Updated on March 6, 2024
The word acknowledge holds great significance in our daily lives and communications. To acknowledge is to recognize the existence, truth, or reality of something, or to express gratitude or appreciation for it. This simple act can have a profound impact on our relationships and interactions with others.
Acknowledgment has been a crucial aspect of many cultures throughout history. For example, in some Indigenous cultures, acknowledgment of the land and its traditional custodians is a sign of respect and recognition of their ongoing connection to the land. In many spiritual and religious traditions, acknowledgment of a higher power or divine being is an essential component of prayer and worship.
Understanding the translation of acknowledge in different languages can help us to better connect with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Here are a few examples:
By learning these translations and practicing acknowledgment in our daily lives, we can build bridges of understanding and respect between people and cultures.
Afrikaans | erken | ||
"Erken" comes from the Middle Dutch "erkennen" which can also mean "to recognise". | |||
Amharic | እውቅና መስጠት | ||
Hausa | amince | ||
Hausa "amince" also means "to concede" or "to accept". | |||
Igbo | kweta | ||
The Igbo word 'kweta' also means 'to recognize, to identify, to accept as true or valid' | |||
Malagasy | fantaro | ||
The word "fantaro" is also used in Malagasy to mean "recognize" or "admit". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuvomereza | ||
The Nyanja word 'kuvomereza' is also used to express 'permission', 'consent' and 'acceptance'. | |||
Shona | bvuma | ||
The word "bvuma" in Shona originates from the Bantu root "*buma-/*vuma-", which also means "return, go back, or come again". | |||
Somali | garwaaqso | ||
The word "garwaaqso" has its roots in the Somali verb "qarar" (to decide), implying that acknowledging is a deliberate choice. | |||
Sesotho | amohela | ||
The word "amohela" in Sesotho can also mean "to accept" or "to agree". | |||
Swahili | tambua | ||
The word "tambua" also means "recognize" or "identify" in Swahili. | |||
Xhosa | vuma | ||
"Vuma" can also mean "to agree" or "to consent". | |||
Yoruba | jẹwọ | ||
"Jẹwọ" also means "to submit or give in to" in Yoruba. | |||
Zulu | vuma | ||
The word 'vuma' in the Zulu language, meaning 'acknowledge', is derived from the Proto-Bantu word '*-vum(b)-' which also means 'agree' or 'accept'. | |||
Bambara | ka lakodon | ||
Ewe | de dzesi | ||
Kinyarwanda | wemere | ||
Lingala | kondima | ||
Luganda | okusiima | ||
Sepedi | amogela | ||
Twi (Akan) | gye to mu | ||
Arabic | الإقرار | ||
The Arabic word "الإقرار" (acknowledge) can also refer to an admission or confession of something, especially in a legal or official context. | |||
Hebrew | לְהוֹדוֹת | ||
The Hebrew word "לְהוֹדוֹת" (l'hodot) also means "to confess" or "to thank". | |||
Pashto | ومنه | ||
The Pashto word "ومنه" can also mean "to accept" or "to agree". | |||
Arabic | الإقرار | ||
The Arabic word "الإقرار" (acknowledge) can also refer to an admission or confession of something, especially in a legal or official context. |
Albanian | pranoj | ||
The word "pranoj" is derived from the Latin word "praenomen", meaning "first name" or "given name". | |||
Basque | aitortu | ||
The Basque word "aitortu" also means "to confess" or "to recognize". | |||
Catalan | reconèixer | ||
The verb "reconèixer" also means "to appreciate" or to "show gratitude"} | |||
Croatian | priznati | ||
The verb 'priznati' can also denote 'to confess'. | |||
Danish | anerkende | ||
Anerkende, in Danish, comes from the German verb anerkennen, which comes from the Latin word recognoscere, meaning to "know again" or "remember" | |||
Dutch | erkennen | ||
"Erkennen" means "to confess" or "to identify" in Dutch, but it can also mean "to recognize" or "to acknowledge." | |||
English | acknowledge | ||
The word "acknowledge" derives from the Latin "ad-cognoscere," meaning "to know fully or recognize." | |||
French | reconnaître | ||
"Reconnaître" is derived from the Latin verb "recognoscere," meaning "to know again". | |||
Frisian | erkenne | ||
Erkenne is a Frisian term that can also mean 'find', 'recognize', or 'know'. | |||
Galician | recoñecer | ||
The Galician word "recoñecer" originates from the Latin verb "recognoscere", meaning "to know thoroughly" or "to recognize". | |||
German | bestätigen | ||
"Bestätigen" means "to confirm" or "to verify" in German, and is derived from the Middle High German word "bestæten," meaning "to make firm." | |||
Icelandic | viðurkenna | ||
The Icelandic word "viðurkenna" also means to recognize, admit or confess. | |||
Irish | admháil | ||
The word 'admháil' can also refer to a confession or admission of guilt. | |||
Italian | riconoscere | ||
"Riconoscere", oltre al significato più comune di ammettere come vero l'esistenza di qualcuno o qualcosa, significa anche "ricomprendere" o "riconoscersi". | |||
Luxembourgish | unerkennen | ||
The Luxembourgish term "unerkennen" also means "to recognize" in the sense of admitting or acknowledging the existence or validity of something. | |||
Maltese | irrikonoxxi | ||
The word "irrikonoxxi" is derived from the Latin word "recognoscere" (to recognize), and also means "to admit" or "to confess". | |||
Norwegian | anerkjenne | ||
The Norwegian word "anerkjenne" originally meant to admit something reluctantly. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | reconhecer | ||
In Brazil, the verb "reconhecer" also means to identify with familiarity. | |||
Scots Gaelic | aideachadh | ||
The word "aideachadh" is derived from the Old Gaelic word "aithghein," meaning "to know" or "to recognize." | |||
Spanish | reconocer | ||
"Reconocer" also means to admit, to identify, and to recognize (officially or formally). | |||
Swedish | erkänna | ||
The word "erkänna" in Swedish also means "to recognize", "to admit", or "to confess". | |||
Welsh | cydnabod | ||
In botany, 'cydnabod' is the term given to a flower that is past its prime or on the verge of wilting. |
Belarusian | прызнаць | ||
The word "прызнаць" is also used in Belarusian to refer to the process of registering or officially recognizing someone as a citizen of the country. | |||
Bosnian | priznati | ||
"Priznati" is derived from the Slavic root "pri" (toward) and "znati" (to know), meaning "to come to know" or "to recognize." | |||
Bulgarian | признавам | ||
"Признавам" can also mean "to recognize" or "to admit". | |||
Czech | potvrdit | ||
Potvrdit comes from the Czech "potvrzení," a confirmation and "rdit," to do, making its origin more about doing the confirmation itself rather than a confirmation of some prior event. | |||
Estonian | tunnistama | ||
The verb `tunnistama` derives from the noun `tunnistus`, meaning `confession`, `testimony`, or `evidence`. | |||
Finnish | tunnustaa | ||
"Tunnustaa" shares an origin with "tuntea" (feel) and means "to admit or confess" in a judicial context. | |||
Hungarian | elismerni | ||
Elsmerni derives from Middle Hungarian –ismer (know) and Latin –mere (to know, to see) as a derivative of Proto-Indo-European –mer, –mor (consider). | |||
Latvian | atzīt | ||
Latvian "atzīt" also means "to confess" and "to recognize". | |||
Lithuanian | pripažinti | ||
The word "pripažinti" is derived from the Lithuanian word "pažinti," which means "to know" or "to recognize." | |||
Macedonian | признаваат | ||
The word "признаваат" derives from the Proto-Slavic root "poznati", meaning "to know", and is related to the Russian word "признавать" with the same meaning. | |||
Polish | uznać | ||
The verb `uznać` can also mean `to accept` or `to recognize`. | |||
Romanian | recunoaște | ||
"Recunoaște" comes from the Latin "recognoscere," meaning "to know again," and also means "to recognize" and "to admit." | |||
Russian | признать | ||
The Russian word "признать" can also mean "to recognise", "to admit", or "to confess". | |||
Serbian | признати | ||
The word "признати" (priznati) in Serbian is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "признати" (priznati), meaning "to recognize, admit". | |||
Slovak | potvrdiť | ||
'Potvrdiť' could also mean 'to confirm' or 'to verify'. | |||
Slovenian | priznati | ||
The Serbian adjective 'priznati' also conveys the meaning of 'confessing' and 'admitting'. | |||
Ukrainian | визнати | ||
The word "визнати" in Ukrainian can also mean "to determine". |
Bengali | স্বীকৃতি | ||
স্বীকৃতি is derived from the Sanskrit word स्वीकृति (svīkṛti) meaning 'acceptance' or 'approval'. | |||
Gujarati | સ્વીકારો | ||
The term "સ્વીકારો" has its etymology in the Sanskrit "svīkaroti," meaning "to accept, agree to, or approve of." It is often used in the legal sense to indicate an official or formal recognition of a person or thing. | |||
Hindi | पावती | ||
The word पावती can also mean a receipt, an attestation, or a confirmation. | |||
Kannada | ಅಂಗೀಕರಿಸಿ | ||
The term "ಅಂಗೀಕರಿಸಿ" originates from the Sanskrit word "अभ्यङ्गीकरण" meaning "to bathe or anoint", implying a sense of acceptance and recognition. | |||
Malayalam | അംഗീകരിക്കുക | ||
Marathi | कबूल करा | ||
The word "कबूल करा" or "कबूल करना" in Marathi can also mean "to admit","to confess","to accept","to own up to","to acknowledge"} | |||
Nepali | स्वीकार्नु | ||
The verb "स्वीकार्नु" originally meant to admit a debt or obligation and was derived from the Sanskrit root "svi" meaning "to accept". | |||
Punjabi | ਮੰਨਣਾ | ||
ਮੰਨਣਾ is also an idiom in Punjabi that means to agree with someone without necessarily accepting or liking their ideas. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පිළිගන්න | ||
Tamil | ஒப்புக்கொள் | ||
Telugu | గుర్తించండి | ||
Urdu | تسلیم کریں | ||
In addition to the meaning of acknowledge, the word "تسلیم کریں" can also mean "submit," "hand over," or "leave something to someone." |
Chinese (Simplified) | 确认 | ||
确认 originally meant to look at something (看) and to make sure (认) something is correct, and it still retains that meaning. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 確認 | ||
確認 (Simplified: 确认) is also used in business settings to mean confirmation or verification | |||
Japanese | 認める | ||
The verb 認める can also mean "to consider as authentic" or "to admit (as true)" in the legal context. | |||
Korean | 인정하다 | ||
The word "인정하다" (acknowledge) in Korean also means "to recognize" or "to admit". | |||
Mongolian | хүлээн зөвшөөрөх | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) | အသိအမှတ်ပြု | ||
Indonesian | mengakui | ||
The Indonesian verb 'mengakui' can also mean to 'recognize' or 'admit'. | |||
Javanese | ngakoni | ||
Ngakoni in Javanese also means "to confess a crime". | |||
Khmer | ទទួលស្គាល់ | ||
Lao | ຮັບຮູ້ | ||
The word ຮັບຮູ້, meaning "to acknowledge", is a loanword from Pali, where it originally meant "to understand". | |||
Malay | mengakui | ||
The Malay word "mengakui" is derived from the Arabic word "aqrara", which means "to confess" or "to admit". | |||
Thai | รับทราบ | ||
The Thai word "รับทราบ" can also mean "to be aware of", "to understand", or "to agree". | |||
Vietnamese | công nhận | ||
"Công nhận" means "acknowledge" in English and has the same etymology as "cognizance". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | kilalanin | ||
Azerbaijani | etiraf et | ||
The word "etiraf et" literally means "to make confession" or "to admit". | |||
Kazakh | мойындау | ||
The Kazakh word "мойындау" can also mean "to confess" or "to admit guilt." | |||
Kyrgyz | моюнга алуу | ||
The Kyrgyz word "моюнга алуу" also refers to the acceptance of guilt or responsibility. | |||
Tajik | эътироф | ||
The word "эътироф" in Tajik is derived from the Persian word "اعترف" (e'(ə)terāf), meaning "to admit" or "to confess." | |||
Turkmen | ykrar et | ||
Uzbek | tan olish | ||
The word "tan olish" in Uzbek can also mean "to confess" or "to admit". | |||
Uyghur | ئېتىراپ قىلىڭ | ||
Hawaiian | ʻae | ||
ʻAe also means "to assent, to nod the head affirmatively, or to consent." | |||
Maori | whakaae | ||
Whakaae's literal translation is "to make an echo" and derives from the word "ae," which means "echo" in Maori. | |||
Samoan | faailoa | ||
"Faailoa" is derived from the Proto-Polynesian word *fakailoga, meaning "to make known". | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | kilalanin | ||
'Kilalanin' also means 'recognize,' 'acknowledge,' 'accept,' 'approve,' and 'admit'. |
Aymara | uñt'aña | ||
Guarani | jehechakuaa | ||
Esperanto | agnoski | ||
The word "agnoski" also means "to notice" or "to recognize" in Esperanto. | |||
Latin | agnosces, | ||
The word "agnosces" in Latin can also mean "confess" or "admit". |
Greek | αναγνωρίζω | ||
The verb "αναγνωρίζω" comes from the joining of the prefix "ανα-" (back, again) and the verb "γνωρίζω" (to know), so it means "to know again", "to rediscover" and "to come to know someone." | |||
Hmong | lees paub | ||
The Hmong word “lees paub” can also mean to “understand clearly”, depending on its phonetic pronunciation. | |||
Kurdish | nasîn | ||
The Kurdish word "nasîn" also means "to perceive" and "to recognize" in other contexts. | |||
Turkish | kabul etmek | ||
The word ‘kabul etmek’ can also mean ‘admit’ and ‘accept’ | |||
Xhosa | vuma | ||
"Vuma" can also mean "to agree" or "to consent". | |||
Yiddish | באַשטעטיקן | ||
The Yiddish word "באַשטעטיקן" also means "to confirm" or "to verify". | |||
Zulu | vuma | ||
The word 'vuma' in the Zulu language, meaning 'acknowledge', is derived from the Proto-Bantu word '*-vum(b)-' which also means 'agree' or 'accept'. | |||
Assamese | স্বীকাৰ কৰা | ||
Aymara | uñt'aña | ||
Bhojpuri | स्वीकार कईल | ||
Dhivehi | ބަލައިގަތުން | ||
Dogri | रसीद देना | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | kilalanin | ||
Guarani | jehechakuaa | ||
Ilocano | bigbigen | ||
Krio | no | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | دان پێدانان | ||
Maithili | स्वीकार करनाइ | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯛꯈꯪꯕ | ||
Mizo | hriatpui | ||
Oromo | hubannoo kennuu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ସ୍ୱୀକାର କର | | ||
Quechua | riqsiy | ||
Sanskrit | सञ्जानीते | ||
Tatar | танырга | ||
Tigrinya | ምስጋና | ||
Tsonga | amukela | ||