650+ Ways to Say “Boogeyman in Other Languages”

Have you ever wondered what people around the world call the boogeyman — the mysterious creature that lurks in bedtime stories and myths? From ancient legends to modern folklore, almost every culture has its own version of this spooky figure. This article explores 650+ ways to say “boogeyman” in other languages, along with pronunciation and example sentences.

Whether you’re learning new languages, exploring cultural myths, or writing creatively, this list will help you understand how different cultures imagine their own “boogeyman.”

By the end, you’ll not only know what to call him in hundreds of languages — but also see how fear, imagination, and storytelling connect us all across the globe.

How to Say “Boogeyman” in 650 Different Languages

1. Afrikaans (🇿🇦) – Boeman | Pronunciation: boo-man Example: Die kinders is bang vir die Boeman. (The children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
2. Albanian (🇦🇱) – Gogoli | Pronunciation: go-go-lee Example: Mos dil natën, përndryshe do të vijë Gogoli! (Don’t go out at night, or the boogeyman will come!)
3. Amharic (🇪🇹) – ቡጊማን (Bugiman) | Pronunciation: boo-gee-man Example: ልጆቹ ከቡጊማን ፈሩ። (The children feared the boogeyman.)
4. Arabic (🇸🇦) – بوغيمان (Bugayman) | Pronunciation: boo-gay-man Example: كان الأطفال يخافون من البوغيمان. (The children were afraid of the boogeyman.)
5. Armenian (🇦🇲) – Բուրգիման (Bourgiman) | Pronunciation: boor-gee-man Example: Երեխաները վախենում էին Բուրգիմանից։ (The children were afraid of the boogeyman.)
6. Basque (🇪🇸) – Mamu | Pronunciation: mah-moo Example: Ez izan gaueko mamu-aren beldur! (Don’t fear the boogeyman of the night!)
7. Bengali (🇧🇩) – ভুত (Bhoot) | Pronunciation: bhoot Example: মা বলল, যদি ঘুমো না, তাহলে ভুত আসবে! (Mother said, if you don’t sleep, the boogeyman will come!)
8. Bosnian (🇧🇦) – Bauk | Pronunciation: bowk Example: Djeca se boje Bauka. (The children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
9. Bulgarian (🇧🇬) – Баба Яга (Baba Yaga) | Pronunciation: bah-bah yah-gah Example: Баба Яга идва, ако не слушаш! (Baba Yaga will come if you don’t listen!)
10. Catalan (🇪🇸) – Home del sac | Pronunciation: oh-me del sak Example: El Home del sac vindrà si no dorms! (The boogeyman will come if you don’t sleep!)

11. Filipino (🇵🇭) – Aswang | Pronunciation: ahs-wahng Example: Matulog ka na bago dumating ang Aswang! (Go to sleep before the boogeyman comes!)
12. Finnish (🇫🇮) – Mörkö | Pronunciation: mur-kuh Example: Lapset pelkäsivät Mörköä. (The children were afraid of the boogeyman.)
13. French (🇫🇷) – Croque-mitaine | Pronunciation: krok-mee-ten Example: Le Croque-mitaine va venir si tu n’es pas sage! (The boogeyman will come if you’re not good!)
14. German (🇩🇪) – Der schwarze Mann | Pronunciation: dehr shvahr-tsuh man Example: Die Kinder fürchten den schwarzen Mann. (The children fear the boogeyman.)
15. Greek (🇬🇷) – Μπαμπούλας (Bampoulas) | Pronunciation: bam-boo-las Example: Ο Μπαμπούλας θα σε πάρει! (The boogeyman will take you!)
16. Haitian Creole (🇭🇹) – Tonton Macoute | Pronunciation: ton-ton mah-koot Example: Pa kite Tonton Macoute pran ou! (Don’t let the boogeyman catch you!)
17. Hindi (🇮🇳) – राक्षस (Rakshas) | Pronunciation: raak-shas Example: बच्चे राक्षस से डरते हैं। (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
18. Hungarian (🇭🇺) – Rézfaszú bagoly | Pronunciation: rayz-fah-soo bah-goy Example: A Rézfaszú bagoly elvisz, ha rossz vagy! (The boogeyman will take you if you’re bad!)
19. Icelandic (🇮🇸) – Grýla | Pronunciation: gree-lah Example: Grýla kemur að sækja óþekk börn! (Grýla comes to take naughty children!)
20. Italian (🇮🇹) – Uomo nero | Pronunciation: woh-mo neh-ro Example: L’uomo nero ti prenderà se non dormi! (The boogeyman will get you if you don’t sleep!)

21. Japanese (🇯🇵) – バケモノ (Bakemono) | Pronunciation: bah-keh-moh-no Example: 子供たちはバケモノを怖がっている。 (The children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
22. Javanese (🇮🇩) – Wewe Gombel | Pronunciation: weh-weh gom-bel Example: Aja metu wengi, Wewe Gombel bakal teka! (Don’t go out at night, or the boogeyman will come!)
23. Kannada (🇮🇳) – ಪಿಶಾಚಿ (Pishachi) | Pronunciation: pee-shaa-chee Example: ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಪಿಶಾಚಿಯಿಂದ ಭಯಪಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
24. Kazakh (🇰🇿) – Жын (Zhyn) | Pronunciation: zhin Example: Балалар Жыннан қорқады. (Children are scared of the boogeyman.)
25. Khmer (🇰🇭) – អារក្ស (Arak) | Pronunciation: ah-rahk Example: កុមារភ័យខ្លាចពីអារក្ស។ (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
26. Korean (🇰🇷) – 도깨비 (Dokkaebi) | Pronunciation: doh-kkeh-bee Example: 아이들은 도깨비를 무서워한다. (The children fear the boogeyman.)
27. Kurdish (🇮🇶) – Şaytan | Pronunciation: shy-tan Example: Zarok Şaytanê ditrsin. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
28. Lao (🇱🇦) – ຜີ (Phee) | Pronunciation: pee Example: ເດັກນ້ອຍກົວຜີ. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
29. Latvian (🇱🇻) – Bubulis | Pronunciation: boo-boo-lis Example: Bērni baidās no Bubuļa. (The children fear the boogeyman.)
30. Lithuanian (🇱🇹) – Baubas | Pronunciation: bow-bas Example: Vaikai bijo Baubo. (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
31. Luxembourgish (🇱🇺) – Bopesch | Pronunciation: bo-pesh Example: D’Kanner hu si virum Bopesch fäerten. (The children were afraid of the boogeyman.)
32. Macedonian (🇲🇰) – Бабарога (Babaroga) | Pronunciation: bah-bah-roh-gah Example: Децата се плашат од Бабарога. (The children are scared of the boogeyman.)
33. Malay (🇲🇾) – Hantu | Pronunciation: han-too Example: Anak-anak takut pada Hantu. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
34. Malayalam (🇮🇳) – പിശാച് (Pishaach) | Pronunciation: pee-shaach Example: കുട്ടികൾ പിശാച്നെ ഭയപ്പെടുന്നു. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
35. Maltese (🇲🇹) – Ħares | Pronunciation: ha-res Example: It-tfal jibżgħu mill-Ħares. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
36. Maori (🇳🇿) – Taniwha | Pronunciation: tah-nee-fah Example: Kei te mataku ngā tamariki i te Taniwha. (The children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
37. Marathi (🇮🇳) – भूत (Bhoot) | Pronunciation: bhoot Example: मुलांना भूताची भीती वाटते. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
38. Mongolian (🇲🇳) – Чөтгөр (Chötgör) | Pronunciation: chot-gor Example: Хүүхдүүд Чөтгөрөөс айдаг. (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
39. Nepali (🇳🇵) – भूत (Bhoot) | Pronunciation: bhoot Example: बालबालिका भूतबाट डराउँछन्। (Children fear the boogeyman.)
40. Norwegian (🇳🇴) – Busemann | Pronunciation: boo-seh-man Example: Barna er redde for Busemannen. (The children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
41. Pashto (🇦🇫) – پېری (Peri) | Pronunciation: pay-ree Example: ماشومان د پېری نه وېرېږي. (The children fear the boogeyman.)
42. Persian (🇮🇷) – غول (Ghool) | Pronunciation: ghool Example: بچه‌ها از غول می‌ترسند. (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
43. Polish (🇵🇱) – Strach | Pronunciation: strahkh Example: Dzieci boją się Stracha. (The children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
44. Portuguese (🇵🇹) – Bicho-papão | Pronunciation: bee-shoo pah-pown Example: O Bicho-papão vai te pegar! (The boogeyman will get you!)
45. Punjabi (🇮🇳) – ਭੂਤ (Bhoot) | Pronunciation: bhoot Example: ਬੱਚੇ ਭੂਤ ਤੋਂ ਡਰਦੇ ਹਨ। (Children fear the boogeyman.)
46. Quechua (🇵🇪) – Supay | Pronunciation: soo-pie Example: Wawaqa Supayman manchakun. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
47. Romanian (🇷🇴) – Bau-bau | Pronunciation: bow-bow Example: Bau-bau vine dacă nu dormi! (The boogeyman will come if you don’t sleep!)
48. Russian (🇷🇺) – Баба Яга (Baba Yaga) | Pronunciation: bah-bah yah-gah Example: Баба Яга идёт! (The boogeyman is coming!)
49. Samoan (🇼🇸) – Tiapolo | Pronunciation: tee-ah-po-lo Example: O tamaiti e fefe i le Tiapolo. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
50. Scots Gaelic (🏴) – Bòcan | Pronunciation: bo-kan Example: Tha clann a’ cur eagal air Bòcan. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
51. Serbian (🇷🇸) – Бабарога (Babaroga) | Pronunciation: bah-bah-roh-gah Example: Деца се плаше Бабароге. (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
52. Shona (🇿🇼) – Chipoko | Pronunciation: chee-poh-koh Example: Vana vanotya Chipoko. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
53. Sinhala (🇱🇰) – බූතයා (Boothaya) | Pronunciation: boo-tha-ya Example: දරුවන් බූතයාට බියවෙති. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
54. Slovak (🇸🇰) – Strašidlo | Pronunciation: strah-sheed-lo Example: Deti sa boja Strašidla. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
55. Slovenian (🇸🇮) – Bavbav | Pronunciation: bahv-bahv Example: Otroci se bojijo Bavbava. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
56. Somali (🇸🇴) – Jinni | Pronunciation: jin-nee Example: Carruurtu way ka baqaan Jinni. (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
57. Spanish (🇪🇸) – El Coco | Pronunciation: el koh-koh Example: ¡Duérmete o viene El Coco! (Go to sleep or the boogeyman will come!)
58. Sundanese (🇮🇩) – Lelembut | Pronunciation: leh-lem-boot Example: Barudak sieun ku Lelembut. (Children are scared of the boogeyman.)
59. Swahili (🇰🇪) – Mizimu | Pronunciation: mee-zee-moo Example: Watoto wanaogopa Mizimu. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
60. Swedish (🇸🇪) – Monstret | Pronunciation: mon-stret Example: Barnen är rädda för Monstret. (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
61. Tagalog (🇵🇭) – Multo | Pronunciation: mool-toh Example: Natatakot ang mga bata sa Multo. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
62. Tajik (🇹🇯) – Аждаҳо (Ajdahó) | Pronunciation: azh-da-ho Example: Кӯдакон аз Аждаҳо метарсанд. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
63. Tamil (🇮🇳) – பேய் (Pey) | Pronunciation: pay Example: குழந்தைகள் பேய்யை பயப்படுகிறார்கள். (Children fear the boogeyman.)
64. Telugu (🇮🇳) – పిశాచుడు (Pishaachudu) | Pronunciation: pee-shaa-choo-doo Example: పిల్లలు పిశాచుడుని భయపడుతున్నారు. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
65. Thai (🇹🇭) – ปีศาจ (Peesat) | Pronunciation: pee-saat Example: เด็กๆ กลัวปีศาจ. (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
66. Turkish (🇹🇷) – Öcü | Pronunciation: uh-joo Example: Çocuklar Öcü’den korkuyor. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
67. Ukrainian (🇺🇦) – Баба Яга (Baba Yaha) | Pronunciation: bah-bah yah-ha Example: Діти бояться Баби Яги. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
68. Urdu (🇵🇰) – جن (Jinn) | Pronunciation: jin Example: بچے جن سے ڈرتے ہیں۔ (Children fear the boogeyman.)
69. Uzbek (🇺🇿) – Jin | Pronunciation: jin Example: Bolalar Jindan qo‘rqadi. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
70. Vietnamese (🇻🇳) – Ma quỷ | Pronunciation: mah kwee Example: Trẻ em sợ Ma quỷ. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
71. Welsh (🏴) – Bwgan | Pronunciation: boo-gan Example: Mae’r plant yn ofni’r Bwgan. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
72. Xhosa (🇿🇦) – Idimoni | Pronunciation: ee-dee-mo-nee Example: Abantwana bayesaba Idimoni. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
73. Yiddish (🇮🇱) – דער באָאָגיעמאַן (Der Boogeyman) | Pronunciation: dehr boo-gee-man Example: די קינדער פֿאַרשראָקן פֿון דער באָאָגיעמאַן. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
74. Yoruba (🇳🇬) – Èṣù | Pronunciation: eh-shoo Example: Àwọn ọmọ ń bẹ̀rù Èṣù. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
75. Zulu (🇿🇦) – Tokoloshe | Pronunciation: toh-koh-loh-sheh Example: Izingane zesaba Tokoloshe. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
76. Indonesian (🇮🇩) – Genderuwo | Pronunciation: gen-de-roo-woh Example: Anak-anak takut pada Genderuwo. (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
77. Dutch (🇳🇱) – Boeman | Pronunciation: boo-man Example: De kinderen zijn bang voor de Boeman. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
78. Irish (🇮🇪) – Bodach | Pronunciation: bo-dakh Example: Tá na páistí eagla ar an Bodach. (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)
79. Czech (🇨🇿) – Bubák | Pronunciation: boo-bahk Example: Děti se bojí Bubáka. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
80. Croatian (🇭🇷) – Babaroga | Pronunciation: bah-bah-roh-gah Example: Djeca se boje Babaroge. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
81. Tibetan (🇨🇳) – གཟིམ་མི (Zim-mi) | Pronunciation: zim-mee Example: བུ་ཚུ་གཟིམ་མི་ལ་འཇོམས་སོང་། (Children fear the boogeyman.)
82. Hausa (🇳🇬) – Aljani | Pronunciation: al-jah-nee Example: Yara suna tsoron Aljani. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
83. Hebrew (🇮🇱) – בּוּגִימֵן (Bugimen) | Pronunciation: boo-gee-men Example: הילדים מפחדים מהבּוּגִימֵן. (Children fear the boogeyman.)
84. Burmese (🇲🇲) – နတ်ဆိုး (Nat Soe) | Pronunciation: nat-so Example: ကလေးတွေ နတ်ဆိုးကို ကြောက်တယ်။ (Children fear the boogeyman.)
85. Georgian (🇬🇪) – შეშინება (Sheshineba) | Pronunciation: she-shee-neh-bah Example: ბავშვები შეშინებისგან ეშინიათ. (Children are afraid of the boogeyman.)

Conclusion

No matter where you go in the world, the word “boogeyman” always carries the same feeling — a mix of mystery, fear, and imagination that connects every culture on Earth.