Culture in Different Languages
Discover 'Culture' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Culture, a word that holds immense significance in our lives, is the foundation of human civilization. It is the shared set of beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the members of society use to cope with their world and with one another. Culture encompasses everything from language, religion, food, social habits, music, and arts.
Understanding culture in different languages can open up a world of opportunities for individuals. It can foster empathy, promote cross-cultural communication, and enhance cultural competence. Moreover, knowing the translation of culture in various languages can be a fun and exciting way to learn about different cultures and broaden one's horizons.
For instance, the word 'culture' translates to 'cultura' in Spanish, 'cultura' in Portuguese, 'Kultur' in German, 'culture' in French, and 'saanskriti' in Hindi. These translations not only reflect the linguistic diversity of different cultures but also highlight the commonalities that bind us together as humans.
In this article, we will explore the translations of the word 'culture' in various languages, shedding light on the fascinating world of cultural diversity and linguistic richness. So, let's embark on this exciting journey of discovery!
Culture
Culture in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | kultuur | ||
| Afrikaans "kultuur" stems from Latin "cultura", meaning "cultivation" and "improvement of soil". | |||
| Amharic | ባህል | ||
| The Amharic word "ባህል" can also refer to a tradition, custom or practice, as well as the collective behavior and beliefs of a society. | |||
| Hausa | al'ada | ||
| Hausa "al'ada" is also translated as "custom" or "habit". | |||
| Igbo | omenala | ||
| The word "Omenala" in Igbo also means "tradition" or "custom", and is derived from the root word "ome" meaning "way of doing things". | |||
| Malagasy | kolontsaina | ||
| The word "kolontsaina" in Malagasy originates from the French word "culture" and also refers to "civilization" or "refinement" | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chikhalidwe | ||
| In Nyanja, the word 'chikhalidwe' can also refer to a group of people who share a common language and customs. | |||
| Shona | tsika nemagariro | ||
| Tsika nemagariro's root is 'ts' which means 'to give birth' and 'ka' which means 'small', signifying that culture is passed down from generation to generation. | |||
| Somali | dhaqanka | ||
| The word "dhaqanka" can also refer to "tradition" or "heritage" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | setso | ||
| The term 'setso' also has several related meanings including 'tradition', 'language' or 'custom' | |||
| Swahili | utamaduni | ||
| The Swahili word | |||
| Xhosa | inkcubeko | ||
| Inkcubeko, a noun, has its origins in Bantu and Nguni words referring to growth, planting or cultivation. | |||
| Yoruba | asa | ||
| Asa can also refer to "tradition" or "behavior" and may be related to the name of the Yoruba god "Asa". | |||
| Zulu | isiko | ||
| The Zulu word 'isiko' can also refer to a person's identity, values, and customs. | |||
| Bambara | dɔnko | ||
| Ewe | dekᴐnu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umuco | ||
| Lingala | bokoko | ||
| Luganda | eby'obuwangwa | ||
| Sepedi | setšo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | amammerɛ | ||
Culture in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حضاره | ||
| حضارة, from the root meaning 'to settle' or 'to become sedentary', also means 'civilization', 'urbanization', and 'refinement'. | |||
| Hebrew | תַרְבּוּת | ||
| תַרְבּוּת derives from the verb לִרְבּוֹת (to increase) and implies the idea of a cultivated field that increases its yield through human intervention. | |||
| Pashto | کلتور | ||
| The Pashto word "کلتور" can also refer to "nurture" or "upbringing." | |||
| Arabic | حضاره | ||
| حضارة, from the root meaning 'to settle' or 'to become sedentary', also means 'civilization', 'urbanization', and 'refinement'. | |||
Culture in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kulturën | ||
| The Albanian word "kulturën" ultimately derives from the Latin "cultūra", meaning "cultivation" or "tilling". | |||
| Basque | kultura | ||
| 'Kultura' in Basque can refer specifically to 'the cultivation of the land', as well as to 'civilization'. | |||
| Catalan | cultura | ||
| In Catalan, "cultura" also relates to growing and farming. | |||
| Croatian | kultura | ||
| In Croatian, 'kultura' refers not only to highbrow art but also to refinement and civility. | |||
| Danish | kultur | ||
| In Danish "kultur" can refer to either high or low forms and also specifically to agricultural cultivation. | |||
| Dutch | cultuur | ||
| In Dutch, "cultuur" also refers to cultivation and growing of plants, and has a connotation of "careful cultivation" similar to the Japanese term "sado". | |||
| English | culture | ||
| The word "culture" derives from the Latin "colere," meaning "to cultivate or inhabit," and has evolved to encompass the cultivation of knowledge, beliefs, and practices. | |||
| French | culture | ||
| Culture comes from the Latin word "colere", meaning "to cultivate" or "to inhabit." | |||
| Frisian | kultuer | ||
| Besides 'culture', 'kultuer' can also mean 'growing' or 'cultivating' something. | |||
| Galician | cultura | ||
| The Galician word "cultura" comes from the Latin word "colere" (to cultivate or tend), and also means "agriculture" or "farming." | |||
| German | kultur | ||
| The word "Kultur" in German has its origins in the Latin word "cultura," meaning "cultivation" or "agriculture." | |||
| Icelandic | menningu | ||
| The word "menning" is derived from the Old Norse word "menni" which means "intelligence" or "thought". It is also related to the German word "Meinen" which means "to think" or "to have an opinion". | |||
| Irish | cultúr | ||
| The Irish word "cultúr" derives from the Latin "cultura," meaning "cultivation," and also denotes the process of educating and refining oneself. | |||
| Italian | cultura | ||
| In Italian, "cultura" can also refer to agriculture, cultivation, or farming. | |||
| Luxembourgish | kultur | ||
| "Kultur" has a much broader meaning in Luxembourgish that encompasses the totality of a person's knowledge or artistic achievements. | |||
| Maltese | kultura | ||
| Maltese 'kultura' comes from Italian 'cultura', which comes from the Latin 'cultura' (cultivation, tilled soil, worship), which comes from the verb 'colere' (to cultivate, worship) | |||
| Norwegian | kultur | ||
| Norwegian "kultur" can refer to refined knowledge and habits, artistic works and achievements, or more generally the state of human civilization. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cultura | ||
| "Cultura" also means agriculture or farming in Portuguese. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cultar | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, "cultar" is cognate with the French word "culture" and originally referred to agriculture or cultivation in general. | |||
| Spanish | cultura | ||
| The Spanish word "cultura" comes from the Latin "colere," meaning "to cultivate, inhabit, or care for." | |||
| Swedish | kultur | ||
| In Swedish, "kultur" can also refer to agriculture or cultivation, as it derives from the Latin "colere" (to cultivate, inhabit, or worship). | |||
| Welsh | diwylliant | ||
| The word 'diwylliant' is derived from the Latin word 'colere,' meaning to cultivate or tend to, and also shares a root with the English word 'civilisation'. | |||
Culture in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | культуры | ||
| In Belarusian, "культуры" can also refer to a specific type of microorganisms, such as yeast, or to the process of producing microorganisms in culture. | |||
| Bosnian | kultura | ||
| It derives from the Latin word 'cultura' and also means 'agriculture' in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | култура | ||
| The word "култура" comes from the French word "culture", which in turn comes from the Latin word "cultura", meaning "cultivation" or "tillage". | |||
| Czech | kultura | ||
| The word "kultura" can also refer to the cultivation of plants or the process of refining something. | |||
| Estonian | kultuur | ||
| The word "kultuur" derives from the German word "Kultur", which originally meant cultivation of the land. | |||
| Finnish | kulttuuri | ||
| The word 'kulttuuri' is derived from the Finnish word 'kultti', meaning 'cult' or 'sect'. | |||
| Hungarian | kultúra | ||
| The Hungarian word for 'culture' ('kultúra') originally meant 'honor' and 'worship', indicating its ties to religion. | |||
| Latvian | kultūru | ||
| The Latvian word "kultūru" comes from the German word "Kultur", which originally meant cultivation. | |||
| Lithuanian | kultūra | ||
| The word "kultūra" in Lithuanian is derived from the Latin "cultus", which means "cultivation" or "tilling of the soil", and thus refers to the development and refinement of the mind and manners. | |||
| Macedonian | култура | ||
| The word "култура" is derived from Latin and originally meant "cultivation" or "farming". | |||
| Polish | kultura | ||
| The word "kultura" in Polish is derived from the Latin word "cultura" and also carries the meaning of "cultivation" or "farming". | |||
| Romanian | cultură | ||
| The Romanian word "cultură" also means "plowing" and comes from the Latin word "cultura." | |||
| Russian | культура | ||
| The word "культура" can also mean "cultivation" or "breeding". | |||
| Serbian | културе | ||
| The term 'културе' is derived from the Latin 'cultura,' meaning 'tilling,' 'cultivating,' and 'worshipping,' and also carries connotations of education and refinement. | |||
| Slovak | kultúra | ||
| The term 'kultúra' can also mean 'cultivation' or 'agriculture' in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | kulture | ||
| The word "kultura" can also mean 'worship' in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | культури | ||
| In Ukrainian, "культури" can also mean "agricultural crops" or "microbes or bacteria grown under controlled conditions." | |||
Culture in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সংস্কৃতি | ||
| The word "সংস্কৃতি" comes from the Sanskrit word "samskara" which means "purification" or "refinement". | |||
| Gujarati | સંસ્કૃતિ | ||
| "સંસ્કૃતિ" is ultimately derived from the root "कृ" (to do, to make), connoting a state of refinement or cultivation. | |||
| Hindi | संस्कृति | ||
| The word 'संस्कृति' comes from the Sanskrit word 'सु संस्कर' meaning 'good refinement' or 'moral training'. | |||
| Kannada | ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ | ||
| Malayalam | സംസ്കാരം | ||
| The word സംസ്കാരം (samskara) in Malayalam, derived from Sanskrit, carries the dual meaning of "culture" and "refinement of character or conduct." | |||
| Marathi | संस्कृती | ||
| Nepali | संस्कृति | ||
| The word "संस्कृति" (culture) comes from the Sanskrit root "कृषि" (agriculture), indicating the close connection between culture and the cultivation of the land and its resources. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਭਿਆਚਾਰ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සංස්කෘතිය | ||
| Tamil | கலாச்சாரம் | ||
| கலாச்சாரம் (Kalāchāram) derives from "kalai" (art) and "āchāram" (customs), reflecting its multifaceted nature encompassing both artistic expression and societal practices. | |||
| Telugu | సంస్కృతి | ||
| సంస్కృతి (culture) also refers to refinement and cultivation, especially in education. | |||
| Urdu | ثقافت | ||
| The word "ثقافت" can also mean "civilization" or "society" in Urdu. | |||
Culture in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 文化 | ||
| The Chinese word "文化" (culture) can also refer to education, manners, civilization, and refinement. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 文化 | ||
| The character 文化 (wénhuà) originally meant 'education' or 'cultivation,' but now it has broader meanings encompassing 'civilization,' 'culture,' and 'refinement.' | |||
| Japanese | 文化 | ||
| The word "文化" (bunka) in Japanese originally meant "civilization" and was borrowed from Chinese, but its meaning shifted to "culture" in the Meiji era under the influence of Western thought. | |||
| Korean | 문화 | ||
| The word "문화" (munhwa), meaning "culture", derives from the Chinese characters 文 (mun) and 化 (hwa), which together mean "transformation through writing". | |||
| Mongolian | соёл | ||
| Mongolian "соёл" derives from the verb "соё/сөөх", meaning "to grow" and refers to both "cultivation" and "culture". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ယဉ်ကျေးမှု | ||
Culture in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | budaya | ||
| The Indonesian word "budaya" derives from Sanskrit and originally meant "intelligence" or "spirituality" | |||
| Javanese | budaya | ||
| The word "budaya" in Javanese can also refer to plants or flowers that have not yet bloomed or the soil in which they grow. | |||
| Khmer | វប្បធម៌ | ||
| The word វប្បធម៌ in Khmer is derived from Sanskrit word संस्कृती (saṃskṛti) which means 'purification' or 'refinement'. | |||
| Lao | ວັດທະນະ ທຳ | ||
| Malay | budaya | ||
| "Budaya" can also refer to a specific field or category of knowledge, such as medicine or religion, and can be used in a plural form to denote multiple such fields. | |||
| Thai | วัฒนธรรม | ||
| The Thai word "วัฒนธรรม" also translates to "civilization" and refers to the customs, beliefs, and institutions of a particular society. | |||
| Vietnamese | văn hóa | ||
| The word "văn hóa" is derived from the Chinese "文" (wén), meaning "written language, literature," and "化" (huà), meaning "transformation, cultivation." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kultura | ||
Culture in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | mədəniyyət | ||
| "Mədəniyyət" ultimately comes from the Arabic "madana" (civilization), and can also refer to "politeness" or "behavior" | |||
| Kazakh | мәдениет | ||
| The Kazakh word "мәдениет" (culture) originates from the Arabic word "madani" (civilized), ultimately deriving from the root word "madina" (city). | |||
| Kyrgyz | маданият | ||
| In Arabic, 'madaniyat' originally referred to a city or town but now also refers to civilization or culture. | |||
| Tajik | фарҳанг | ||
| The Tajik word "фарҳанг" ("farhang") also has the meaning of "dictionary" in Persian | |||
| Turkmen | medeniýeti | ||
| Uzbek | madaniyat | ||
| Uzbek "madaniyat" shares its origin with the Arabic word "madaniyya", which also means "city" or "civilization". | |||
| Uyghur | مەدەنىيەت | ||
Culture in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | moʻomeheu | ||
| 'Mo'omeheu' is a compound word in Hawaiian that means 'to cultivate' or 'to care for'. It is derived from the words 'mo'o' (to care for, to cultivate) and 'meheu' (to cultivate, to train). | |||
| Maori | ahurea | ||
| The word "ahurea" in Māori can also mean "custom, tradition, knowledge, or wisdom." | |||
| Samoan | aganuu | ||
| The word "aganuu" can also refer to the customs, traditions, and beliefs of a particular group of people. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kultura | ||
| Tagalog's "kultura" is derived from the Spanish "cultura", meaning 'cultivation', 'tilling,' or 'worship', in turn rooted in Latin "colere" meaning "to cultivate" or "to worship." | |||
Culture in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | sara | ||
| Guarani | arandupy | ||
Culture in International Languages
| Esperanto | kulturo | ||
| Esperanto's "kulturo" directly translates to English as "culture" but also incorporates the idea of "cultivation," encompassing the development and refinement of one's knowledge, skills, and tastes. | |||
| Latin | cultura | ||
| "cultura" also means "agriculture" or "cultivation" in Latin. | |||
Culture in Others Languages
| Greek | πολιτισμός | ||
| The Greek word 'πολιτισμός' encompasses cultivation, refinement, enlightenment, education, worship, civilization, humanity, progress, courtesy, and urbanity, beyond its more common meaning of 'culture'. | |||
| Hmong | kab lis kev cai | ||
| The Hmong word “kab lis kev cai” (culture) comes from an older term meaning “way of life.” | |||
| Kurdish | çande | ||
| Çande also means 'fermentation' or 'yeast' in some dialects of Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | kültür | ||
| Kültür derives from the Turkic word 'kök', meaning 'root', and refers to the shared values, beliefs and practices of a society. | |||
| Xhosa | inkcubeko | ||
| Inkcubeko, a noun, has its origins in Bantu and Nguni words referring to growth, planting or cultivation. | |||
| Yiddish | קולטור | ||
| The Yiddish word 'קולטור' also has a secondary meaning of 'knowledge' or 'erudition'. | |||
| Zulu | isiko | ||
| The Zulu word 'isiko' can also refer to a person's identity, values, and customs. | |||
| Assamese | সংস্কৃতি | ||
| Aymara | sara | ||
| Bhojpuri | चलन | ||
| Dhivehi | ޘަޤާފަތް | ||
| Dogri | संस्कृति | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kultura | ||
| Guarani | arandupy | ||
| Ilocano | kultura | ||
| Krio | kɔlchɔ | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کەلتور | ||
| Maithili | संस्कृति | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯠꯅꯕꯤ | ||
| Mizo | hnamzia | ||
| Oromo | aadaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସଂସ୍କୃତି | ||
| Quechua | cultura | ||
| Sanskrit | संस्कृति | ||
| Tatar | культурасы | ||
| Tigrinya | ባህሊ | ||
| Tsonga | mfuwo | ||