There are times when questions arise as to what the name of a particular pose should be in another language. This recently came up again, raised by a French speaking Yin Yoga teacher. I polled some other French-speaking teachers and the topic raised a more general point, “It would be very nice if we (the Yin community) define standard names for the yin poses in different languages. I would be ok on changing the names we are using at our association if we agree about the standards … maybe a little chart with the Yin Yoga poses in different languages on YinYoga.com?”
This seems like a good idea, so below find a table where the list the names of the poses in English is in one column, and then in other columns the consensus view for the name of that posture in the stated language. This is just starting, so … feel free to add to this list and let’s hear what everyone thinks! We will edit the names as the consensus builds. It would be great to not have multiple names (the names in parentheses), so if you see multiple names, let us know which name you prefer…we will put the most preferred name on the top of the list and eventually phase out the others. To offer your preferred name for an asana or to vote for/against any other proposed name, please comment in the Forum under this topic: Names for Yin Yoga Poses in Other Languages?
Not all the languages fit on one table so look below for more languages!
| English | French | Spanish | Italian | Portuguese | German |
| Anahatasana (Heart Melting Pose) |
Posture d’ouverture du coeur | Postura del corazón | Posizione della devozione | Pose do coração | Oeffnende Herzstellung |
| Ankle Stretch | Étirement des chevilles | Estiramiento del tobillo | Stiramento delle caviglie | Alongamento do tornozelo | Fersensitz |
| Bananasana | La banane ou Bananasana | Postura del plátano (Postura de la banana) |
Posizione della banana | Pose da banana | Liegender Halbmond |
| Butterfly | Le papillon | Mariposa | Farfalla | Borboleta | Schmetterling |
| Half butterfly (Half Straddle) |
Le demi papillon (Demi selle) |
Media mariposa | Mezza Farfalla | Meia Borboleta | Halber Schmetterling |
| Camel | Le Chameau | Camello | Cammello | Camelo | Kamel |
| Cat pulling its Tail | Le chat qui attrape sa queue | La cola de gato | La coda del gatto | Rabo de gato | Liegende Katze |
| Caterpillar | La chenille | Oruga o Pinza | Bruco o Pinza seduta | Pose da Lagarta | Raupe |
| Child’s Pose | La posture de l’enfant | Postura del niño | Posizione del Bambino | Pose do Bêbê | Stellung des Kindes |
| Dangling | Flexion avant suspendue (Se laisser pendre) (La Cloche) |
Colgante o Colgar | Piegamento in avanti | Pêndulo | Stehende Vorbeuge |
| Deer | Le chevreuil (Le cerf) |
Venado o Ciervo | Cervo | Pose do veado (Pose da Gazela) |
Reh |
| Dragons | Le dragon Le dragon qui vole bas Le dragon qui vole haut Le dragon ailé et Le dragon en torsion et le Split |
Dragones | Posizione del drago | Pose do Dragão | Drache, Sprinterposition |
| Frog | La grenouille | Rana | Rana | Pose do Sapo | Frosch |
| Happy Baby (Stirrups) |
L’enfant heureux (Bébé Krishna) |
Bebé feliz | Posizione del Bambino Felice | Pose do Bêbê Feliz | Glueckliches Baby |
| Reclining Twists | La torsion latérale au sol | Torsión o Raices torcidas |
Torsioni da sdraiati | Pose do tronco torcido | Liegende Drehungen |
| Saddle | La selle | Montura | Sella | Pose da Sela | Sattel |
| Shavasana | Posture de relaxation finale | Postura del muerto | Posizione del cadavere | Pose do morto | Entspannte Rueckenlage |
| Shoelace | Le lacet ou Le lasso |
El lazo | Stringa | Cadarço | Schnuersenkel |
| Snail | L’escargot | Caracol | Lumaca | Caracol | Schnecke |
| Sphinx and Seal | Le sphinx et Le phoque | La esfinge o La foca | Sfinge e Foca | Esfinge e Foca | Kleine Kobra und Grosse Kobra |
| Square | Le carré (La Coquille) |
Cuadrado | Quadrato | Quadrado | Quadrat |
| Squat | Posture accroupie | Flexión de piernas | Posizione della ghirlanda | Pose do Caipira | Hocke |
| Straddle (Dragonfly) |
La libellule | Líbelula o Dragon volador | Libellula o Il Drago volante | Dragão voador | Libelle |
| Swan & Sleeping Swan |
Le cygne et le cygne endormi | Cisne y Cisne dormido |
Cigno e Cigno sdraiato | Cisne e Cisne Dormindo | Schwan und Schlafender Schwan, Taube |
| Toe Squat | Étirements des orteils (Ouverture des orteils) |
Flexión de dedos | Stiramento dei piedi | Flexão dos dedos do pé | Zehensitz |
| English | Serbian | Turkish |
| Anahatasana (Heart Melting Pose) |
Poza topljenja srca |
Köpek Yavrusu Pozu Eriyen Kalp |
| Ankle Stretch | Istezanje clanaka |
Ayak Bileği Pozu Ayak Bileğini Esnetme |
| Bananasana | Poza Banane | Muz Pozu |
| Butterfly | Leptir | Kelebek |
| Half butterfly (Half Straddle) |
Polu Leptir | Yarım Kelebek |
| Camel | Kamila | Deve |
| Cat pulling its Tail | Macka vuce svoj rep |
Kedi Kuyruğu Kuyruğunu çeken pedi |
| Caterpillar | Gusenica | Tırtıl |
| Child’s Pose | Poza Deteta | Çocuk Pozu |
| Dangling | Viseca Poza (Visak) |
Sarkaç Duvardan Sarkma |
| Deer | Jelen | Geyik |
| Dragons | Zmajevi |
Ejderha Ejderhalar |
| Frog | Žaba | Kurbağa |
| Happy Baby (Stirrups) |
Srecna Beba | Mutlu Bebek |
| Reclining Twists | Ležeci Okret |
Yatarak Bükülme Sirt Ustu burnu |
| Saddle | Sedlo | Eyer |
| Shavasana | Poza Mrtvaca | Ceset Pozu |
| Shoelace | Pertla | Bağcık |
| Snail | Puž | Salyangoz |
| Sphinx and Seal | Sfinga & Foka | Sfenks ve Folk |
| Square | Kvadrat | Kare Pozu |
| Squat | Cucanj |
Çömelme Pozu Çökme |
| Straddle (Dragonfly) |
Sedanje opkoracke (Vilin Konjic) |
Helikopter Böceği Yusufçuk |
| Swan & Sleeping Swan |
Labud & Uspavani Labud |
Kuğu ve Uyuyan Kuğu |
| Toe Squat | Cucanj na palcevic |
Parmak Ucunda Çömelme Parmak Ucunda Çökme |