narratives. With a deep love for literature and a sharp eye for detail, John crafts stories that not only entertain but also inspire reflection and growth. His modern writing style, combined with relatable characters and real-life settings, has earned him a loyal readership across diverse audiences.
Dedicated to exploring human emotions, relationships, and societal challenges, John brings authenticity and depth to every page he writes. When he’s not working on his next manuscript, you can find him in his cozy office, surrounded by books, a warm cup of coffee by his side, and his laptop always within reach.
Some of his most notable works include:
The Silent Echoes
Chasing the Dawn
Beneath the City Lights
Through his writing, John Preston continues to leave a lasting impact, one story at a time.