Counter in Different Languages
Discover 'Counter' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'counter' holds a significant place in our daily lives, often associated with commerce, mathematics, and even furniture. It's where transactions are made, equations are solved, and in some cultures, it's where guests are greeted. The word has been translated and integrated into various languages, reflecting its universal importance.
For instance, in Spanish, a counter is known as 'una cuenta', which also means 'a bill' or 'a count'. In French, it's 'un comptoir', a term that has been adopted in English to refer to a long counter or bar. In Mandarin, it's '柜子 (gē zi)', which also means 'cupboard' or 'cabinet'. In Japanese, it's 'カウンター (kauntaa)', a direct adaptation from English.
Understanding the translation of 'counter' in different languages not only enriches our vocabulary but also offers a glimpse into the cultural nuances of how this concept is perceived and utilized around the world.
Counter
Counter in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | toonbank | ||
| The Afrikaans word "toonbank" shares the same etymological root as the German word "Theke", both originating from the Latin "tabula" (table) and referring to a raised surface for displaying or selling goods. | |||
| Amharic | ቆጣሪ | ||
| The Amharic word 'ቆጣሪ' ('counter') comes from the verb ቁጥር ('to count'), and can also be used to mean "counting device", such as an abacus. | |||
| Hausa | kanti | ||
| The word "kanti" also means "the place where something is kept or stored" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | tebulu | ||
| In the Igbo language, 'tebulu' also means 'to turn or flip over'. | |||
| Malagasy | by mediawiki | ||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kauntala | ||
| Kauntala is also used to mean a certain type of traditional dance of the Sena people of Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique. | |||
| Shona | kaunda | ||
| The word 'kaunda' ('counter') in Shona also refers to 'a small pot with a narrow neck' | |||
| Somali | miiska | ||
| The word "miiska" in Somali originates from Arabic and has the alternate meaning of a "table". | |||
| Sesotho | khaontara | ||
| The Sesotho word "khaontara" is derived from the Afrikaans word "kontoer" or English word "counter" and has the same meaning. | |||
| Swahili | kaunta | ||
| The word "kaunta" is derived from the Spanish word "contador", meaning "accountant". | |||
| Xhosa | ikhawuntari | ||
| Ikhwakhuntari is also the Xhosa word for a | |||
| Yoruba | ohunka | ||
| The word "Ohunka" also describes something valuable, or a person of great worth. | |||
| Zulu | counter | ||
| The Zulu word 'ibhawu' can mean either 'counter' or 'table'. | |||
| Bambara | kɔntɛri | ||
| Ewe | nudaɖoƒe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | konte | ||
| Lingala | comptoire | ||
| Luganda | emmeeza | ||
| Sepedi | khaontara | ||
| Twi (Akan) | pono a wɔtɔn so adeɛ | ||
Counter in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عداد | ||
| The word "عداد" originates from the root "ع د د" which means "to count", and is also used to refer to numbers and arithmetic. | |||
| Hebrew | דֶלְפֵּק | ||
| The word "דֶלְפֵּק" also has the alternate meaning of "beater" in the context of music. | |||
| Pashto | ضد | ||
| The Pashto word "ضد" is also used as a noun meaning 'obstacle'. | |||
| Arabic | عداد | ||
| The word "عداد" originates from the root "ع د د" which means "to count", and is also used to refer to numbers and arithmetic. | |||
Counter in Western European Languages
| Albanian | banak | ||
| The word "banak" in Albanian also means "money exchange office". | |||
| Basque | kontagailua | ||
| The word "kontagailua" is derived from the Basque words "kontu" (account) and "gailu" (device). | |||
| Catalan | comptador | ||
| In nautical terminology, a «comptador» is a small boat with a cabin that follows the larger main vessel. | |||
| Croatian | brojač | ||
| The word "brojač" in Croatian can also mean "numerator" or "denominator" in a fraction. | |||
| Danish | tæller | ||
| The word "tæller" in Danish can also mean "teller", "numerator", or "adder" | |||
| Dutch | teller | ||
| In Dutch, "teller" can also refer to a small plate for holding food or a device for counting votes. | |||
| English | counter | ||
| The word "counter" can refer to a piece of furniture, a person who works behind a counter, or a thing that is used for counting. | |||
| French | compteur | ||
| In French, the word "compteur" can also refer to a device that measures gas, water, or electricity consumption. | |||
| Frisian | loket | ||
| Besides "counter" the word "loket" also referred to the sliding wooden frame that was used when serving beer in medieval times. | |||
| Galician | mostrador | ||
| In Galician, "mostrador" comes from the latin word *monstrare* (show) and can also mean a show or exhibition. | |||
| German | zähler | ||
| The German word "Zähler" (counter) is related to the English word "tale" and means "the one who tells." | |||
| Icelandic | gegn | ||
| Icelandic "gegn" is cognate with English "gain" and has a range of meanings "opposite" to "towards" to "payment in return". | |||
| Irish | cuntar | ||
| In Irish, the word "cuntar" also means "counting". | |||
| Italian | contatore | ||
| The Italian word "contatore" derives from the Latin word "computare", meaning "to count". | |||
| Luxembourgish | konter | ||
| The word "Konter" in Luxembourgish can mean either "counter" in a shop, or "desk". | |||
| Maltese | kontro | ||
| The Maltese word "kontro" can also refer to a "counterattack" or an "opponent". | |||
| Norwegian | disk | ||
| The Norwegian word "disk" likely derives from the Germanic word "diskr" meaning "table". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | contador | ||
| 'Contador' in Portuguese can also mean accountant, due to the verb 'contar', to count. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cuntair | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "cuntair" also means "neighbour" and "country". | |||
| Spanish | mostrador | ||
| In Spanish, the word "mostrador" can also refer to a "display stand" or a "showcase". | |||
| Swedish | disken | ||
| The Swedish word "disken" originally meant "table" and is related to the English word "desk". | |||
| Welsh | cownter | ||
| The Welsh word "cownter" also means "opposite" and "adverse". | |||
Counter in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | лічыльнік | ||
| Bosnian | brojač | ||
| The Bosnian word "brojač" comes from the verb "brojiti" meaning "to count" and also means "a numerator" in mathematics. | |||
| Bulgarian | брояч | ||
| "Брояч" can also refer to the person counting votes or money, depending on the context. | |||
| Czech | čelit | ||
| The Czech word "čelit" comes from the Slavic root "*kit-", meaning "to stand" or "to oppose". The word is also used in a figurative sense to mean "to confront" or "to challenge". | |||
| Estonian | loendur | ||
| In Estonian the word "loendur" originally meant "calculator" but is now used exclusively for "counter". | |||
| Finnish | laskuri | ||
| The Finnish word "laskuri" can also refer to a computer, calculator, or odometer. | |||
| Hungarian | számláló | ||
| The Hungarian word "számláló" can also mean "denominator" or "numerator" in a mathematical fraction. | |||
| Latvian | skaitītājs | ||
| The word "skaitītājs" can also refer to an accountant or an abacus. | |||
| Lithuanian | skaitiklis | ||
| The word "skaitiklis" can also refer to a person who counts or calculates. | |||
| Macedonian | бројач | ||
| The word бројач derives from the Proto-Slavic word *brojo, originally meaning "a number," from Proto-Indo-European *h₃regʷ-os, "to count." | |||
| Polish | licznik | ||
| The Polish word 'licznik' (counter) also refers to the numerator in a fraction. | |||
| Romanian | tejghea | ||
| "Tejghea" in Romanian derives from the Persian "dastgâh" which means "apparatus", denoting its functional purpose. | |||
| Russian | счетчик | ||
| "Счетчик" in Russian has an alternate meaning "device for counting", and is derived from the Old Russian word "съчитати" (count). | |||
| Serbian | бројач | ||
| The word "бројач" in Serbian can also mean "abacus" or "pedometer". | |||
| Slovak | pult | ||
| Slovak word “pult” originates from German word “Pult” that means a writing or reading stand. | |||
| Slovenian | števec | ||
| The word "števec" can also mean "numerator" in a mathematical fraction. | |||
| Ukrainian | лічильник | ||
| In Ukrainian, "лічильник" can also refer to a meter that records electricity, water, or gas usage. | |||
Counter in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পাল্টা | ||
| The word 'পাল্টা' can also mean 'exchange' or 'return' in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | કાઉન્ટર | ||
| The word "counter" can also refer to a person who counts or a tally of votes. | |||
| Hindi | काउंटर | ||
| "काउंटर" (counter) can also mean a piece or disk used in games like chess. | |||
| Kannada | ಕೌಂಟರ್ | ||
| The Kannada word 'ಕೌಂಟರ್' (counter) comes from the English word 'counter', meaning 'something that counts or records'. It is also used as a verb to mean 'to count or record'. | |||
| Malayalam | ക .ണ്ടർ | ||
| The word "ക .ണ്ടർ" could also mean "store" or "shop" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | काउंटर | ||
| In Marathi, 'काउंटर' can also refer to a shop or establishment or a type of traditional weighing scale. | |||
| Nepali | काउन्टर | ||
| The Nepali word "काउन्टर" can also refer to a place where food and drinks are served. | |||
| Punjabi | ਵਿਰੋਧੀ | ||
| The word ਵਿਰੋਧੀ can also mean "an opposite side (esp. on a question)," "contrast," "contrast," "adversary," "enemy," "rival," "opponent," "antagonist," or "adversary." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කවුන්ටරය | ||
| The Sinhala word "කවුන්ටරය" (counter) is derived from the English word "counter" and also refers to a person who works behind a counter. | |||
| Tamil | எதிர் | ||
| The Tamil word "எதிர்" can also mean "opposite" or "against" | |||
| Telugu | కౌంటర్ | ||
| The word "కౌంటర్" can also mean "a person who serves at a shop or bar" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | کاؤنٹر | ||
| The word "کاؤنٹر" in Urdu can also mean "a person who keeps accounts" or "a place where something is weighed or measured". | |||
Counter in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 计数器 | ||
| The word "计数器" originally referred to a specific tool used for counting, but now it has a broader meaning of anything that counts or keeps track of something. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 計數器 | ||
| The word "計數器" (jìshùqì) also means "computer" in Chinese (Traditional), as it was used to refer to abacuses in the past | |||
| Japanese | カウンター | ||
| In Japanese, カウンター can also mean a desk or a bar | |||
| Korean | 카운터 | ||
| The word "카운터" can also refer to a person who assists customers at a store or restaurant. | |||
| Mongolian | тоолуур | ||
| "Тоолуур" also refers to the small metal pieces placed on a calculating board, similar to the modern abacus. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကောင်တာ | ||
Counter in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | melawan | ||
| "Melawan" means to resist or oppose something in Indonesian, but it also has a secondary meaning of "to play" or "to gamble". | |||
| Javanese | loket | ||
| The word "loket" in Javanese can also mean "ticket" or "toll booth". | |||
| Khmer | រាប់ | ||
| The Khmer word "រាប់" (counter) can also refer to a counting device or a person who counts. | |||
| Lao | ວຽກງານຕ້ານການ | ||
| Also can mean "prevent" as a verb. | |||
| Malay | kaunter | ||
| "Kaunter" can also mean "office" or "desk" in Malay. | |||
| Thai | เคาน์เตอร์ | ||
| เคาน์เตอร์มาจากคำว่า "count" ในภาษาอังกฤษ ซึ่งแปลว่า "นับ" และหมายถึงโต๊ะที่ใช้สำหรับนับสิ่งของหรือเก็บเงินในร้านค้า | |||
| Vietnamese | quầy tính tiền | ||
| The word "quầy tính tiền" ("counter") in Vietnamese can also mean "cashier" or "checkout counter". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | counter | ||
Counter in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | sayğac | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "sayğac" is a cognate of the Uyghur word "saqqaç" and possibly derives from the Persian "sāghāch" | |||
| Kazakh | санауыш | ||
| The word "санауыш" can also mean "device" or "instrument" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | эсептегич | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning, "эсептегич" can also refer to a person who counts or does calculations, or to a device used for counting. | |||
| Tajik | ҳисобкунак | ||
| Turkmen | hasaplaýjy | ||
| Uzbek | hisoblagich | ||
| The term "hisoblagich" is also used to refer to a calculating device, such as an abacus or a calculator. | |||
| Uyghur | counter | ||
Counter in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pākuʻi | ||
| The Hawaiian word "pākuʻi" also means "to oppose, resist, or fight against". | |||
| Maori | porotiti | ||
| The word "porotiti" means "count" in Maori, but in some contexts, it can also mean a measuring utensil or a person in charge of counting things. | |||
| Samoan | fata | ||
| In Samoan the term "fata" has meanings of either "counter" or "gate". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | counter | ||
| Counter's Tagalog root translates to "table" and refers to counting items or money. | |||
Counter in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | uñachayiri | ||
| Guarani | hi'arigua | ||
Counter in International Languages
| Esperanto | sumigilo | ||
| The word "sumigilo" in Esperanto is derived from Latin "sub" and "micare", meaning "to flash" or "to appear suddenly from below". | |||
| Latin | counter | ||
| In Latin, the word "counter" can also mean "against" or "opposite". | |||
Counter in Others Languages
| Greek | μετρητής | ||
| In Greek, the word "μετρητής" (counter) can also refer to a meter or a person who measures. | |||
| Hmong | txee | ||
| Alternate meanings of "txee" include "to put something on top of" and "to use as a cover". | |||
| Kurdish | masa dûkanan | ||
| The word "masa dûkanan" can also refer to an object that is kept on a counter, such as a bowl or vase. | |||
| Turkish | sayaç | ||
| Sayaç is also used figuratively in Turkish, referring to a person who gossips or spreads rumors. | |||
| Xhosa | ikhawuntari | ||
| Ikhwakhuntari is also the Xhosa word for a | |||
| Yiddish | טאָמבאַנק | ||
| The word "טאָמבאַנק" ("counter") in Yiddish is derived from the French "tambour", meaning "drum". Its alternate meaning, "a clown or jester", likely stems from the tradition of street performers using drums to attract attention. | |||
| Zulu | counter | ||
| The Zulu word 'ibhawu' can mean either 'counter' or 'table'. | |||
| Assamese | বিৰোধ | ||
| Aymara | uñachayiri | ||
| Bhojpuri | काउंटर | ||
| Dhivehi | ކައުންޓަރު | ||
| Dogri | जवाबी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | counter | ||
| Guarani | hi'arigua | ||
| Ilocano | puesto | ||
| Krio | nɔ gri | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەرامبەر | ||
| Maithili | विरोध | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯊꯦꯡꯅꯕ | ||
| Mizo | beilet | ||
| Oromo | minjaala bal'aa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କାଉଣ୍ଟର | ||
| Quechua | yupaq | ||
| Sanskrit | गणित्र | ||
| Tatar | счетчик | ||
| Tigrinya | ቆጻሪ | ||
| Tsonga | khawuntara | ||