Concern in Different Languages
Discover 'Concern' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'concern' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting a worry, interest, or issue that matters to us. Its cultural importance is evident in various contexts, from everyday conversations to formal speeches, as it bridges the gap between personal and collective experiences. Understanding the translation of 'concern' in different languages can enrich our cross-cultural communication and foster global understanding.
Historically, 'concern' has been used to express empathy, responsibility, and accountability. For instance, the phrase 'without concern for' highlights a lack of interest or consideration towards something. This versatile term has also been adopted in various fields such as business, healthcare, and education, emphasizing the need for attention and problem-solving.
Considering the global audience interested in language and culture, knowing the translations of 'concern' can facilitate more effective and respectful dialogue. Here are a few examples:
- French: inquiétude
- Spanish: preocupación
- German: Sorge
- Mandarin: 关心 (guānxīn)
- Japanese: 心配 (shinpai)
Concern
Concern in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | kommer | ||
| In Afrikaans, the word "kommer" has its roots in the medieval Dutch word "kommer," meaning "worry" or "grief." | |||
| Amharic | መጨነቅ | ||
| The word "መጨነቅ" derives from the Proto-Semitic root "*ṣʿn", meaning "to be anxious" or "to be troubled". | |||
| Hausa | damuwa | ||
| The word "damuwa" also means "thought" and "consideration" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | nchegbu | ||
| The word "nchegbu" in Igbo shares its etymology with the word "nche" (thought), suggesting a deeper connection between concern and cognitive processes. | |||
| Malagasy | olana | ||
| The word "olana" can also mean "affair" or "matter". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | nkhawa | ||
| The word "nkhawa" derives from the Proto-Bantu root *-kapa-, meaning "to seize" or "to catch". | |||
| Shona | kunetseka | ||
| The word “kunetseka” is also used to refer to a situation where someone is facing difficulties or challenges. | |||
| Somali | walaac | ||
| The Somali word "walaac" is also used to describe a type of mental illness characterized by anxiety and fear. | |||
| Sesotho | ngongoreho | ||
| 'Ngongoreho' derives from a Sesotho expression emphasizing 'a matter that weighs heavily on the heart'. | |||
| Swahili | wasiwasi | ||
| The Swahili word "wasiwasi" can also refer to "hesitation". | |||
| Xhosa | inkxalabo | ||
| In older Xhosa inkxalabo only referred to an individual's concerns. | |||
| Yoruba | ibakcdun | ||
| The word "ibakcdun" can also mean "worry" or "anxiety" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | ukukhathazeka | ||
| Ukukhathazeka in Zulu refers to a deep sense of worry or preoccupation, extending beyond mere concern. | |||
| Bambara | hanminanko | ||
| Ewe | dzitsitsi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | impungenge | ||
| Lingala | komitungisa | ||
| Luganda | okweraliikirira | ||
| Sepedi | pelaelo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | dadwene | ||
Concern in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الاهتمام | ||
| The Arabic word "الاهتمام" is derived from the root word "hem", meaning "to care or tend to," and can also refer to "attention" or "interest." | |||
| Hebrew | דְאָגָה | ||
| The Hebrew word "דְאָגָה" can also mean "worry" or "anxiety" in the sense of a care or burden on the mind. | |||
| Pashto | اندیښنه | ||
| اندیښنه originates from the Indo-Aryan root word "andist" but also carries an additional meaning of "doubt" or "uncertainty". | |||
| Arabic | الاهتمام | ||
| The Arabic word "الاهتمام" is derived from the root word "hem", meaning "to care or tend to," and can also refer to "attention" or "interest." | |||
Concern in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shqetësim | ||
| "Shqetësim" has the alternative meaning of "worry" and derives from the verb "shqetësoj" which means "to disturb," "to vex," "to trouble" or "to cause anxiety". | |||
| Basque | kezka | ||
| The word "kezka" in Basque also means "fear" or "worry". | |||
| Catalan | preocupació | ||
| The Catalan word "preocupació" comes from the Latin "praeoccupatio", meaning "to take possession of something beforehand". | |||
| Croatian | zabrinutost | ||
| The word "zabrinutost" may also refer to "anxiety" or "worry". | |||
| Danish | bekymring | ||
| The Danish word "bekymring" originally meant "care" or "attention", and is related to the word "bekvem" meaning "comfortable". | |||
| Dutch | bezorgdheid | ||
| The word "bezorgdheid" in Dutch originally meant "protection" or "care", but over time it came to mean "worry" or "concern". | |||
| English | concern | ||
| The word 'concern' derives from Old French 'concerner' meaning 'to pertain to' or 'to belong to'. It can also refer to a business or organization. | |||
| French | préoccupation | ||
| Préoccupation derives from "préoccuper" (to preoccupy), from Latin "praeoccupare" (to seize beforehand). | |||
| Frisian | soarch | ||
| The Frisian word "soarch" is derived from the Proto-West Germanic word *surgan, which also meant "care" or "anxiety." | |||
| Galician | preocupación | ||
| In Galician, "preocupación" comes from the Latin "praeoccupare", meaning "to take possession of beforehand". | |||
| German | besorgnis, sorge | ||
| "Besorgnis" and "Sorge" both stem from the Old High German word "sorga", meaning "care", "grief", or "anxiety". | |||
| Icelandic | áhyggjur | ||
| The word “áhyggjur” is derived from the Old Norse verb “hugga,” meaning “to think” or “to be concerned.” | |||
| Irish | imní | ||
| The alternate meaning of the Irish word "imní" is "fear" from Latin "timor" (fear, reverence) | |||
| Italian | preoccupazione | ||
| Preoccupazione, meaning 'concern' in Italian, literally translates to 'pre-' ('before') and 'occupazione' ('occupation'), referring to preoccupation as something that comes before any other activity or thought. | |||
| Luxembourgish | suerg | ||
| The word "Suerg" in Luxembourgish is derived from the Latin word "cura", meaning "care" or "concern". | |||
| Maltese | tħassib | ||
| The verb "tħassib" is related to the noun "ħsieb" (thought), suggesting a cognitive process underlying concern. | |||
| Norwegian | bekymring | ||
| The word "bekymring" comes from the Old Norse word "bekymrð", meaning "anxiety" or "trouble". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | preocupação | ||
| "Preocupação" comes from the Latin "praeoccupare," meaning "to take possession of beforehand" and "to take care of". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | dragh | ||
| The Scots word "dragh" also means "distress" or "sorrow" and is derived from the Old Irish word "drag". | |||
| Spanish | preocupación | ||
| The word "preocupación" comes from the Latin word "praeoccupare," which means "to take possession of beforehand" or "to preoccupy." | |||
| Swedish | oro | ||
| "Oro" is related to the word "åra" (oar) and may have originally meant "anxiety over rowing in turbulent waters" | |||
| Welsh | pryder | ||
| The Welsh word "pryder" also means "anxiety" or "worry". | |||
Concern in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | занепакоенасць | ||
| Bosnian | zabrinutost | ||
| The word "zabrinutost" in Bosnian also means "absorption" or "engrossment". | |||
| Bulgarian | загриженост | ||
| "Загриженост" comes from the verb "гръжа", which means "to gnaw", suggesting that "concern" is something that gnaws at the mind. | |||
| Czech | znepokojení | ||
| The Czech word "znepokojení" can also be used to express anxiety or disquiet. | |||
| Estonian | muret | ||
| The word "muret" in Estonian also has the alternate meaning of "wall" or "hedge". | |||
| Finnish | koskea | ||
| The word "koskea" also means "to touch" in Finnish, and is related to the word "kosketus" (touch). | |||
| Hungarian | vonatkozik | ||
| In German and Dutch "vonatkozik" also refers to a certain type of tax. | |||
| Latvian | bažas | ||
| The word "bažas" is cognate with the Lithuanian word "baimė", meaning "fear". It can also mean "worry" or "anxiety" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | susirūpinimą | ||
| The Lithuanian word for concern can also refer to care, anxiety, or worry. | |||
| Macedonian | загриженост | ||
| Macedonian word "загриженост" derives from the Church Slavonic word "загризти", which means "to seize". | |||
| Polish | sprawa | ||
| In Polish, the word "sprawa" has a range of meanings beyond "concern," including "affair," "case," and "matter." | |||
| Romanian | îngrijorare | ||
| The Romanian word "îngrijorare" ultimately derives from the Latin verb "curare" (to care for, to attend to), suggesting a sense of preoccupation or anxiety. | |||
| Russian | беспокойство | ||
| "Беспокойство" (concern) is derived from "покоить", meaning "to rest", so "беспокойство" literally translates to "lack of peace". | |||
| Serbian | забринутост | ||
| The Serbian word "забринутост" comes from the verb "забринути се", which means "to become worried or concerned". | |||
| Slovak | znepokojenie | ||
| The Slovak word "znepokojenie" comes from the verb "znepokojovať" meaning "to disturb" and originally meant "a state of being disturbed". | |||
| Slovenian | skrb | ||
| The word “skrb” likely comes from the Slavic word “skorb” meaning “pain, anxiety, or sorrow.” | |||
| Ukrainian | занепокоєння | ||
| 'Занепокоєння' comes from the verb 'непокоїти', which means 'to disturb' or 'to bother'. | |||
Concern in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | উদ্বেগ | ||
| The word "উদ্বেগ" (concern) originates from the Sanskrit word "उद्वेग" (agitation, excitement) | |||
| Gujarati | ચિંતા | ||
| The Gujarati word "ચિંતા" also means "anxiety" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "चिन्ता" (chinta) which has the same meaning. | |||
| Hindi | चिंता | ||
| चिंता's root word is 'चिन्तायति', which means 'to think', 'to consider', or 'to care'. | |||
| Kannada | ಕಾಳಜಿ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಕಾಳಜಿ" ultimately derives from the Sanskrit word "कृपा". It is the equivalent of the English word "compassion". | |||
| Malayalam | ആശങ്ക | ||
| "ആശങ്ക" is related to "ശങ്ക" (doubt) and can also mean a vague hope or longing. | |||
| Marathi | चिंता | ||
| चिंता is a feminine noun derived from the Sanskrit word 'chintana' meaning 'thinking' or 'worry'. | |||
| Nepali | चासो | ||
| The word "चासो" can also mean "interest" or "attention". | |||
| Punjabi | ਚਿੰਤਾ | ||
| The word "चिंता" is also used in Sanskrit and Hindi to mean "thought, anxiety or worry". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සැලකිලිමත් | ||
| Tamil | அக்கறை | ||
| In Tamil, "அக்கறை" can also refer to "care", "attention", "thoughtfulness", or "kindness" | |||
| Telugu | ఆందోళన | ||
| The word "ఆందోళన" comes from the Sanskrit word "उदवेला" (udvela), meaning "agitation, excitement, or anxiety". | |||
| Urdu | تشویش | ||
| Its root is 'shaush' in Persian meaning 'noise, tumult, disorder, confusion' | |||
Concern in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 关心 | ||
| In Chinese, "\u5173\u5b98" can also mean "to care for" or "to be anxious about". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 關心 | ||
| 關心 (Traditional Chinese) is derived from a combination of characters: 關 (to shut or close) and 心 (heart or mind), implying the idea of shutting out distractions and focusing one's heart and mind on a particular matter. | |||
| Japanese | 懸念 | ||
| "懸念" derives from Buddhist terminology, specifically from the Sanskrit word "klesha," meaning "affliction" or "suffering." | |||
| Korean | 관심사 | ||
| '관심' ('concern') is borrowed from the Japanese 'kwansimi', which comes from the Classical Chinese '關係' ('relation') | |||
| Mongolian | санаа зовох | ||
| The word "санаа зовох" (concern) is directly translated to "worry about" in English. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စိုးရိမ်ပူပန်မှု | ||
Concern in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | perhatian | ||
| The term "perhatian" derives from the Sanskrit root "hri," meaning "heart" or "emotion," signifying that concern arises from the depths of our being. | |||
| Javanese | prihatin | ||
| The word 'prihatin' in Javanese shares the same etymology as 'prihatna' in Sanskrit, both meaning 'saddened' or 'depressed'. | |||
| Khmer | ការព្រួយបារម្ភ | ||
| This word is of Pali origin, 'santāpa', which also means 'grief, affliction, sorrow'. | |||
| Lao | ຄວາມກັງວົນໃຈ | ||
| Malay | keprihatinan | ||
| The word "keprihatinan" in Malay is derived from the Arabic word "ikhtiar" which means "concern" or "anxiety". | |||
| Thai | กังวล | ||
| The term "กังวล" in Thai finds historical lineage with the Pali phrase "kaṅgala" implying a thorny branch. | |||
| Vietnamese | liên quan | ||
| "Liên quan" in Vietnamese originated from the Chinese phrase "連關", meaning "interconnectedness" or "relationship". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | alalahanin | ||
Concern in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qayğı | ||
| The word "qayğı" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "qayγï", meaning "anxiety", and is related to the Turkish word "kaygı", meaning "worry". | |||
| Kazakh | алаңдаушылық | ||
| The Kazakh word "алаңдаушылық" is derived from the verb "алаңдау" meaning "to worry" or "to be anxious", and it carries the same connotation of apprehension or anxiety. | |||
| Kyrgyz | тынчсыздануу | ||
| Tajik | ташвиш | ||
| "Ташвиш" is also used to refer to a type of traditional Tajik embroidery, featuring elaborate geometric patterns and vibrant colors. | |||
| Turkmen | aladasy | ||
| Uzbek | tashvish | ||
| The word "tashvish" has Persian origin and can also have the alternate meaning of "worry" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | ئەندىشە | ||
Concern in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hopohopo | ||
| "Hopohopo" also means "to be suspicious of". | |||
| Maori | āwangawanga | ||
| Āwangawanga stems from the same root as whakaaro, meaning thought or intention. | |||
| Samoan | popolega | ||
| The noun 'popolega' can also be used to refer to 'trouble', 'problem' or 'affair'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pag-aalala | ||
| "Pag-aalala" in Tagalog can also mean "care", "worry", "anxiety", or "solicitude" depending on the context. | |||
Concern in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jan aliqt'a | ||
| Guarani | jepy'apy | ||
Concern in International Languages
| Esperanto | maltrankvilo | ||
| "Maltrankvilo" is derived from the root "mal-" (bad) and "trankvilo" (peace), meaning a state of unrest or agitation. | |||
| Latin | de | ||
| The Latin word 'de' can also mean 'down from', 'out of' or 'away from', as in 'de monte' (down from the mountain). | |||
Concern in Others Languages
| Greek | ανησυχία | ||
| Αν comes from “ἀντί,” which means “against” or “opposite to,” and ησυχία represents tranquility and “being at rest.” | |||
| Hmong | kev txhawj xeeb | ||
| The word "kev txhawj xeeb" can also refer to a state of worry or anxiety. | |||
| Kurdish | şik | ||
| Şik originates from the Persian word 'şeyy', meaning 'object' or 'thing'. | |||
| Turkish | ilgilendirmek | ||
| "İlgilenmek" is also used colloquially to mean "to be interested in something or someone" or "to pay attention to something or someone". | |||
| Xhosa | inkxalabo | ||
| In older Xhosa inkxalabo only referred to an individual's concerns. | |||
| Yiddish | דייַגע | ||
| The Yiddish word "דייַגע" is derived from the German word "Ding", meaning "thing", and can also refer to a "legal claim" or a "suit". | |||
| Zulu | ukukhathazeka | ||
| Ukukhathazeka in Zulu refers to a deep sense of worry or preoccupation, extending beyond mere concern. | |||
| Assamese | উদ্বেগ | ||
| Aymara | jan aliqt'a | ||
| Bhojpuri | चिंता | ||
| Dhivehi | ކަންބޮޑުވުމެއް | ||
| Dogri | चैंता | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | alalahanin | ||
| Guarani | jepy'apy | ||
| Ilocano | biang | ||
| Krio | bisin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نیگەرانی | ||
| Maithili | चिन्ता | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯟꯖꯤꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | chanpual | ||
| Oromo | dhimma | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଚିନ୍ତା | ||
| Quechua | llaki | ||
| Sanskrit | परिदेवना | ||
| Tatar | борчылу | ||
| Tigrinya | ስግኣት | ||
| Tsonga | xivilelo | ||