Concrete in Different Languages
Discover 'Concrete' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Concrete is a significant part of our modern world. It's a building material made from cement, water, and aggregates like sand or gravel. Its strength, durability, and versatility have made it a crucial element in construction projects around the globe. But concrete's significance extends beyond its practical uses. It's a symbol of progress and development, a testament to human ingenuity and innovation.
Culturally, concrete has made its mark in various ways. From the Roman Pantheon's massive dome to the iconic Hoover Dam, concrete structures have become landmarks, their solidity and permanence reflecting the enduring spirit of the civilizations that built them. Moreover, concrete's use in public art and sculpture highlights its aesthetic potential.
Given its global importance, you might be interested in knowing how to say 'concrete' in different languages. Here are a few translations to pique your curiosity:
- Spanish: concreto
- French: béton
- German: Beton
- Mandarin: 混凝土 (hùn níng tǔ)
- Japanese: コンクリート (konkurīto)
Concrete
Concrete in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | beton | ||
| In Afrikaans, "beton" can also refer to a type of building block used in construction. | |||
| Amharic | ኮንክሪት | ||
| The word "ኮንክሪት" in Amharic also means "foundation" or "base". | |||
| Hausa | kankare | ||
| The word 'kankare' in Hausa likely originates from the word 'kangare', meaning 'to harden' or 'to become solid'. | |||
| Igbo | ihe | ||
| 'Ihe' can also mean 'thing' or 'something' in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | simenitra | ||
| The Malagasy word "simenitra" is derived from the French word "ciment", which means "cement". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | konkire | ||
| In Nyanja, "konkire" can also refer to a strong foundation or stable position. | |||
| Shona | kongiri | ||
| The word "kongiri" is also used to refer to a type of grass that grows in marshy areas. | |||
| Somali | la taaban karo | ||
| La taaban karo in Somali has an alternate meaning of "very strong, sturdy, or tough" | |||
| Sesotho | konkreite | ||
| "Konkrete" is a Sesotho word meaning either "concrete" or "something real or tangible." | |||
| Swahili | saruji | ||
| The Swahili word "saruji" is thought to have originated from the Arabic word "suruji" which means "mortar" | |||
| Xhosa | ikhonkrithi | ||
| The Xhosa word for "concrete," ikhonkrithi, comes from the English word "concrete" and the Xhosa word for "stone," ilitye. | |||
| Yoruba | nja | ||
| The word "nja" in Yoruba can also refer to the process of hardening or becoming solid. | |||
| Zulu | ukhonkolo | ||
| 'Ukhonkolo' is also a name for the black mamba snake in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | bɛtɔn | ||
| Ewe | kɔkreti | ||
| Kinyarwanda | beto | ||
| Lingala | ya solosolo | ||
| Luganda | enkokoto | ||
| Sepedi | khonkriti | ||
| Twi (Akan) | anituadeɛ | ||
Concrete in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الخرسانة | ||
| The word "الخرسانة" (concrete) derives from the Arabic word "خَرسَ" (to be dumb or mute), likely referring to the material's sound-absorbing properties. | |||
| Hebrew | בֵּטוֹן | ||
| The word "בֵּטוֹן" comes from the Latin word "bitumen," meaning "asphalt." It was originally used to refer to a mixture of asphalt and gravel used for paving roads. | |||
| Pashto | کانکریټ | ||
| The word "کانکریټ" also means "solid" or "firm" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | الخرسانة | ||
| The word "الخرسانة" (concrete) derives from the Arabic word "خَرسَ" (to be dumb or mute), likely referring to the material's sound-absorbing properties. | |||
Concrete in Western European Languages
| Albanian | betoni | ||
| An alternate meaning of the Albanian word "betoni" is "strong". | |||
| Basque | hormigoia | ||
| The Basque word "hormigoia" originates from the Latin word "formica", meaning "ant", due to the resemblance of the material to the nests built by these insects. | |||
| Catalan | formigó | ||
| "Formigó" derives from the Latin "formicare," meaning "to swarm," due to its resemblance to a swarm of ants. | |||
| Croatian | beton | ||
| The word "beton" is derived from the French word "béton", which in turn comes from the Latin word "bitumen". In Croatian, "beton" can also refer to the act of covering something with a layer of asphalt. | |||
| Danish | beton | ||
| Danish "beton" can also mean "to emphasize". | |||
| Dutch | beton | ||
| In Dutch, beton also means 'to emphasize', as in 'beton de belangrijkste punten' (emphasize the most important points). | |||
| English | concrete | ||
| The word "concrete" originates from the Latin word "concresco," meaning "to grow together" or "to thicken," and can also refer to something that is solid, definite, or tangible. | |||
| French | béton | ||
| "Béton" also refers to a type of hard candy and can be used figuratively to mean something solid or immutable | |||
| Frisian | beton | ||
| Beton is derived from the French word "béton", ultimately from the Latin "bitumen" meaning "natural asphalt." | |||
| Galician | formigón | ||
| In Galician, "formigón" not only refers to concrete but also to large ants, ants' nests, or the bottom of wine barrels. | |||
| German | beton | ||
| In der Bauindustrie ist Beton ein Verbundmaterial aus Zement, Wasser und Gesteinszuschlag, das mit der Zeit aushärtet. | |||
| Icelandic | steypa | ||
| The word 'steypa' has cognates in other Germanic languages, such as 'stoppa' (German), 'stop' (English), and 'stoppen' (Dutch), all of which imply 'to stuff' or 'to obstruct'. | |||
| Irish | coincréite | ||
| In Irish, 'coincréite' can also refer to a 'coincidence' or 'meeting of people'. | |||
| Italian | calcestruzzo | ||
| The word "calcestruzzo" derives from the Latin "calx" (lime) and "struere" (to build), and originally referred to a mixture of lime and crushed stones used as a building material. | |||
| Luxembourgish | konkret | ||
| The word "konkret" in Luxembourgish also means "fact" or "reality". | |||
| Maltese | konkrit | ||
| The Maltese word "konkrit" is derived from the English word "concrete" and also refers to a type of sea snail. | |||
| Norwegian | betong | ||
| In Norwegian, "betong" can also refer to the ground floor of a building, where concrete is often used in construction. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | concreto | ||
| In Portuguese, "concreto" can also mean "certain", "precise" or "positive". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cruadhtan | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "cruadhtan" may also refer to "gruel" or "curds". | |||
| Spanish | hormigón | ||
| The Spanish word 'hormigón' also refers to a reinforced concrete made with iron or steel. | |||
| Swedish | betong- | ||
| "Betong" also means "confession" in slang. | |||
| Welsh | concrit | ||
| In Welsh, 'concrit' is a borrowing from English, possibly influenced by the Welsh word 'concr' (lump). | |||
Concrete in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | бетон | ||
| Бетон is cognate with the French word “béton,” meaning “mixed rubble,” which shares an etymology with the Old French word “beton,” meaning "cement". | |||
| Bosnian | beton | ||
| In Bosnian, "beton" can also refer to "mortar". | |||
| Bulgarian | бетон | ||
| The word "бетон" comes from the French word "béton", which in turn comes from the Latin word "bitumen", meaning "tar" or "asphalt". | |||
| Czech | beton | ||
| Estonian | betoonist | ||
| The word "betoonist" comes from the French word "beton", derived from the Latin verb "bitumen," meaning 'to lay a foundation.' | |||
| Finnish | betoni | ||
| Betoni originated from the Swedish word betong, which itself is derived from the French word béton and the Latin word bitūmen. | |||
| Hungarian | konkrét | ||
| The Hungarian word "konkrét" comes from the Latin word "concretus" which means "solidified" or "hardened". | |||
| Latvian | betons | ||
| The word "betons" is derived from the French word "béton," and it can also refer to a type of fabric with a rough texture. | |||
| Lithuanian | betono | ||
| The word "betonas" is derived from the French word "béton" and the Italian word "bettone," both meaning "concrete." | |||
| Macedonian | бетон | ||
| The word "бетон" also means "cement" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | beton | ||
| In Polish language, the word "beton” has an additional meaning - "boring and dull person" | |||
| Romanian | beton | ||
| In Romanian, the word "beton" is derived from French, where it originally meant "firm" or "solid". It has also been used figuratively to describe something that is reliable or dependable. | |||
| Russian | бетон | ||
| "Бетон" is also a slang term for "boring" or "dull". | |||
| Serbian | бетон | ||
| The Cyrillic word "бетон" (pronounced "beton") ultimately derives from the Latin "bitumen", which in Slavic languages came to mean "mortar", "concrete", and other cement-like building materials. | |||
| Slovak | betón | ||
| The word "betón" derives from the French "béton," which means "mortar" or "concrete mixture." | |||
| Slovenian | beton | ||
| The Slovenian word 'beton' derives from the French word 'béton', which means 'to set', ultimately coming from the Latin 'bitumen'. | |||
| Ukrainian | бетон | ||
| The word "бетон" comes from the French word "béton" and has the same meaning in both languages. | |||
Concrete in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | কংক্রিট | ||
| কংক্রিট শব্দটির উৎপত্তি ল্যাটিন শব্দ "কংক্রিটাস" থেকে, যার অর্থ "একসাথে বেঁধে"। | |||
| Gujarati | કોંક્રિટ | ||
| કોંક્રિટ is the Gujarati word for concrete, but it also means "hard facts" or "evidence". | |||
| Hindi | ठोस | ||
| The word "ठोस" (ṭhōsa) is derived from the Sanskrit word "तस्थ" (tastha), meaning "to stand" or "to be firm". | |||
| Kannada | ಕಾಂಕ್ರೀಟ್ | ||
| The word itself comes from the Latin word "concretus", which means "come together". | |||
| Malayalam | കോൺക്രീറ്റ് | ||
| The Malayalam word "കോൺക്രീറ്റ്" is derived from the English word "concrete" and the Latin word "concretus," meaning "made solid" or "hardened." | |||
| Marathi | ठोस | ||
| "ठोस" also means solid, hard, dense, stable, and strong in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | कंक्रीट | ||
| The word "कंक्रीट" derives from the Latin word "concretus", meaning "thickened" or "hardened", and also shares its root with the English word "concrete". | |||
| Punjabi | ਠੋਸ | ||
| In Punjabi, ਠੋਸ (thoss) can also mean solid, firm, or strong. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කොන්ක්රීට් | ||
| Tamil | கான்கிரீட் | ||
| Telugu | కాంక్రీటు | ||
| కాంక్రీటు (concrete) refers to a material, a slab, or an idea or scheme which is solid and fixed in place. | |||
| Urdu | کنکریٹ | ||
| The word 'کنکریٹ' (concrete) originates from the Latin word 'concretus', meaning 'to grow together' or 'to harden'. In ancient Roman architecture, 'concretus' was used to refer to a mixture of lime, sand, and gravel that hardened into a durable building material. | |||
Concrete in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 具体 | ||
| In Chinese, "concrete" can also mean "specific" or "tangible." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 具體 | ||
| 具體(jùtǐ) can also mean 'specific' or 'particular' in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | コンクリート | ||
| "コンクリート" (concrete) comes from the Dutch word "concret". In Japanese, it can also refer to the idea of "solidity" or "firmness". | |||
| Korean | 콘크리트 | ||
| In Korean, "콘크리트" (concrete) also means a type of small, hard fruit. | |||
| Mongolian | бетон | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကွန်ကရစ် | ||
Concrete in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | beton | ||
| In Indonesian, "beton" can also refer to a type of traditional percussion instrument made from bamboo or wood. | |||
| Javanese | beton | ||
| In Javanese, "beton" can also refer to a type of fruit tree or its fruit, known as the "sawo" or star apple. | |||
| Khmer | បេតុង | ||
| The word "បេតុង" (concrete) in Khmer is derived from the French word "béton" which means "concrete". | |||
| Lao | ຊີມັງ | ||
| Malay | konkrit | ||
| In Malay, 'konkrit' also means 'certain' or 'definite' | |||
| Thai | คอนกรีต | ||
| คอนกรีต in Thai, derives from the Latin word "concretus" meaning "coagulated", which refers to the material's hardening process. | |||
| Vietnamese | bê tông | ||
| The word "bê tông" is derived from the French word "béton", meaning "hardened mortar". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kongkreto | ||
Concrete in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | beton | ||
| "Beton" in Azerbaijani comes from French "béton", which in turn comes from Latin "bitumen", meaning "natural asphalt". | |||
| Kazakh | бетон | ||
| In Kazakh, "бетон" can also refer to the mineral calcite. | |||
| Kyrgyz | бетон | ||
| The word "бетон" comes from the French word "béton", which in turn comes from the Latin word "bitumen", meaning "a black, sticky substance". | |||
| Tajik | бетон | ||
| The Russian word "бетон" is often used in Tajik as a synonym for the word "симент" ( | |||
| Turkmen | beton | ||
| Uzbek | beton | ||
| "Beton" kelimesi Türkçe kökenlidir ve ilk anlamı "taş"tır. | |||
| Uyghur | كونكرېت | ||
Concrete in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pōhaku paʻa | ||
| It literally means "firm stone" in Hawaiian and is often used as "concrete" does in English. | |||
| Maori | raima | ||
| The word 'raima' in Maori derives from the word 'rai', meaning 'stone' or 'gravel'. | |||
| Samoan | sima | ||
| The Samoan word "sima" can trace its origins to the Proto-Polynesian word "cima", meaning "foundation". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kongkreto | ||
| The Tagalog word "kongkreto" likely originated from the Spanish word "concreto" and has the alternate meaning of "true" or "solid". | |||
Concrete in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | qhana | ||
| Guarani | ytaguasu itaguigua | ||
Concrete in International Languages
| Esperanto | betono | ||
| Latin | rebus | ||
| "The Latin plural, rebus ("by things"), is often used loosely to refer even to puzzles without actual pictures." | |||
Concrete in Others Languages
| Greek | σκυρόδεμα | ||
| The word σκυρόδεμα is ultimately derived from the Latin word | |||
| Hmong | pob zeb ua | ||
| In the Hmong language, "pob zeb ua" can also refer to "hard ground" or "solid earth". | |||
| Kurdish | beton | ||
| In the Sorani dialect, the verb "beton kirin" refers to the act of making concrete or plastering a wall. | |||
| Turkish | somut | ||
| In Turkish, 'somut' can also mean 'tangible' or 'palpable'. | |||
| Xhosa | ikhonkrithi | ||
| The Xhosa word for "concrete," ikhonkrithi, comes from the English word "concrete" and the Xhosa word for "stone," ilitye. | |||
| Yiddish | קאָנקרעט | ||
| The Yiddish word "קאָנקרעט" can also refer to a specific type of hard candy, similar to toffee. | |||
| Zulu | ukhonkolo | ||
| 'Ukhonkolo' is also a name for the black mamba snake in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | কংক্ৰিট | ||
| Aymara | qhana | ||
| Bhojpuri | ठोस | ||
| Dhivehi | ކޮންކްރީޓް | ||
| Dogri | मजबूत | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kongkreto | ||
| Guarani | ytaguasu itaguigua | ||
| Ilocano | konkreto | ||
| Krio | simɛnt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەرجەستە | ||
| Maithili | मजबूत | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯀꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | sakhat | ||
| Oromo | jabaataa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କଂକ୍ରିଟ୍ | | ||
| Quechua | concreto | ||
| Sanskrit | ठोस | ||
| Tatar | бетон | ||
| Tigrinya | ጽኑዕ | ||
| Tsonga | xotiya | ||