Smurfs around the world!

Everyone around the world has Smurf fever!

 © 2025 WBEI

People of the world, Smurf up your life! Did you know that the classic 1981 cartoon, The Smurfs, was such a big hit that it was translated into over 55 different languages? Let's take a look at all the fun ways to say "Smurf" and learn about international versions of the show along the way!

  © 2025 WBEI
1

Basque: Pottokiak

According to Google Translate, "pottokiak" translates to "pothole".

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2

German: Die Schlümpfe

The German translation simply means "The Smurfs", but the original French name, "Les Schtroumpf", derives from the German word for sock, "strumpf". 

  © 2025 WBEI
3

Spanish: Pitufos

The Spanish translation occurred when the editor of Strong magazine picked up the comic and needed to translate the made-up word. The editor took a character from Spanish folklore, Patufet, who is usually depicted as a little boy who is as small as a grain of rice. "Patufet" means "little foot" in Catalan, so the editor took that name and adapted it into a Smurf equivalent of "pitufos".

  © 2025 WBEI
4

Catalan: Els Barrufets

Even though the Spanish version of Smurfs is derived from a Catalan word, Catalan audiences had their own translation of the show. "Els Barrufets" simply translates to "The Smurfs".

  © 2025 WBEI
5

Hebrew: Dardasim

Like the German translation, "dardasim" originally meant a slipper or sandal. But, because of the popularity of The Smurfs, now the word is almost exclusively used for Smurfs.

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6

Hungarian: Hupikék törpikék

"Hupikék törpikék" translates to "Hooray for Smurfs"!

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7

Japanese: 小さな森の精 あいあむ! スマーフ(Chīsana Mori no Sei Ai Amu! Sumāfu)

The original Japanese title for the show translates to "Little Forest Spirit! I am Smurf" but the title was then shortened to "森のスマーフ (Mori no Sumāfu)" or "Smurfs in the Forest". The show then underwent a final title change, "スマーフ (Sumāfu)", which just translates to "Smurf".

  © 2025 WBEI
8

Vietnamese: Làng Xì Trum

"Làng Xì Trum" translates to "Smurf Village", but the show has also just been shorted to "Xì Trum" or "Smurf".

  © 2025 WBEI
9

Uzbek: Mittivoylar

"Mittivoylar" actually translates to "Dwarfs". Uzbek is not the first language to categorize the Smurfs as another fictional creature, the original English translation called them "goblins".

  © 2025 WBEI
10

Portugese: "Os Estrumpfes" or "Os Smurfs"

In European Portuguese, the Smurfs are called "Os Estrumpfes" but in Brazilian Portuguese they are called "Os Smurfs".

  © 2025 WBEI
11

Finnish: Smurffit

Translating from Finnish, the Finland version of the show is titled after one of the best characters: Smurfette!

  © 2025 WBEI
12

Translations that mean "The Smurfs"

Azerbaijani: Şirinlər

Croatian: Štrumpfovi

Czech: Šmoulové

Danish: Smølferne

Dutch: De Smurfen

Estonian: Smurfid

Greek: Στρουμφάκια (Stroumfákia)

Icelandic: Strumparnir

Italian: I Puffi

Kurdish: Şînok

Lithuanian: Smurfai

Norwegian: Smurfene

Polish: Smerfy

Romanian: Strumfii

Russian: Смурфики (Smurfiki)

Serbian: Štrumfovi

Slovak: Šmolkovia

Slovenian: Smrkci

Swedish: Smurfarna

Turkish: Şirinler


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