Colonial in Different Languages
Discover 'Colonial' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'colonial' is a powerful term that carries with it a significant amount of history and cultural importance. Originally referring to the era of European exploration and expansion, the term has come to encompass a wide range of ideas and concepts related to power, culture, and identity. From the colonial architecture that still stands in cities around the world, to the ongoing impact of colonialism on modern politics and society, the word 'colonial' continues to shape our understanding of the world around us.
Given its historical and cultural significance, it's no wonder that someone might want to know how to say 'colonial' in different languages. Whether you're traveling to a former colonial territory, studying the history of colonialism, or simply interested in language and culture, understanding the translation of 'colonial' can be a valuable tool.
Here are just a few examples of how 'colonial' is translated in different languages:
- Spanish: colonial
- French: colonial
- German: kolonial
- Italian: coloniale
- Chinese: 殖民地 (zhímín dì)
- Japanese: 植民地 (shokuminchi)
Colonial
Colonial in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | koloniaal | ||
| In Afrikaans, "koloniaal" also refers to the time period of colonial rule by European powers. | |||
| Amharic | ቅኝ ገዥዎች | ||
| The word 'ቅኝ ገዥዎች' (colonial) can also refer to 'settlers' or 'invaders' in a broader sense. | |||
| Hausa | mulkin mallaka | ||
| The Hausa word for "colonial" is "mulkin mallaka", which was borrowed from Arabic and originally meant "a king's domain." | |||
| Igbo | colonial | ||
| Igbo has two terms for colonial: oge ndị ọcha which means the time of the whites, and oge ochie which means old time. | |||
| Malagasy | fanjanahana | ||
| Malagasy word fanjanahana derives from the French word "fanjan" (which means "plate") and "ana" (meaning "plate" or "plate-shaped dish") | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wachikoloni | ||
| The word 'wachikoloni' also means 'white person' due to the association of white people with colonialism. | |||
| Shona | colonial | ||
| The Shona word "mu kolonial" has also been used to describe former African colonies and the people who live in them, as well as the era of colonial rule. | |||
| Somali | gumeysi | ||
| The word 'gumeysi' also commonly refers to the 'colonial period' in Somali history. | |||
| Sesotho | bokolone | ||
| The word "bokolone" can also refer to a person who was taught by the missionaries and adopted Christianity. | |||
| Swahili | ukoloni | ||
| 'Ukólónì' also refers to the action of establishing dominion over a people or land. | |||
| Xhosa | yobukoloniyali | ||
| The Xhosa word 'yobukoloniyali' can also refer to the state of being dispossessed or marginalized. | |||
| Yoruba | amunisin | ||
| "Amunisin" also means "one who makes someone work in one place" | |||
| Zulu | yamakoloni | ||
| The Zulu word 'yamakoloni' (colonial) comes from the Dutch word 'kolonie' (colony), which itself derives from the Latin word 'colonia' (a settlement of farmers). | |||
| Bambara | koloniyali | ||
| Ewe | dutanyigbadziɖuɖu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubukoloni | ||
| Lingala | ya bokonzi ya bakolonia | ||
| Luganda | eby’amatwale | ||
| Sepedi | bokoloniale | ||
| Twi (Akan) | atubrafo de | ||
Colonial in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | استعماري | ||
| استعماري can also mean imperialism, colonialist, settler colonial or colonialism. | |||
| Hebrew | קוֹלוֹנִיאָלִי | ||
| קוֹלוֹנִיאָלִי also means 'intestinal' in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | استعماري | ||
| The Pashto word "استعماري" can also mean "imperial" or "imperialist". | |||
| Arabic | استعماري | ||
| استعماري can also mean imperialism, colonialist, settler colonial or colonialism. | |||
Colonial in Western European Languages
| Albanian | koloniale | ||
| The word "koloniale" in Albanian also refers to a type of bread made with cornmeal and wheat flour. | |||
| Basque | koloniala | ||
| The Basque word "koloniala" can also mean "settlement" or "colony". | |||
| Catalan | colonial | ||
| The term "colonial" in Catalan can also refer to the administrative divisions of former Spanish colonies, such as the "Provincias de Ultramar" (Overseas Provinces). | |||
| Croatian | kolonijalni | ||
| Korijen riječi kolonijalni je latinska rečenica "colonia", što znači naseljavanje, obrađivanje polja, vojni logor, zemljište dodijeljeno vojnicima. | |||
| Danish | koloniale | ||
| In Danish, 'koloniale' can also mean 'groceries' or 'colonial goods', a secondary meaning not found in English. | |||
| Dutch | koloniaal | ||
| Koloniaal can also refer to a style of furniture popular in the Dutch East Indies during the colonial era. | |||
| English | colonial | ||
| The word "colonial" can also refer to a style of architecture or furniture characterized by its simplicity and emphasis on straight lines and geometric shapes. | |||
| French | colonial | ||
| Le mot "colonial" désigne également, en français, une épicerie fine spécialisée dans les produits d'outre-mer. | |||
| Frisian | koloniaal | ||
| The word 'koloniaal' can also refer to a type of coffee, a style of architecture, and a period of Frisian history. | |||
| Galician | colonial | ||
| German | kolonial | ||
| The German word "kolonial" has various meanings, including "overseas," "related to colonies," and "exotic." | |||
| Icelandic | nýlendutímanum | ||
| In Icelandic, "nýlendutímanum" can also refer to the colonial era. | |||
| Irish | coilíneach | ||
| While it refers to colonial in English, in Irish it translates to a man from Colin. | |||
| Italian | coloniale | ||
| The word 'coloniale' can also refer to a style of furniture or a type of coffee. | |||
| Luxembourgish | kolonial | ||
| Luxembourgish "Kolonial" also refers to a coffee and chicory blend, as well as to a type of sugar refined from beetroots. | |||
| Maltese | kolonjali | ||
| The Maltese word "kolonjali" derives from the Italian word "coloniale", which in turn comes from the Latin word "colonia". | |||
| Norwegian | koloniale | ||
| The word "koloniale" can also mean "grocery store" in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | colonial | ||
| In Portuguese, the term colonial can also refer to a type of furniture made from wood from former colonies. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | coloinidh | ||
| The word 'coloinidh' in Scots Gaelic can also refer to a 'farming community' or 'people living together'. | |||
| Spanish | colonial | ||
| The word "colonial" has multiple meanings in Spanish, including "colonial", "settler", and "related to the period of colonization". | |||
| Swedish | kolonial | ||
| The word 'kolonial' in Swedish can also refer to grocery stores that sell everyday items, much like a convenience store. | |||
| Welsh | trefedigaethol | ||
| The word "trefedigaethol" in Welsh is derived from the Latin word "colonia" meaning "farm" or "settlement", and is also used to refer to a colony or settlement in a foreign land. | |||
Colonial in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | каланіяльны | ||
| Bosnian | kolonijalni | ||
| The word "kolonijalni" is derived from the Latin word "colonia", meaning "a settlement" or "a colony". | |||
| Bulgarian | колониален | ||
| The word "колониален" also means "of or relating to a colony of ants" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | koloniální | ||
| Slovo "koloniální" má v češtině dvojí význam: původně významu "koloniální", v současnosti spíše "smíšený". | |||
| Estonian | koloniaalne | ||
| The word "koloniaalne" in Estonian can also refer to the colonial period or the colonial empire. | |||
| Finnish | siirtomaa- | ||
| The word "siirtomaa-" also has a historical meaning referring to "emigration" in Finnish. | |||
| Hungarian | gyarmati | ||
| The word ’gyarmati’ could also mean the name of a horse or a plant growing out of water. | |||
| Latvian | koloniāls | ||
| In Latvian, "koloniāls" can also refer to goods imported from foreign colonies. | |||
| Lithuanian | kolonijinis | ||
| The word "kolonijinis" in Lithuanian can also mean "of a colony" or "related to a colony". | |||
| Macedonian | колонијална | ||
| The word "колонијална" can also mean "relating to a colony or colonies; colonial." | |||
| Polish | kolonialny | ||
| In Polish the word "kolonialny" also has the alternate meaning of a type of flour made from wheat, barley, and sometimes oats. | |||
| Romanian | colonial | ||
| The Romanian word "colonial" is derived from the Latin verb "colo" meaning "to cultivate" and can also mean "colonist" or "settlement". | |||
| Russian | колониальный | ||
| В русском языке слово «колониальный» также имеет значение «окрашенный в одноцветный тон». | |||
| Serbian | колонијални | ||
| The Serbian word "колонијални" ("colonial") can also refer to the period of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1929 to 1941, when it was known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. | |||
| Slovak | koloniálny | ||
| Slovo "koloniálny" má tiež význam "farebný", ktorý je odvodený od francúzskeho slova "colonial". | |||
| Slovenian | kolonialna | ||
| The term "kolonialna" can also refer to a person or thing from a colony or to the colonial period in a certain country. | |||
| Ukrainian | колоніальний | ||
| The Ukrainian word "колоніальний" can also refer to a person or thing from a colony. | |||
Colonial in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | .পনিবেশিক | ||
| “পনিবেশিক” (“colonial”) is related to the word “পনিবেশ” (“colony”) and refers to the establishment and maintenance of a colony. | |||
| Gujarati | વસાહતી | ||
| Hindi | औपनिवेशिक | ||
| The Hindi word औपनिवेशिक (colonial) is an adjective derived from the Sanskrit word उपनिवेश (settlement, colony). | |||
| Kannada | ವಸಾಹತುಶಾಹಿ | ||
| The word "ವಸಾಹತುಶಾಹಿ" also refers to the "settling of a new community" or "group of people migrating to form a new settlement" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | കൊളോണിയൽ | ||
| The word "colonial" in Malayalam also refers to a Portuguese settlement or trading post. | |||
| Marathi | औपनिवेशिक | ||
| औपनिवेशिक means 'colonial' in Marathi, but also has the alternate meaning of 'traditional' or 'customary'. | |||
| Nepali | औपनिवेशिक | ||
| औपनिवेशिक (colonial) is derived from the Latin word colōnia, meaning | |||
| Punjabi | ਬਸਤੀਵਾਦੀ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | යටත් විජිත | ||
| The word "යටත් විජිත" can also refer to a person who is subject to another person's authority or control. | |||
| Tamil | காலனித்துவ | ||
| The word "காலனித்துவ" (colonial) is derived from the Latin word "colonia", meaning "settlement" or "farm". | |||
| Telugu | వలస | ||
| The word "వలస" (valasa) in Telugu can also mean "migration" or "settlement in a new place". | |||
| Urdu | نوآبادیاتی | ||
| The word 'نوآبادیاتی' ('colonial') in Urdu is derived from the Arabic word 'musta'marah' ('colony'), which in turn comes from the Latin word 'colonia' ('settlement'). | |||
Colonial in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 殖民 | ||
| 殖民最初来自拉丁语colōnus，本意为农民。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 殖民 | ||
| 殖民 is a term for both colonization and reproduction in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | コロニアル | ||
| 「コロニアル」は建築様式を表すときに「植民地の」という意味ではなく、「時代の」という意味で使用されることも。 | |||
| Korean | 식민지 주민 | ||
| The term 식민지(colonial) is also used in the context of a colonial period or a colonial system, referring to a period of time or a set of policies and practices that establish and maintain political and economic control over a territory or region. | |||
| Mongolian | колоничлол | ||
| The Mongolian word "колоничлол" (colonial) derives from the Russian colonichny (coloniale), and may also have the connotation of "imperialistic" or "exploitative". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကိုလိုနီခေတ် | ||
Colonial in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kolonial | ||
| The word 'kolonial' in Indonesian can also refer to 'large' or 'huge'. | |||
| Javanese | kolonial | ||
| The Javanese word "kolonial" can also refer to a type of textile or a style of architecture. | |||
| Khmer | អាណានិគម | ||
| The word អាណានិគម can also refer to a territory controlled by another country, or to a group of people living in such a territory. | |||
| Lao | ອານານິຄົມ | ||
| The Lao word ອານານິຄົມ, derived from the French "colonie," can also refer to the people of a colony or a group of people from different places living together. | |||
| Malay | penjajah | ||
| "Penjajah" is the Malay word for "colonial", derived from the Sanskrit word "janapati", meaning "lord of the people" or "ruler." | |||
| Thai | อาณานิคม | ||
| The word อาณานิคม (colonial) derives from the Sanskrit word अनिकेत (aniketa), which means "without a home" or "unsettled." | |||
| Vietnamese | thuộc địa | ||
| The word "thuộc địa" originated from the Chinese phrase "屬地", which means "territory belonging to a certain ruler or dynasty". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kolonyal | ||
Colonial in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | müstəmləkəçi | ||
| The word müstəmləkəçi is sometimes used to refer specifically to the colonial powers such as Britain, France, and Russia. | |||
| Kazakh | отарлық | ||
| The word "отарлық" (colonial) in Kazakh is derived from the Persian word "otar" (group), which refers to a group of people living together or working together. | |||
| Kyrgyz | колониялык | ||
| Tajik | мустамлика | ||
| In Persian, the word "mustamlaka" also refers to "a place for living", and is related to the verb "to dwell". | |||
| Turkmen | kolonial | ||
| Uzbek | mustamlaka | ||
| The word "mustamlaka" is derived from the Arabic word "musta'mal", which means "used" or "exploited." | |||
| Uyghur | مۇستەملىكە | ||
Colonial in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | koloneā | ||
| The word "koloneā" derives from the English word "colonial", used in a Hawaiian context to refer to the period of Western colonialism and its cultural and linguistic impacts on Hawaiian society. | |||
| Maori | koroni | ||
| The Maori word "koroni" has a secondary meaning of "to be established, to be founded" | |||
| Samoan | kolone | ||
| In Samoan, "kolone" can also refer to a settlement established by European settlers in the Pacific region. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kolonyal | ||
Colonial in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | colonial ukham uñt’atawa | ||
| Guarani | colonial rehegua | ||
Colonial in International Languages
| Esperanto | kolonia | ||
| Latin | coloniae | ||
| Coloniae is also a noun, meaning "farms, plantations, estates," or "districts." | |||
Colonial in Others Languages
| Greek | αποικιακός | ||
| In the context of ancient Greece, αποικιακός may also mean 'relating to the formation and establishment of colonies', as well as 'having the attributes and characteristics of a colony', and even 'pertaining to settlers of a colony'. | |||
| Hmong | colonial | ||
| The word 'colonial' also means 'colonial-style furniture' in English. | |||
| Kurdish | kolonî | ||
| The Kurdish word "kolonî" originates from the Greek "kolónia" meaning "a settlement in a new land". | |||
| Turkish | sömürge | ||
| The word "sömürge" comes from the Arabic word "musta'mara", meaning "place of settlement". | |||
| Xhosa | yobukoloniyali | ||
| The Xhosa word 'yobukoloniyali' can also refer to the state of being dispossessed or marginalized. | |||
| Yiddish | קאָלאָניאַל | ||
| In Yiddish, the word "kolonyal" can also refer to a grocery store or a general store. | |||
| Zulu | yamakoloni | ||
| The Zulu word 'yamakoloni' (colonial) comes from the Dutch word 'kolonie' (colony), which itself derives from the Latin word 'colonia' (a settlement of farmers). | |||
| Assamese | ঔপনিৱেশিক | ||
| Aymara | colonial ukham uñt’atawa | ||
| Bhojpuri | औपनिवेशिक के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | އިސްތިޢުމާރީ ގޮތުންނެވެ | ||
| Dogri | औपनिवेशिक | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kolonyal | ||
| Guarani | colonial rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | kolonial | ||
| Krio | di wan dɛn we dɛn bin de kɔl kɔlonial | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کۆلۆنیالیزم | ||
| Maithili | औपनिवेशिक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯣꯂꯣꯅꯤꯑꯦꯜ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | colonial a ni | ||
| Oromo | koloneeffataa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଉପନିବେଶ | ||
| Quechua | colonial nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | औपनिवेशिक | ||
| Tatar | колониаль | ||
| Tigrinya | መግዛእታዊ | ||
| Tsonga | vukoloni | ||