Crisis in Different Languages
Discover 'Crisis' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word crisis is a small but powerful term, holding great significance in our daily lives and cultural discourse. Derived from the Greek word κρίσις (krisis), meaning 'decision', it has evolved to signify a turning point or a state of intense difficulty and danger. This concept has been woven into the fabric of human history, culture, and language, making it a vital term to understand and translate accurately.
Crisis carries a universal weight, yet its translation varies across different languages, offering a glimpse into how cultures interpret and communicate this concept. For instance, in Spanish, crisis translates to crisis, while in French, it becomes crise. In Mandarin, the term for crisis is 危机 (wēijī), which combines the characters for 'danger' and 'opportunity' - an interesting cultural nuance.
Stay tuned to explore more translations of crisis and learn about the fascinating cultural contexts they represent.
Crisis
Crisis in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | krisis | ||
| In Afrikaans, "krisis" can also mean "chasm" or "abyss". | |||
| Amharic | ቀውስ | ||
| The word ቀውስ (crisis) is also used to refer to the point of climax in a story or plot. | |||
| Hausa | rikici | ||
| The word "rikici" can also refer to a calamity or a disaster. | |||
| Igbo | nsogbu | ||
| "Nsogbu" in Igbo literally translates to "a difficult matter," and is often used in the context of a challenge or hardship. | |||
| Malagasy | krizy | ||
| "Krizy" also means "to break" or "to destroy" in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mavuto | ||
| The word "mavuto" can also mean "trouble" or "difficulty" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | dambudziko | ||
| The word 'dambudziko' comes from the Shona word 'kumbudza', meaning 'to lack'. It also has the meaning of 'difficulty' or 'problem'. | |||
| Somali | dhibaato | ||
| The Somali word dhibaato derives from the Arabic dhib, which means "trouble, distress, or calamity". | |||
| Sesotho | maqakabetsi | ||
| The alternate meaning of the word maqakabetsi is "a difficult situation"} | |||
| Swahili | mgogoro | ||
| The word "mgogoro" in Swahili originates from the verb "gogora", meaning "to break" or "to tear". | |||
| Xhosa | ingxaki | ||
| The Xhosa word "ingxaki" is also used to denote a challenge or a situation with many possible outcomes. | |||
| Yoruba | idaamu | ||
| The word 'idaamu' (crisis) in Yoruba also means 'a sudden or unexpected change'. | |||
| Zulu | inkinga | ||
| The word "Inkinga" in Zulu also refers to a type of dance performed during a crisis or difficult situation. | |||
| Bambara | gɛlɛya | ||
| Ewe | kuxigã | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ibibazo | ||
| Lingala | maladi | ||
| Luganda | akatyaabago | ||
| Sepedi | tlhakatlhakano | ||
| Twi (Akan) | oyene | ||
Crisis in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | أزمة | ||
| The word "أزمة" (crisis) in Arabic also means "turning point" or "decision point". | |||
| Hebrew | מַשׁבֵּר | ||
| 'מַשׁבֵּר' comes from the root שבר and can also refer to a fracture or a turning point. | |||
| Pashto | بحران | ||
| The Pashto word "بحران" is derived from the Arabic word "بحر" meaning "sea", and refers to a tumultuous or turbulent situation. | |||
| Arabic | أزمة | ||
| The word "أزمة" (crisis) in Arabic also means "turning point" or "decision point". | |||
Crisis in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kriza | ||
| In Albanian, "kriza" is also used to denote a "turning point" or "crossroads". | |||
| Basque | krisia | ||
| In Basque, krisia is an old loan from Latin that originally meant judgment or decision. | |||
| Catalan | crisi | ||
| "Crisi" in Catalan also means "the critical moment in an illness when the patient's condition worsens or improves." | |||
| Croatian | kriza | ||
| The Croatian word 'kriza' derives from Greek 'krisis' meaning 'judgement' and also relates to 'krisei' meaning 'decision'. | |||
| Danish | krise | ||
| In Danish "krise" can also refer to childbirth or a difficult birth. | |||
| Dutch | crisis | ||
| The Dutch word "crisis" comes from the Greek word "krisis", which means "decision" or "turning point". | |||
| English | crisis | ||
| The word "crisis" originates from the Greek word "krinein," meaning "to decide" or "to judge." | |||
| French | crise | ||
| "Crise" is an Ancient Greek word referring to the judgment on the last day of the Eleusinian Mysteries. | |||
| Frisian | krisis | ||
| In Frisian, the word 'krisis' can also mean 'baptism,' as it derives from the Greek word 'krisma,' which means 'anointing' or 'unction'. | |||
| Galician | crise | ||
| German | krise | ||
| The word "Krise" comes from the Greek word "krisis," which means "decision" or "turning point." | |||
| Icelandic | kreppa | ||
| Icelandic "kreppa" derives from an Old Norse word for "affliction," and shares a root with the English "cripple" and "crap." | |||
| Irish | géarchéim | ||
| Italian | crisi | ||
| The Italian word "crisi" can also refer to a crucial or turning point in a situation or the decisive stage in a disease. | |||
| Luxembourgish | kris | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Kris" can also mean "the cross" or "difficult situation". | |||
| Maltese | kriżi | ||
| The word "kriżi" ultimately originates from the Greek "κρίσις" and shares its Indo-European root with "cerno", which implies separation or sifting. | |||
| Norwegian | krise | ||
| In Norwegian, "krise" can also refer to something that determines the nature or course of a series of incidents. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | crise | ||
| The word "crise" comes from the Greek "krisis", meaning "a choice", "a change". In Portuguese, it can also mean "a financial crisis" or "a period of great difficulty". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | èiginn | ||
| 'Èiginn' can also mean 'need' or 'necessity' in Scots Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | crisis | ||
| In Spanish, "crisis" can also mean "turning point" or "moment of decision." | |||
| Swedish | kris | ||
| The word "kris" in Swedish originally meant "turning point" and can still be used in that sense in certain contexts. | |||
| Welsh | argyfwng | ||
| As a Welsh language learner, "argyfwng" can be tricky to remember until you realize it's "emergency" with an "f" instead of an "m" | |||
Crisis in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | крызіс | ||
| The word “крызіс” is derived from Greek “κρίσις” (decision) and is also used to refer to an opportunity for a person or organisation to develop. | |||
| Bosnian | kriza | ||
| The word "kriza" can also mean "turning point" or "situation"} | |||
| Bulgarian | криза | ||
| The word "криза" (crisis) in Bulgarian shares its etymology with the Greek word "κρίσις" (krisis), meaning "decision" or "judgment." | |||
| Czech | krize | ||
| Czech "krize" derives from Greek "κρίσις" (crisis), which originated as "κριτική" (kritikē), meaning "art of discerning". | |||
| Estonian | kriis | ||
| Estonian word “kriis” ultimately derives from the Ancient Greek word “krísis” (“decision,” "point in time"), which in turn derives from “krínein” (“to decide"), which is related to “krínō” (“to separate"). | |||
| Finnish | kriisi | ||
| Besides meaning "crisis", "kriisi" also means "threshold" in Finnish, referring to a decisive point in a process or event. | |||
| Hungarian | válság | ||
| In Hungarian, "válság" also means "fate" or "decision", reflecting the idea that crises force important choices. | |||
| Latvian | krīze | ||
| The Latvian "krīze" comes from Greek and originally meant "decision, judgment". | |||
| Lithuanian | krizė | ||
| The word "krizė" is of Greek origin, and it originally referred to a turning point or a decisive moment, especially in a medical context. | |||
| Macedonian | криза | ||
| The word 'криза' has Slavic roots and is related to the words 'to spin' and 'to turn'. | |||
| Polish | kryzys | ||
| The word "kryzys" in Polish comes from the Greek word "krisis," which means "decision" or "turning point." | |||
| Romanian | criză | ||
| The Romanian word "criză" derives from the Ancient Greek word "krisis" which means "judgement" or "turning point". | |||
| Russian | кризис | ||
| The word "кризис" ("crisis") in Russian can also mean "turning point" or "decisive moment". | |||
| Serbian | криза | ||
| The term “криза” has the same Greek origin as the English word “crisis”, and it can also mean “crossroads” or “turning point” in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | kríza | ||
| The Slovak word "kríza" also has the alternate meaning of "a turning point for the worse". | |||
| Slovenian | kriza | ||
| The word "kriza" can also mean "a crucial point", "a turning point", or "a decisive point" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | криза | ||
| The word "криза" can also mean "turning point" or "decisive moment" in Ukrainian. | |||
Crisis in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সংকট | ||
| The Bengali word "সংকট" (pronounced "songkot") is derived from the Sanskrit word "sankata" (संकट) and has multiple meanings, including "crisis" as well as "danger" and "difficulty". | |||
| Gujarati | સંકટ | ||
| સંકટ' can also mean 'ordeal', 'difficult or dangerous situation'. | |||
| Hindi | संकट | ||
| "संकट" (crisis) derives from a Sanskrit root word meaning "narrow pass, crisis, or misfortune". | |||
| Kannada | ಬಿಕ್ಕಟ್ಟು | ||
| The word ಲೆ್ಸಟು ("crisis") in Kannada originates from the Sanskrit word ವೆಕು ("distress") and can also mean ಕೇಯಾ ("difficulty") or ಅಂರು ("embarrassment"). | |||
| Malayalam | പ്രതിസന്ധി | ||
| പ്രതിസന്ധി is a Malayalam word originally derived from the Sanskrit roots 'prati' ('against') and 'sandhi' ('joint') with a primary meaning of 'obstacle' or 'difficulty'. | |||
| Marathi | संकट | ||
| The word "संकट" (crisis) in Marathi can also refer to a "difficult situation" or "trouble". | |||
| Nepali | स .्कट | ||
| स .्कट (Sankat) is a Nepali word derived from Sanskrit, meaning both "crisis" and "danger" | |||
| Punjabi | ਸੰਕਟ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਸੰਕਟ" is derived from the Sanskrit word 'sankatam', which means 'danger', 'calamity', or 'distress', indicating its multifaceted significance and negative connotations. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අර්බුදය | ||
| Sinhala word "අර්බුදය" shares etymology with the Sanskrit word "आर्बुद" which can refer to a type of skin disease. | |||
| Tamil | நெருக்கடி | ||
| Telugu | సంక్షోభం | ||
| The word "సంక్షోభం" (crisis) comes from the Greek word "κρίσις" (krisis), meaning "decision" or "turning point". | |||
| Urdu | بحران | ||
| The word "بحران" is derived from the Greek word "κρίσις", meaning "a turning point" or "a decisive moment". In Urdu, it can also refer to a "storm", "commotion", or "disaster". | |||
Crisis in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 危机 | ||
| The word "crisis" in English has historically meant both "judgment" and a "decisive moment", and in Chinese it means "danger" and "opportunity". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 危機 | ||
| "危機" is originally a Chinese term which literally means "danger" (危) and "opportunity" (機). | |||
| Japanese | 危機 | ||
| In addition to "crisis," 危機 (kiki) also means "opportunity," suggesting a more nuanced understanding of upheaval in Japanese culture. | |||
| Korean | 위기 | ||
| While meaning "crisis", "위기" can also mean "danger," "turning point," or "juncture." | |||
| Mongolian | хямрал | ||
| "Хямрал" translates as "crisis" and has multiple meanings, from "a turning point" or "difficulty" to a "critical moment" in life or history. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အကျပ်အတည်း | ||
Crisis in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | krisis | ||
| "Krisis" in Indonesian can also refer to a "crucial stage" in a play, novel, or other literary work. | |||
| Javanese | krisis | ||
| In Javanese, 'krisis' also refers to a traditional kris dagger or its ritual cleansing ceremony. | |||
| Khmer | វិបត្តិ | ||
| The word "វិបត្តិ" (vibatti) in Khmer can also refer to a disaster or calamity. | |||
| Lao | ວິກິດການ | ||
| Malay | krisis | ||
| In Malay, the word "krisis" can also refer to the point at which an illness intensifies. | |||
| Thai | วิกฤต | ||
| The word วิกฤต "wikrit" comes from Pali "vigata","separation," and Sanskrit "vi-kruta," "altered," "transformed." | |||
| Vietnamese | cuộc khủng hoảng | ||
| The Vietnamese word "cuộc khủng hoảng" originates from Chinese, where it means "a dangerous or difficult time". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | krisis | ||
Crisis in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | böhran | ||
| The word "böhran" is ultimately derived from the Greek word "krisis," meaning a crucial stage or turning point. | |||
| Kazakh | дағдарыс | ||
| The word "дағдарыс" is derived from the Persian word "daghdar", meaning "distress" or "trouble". | |||
| Kyrgyz | кризис | ||
| In Kyrgyz, the word "кризис" (crisis) can also refer to a difficult period in a person's life, such as a midlife crisis. | |||
| Tajik | бӯҳрон | ||
| The word "бӯҳрон" in Tajik comes from the Greek word "krisis," meaning "a turning point or decision." | |||
| Turkmen | krizisi | ||
| Uzbek | inqiroz | ||
| The word "inqiroz" comes from the Arabic word "inqirad," meaning "destruction" or "devastation". | |||
| Uyghur | كرىزىس | ||
Crisis in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pilikia | ||
| "Pilikia" is also used to describe any sort of trouble, dilemma, or problem. | |||
| Maori | raru | ||
| Some other meanings of "raru" in Maori are "to be tangled", "to be confused", or "to be in a difficult situation." | |||
| Samoan | faʻalavelave | ||
| The word "faʻalavelave" can also refer to a disturbance, trouble, or difficulty. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | krisis | ||
| In Tagalog, "krisis" also means "judgment" or "trial" | |||
Crisis in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | pisinkaña | ||
| Guarani | hasa'asy | ||
Crisis in International Languages
| Esperanto | krizo | ||
| The word "krizo" in Esperanto also means "judgment" or "deciding point". | |||
| Latin | crisis | ||
| Crisis can also be translated to "judgement" or "decision" in Latin, emphasizing the importance of decisive action during challenging times. | |||
Crisis in Others Languages
| Greek | κρίση | ||
| The Greek word "κρίση" also means "decision" or "judgment". | |||
| Hmong | ntsoog | ||
| Ntsoog is also used to describe a situation of great difficulty or trouble. | |||
| Kurdish | nerehetî | ||
| Nerehetî likely descends from the root *ner-, meaning 'narrow, strait', and thus refers to a 'narrowing' or 'constriction' in life's circumstances. | |||
| Turkish | kriz | ||
| The Turkish word "kriz" is also used colloquially to describe a state of confusion or upheaval. | |||
| Xhosa | ingxaki | ||
| The Xhosa word "ingxaki" is also used to denote a challenge or a situation with many possible outcomes. | |||
| Yiddish | קריזיס | ||
| The Yiddish word "קריזיס" (crisis) derives from the Greek "κρίνειν" meaning "to separate." | |||
| Zulu | inkinga | ||
| The word "Inkinga" in Zulu also refers to a type of dance performed during a crisis or difficult situation. | |||
| Assamese | বিপদ | ||
| Aymara | pisinkaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | संकट | ||
| Dhivehi | ކްރައިސިސް | ||
| Dogri | संकट | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | krisis | ||
| Guarani | hasa'asy | ||
| Ilocano | krisis | ||
| Krio | prɔblɛm | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | قەیران | ||
| Maithili | संकट | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯔꯥꯡ | ||
| Mizo | harsatna | ||
| Oromo | burjaaja'iinsa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସଙ୍କଟ | ||
| Quechua | llaki | ||
| Sanskrit | सङ्कट | ||
| Tatar | кризис | ||
| Tigrinya | ቅልውላው | ||
| Tsonga | nkitsikitsi | ||