Translations of The Hobbit


J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit has been translated into many languages. Known translations, with their first date of publication, are:
LanguageYearTitleTranslatorIllustratorNotes-
Afrikaans2017Die HobbitJanie OosthuysenPretoria: Protea Boekhuis -
Albanian2005HobitiMaklen MishaTirana: Shtëpia e Librit & Komunikit -
Arabic2008الهوبيت، أو ذهابًا وعودة
هشام فهمي - مي غنيم
Dokki, Giza: Dar Lila -
Armenian1984ՀՈԲԻՏ կամ գնալն ու գալը Emma MakarianYerevan. Translated from the Russian translation by N. Rakhmanova. Uses the Belomlinskij illustrations from the Rakhmanova Russian edition.-
Armenian2014Հոբիթը Nune Torosyan. Edited by Zaven Boyajyan.Yerevan. Maps are also translated.-
Asturian2014El HobbitMiguel Gallego GómezGijón. Published by Ediciones Terrier..-
Belarusian2002Хобіт, або Вандроўка туды і назад K. Kurchankova and D. MagilevtsavMinsk. Contains both maps with place-names in Belarusian, based on the Belomlinskij Russian maps.-
Belarusian2025Хобіт, альбо Падарожжа туды і назад F. Korzun-
Basque2008Hobbita edo Joan-etorri batSergio Ibarrola and Xabier OlarraIruñea: Igela Argitaletxea.. Maps with place-names in English-
Bengali2011হবিট AniruddhaMargao: CinnamonTeal..-
Breton2001An Hobbit, pe eno ha distroAlan DipodeArgenteuil: Éditions Arda.. Contains both maps with place-names in Breton; the runes are translated into Breton.-
Breton2020An Hobbit, pe, Eno ha DistroRevised by Alan Dipode and Joshua TyraDundee: Evertype., . Revised and corrected edition. Breton maps, runes, and captions by Michael Everson. Contains both maps with place-names in Breton; the runes are translated into Breton. Includes all of Tolkien's illustrations with Breton captions. On the cup in the illustration "Conversations with Smaug" the text in Tengwar and initials in runes are translated into Breton. Includes glossaries and translators' notes.-
Bulgarian1975Билбо Бегинс или дотам и обратно Красимира Тодорова Peter ChouklevSofia: Narodna Mladezh. Verse translations by Assen Todorov.-
Catalan1983El Hòbbit o viatge d'anada i tornadaFrancesc ParcerisasThe runes and both maps are in Catalan. Some names, though, remain in English. Published by La Magrana in April 1983 ; the last edition was in May 2001..-
Traditional Chinese2001魔戒前傳 哈比人歷險記
朱學恆 Both maps are in Chinese. -
Simplified Chinese2002魔戒前传: 霍比特人
李尧 Nanjing: Yilin Press. 2000. -
Simplified Chinese2013霍比特人
吴刚 Shanghai: Shiji Wenjing; Shanghai People's Publishing House. 2013.
authorized by the Tolkien Estate
-
Cornish2014An Hobys, pò, An Fordh Dy ha Tre ArtaNicholas WilliamsCathair na Mart: Evertype,, . Contains both maps with place-names in Cornish; the runes are translated into Cornish. On the cup in the illustration "Conversations with Smaug" the text in Tengwar and initials in runes are translated into Cornish.-
Croatian1994Hobit ili tamo i opet natragZlatko Crnković-
Czech1979Hobit, aneb cesta tam a zase zpátkyFrantišek VrbaJiří ŠalamounPrague: Odeon. In book translation credited for political reasons to Lubomír Dorůžka.-
Danish1969Hobbitten, eller ud og hjem igenIda Nyrop LudvigsenJ. R. R. TolkienCopenhagen: Gyldendal. 1969. No maps.-
Danish2012Hobbitten, eller ud og hjem igenJakob LevinsenCopenhagen: Gyldendal. 2012..-
Dutch1960De Hobbit of daarheen en weer terugMax SchuchartUtrecht/Antwerpen: Het Spectrum. 1960. No maps.-
Esperanto2000La Hobito aŭ Tien kaj ReenChristopher Gledhill, poems translated by William AuldKaliningrad: Sezonoj. Rereleased in 2005. Runes are translated to Esperanto.-
Esperanto2015La Hobito, aŭ, Tien kaj ReenChristopher Gledhill, poems translated by William AuldPortlaoise: Evertype,, . Contains both maps with place-names in Esperanto; the runes are translated into Esperanto. On the cup in the illustration "Conversations with Smaug" the text in Tengwar and initials in runes are translated into Esperanto.-
Estonian1977Kääbik, ehk, Sinna ja tagasiLia Rajandi, Harald Rajamets Maret KernumeesTallinn: Eesti raamat-
Faroese1990Hobbin ella út og heim afturAxel TórgarðHoyvík: Stíðin. Both maps translated into Faroese. The runic text was replaced with medieval dotted runes and translated into Faroese. Tolkien's pictures left as they were, Faroese translation added below.-
Finnish1973Lohikäärmevuori, eli Erään hoppelin matka sinne ja takaisinRisto PitkänenHelsinki: Tammi-
Finnish1985Hobitti eli Sinne ja takaisinKersti JuvaTove Jansson Helsinki: Werner Söderström. With Jansson's expressive illustrations.-
French1969, 1976Bilbo le HobbitFrancis LedouxDe Chica, in 1976 editionParis: Le Livre de Poche. 2002.. Contains both maps with place-names in French; the runes remain in English.-
French2012Le HobbitDaniel LauzonParis: Christian Bourgois éditeur. 2012.. Contains both maps with place-names in French; the runes are translated.-
West Frisian2009De HobbitAnne Tjerk PopkemaLeeuwarden: Uitgeverij Elikser. 2009..-
Gaelic2025“A' Hobat”Moray Watson-
Galician2000Ó hobbitMoisés R. BarciaVigo: Edicións Xerais de Galicia-
Georgian2002ჰობიტი ანუ იქით და აქეთ
Nino Bardzimishvili, poems translated by Tinatin GogochashviliTbilisi: Otar Karalashvili. 2002. ISBN printed on the cover and in the book is invalid. Contains both maps with place-names in Georgian.-
Georgian2009ჰობიტი
Nika Samushia, poems translated by Tsitso Khotsuashvili.Tbilisi: Bakur Sulakauri Publishing. 2009.. Contains both maps with place-names in Georgian. John Howe's illustration on the cover.-
German1957Kleiner Hobbit und der große ZaubererWalter ScherfHorus EngelsRecklinghausen: Paulus-Verlag. 1957.-
German1967, 1971Der kleine HobbitWalter ScherfKlaus EnsikatGeorg Bitter. 1971. Revised after the appearance of the Carroux translation of The Lord of the Rings to make the names match.-
German1998Der HobbitWolfgang KregeStuttgart: Klett-Cotta, -
Greek1978Το Χόμπιτ A. Gavrielide, Kh. DelegianneAthens: Kedros, -
Hawaiian2015Ka Hopita, a i ʻole, I Laila a Hoʻi Hou maiR. Keao NeSmithPortlaoise: Evertype,, . Contains both maps with place-names in Hawaiian; the runes are translated into Hawaiian. On the cup in the illustration "Conversations with Smaug" the text in Tengwar and initials in runes are translated into Hawaiian.-
Hebrew1976ההוביט משה הנעמי -
Hebrew1977ההוביט או לשם ובחזרה J. R. R. TolkienGanei-Aviv: Zmora-Bitan. Contains no maps. Four Israeli combat pilots, held as prisoners of war in Egypt between 1970 and 1973, whiled away their time of captivity by translating "The Hobbit" to Hebrew from a book sent to one of them by family members, via the Red Cross. The Pilots' Translation was published in Tel-Aviv following their return, and many Israeli critics still consider it the better of the first two Hebrew translations.-
Hebrew2012ההוביט יעל אכמון -
Hungarian1975A babóTibor Szobotka, poems translated by István TótfalusiTamás Szecskó
Reworked in 2006 under the title A hobbit – "Egyszer oda, aztán vissza" by Tamás Füzessy with the introduction and annotations of Douglas A. Anderson.
-
Hungarian2006A hobbit – Vagy: Oda-visszaLászló Gy. Horváth, poems translated by Zsuzsa N. KissAlan LeeThis translation was originally published in 2006 with a terminology consistent with that of the Ádám Réz/Árpád Göncz translation of The Lord of the Rings . It uses the Hungarian alphabet instead of English runes.
After the revision of the Hungarian terminology of The Lord of the Rings in 2008, changes were also incorporated into this translation and was republished in 2011 without illustrations and with the English runes restored.
-
Icelandic1978HobbitinnÚlfur Ragnarsson and Karl Ágúst ÚlfssonReykjavík: Almenna Bókafélagið-
Icelandic1997Hobbitinn eða út og heim afturÞorsteinn ThorarensenReykjavík: Fjölvaútgáfan -
Indonesian1977Hobbit atau pergi dan kembaliAnton AdiwiyotoJakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama-
Irish2012An Hobad, nó, Anonn agus Ar Ais ArísNicholas WilliamsCathair na Mart: Evertype,, . Contains both maps with place-names in Irish; the runes are translated into Irish. On the cup in the illustration "Conversations with Smaug" the text in Tengwar and initials in runes are translated into Irish.-
Italian1973Lo hobbit, o la Riconquista del TesoroElena Jeronimidis ConteMilan: Adelphi Editions.. Contains both maps with place-names in Italian; the runes are translated into Italian. Spelling of "Smaug" changed into "Smog"; the trolls are referred to as "Uomini Neri" ; "Carrock" translated as "Carroccia".-
Italian2004Lo Hobbit annotatoLo HobbitOronzo Cilli and Elena Jeronimidis ConteJemina CatlinMilan: Bompiani. New translation, first published as Douglas A. Anderson's annotated edition but later also as normal editions. Paperback editions translate runes, hardback editions do not. Maps use translations from the Adelphi edition.-
Japanese1965ホビットの冒険Teiji SetaRyuichi TerashimaTokyo: Iwanami Shoten.. Character and place names derived from common English usage tend to be rendered into Japanese, while those invented by Tolkien or difficult to translate are often transliterated directly into katakana spellings. Runes on Thrór's map are left in English, but absent altogether from the title page. Terms used here carry over into the Japanese edition of The Lord of the Rings, translated by Teiji Seta and Akiko Tanaka.-
Japanese2012新版 ホビット ゆきてかえりし物語Shirō YamamotoJ. R. R. TolkienTokyo: Hara Shobō. Translation of The Annotated Hobbit. Maps in Japanese. Tolkien's illustrations are used, with English captions. Notes by Douglas Anderson. Written in the polite -masu form.-
Kazakh2023Хоббит немесе Барып-қайту А. Бозбаева Astana: Foliant.-
Korean1979호비트 김종철 Yeoleum-
Korean1988호비트 모험 공덕용 Seoul: Dongsuh Press-
Korean1989호비트의 모험 최윤정 Seoul: Changjak-kwa-Bipyongsa., -
Korean1991꼬마 호비트의 모험 이동진 Yeollin. -
Korean1999호비트 김석희 Seoul: Sigongsa., -
Korean2002호빗 이미애 Seoul: Ssiaseul Ppurineun Saram. -
Korean2021호빗 이미애 Seoul: Arte. -
Latin2012Hobbitus ille aut illuc atque rursus retrorsumMarc WalkerLondon: HarperCollins. -
Latvian1991Hobits jeb Turp un atpakaļZane RozenbergaLaima EglīteFirst edition published in 1991, a large format hardcover with original illustrations. Notably, elves were pictured as having wings and greenish skin.
Second edition was published in 2002 in soft cover and contained traditional black and white illustrations drawn by J. R. R. Tolkien.
-
Lithuanian1985Hobitas, arba Ten ir atgalBronė Balčienė-
Lule Sámi2023Hobihtta, jali Dåhku ja máhttseAre TjihkkomDrag: Tjihkkom almmudahka..-
Luxembourgish2002Den HobbitHenry WickensEsch-Sauer: Op der Lay.. Contains both maps with place-names in Luxembourgish; the runes are translated into Luxembourgish.-
Macedonian2005Хобитот или до таму и назад Marija TodorovaSkopje: Feniks -
Marathi2011द हॉबिटMeena KinikarPune: Diamond Publications -
Moldavian1987Хоббитул
Aleksej TsurkanuChişinău: Literatura artistike -
Mongolian2013Хоббит
Oyuntsetseg JamsandorjTs. BaidySoyombo Printing. Privately published several times during 2nd decade of 21st century. No maps.-
Mongolian2016Хоббит
D. OyunchimegKhökh Devter Printing. . Accompanied by Father Giles of Ham in the same volume.-
Mongolian (Монгол)2022Хоббит: Алсад зорчсон тэмдэглэл
B. AmarbayasgalanMonsudar Printing.
Norwegian (Bokmål)1972Hobbiten, eller fram og tilbake igjenFinn Aasen and Oddrun GrønvikOslo: Tiden Norsk Forlag.. Contains both maps with place-names in Norwegian; the runes are translated into Norwegian.-
Norwegian (Bokmål)1997Hobbiten, eller Fram og tilbake igjenNils Ivar AgøyOslo: Tiden Norsk Forlag. -
Norwegian (Nynorsk)2008Hobbiten, eller Ditut og attendeEilev Groven MyhrenOslo: Tiden Norsk Forlag. -
Occitan2018Bilbon lo Hòbbit Sèrgi ViauleCressé: Editions des Regionalismes -
Persian2002هابيت
فرزاد فربد Tehran: Ketab-e Panjereh 2002..-
Persian2004هابيت يا آنجا و بازگشت دوباره
رضا عليزاده Tehran: Rowzaneh 2004.. Contains both maps with place-names in Persian; the runes remain in English.-
Polish1960Hobbit, czyli tam i z powrotemMaria SkibniewskaJan MlodozoniecWarsaw: Iskry.-
Polish1985Hobbit, czyli tam i z powrotemMaria Skibniewska2nd Polish edition, revised translation-
Polish1997Hobbit albo tam i z powrotemPaulina Braiter-
Polish2002Hobbit, czyli tam i z powrotemAndrzej Polkowski-
Portuguese-Portugal1962O GnomoMaria Isabel Morna Braga, Mário Braga; il. António QuadrosAntonio QuadrosPorto: Livraria Civilização Editora-
Portuguese-Portugal1985O HobbitFernanda Pinto RodriguesMem Martins: Publicações Europa-América.-
Portuguese-Brazil1995O Hobbit ou Lá e de Volta Outra VezLenita Maria Rímoli EstevesSão Paulo: Martins Fontes.-
Romanian1975O poveste cu un hobbitCatinca Ralea, poems translated by Leon LevițchiLivia RuszBucharest: Editura Ion Creangă-
Romansh 2024Il Hobbit, ni Viadi ed in RetuornNot Battesta SolivaZurich: Ediziun Apart; maps translated into Sursilvan - the runes on Thrór's map read English, but the runic inscription are transcribed into Sursilvan in Preface-
Russian1976Хоббит, или Туда и ОбратноН. Рахманова Mikhail BelomlinskyLeningrad: Detskaya Literatura.-
Russian2001Хоббит, или Туда и ОбратноА.А. Грузберг Е. Нитылкина Ekaterinburg: Publishing house "Litur".-
Russian1995Хоббит, или Туда и ОбратноМ. Каменкович, С. Степанов Saint Petersburg: Publishing house "Azbuka". Academically annotated edition.-
Russian2000Хоббит, или Туда и ОбратноВалерия Маторина "В.А.М." И. Панков Moscow: Publishing house "EKSMO".-
Russian2001Хоббит, или Туда и ОбратноЛ. Яхнин Moscow: Publishing house "Alfa book".-
Russian1991Хоббит, или Туда и ОбратноЗ. Бобырь Moscow: Publishing house "Molodaya Gvardiya".-
Russian2002ХоббитК. Королёв, В. Тихомиров Moscow: Publishing house "Eksmo".-
Russian2005Хоббит, или Туда и Обратно Н. Прохорова, М. Виноградова Moscow: Publishing house "Milikon Servis".-
Russian2003Хоббит, или Туда и Обратно И. Тогоева Moscow: Publishing house "Rosmen".-
Russian2014Хоббит В. Баканов, Е. Доброхотова-Майкова Moscow: Publishing house "AST Publishers".-
Scottish Gaelic2025A' Hobat, no A-null 's Air Ais A-rithistMoray WatsonEvertype-
Serbo-Croatian1975Хобит или тамо и назад Meri and Milan MilišićBelgrade: Nolit-
Serbo-Croatian1986Хобит или тамо и назад Dusan OgrizekMirna PavlovecLjublana: Mladinska Knjiga-
Silesian2023Hobit, abo tam i nazŏdGrzegorz Kulik, poems translated by Mirosław SyniawaContains both map with place-names in Silesian.
The characters' names are also in Silesian
-
Slovak1973HobbitiViktor Krupa, Jana Šimulčíková Naďa RappensbergerováBratislava: Slovenský spisovateľ-
Slovak2002HobbitOtakar KořínekBratislava: Slovart-
Slovene1986Hobit ali Tja in spet nazajDušan OgrizekLjubljana: Mladinska knjiga-
Sorbian2012HobitEdward WornarLeipzig: Institut za Sorabistiku Lipšćanskeje University. -
Spanish 1964El hobitoTeresa Sánchez CuevasBuenos Aires: Fabril Editora. .-
Spanish 1982El hobbitManuel FigueroaBarcelona: Ediciones Minotauro.. Contains only Thrór's map with place-names in Spanish; the runes remain in English.-
Swedish1947Hompen eller En resa Dit och Tillbaks igenTore ZetterholmTor-björn Zetterholm ; Charles Sjöblom Stockholm: Kooperativa Förbundets Bokförlag. First translation of any work by Tolkien; in Letter 239 he called it "bad", disliking Zetterholm's Hompen to translate "The Hobbit", and the illustrations "ghastly".-
Swedish1962Bilbo – En hobbits äventyrBritt G. HallqvistTove JanssonStockholm: Rabén & Sjögren-
Swedish2007Hobbiten eller bort och hem igenErik AnderssonStockholm: Norstedts or -
Thai2002เดอะฮอบบิท สุดจิต ภิญโญยิ่ง -
Turkish1996HobbitEsra Uzun-
Turkish2007HobbitGamze Sarı, Publisher: İthaki Yayınları, Published: İstanbul, August 2007, Pages: 425-
Ukrainian1985Гобiт, або Мандрiвка за Iмлистi гори O. MokrovolskyiMykhaila Bilomlyns'kohoKyiv: Veselka-
Ukrainian2007Гобiт, або Туди i звiдти Olena O'LirLviv: Astrolabia, -
Ukrainian2021Гобiт, або Мандрiвка за Iмлистi гори O. MokrovolskyiLviv: Astrolabia,, Jubilee -
Vietnamese2003Vietnamese version already completed in 2002 but publishing cancelled. This version leaked onto the Internet in 2003.-
Vietnamese2009Hobbit ra đi và trở vềĐinh Thị HươngHanoi: Thong Tin, no ISBN, EAN-13 8935077068955, maps with placenames in Vietnamese-
Vietnamese2010anh chàng HobbitNguyên TâmHanoi: Nhã Nam, no ISBN, maps with placenames in Vietnamese-
Welsh2024Yr Hobyd, neu, Yno ac Yn ÔlAdam PearceMelin Bapur,. Contains both maps with place-names in Welsh. The runes are replaced with Coelbren y Beirdd.-
Yiddish2012דער האָביט
Barry Goldstein
בעריש גאָלדשטײן
-
Yiddish2015Der Hobit, oder, Ahin un Vider TsurikBarry GoldsteinPortlaoise: Evertype,, . Published in romanised Yiddish. Contains both maps with place-names in Yiddish; the runes are translated into Yiddish. On the cup in the illustration "Conversations with Smaug" the text in Tengwar and initials in runes are translated into Yiddish.-