Certain in Different Languages
Discover 'Certain' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'certain' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting a level of confidence and clarity that is universally understood. Its cultural importance is evident in its use across various languages and contexts. For those with a passion for language and culture, understanding the translation of 'certain' in different languages can offer fascinating insights into how different cultures express this concept.
Did you know that in Latin, 'certain' is translated as 'certus'? Or that in ancient Egyptian, the concept of 'certainty' was expressed through the hieroglyphs 'nfr' and 'wnn', which together conveyed the idea of 'what is made' and 'to find'? These translations offer a glimpse into the historical and cultural contexts that have shaped the way we understand and express 'certainty'.
By exploring the translations of 'certain' in different languages, we can deepen our appreciation for the richness and diversity of human language and culture. Here are just a few examples of how 'certain' is translated in some of the world's most widely spoken languages:
Certain
Certain in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | seker | ||
| The word "seker" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word "zeker", meaning "sure" or "safe", and also has the alternate meaning of "perhaps" or "maybe". | |||
| Amharic | በእርግጠኝነት | ||
| The word በእርግጠኝነት can also mean "without a doubt" or "in a definite manner." | |||
| Hausa | tabbata | ||
| The word 'tabbata' in Hausa can also mean 'firmly' or 'strongly'. | |||
| Igbo | doro anya | ||
| "Doro anya" is an Igbo phrase also meaning "to look clearly, to understand clearly or to have clarity of knowledge or understanding or to be wise." | |||
| Malagasy | sasany | ||
| "Sasany" can also mean "sure" or "true". In formal contexts, it is often used as an adverb meaning "certainly" or "surely." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zowona | ||
| The word "zowona" in Nyanja can also mean "truth" or "reality." | |||
| Shona | chokwadi | ||
| Shona 'chokwadi' derives from 'chokwadi', meaning 'a truth'. It also means 'a truth' or 'truth'. Thus 'chokwadi' can mean 'true' or 'indeed'. | |||
| Somali | hubaal | ||
| Derived from the Arabic word 'hubl', meaning 'fetter' or 'tether'. | |||
| Sesotho | itseng | ||
| 'Itseng' is also the name of a popular Sesotho dish made from pounded maize or sorghum. | |||
| Swahili | hakika | ||
| The term 'hakika' derives from the Arabic word 'haqiqa' meaning 'truth'. | |||
| Xhosa | ngokuqinisekileyo | ||
| The word "ngokuqinisekileyo" can also mean "definitely" or "positively". | |||
| Yoruba | daju | ||
| "Daju" also means "very" or "exceedingly" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | ezithile | ||
| The word 'ezithile' may also refer to a person who is reliable and dependable. | |||
| Bambara | dɔw | ||
| Ewe | ka ɖe edzi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | runaka | ||
| Lingala | lolenge | ||
| Luganda | okuba n'obukakafu | ||
| Sepedi | dingwe | ||
| Twi (Akan) | pampee | ||
Certain in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | المؤكد | ||
| The word "المؤكد" is derived from the root "ك-د" which also means "to verify" or "to confirm". | |||
| Hebrew | מסוים | ||
| 'מסוים' also means 'specified' or 'definite' in Hebrew | |||
| Pashto | د | ||
| The word "د" in Pashto can also mean "the" or "of". | |||
| Arabic | المؤكد | ||
| The word "المؤكد" is derived from the root "ك-د" which also means "to verify" or "to confirm". | |||
Certain in Western European Languages
| Albanian | e sigurt | ||
| E sigurt is a compound word consisting of "i" (definite article), "sigur" (certain), and "t" (suffix). | |||
| Basque | zenbait | ||
| The word "zenbait" in Basque comes from the phrase "zenbat bait," meaning "how many indeed." | |||
| Catalan | cert | ||
| "Cert” can also be translated as "certificate," "certificate of deposit" (CD), or as "bond." | |||
| Croatian | izvjesna | ||
| Izvjesna is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *izvь̌ьnъ meaning "outside". | |||
| Danish | bestemte | ||
| The Danish word "bestemte" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "bistimon-, meaning "to point". | |||
| Dutch | zeker | ||
| "Zeker" is derived from the Old Dutch "seker" meaning "secure" or "firm", and is related to the German "sicher" and English "secure" | |||
| English | certain | ||
| The word 'certain' comes from the Latin word 'certus', meaning 'fixed' or 'determined'. | |||
| French | certain | ||
| In French, the word "certain" can also refer to a type of promissory note issued by the French Treasury. | |||
| Frisian | beskaat | ||
| The Frisian word "beskaat" also means "determined", "decided" or "certain". | |||
| Galician | certo | ||
| In Galician, "certo" has the same Latin root as "certain" in English, but it can also mean "of course" or "to be sure". | |||
| German | sicher | ||
| "Sicher" can also refer to a "safe" from which something valuable, e.g. a sum of money, is taken in a controlled distribution. | |||
| Icelandic | viss | ||
| The word "viss" in Icelandic can also refer to a "definite" or "known" person or thing. | |||
| Irish | áirithe | ||
| Áirithe is cognate with the Latin certus, and the Sanskrit śruta 'heard' indicating something that has been heard or ascertained. | |||
| Italian | certo | ||
| In Italian, 'certo' can also mean 'of course', 'surely', or 'indeed'. | |||
| Luxembourgish | gewëssen | ||
| Luxembourgish "gewëssen" is derived from Old High German "giwis" and also relates to English "wise" and German "wissen" (to know). | |||
| Maltese | ċerti | ||
| The origin of the Maltese word 'ċerti' is uncertain, and its alternate meanings include 'some' and 'a few'. | |||
| Norwegian | sikker | ||
| The word 'sikker' is derived from the Old Norse word 'sikr,' meaning 'sure' or 'safe'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | certo | ||
| The word "certo" in Portuguese can mean "right", "correct", or "true". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cinnteach | ||
| The term 'cinnteach' has alternate meanings of 'sure', 'trustworthy', and 'reliable'. | |||
| Spanish | cierto | ||
| The Spanish word "cierto" also means "true," "real," "right," or "correct". | |||
| Swedish | vissa | ||
| "Vissa" is thought to be a contraction of "visst den" or "visst det", where "visst" is an adverb meaning "certainly" and "den" or "det" are demonstrative pronouns meaning "that" or "it." | |||
| Welsh | sicr | ||
| The Welsh word "sicr" has another meaning of "sure" or "positive". | |||
Certain in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | пэўны | ||
| In Belarusian, "пэўны" can also mean "particular" or "specific". | |||
| Bosnian | sigurno | ||
| "Sigurno" is derived from the Proto-Slavic *sъgъrnъ, which also means "sure" or "safe". | |||
| Bulgarian | сигурен | ||
| "Сигурен" in Bulgarian can also mean "safe" or "reliable". | |||
| Czech | určitý | ||
| The word "určitý" originates from the Old Czech word "urчити", meaning "to determine" or "to define". | |||
| Estonian | teatud | ||
| In Estonian, "teatud" also means "notice" or "advice", akin to the German "teilen" (to tell). | |||
| Finnish | varma | ||
| Varma is derived from the Proto-Samic *warma, meaning 'true' or 'reliable'. | |||
| Hungarian | bizonyos | ||
| "Bizonyos" is likely derived from the Arabic "yqz" (trust, security), but can also mean "safe" or "reliable". | |||
| Latvian | noteikti | ||
| "Noteikti" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European word for "to establish" and originally referred to making a decision or establishing something. | |||
| Lithuanian | tam tikras | ||
| The phrase 'tam tikras' has a secondary meaning relating to its etymological roots, expressing not certainty but rather 'precise' or 'specific'. | |||
| Macedonian | извесен | ||
| "Извесен" also derives from the Indo-European root *weid-, which translates to see or know. | |||
| Polish | pewny | ||
| In Polish, "pewny" can also mean "reliable" or "trustworthy". | |||
| Romanian | anumit | ||
| The word "anumit" is derived from the Latin "certus", meaning "decided" or "sure". | |||
| Russian | определенный | ||
| The word "определенный" can also mean "defined" or "specific". | |||
| Serbian | известан | ||
| The word "известан" also means "known" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | istý | ||
| The Slovak word "istý" (certain) comes from the Proto-Slavic "jьstъ", meaning "real" or "existent". | |||
| Slovenian | gotovo | ||
| The word "gotovo" can also mean "finished" or "done" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | певна | ||
| The word "певна" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *pьvnъ, which also means "first" or "chief". | |||
Certain in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | নির্দিষ্ট | ||
| নির্দিষ্ট অর্থ নির্দেশ করা, निश्चित करना | |||
| Gujarati | ચોક્કસ | ||
| The Gujarati word "ચોક્કસ" (cokkaS) is related to the Persian word "چقجاق" (čuqčāq) meaning "to hit the target accurately". | |||
| Hindi | कुछ | ||
| The word "कुछ" in Hindi can also mean "some" or "a little bit". | |||
| Kannada | ನಿಶ್ಚಿತ | ||
| ನಿಶ್ಚಿತ (nishchita) derives from the Sanskrit word 'nishchita' meaning 'fixed, determined, or settled. | |||
| Malayalam | ഉറപ്പാണ് | ||
| The word "ഉറപ്പാണ്" is derived from the Proto-Dravidian root *urap- meaning "to fix, establish, or confirm." | |||
| Marathi | निश्चित | ||
| The word 'निश्चित' can mean either 'certain' or 'fixed' depending on the context. | |||
| Nepali | निश्चित | ||
| The word "निश्चित" is also sometimes used to indicate "destination". | |||
| Punjabi | ਕੁਝ | ||
| The word "ਕੁਝ" can also mean "some" or "a little bit". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සමහර | ||
| "සමහර" (sa-ma-ha-ra) also means "some" and "a part of". | |||
| Tamil | சில | ||
| சில (Sila) is an archaic Tamil word which also means "a few", "some" or "several". | |||
| Telugu | కొన్ని | ||
| The word "కొన్ని" can also be used to refer to a group of people or animals that share a common characteristic. | |||
| Urdu | کچھ | ||
| Etymology of Urdu word "کچھ": "kuch" in Sanskrit means "something"; "kich" in Prakrit means "a little"} | |||
Certain in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 某些 | ||
| In literary Chinese, "某些" can also mean "a few, some". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 某些 | ||
| In ancient Chinese, 某些 originally meant 'this thing', but later became an adverb meaning 'certainly' or 'probably'. | |||
| Japanese | 特定の | ||
| 特定の also means “designated” or “specified”. | |||
| Korean | 어떤 | ||
| In Korean, the word "어떤" can also mean "any" or "some", depending on the context. | |||
| Mongolian | тодорхой | ||
| Тодорхой can also mean 'determined', 'fixed', or 'defined'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သေချာတယ် | ||
Certain in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tertentu | ||
| The word "tertentu" in Indonesian can also mean "specific" or "particular". | |||
| Javanese | tartamtu | ||
| The Javanese word "tartamtu" can also be translated as "surely" or "undoubtedly" and is often used in formal settings. | |||
| Khmer | ជាក់លាក់ | ||
| Lao | ແນ່ນອນ | ||
| This word derives from the Lao verb ແນ່ (แน่) meaning 'to be real, true'. | |||
| Malay | pasti | ||
| The word "pasti" comes from the Proto-Austronesian word "*pasti" which also means "firm", "tight", or "fixed". | |||
| Thai | แน่นอน | ||
| แน่นอน also means 'of course' in Thai, with a slight sense of agreement. | |||
| Vietnamese | chắc chắn | ||
| The Vietnamese word "chắc chắn" can also mean "tight" or "firm", reflecting its root meaning of "fastened securely". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tiyak | ||
Certain in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | müəyyəndir | ||
| "Müəyyən" in Azerbaijani can mean 'certain', 'particular', 'fixed', 'definite', 'precise', 'exact', or 'specific'. | |||
| Kazakh | нақты | ||
| The Arabic root of "нақты" is "nqd", which means cash or ready money, and the word later came to mean "certainty" or "precise" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | белгилүү | ||
| The word "белгилүү" in Kyrgyz can also mean "famous" or "well-known". | |||
| Tajik | яқин | ||
| The word "яқин" may also mean "near" or "close" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | belli | ||
| Uzbek | aniq | ||
| In Uzbek, "aniq" can also mean "definite" or "exact". | |||
| Uyghur | مەلۇم | ||
Certain in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kekahi | ||
| The word "kekahi" can also mean "some" or "another" in Hawaiian, making it a versatile term with multiple meanings. | |||
| Maori | tino | ||
| "Tino" can also refer to something genuine or authentic. | |||
| Samoan | mautinoa | ||
| The Samoan word "mautinoa" is also used to mean "definite" or "assured." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tiyak | ||
| 'Tiyak' originally referred to the action of 'to point to something' and later expanded its meaning to include 'sure' and 'certain'. | |||
Certain in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | amtata | ||
| Guarani | añete | ||
Certain in International Languages
| Esperanto | certa | ||
| The Esperanto word "certa" is derived from the Latin word "certus," meaning "determined" or "fixed." | |||
| Latin | quaedam | ||
| The word "quaedam" is also used in Latin to indicate the plural form of an indefinite pronoun, meaning "some" or "any." | |||
Certain in Others Languages
| Greek | βέβαιος | ||
| The word "βέβαιος" in Greek also means "firm," "stable," or "reliable." | |||
| Hmong | tej yam | ||
| The word "tej yam" can also mean "to be sure" or "to have no doubt". | |||
| Kurdish | qetî | ||
| The word "qetî" is also used to express "fixed, stable, firm" or "assured, confident, secure" in Kurdish, reflecting its nuanced meanings. | |||
| Turkish | belirli | ||
| The word "belirli" can also mean "definite" or "specific" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | ngokuqinisekileyo | ||
| The word "ngokuqinisekileyo" can also mean "definitely" or "positively". | |||
| Yiddish | זיכער | ||
| In Yiddish, "זיכער" can also mean "surely" or "of course". | |||
| Zulu | ezithile | ||
| The word 'ezithile' may also refer to a person who is reliable and dependable. | |||
| Assamese | নিৰ্দিষ্ট | ||
| Aymara | amtata | ||
| Bhojpuri | कुछु | ||
| Dhivehi | ޔަޤީން | ||
| Dogri | जकीनी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tiyak | ||
| Guarani | añete | ||
| Ilocano | naisalumina | ||
| Krio | shɔ | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دڵنیا | ||
| Maithili | निश्चित | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯀꯛꯅꯕ | ||
| Mizo | chiang | ||
| Oromo | shakkii malee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ନିଶ୍ଚିତ | ||
| Quechua | wakin | ||
| Sanskrit | कश्चित् | ||
| Tatar | билгеле | ||
| Tigrinya | ውሱን | ||
| Tsonga | tiyisisa | ||
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