Age of Empires II (2013)

Age of Empires II (2013)

118 ratings
Unit speech translations
By Hudson633
Age of Kings unit translations. This is just for fun, my research into the history and translations was brief.
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Britons
Villager, Military
Ingame - Modern - (Origin)
  • Yea? - Yes? (Middle English)
  • Yis (pronounced Eos) - Yes (Middle English)
  • Mandatum? - Command? (Latin)
  • Redy - Ready (Middle English)
  • Gretinge - Greeting (Middle English)
  • Correctus - Correct (Latin)
  • Ic wille - I will (German)
  • Chopper (English)
  • Gatherer (English)
  • Huntere - Hunter (Middle English)
  • Fisc - Fish (Old English)
  • Ferme - Farm (Middle English)
  • Dic - Dig (Middle English)
  • Dich - Ditch (Middle English)
  • Byldinge - Building (Middle English)
  • Restaurare - Restore (Latin)
  • Fight! - Fight! (Middle English)
  • Bataile! - Battle! (Middle English)

Monk / King
  • Ain? - Yes?
  • Salve - Hello (Latin)
  • Presto - I'm ready
  • Impero? - I command? / Control? (Latin)
  • Sane - Certainly / Course (Latin)
  • Correctus – Right / Reformed (Latin)
  • Ago - I do / Thanks (Latin)

The Oxford English Dictionary specifies the period when Middle English was spoken as being from 1150 to 1500. The words used by the Britons in-game make this one of the most accurate languages depicted in Age of Empires 2. Although the language may have been very different in western and northern Britain, and the monks and kings speak Latin.

Certain words may have had slightly different meanings then as they did now, even if they sound the same. In the later era of the Age of Empires 2 timeframe (1300 - 1500's) the word ferme would have meant "fixed payment" perhaps relating to a plot of rented land. As time went on ferme seems to have mixed with other latin words to become farm, and only in recent times took on the meaning of a plot of land dedicated to agriculture.
Byzantines
In-game - English
  • Ain? - Yes?
  • Impero? - I command?
  • Presto - I'm ready
  • Salve! - Hello!
  • Correctus - Right
  • Ago - I do
  • Sane - Certainly
  • Caedo - I cut [tree]
  • Pabulo - I forage
  • Venatus - Meat, hunter
  • Capto - I catch [fish]
  • Colo - I cultivate
  • Fodio - I dig/extract
  • Condo - I build
  • Reficio - I repair
  • Deleo! - I destruct!
  • Comittam! - I will commit!
  • Comita! - (You) Follow!
  • Pugno! - I fight!
  • Porro! - Forward!

An AOE2 wiki notes: "While historically Byzantines spoke Medieval Greek, Byzantine units in-game speak medieval Latin."
Celts
In-game - English - [Pronunciation]
  • For-ghaire - What? [For wair]
  • Ar Lámh - On hand / ready [Air lav]
  • Quid? - What? [Kwid]
  • Quia? - Why? [Kia]
  • Ceart - Right [Cart]
  • Bíd fíor - That's right [Bij fia]
  • Togh - Okay [Tao]
  • Buanaid - Lumberjack [Boonij]
  • Feodaige - Gatherer [Fear-da-ga]
  • Sealgaire - Hunter [Sy-ga-ra]
  • Iascaire - Fisher [E-scar-eh]
  • Treabhach - Literally 'Ploughing', farmer [Treba]
  • Mianaige - Miner [Me-an-a-geh]
  • Ráth Bouige - Builder [Rab-we-geh]
  • Fear a bnodhege - Working man [Far a nudha]
  • Don Chath! - To battle! [Don cat]
  • Taoubh cuideachd! - This way troops! [Tao caid]
  • Ho! - Go!

Running these through Google Translate detection returns Irish, Scots Gaelic, and Latin. Wikipedia includes mentions of Welsh, Breton, Manx, Cornish, and Gaulish among others on the page for Celtic languages. The Celtic peoples lived in many parts of Europe during Roman times, but are noted in the Age of Empires 2 history section as "500 to 1500" when Celtic culture had mostly become restricted to Ireland, western and northern Britain, and Brittany. The AOE2 wiki lists the Celt unit speech as Irish Gaelic.
Chinese
In-game - English
  • Shénme? - What?
  • Hao - Good
  • Xíng - Yes
  • Zunmìng - Affirmative
  • Zhèngquè - Correct
  • Wéi? - What?
  • Fúcóng mìnglìng - I'll follow your order
  • Hézhong mìnglìng? - What order?
  • Zhunbèi jiùxù - Ready
  • Fámù gong - Lumberjack
  • Liángcao zhengshou rén - Gatherer
  • Lièrén - Hunter
  • Yúfu - Fisherman
  • Nóngfu - Farmer
  • Kuànggong - Miner
  • Jiànzhú gong - Builder
  • Xiuligong - Repairer
  • Zuòzhàn! - Fight!
  • Shì - Yes
  • Jìngong! - Charge!
  • Gongjí! - Attack!

Listed in the Age of Empires 2 history as 581 to 1644, this would encompass many varieties of spoken Chinese languages across many regions, including Early Middle Chinese of 600 AD, Late Middle Chinese of 1000 AD, and Early Mandarin (12th to 14th centuries). Although one user comments that the Chinese units "speak 100% modern Mandarin."

In the 1900's the governments of China made continuous efforts to form a standard language. Some 54% of speakers of Mandarin varieties could understand the standard language in the early 1950s, rising to 91% in 1984.
Franks
In-game - English
  • Oé (male) Que (female) - Yes? / What?
  • Que fais? - What shall I do?
  • Prêt - Ready
  • Que y'a? (male) - What's up?
  • Verax - Truly
  • Certes - Surely
  • L'y vais - I go there
  • Oïl - Yes
  • Que lier? - What is your order?
  • Bûcheron - Woodcutter
  • Maraud - Scavenge
  • Chasseur - Hunter
  • Pecheur - Fisher
  • Villain - Peasant
  • Mineur - Miner
  • Bâtisseur - Builder
  • Artisan - Craftsman
  • Assault! - Assault
  • À la bataille! - To battle!
  • Montjoie! (Battle cry)
  • Montmirail!
  • Que valié? - What do you want?

All Frankish units speak Medieval French / Middle French, except from Monks, as they speak Medieval Latin. The exact meaning of the battle cry "Montjoie!" seems to have been lost.
Goths
In-game - English
  • Ja? - Yes?
  • Heisse? - Order?
  • Bereyte - Ready
  • He, ja - Why, yes
  • Reyte - Right
  • Das ich soll - That I shall
  • Des ware - Truly
  • Holza - To cut wood
  • Holzer - Lumberjack
  • Jägere - To hunt
  • Fischere - To fish
  • Suocha - To seek, gather
  • Gebuure - To go farming
  • Houwa - To quarry, cut
  • Buuwere - To build
  • Flickmann - Repairer
  • Se stöörme! - Storm them!
  • Sassa! - To battle!
  • Striitet! - Fight!

The Goths have the same unit speech as the Teutons. An AOE2 wiki notes: "In-game, Gothic units speak classical Old or Middle High German, which is also spoken by the Teutons. Historically, however, they spoke their very own Gothic language, which was related to Old Norse and Old High German, and was spoken between the 4th century and became extinct near the 8th or 9th century." The AOE2 history notes their timeframe as 200 to 714.
Japanese
General:
In-game - English
  • Hai - Yes
  • Ii yo - Alright
  • Nani? - What?
  • Watashi? - Me?
  • Ore? (male) - Me?
  • Nan da - What is it?
  • Hai, hai - Yes, yes
  • Ikimasu - I go
  • Wakarimashita - Understood
  • Gyoi ni - As you like
  • Ha! - Yes!
  • Gomeirei wo - Give me orders
  • Ōse no tōri - As you say!
  • Iza, Shōbu! - Now, to the battle!
  • Shōchi - I understand
  • Iza! - Prepare yourself!
  • Ki wo kirimasu - I cut a tree
  • Shūkaku shimasu - I gather
  • Kari wo shimasu - I hunt
  • Sakana wo torimasu - I catch fish
  • Tagayashimasu - I cultivate
  • Horimasu - I mine
  • Tatemasu - I build
  • Naoshimasu - I repair
  • Ike! - Go!
  • Ikusa ja! - War!

Monk:
  • Nan naritō - As you wish
  • Yō kana? - How can I be of use?
  • Nan jana? - What is it?
  • Tadaima - At once
  • Mairi mashō - I'm coming

King:
  • Kurushu nai - Don't hesitate
  • Nan ja? - What is it?
  • Nozomi wa? - What is your wish?
  • Nani yō ka? - What is this regarding?
  • Umu - Yea
  • Sō itasō - I shall do so
  • Mairō - I shall go
  • Yokarō - Very well

The AOE2 history lists them as 500 - 1340, which would encompass Old Japanese, Early Middle Japanese (794 to 1185) which would see a significant amount of Chinese influence on the language's phonology, and late Middle Japanese (1185 to 1600) when European words first arrived.

In-game, Japanese units speak modern Japanese. The Japanese Monks and King speak old Japanese.
Mongols
Some of these words had many translations. I've included them all to offer a better sense of their meanings.

General
In-game - English
  • Tiim uu? - Yes?
  • Zuitei - 'Correct' (literally - "appropriate")
  • Za za - 'Okay' 'Of course'
  • Belen baina - I am ready
  • Bi bolgoyo - 'I fulfill' 'Let me do it' (literally "Let me make it become")
  • Zahir - Command!
  • Amar mend uu? - 'Hello' 'How are you doing?' 'Everything's fine?' 'Is there peace and serenity?'
  • Tek kim
  • Modchin - 'Lumberer' translates to 'woodworking'
  • Amitan tejeegch - Bad translation, it means 'animal raiser' (literally - "animal feeder")
  • Anchin - Hunter
  • Zagaschin - 'Fisher'
  • Khuduh aj akui erklegch - 'Farmer' (bad translation)
  • Uurhaichin - Miner
  • Barilgachin (pronounced barilagchin) - Builder
  • Zasvarchin - Repairer
  • Tushaal sons - 'Listen to the command!' (Strange translation, because it is an imperative, so it appears that it is the soldier who is telling the player to listen to a command)
  • Belen - Ready
  • Tiim - Yes
  • Tiim ee - 'Yes' 'Of course'
  • Guitsetgey - 'Will do' 'Let's carry it out'
  • Medlee, guitsetgey - 'Got it, will do' 'Got it, let's carry it out'
  • Hurailan davsh! / Khurailan davsh! - 'Advance' (Advance with a "hurray"!)
  • Bayldahnd! - Engage!
  • Uragshaa davshaad! - 'Advance forward!' 'Charge forward!'

Monk
  • Soyorchi / Soyorkh"yo - 'I will condescend'
  • Amar mend uu? - 'Hello, how are you?' 'Everything's fine?'
  • Surgahli sons / Surgaal sons - 'Listen to wise words' 'Listen to the doctrine'
  • Za zuite - 'Yes, correct' (literally - "appropriate")
  • Bolgohson uu? - 'Have you done it?' 'Has it been accomplished?' (Have you/I/someone done it?)
  • Bolgoyo / Bi bolgoyo - 'I fulfill' 'Let me do it'
  • Tiim uu? / Tiim ee - 'Yes?' 'Of course'

King
  • Тiim üü? - Yes?
  • Amar mend üü? - Everything's fine?
  • Belen baina - I am ready
  • Aildvar sons - Listen to [my] speech (like the soldier and the monk, it is the king who is addressing the player, not the contrary!)
  • Za - Okay (sounds condescending)
  • Tiim ee - Yes / Of course
  • Züi - Decency
  • Bi bolgoyo - Let me do it

From wikipedia: "Middle Mongolian was spoken in the Mongol Empire. In comparison to Modern Mongolian, it is known to have had no long vowels, different vowel harmony and verbal systems and a slightly different case system."

The ageofempires wiki notes "In-game, Mongol units speak the Khalkha variety of Mongolian, the most widely spoken of the Mongolic languages and the official language of modern-day Mongolia." It also notes that the translation for farmer was done badly, adding "notice that Mongols have never truly practiced agriculture until very recent times."
Persians
In-game - English
  • Ari - Yes
  • Amade - Ready
  • Farman - Order?
  • Salam - Hello
  • Sahih - Correct
  • Mikonam - I'm doing it
  • Chubbor - Lumberer
  • Oulupe jamkon - Gather the harvest
  • Shekarchi - Hunter
  • Mahigir - Fisher
  • Madanchi - Miner
  • Me' mar - Builder
  • Tamir kar - Repairer
  • Hamle! - Attack!
  • Bejangid! - Fight!

From my brief research, the unit speech seems to be modern Persian, while the timescale of Age of Empires 2 encompasses the era of Middle Persian, Early New Persian, and Classical Persian.
Saracens
In-game - English
  • Na'am - Yes
  • Salam - Hello
  • Amron - Orders?
  • Mosta'edon (male) mosta'edaton (female) - Ready
  • Saheeh - True
  • Hassanan - Okay
  • Sa af'al - I will do it
  • Hattabon / hattabaton - Woodcutter
  • Bahithon aan el taam / bahithaton aan el taam - Looking for food
  • Sayyadon / sayyadaton - Hunter
  • Sayyad samak / sayyadato samak - Fisher
  • Muzare'on / mozaare'aton - Farmer
  • Amelo mangam / amelato mangam - Miner
  • Banna'on / banna'aton - Builder
  • Morammemon / morammemmaton - Restorer
  • Hojoom! - Attack!
  • Al quetal! - We'll fight!
  • Al hojoom! - We attack!

Much of the timeframe in Age of Empires 2 would mean the units probably speak Classical Arabic, and perhaps Urdu and Persian, although the translations seem to be Modern Standard Arabic. I'd love to be corrected on this though.

One player commented: "standard (formal) arabic hasn't changed much in the last millennium (due to the quran using formal arabic), so it makes sense for the villagers to be speaking like this."
Teutons
In-game - English
  • Ja? - Yes?
  • Heisse? - Order?
  • Bereyte - Ready
  • He, ja - Why, yes
  • Reyte - Right
  • Das ich soll - That I shall
  • Des ware - Truly
  • Holza - To cut wood
  • Holzer - Lumberjack
  • Jägere - To hunt
  • Fischere - To fish
  • Suocha - To seek, gather
  • Gebuure - To go farming
  • Houwa - To quarry, cut
  • Buuwere - To build
  • Flickmann - Repairer
  • Se stöörme! - Storm them!
  • Sassa! - To battle!
  • Striitet! - Fight!

Like the Goths, the units in-game speak Old and Middle High German.
Turks
In-game - English
  • Evet? - Yes?
  • Emrin? - Your command?
  • Hazır - Ready
  • Efendim? - "Sir?", or "My lord?"
  • Doğru - Right
  • Yaparım - I’ll do it
  • Tamam - Okay
  • Oduncu - Lumberjack
  • Seyis - Groom
  • Avcı - Hunter
  • Balıkçı - Fisherman
  • Çiftçi - Farmer
  • Madenci - Miner
  • Usta - Builder
  • Tamirci - Repairer
  • Saldır! - Attack!
  • İleri! - Forward!
  • Allah-Allah! - Warcry

The later part of the Age of Empires 2 timeframe would involve Middle Turkic and Old Turkic languages, but the in-game speech seems to be Modern Turkish.
Vikings
In-game - English
  • Já - Yes
  • Wathothr - What?
  • Buínn (male) / Búin (female) - Ready
  • Hvat? - What?
  • Rétt - Right
  • Allt í lagi - Allright
  • Vil ek - I will
  • Wugurd
  • Timbrhǫggvandi - Lumber-chopping
  • Gagnismaðr - Useful man
  • Veiðimaðr - Hunterman
  • Fiskimaðr - Fisherman
  • Búandi - Steadfast
  • Námamaðr - Gathering man
  • Húsasmiðr - Carpenter
  • Verkmaðr - Craftsman
  • Til bardaga! - To battle!
  • Radi da!
  • Boðorð - Bidding

An AOE2 wiki notes: "The language spoken by viking units is Old Norse, the north Germanic/Scandinavian Language spoken by the Vikings. Old Norse is the ancestor of all the North Germanic/Scandinavian languages; Icelandic, Faroese, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Norn which was spoken in Orkney and Shetland. Icelandic is by far the closest language to Old Norse."
25 Comments
ciaran.m.harper 14 Feb, 2024 @ 1:15pm 
Nice. One correction - the Celts are saying "Iascaire" (with a capital "i"), not "Lascaire".
Adam Muiz 20 Dec, 2023 @ 2:01am 
Ahh thanks, always curious what they said
Lilychuga 17 Sep, 2023 @ 8:48pm 
You are a saint. My friend and I were playing with Google translate far too long .
Macsen. 28 Mar, 2023 @ 1:11pm 
Very good work, and an interesting read. I've given you a much deserved Steam Award.
GetOffMyLawn 19 May, 2022 @ 2:49pm 
Great work. Small comment - I'm pretty sure the Briton villager phrase is a shortened version of "Up and at 'em". Meaning "up and at them". A once common phrase meaning something like "let's get to it".
LordHawke 22 Mar, 2022 @ 7:19pm 
Awesome work man. I starting saying 'mandatum' to myself in the villager voice not too long ago, and to have my curiosity thusly satisfied is gratifying.
R0bin H00d 5 Nov, 2021 @ 3:28am 
This is really something. A lot of research in there even though you said it was "brief". Nice work.
L33Twinsen 22 Sep, 2021 @ 2:37pm 
Was searching on google, couldn't find any wiki with the chinese phrases and translations. Man, thank you SO much for this!
I hope that with AOE4, they will simply add the phrases to the wiki. Otherwise I'll ask my Chinese teacher for a favour, since the game comes out for my birthday and I really wanna know everything about the voice lines lmao
Maniac 27 Apr, 2021 @ 6:28pm 
The Chinese speak 100% modern Mandarin.
Hudson633  [author] 15 Nov, 2019 @ 10:49am