Prince Charming

Lillita

Lillita

Senior Member
Istanbul
Hungarian
Hiya all! :)

I have just read another thread about how Prince Charming is said in Spanish and it made me wonder if each and every language has its own way to refer to the hero of fairy tales. I begin with the:

Hungarian:
Prince Charming = Szőke herceg (literally "Blond Prince")

We usually add "fehér lovon" which means "on a white horse".
 
    • In Russian: прекрасный принц / prekrasnyj prints
    But the phrase "Prince Charming on a white horse" sounds in Russian as Принц на белом коне / Prints na belom kone.
     
    In Dutch we have een droomprins (lit. a dream prince). The white horse can come into play as well: de prins op het witte paard.
     
    Lithuanian:

    Svajonių princas (lit. prince of dreams)
    Princas ant balto žirgo - price on a white horse
     
    Latvian:
    same like in Lithuanian:
    Sapņu princis (prince of dreams)
    Princis uz balta zirga (price on a white horse)
     
    Finnish:
    As far as I remember, there is in Finnish the conception prinssi uljas, literally translated "prince gallant" inbstea of "charming".
    Also I remember the expression prinssi uljas valkealla ratsullaan, that is, "prince gallant on his white horse".
     
    In Catalan I have some doubts, although I think that it is "príncep blau" (blue prince) like in Italian and Spanish. There is also "príncep encantat" (charmed prince) but it actually only refers to a prince who looks like a toad o something and the girl has to kiss him to turn him into his real appearance. So yes, it must be "príncep blau".
     
    Any reason for him being the ''Blue Prince'' in some of the Romance Languages?
    Prince Charming can also be derogatory in English.
     
    elpoderoso said:
    Any reason for him being the ''Blue Prince'' in some of the Romance Languages?
    Prince Charming can also be derogatory in English.
    Click to expand...

    In what way is it derogatory in English?

    Oh, and I have just remembered that in Hungarian we also say "kék szemű herceg" (blue-eyed prince). Maybe it has something to do with the "Blue Prince", don't you think so?
     
    Lillita said:
    In what way is it derogatory in English?

    Oh, and I have just remembered that in Hungarian we also say "kék szemű herceg" (blue-eyed prince). Maybe it has something to do with the "Blue Prince", don't you think so?
    Click to expand...
    The only times that I hve ever heard of someone being referred to as a ''Prince charming'' is in a sarcastic way i.e 'He is a right prince charming'' meaning he is rude, or a bit of a slimy womanizer and superficially charming.
     
    In Romanian it is Fat Frumos which means "handsome young man" where fat is most likely an old word for boy (masculine for "fata" which means girl even in modern Romanian) and is only used in this context.
    ...on a white horse: Fat Frumos pe un cal alb.
     
    "Făt Frumos" it is indeed.
    Bobocescu is right of course, just wanted to that "făt" is still currently used in modern-day Romanian, but with the meaning of "fetus" (from the Latin "fetus").
     
    In Polish: Książę z bajki. ( Prince from a tale )In fact he is usually riding a white horse, so : Ksiązę z bajki na białym koniu.
     
    Lillita said:
    In what way is it derogatory in English?

    Oh, and I have just remembered that in Hungarian we also say "kék szemű herceg" (blue-eyed prince). Maybe it has something to do with the "Blue Prince", don't you think so?
    Click to expand...

    Could it have something to do with "blue-blooded"? Hmm...on second thought, i don't think that's it. All princes are supposed to be "blue-blooded" anyway, so why emphasize.

    Or is it something to do with "true"? I distinctly remembers the phrase "true blue" to mean something "very true"..."Blue Prince" is a "True Blue Prince"?
     
    coconutpalm said:
    Sorry for this late reply!
    I thought stallions were war horses. So mares can't be stallions? I don't know. I don't know the nuance. I'll post it later.
    Click to expand...

    Both of them are horses. Calling stallions by war horses is Ok. Mares can't be stallions because mares are female, and stallions are male and... uncastrated :)
     
    In Filipino...

    If you are talking about "Prince Charming" the character, in most stories written in Filipino call him "Ang Mahal na Principe" (the beloved prince)

    But if you are looking for the literal translation, it's "Principeng Kaakit-akit"
     
    Greek:

    «Ο πρίγκηπας του παραμυθιού» [ɔ ˈpriɲ.ɟi.pas tu pa.ɾa.miθˈçu] --> the prince in fairy-tales
    or
    «Ο πρίγκηπας στο άσπρο άλογο» [ɔ ˈpriɲ.ɟi.pas stɔ ˈasp.ɾɔ ˈa.lɔ.ɣɔ] --> the prince on white horse
     
    Czech:

    princ na bílém koni = lit. prince on white horse;
    or
    princ z pohádky = lit. prince from fairy-tale;

    Czech has no articles.
     
    Last edited:
    Macedonian:

    принц на бел коњ (princ na bel konj), lit. prince on white horse;
    or
    принц од бајките (princ od bajkite), lit. prince from the-fairy-tales;
     
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