Background in Different Languages
Discover 'Background' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'background' carries significant weight in our daily lives, subtly shaping our perceptions and interactions. It often refers to the events, circumstances, or information that precede or provide context for a situation or person. But 'background' is much more than just a linguistic tool; it's a cultural concept that varies fascinatingly across languages.
Consider, for instance, the French 'arrière-plan,' which literally translates to 'after-background,' or the Spanish 'fondo,' which also means 'bottom' or 'depth.' These translations offer intriguing insights into how different cultures perceive and interpret the concept of 'background.'
Understanding the nuances of 'background' in various languages can enrich your cultural competence and communication skills. It can help you appreciate the subtleties of foreign films, empathize with characters in international literature, or even navigate international business negotiations more effectively.
Join us as we delve into the translations of 'background' in over 20 languages, from the familiar ('Hintergrund' in German, 'achtergrond' in Dutch) to the exotic ('fondo' in Spanish, 'arrière-plan' in French).
Background
Background in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | agtergrond | ||
| In early Afrikaans, 'agtergrond' had the literal meaning of 'background scenery' but today it is only used with its abstract meaning: 'circumstances'. | |||
| Amharic | ዳራ | ||
| "ዳራ" also means a person's character or disposition. | |||
| Hausa | bango | ||
| The word "bango" in Hausa can also refer to a "setting" or "context". | |||
| Igbo | ndabere | ||
| The Igbo word "ndabere" originally referred to a painting done to cover a flaw on a wall. | |||
| Malagasy | lafika | ||
| The word "lafika" in Malagasy can also mean "origin" or "cause". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | maziko | ||
| Maziko, meaning 'background' in Chichewa, also refers to 'a piece of ground at a village entrance used for various purposes including threshing grain'. | |||
| Shona | kumashure | ||
| "Kumashure" also means the "back of the hand" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | asalka | ||
| In Somali, the word asalka is derived from the root word asa, meaning 'to come from' or 'to originate from' | |||
| Sesotho | semelo | ||
| The word 'semelo' also means 'shade' or 'shadow' in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | historia | ||
| Historia, used in Swahili to mean 'background' or 'history,' is derived from the Arabic word 'hisat,' which refers to 'a fort, fortress, or fortified town.' | |||
| Xhosa | imvelaphi | ||
| "Imvelaphi" may also refer to a person's social or economic status or their birthplace. | |||
| Yoruba | abẹlẹ | ||
| The Yoruba word "abẹlẹ" can also mean "the place where an animal grazes", indicating its connection to the idea of "ground" or "background." | |||
| Zulu | ingemuva | ||
| The Zulu word "ingemuva" can also refer to the past, or what came before. | |||
| Bambara | hukumu | ||
| Ewe | nu si de megbe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | inyuma | ||
| Lingala | nsima | ||
| Luganda | ebyeemabega | ||
| Sepedi | bokamorago | ||
| Twi (Akan) | akyi asɛm | ||
Background in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | خلفية | ||
| "خلفية" has other meanings like "rear" and "descendants", | |||
| Hebrew | רקע כללי | ||
| The Hebrew phrase "רקע כללי" literally means "general background" and can also refer to knowledge or experience in a particular field or subject. | |||
| Pashto | شالید | ||
| In Pashto, "shalid" literally means "root" or "foundation," reflecting its role as the underlying base of information. | |||
| Arabic | خلفية | ||
| "خلفية" has other meanings like "rear" and "descendants", | |||
Background in Western European Languages
| Albanian | sfond | ||
| The word "sfond" in Albanian is derived from the Italian word "sfondo", which means "background" or "backdrop". | |||
| Basque | aurrekariak | ||
| The term "aurrekariak" can also refer to previous events or circumstances. | |||
| Catalan | antecedents | ||
| In Catalan, "antecedents" can also refer to a person's previous convictions or criminal record. | |||
| Croatian | pozadini | ||
| The word "pozadini" can also mean "motives", "reasons", or "intentions". | |||
| Danish | baggrund | ||
| The word "baggrund" can also mean "backdrop" or "environment". | |||
| Dutch | achtergrond | ||
| The Dutch word "achtergrond" derives from the Middle Dutch "achtergront" meaning "the back of a room", with "achter" meaning "behind" and "gront" meaning "ground". | |||
| English | background | ||
| Historically, "background" was a term for the canvas used to depict the rear of a stage or to provide the illusion of distance in a painting. | |||
| French | contexte | ||
| In French, the word "Contexte" originally meant "context" in the sense of a section of text, but later acquired its current meaning of "background". | |||
| Frisian | eftergrûn | ||
| The Frisian word 'eftergrûn' is derived from the Old Frisian word 'eftirgrin' or 'eftrigron', which means 'aftergrowth' or 'second crop'. | |||
| Galician | fondo | ||
| In Galician, "fondo" also means "the depth of a river or other body of water." | |||
| German | hintergrund | ||
| In the mining industry, 'Hintergrund' refers to a type of ore seam or mineral deposit. | |||
| Icelandic | bakgrunnur | ||
| The Icelandic word "bakgrunnur" comes from the Old Norse word "bakgrunnr," originally meaning "background" or "supporting cast." | |||
| Irish | cúlra | ||
| The word "cúlra" also means "to conceal or protect" in Irish Gaelic. | |||
| Italian | sfondo | ||
| The word "sfondo" also means "melted glass" and is the origin of the word "fondue". | |||
| Luxembourgish | hannergrond | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Hannergrond" is derived from the German word "Hintergrund" and also means "reason" or "motive". | |||
| Maltese | sfond | ||
| "Sfond" is the Maltese form of the Italian word "sfondo", which also means "background" but originally meant "floor" or "ground." | |||
| Norwegian | bakgrunn | ||
| Bakgrunn (from bak ‘back’ and grunn ‘ground’) has the literal meaning of ‘what is at the back’, i.e., the ground seen behind an object or a person when depicted in a painting or, later, in a photograph. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | fundo | ||
| In Portuguese, the word "fundo" (meaning "background" in English) also means the bottom, rear, or depth of something, and can be used to refer to the capital or assets of a company or person. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | chùl | ||
| "Chùl" originally meant "the back" or "the stern of a boat". | |||
| Spanish | antecedentes | ||
| "Antecedentes" can also mean "criminal record" in Spanish. | |||
| Swedish | bakgrund | ||
| Bakgrund can also mean 'a stage set', 'a scene', 'a scenery' or 'a theater prop'. | |||
| Welsh | cefndir | ||
| Originally, 'cefndir' referred to the rear-end of an animal. | |||
Background in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | фон | ||
| The word "фон" in Belarusian is derived from the Greek word "φωνή" (voice), as it was originally used to describe the background music in a play. | |||
| Bosnian | pozadinu | ||
| The word "pozadinu" is derived from the Slavic root "zad" meaning "behind" and the suffix "-ina" meaning "place". | |||
| Bulgarian | заден план | ||
| "Заден план" can also refer to the "second plan" in a picture. | |||
| Czech | pozadí | ||
| Pozadí is a Czech word that originally meant "a piece of cloth" or "a curtain", but now its primary meaning is "background". | |||
| Estonian | taust | ||
| The word "taust" is derived from the German word "Tuch", meaning "cloth" or "drapery". | |||
| Finnish | tausta | ||
| The word "tausta" also refers to the back of someone or something and to the source or cause of something. | |||
| Hungarian | háttér | ||
| Its original meaning was 'back', 'rear', later it came to mean 'background', 'setting' or 'environment'. | |||
| Latvian | fons | ||
| In Latvian, "fons" also refers to funding, financing, stock exchange, or the basis of an investment | |||
| Lithuanian | fonas | ||
| "Fonas" comes from Greek word "phōnē", meaning "sound", which is associated with "background" music or sound. | |||
| Macedonian | позадина | ||
| Позадина can also mean a leftover part of a meal | |||
| Polish | tło | ||
| In Polish, "tło" comes from the Old Polish word "tleć" (to smolder), referring to the faded or dim appearance of a background. | |||
| Romanian | fundal | ||
| The Romanian word "fundal" originates from the Latin word "fundus," which means "the bottom or base of something." | |||
| Russian | задний план | ||
| "Задний план" literally means "behind the back". | |||
| Serbian | позадини | ||
| The word "позадини" can also mean "past" or "history" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | pozadie | ||
| Slovak word "pozadie" derives from the "zadie" (back) with the prefix "po" denoting a position behind something. | |||
| Slovenian | ozadje | ||
| "Ozadje" can also be used to refer to a person's family or social circumstances | |||
| Ukrainian | фон | ||
| The word "фон" in Ukrainian can also refer to a telephone exchange, a noise or hum, or the sound of bells. | |||
Background in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পটভূমি | ||
| In Sanskrit, "patabhumi" refers to a tapestry or cloth spread on the floor. | |||
| Gujarati | પૃષ્ઠભૂમિ | ||
| The Gujarati word "પૃષ્ઠભૂમિ" can also be used to refer to the support or backing of a person or organization. | |||
| Hindi | पृष्ठभूमि | ||
| The Hindi word पृष्ठभूमि, meaning "background," also refers to the canvas used in painting. | |||
| Kannada | ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆ | ||
| ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆ is also the Kannada word for a backdrop, stage setting, or the rear curtain on a stage | |||
| Malayalam | പശ്ചാത്തലം | ||
| The word 'പശ്ചാത്തലം' originated from Sanskrit and literally means 'that which is behind' or 'the back part'. | |||
| Marathi | पार्श्वभूमी | ||
| The word "पार्श्वभूमी" is derived from the Sanskrit words "पार्श्व" (side) and "भूमि" (ground), indicating the area surrounding the main subject. | |||
| Nepali | पृष्ठभूमि | ||
| The word "पृष्ठभूमि" can also refer to a person's family, lineage, or ancestral history. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਿਛੋਕੜ | ||
| ਪਿਛੋਕੜ is a Punjabi word which can also mean 'backside' or 'rear part' in addition to its primary meaning of 'background'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පසුබිම | ||
| පසුබිම translates to either 'background' or 'hindquarters' in English. The latter usage is mainly found in archaic and medical contexts relating to animal anatomy. | |||
| Tamil | பின்னணி | ||
| பின்னணி, 'behind' or 'later' in origin, also refers to 'sequence' or 'series' in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | నేపథ్య | ||
| నేపథ్య derives from the Sanskrit word 'upapatti', meaning 'to occur, to attain, to come forth' and is also used to refer to a 'story, legend, or history'. | |||
| Urdu | پس منظر | ||
| ''Pas manzar'' is also used to refer to a person's family history or lineage. | |||
Background in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 背景 | ||
| 背景 (simplified Chinese: 背景; traditional Chinese: 背景; pinyin: bèijǐng) can also mean "context", "circumstance", and "ambience". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 背景 | ||
| 背景 has many meanings, including: background, setting, foundation, base, context, circumstances, situation, scene, environment, surroundings, etc. | |||
| Japanese | バックグラウンド | ||
| The word "バックグラウンド" can also mean "past" or "experience". | |||
| Korean | 배경 | ||
| "배경" also means "experience (履歷)" in Korean, a usage that doesn't exist in English. | |||
| Mongolian | суурь | ||
| Суурь in Mongolian derives from the verb суух (to sit) and also means "the place where one sits". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | နောက်ခံ | ||
| The term နောက်ခံ can refer to either the back or background or an action that occurred previously | |||
Background in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | latar belakang | ||
| The Indonesian word `Latar Belakang` literally translates to `Behind the Back`, but it is commonly used to refer to context or history. | |||
| Javanese | latar mburi | ||
| "Latar mburi" literally translates to "last backdrop", or the backdrop which is behind, and is also used to refer to someone's past that affects him now. | |||
| Khmer | ផ្ទៃខាងក្រោយ | ||
| ផ្ទៃខាងក្រោយ refers to the "background" in a literal sense (e.g. background of a photo) but can also refer to a person's background, such as their family history, education, or life experiences. | |||
| Lao | ພື້ນຫລັງ | ||
| The word ພື້ນຫລັງ is derived from the Sanskrit word 'pṛṣṭhalabga', meaning 'back'. The term is also used to refer to a person's family or social background. | |||
| Malay | latar belakang | ||
| The term "latar belakang" can also refer to the context, history or source of something in Malay. | |||
| Thai | พื้นหลัง | ||
| The Thai word "พื้นหลัง" (pronounced as "puen-lang") is a compound word meaning both "ground" and "sky". | |||
| Vietnamese | lý lịch | ||
| "Lý lịch" also means "personal history". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | background | ||
Background in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | fon | ||
| In Azerbaijani, "fon" can also refer to the background of a fabric or material. | |||
| Kazakh | фон | ||
| In Kazakh, "фон" can also refer to a melody accompanying a song or a musical instrument's tone. | |||
| Kyrgyz | фон | ||
| The word "фон" in Kyrgyz can also refer to the sound of a waterfall or the humming of a beehive. | |||
| Tajik | замина | ||
| The word "замина" in Tajik can also mean "reserve" or "stockpile". | |||
| Turkmen | fon | ||
| Uzbek | fon | ||
| The word "fon" in Uzbek also has the meaning of "base" or "foundation". | |||
| Uyghur | تەگلىك | ||
Background in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kāʻei kua | ||
| Originally referred to the cloak that chiefs wore across their shoulders to denote rank. | |||
| Maori | papamuri | ||
| "Papamuri" literally translates as the "bottom surface". The "p" represents a bottom or underneath.} | |||
| Samoan | talaʻaga | ||
| "Talaʻaga" can also refer to the trunk of a tree. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | background | ||
| In Tagalog, "background" can refer to a person's previous work experience, making it distinct in meaning from its English cognate. | |||
Background in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | manqha | ||
| Guarani | tapykuere | ||
Background in International Languages
| Esperanto | fono | ||
| "Fono" also means "phone" in Esperanto, coming from the Greek word "phōnē" (voice). | |||
| Latin | background | ||
| The term "background" derives from the Latin words "retro" (back) and "fundus" (ground, foundation). | |||
Background in Others Languages
| Greek | ιστορικό | ||
| The word "Ιστορικό" is derived from the Greek word "ἱστορία" (historia), which originally meant "inquiry" or "investigation." | |||
| Hmong | tom qab | ||
| In Hmong "tom qab" is a compound word, where "tom" means "the place behind" or "back" and "qab" means "to hide". So it literally means "the place to hide behind". | |||
| Kurdish | paşî | ||
| The etymology of "paşî" is linked to "pas" ('to spread'), and its second meaning, "field", may originate from "peş", meaning "to run". | |||
| Turkish | arka fon | ||
| In Turkish, the word "arka fon" also means "backing plate" or "canvas" in art and photography. | |||
| Xhosa | imvelaphi | ||
| "Imvelaphi" may also refer to a person's social or economic status or their birthplace. | |||
| Yiddish | הינטערגרונט | ||
| In Yiddish, "hintergrunt" is also used to describe a hidden motive or secret intentions. | |||
| Zulu | ingemuva | ||
| The Zulu word "ingemuva" can also refer to the past, or what came before. | |||
| Assamese | পৃষ্ঠভূমি | ||
| Aymara | manqha | ||
| Bhojpuri | पृष्ठभूमि | ||
| Dhivehi | ފަހަތް | ||
| Dogri | पछौकड़ | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | background | ||
| Guarani | tapykuere | ||
| Ilocano | naggappuan | ||
| Krio | stori | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | باکگراوند | ||
| Maithili | पृष्ठभूमि | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯅꯤꯡ | ||
| Mizo | hnung | ||
| Oromo | dugduubee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପୃଷ୍ଠଭୂମି | ||
| Quechua | ukun | ||
| Sanskrit | पृष्ठभूमि | ||
| Tatar | фон | ||
| Tigrinya | ድሕረ ባይታ | ||
| Tsonga | matimu | ||