Convince in Different Languages
Discover 'Convince' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'convince' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, as it allows us to express the act of persuading someone to believe or do something. This concept is universal and forms the basis of many cultural exchanges and interactions. Knowing the translation of 'convince' in different languages can help break down barriers and foster better communication.
Throughout history, the art of persuasion has played a crucial role in shaping societies and influencing decisions. From ancient philosophers like Aristotle, who wrote extensively on the topic, to modern-day marketing strategies, the ability to convince others is a valuable skill.
For instance, the French translation of 'convince' is 'convaicre', while in Spanish, it is 'convenover'. In German, the word is 'überzeugen', and in Mandarin Chinese, it is '说服（shuōfú)'. These translations not only offer insight into the linguistic nuances of different cultures but also highlight the global significance of the concept of persuasion.
Stay tuned for a comprehensive list of translations of 'convince' in various languages, which will further illustrate the cultural importance and diversity of this fundamental concept.
Convince
Convince in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | oortuig | ||
| Oortuig is related to the Dutch word "overtuigen", meaning "to persuade". | |||
| Amharic | ማሳመን | ||
| The Ge'ez root of the word ሳመ, from which ማሳመን ultimately comes, originally meant "to understand". | |||
| Hausa | shawo | ||
| The Hausa word "shawo" can also mean "to coax" or "to entice". | |||
| Igbo | kwenye | ||
| The word "kwenye" in Igbo also means "to convince someone to do something through persuasion or argument." | |||
| Malagasy | handresy lahatra | ||
| 'Handresy lahatra' literally means 'to make all agree' in Malagasy, emphasizing the importance of consensus in decision-making. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | khulupirirani | ||
| The verb 'khulupirirani' can also refer to the concept of 'believing' in a certain faith or ideology. | |||
| Shona | kugutsikana | ||
| The Shona verb kugutsikana comes from the noun gutsi ("heart"), suggesting the idea of influencing someone's innermost emotions to convince them. | |||
| Somali | qancin | ||
| The Somali word "qancin" is derived from the Arabic word "qan'a" meaning "to be satisfied" or "to be convinced". Qan'a is also the origin of the English word "convince". | |||
| Sesotho | kholisa | ||
| The word “kholisa” derives from “holoha”, to be or get quiet, in order to convince someone by calming them | |||
| Swahili | kushawishi | ||
| The word "kushawishi" is derived from the verb "shawishi" meaning "persuade", and is related to the noun "shawishi" meaning "persuasion". | |||
| Xhosa | kholisa | ||
| The word "kholisa" is derived from the root "kholosha" meaning to make happy, satisfied, or joyful. | |||
| Yoruba | parowa | ||
| The verb 'parowa' is a derivative of the noun 'iro', meaning 'thought' or 'belief'. | |||
| Zulu | kholisa | ||
| "Kholisa" also means "to satisfy" and "to comfort" in Zulu, implying a sense of appeasement and reassurance in the act of convincing. | |||
| Bambara | ka lason | ||
| Ewe | ƒoe ɖe enu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kwemeza | ||
| Lingala | kondimisa | ||
| Luganda | okumatiza | ||
| Sepedi | kgodiša | ||
| Twi (Akan) | sesa adwene | ||
Convince in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | إقناع | ||
| The term "إقناع" in Arabic is also colloquially used to refer to "persuasion" or "coercion" through a forceful argument or an attempt to win someone over to a particular point of view. | |||
| Hebrew | לְשַׁכְנֵעַ | ||
| The root word שׁוכן is related to dwelling or settling; hence, convincing someone involves establishing their position. | |||
| Pashto | قانع کول | ||
| The word قانع کول in Pashto also means 'to satisfy', deriving from the Arabic word قنع meaning 'to be content' or 'to be satisfied'. | |||
| Arabic | إقناع | ||
| The term "إقناع" in Arabic is also colloquially used to refer to "persuasion" or "coercion" through a forceful argument or an attempt to win someone over to a particular point of view. | |||
Convince in Western European Languages
| Albanian | bind | ||
| The word 'bind' in Albanian comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰendh-, meaning 'to seize' or 'to grasp'. | |||
| Basque | konbentzitu | ||
| Konbentzitu is cognate with the Latin word conventus, meaning coming together. | |||
| Catalan | convèncer | ||
| In Catalan, "convèncer" can also mean "to persuade" or "to make someone believe something." | |||
| Croatian | uvjeriti | ||
| The verb "uvjeriti" may also mean "assure" or "persuade" in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | overbevise | ||
| "Overbevise" is an old Danish word, derived from the Middle Low German "avervinsen," meaning to convince or persuade. | |||
| Dutch | overtuigen | ||
| The Dutch word "overtuigen" derives from the Middle Dutch verb "overtughen" meaning both "to convict" and "to convince". | |||
| English | convince | ||
| The word "convince" comes from the Latin word "convincere" meaning "to convict, prove, or overcome" and also "to conquer, defeat, or overpower". | |||
| French | convaincre | ||
| The French verb "convaincre" derives from the Latin "convincere", which means to overcome by proof, vanquish, or refute. | |||
| Frisian | oertsjûgje | ||
| In West Frisian, "oertsjûgje" also means "to coax, persuade, talk someone into something". | |||
| Galician | convencer | ||
| The Galician word "convencer" also means "to convene" in English. | |||
| German | überzeugen | ||
| "Überzeugen" comes from Old High German "überziugen," meaning "to draw over," while its alternate meaning, "to convict or persuade," comes from Latin "convincere." | |||
| Icelandic | sannfæra | ||
| The word "sannfæra" derives from the Old Norse words "sannr" (true) and "færa" (bring), meaning "to bring to truth". | |||
| Irish | cuir ina luí air | ||
| Italian | convincere | ||
| In Italian, 'convincere' also has the meaning 'to summon before a judge or tribunal'. | |||
| Luxembourgish | iwwerzeegen | ||
| 'Iwwerzeegen' may be derived from Old German 'gawis' or Latin 'vicere' ('to conquer') as 'to prevail' or 'force' someone (by compelling them) to do something they are initially reluctant to agree to. | |||
| Maltese | tikkonvinċi | ||
| The word "tikkonvinċi" comes from the Latin word "convincere", which means "to prove to be true". | |||
| Norwegian | overbevise | ||
| The word "overbevise" in Norwegian comes from the Old Norse word "ofrbevisa" which literally means "to prove over". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | convencer | ||
| The Portuguese verb "convencer" derives from the Latin "convincere", meaning both "to prove conclusively" and "to overcome scruples". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | toirt a chreidsinn | ||
| In Scots Gaelic "toirt a chreidsinn" means to "convince" but is literally more like "give belief". | |||
| Spanish | convencer | ||
| The word "convencer" in Spanish also means "to assemble" or "to gather". | |||
| Swedish | övertyga | ||
| "Övertyga" is derived from the Old Norse word "övertyga", meaning "to overcome" or "to persuade by argument or persuasion." | |||
| Welsh | argyhoeddi | ||
| The term 'argyhoeddi' in Welsh also has the nuanced meanings of 'persuade' or 'to make aware of'. | |||
Convince in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | пераканаць | ||
| “Пераканаць” (“convince”) derives from the Proto-Slavic verb “pьrkati”, meaning 'to spin' or 'to wind' something up. | |||
| Bosnian | ubediti | ||
| The word "ubediti" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *verj-, meaning "faith" or "belief." | |||
| Bulgarian | убеди | ||
| The Bulgarian word "убеди" has roots in the Old Church Slavonic verb "убѣдити" and the Proto-Slavic "*obvititi", both meaning "to wrap around" or "to entangle". This implies that the original sense of "убеди" was to "catch or entrap someone in an argument". | |||
| Czech | přesvědčit | ||
| The word "přesvědčit" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *prěsŭvědъ, meaning "to know for sure". | |||
| Estonian | veenda | ||
| The cognate for "veenda" ("convince") is "venc" in Latvian. | |||
| Finnish | vakuuttaa | ||
| The word "vakuuttaa" also means "to insure" and comes from the German "versichern". | |||
| Hungarian | meggyőzni | ||
| The word "meggyőzni" is derived from the Hungarian word "meggy" (sour cherry), which is a symbol of truth and honesty. | |||
| Latvian | pārliecināt | ||
| The word "pārliecināt" in Latvian also means "to assure". | |||
| Lithuanian | įtikinti | ||
| "Įtikinti" is cognate with the Latin "incentivare", meaning "to provoke, to incite". | |||
| Macedonian | убеди | ||
| The word "убеди" in Macedonian comes from the Slavic root "vĕd-iti," meaning "to know," and has the alternate meaning of "understand," "know," or "learn." | |||
| Polish | przekonać | ||
| The verb "przekonać" also means "to win over" or "to persuade". | |||
| Romanian | convinge | ||
| The Romanian word "convinge" comes from Latin "convincere", meaning "to conquer" or "to defeat". | |||
| Russian | убедить | ||
| The word "убедить" in Russian has an alternate meaning: "to persuade". | |||
| Serbian | убедити | ||
| The word 'убедити' (convince) in Serbian is also used to mean 'persuade' and is derived from the Slavic root 'ved-' meaning 'to know' or 'to see'. | |||
| Slovak | presvedčiť | ||
| Presvedčiť comes from the verb presvedčiť, which means to persuade or convince. | |||
| Slovenian | prepričati | ||
| In Slovenian, the word "prepričati" can also mean "to persuade" or "to convince oneself of something". | |||
| Ukrainian | переконати | ||
| The word "переконати" derives from "конати" "to try" and the prefix "пере-" indicating an accomplished action, so in modern Ukrainian it literally means "to succeed to try, to attempt." | |||
Convince in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সন্তুষ্ট | ||
| সন্তুষ্ট (santushta) means to be pleased or content and derives from the Sanskrit word 'santuṣṭa'. | |||
| Gujarati | મનાવવા | ||
| The word "મનાવવા" in Gujarati originates from the Sanskrit word "मन" (man), meaning "mind", and the suffix "-āv-", which indicates the process of making something happen. | |||
| Hindi | समझाने | ||
| The word "समझाने" comes from the Sanskrit root "budh" meaning "to know" or "to understand" | |||
| Kannada | ಮನವರಿಕೆ ಮಾಡಿ | ||
| The word | |||
| Malayalam | ബോധ്യപ്പെടുത്തുക | ||
| Marathi | पटवणे | ||
| The word "पटवणे" can also refer to the process of dyeing or coloring fabric or the skill or art of a weaver. | |||
| Nepali | मनाउनु | ||
| मनाउनु is etymologically linked to the Sanskrit word "मनस्" meaning "mind" and "नय" meaning "bring" or "lead," suggesting its original sense of "leading or guiding the mind." | |||
| Punjabi | ਯਕੀਨ ਦਿਵਾਓ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ඒත්තු ගැන්වීම | ||
| Tamil | சமாதானப்படுத்தவும் | ||
| Telugu | ఒప్పించండి | ||
| Urdu | قائل کرنا | ||
| The word "قائل کرنا" ("qael karna") can also mean to induce or persuade someone into believing or embracing a belief or an idea | |||
Convince in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 说服 | ||
| The word "说服" (shuōfú) is also used to mean "to persuade" or "to talk someone into doing something." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 說服 | ||
| The word 說服 can also mean 'to persuade' in a more general sense and is sometimes used in conjunction with 說服 in such cases. | |||
| Japanese | 納得させる | ||
| Originally meant 'pacify' or 'reassure' and only later 'convince'. | |||
| Korean | 설득하다 | ||
| The verb 설득하다 also means to persuade or induce. | |||
| Mongolian | итгүүлэх | ||
| The word "итгүүлэх" can also mean "to make someone trust or believe something." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စည်းရုံးသိမ်းသွင်းသည် | ||
Convince in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | meyakinkan | ||
| The Indonesian word "meyakinkan" is also used to describe someone or something that is believable, trustworthy, or reliable. | |||
| Javanese | gawe uwong yakin | ||
| 'Gawé uwong yakin' (convince) comes from 'gawé' (make) and 'yakin' (believe), indicating making someone believe or trust in something. | |||
| Khmer | បញ្ចុះបញ្ចូល | ||
| Lao | ຊັກຊວນ | ||
| Malay | meyakinkan | ||
| The word "meyakinkan" derives from the root word "yakin" (certain) and carries the connotation of persuasion, firmness, and assurance. | |||
| Thai | โน้มน้าว | ||
| The etymology of the Thai word "โน้มน้าว" is disputed; some scholars trace its roots to the Khmer "νομ νᾳ," while others connect it to the Mon "ណូំ," or even the Malay "menunjuk." | |||
| Vietnamese | thuyết phục | ||
| "Thuyết phục" also means a "proposal" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kumbinsihin | ||
Convince in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | inandırmaq | ||
| The word "inandırmaq" is derived from the Persian word "avandarmək", meaning "to make someone believe or trust something." | |||
| Kazakh | сендіру | ||
| The word "сендіру" in Kazakh also means "to send" or "to dispatch". | |||
| Kyrgyz | ишендирүү | ||
| Tajik | бовар кунондан | ||
| The word "бовар кунондан" in Tajik also means "to make someone realize something". | |||
| Turkmen | ynandyr | ||
| Uzbek | ishontirish | ||
| The word "ishontirish" also means "to trust" or "to believe" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | قايىل قىلىش | ||
Convince in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoʻohuli manaʻo | ||
| The word "hoʻohuli manaʻo" also means "to twist the mind" or "to change the mind". | |||
| Maori | whakapae | ||
| Whakapae can also mean 'to make a claim or accusation' or 'to blame someone'. | |||
| Samoan | faʻatalitonu | ||
| The word "faʻatalitonu" also means "persuade" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kumbinsihin | ||
| The root word of "kumbinsihin" is "kumbinse", which originally means "to persuade" or "to induce belief." | |||
Convince in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jaysayaña | ||
| Guarani | roviauka | ||
Convince in International Languages
| Esperanto | konvinki | ||
| "Konvinki" comes from the Latin "convincere" (to convict, prove guilty), which in turn comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*kwen-" (to conquer, persuade). | |||
| Latin | arguere | ||
| The Latin word "arguere" also means "to show", "to prove", or "to demonstrate". | |||
Convince in Others Languages
| Greek | πείθω | ||
| πείθω comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *peth-, meaning 'to persuade' or 'to convince'. | |||
| Hmong | yaum | ||
| The word "yaum" also means "to cause to believe." | |||
| Kurdish | qanihkirin | ||
| Turkish | ikna etmek | ||
| The word "ikna etmek" is derived from the Arabic word "ikna", meaning "to persuade with arguments and proof"} | |||
| Xhosa | kholisa | ||
| The word "kholisa" is derived from the root "kholosha" meaning to make happy, satisfied, or joyful. | |||
| Yiddish | איבערצייגן | ||
| The Yiddish word "איבערצייגן" (ibertsaygn) also means "to persuade" or "to convince oneself". | |||
| Zulu | kholisa | ||
| "Kholisa" also means "to satisfy" and "to comfort" in Zulu, implying a sense of appeasement and reassurance in the act of convincing. | |||
| Assamese | মান্তি কৰোৱা | ||
| Aymara | jaysayaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | राजी कईल | ||
| Dhivehi | ޔަޤީންކޮށްދިނުން | ||
| Dogri | संतुश्ट करना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kumbinsihin | ||
| Guarani | roviauka | ||
| Ilocano | awisen | ||
| Krio | mek am biliv | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕازیکردن | ||
| Maithili | विश्वास दिलानाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯊꯥꯖꯍꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | hmin | ||
| Oromo | amansiisuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବିଶ୍ୱାସ କର | ||
| Quechua | uynichiy | ||
| Sanskrit | प्रबोधय | ||
| Tatar | ышандыру | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣእምን | ||
| Tsonga | khorwisa | ||