Decision in Different Languages
Discover 'Decision' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Decisions, decisions! They're a part of our daily lives and can shape our futures in profound ways. From the mundane (like what to have for lunch) to the monumental (like choosing a life partner or career), the significance of decision-making cannot be overstated. Throughout history, great leaders and thinkers have pondered the power of decision, and many philosophical and cultural traditions place a high value on making wise and informed choices.
But what about the word 'decision' itself? Did you know that it comes from the Latin 'decidere,' meaning 'to cut off'? This etymology highlights the finality of decision-making, as once a choice is made, other options are often 'cut off' or no longer viable. It's a fascinating reminder of the weight that our words can carry.
If you're interested in language and culture, you might be curious to know how the concept of decision is expressed in other languages. Here are a few translations to get you started:
Decision
Decision in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | besluit | ||
| "Besluit" also means "conclusion" or "resolution" in Afrikaans. | |||
| Amharic | ውሳኔ | ||
| The word "ውሳኔ" (decision) also has the alternate meaning of "to conclude". | |||
| Hausa | yanke shawara | ||
| The Hausa word 'yanke shawara' comes from 'yanke,' meaning 'to cut,' and 'shawara,' the Arabic word for 'to consult'. | |||
| Igbo | mkpebi | ||
| "Mkpebi" also means "to select" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | fanapahan-kevitra | ||
| This word is derived from "FANAPAHA", meaning to "open" (the mouth). | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chisankho | ||
| Chisankho also refers to a resolution of a conflict or dispute and a law or rule that has been established. | |||
| Shona | chisarudzo | ||
| The word "chisarudzo" in Shona can also refer to the act of choosing or selecting something. | |||
| Somali | go'aanka | ||
| This word is similar to "go'aamin" meaning determination, resolution, and decision. | |||
| Sesotho | qeto | ||
| Swahili | uamuzi | ||
| Swahili word "uamuzi" shares roots with "hamu" (appetite), suggesting decisions are driven by internal needs. | |||
| Xhosa | isigqibo | ||
| "Isingqibo" is connected to 'ukungaqoba', a verb which means to conquer, vanquish. It derives from 'inqobo', a weapon of some sort, something to fight with. | |||
| Yoruba | ipinnu | ||
| "Ipinnu" can also refer to a legal judgement or verdict. | |||
| Zulu | isinqumo | ||
| "Isinqumo" also means a verdict when it is used in the context of a legal proceeding. | |||
| Bambara | latigɛ | ||
| Ewe | nyametsotso | ||
| Kinyarwanda | icyemezo | ||
| Lingala | ekateli | ||
| Luganda | okusalawo | ||
| Sepedi | sephetho | ||
| Twi (Akan) | agyinaesie | ||
Decision in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | القرار | ||
| The word "القرار" also means "measure" in music and "bottom" in anatomy. | |||
| Hebrew | הַחְלָטָה | ||
| The Hebrew word "הַחְלָטָה" (hachlatza) also means "separation" or "divorce". | |||
| Pashto | پریکړه | ||
| پریکړه also has a meaning of 'an opinion', which originates from the verb 'کړه' ('to do'), and hence means 'a thing one has thought to do'. | |||
| Arabic | القرار | ||
| The word "القرار" also means "measure" in music and "bottom" in anatomy. | |||
Decision in Western European Languages
| Albanian | vendimi | ||
| The word "vendimi" can also mean "sentence" in Albanian, derived from the Latin "vindicare" meaning "to claim". | |||
| Basque | erabakia | ||
| The word "erabakia" in Basque comes from the verb "erabaki," meaning "to choose" or "to determine." | |||
| Catalan | decisió | ||
| The Catalan word "decisió" derives from the Latin word "decisio", meaning "cutting off", reflecting its role in resolving disputes. | |||
| Croatian | odluka | ||
| "Odluka" in Croatian shares a common Slavic root with other words meaning "to separate" or "to divide," reflecting its fundamental meaning as a choice between different paths. | |||
| Danish | afgørelse | ||
| The Danish word "afgørelse" can also refer to a "resolution" of a dispute or a "determination" of a matter. | |||
| Dutch | besluit | ||
| Besluit is a Dutch word that can also mean "conclusion" or "decree". | |||
| English | decision | ||
| The term 'decision' comes from the Latin 'decisio', which means 'cutting' or 'separating', suggesting the notion of choosing one path or option from several possibilities. | |||
| French | décision | ||
| The French word "décision" derives from the Latin word "decisio," meaning "to cut off" or "to separate," implying a definitive choice that severs other options. | |||
| Frisian | beslút | ||
| The word "beslút" in Frisian is derived from the Old Frisian word "besluut", which means "lock" or "fasten", and is related to the English word "shut". | |||
| Galician | decisión | ||
| In Galician, "decisión" means both "decision" and "decision-making". | |||
| German | entscheidung | ||
| The word is derived from the Middle High German word 'entscheiden', which meant 'to separate'. | |||
| Icelandic | ákvörðun | ||
| "Ákvörðun" is derived from the Old Norse word "ákveða" meaning "to fix" or "to settle." | |||
| Irish | cinneadh | ||
| "Cinneadh" comes from the Old Irish word "cinnim", meaning "to decide" or "to separate." | |||
| Italian | decisione | ||
| The word "decisione" in Italian can also refer to a musical resolution or a judicial sentence. | |||
| Luxembourgish | entscheedung | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Entscheedung" also derives from the German "Entscheidung" meaning "choice", hence its use as a term in a game of choice. | |||
| Maltese | deċiżjoni | ||
| The word "deċiżjoni" in Maltese originally meant "a cutting off," and is related to the Latin word "decidere," meaning "to cut off"} | |||
| Norwegian | beslutning | ||
| The Norwegian word beslutning is derived from the Latin word decisio, which means 'cutting off,' as in cutting off debate or uncertainty. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | decisão | ||
| In Portuguese, "decisão" comes from the Latin "decidere", meaning "to cut" or "to separate". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | co-dhùnadh | ||
| The Gaelic word "co-dhùnadh" originates from the Old Irish "com-dunad", meaning "putting together." | |||
| Spanish | decisión | ||
| In Spanish, "decisión" can also refer to a surgical incision, as it shares a root with the word "cisión" (meaning "cut"). | |||
| Swedish | beslut | ||
| The word "beslut" is derived from the Old Norse word "byrsa", meaning "to cut" or "to divide". | |||
| Welsh | penderfyniad | ||
| The word `penderfyniad` in Welsh may also refer to a 'determination' or 'settlement', and is derived from the verb `penderfynu` ('to decide'). | |||
Decision in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | рашэнне | ||
| Bosnian | odluka | ||
| "Odluka" derives from the Proto-Slavic "*delti" meaning "to divide", "to share". | |||
| Bulgarian | решение | ||
| The Bulgarian word "решение" (decision) also has the meanings of "solution" and "resolution". | |||
| Czech | rozhodnutí | ||
| The word "rozhodnutí" is derived from "roze", which is an intensifier, but also "to spread", and "hodnuti", which comes from "hod" meaning to throw, cast or drop. | |||
| Estonian | otsus | ||
| Otsus also means "the act of setting bone" in Estonian and shares roots with "otsekui" (like) and "otsima" (to search) | |||
| Finnish | päätös | ||
| The word “päätös” also means “end” in Finnish, as in the phrase “päätöspiste” (“endpoint”). | |||
| Hungarian | döntés | ||
| Döntés (decision) comes from the verb "dönt" (to fall), implying that a decision is like a "falling" or a choice between different options. | |||
| Latvian | lēmumu | ||
| The alternate verb form of "lēmumu" is "lemt" to decide or decree | |||
| Lithuanian | sprendimą | ||
| The Lithuanian word "sprendimą" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ker- "to turn, to cut" and is cognate with the English word "create". | |||
| Macedonian | одлука | ||
| The Macedonian word "одлука" derives from the Old Church Slavonic "одьдѹкъ" meaning "separation" or "distinction." | |||
| Polish | decyzja | ||
| The Polish word "decyzja" also refers to a resolution made in a meeting or an official ruling. | |||
| Romanian | decizie | ||
| Derived from the Latin "decisio," the word "decizie" can also refer to "cutting" or "solving" a problem. | |||
| Russian | решение | ||
| The Russian word "решение" can also refer to a musical arrangement, or the result of solving a mathematical equation. | |||
| Serbian | одлука | ||
| The word "одлука" in Serbian can also mean "fate" or "destiny"} | |||
| Slovak | rozhodnutie | ||
| The word "rozhodnutie" in Slovak comes from the verb "rozhodnut" (to decide), derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "rěšiti" (to solve, to decide). | |||
| Slovenian | odločitev | ||
| "Odločitev" is the Slovene term for "decision", with a root related to "ločen" "(separated)" and "del" "(part)". | |||
| Ukrainian | рішення | ||
| The word "рішення" derives from the Proto-Slavic "решити", meaning "to cut" or "to solve" | |||
Decision in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সিদ্ধান্ত | ||
| The word 'সিদ্ধান্ত' originates from the Sanskrit word 'सिद्धान्त' (siddhānta), which means 'conclusion', 'opinion', or 'principle'. | |||
| Gujarati | નિર્ણય | ||
| "નિર્ણય" is derived from the Sanskrit word "निर्णय" (nirnaya), which also means "conclusion, determination, settlement, or ascertainment." | |||
| Hindi | फेसला | ||
| In Urdu, 'faisla' means 'a judicial decree', whereas in Hindi it means 'final, decisive judgment'. | |||
| Kannada | ನಿರ್ಧಾರ | ||
| ನಿರ್ಧಾರ can mean 'the state of being conclusive' or 'a proposition that is affirmed or stated' | |||
| Malayalam | തീരുമാനം | ||
| The Malayalam word “തീരുമാനം” has no alternate meanings and is not derived from any other Indian or non-Indian language. | |||
| Marathi | निर्णय | ||
| The Marathi word "निर्णय" also implies a "conclusion" or "consequence" and can be traced back to the Sanskrit word "निर्णयः" (nirṇayaḥ) with similar meanings. | |||
| Nepali | निर्णय | ||
| The word "निर्णय" can also mean "determination" or "settlement" in Sanskrit. | |||
| Punjabi | ਫੈਸਲਾ | ||
| The word "ਫੈਸਲਾ" is also used to mean "determination", "resolution", or "verdict" in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තීරණ | ||
| The Sinhala word "තීරණ" (decision) is derived from the Sanskrit root "tṝ"," meaning to cross or pass over, implying a decisive act or judgment. | |||
| Tamil | முடிவு | ||
| முடிவு (m u d i v u) can also mean 'end,' 'conclusion,' or 'determination.' | |||
| Telugu | నిర్ణయం | ||
| "నిర్ణయం" is derived from the Sanskrit word "निर्णय" (nirnaya), which means "determination, settlement, conclusion". | |||
| Urdu | فیصلہ | ||
| "فیصلہ" originates from the Arabic word "فصل" meaning "separation, distinction", implying the act of dividing something into distinct parts. It also has the connotation of "judgment" or "decree". | |||
Decision in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 决定 | ||
| The character "决" in "决定" originally means "to cut something apart", which suggests that making a decision is like severing one option from the others. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 決定 | ||
| 決定, composed of '定' (decide) and '心' (heart), implies a firm resolution made after careful consideration, indicating a decisive or definitive choice. | |||
| Japanese | 決定 | ||
| 決定 can also mean "determination" or "resolve." | |||
| Korean | 결정 | ||
| The word "결정" can also mean "crystal" or "solidification", reflecting its origin as a term in chemistry. | |||
| Mongolian | шийдвэр | ||
| "Шийдвэр" comes from the Mongolian word "шиид", which means "to cut" or "to separate", and therefore implies a decisive action. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဆုံးဖြတ်ချက် | ||
Decision in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | keputusan | ||
| "Keputusan" is derived from Sanskrit "kripta", meaning "to cover", which hints at a sense of finality, like the lid of a jar sealing its contents. | |||
| Javanese | keputusan | ||
| The Javanese word 'keputusan' is derived from the word 'putus' which means 'to break' or 'to end', suggesting that decisions are seen as a process of 'breaking' from the current state of uncertainty or indecision. | |||
| Khmer | ការសំរេចចិត្ត | ||
| Lao | ການຕັດສິນໃຈ | ||
| Malay | keputusan | ||
| The word 'keputusan' can also refer to the outcome of a battle or the result of a deliberation or investigation. | |||
| Thai | การตัดสินใจ | ||
| The word "การตัดสินใจ" ("decision") is derived from the Sanskrit word "निर्णय" ("nirnaya"), meaning "to determine" or "to settle". | |||
| Vietnamese | phán quyết | ||
| "Phán quyết" literally means "to tell what is right" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | desisyon | ||
Decision in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qərar | ||
| The word "qərar" is derived from the Arabic word "qara'a" which means "reading" or "pronouncing" and can also mean "fate", "judgment" or "determination". | |||
| Kazakh | шешім | ||
| 'Шешім' is a borrowing from Turkic and ultimately derives from Persian 'šišam', meaning 'glass' | |||
| Kyrgyz | чечим | ||
| "Чечим" is derived from the word "чеч" in ancient Turkic, which means "to solve, to judge". | |||
| Tajik | қарор | ||
| The word "қарор" is derived from the Arabic word "qara'a", meaning "to read" or "to study", and also has the alternate meaning of "sentence" or "judgment" in legal contexts. | |||
| Turkmen | karar | ||
| Uzbek | qaror | ||
| The word "qaror" in Uzbek is derived from the Arabic word "qara'a," which means "to read, to decide." | |||
| Uyghur | قارار | ||
Decision in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoʻoholo | ||
| Hoʻoholo can also mean 'to solve' or 'to determine', suggesting a more active role in the decision-making process. | |||
| Maori | whakatau | ||
| The word "whakatau" in Maori language can also mean "to make a decision". | |||
| Samoan | filifiliga | ||
| Filifiliga can also refer to the process of making a decision or the outcome of a decision (e.g. the decision itself). | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | desisyon | ||
| The word "desisyon" in Tagalog is derived from the Spanish word "decisión", which means "determination" or "resolution." | |||
Decision in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | amta | ||
| Guarani | py'apeteĩ | ||
Decision in International Languages
| Esperanto | decido | ||
| The word "decido" is related to the word "cidi", which means "to cut". The word "decido" in Esperanto thus has the same meaning as the French word "décider", and can be used in contexts where "to cut off" is an appropriate way of describing a decision-making process. | |||
| Latin | arbitrium | ||
| Arbitrium derives from "arbis," a related term for a mediator, and "-trum," a suffix indicating an action or result. | |||
Decision in Others Languages
| Greek | απόφαση | ||
| The ancient Greek term "απόφαση" originally referred to a statement made by a prophet that was perceived as an utterance directly from a deity; the modern meaning of "decision" is derived from this concept of the prophet speaking "from the mouth" of the deity. | |||
| Hmong | kev txiav txim siab | ||
| In addition to its primary definition as decision, "kev txiav txim siab" can mean resolution and determination. | |||
| Kurdish | biryar | ||
| The word 'biryar' in Kurdish can also refer to fate or destiny. | |||
| Turkish | karar | ||
| "Karar", like many Turkish words, is derived from Arabic, meaning both "decision" and "firmness". | |||
| Xhosa | isigqibo | ||
| "Isingqibo" is connected to 'ukungaqoba', a verb which means to conquer, vanquish. It derives from 'inqobo', a weapon of some sort, something to fight with. | |||
| Yiddish | באַשלוס | ||
| The Yiddish word for 'decision', 'באַשלוס', derives from the German word for 'conclusion' or 'finish', 'Beschluss'. | |||
| Zulu | isinqumo | ||
| "Isinqumo" also means a verdict when it is used in the context of a legal proceeding. | |||
| Assamese | সিদ্ধান্ত | ||
| Aymara | amta | ||
| Bhojpuri | फैसला | ||
| Dhivehi | ނިންމުން | ||
| Dogri | फैसला | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | desisyon | ||
| Guarani | py'apeteĩ | ||
| Ilocano | desision | ||
| Krio | disayd | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بڕیار | ||
| Maithili | निर्णय | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯋꯥꯔꯦꯞ | ||
| Mizo | thutlukna | ||
| Oromo | murtoo | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ନିଷ୍ପତ୍ତି | ||
| Quechua | akllay | ||
| Sanskrit | निर्णयः | ||
| Tatar | карар | ||
| Tigrinya | ውሳነ | ||
| Tsonga | xiboho | ||