This project attempts to translate the English phrase “Space Elevator” (or “Elevator to Space”) into other languages. If you have a translation that I don’t have, or a correction to one I do have, please contact me at ted@spaceelevatorblog.com. Thank you!

For each language, the language name is shown, along with the translation and then, if available, a short pronunciation guide.

Afrikaans: Ruimtehyser (‘ui’ sounds like ‘ei’, but it is rounded and lengthened. ‘y’ sounds exactly like ‘ei’. Both r’s are rolled.)

Arabic: مصعد فضائي (misa’ad fadaey)

Bengali: মহাকাশ লিফট (Mahākāśa liphaṭa – “Great Sky Lift” or “Space Lift”

Chinese: 宇宙电梯 (Yǔzhu diàntī)

Croatian: Nebesko Dizalo

Czech: vesmírný výtah

Danish: Rumelevator (The first r is glottal or alveolar, as in French. ‘Rum’ sounds like ‘room’, but the oo is very short as in ‘put’. ‘Elevator’ is pronounced fairly similarly to English, but the stress is on ‘va’.)

Dutch: Ruimtelift Esperanto: Spac Lift

Estonian: Kosmoselift (KOSmoselift is proper announciation. And ‘o’-s pronounce like ‘aw’-s in English.

Finnish: Avaruushissi French: Ascenseur Spatial

German: Weltraumaufzug

Greek: Διαστημικός Ανελκυστήρας (THEE-A-SSTEEM-EEK-OSS AN-ELK-EESS-TEER-ASS) **Double S means, pronounce it as a clear S as in Super, Stimulating, or Science rather than S as in “The Blues” or “Barrows”. Again try to focus to the primary sounds of the letters rather than letting accent take over. AN as in “ANarchy”, ELK like the animal but a simple raw E…like “Ebony”, double S as above, TEER as in “LanTIRn”, ASS as in “Carcass”.

Hebrew: מעלית חלל (ma’alit khalal)

Hindi: अंतरिक्ष एलेवेटर (Anthariksh elevator)

Hungarian: Űrfelvonó

Italian: Ascensore Spaziale

Japanese: 宇宙エレベータ (uchoo elevator – u is pronounced like the ‘oo’ in ‘wood’)

Korean: 우주 엘리베이터

Latin: Ascensor ad astra

Leet: 5P4(3 3L3\/470R

Norwegian: Romheis or Romelevator

Pig Latin: Acespay Elevatorway

Polish: Winda Kosmiczna

Portuguese: Elevador Espacial

Romanian: Ascensor Spaţial

Russian: Космический Лифт (stress is on the second syllable: CosMEECHeski Leeft)

Serbian: Svemirsko Dizalo

Slovenian: Vesoljsko Dvigalo

Spanish: Ascensor Espacial

Swahili: Lifti ya Anga (“elevator of space”, pronounced “LEE-f-tee yah AH-ng-ah” – Tips: Emphasize the “LEE” and “AH” sounds, and keep the “ng” soft, like in “sing,” not “finger.”

Swedish: Rymdhiss

Telugu: అంతరిక్ష ఎలివేటర్ (Antariksha elevēṭar – “Space Elevator” or “Cosmos Elevator”

Welsh: Lifft Ofod