Activist in Different Languages
Discover 'Activist' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
An activist is a person who vigorously campaigns for a cause, whether it's social, political, or environmental. Activists are the driving force behind change, using their voices and actions to bring attention to important issues and to advocate for solutions. The significance of activists cannot be overstated, as they have played a crucial role in shaping the course of history and bringing about progress in societies around the world.
Activism has a long and rich cultural history, with roots in social justice movements such as civil rights, women's suffrage, and labor rights. Activists have used a variety of tactics to effect change, from peaceful protests and civil disobedience to grassroots organizing and political advocacy. In recent years, activism has taken on new forms, with the rise of social media and online organizing.
Understanding the translation of the word 'activist' in different languages can be a powerful way to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and to build a global community of changemakers. Here are a few examples:
- Spanish: activista
- French: activiste
- German: Aktivist
- Mandarin: 活动家 (huó dòng jiā)
- Russian: активист (aktivist)
Stay tuned for more translations of the word 'activist' and learn how you can get involved in social justice movements around the world.
Activist
Activist in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | aktivis | ||
| The Afrikaans word "aktivis" can also mean "shareholder" in the context of a legal entity. | |||
| Amharic | አክቲቪስት | ||
| The word “አክቲቪስት” is derived from the Latin word “agere”, which means “to do” or “to act.” | |||
| Hausa | mai fafutuka | ||
| "Maifafutuka" can also mean a person who is constantly causing trouble. | |||
| Igbo | onye mmume | ||
| Literally means "one who stands" or "one who makes a stand" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | mafana fo | ||
| The Malagasy word "mafana fo" can also mean "one who heats up" or "one who is hot". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wotsutsa | ||
| The word 'wotsutsa' also means 'one who is always complaining' in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | muratidziri | ||
| The word "muratidziri" in Shona is derived from the verb "kurudzira," meaning "to mobilize," and refers to someone who is actively involved in organizing and mobilizing others for a cause. | |||
| Somali | dhaqdhaqaaqe | ||
| The word "dhaqdhaqaaqe" also means "agitation" or "movement" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | moitseki | ||
| The term "moitseki" literally translates to "one who makes noise". | |||
| Swahili | mwanaharakati | ||
| In Swahili, the word 'mwanaharakati' can also refer to a dissident or someone who promotes a particular cause. | |||
| Xhosa | itshantliziyo | ||
| The word "itshantliziyo" originates from the Xhosa word "itshantlizi", which means "one who speaks for others." | |||
| Yoruba | ajafitafita | ||
| The word 'ajafitafita' in Yoruba is also used to describe a person who is always on the go or who is very busy. | |||
| Zulu | isishoshovu | ||
| The word 'isishoshovu' can also mean 'someone who is always up to something' or 'a troublemaker'. | |||
| Bambara | walekɛla | ||
| Ewe | ʋiʋlila | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umurwanashyaka | ||
| Lingala | activiste ya mosala | ||
| Luganda | omulwanirizi w’eddembe | ||
| Sepedi | molwela-tokologo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔdeyɛfo | ||
Activist in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ناشط | ||
| The word "ناشط" in Arabic also means "active" in English. | |||
| Hebrew | פעיל | ||
| The word "פעיל" (activist) in Hebrew also means "verb" and "active". | |||
| Pashto | فعال | ||
| In Pashto, "فعال" (activist) shares its root with the word for "deed" or "action" (فعل), emphasizing the active role of activists. | |||
| Arabic | ناشط | ||
| The word "ناشط" in Arabic also means "active" in English. | |||
Activist in Western European Languages
| Albanian | aktivist | ||
| Aktivist comes from the Latin 'activus' ('energetic'), which also gave Albania 'aktiv', meaning to do, carry out or execute. | |||
| Basque | aktibista | ||
| It is derived from the Latin word | |||
| Catalan | activista | ||
| The Catalan "activista" comes from the Latin "activus", meaning "in action" or "diligent." | |||
| Croatian | aktivista | ||
| The word 'aktivista' in Croatian is influenced by the German language, but with an added twist: it's often used in place of 'borac' ('fighter'), a more militant alternative. | |||
| Danish | aktivist | ||
| The word "aktivist" in Danish can also refer to a member of a citizens' militia or a volunteer in a political organization. | |||
| Dutch | activist | ||
| Activist is derived from the Latin verb "agere", which means "to do". It was first used in the early 19th century to refer to someone who was actively involved in a cause or movement. | |||
| English | activist | ||
| The word "activist" originally referred to someone who was politically active, but has since come to be used more broadly to refer to anyone who is engaged in a cause or movement. | |||
| French | activiste | ||
| The French word "activiste" can also refer to a very active person, in the sense of someone who is always on the go. | |||
| Frisian | aktivist | ||
| The Frisian word "aktivist" also means "person who is active in a political party or movement". | |||
| Galician | activista | ||
| In Galician, "activista" also means "activist" or "supporter of a cause". | |||
| German | aktivist | ||
| In German, "Aktivist" carries the additional meaning of "reserve soldier" or "militiaman". | |||
| Icelandic | aðgerðarsinni | ||
| The Icelandic word "aðgerðarsinni" originally meant "someone who is willing to take action". | |||
| Irish | gníomhaí | ||
| Italian | attivista | ||
| The Italian word "attivista" comes from the Latin word "agere", meaning "to do" | |||
| Luxembourgish | aktivist | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Aktivist" can also refer to a member of a political party or trade union. | |||
| Maltese | attivist | ||
| The word "attivist" in Maltese is also used to describe a member of the clergy. | |||
| Norwegian | aktivist | ||
| The Norwegian word 'aktivist' does not have any alternate meanings, however the word derives from the Latin word 'activus' meaning 'active' | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | ativista | ||
| In Brazil, the equivalent of 'activist', 'ativista', is also used to refer someone who bets or plays very often in a game. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | gnìomhaiche | ||
| Spanish | activista | ||
| Activista may also mean "shareholder" in some Latin American countries. | |||
| Swedish | aktivist | ||
| The Swedish word "aktivist" can also refer to a shareholder who exercises their voting rights. | |||
| Welsh | actifydd | ||
| The word 'actifydd' is etymologically related to 'actio' (Latin for 'action') and also means 'actor' in Welsh. | |||
Activist in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | актывіст | ||
| As well as meaning "activist", "актывіст" also refers to an individual who takes a significant role in the public activities of a particular collective. | |||
| Bosnian | aktivista | ||
| The word "aktivista" in Bosnian can also refer to a member of a political party or organization. | |||
| Bulgarian | активист | ||
| В болгарском языке слово "активист" используется не только для обозначения активиста, но и для обозначения сотрудника силовых структур. | |||
| Czech | aktivista | ||
| In Czech 'aktivista' is used also about a political candidate in a communist party or an athlete in a socialist sport society. | |||
| Estonian | aktivist | ||
| In Estonian, the word "aktivist" can also refer to a member of a committee or delegation. | |||
| Finnish | aktivisti | ||
| In Finnish, "aktivisti" can also refer to a member of an academic student organisation or a political movement. | |||
| Hungarian | aktivista | ||
| In Hungarian, "aktivista" also refers to a member of a political party or organization who is particularly active in its activities. | |||
| Latvian | aktīvists | ||
| In Latvian, "aktīvists" also means a "member of a voluntary organization" | |||
| Lithuanian | aktyvistas | ||
| "Aktyvistas" originally meant "active person" before acquiring its current meaning. | |||
| Macedonian | активист | ||
| The Macedonian word "активист" is a loanword from Russian and is used to describe a person who is actively involved in a cause or movement. | |||
| Polish | aktywista | ||
| The word "aktywista" (activist) derives from the Latin word "activus" (active), suggesting a person who is actively engaged in a cause or pursuit. | |||
| Romanian | activist | ||
| « Activist » în română se traduce prin « activist », dar poate însemna și « militant », « luptător » sau « persoană angajată într-un domeniu specific ». | |||
| Russian | активист | ||
| Russian "активист" also means someone who buys shares in a company to influence its management | |||
| Serbian | активиста | ||
| The Serbian word "активиста" originates from the Latin word "activus", meaning "active". | |||
| Slovak | aktivista | ||
| "Aktivista" is also the name of a popular 1937 Slovak film. | |||
| Slovenian | aktivistka | ||
| Aktivistka is a feminine form of the Slovenian word for "activist", which can also mean "volunteer" or "campaigner". | |||
| Ukrainian | активіст | ||
| The Ukrainian word "активіст" also means "asset". | |||
Activist in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | কর্মী | ||
| The word 'কর্মী' (activist) in Bengali also means 'worker' or 'employee'. | |||
| Gujarati | કાર્યકર | ||
| The term was first coined by a 19th century Marathi journalist and writer Mahadev Govind Ranade. | |||
| Hindi | कार्यकर्ता | ||
| The Hindi word "कार्यकर्ता" (pronounced "karyakarta") is derived from the Sanskrit word "कर्म" (pronounced "karma"), meaning "action" or "work", and "कर्ता" (pronounced "karta"), meaning "doer" or "actor." | |||
| Kannada | ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತ | ||
| The word "ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "कार्य," meaning "work" or "action." | |||
| Malayalam | ആക്ടിവിസ്റ്റ് | ||
| Marathi | कार्यकर्ता | ||
| कार्यकर्ता' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'karma', which means 'action', and '-karta', which means 'doer', hence it literally means 'one who acts'. | |||
| Nepali | कार्यकर्ता | ||
| The Nepali word "कार्यकर्ता" can also mean "worker" or "employee". | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਾਰਕੁਨ | ||
| The word "ਕਾਰਕੁਨ" (activist) is derived from the Sanskrit word "कार्यकर्ता" (kāryakartā), which means "one who performs an action". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ක්රියාකාරිකයා | ||
| Tamil | ஆர்வலர் | ||
| Telugu | కార్యకర్త | ||
| కార్యకర్త refers to an individual who is engaged in an organized or systematic manner in an activity or cause. | |||
| Urdu | کارکن | ||
| The word "کارکن" (activist) in Urdu is derived from the Persian word "کار" (work) and the suffix "کن" (doer), suggesting someone who engages in action or activism. | |||
Activist in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 活动家 | ||
| The word 活动家 is derived from the verb 活动, meaning to be active or to move, and is often used to describe someone who is politically or socially engaged. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 活動家 | ||
| 活動家一詞在中文中源自日語，原指「有活動熱情的人」，後延伸為「社會活動家」或「政治活動家」等含義。 | |||
| Japanese | 活動家 | ||
| The word "活動家" (activist) in Japanese can have a more radical connotation than its English counterpart, sometimes referring to political extremists or even terrorists. | |||
| Korean | 활동가 | ||
| The word "활동가" can also refer to a "campaigner" or "advocate". | |||
| Mongolian | идэвхтэн | ||
| The term "идэвхтэн" (activist) derives from the Mongolian root "идэвх" (activity, diligence), and can also refer to an "activator" or "energizer" in a chemical or physical context. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တက်ကြွလှုပ်ရှားသူ | ||
Activist in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | aktivis | ||
| The word "aktivis" derives from the Dutch "activist" and originally meant "a person who takes an active part in politics". | |||
| Javanese | aktivis | ||
| The word 'aktivis' in Javanese can also refer to a 'participant in a ritual' or a 'performer of a task'. | |||
| Khmer | សកម្មជន | ||
| In Khmer, "សកម្មជន" (sakhammchon) also carries the connotation of "political activist" or "protester". | |||
| Lao | ນັກເຄື່ອນໄຫວ | ||
| Malay | aktivis | ||
| The Malay word "aktivis" can also refer to a labor union member or a political party member. | |||
| Thai | นักเคลื่อนไหว | ||
| นักเคลื่อนไหว is the word for "activist" in the Thai language, but it can also mean "animator" as a person who brings something to life or gives it motion. | |||
| Vietnamese | nhà hoạt động | ||
| The word "nhà hoạt động" also means "entrepreneur" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | aktibista | ||
Activist in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | aktivist | ||
| In Azerbaijani, aktivist can also mean | |||
| Kazakh | белсенді | ||
| The word "белсенді" comes from the Kazakh verb "белсендіру", which means "to activate" or "to make active". | |||
| Kyrgyz | активист | ||
| The word "активист" can also refer to a person who is particularly active in a particular field or activity. | |||
| Tajik | фаъол | ||
| Originally deriving from Arabic, "фаъол" has other meanings besides "activist" such as "subject," "doer," and "agent." | |||
| Turkmen | aktiwist | ||
| Uzbek | faol | ||
| The word "faol" in Uzbek is derived from the Arabic word "fa'ala", meaning "to do" or "to work". | |||
| Uyghur | پائالىيەتچى | ||
Activist in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoʻouluulu | ||
| The word "hoʻouluulu" is also used to refer to a gathering or assembly of people, particularly for political or social purposes. | |||
| Maori | kaiwhakahauhau | ||
| The word "kaiwhakahauhau" in Māori is a combination of "kai" (eater), "whaka" (to make), and "hauhau" (noise), representing the idea of making a lot of noise to express one's beliefs or demands. | |||
| Samoan | toa | ||
| In Samoan, "toa" also means "warrior" or "champion." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | aktibista | ||
| The Tagalog word "aktibista" derives from the Spanish "activista" and originally referred to political partisans in the 19th century. | |||
Activist in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | activista ukhamawa | ||
| Guarani | activista rehegua | ||
Activist in International Languages
| Esperanto | aktivulo | ||
| Aktivulo, esperanto for activist, originates from the word aktiv, which means active. | |||
| Latin | bellatrix activist | ||
| An 'activist', also known as bellatrix, is a woman with strong views, who fights for her beliefs. | |||
Activist in Others Languages
| Greek | ακτιβιστής | ||
| The word ακτιβιστής is derived from the Ancient Greek word ακτίς meaning "ray" or "beam" | |||
| Hmong | neeg nquag | ||
| The term "neeg nquag" can also refer to someone who is a supporter or advocate for a certain cause or group. | |||
| Kurdish | dilxwaz | ||
| The term 'dilxwaz' has its origin in the Kurdish language and means 'heart-pleasing'. | |||
| Turkish | aktivist | ||
| In Turkish, the word "aktivist" also refers to a business asset. | |||
| Xhosa | itshantliziyo | ||
| The word "itshantliziyo" originates from the Xhosa word "itshantlizi", which means "one who speaks for others." | |||
| Yiddish | אקטיוויסט | ||
| The Yiddish word "אקטיוויסט" (activist) derives from the English word "activist," which in turn derives from the Latin word "agere," meaning "to act." | |||
| Zulu | isishoshovu | ||
| The word 'isishoshovu' can also mean 'someone who is always up to something' or 'a troublemaker'. | |||
| Assamese | কৰ্মী | ||
| Aymara | activista ukhamawa | ||
| Bhojpuri | कार्यकर्ता के ह | ||
| Dhivehi | އެކްޓިވިސްޓް އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | एक्टिविस्ट ने दी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | aktibista | ||
| Guarani | activista rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | aktibista | ||
| Krio | aktivist we de wok fɔ di gɔvmɛnt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | چالاکوانێک | ||
| Maithili | कार्यकर्ता | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯦꯛꯇꯤꯕꯤꯁ꯭ꯠ ꯑꯣꯏꯈꯤ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | activist a ni | ||
| Oromo | aktivistii ta’e | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକର୍ତ୍ତା | ||
| Quechua | activista nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | कार्यकर्ता | ||
| Tatar | активист | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣክቲቪስት | ||
| Tsonga | mulwela-vutomi | ||