Cooperation in Different Languages
Discover 'Cooperation' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Cooperation is a fundamental concept that transcends language and culture. It refers to the process of working together to achieve a common goal, and it is a key component of successful relationships, both personal and professional. Throughout history, cooperation has played a vital role in our survival and success as a species. From hunter-gatherer societies to modern-day corporations, cooperation has enabled us to achieve great things by working together.
But while the idea of cooperation may be universal, the words we use to describe it are not. In fact, the translation of cooperation varies greatly from one language to another, reflecting the rich diversity of human culture and language. For example, in Spanish, cooperation is translated as cooperación, while in French it is coopération, and in German it is Zusammenarbeit.
In this article, we explore the significance and cultural importance of cooperation, and delve into its translations in a variety of languages. Whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural scholar, or simply curious about the world around you, this article is sure to inspire and inform.
Cooperation
Cooperation in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | samewerking | ||
| The Afrikaans word "samewerking" means "cooperation" and is derived from the Dutch word "samenwerken". | |||
| Amharic | ትብብር | ||
| Amharic "ትብብር" derives from "ትበብ" "to be together" and can also mean "association" or "partnership." | |||
| Hausa | hadin kai | ||
| In Hausa, the word "hadin kai" literally means "one hand", implying a collective effort accomplished by multiple individuals working together. | |||
| Igbo | imekọ ihe ọnụ | ||
| Malagasy | fiaraha-miasa | ||
| The etymology of the Malagasy word 'fiaraha-miasa' can be traced back to the Malay language where it means "to move together." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mgwirizano | ||
| The word mgwirizano is derived from the verb 'kugwirizana' (to unite) and the suffix '-ano', which denotes a state or condition. | |||
| Shona | mushandirapamwe | ||
| It originated from the term, 'shanda', which means to hold and 'pamwe', meaning togetherness, to hold or do things together | |||
| Somali | iskaashi | ||
| Iskaashi can also mean 'to help' or 'to assist' in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | tšebelisano | ||
| The word “tšebelisano” derives from the root word “tšebetso,” which means “work.” However, “tšebelisano” specifically refers to work done collectively. | |||
| Swahili | ushirikiano | ||
| Ushirikiano is also a term used to describe the informal cooperation and sharing of resources among individuals in rural African communities. | |||
| Xhosa | intsebenziswano | ||
| In Xhosa, the word “intsebenziswano” literally translates to “the making use of each other”. | |||
| Yoruba | ifowosowopo | ||
| 'Ifowosowopo' literally means 'two hands' or 'working together' in Yoruba, highlighting the importance of collaboration and unity. | |||
| Zulu | ukubambisana | ||
| "Ukubambisana" (cooperation) draws its meaning from two Zulu words: "ukubamba" (to hold) and "isana" (together), capturing the notion of holding or working together. | |||
| Bambara | tɛgɛdiɲɔgɔnma | ||
| Ewe | alɔdodo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubufatanye | ||
| Lingala | boyokani | ||
| Luganda | okukolagana | ||
| Sepedi | tšhomišano | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nkabomdie | ||
Cooperation in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تعاون | ||
| In Arabic, the term “تعاون” can also refer to a collective or collaborative effort. | |||
| Hebrew | שיתוף פעולה | ||
| "שיתוף פעולה" derives from the root "פעל" (to do) and means "working together." | |||
| Pashto | همکاري | ||
| The word “همكاري” “cooperation” can also be used to refer to a partner in Persian. | |||
| Arabic | تعاون | ||
| In Arabic, the term “تعاون” can also refer to a collective or collaborative effort. | |||
Cooperation in Western European Languages
| Albanian | bashkëpunimi | ||
| The word "bashkëpunimi" in Albanian derives from the verb "bashkëpunoj" meaning "to work together" and the suffix "-im" indicating "action or result", ultimately coming from Proto-Indo-European roots "*kom" (together) and "*werg" (to do). | |||
| Basque | lankidetza | ||
| The word "lankidetza" also means "solidarity" or "mutual aid". | |||
| Catalan | cooperació | ||
| The Catalan word "cooperació" also means "coordination" and is derived from the Latin word "cooperatio", meaning "to work together". | |||
| Croatian | suradnja | ||
| The word 'suradnja' also has connotations of harmony and mutual understanding. | |||
| Danish | samarbejde | ||
| The word "samarbejde" can be broken down into "sam-", meaning "together", and "arbejde", meaning "work". | |||
| Dutch | samenwerking | ||
| The Dutch word "samenwerking" (cooperation) literally means "working together" and is derived from the words "samen" (together) and "werken" (to work). | |||
| English | cooperation | ||
| The term derives from the Latin word “cooperari”, meaning “to work together” or "together" in the sense of "to cooperate" and "to work with each other." | |||
| French | la coopération | ||
| Cooperation (derived from 'co-operari') originally meant working together to achieve a common end, but now it more broadly implies mutual help or assistance of any kind, regardless of whether it's toward a shared goal or not. | |||
| Frisian | gearwurking | ||
| Gearwurking is derived from the Old Frisian word 'geare', meaning 'ready', and 'wirk', meaning 'work'. | |||
| Galician | cooperación | ||
| Cooperación derives from the Latin word "cooperari", which means "to work together." | |||
| German | zusammenarbeit | ||
| The German word "Zusammenarbeit" literally translates to "working together" and is used in a variety of contexts to describe collaborative efforts and partnerships. | |||
| Icelandic | samvinnu | ||
| The word "samvinnu" is a compound of the words "sam" (together) and "vinna" (work) and thus means "working together". | |||
| Irish | comhar | ||
| The word 'comhar' can also refer to 'assistance', 'aid', or 'help'. | |||
| Italian | cooperazione | ||
| The Italian word "cooperazione" also has the meaning of "co-opting", "incorporating", or "working together". | |||
| Luxembourgish | zesummenaarbecht | ||
| "Zesummenaarbecht" derives its origin from the German "Zusammenarbeit", meaning working or acting collectively or cooperatively. | |||
| Maltese | kooperazzjoni | ||
| Maltese "kooperazzjoni" means cooperation, from Italian "cooperazione" meaning cooperation, from Latin "cooperatio" with the same meaning, ultimately from "operari" (to work): "com-" (together) with "operari" (to work). | |||
| Norwegian | samarbeid | ||
| "Samarbeid" originates from Old Norse "sam-arfi", which means "co-inheritance" or "joint possession". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cooperação | ||
| A palavra "cooperação" deriva do latim "cooperari", que significa "trabalhar junto". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | co-obrachadh | ||
| The Gaelic word `co-obrachadh` has a broader meaning than the English `cooperation`, encompassing ideas of unity and teamwork. | |||
| Spanish | cooperación | ||
| In Spanish, "cooperación" also means "assistance" or "help". | |||
| Swedish | samarbete | ||
| A synonym for samarbete in Swedish is "samverkan". | |||
| Welsh | cydweithredu | ||
| The word 'cydweithredu' literally translates to 'work together' and is used to describe the process of collaborating with others. | |||
Cooperation in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | супрацоўніцтва | ||
| In a broad sense, the term "супрацоўніцтва" can be translated as "coordination" or "collaboration". | |||
| Bosnian | saradnja | ||
| The word "saradnja" is derived from the Slavic root "rad", meaning "work" or "labor", and the prefix "sa-", meaning "with" or "together", indicating a joint effort or collaboration. | |||
| Bulgarian | сътрудничество | ||
| In Bulgarian the word "сътрудничество" ("cooperation") comes from the root "сътруд" with the meaning of "to labor together" | |||
| Czech | spolupráce | ||
| Spolupráce in Czech can also mean 'harmony' or 'coordination'. | |||
| Estonian | koostöö | ||
| The word "koostöö" in Estonian is derived from the Finnish word "koostumus" meaning "composition". | |||
| Finnish | yhteistyö | ||
| The word 'yhteistyö' is derived from the words 'yhdessä' ('together') and 'työ' ('work'), emphasizing the joint effort involved in cooperation. | |||
| Hungarian | együttműködés | ||
| The word "együttműködés" in Hungarian comes from two words meaning "to do together" and has a similar meaning in other Finno-Ugric languages. | |||
| Latvian | sadarbība | ||
| Sadarbība can also mean 'coexistence' or 'association'. | |||
| Lithuanian | bendradarbiavimą | ||
| In Lithuanian, the word "bendradarbiavimą" also means "to cooperate," "to work together," and "to collaborate" | |||
| Macedonian | соработка | ||
| The term “соработка” in Macedonian is derived from the Russian “сотрудничество”, which also means cooperation in English. | |||
| Polish | współpraca | ||
| The word "współpraca" derives from the word "praca" which means "work", and the prefix "współ-" which means "together". | |||
| Romanian | cooperare | ||
| The word "cooperare" in Romanian comes from the Latin word "cooperari" and has the alternate meaning of "to work together". | |||
| Russian | сотрудничество | ||
| The word "сотрудничество" in Russian derives from the verb "сотрудничать", and in some contexts it can also mean "collaboration". | |||
| Serbian | сарадња | ||
| The word "сарадња" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "сърадѣти", meaning "to work together". | |||
| Slovak | spolupráca | ||
| The word 'spolupráca' is formed of the Slovak words 'spolu' ('together') and 'práca' ('work'). | |||
| Slovenian | sodelovanje | ||
| Sodelovanje also refers to the action of working or operating together toward some goal and the condition or quality of being able to work together effectively | |||
| Ukrainian | співпраця | ||
| The Ukrainian word "співпраця" is a compound word derived from "спів" (together) and "праця" (labor). | |||
Cooperation in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সহযোগিতা | ||
| In Sanskrit, 'sah' means 'with' and 'yog' means 'join', hence 'joining with' someone. | |||
| Gujarati | સહકાર | ||
| The word "સહકાર" (cooperation) is derived from the Sanskrit word "सह" (saha), meaning "together", and "कार" (kāra), meaning "action". | |||
| Hindi | सहयोग | ||
| The Hindi word "सहयोग" is derived from the Sanskrit word "सह" meaning "with" and "योग" meaning "joining", thus signifying "joining together". It has the alternate meaning of "assistance" or "support". | |||
| Kannada | ಸಹಕಾರ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಸಹಕಾರ" is loosely based on the Sanskrit word "सहकार", which also means cooperation. | |||
| Malayalam | സഹകരണം | ||
| The word 'സഹകരണം' also means 'working together in a friendly way'. | |||
| Marathi | सहकार्य | ||
| सहकार्य means "mutual aid" in Sanskrit, and is related to the word "सहचर" meaning "companion". | |||
| Nepali | सहयोग | ||
| The Nepali word 'सहयोग' ('cooperation') derives from the Sanskrit word 'sahयोग', which means 'to work together' or 'mutual assistance'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਹਿਯੋਗ | ||
| The word 'ਸਹਿਯੋਗ' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'सहयोग', which means 'mutual service' or 'working together'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සහයෝගීතාව | ||
| සහයෝගීතාව can also refer to the act of helping others or working together with them. | |||
| Tamil | ஒத்துழைப்பு | ||
| Telugu | సహకారం | ||
| The word "సహకారం" also means "companionship" and "association" and derives from the Sanskrit roots सह (saha, "together") and कार्य (karya, "work"). | |||
| Urdu | تعاون | ||
| The word "تعاون" also means "mutual assistance" or "helping each other" in Urdu. | |||
Cooperation in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 合作 | ||
| This term is made up of two Chinese characters, 合, which means "together," and 作, which means "to act." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 合作 | ||
| 合作 (hé zuò) is also used to refer to a cooperative or joint venture. | |||
| Japanese | 協力 | ||
| "協力" is composed of the kanji for "work together" and "strength". | |||
| Korean | 협력 | ||
| The word "협력" is also used to mean "collaboration" or "working together" in Korean, highlighting the importance of collective effort in Korean culture. | |||
| Mongolian | хамтын ажиллагаа | ||
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| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပူးပေါင်းဆောင်ရွက်မှု | ||
Cooperation in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kerja sama | ||
| The word "kerja sama" in Indonesian literally means "work together". | |||
| Javanese | kerja sama | ||
| In Javanese, 'kerja sama' is an archaic compound noun, with its root words 'kerja' (work) and 'sama' (together), although 'kerja sama' is commonly translated as 'cooperation', which is a newer concept. | |||
| Khmer | កិច្ចសហប្រតិបត្តិការ | ||
| Lao | ການຮ່ວມມື | ||
| Malay | kerjasama | ||
| "Kerjasama" is a Malay word meaning 'cooperation' that stems from the Sanskrit and Javanese languages, and is also used in Indonesian, although it can have different meanings and connotations in different contexts and cultures and can also be translated into 'coordination,' 'joint effort,' or 'collaboration.' | |||
| Thai | ความร่วมมือ | ||
| "ความ" is "the state or quality," "ร่วม" indicates being or doing together, or joining, and “มือ is hand or the action of using hand; thus, “ “ร่วม มือ“ can be translated "join the hand" or working closely together." | |||
| Vietnamese | hợp tác | ||
| The word 'hợp tác' is composed of two Chinese characters: 'hợp' meaning 'to join' and 'tác' meaning 'to act'. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pagtutulungan | ||
Cooperation in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | əməkdaşlıq | ||
| The word “əməkdaşlıq” in Azerbaijani is ultimately derived from the Arabic word “ʿumda” (meaning “support”) and the Persian suffix “-lıq” (meaning “ness”). | |||
| Kazakh | ынтымақтастық | ||
| Kyrgyz | кызматташтык | ||
| Tajik | ҳамкорӣ | ||
| The word "ҳамкорӣ" also means "mutual respect" and is derived from the Persian compound word "ham" (together) and "kâr" (work or deed). | |||
| Turkmen | hyzmatdaşlygy | ||
| Uzbek | hamkorlik | ||
| The word "hamkorlik" in Uzbek also refers to "mutual participation" or "joint efforts". | |||
| Uyghur | ھەمكارلىق | ||
Cooperation in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ka laulima ʻana | ||
| Ka laulima ʻana is the joining of two or more hands and is a Hawaiian proverb about working together. | |||
| Maori | mahi tahi | ||
| Mahi tahi is sometimes used to describe a meeting or workshop to build group consensus or make collective decisions. | |||
| Samoan | felagolagomai | ||
| As the word “feagaiga” (“covenant”) derives from the word “fealofa’i” (“to love one another”), so “felagolagomai” (“cooperation”) is built from the word “fagolago” (“to speak” or “to plan”). | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kooperasyon | ||
| "Kooperasyon" is the Tagalog word for "cooperation." It is derived from the Spanish word "cooperación," which is in turn derived from the Latin word "cooperATIO," meaning "to work together." | |||
Cooperation in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | yanapt'iri | ||
| Guarani | ñopytyvõ | ||
Cooperation in International Languages
| Esperanto | kunlaboro | ||
| Kunlaboro is not a loanword; it is a compound of the word "kune" (together) and "laboro" (work). | |||
| Latin | cooperante | ||
| The Latin word "cooperante" also means "working together" or "helping out". | |||
Cooperation in Others Languages
| Greek | συνεργασία | ||
| The word συνεργασία can also mean "working together" or "collaboration". | |||
| Hmong | kev koom tes | ||
| The word "kev koom tes" is derived from the Hmong words "kev" (to work together), "koom" (to gather), and "tes" (to assist). | |||
| Kurdish | hevkarî | ||
| The word "hevkarî" originates from the Old Iranian word "ham-kar" meaning "together-work." | |||
| Turkish | işbirliği | ||
| The Turkish term 'işbirliği' (cooperation) is composed of the words 'iş' (work, business) + 'bir' (together) + 'liği' (suffix denoting a condition, state or relationship). | |||
| Xhosa | intsebenziswano | ||
| In Xhosa, the word “intsebenziswano” literally translates to “the making use of each other”. | |||
| Yiddish | קוואַפּעריישאַן | ||
| Zulu | ukubambisana | ||
| "Ukubambisana" (cooperation) draws its meaning from two Zulu words: "ukubamba" (to hold) and "isana" (together), capturing the notion of holding or working together. | |||
| Assamese | সহযোগ | ||
| Aymara | yanapt'iri | ||
| Bhojpuri | सहयोग | ||
| Dhivehi | ބައިވެރިވުން | ||
| Dogri | सैहयोग | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pagtutulungan | ||
| Guarani | ñopytyvõ | ||
| Ilocano | pannakipaset | ||
| Krio | jɔyn an togɛda | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | هاوکاری | ||
| Maithili | सहयोग | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯇꯦꯡꯕꯥꯡꯅꯕ | ||
| Mizo | inlungrualna | ||
| Oromo | gamtoomina | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସହଯୋଗ | ||
| Quechua | yanapanakuy | ||
| Sanskrit | सहयोग | ||
| Tatar | хезмәттәшлек | ||
| Tigrinya | ሕብረት | ||
| Tsonga | ntirhisano | ||