Art in Different Languages
Discover 'Art' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Art is a powerful form of expression that transcends language barriers and connects us all on a deeply human level. Its significance lies in its ability to evoke emotions, challenge perspectives, and inspire creativity. Throughout history, art has played a crucial role in shaping cultures and civilizations, from ancient cave paintings to modern digital installations.
Did you know that the word 'art' comes from the Latin 'ars,' meaning 'skill' or 'craft'? Or that in Japanese, 'art' is translated as 'geijutsu,' which encompasses not only visual arts but also music, drama, and literature? In Spanish, 'art' is 'arte,' and in French, it's 'art,' reflecting the language's influence on artistic movements such as Impressionism and Surrealism.
Understanding the translation of 'art' in different languages can open up new cultural perspectives and deepen our appreciation for the diversity and richness of human creativity. Here are some translations of the word 'art' in various languages:
Art
Art in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | kuns | ||
| The Afrikaans word "kuns" derives from the Dutch word "kunst", meaning "art" or "skill", and originally referred to all forms of craftsmanship. | |||
| Amharic | ስነጥበብ | ||
| The word "ስነጥበብ" is also used to refer to "literature" and "education". | |||
| Hausa | fasaha | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "art," "fasaha" can also refer to "skill" or "craft" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | nka | ||
| The word 'nka' can also refer to 'beauty', 'creativity', or 'ingenuity' in Igbo and is often used in the context of traditional Igbo arts to signify the importance of beauty and functionality. | |||
| Malagasy | kanto | ||
| The word 'kanto' also refers to a style of storytelling that uses a musical accompaniment | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | luso | ||
| The word 'luso' in Nyanja can also refer to a person from Portugal. | |||
| Shona | art | ||
| In Shona, one of the meanings of "art" is "the process or result of making something beautiful or attractive" | |||
| Somali | farshaxanka | ||
| Farshaxanka is derived from the Arabic word "fann" meaning "skill" or "craft". | |||
| Sesotho | bonono | ||
| The word 'bonono' in Sesotho finds its origins in the word 'ono', meaning 'to see' or 'to observe'. | |||
| Swahili | sanaa | ||
| The word "sanaa" in Swahili also refers to "craftsmanship" and "creativity" beyond just the visual arts. | |||
| Xhosa | ubugcisa | ||
| The word 'ubugcisa' may also refer to the act of creating an artwork, skill, proficiency, wisdom, knowledge, expertise, and cleverness. | |||
| Yoruba | aworan | ||
| In the Bini language, which is related to Yoruba, the word 'aworan' refers to a 'likeness' or 'portrait'. | |||
| Zulu | ubuciko | ||
| The Zulu word 'ubuciko' not only denotes art but also embraces concepts like 'skill', 'expertise', and 'craft', reflecting its deep cultural significance. | |||
| Bambara | seko | ||
| Ewe | nutata | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubuhanzi | ||
| Lingala | mayele | ||
| Luganda | ebifaananyi | ||
| Sepedi | bokgabo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adeyɛ | ||
Art in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | فن | ||
| In Arabic, 'فن' ('fann') denotes not only 'art' but also a 'branch of knowledge,' 'technique,' or 'skill.' | |||
| Hebrew | אומנות | ||
| "אומנות" can also mean "craftsmanship" or "skill" in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | هنر | ||
| The term "هنر" comes from the word "hanair" in Middle Persian, meaning "skill" or "ability."} | |||
| Arabic | فن | ||
| In Arabic, 'فن' ('fann') denotes not only 'art' but also a 'branch of knowledge,' 'technique,' or 'skill.' | |||
Art in Western European Languages
| Albanian | arti | ||
| In Albanian, "arti" can also refer to a "trade" or a "craft". | |||
| Basque | artea | ||
| Artea 'art' in Basque can also mean 'law', 'custom', 'use' | |||
| Catalan | art | ||
| In Catalan, the word "art" can also refer to a "skill" or "ability". | |||
| Croatian | umjetnost | ||
| The word "umjetnost" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *umьjętь, meaning "skill" or "knowledge". | |||
| Danish | kunst | ||
| The Danish word 'kunst' is cognate with the English word 'cunning', and originally meant 'skill' or 'craft'. | |||
| Dutch | kunst | ||
| Derived from Middle Dutch 'const', meaning 'knowledge, skill', 'kunst' originally referred to a practical rather than an aesthetic activity. | |||
| English | art | ||
| The word 'art' originates from the Latin word 'ars,' meaning both 'art' and 'skill,' and is related to the Sanskrit word 'rta,' meaning 'order' or 'truth.' | |||
| French | art | ||
| In French, "art" can also refer to skills, crafts, or techniques, and derives from the Latin "ars," meaning "skill" or "craft." | |||
| Frisian | keunst | ||
| The Frisian word "keunst" derives from a Proto-Indo-European root and is also used in Dutch, where it refers to 'cunning' or 'artful skill' | |||
| Galician | art | ||
| O termo "arte" no galego é derivado do termo latino "ars", que significa habilidade, habilidade ou ofício. | |||
| German | kunst | ||
| German 'Kunst' comes from Latin 'conscientia' (conscience, knowledge) and is related to English 'cunning'. | |||
| Icelandic | list | ||
| The Icelandic word "list" can also mean "cleverness" or "skill". | |||
| Irish | ealaín | ||
| Ealaín in Irish has a broad meaning and encompasses various forms of craft and creativity, including embroidery and metalworking. | |||
| Italian | arte | ||
| Arte comes from the Latin ars and may also refer to a "way", "manner" or "technique" | |||
| Luxembourgish | konscht | ||
| Konscht is derived from the Latin word "conscientia," meaning "conscience," implying a sense of morality and self-awareness in artistic creation. | |||
| Maltese | art | ||
| In Maltese, "art" (arti) also means "craftsmanship" or "skill". | |||
| Norwegian | kunst | ||
| The word “kunst” in Norwegian also means “skill” or “craft”. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | arte | ||
| In Portuguese, "arte" can refer to both "art" and "cunning" or "skill", showcasing the intrinsic connection between creativity and strategy. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ealain | ||
| In modern Scots Gaelic the word "ealain" can also mean "science". | |||
| Spanish | arte | ||
| Arte, in Spanish, can also refer to a kind of magic or cunning, particularly in the context of bullfighting or hunting. | |||
| Swedish | konst | ||
| Konst in Swedish can also refer to "skill" or "craft", and can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root "*kwen-", meaning "to do" or "to create." | |||
| Welsh | celf | ||
| In Middle Cornish, 'kelfa' meant "cleverness, art device, or trick." | |||
Art in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | мастацтва | ||
| The Belarusian word “мастацтва” derives from a Proto-Slavic root, *(isk)ūstvo, that is also related to the Latin ars and art, indicating craftsmanship. | |||
| Bosnian | art | ||
| In Bosnian, "art" can also refer to a "skill" or "craft". | |||
| Bulgarian | изкуство | ||
| 'Изкуство' also means 'temptation' in Bulgarian | |||
| Czech | umění | ||
| Czech word "umění" originally meant knowledge and later acquired its present meaning "art" in the 14th century. | |||
| Estonian | kunst | ||
| The word "kunst" in Estonian derives from the Middle Low German "kunst", which refers to knowledge and skill in a specific area. | |||
| Finnish | taide | ||
| In Finnish, the word "taide" originates from "taitaa" (to be able to, to master), reflecting the idea of art as something that requires skill and expertise. | |||
| Hungarian | művészet | ||
| The Hungarian word "Művészet" can also refer to "beauty," "talent," or "skill" | |||
| Latvian | māksla | ||
| "Māksla" can also mean "skill" or "craft" in Latvian, hinting at art's practical and technical aspects. | |||
| Lithuanian | menas | ||
| The word "menas" in Lithuanian is derived from the Proto-Baltic "*mēns" meaning "thought" or "reason." | |||
| Macedonian | уметност | ||
| The Macedonian word "уметност" derives from the Proto-Slavic root *umetь, meaning "skill" or "know-how." | |||
| Polish | sztuka | ||
| Etymology: Polish sztuka derives from Old Czech štúka, from Old High German stucki or from Old Saxon stucki (a piece of work). | |||
| Romanian | artă | ||
| In Romanian, “artă” can refer to both the concept of art as well as the individual skill or craft of an artisan, and derives from the same Latin root as the French “art”. | |||
| Russian | изобразительное искусство | ||
| The Russian word "Изобразительное искусство" (art) literally means "depictive art" and encompasses a wide range of visual art forms. | |||
| Serbian | уметност | ||
| "Уметност" can also mean "skill" or "ability" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | čl | ||
| The word "čl" in Slovak comes from the Proto-Slavic word *čьlъ, which also meant "member", "limb", or "joint". | |||
| Slovenian | umetnost | ||
| The word 'umetnost' derives from the Slavic root 'uměti', meaning 'to know' or 'to be able', indicating that art was originally understood as a form of knowledge and skill. | |||
| Ukrainian | мистецтво | ||
| The word "мистецтво" (art) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *mystiti, meaning "to think" or "to know." | |||
Art in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | শিল্প | ||
| The term "শিল্প" (art) in Bengali is derived from the Sanskrit word "शिल्प" (śilpa), meaning "craft" or "skill." | |||
| Gujarati | કલા | ||
| The word "કલા" in Gujarati also refers to a "skill" or "craft". | |||
| Hindi | कला | ||
| The Hindi word "कला" can also refer to a trick, or method as seen for instance in "शतरंज की कला" (Chess Art). | |||
| Kannada | ಕಲೆ | ||
| The term 'ಕಲೆ' (art) in Kannada is cognate with the word 'Kalā' in Sanskrit and likely derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *kel-, meaning 'to move or turn'. | |||
| Malayalam | കല | ||
| The word "കല" ("art") in Malayalam also refers to "parts" or "limbs" and is related to the Sanskrit word "kala" meaning "part" or "portion". | |||
| Marathi | कला | ||
| The Marathi word "कला" (kalā) traces its roots back to the Sanskrit term "kal" meaning "to perform" or "calculate". | |||
| Nepali | कला | ||
| "कला" also refers to "skills", "techniques", and "knowledge" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਲਾ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਕਲਾ" (kalā) is derived from the Sanskrit word "कल (kala)", meaning "part, portion, or member", and it can also refer to "accomplishments, skills, or talents". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කලාව | ||
| "කලාව" (art) can also refer to knowledge, science, or skill | |||
| Tamil | கலை | ||
| "கலை" in Tamil can also refer to limbs, parts of the body, tactics, and stratagems. | |||
| Telugu | కళ | ||
| The word "కళ" (kala) in Telugu can be derived from the Sanskrit word "kala" meaning "a part, a section, or a moment". | |||
| Urdu | آرٹ | ||
| The Urdu word "آرٹ" originates from the Sanskrit word "ऋत" meaning "order", and in Persian it refers to "skill" or "craft". | |||
Art in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 艺术 | ||
| 艺术, an abstract concept representing one's creative work | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 藝術 | ||
| The word "藝術" in Chinese has roots in Confucianism, where it referred to the practice of cultivating one's virtue and morality. | |||
| Japanese | アート | ||
| The Japanese word "アート" can also refer to artificiality, skill, or artifice. | |||
| Korean | 미술 | ||
| 미술 (misul) in Korean can refer to both fine art and martial arts. | |||
| Mongolian | урлаг | ||
| The word "урлаг" is also used to refer to the act of hunting or capturing animals. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အနုပညာ | ||
| The word "အနုပညာ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "ānuśāsana", meaning "discipline". It can also refer to knowledge, science, or literature. | |||
Art in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | seni | ||
| "Seni" derives from the Sanskrit word "sani" meaning "skillful, exquisite, elegant, or expert". | |||
| Javanese | seni | ||
| The word "seni" in Javanese refers to artistic endeavors and beauty, originating from the Sanskrit word "shreni" meaning "guild" or "class of people," highlighting the collaborative nature of art. | |||
| Khmer | សិល្បៈ | ||
| The word សិល្បៈ (art) in Khmer can also refer to handicrafts and artistic skills. | |||
| Lao | ສິນລະປະ | ||
| The word ສິນລະປະ is derived from the Pali words sila, meaning 'virtue' or 'morality', and pa, meaning 'protection' or 'preservation'. | |||
| Malay | seni | ||
| The term 'seni' can also refer to traditional Malay crafts and skills in Malaysia and Indonesia. | |||
| Thai | ศิลปะ | ||
| ศิลปะ (art) can also mean technology, technique, ability, science, discipline, way of doing something, or means to achieve something, all of which are related to artistic activities. | |||
| Vietnamese | nghệ thuật | ||
| "Nghệ thuật" also means the skills involved in performing a craft. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sining | ||
Art in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | incəsənət | ||
| The word "incəsənət" is derived from the Arabic word "sanat", which means "skill" or "craft", and the Persian word "injah", which means "refined" or "delicate". | |||
| Kazakh | өнер | ||
| The word "өнер" in Kazakh also means "skill" or "ability" and is related to the word "өндіру" ("to produce") and the noun "өнім" ("product"). | |||
| Kyrgyz | искусство | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "искусство" can also refer to "craft", "skill", or "mastery". | |||
| Tajik | санъат | ||
| The Tajik word "санъат" also refers to knowledge, science, skill, occupation, and industry. | |||
| Turkmen | sungat | ||
| Uzbek | san'at | ||
| In Uzbek, "san'at" can also refer to a profession, a craft, or a skill, rather than solely artistic expressions. | |||
| Uyghur | سەنئەت | ||
Art in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | art | ||
| In Hawaiian, "art" also refers to the ocean surge. | |||
| Maori | toi | ||
| The Maori word "toi" is also used to refer to spells or incantations, and can also mean "to make" or "to create." | |||
| Samoan | faatufugaga | ||
| Fa'a is derived from fa'aga, which refers to a way or manner of living, and tufugaga means a skillful person, so faatufugaga encompasses both the process and the outcome of skillful artistic expression. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | arte | ||
| The Tagalog word "arte" can also refer to affectation, pretense, or artificiality in behavior or mannerism. | |||
Art in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | arti | ||
| Guarani | temiporã | ||
Art in International Languages
| Esperanto | arto | ||
| The Esperanto word "arto" derives from the Latin word "ars", which also means "skill" or "craft". | |||
| Latin | artem | ||
| The Latin word "artem" is cognate to the Greek word "technē" and refers to practical knowledge or skill. | |||
Art in Others Languages
| Greek | τέχνη | ||
| The word 'τέχνη' has also been used to refer to 'skill' or 'craft' in ancient Greek, and even 'knowledge' of the mind or the soul. | |||
| Hmong | kos duab | ||
| The term "kos duab" can also be used to refer to decorations, embellishments, designs, motifs, or any other item added to something else to make it more appealing or eye-catching. | |||
| Kurdish | fen | ||
| The word "fen" in Kurdish shares its roots with the Persian word "hunar," meaning "skill" or "craft." | |||
| Turkish | sanat | ||
| The word 'Sanat' also refers to 'treatment' or 'healing' in traditional Turkish medicine. | |||
| Xhosa | ubugcisa | ||
| The word 'ubugcisa' may also refer to the act of creating an artwork, skill, proficiency, wisdom, knowledge, expertise, and cleverness. | |||
| Yiddish | קונסט | ||
| In Yiddish, "קונסט" "konst" can also refer to an odd or peculiar person. | |||
| Zulu | ubuciko | ||
| The Zulu word 'ubuciko' not only denotes art but also embraces concepts like 'skill', 'expertise', and 'craft', reflecting its deep cultural significance. | |||
| Assamese | কলা | ||
| Aymara | arti | ||
| Bhojpuri | कला | ||
| Dhivehi | ޢާޓް | ||
| Dogri | कला | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sining | ||
| Guarani | temiporã | ||
| Ilocano | artes | ||
| Krio | drɔin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | هونەر | ||
| Maithili | कला | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯂꯥ | ||
| Mizo | themthiamna | ||
| Oromo | aartii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କଳା | ||
| Quechua | sumaq ruway | ||
| Sanskrit | कला | ||
| Tatar | сәнгать | ||
| Tigrinya | ጥበብ | ||
| Tsonga | vutshila | ||