Argue in Different Languages
Discover 'Argue' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Arguing is a fundamental aspect of human communication and interaction. It allows us to express our opinions, clarify our thoughts, and engage in productive debate. The significance of arguing extends beyond our personal lives and into the realm of culture, politics, and philosophy. In many ways, the ability to argue effectively is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy and a thriving intellectual community.
Throughout history, great thinkers and leaders have used arguments to shape society and drive progress. From the courtroom to the classroom, the boardroom to the living room, arguing is a skill that is highly valued and widely practiced. But while the basic concept of arguing may be universal, the way we go about it can vary greatly from one culture to another.
Understanding the translations of 'argue' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and communication styles of people around the world. Here are just a few examples:
- In Spanish, 'argue' is 'discutir', which also means 'to discuss' or 'to debate'.
- In French, 'argue' is 'argumenter', which has a more formal connotation and is often used in legal or academic contexts.
- In German, 'argue' is 'streiten', which can also mean 'to quarrel' or 'to fight'.
- In Mandarin Chinese, 'argue' is '辩论 (biàn lùn)', which emphasizes the logical and rational aspects of debate.
Argue
Argue in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | stry | ||
| In Afrikaans, 'stry' can also refer to a fight or dispute, reflecting its historical connection to the Dutch word 'strijd' which has the same meaning. | |||
| Amharic | ብለው ይከራከሩ | ||
| The term “ብሎ ይከራከሩ” is also used to refer to an exchange of views or ideas. | |||
| Hausa | yi jayayya | ||
| The word 'yi jayayya' can also mean 'to disagree' or 'to have a different opinion'. | |||
| Igbo | na-arụ ụka | ||
| The verb "na-arụ ụka" means "to argue," but it also implies a sense of disagreement or conflict. | |||
| Malagasy | miady hevitra | ||
| The Malagasy word "miady hevitra" can also mean "to discuss" or "to debate". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kukangana | ||
| The word "kukangana" also means "to quarrel" or "to dispute". | |||
| Shona | nharo | ||
| "Nharo" can also mean "remonstrate, dispute, quarrel, contest, debate, plead, wrangle, protest, object, challenge or contradict." | |||
| Somali | doodid | ||
| The word "doodid" can also mean "to persuade" or "to convince". | |||
| Sesotho | ngangisana | ||
| The word "ngangisana" is derived from the Sesotho word "nganga", which means "to talk loudly or aggressively". | |||
| Swahili | kubishana | ||
| The word "kubishana" comes from the root "bishana", meaning "to quarrel or dispute". | |||
| Xhosa | phikisa | ||
| Phikisa, meaning 'argue' in Xhosa, also refers to a traditional Xhosa dance and a type of grass used for thatching. | |||
| Yoruba | jiyan | ||
| The Yoruba word "jiyan" also means "to speak strongly" or "to speak persistently." | |||
| Zulu | phikisana | ||
| The term 'phikisana' also means 'to be entangled', suggesting the idea of two people being intertwined in a verbal battle. | |||
| Bambara | ka sɔsɔli kɛ | ||
| Ewe | he nya | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gutongana | ||
| Lingala | kosolola | ||
| Luganda | okuwakana | ||
| Sepedi | ngangišana | ||
| Twi (Akan) | gye kyin | ||
Argue in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تجادل | ||
| The Arabic word "تجادل" derives from the root "ج د ل" which also means "to twist" or "to weave", suggesting a connection between argumentation and the intricate nature of discourse. | |||
| Hebrew | לִטעוֹן | ||
| The Hebrew verb "לִטעוֹן" can also mean "to load" or "to charge" (a battery or device). | |||
| Pashto | بحث وکړئ | ||
| The word "بحث وکړئ" is derived from the Arabic word "بحث" meaning "investigation" or "debate". It can also mean "to consult" or "to deliberate". | |||
| Arabic | تجادل | ||
| The Arabic word "تجادل" derives from the root "ج د ل" which also means "to twist" or "to weave", suggesting a connection between argumentation and the intricate nature of discourse. | |||
Argue in Western European Languages
| Albanian | argumentoj | ||
| The word "argumentoj" comes from the Latin "argumentum", meaning "reasoning" or "proof". | |||
| Basque | argudiatu | ||
| The Basque word "argudiatu" comes from the Latin "argumentari", which means "to prove or demonstrate," or "to put forth arguments." | |||
| Catalan | discutir | ||
| Originated from the Latin ``discutere'', which means ``to separate elements | |||
| Croatian | raspravljati | ||
| The Croatian word "raspravljati" comes from the same root as the Russian word "справедливость" (justice). | |||
| Danish | argumentere | ||
| In Danish, the word "argumentere" can also mean to hold a conversation for fun. | |||
| Dutch | ruzie maken | ||
| The Dutch word "ruzie maken" literally translates to "make noise", which suggests a noisy and chaotic nature of arguments. | |||
| English | argue | ||
| Argue comes from the Latin word 'arguere', meaning 'to make clear or prove' or 'to accuse'. | |||
| French | se disputer | ||
| « Se disputer » dérive du verbe latin disputare qui signifie « discuter ». | |||
| Frisian | pleitsje | ||
| In the old Frisian judicial system, the pleit was a day when the parties in a dispute could argue their case before a judge. | |||
| Galician | discutir | ||
| In Galician, "discutir" can mean "to argue" or "to discuss reasonably", depending on the context. | |||
| German | streiten | ||
| The verb "streiten" also means to "fight" in a physical sense, like in a battle. | |||
| Icelandic | rífast | ||
| The term "rífast" can also imply discussing or conversing animatedly. | |||
| Irish | argóint | ||
| The word "argóint" also means "to argue" in Old and Middle Irish. | |||
| Italian | discutere | ||
| "Discutere" also means "drive or chase away" in Latin. | |||
| Luxembourgish | streiden | ||
| The word "streiden" shares its etymology with the German word "streiten" and the English word "strive", both meaning "to make an effort". | |||
| Maltese | argumenta | ||
| "Argumenta" in Maltese also means "argument" | |||
| Norwegian | argumentere | ||
| The Norwegian word "argumentere" originates from the Latin word "argumentari", which refers to "giving reasons" or "proof". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | argumentar | ||
| The word ``argumentar`` in Portuguese means ``argue`` in English, with the same etymology as in English (Latin ``argumentum``). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | argamaid | ||
| In Gaelic, `argamaid` can also mean `debate`, `dispute`, `quarrel`, or `conflict`. | |||
| Spanish | discutir | ||
| Discutir, "to debate," comes from the Latin "discutere," "to shake apart," or "to scatter." | |||
| Swedish | argumentera | ||
| The Swedish word "argumentera" is derived from the Latin word "argumentari", which means "to prove". It can also mean "to give reasons for" or "to debate". | |||
| Welsh | dadlau | ||
| As well as "argue", "dadlau" can also mean to debate, discuss, or plead a case. | |||
Argue in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | спрачацца | ||
| In ancient times, "спрачацца" also meant "to ask", "to query", "to investigate". | |||
| Bosnian | rasprava | ||
| "Rasprava" can also mean "discussion" or "dissertation" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | спори | ||
| The word "спори" can also mean "to compete" or "to dispute". | |||
| Czech | dohadovat se | ||
| The word "dohadovat se" originally meant "to reach an agreement" or "to come to a common understanding". | |||
| Estonian | vaielda | ||
| The word "vaielda" comes from the Proto-Finnic word "*waito-," meaning "dispute" or "quarrel." | |||
| Finnish | väittävät | ||
| The word "väittävät" can also mean "claim" or "assert". | |||
| Hungarian | vitatkozni | ||
| The verb vitatkozni derives from the Latin word vīta meaning 'life'. This suggests that arguments were considered to be part of life itself, a part of living in a society. | |||
| Latvian | strīdēties | ||
| The word "strīdēties" originated from the Proto-Indo-European root "*strey̆- " meaning "to shout, to make a noise". | |||
| Lithuanian | ginčytis | ||
| In Lithuanian, "ginčytis" (argue) shares an etymological root with "ginti" (defend) and "ginga" (quarrel), suggesting a deep connection between argumentation and the notions of protection and conflict. | |||
| Macedonian | расправаат | ||
| The word "расправаат" can also mean "discuss" or "debate" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | kłócić się | ||
| In Polish, the verb "kłócić się" can also mean "to quarrel, to spar," and "to differ in opinion." | |||
| Romanian | cearta | ||
| In Romanian, the word "cearta" also means "quarrel" or "dispute". | |||
| Russian | спорить | ||
| The Russian word "спорить" can also mean "to compete" or "to debate". | |||
| Serbian | расправљати | ||
| The word "расправљати" can also mean "to dispute" or "to discuss in detail". | |||
| Slovak | hádať sa | ||
| "Hádať sa" can also mean "guess" or "wonder", as in "hádam, že príde zajtra" ("I suppose he will arrive tomorrow"). | |||
| Slovenian | trditi | ||
| The word "trditi" can mean "claim", "assert", or "maintain" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | сперечатися | ||
| The verb “сперечатися” is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root “*sper”, meaning “to hope” or “to trust”. | |||
Argue in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | তর্ক | ||
| The word "তর্ক" can also refer to a logical argument or a debate. | |||
| Gujarati | દલીલ કરો | ||
| The Gujarati word "દલીલ કરો" can also refer to "to challenge formally" or "to object". | |||
| Hindi | लोगों का तर्क है | ||
| The word 'argue' comes from the Latin word 'arguere', meaning 'to make clear' or 'to prove'. | |||
| Kannada | ವಾದಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ | ||
| The word "ವಾದಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ" can also mean "to argue with someone or to try to persuade someone to do something." | |||
| Malayalam | വാദിക്കുക | ||
| "വാദിക്കുക" can mean "to argue" in Malayalam, but is also used to describe the sound of a rooster crowing. | |||
| Marathi | युक्तिवाद | ||
| The word "युक्तिवाद" (argue) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "युक्ति" (reasoning) and is often used in the context of philosophical or logical arguments. | |||
| Nepali | बहस | ||
| The word "बहस" is derived from the Sanskrit verb "वाद्" (vād), meaning "to speak" or "to dispute" | |||
| Punjabi | ਬਹਿਸ ਕਰੋ | ||
| The word 'ਬਹਿਸ ਕਰੋ' in Punjabi also means 'to discuss something in a friendly way', not just 'to argue'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වාද කරනවා | ||
| Tamil | வாதிடுங்கள் | ||
| Telugu | వాదించండి | ||
| Urdu | بحث کریں | ||
| The word "بحث کریں" in Urdu has several alternate meanings, including "discuss", "debate", and "inquire." | |||
Argue in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 争论 | ||
| "争论" derives from "争", meaning "fight" or "compete", and "论", meaning "reason" or "theory". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 爭論 | ||
| 爭論的繁體字"爭"，有"相互搶奪"之意；"論"則有"討論"、"辯論"等含義，故"爭論"意指"為爭奪某事物而進行的討論或辯論"。 | |||
| Japanese | 主張する | ||
| 主張 in Japanese can also be used as a noun, meaning a claim, demand or intention. | |||
| Korean | 논하다 | ||
| "논하다" is derived from the archaic Sino-Korean word "론," which also means "discuss". The term "론" is derived from the Chinese word "论," meaning "to argue, discourse, or discuss". | |||
| Mongolian | маргах | ||
| The word "маргах" can also mean "to debate" or "to dispute". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ငြင်းခုန် | ||
Argue in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | memperdebatkan | ||
| The word "memperdebatkan" stems from the root word "debat" (debate), which, in turn, comes from the Latin word "debattere" (to fight down), ultimately derived from "battære" (to beat). | |||
| Javanese | padu | ||
| "Padu" in Javanese is also used for fighting and wrestling. | |||
| Khmer | ឈ្លោះប្រកែកគ្នា | ||
| Lao | ໂຕ້ຖຽງ | ||
| The Lao word for argue, "โต้ถຽง" comes from the Sanskrit word "vitandā" or "discussion". Lao also inherited the Sanskrit word "vad" ("talk, speech") to mean argue or talk back. | |||
| Malay | berhujah | ||
| The word 'berhujah' is derived from the Arabic word 'hujjah', which means 'proof' or 'argument' and is also related to the Sanskrit word 'vijñāna', meaning 'knowledge'. | |||
| Thai | เถียง | ||
| The word 'เถียง' (argue) in Thai can also mean 'to dispute' or 'to contradict'. | |||
| Vietnamese | tranh luận | ||
| Tranh luận can also mean "debate" or "discussion". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | makipagtalo | ||
Argue in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | mübahisə etmək | ||
| "Mübahisə etmək" also translates to "be involved in a discussion" (with no implication of disagreement, as is in English). | |||
| Kazakh | дауласу | ||
| The word "дауласу" can also refer to a debate or a discussion. | |||
| Kyrgyz | талашуу | ||
| The word "талашуу" can also refer to a "dispute" or a "debate". | |||
| Tajik | баҳс кардан | ||
| The word "баҳс кардан" in Tajik can also mean "to discuss" or "to dispute". | |||
| Turkmen | jedel etmek | ||
| Uzbek | bahslashmoq | ||
| The word "bahslashmoq" is derived from the Persian word "bahs", meaning "discussion", and the Uzbek suffix "-lash", meaning "to do". | |||
| Uyghur | تالاش-تارتىش قىلىش | ||
Argue in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoʻopaʻapaʻa | ||
| In Hawaiian, ʻapaʻa also means to quarrel | |||
| Maori | tautohe | ||
| The word tautohe also refers to the process of weaving, making nets or mats. | |||
| Samoan | finau | ||
| Finau is an uncommon term, but can also refer to an argument between lovers or a debate about tradition. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | magtalo | ||
| The term 'magtalo' is said to be derived from 'tagala', an indigenous word meaning 'to cut', implying a heated exchange of words. | |||
Argue in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | arxataña | ||
| Guarani | jeikovai | ||
Argue in International Languages
| Esperanto | disputi | ||
| The verb "disputi" in Esperanto comes from the Latin verb " disputare" (to reason), and has also taken on a secondary meaning of "to debate". | |||
| Latin | arguere | ||
| Latin "arguere" means "to make clear, show, prove" or "to censure, blame, reprove". | |||
Argue in Others Languages
| Greek | λογομαχώ | ||
| Also refers to a pointless dispute or debate, with emphasis on the triviality of the subject. | |||
| Hmong | sib cav | ||
| The word "sib cav" has its roots in the Proto-Hmong-Mien word *s-cav, meaning "to speak back" or "to answer back". | |||
| Kurdish | şerkirin | ||
| The Kurdish word "şerkirin" is also used to mean "to quarrel" or "to dispute". | |||
| Turkish | tartışmak | ||
| Tartışmak, 'to discuss' or 'to debate', shares its root with the noun 'tartışma', meaning 'discussion' or 'debate' | |||
| Xhosa | phikisa | ||
| Phikisa, meaning 'argue' in Xhosa, also refers to a traditional Xhosa dance and a type of grass used for thatching. | |||
| Yiddish | טענהן | ||
| The Yiddish word "טענהן" derives from the Hebrew word "טען" (to claim), and also has the connotation of "to maintain" or "to hold a position." | |||
| Zulu | phikisana | ||
| The term 'phikisana' also means 'to be entangled', suggesting the idea of two people being intertwined in a verbal battle. | |||
| Assamese | তৰ্ক কৰা | ||
| Aymara | arxataña | ||
| Bhojpuri | बतरस | ||
| Dhivehi | ދެކޮޅުހެދުން | ||
| Dogri | बैहस | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | makipagtalo | ||
| Guarani | jeikovai | ||
| Ilocano | makisuppiat | ||
| Krio | agyu | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | مشتومڕ | ||
| Maithili | बाताबाती | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯔꯩ ꯌꯦꯠꯄ | ||
| Mizo | hnial | ||
| Oromo | falmuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଯୁକ୍ତି | ||
| Quechua | rimanakuy | ||
| Sanskrit | तर्कयति | ||
| Tatar | бәхәсләшү | ||
| Tigrinya | ምክታዕ | ||
| Tsonga | phikizana | ||