Answer in Different Languages
Discover 'Answer' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'answer' holds a significant place in our daily conversations and thought processes. It represents the resolution to a question, the clarification of uncertainty, and the completion of a thought. Throughout history, the pursuit of answers has driven innovation, discovery, and cultural evolution. From Socrates' philosophical dialogues to the scientific method, the quest for answers has shaped human history.
Given the cultural importance of answers, it's no surprise that people across the globe seek to understand this concept in their native languages. The word 'answer' can be translated into various languages, each with its unique cultural and linguistic nuances.
For instance, in Spanish, the word for 'answer' is 'respuesta,' which stems from the verb 'responder,' meaning 'to respond.' In German, 'answer' becomes 'Antwort,' reflecting the language's rich history of philosophical and scientific inquiry.
Stay tuned to explore more translations of the word 'answer' in different languages and delve into the fascinating cultural contexts they represent.
Answer
Answer in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | antwoord | ||
| The Dutch word "antwoord" means both "answer" and a specific type of mathematical equation with multiple solutions. | |||
| Amharic | መልስ | ||
| The root word 'መል' ('mel') denotes 'to say' or 'to speak' which evolved into 'reply', 'return', and 'exchange', among other meanings, which may derive from Proto-Semitic '*ML' with a similar sense. | |||
| Hausa | amsa | ||
| The Hausa word "amsa" can also mean "share" or "portion". | |||
| Igbo | azịza | ||
| The word "azịza" can also mean "to solve a problem" or "to make a decision". | |||
| Malagasy | valiny | ||
| Valiny comes from the Sanskrit word "valana", meaning "rejection or turning away". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | yankhani | ||
| Though 'yankhani' literally means 'to open the mouth' in Nyanja, it is frequently used to describe a specific verbal response. | |||
| Shona | pindura | ||
| 'Pindura' also means 'to hang' or 'to suspend'. | |||
| Somali | jawaab | ||
| Although commonly used for "answer," "jawaab" also means "reply" or "message" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | araba | ||
| "Araba" also means "to agree" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | jibu | ||
| "Jibu" also has meanings like reply or a solution in English. | |||
| Xhosa | phendula | ||
| The word 'phendula' comes from the verb stem '-phend-' which means 'to pay' or 'to give'. | |||
| Yoruba | idahun | ||
| In its primary usage, “Idahun” refers to the verbal response to a question but it can also mean a solution to a problem | |||
| Zulu | phendula | ||
| The Zulu word "phendula" also means "to respond" or "to reply". | |||
| Bambara | jaabi | ||
| Ewe | ŋuɖoɖo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | igisubizo | ||
| Lingala | eyano | ||
| Luganda | okuddamu | ||
| Sepedi | karabo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | anoyie | ||
Answer in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | إجابة | ||
| The word "إجابة" can also mean "reply" or "response" in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | תשובה | ||
| תשובה (Teshuva, 'return'), means 'answer' but is also a term in Judaism that signifies 'repentance'. | |||
| Pashto | ځواب | ||
| The Pashto word "ځواب" (answer) also means "reply" or "response" and is derived from the Persian word "جواب" with the same meaning. | |||
| Arabic | إجابة | ||
| The word "إجابة" can also mean "reply" or "response" in Arabic. | |||
Answer in Western European Languages
| Albanian | përgjigje | ||
| In Albanian, "përgjigje" can also mean "response" or "reply". | |||
| Basque | erantzun | ||
| The Basque word "erantzun" is derived from the Proto-Basque root *er- "to give" and the suffix -tzun "action, result". | |||
| Catalan | contesta | ||
| In Latin, the verb "contestare" means to "bear witness" or "give evidence". | |||
| Croatian | odgovor | ||
| The word "odgovor" in Croatian comes from the Proto-Slavic root *otъgovorъ, meaning "to speak against". | |||
| Danish | svar | ||
| The Danish word "svar" is cognate with the English word "sware", which means to make an oath or solemn declaration. | |||
| Dutch | antwoord | ||
| From Proto-Germanic *andwaran "to return a reply, to speak back", from PIE root *h₁weh₂- "to say, to speak". | |||
| English | answer | ||
| The word 'answer' is derived from the Old English word 'andswarian', meaning 'to respond' or 'to speak in return'. | |||
| French | répondre | ||
| "Répondre" comes from the Latin "respondere", meaning "to promise". | |||
| Frisian | antwurd | ||
| The word "antwurd" is a compound of the words "and" (against) and "wurden" (to become), meaning to oppose or counter an argument. | |||
| Galician | resposta | ||
| In the Galician language, the word "resposta" can also mean "reply" or "response". | |||
| German | antworten | ||
| In German, "Antworten" originally meant "to address" or "to speak opposite to someone". | |||
| Icelandic | svara | ||
| In Icelandic, the archaic word "svör" means "answer"; it is cognate with "svara" in Sanskrit and "svār" in Old Norse. | |||
| Irish | freagra | ||
| The word "freagra" can also mean "return" or "response". | |||
| Italian | risposta | ||
| In Italian, "risposta" can also mean a "witness's statement" or a "musical response" in a call and response pattern. | |||
| Luxembourgish | äntweren | ||
| The verb 'äntweren' originates from the Old High German word 'antwurten' meaning 'to reply, to answer back'. | |||
| Maltese | risposta | ||
| "Risposta" is derived from the Italian word "risposta," meaning "response," and is related to the Maltese word "risposta," meaning "reply." | |||
| Norwegian | svar | ||
| The word 'svar' can also refer to 'response', 'reply', 'reaction', or 'opinion' | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | responda | ||
| The word "responda" in Portuguese can also mean "response" or "reply". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | freagairt | ||
| The word "freagairt" in Scots Gaelic comes from the Old Irish word "freagra", meaning "reply" or "response". | |||
| Spanish | responder | ||
| "Responder" can also mean "to be responsible" or "to react" in Spanish. | |||
| Swedish | svar | ||
| The word 'svar' originates from the Old Norse word 'svar' meaning 'proof' or 'evidence'. | |||
| Welsh | ateb | ||
| Ateb is also used to refer to a specific part of a traditional Welsh house, which serves as a sitting or sleeping area. | |||
Answer in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | адказаць | ||
| The word "адказаць" originates from the Proto-Slavic word *otkazati, meaning "to refuse" or "to reject". | |||
| Bosnian | odgovor | ||
| The word "odgovor" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "otъgovorъ", meaning "answer" or "solution". | |||
| Bulgarian | отговор | ||
| The word "отговор" also means "excuse" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | odpovědět | ||
| The word "Odpovědět" is derived from the Czech word "odpovědět", which means "to give an answer or reply." | |||
| Estonian | vastus | ||
| Vastus is also used in Estonian to refer to a response to a question or request. | |||
| Finnish | vastaus | ||
| The word "vastaus" is also the imperative form of the verb "vastata", meaning "to respond" or "to answer". | |||
| Hungarian | válasz | ||
| The word "válasz" comes from the Proto-Uralic word *walita-, meaning "to say". | |||
| Latvian | atbildi | ||
| The verb 'atbildi' can also refer to 'replying' or 'responding'. | |||
| Lithuanian | atsakyti | ||
| The word “atsakyti” is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂eḱ-, which also means “to say” or “to speak”. In Lithuanian, the word “atsakyti” can also mean “to reply”, “to respond”, or “to react”. | |||
| Macedonian | одговор | ||
| The word "одговор" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "отъговоръ", meaning "retaliation" or "punishment". | |||
| Polish | odpowiedź | ||
| The word "odpowiedź" is derived from the Old Polish verb "odpowiedzieć", meaning "to sing back". | |||
| Romanian | răspuns | ||
| Răspuns in Romanian also means a type of folk song in Transylvania and Banat, Romania | |||
| Russian | ответ | ||
| The Russian word "ответ" derives from the Slavic "отъвѣтъ" meaning "retribution" or "counteraction". | |||
| Serbian | одговор | ||
| In Serbian, 'odgovor' can also refer to 'response', 'reply' or 'reaction'. | |||
| Slovak | odpoveď | ||
| The word "odpoveď" also means "response" and comes from the verb "odpovedať," meaning "to answer" or "to respond." | |||
| Slovenian | odgovor | ||
| "Odgovor" is a derivative of the verb "odgovoriti", meaning "to un-speak" (i.e. "to answer") in Slovene. | |||
| Ukrainian | відповідь | ||
| The Ukrainian word "відповідь" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *otvĕtъ, meaning "reply, response" or "message". | |||
Answer in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | উত্তর | ||
| উত্তর derives from the Sanskrit word 'uttara' meaning 'to cross over' or 'to respond'. | |||
| Gujarati | જવાબ | ||
| The word "જવાબ" in Gujarati originates from the Sanskrit word "jawab" meaning "response" and can also mean "reply" or "reaction" in certain contexts. | |||
| Hindi | उत्तर | ||
| The Hindi word 'उत्तर' also means 'North' in Sanskrit and is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root 'h₂wert-' meaning 'to turn, or overturn'. | |||
| Kannada | ಉತ್ತರ | ||
| "ಉತ್ತರ" (uttara) can also mean "north" or "reply" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ഉത്തരം | ||
| ഉത്തരം can also mean the north direction or a response to a question | |||
| Marathi | उत्तर | ||
| The Marathi word 'उत्तर' also means 'to cross' or 'to pass'. | |||
| Nepali | उत्तर | ||
| The Nepali word 'उत्तर' can also refer to the north direction, while its Sanskrit origin means 'to deliver'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਜਵਾਬ | ||
| The word "ਜਵਾਬ" can also mean "receipt" or "reply" in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පිළිතුර | ||
| The word "පිළිතුර" has many other meanings in Sinhala including "response", "reply", "rebuttal", and "explanation" | |||
| Tamil | பதில் | ||
| The Tamil word "பதில்" also means "the act of replacing something." | |||
| Telugu | సమాధానం | ||
| In Telugu, "సమాధానం" also holds the alternate meaning of "the act of comforting somebody". | |||
| Urdu | جواب | ||
| جواب is derived from the Arabic word 'jawab' meaning 'reply' or 'response', and also means 'recompense' or 'punishment' in Urdu. | |||
Answer in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 回答 | ||
| "回答" also means to "respond" or "reply." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 回答 | ||
| In Chinese, the word "回答" also means to reply or to respond to a question or request. | |||
| Japanese | 回答 | ||
| The kanji 答 in 回答 can also mean to | |||
| Korean | 대답 | ||
| The term is derived from the native Korean word 타갑 or 타땋 (takap, tadap) meaning "to say." | |||
| Mongolian | хариулт | ||
| "Хариулт" derives from the verb "харих" (to say, to speak) and can also mean "speech" or "statement". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အဖြေ | ||
| The word "အဖြေ" is derived from the Pali word "uttarā", meaning "reply", or "response". | |||
Answer in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | menjawab | ||
| "Answer" (menjawab) in Indonesian also means "to respond" and derives from the Sanskrit word "jñā" meaning "to know". | |||
| Javanese | wangsulan | ||
| Wangsulan can also mean the final part of a Javanese theatrical performance, similar to the epilogue of a play. | |||
| Khmer | ចម្លើយ | ||
| The word ចម្លើយ is also used to refer to an oath or affirmation, a response to a question or challenge, or a solution to a problem or puzzle. | |||
| Lao | ຕອບ | ||
| The Lao word "ຕອບ" can also refer to a reply or response, and is related to the Thai word "ตอบ" with the same meaning. | |||
| Malay | jawapan | ||
| The word also means "the act of chewing" in Old Javanese, a language from which Malay likely borrowed the term | |||
| Thai | ตอบ | ||
| "ตอบ" also refers to responding to a request or offer. | |||
| Vietnamese | câu trả lời | ||
| The Vietnamese word "câu trả lời" can also mean "a response" or "a solution". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sagot | ||
Answer in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | cavab ver | ||
| It is cognate with Persian "gofte"(said), from Middle Persian "guftan"(speak). | |||
| Kazakh | жауап | ||
| In Kazakh, "жауап" can also refer to a response, a reply, or a solution. | |||
| Kyrgyz | жооп | ||
| "Жооп" means "answer" in Kyrgyz and is related to the Turkish word "cevap." | |||
| Tajik | ҷавоб | ||
| The word "ҷавоб" in Tajik is derived from the Persian word "جواب" (jawāb), which means "reply" or "response". It can also mean "solution" or "explanation" in some contexts. | |||
| Turkmen | jogap ber | ||
| Uzbek | javob bering | ||
| The word "javob bering" in Uzbek can also mean "to respond" or "to react". | |||
| Uyghur | جاۋاب | ||
Answer in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pane | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word "pane" can also refer to a flat surface or a wall. | |||
| Maori | whakautu | ||
| In Māori, "whakautu" also refers to a response to a call, an echo, or a reply to a prayer. | |||
| Samoan | tali | ||
| "Tali" also means "to lift up" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | sagot | ||
| The root word of "sagot" is "sag" which means "reply to a question or request". In many contexts, it could mean "respond" in general without requiring a direct question. | |||
Answer in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jaysawi | ||
| Guarani | mbohovái | ||
Answer in International Languages
| Esperanto | respondu | ||
| The Esperanto word 'respondu' is derived from the French word 'répondre', meaning to answer. | |||
| Latin | responsum | ||
| The Latin word "responsum" can also refer to an utterance or opinion from a god or another supernatural being, particularly in the context of divination or prophecy. | |||
Answer in Others Languages
| Greek | απάντηση | ||
| Greek απάντηση derives from the root "αντ-" meaning "against", so the word literally means "against-statement". | |||
| Hmong | teb | ||
| The Hmong word "teb" also has other meanings such as agreement, reply, or response. | |||
| Kurdish | bersiv | ||
| The word "bersiv" in Kurdish is derived from the Persian word "pasokh", meaning "answer" or "response". | |||
| Turkish | cevap | ||
| Cevap, meaning "side" in Turkish, derives from the Arabic "jawāb" meaning "reply". | |||
| Xhosa | phendula | ||
| The word 'phendula' comes from the verb stem '-phend-' which means 'to pay' or 'to give'. | |||
| Yiddish | ענטפֿערן | ||
| The Yiddish word "ענטפֿערן" is derived from the German word "antworten", meaning "to respond". | |||
| Zulu | phendula | ||
| The Zulu word "phendula" also means "to respond" or "to reply". | |||
| Assamese | উত্তৰ | ||
| Aymara | jaysawi | ||
| Bhojpuri | जबाब | ||
| Dhivehi | ޖަވާބު | ||
| Dogri | परता | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sagot | ||
| Guarani | mbohovái | ||
| Ilocano | sungbat | ||
| Krio | ansa | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | وەڵام | ||
| Maithili | उत्तर | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯥꯎꯈꯨꯝ | ||
| Mizo | chhanna | ||
| Oromo | deebii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଉତ୍ତର ଦିଅ | ||
| Quechua | kutichiy | ||
| Sanskrit | उत्तरम् | ||
| Tatar | җавап | ||
| Tigrinya | መልሲ | ||
| Tsonga | nhlamulo | ||