SOUNDS GALORE

When sounds turn into words: 10 onomatopoeias explained

Image: THOR, CC BY 2.0

Onomatopoeias truly take the music of language to the next level, since the sole function of these words is to imitate or suggest the sound they are describing. Think about the big flashy letters popular in comic books, the "Boom!" and "Kapow!" that appear whenever your favorite superhero fights the bad guys: In our opinion, those images are the perfect description of what an onomatopeia is. As you’d expect, the different sounds of each particular language result in different sounding onomatopoeias: The "bang" we Americans associate with a cowboy showdown would be represented in Spanish by pum! or in Czech by prásk! Bearing that in mind, we have selected ten very different onomatopoeias from around the world that describe the exact same sound. Enjoy!

Image: Akbar Nemati

We’ll start this article in the same way that millions of farmers start their day: With the sound of a rooster singing. English has the classic onomatopoeia "cock a doodle doo", but several languages have come up with different ways to describe this very specific sound.

For instance, Spanish speakers know this sound as kikiriki, while Japanese people call it kokekokkō and German kikeriki. Interestingly, the Irish language’s version of this onomatopoeia is cuc-adiú-dil-ú, which seems to share a root with the English "cock a doodle doo".

Image: Robert Gramner

Not unlike a child’s Speak ‘N Say, you’ll quickly notice that several of the entries in this article describe animal sounds. This time, we’ll focus on humankind’s best friend. Do you sometimes feel your dog is talking to you whenever he wants an extra pat behind his ears? You are not alone: Dogs have inspired a plethora of different onomatopoeias, all seeking to describe all the wonderful sounds our canine friends make.

In that sense, the English language has it easy: The onomatopoeia "bark" is exactly the same as the verb used to describe this action. However, other languages have different takes: Spanish has guau guau, while Mandarin has wāng wāng. Russian has two different onomatopoeias depending on the size of the dog, using gav gav for big dogs and tyaf tyaf for smaller ones.

Image: Denis Chick

Have you ever realized that the sound of the train we imitate to entertain a small child is actually comprised of two different onomatopoeias? Think about it: The "chugga chugga" part describes the train wheels running over the tracks, only interrupted by the occasional "choo choo" of the whistle. Regardless, this sound is mimicked by millions of parents approaching a spoonful of baby food to the mouth of a reluctant child, so it stands to reason it varies according to each language.

The Korean language has chik chik pok pok to describe this sound, while Italian uses tu tuu ciuf ciuf. On the other hand, several countries have onomatopoeias similar to the English "choo", including the Spanish chu chu, the French tchou tchou or the Slovenian ču ču.

Image: Jordan Whitt

Catching some Zs doesn’t mean sleeping in other languages, so if you want to be able to snore accordingly when visiting, you’ll have to learn the different onomatopoeias that describe heavy sleeping. Now, if you need a frame of reference that combines all these different sounds, think of whenever cartoon characters are shown deeply asleep, complete with white nightgowns and sleeping hats: That image perfectly represents all the onomatopoeias we’ll see next.

While "zzz" is now the universal symbol of sleeping, the words that describe the act of sleeping vary. For instance, the Swedish language has snark, while Indonesian has grookkk. Other examples include the Catalan rau-rau, the Turkish hor and the Korean deureureong.

Image: Kenneth Schipper Vera

And after a short detour, we are back to animal sounds! And who better to welcome us back to this rich vein of onomatopoeias than this farmyard favorite? Pig sounds are a childhood favorite, probably due to the odd manner on which they are produced. In that sense, the raspy intake of air we use to imitate this sound is definitively difficult to translate into words, so it seems only natural that so many different onomatopoeias exist for it.

The traditional English "oink oink" is the equivalent of very dissimilar words like the Albanian hunk-hunk, the Basque kurrin-kurrin and the Norwegian nøff nøff. However, you might be surprised to learn that other languages like Spanish, Italian and German use the same oink oink we do.

Image: Tim Mossholder

From cowboys to knights, horses are the perfect companions for daring adventurers: They are fast, brave, and, above all, loyal. In that sense, scores of words depicting the various sounds that horses make have sprawled virtually in every language. We could feature any of them in this article (for instance, the difference between the English "neigh" and other onomatopoeias like the French hiii hiii), but we decided to focus on the sound horses make while trotting, described in English by the word "clip-clop".

The unmistakable sound of hooves striking against the ground has been represented by several words throughout the years. For example, the Spanish language uses the onomatopoeia tucutun tucutun, while Portuguese has pocotó pocotó. Other entries include the Italian cloppete clappete, the Japanese gara-gara and the Danish gadagung gadagung.

Image: Stéphane Juban

Is there anything better than sitting in front of a fireplace on a cold winter day? We can’t truly think of anything more relaxing than the crackle of a soothing fire filling a cozy room. Add a cup of tea and a good book to the mix, and you got yourself a perfect winter plan! In any case, these delightful sounds have inspired some equally delightful onomatopoeias.

The English "crackle crackle" can be translated to knister knister in German, rip-rop in Hungarian or trzask in Polish. Curiously, the Japanese pachi pachi is also used to describe several other small sounds, like popping bubblewrap.

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This onomatopoeia doesn’t just describe eating: Chomping involves eating with gusto, to eagerly enjoy a meal or to devour something after an extended fasting. Bearing that in mind, these next words also perfectly describe the sounds of this frenzied intake, however different they might sound to the English "chomp".

Some of these words obviously share a root. For instance, the Spanish ñam ñam, the German mampf and the French miam sound remarkably similar. The Japanese word for chomping, however, is exceptionally noteworthy, as it has inspired one of the most recognizable icons in video-game history: The name Pac-man comes from the Japanese words paku paku, which means chomping down food.

Image: Vincent van Zalinge

Of all the entries in this list, "quack" is probably the one closest to a universal onomatopoeia. After all, it seems to perfectly describe duck calling: You can almost feel the letters that compose this word forming whenever you hear a duck in the distance. Nevertheless, there are a few different terms for the sounds our favorite waterfowl makes.

As we said, several languages use variations of "quack quack", like German (quak quak), Greek (kuak kuak) or Polish (kwa kwa). However, other countries use very different onomatopoeias, like the Danish rap rap, the French coin coin, or the Icelandic bra bra.

Image: Dave Hoefler

We’ll end with what many consider the quintessential onomatopoeia. "Crash" sometimes feels interchangeable with other words that denote hitting like "wham" or "pow". However, there’s something about this onomatopoeia that makes it stand out against the rest: It feels like the definitive comic book exclamation, the one that leaves a heavier impact. Having said that, have you ever wondered how it fared against similar expressions from other languages?

For starters, this word is used all around the world: Some languages like German employ the similarly spelled krach to describe this sound, while others like Portuguese or Spanish directly use crash. What’s rather interesting is that the sound made from hitting something has inspired one of the oldest onomatopoeias we know: The Latin play Persa, written by Titus Maccius Plautus, employs the words tux tax to represent these sounds.

Word pairs

Why we say "black and white"—and never the other way around

Image: Matteo Di Iorio

Ever wondered why we say "black and white" instead of "white and black"? Some word pairs have a fixed order due to rhythm, history, or phonetics. Though not all common word pairings have a fixed order, many do, and in most cases, this order is irreversible—at least without making it sound weird! From "salt and pepper" to "thunder and lightning," here’s why some words always take the lead.

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"Black and white" follows a common pattern where darker colors come before lighter ones. This phrase dates back to the 14th century, referring to ink on paper. It also follows the natural English preference for short, strong sounds first.

Image: Phillip Flores

Salt grains are smaller than peppercorns, and in English, we tend to list things from small to large. The phrase likely became standard because salt, being essential for survival, was more familiar and historically more valuable.

Image: Neetu Laddha

Bread is the base, and butter is the topping. This reflects the natural sequence of how we prepare and consume food. The phrase has also become synonymous with livelihood, reinforcing its established order in speech.

Image: Johannes Plenio

Even though lightning comes first in nature—and we see it before we hear thunder—the phrase "thunder and lightning" feels more intuitive, likely because English tends to favor short, strong sounds first.

Image: Eduardo Barrios

"Give" represents an outward action, while "take" is a response. Many word pairs follow this active-passive pattern, emphasizing initiative first. The phrase has been used metaphorically since the 1700s to describe balanced exchanges.

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The human experience begins with daylight, making "day and night" the intuitive sequence. This ordering appears in multiple languages, reinforcing that our perception of time influences linguistic patterns.

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This phrase follows the standard English structure of presenting the problem before the solution. "Lost" sets the stage, while "found" is the resolution, making it easier for listeners to process.

Image: Timo Strüker

"Odds" has a shorter, punchier sound than "ends," following the linguistic preference for short-first phrasing. The phrase has been in use since the 18th century to describe miscellaneous, leftover items.

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This order dates back to chivalric traditions, where ladies were introduced first out of courtesy. The phrasing became a formal standard in speeches and announcements, reinforcing its place in common usage.

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"Rock" has a sharper, percussive sound than "roll," making it more suitable as the lead. The phrase originated from African American slang in the early 20th century before defining a genre.

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The phrase follows a natural scale from an increase to a decrease. English often favors sequences that rise before they fall, making "more or less" the preferred order.

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People react more strongly to heat than cold, so "hot" comes first. The phrase aligns with the body's instinctive sensitivity, which prioritizes heat as a survival concern.

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"Sick" implies a physical state, while "tired" suggests exhaustion. English often places more urgent conditions before milder ones, cementing this order.

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"This" refers to something immediate, while "that" points to something further away. English naturally prioritizes what is closer to the speaker in sequence.