Updated on March 6, 2024
The word contract carries significant weight in our daily lives, shaping everything from business transactions to personal commitments. Its cultural importance is undeniable, as it serves as the foundation for trust and understanding in various societies and contexts. But what happens when we venture beyond our native tongue? Understanding the translation of contract in different languages becomes crucial for effective communication and fostering global connections.
Did you know that the Latin origin of the word contract is contrahere, which means
Afrikaans | kontrak | ||
The Afrikaans word "kontrak" originates from the Dutch "contract" and also means "agreement" or "treaty". | |||
Amharic | ውል | ||
In Amharic, "ውል" (contract) can also refer to an agreement or promise. | |||
Hausa | kwangila | ||
The word 'kwangila' derives from the Arabic word 'qirad', which refers to a type of partnership in which one party provides capital and the other provides management. | |||
Igbo | nkwekọrịta | ||
"Nkwekọrịta" (contract) can also mean a binding promise or an agreement between two or more parties. | |||
Malagasy | fifanarahana | ||
The word 'fifanarahana' in Malagasy also refers to a mutual agreement between two parties. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | mgwirizano | ||
Mgwirizano is also used to refer to an alliance, pact, or agreement, as well as marriage. | |||
Shona | chibvumirano | ||
Etymologically the word "chibvumirano" can be traced to the word "bvumirana" meaning to negotiate or discuss. | |||
Somali | qandaraas | ||
The word "qandaraas" in Somali may originate from the Arabic word "qiraad", meaning "recitation" or "reading aloud". | |||
Sesotho | konteraka | ||
"Konteraka" originates from Latin, "contractus," translating to "drawn together" or "shrunk," due to the legal agreement "drawing" two or more parties together. | |||
Swahili | mkataba | ||
Mkataba is derived from the Arabic word 'kitab' meaning 'writing' or 'document'. | |||
Xhosa | isivumelwano | ||
The Xhosa word "isivumelwano" can also refer to an agreement or promise. | |||
Yoruba | adehun | ||
The word 'adehun' can also mean 'covenant' or 'agreement' when used in a religious context. | |||
Zulu | inkontileka | ||
In Zulu, the word 'inkontileka' is derived from the verb 'ukontileka', meaning 'to bind' or 'to make a pact'. | |||
Bambara | bɛnkan | ||
Ewe | nubabla | ||
Kinyarwanda | amasezerano | ||
Lingala | kontra | ||
Luganda | kontulakiti | ||
Sepedi | kontraka | ||
Twi (Akan) | kɔntraagye | ||
Arabic | عقد | ||
This word literally means 'connection' and is related to the word 'necklace' | |||
Hebrew | חוֹזֶה | ||
The Hebrew word "חוֹזֶה" (contract) comes from the root חזה (see), implying that a contract should be transparent and witnessed. | |||
Pashto | تړون | ||
The Pashto word "تړون" (tṛūn) also means "bond", "agreement", or "treaty". | |||
Arabic | عقد | ||
This word literally means 'connection' and is related to the word 'necklace' |
Albanian | kontrata | ||
Although 'kontrata' is used in Albanian to mean 'contract', it is also used in some dialects of Albanian to mean 'agreement'. | |||
Basque | kontratua | ||
Kontratua derives from the Latin contractus, meaning literally 'drawn together', implying an agreement | |||
Catalan | contracte | ||
The word "contracte" in Catalan can also mean "agreement" or "treaty". | |||
Croatian | ugovor | ||
The word "ugovor" in Croatian comes from the Old Slavic word *obgvorъ*, which originally meant a mutual agreement or promise | |||
Danish | kontrakt | ||
The Danish word "kontrakt" derives from the Latin "contractus," meaning "drawn together". | |||
Dutch | contract | ||
In Dutch, "contract" can also refer to a written agreement between two or more parties. | |||
English | contract | ||
The word "contract" derives from the Latin word "contrahere," meaning "to draw together," and can refer to a binding agreement, a physical narrowing, or a mental reduction. | |||
French | contrat | ||
French "contrat" derives from Latin "contractus" which means "drawn together, shrunk", hence "agreement". | |||
Frisian | kontrakt | ||
The word "kontrakt" is also used in Frisian to refer to a "deal", "promise", or "obligation". | |||
Galician | contrato | ||
Galician "contrato" derives from Latin "contractus," also meaning "a coming together" | |||
German | vertrag | ||
The German word "Vertrag" can also mean "agreement", "treaty", or "pact". | |||
Icelandic | samningur | ||
The word "samningur" can also refer to a meeting, gathering, or assembly. | |||
Irish | conradh | ||
The word 'conradh' in Irish also means 'union' or 'covenant'. | |||
Italian | contrarre | ||
The word "contrarre" can also mean "to gain" or "to catch" in Italian. | |||
Luxembourgish | kontrakt | ||
In Luxembourgish, "Kontrakt" also has the extended meanings of "marriage" and "engagement". | |||
Maltese | kuntratt | ||
The Maltese word "kuntratt" traces its roots to the Italian "contratto" and the Latin "contractus", both meaning "agreement" or "covenant". | |||
Norwegian | kontrakt | ||
In Norwegian, the word "kontrakt" may also refer to a document recording an agreement or to the agreement itself, similar to a treaty or covenant. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | contrato | ||
In Brazil, "contrato" is also used in the context of religious rituals, especially related to Candomblé. | |||
Scots Gaelic | cùmhnant | ||
The word "cùmhnant" also shares etymological roots with "covenant", with both terms ultimately deriving from the Latin word "convenire", meaning "to come together". | |||
Spanish | contrato | ||
In Spanish, "contrato" can also mean "counterpoison" or "agreement." | |||
Swedish | avtal | ||
The word 'avtal' in Swedish comes from the Old Norse word 'átal', meaning 'agreement' or 'covenant'. | |||
Welsh | contract | ||
The Welsh word for 'contract' is based on the Latin word for 'to draw together'. |
Belarusian | кантракт | ||
The word "кантракт" (contract) comes from the Latin word "contractus". | |||
Bosnian | ugovor | ||
Bosnian word "ugovor" derives from the Old Slavic word, "ugovoriti", which means "to agree." | |||
Bulgarian | договор | ||
The Bulgarian word "договор" derives from the Old Slavic word "dogovorŭ", which means "agreement" or "pact" | |||
Czech | smlouva | ||
The Czech word "smlouva" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *smovlva, which means "agreement". | |||
Estonian | leping | ||
The word "leping" is derived from the same Proto-Finnic root as "leppä" ("alder"), due to contracts being frequently inscribed on alder bark. | |||
Finnish | sopimuksen | ||
The word "sopimuksen" is also semantically related to "sopu", meaning "harmony". | |||
Hungarian | szerződés | ||
The word "szerződés" also means "composition" in Hungarian, referring to its original meaning as an agreement between a composer and a publisher. | |||
Latvian | līgumu | ||
The word "līgumu" is derived from the Old Saxon word "lag" which means "law". | |||
Lithuanian | sutartį | ||
The Lithuanian word "sutartį" is derived from the Proto-Balto-Slavic root "*sъtortъ" meaning "agreement" or "treaty". | |||
Macedonian | договор | ||
The word "договор" in Macedonian has its origins in the old Slavonic word "догоръ", which means "agreement" or "deal". The noun form of the word is used to refer to a contract or agreement, while the verb form "договарам" means "to make a deal"} | |||
Polish | kontrakt | ||
Kontrakty są umowami ustnymi, które są wiążące, ale nie podlegają żadnym formalnościom prawnym. | |||
Romanian | contracta | ||
The Romanian word "contracta" has Latin origins and can also mean "to reduce" or "to shorten." | |||
Russian | договор | ||
The word 'договор' can also refer to a treaty, an agreement, or a pact. | |||
Serbian | уговор | ||
The word "уговор" (contract) also has the meaning of "agreement" or "promise". | |||
Slovak | zmluva | ||
The Slovak word "zmluva" has a similar root to the Greek word "symboleon", | |||
Slovenian | pogodbe | ||
In the 15th century, "pogodbe" primarily denoted a "treaty" or "agreement" between rulers or nations, rather than a legal contract between individuals. | |||
Ukrainian | контракт | ||
Украинское слово “контракт” («контракт») заимствовано из польского языка и в свою очередь происходит от средневекового латинского термина «contractus» («контракт», соглашение). |
Bengali | চুক্তি | ||
The word 'চুক্তি' (contract) in Bengali can also refer to a 'bond', 'agreement', 'treaty', or 'covenant'. | |||
Gujarati | કરાર | ||
The word "કરાર" is derived from the Sanskrit word "कर" meaning "to do" and "आर" meaning "to protect". | |||
Hindi | अनुबंध | ||
The word 'अनुबंध' literally means 'to follow the bond' in Sanskrit and also refers to a marital agreement. | |||
Kannada | ಒಪ್ಪಂದ | ||
ಒಪ್ಪಂದ ('contract') is derived from the verb 'ಒಪ್ಪು' ('to agree'), hence can also mean 'agreement' or 'settlement'. | |||
Malayalam | കരാർ | ||
The word "കരാർ" comes from the Sanskrit word "करार" which means "promise" or "agreement". | |||
Marathi | करार | ||
"करार" (contract) originates from the Sanskrit word "कर" (action) and "आर" (to make), implying an agreement that binds parties to a specific action or set of actions. | |||
Nepali | अनुबन्ध | ||
The word 'अनुबन्ध' (contract) originates from the Sanskrit word 'अनु' (after) and 'बन्ध' (to bind), indicating a binding agreement made after negotiation. | |||
Punjabi | ਇਕਰਾਰਨਾਮਾ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කොන්ත්රාත්තුව | ||
"කොන්ත්රාත්තුව" originated from the Portuguese word "contrato". It also refers to an agreement between two or more parties creating mutual obligations enforceable by law. | |||
Tamil | ஒப்பந்த | ||
Telugu | ఒప్పందం | ||
"ఒప్పందం" word in Telugu is derived from Sanskrit word "उपपत्त" which literally refers an agreement of the parties involved. | |||
Urdu | معاہدہ | ||
The Urdu word "معاہدہ" is also used in a religious context, referring to a covenant between God and the faithful. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 合同 | ||
"同" in "合同" refers to "agreement", and "合同" also means "document of agreement or contract". | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 合同 | ||
合同 (hé-tóng) literally means "joining together" in Chinese, reflecting its role in creating a legally binding agreement between parties. | |||
Japanese | 契約する | ||
The verb 契約する (keiyaku-suru) derives from the noun 契約 (keiyaku) meaning "agreement" or "promise." | |||
Korean | 계약 | ||
계약 literally means 'plan' or 'agreement', and the related verb '계획하다' (to plan) was originally the same word. | |||
Mongolian | гэрээ | ||
The Mongolian word гэрээ (/gereː/) is derived from the Mongolian verb гэрэх (/gerex/) meaning 'to agree' or 'to make a promise'. It can also refer to a more general agreement between two or more parties. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | စာချုပ် | ||
The word “စာချုပ်” comes from the Pali word “sāsana”, meaning "ordinance, proclamation, or law". It can also refer to a legal document or agreement in general. |
Indonesian | kontrak | ||
The word "kontrak" in Indonesian derives from the Portuguese word "contrato", which ultimately comes from the Latin word "contractus" | |||
Javanese | kontrak | ||
Kontrak as a Javanese word can also refer to a promise, agreement or covenant. | |||
Khmer | កិច្ចសន្យា | ||
Lao | ສັນຍາ | ||
ສັນຍາ" is a Pali loanword, and its cognates in other Tai languages such as Thai and Shan typically mean "promise" or "oath". | |||
Malay | kontrak | ||
The word 'kontrak' comes from the Portuguese word 'contrato' which means 'agreement'. | |||
Thai | สัญญา | ||
The word "สัญญา" also means "to promise" or "to vow" in Thai, highlighting the binding nature of a contract. | |||
Vietnamese | hợp đồng | ||
The word "hợp đồng" is derived from Sino-Vietnamese and originally meant "agreement, treaty, or covenant." | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | kontrata | ||
Azerbaijani | müqavilə | ||
The word "müqavilə" can also refer to a treaty or agreement. | |||
Kazakh | келісім-шарт | ||
The word "келісім-шарт" in Kazakh is derived from the Arabic word "qarar" meaning "agreement" and the Persian word "saat" meaning "hour". It can also refer to a treaty or covenant. | |||
Kyrgyz | келишим | ||
Tajik | шартнома | ||
The word "шартнома" is derived from the Persian word "شرط نامه" which means "agreement" or "covenant". | |||
Turkmen | şertnama | ||
Uzbek | shartnoma | ||
The word "shartnoma" is also used in Uzbek to refer to a "condition" or "term". | |||
Uyghur | توختام | ||
Hawaiian | ʻaelike | ||
The word ʻaelike, meaning "contract," can also refer to a covenant or agreement in Hawaiian. | |||
Maori | kirimana | ||
Kirimana can also mean 'plan', 'scheme', or 'idea' in Maori. | |||
Samoan | konekalate | ||
Konekalate is also a metaphor for any form of agreement. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | kontrata | ||
The Tagalog word "kontrata" is derived from the Spanish word "contrato", which can also mean "agreement" or "promise". |
Aymara | kunratu | ||
Guarani | ñoñe'ẽme'ẽ | ||
Esperanto | kontrakto | ||
Kontrakt (in Esperanto) and its derivations come from Latin, but it also has Slavic connotations. | |||
Latin | contractus | ||
"Contract" comes from the Latin word "contractus," which primarily means "drawn together, bound, or limited." |
Greek | σύμβαση | ||
In ancient Greek, "σύμβαση" could also refer to a meeting, agreement, or conversation. | |||
Hmong | sib cog lus | ||
The word "sib cog lus" can also mean "agreement" or "treaty" in Hmong. | |||
Kurdish | peyman | ||
Peyman is derived from the Persian word "paymaan" which also means "promise" or "covenant." | |||
Turkish | sözleşme | ||
The word 'sözleşme' derives from the Turkish word 'söz' ('word'), implying a verbal agreement that is later written down. | |||
Xhosa | isivumelwano | ||
The Xhosa word "isivumelwano" can also refer to an agreement or promise. | |||
Yiddish | אָפּמאַך | ||
The Yiddish word "אָפּמאַך" comes from German "abmachen," meaning "to arrange, settle, or determine." | |||
Zulu | inkontileka | ||
In Zulu, the word 'inkontileka' is derived from the verb 'ukontileka', meaning 'to bind' or 'to make a pact'. | |||
Assamese | চুক্তি | ||
Aymara | kunratu | ||
Bhojpuri | ठेका | ||
Dhivehi | އެއްބަސްވުން | ||
Dogri | करार | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | kontrata | ||
Guarani | ñoñe'ẽme'ẽ | ||
Ilocano | kontrata | ||
Krio | agrimɛnt | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | گرێبەست | ||
Maithili | अनुबंध | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯌꯥꯟ ꯋꯥꯔꯣꯜ | ||
Mizo | inremna | ||
Oromo | waliigaltee | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଚୁକ୍ତି | ||
Quechua | minkakuy | ||
Sanskrit | प्रसंविदा | ||
Tatar | контракт | ||
Tigrinya | ውዕሊ | ||
Tsonga | kontiraka | ||