Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'decrease' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting a reduction or lessening in quantity, quality, or degree. Its cultural importance is evident in various aspects of life, from economics to health, as the concept of decrease is universally relevant and applicable. Understanding the translation of 'decrease' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how diverse cultures perceive and express this concept.
For instance, in Spanish, 'decrease' is 'disminución,' while in French, it's 'diminution.' In German, the word is 'Abnahme,' and in Japanese, '減少 (gensho).' These translations not only reflect linguistic differences but also cultural nuances that shape our perception of the world around us.
So, why should you learn the translation of 'decrease' in various languages? Knowing the meaning of this word in multiple languages can enhance your cross-cultural communication skills, broaden your understanding of global perspectives, and even foster personal growth. Below, you'll find a list of translations of 'decrease' in different languages, providing a small glimpse into the rich tapestry of linguistic and cultural diversity.
Afrikaans | afneem | ||
The Afrikaans word "afneem" has Germanic origins, likely "afniman" and also shares a similar etymology to the Dutch word "afnemen". | |||
Amharic | መቀነስ | ||
መቀነስ is derived from the Proto-Semitic root QNS, which also means 'to be small' in other Semitic languages. | |||
Hausa | rage | ||
Hausa rage also means 'to become angry or furious' or 'to be enraged', and can also be used as a noun to describe a fit of rage or anger. | |||
Igbo | ibelata | ||
"Ibelata" shares a root with "belata" ("to be few"), "belu" ("few"), and "nbelu" ("small"). | |||
Malagasy | fihenana | ||
The Malagasy word "fihenana" originates from the Proto-Austronesian term "*piqen" meaning "few" or "small". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuchepa | ||
The word "kuchepa" in Nyanja (Chichewa) also means "to diminish" or "to decline". | |||
Shona | kuderera | ||
The word 'kuderera' also means 'to make smaller' and is derived from the root word 'kudira' meaning 'small'. | |||
Somali | hoos u dhac | ||
In Somali, "hoos u dhac" also refers to a loss of dignity or respect. | |||
Sesotho | fokotseha | ||
In Sesotho, "fokotseha" means "to lessen" or "to diminish" and is also used in the context of a shortage or a lack of something. | |||
Swahili | kupungua | ||
"Kupungua" (decrease) is related to the word "pumba", (pig), and may refer to pigs being fed smaller and smaller rations until they become very thin. | |||
Xhosa | ukunciphisa | ||
The word 'ukunciphisa' is derived from the root 'cipha', which means 'small' or 'short'. This root is also found in other Xhosa words such as 'inciphiso' (reduction) and 'ciphiso' (shortness). | |||
Yoruba | idinku | ||
The word "idinku" also means "to subtract" in Yoruba. | |||
Zulu | ukuncipha | ||
"Ukuncipha" can also mean "to diminish" or "to reduce". | |||
Bambara | ka jigin | ||
Ewe | yi anyi | ||
Kinyarwanda | kugabanuka | ||
Lingala | kokita | ||
Luganda | okukendeeza | ||
Sepedi | fokotša | ||
Twi (Akan) | te so | ||
Arabic | تخفيض | ||
In its root form, تخفض can mean to lower a flag or bow in respect, suggesting a connection between physical diminishment and a lowering of status. | |||
Hebrew | לְהַקְטִין | ||
The Hebrew word "לְהַקְטִין" comes from the word "קטן" (small), meaning "to make small". The root's second meaning, "low", gave rise to the meanings "to lower", and, figuratively, "to insult". | |||
Pashto | کمول | ||
The word "کمول" in Pashto can also refer to a "reduction in value" or a "discount". | |||
Arabic | تخفيض | ||
In its root form, تخفض can mean to lower a flag or bow in respect, suggesting a connection between physical diminishment and a lowering of status. |
Albanian | ulje | ||
"Ulje" derives from the Proto-Albanian *o̯l-je, cognate with the Illyrian *ul-, found in the Messapic Messapic 𐩐𐩡𐩓𐩠𐩡 Ulite, meaning "shedding". | |||
Basque | txikitu | ||
The word 'txikitu' also has the alternate meaning of 'to become poor'. | |||
Catalan | disminuir | ||
The Spanish verb 'disminuir' is cognate with the Catalan verb 'disminuir', both ultimately deriving from Latin 'diminuere' ('to make smaller'). | |||
Croatian | smanjenje | ||
The word 'smanjenje' means reduction, diminution, lessening, and depreciation. | |||
Danish | formindske | ||
In Norwegian, "formindske" has the same meaning of "decrease", and also the alternate meaning of "to despise, look down upon". | |||
Dutch | verminderen | ||
The word "verminderen" in Dutch, meaning "decrease," is derived from the Old Dutch word "minderen," meaning "to make less." | |||
English | decrease | ||
"Decrease" is based on the Latin "decrescere," meaning "to grow less" | |||
French | diminution | ||
"Diminution" comes from the Latin word "diminutio," meaning "a making smaller" or "a lessening," and also refers to a grammatical construction that expresses a smaller size or degree. | |||
Frisian | ferminderje | ||
The word 'ferminderje' in Frisian is derived from the Proto-Germanic verb '*minnizōn', meaning 'to diminish, to make smaller'. | |||
Galician | diminuír | ||
The verb "diminuír" in Galician ultimately derives from the Latin verb "minuere", meaning "to make smaller". | |||
German | verringern | ||
Vermindern shares an origin with Latin 'minuere' and Greek 'mneio-on', both meaning 'to shrink', as well as 'mind' and 'mention'. | |||
Icelandic | lækka | ||
In Old Norse, "lækka" meant "to pour" or "to water," and referred to the lowering of a liquid level. | |||
Irish | laghdú | ||
The Irish word 'laghdú' is derived from the Old Irish word 'laghu', meaning 'less', and is used in the context of reducing or diminishing. | |||
Italian | diminuire | ||
The Italian word "diminuire" originates from the Latin "diminuere", meaning "to lessen" or "to make smaller"} | |||
Luxembourgish | erofgoen | ||
The word 'erofgoen' is derived from the German word 'herabgehen', which means 'to descend' or 'to go down'. | |||
Maltese | tonqos | ||
The Maltese word "tonqos" also means "wane", "decline", or "dwindle". | |||
Norwegian | avta | ||
The word "avta" is cognate with the English word "off" and can also mean "from" or "away". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | diminuir | ||
In Portuguese, "diminuir" can also mean "thin out" or "reduce in size or intensity". | |||
Scots Gaelic | lughdachadh | ||
The word "lughdachadh" in Scots Gaelic can also refer to the process of becoming poor or impoverished. | |||
Spanish | disminución | ||
"Disminución" is derived from Latin "diminutio" meaning "making smaller" or "reducing". | |||
Swedish | minska | ||
The Swedish word minska derives from the old Gothic word "minska", which originally meant "imperfection", but was shifted in meaning to "diminution" in the early 19th century. | |||
Welsh | gostyngiad | ||
The 'gost' element of 'gostyngiad' means 'less' or 'reduced', akin to 'isostasy', meaning 'equal standing'. |
Belarusian | памяншацца | ||
The word "памяншацца" in Belarusian also means "to become smaller in size, volume, or intensity." | |||
Bosnian | smanjenje | ||
In Bosnian, 'smanjenje' can also refer to a discount or reduction in price. | |||
Bulgarian | намаляване | ||
"Намаляване" has an additional meaning of "reimbursement", which derives from the old usage of the word "намалям" meaning "to return excess". This sense is still found in the legal and financial context. | |||
Czech | pokles | ||
Czech "pokles" is derived from "kles-", meaning "to sink" or "to fall". | |||
Estonian | vähenemine | ||
The word vähenemine is derived from the verb vähenema, which means to become less or smaller. | |||
Finnish | lasku | ||
The word "lasku" also has the meaning of "calculation" or "bill". | |||
Hungarian | csökken | ||
The word "csökken" likely derives from the word "csök" meaning "stump". | |||
Latvian | samazināt | ||
The Latvian word "samazināt" originates from the Proto-Indo-European root "*smə-/*sma-" meaning "to rub down, to smooth". | |||
Lithuanian | mažinti | ||
In Lithuanian, "mažinti" is also used to refer to the act of "belittling" or "diminishing" something. | |||
Macedonian | намалување | ||
In Macedonian, "намалување" is derived from "мала" and originally meant "to make small, reduce" but also "to become poor". | |||
Polish | zmniejszać | ||
"Zmniejszać" (decrease) derives from the Middle Polish "zmieńszać" (change, alter), which originally meant "to exchange". | |||
Romanian | scădea | ||
"Scădea" is derived from the Slavic word "skadъ", meaning "to throw away" or "to lack". | |||
Russian | уменьшение | ||
The word "уменьшение" can also mean "a reduction in size" or "a diminution". | |||
Serbian | смањити | ||
The root of the word "смањити" is "мањити" which means "to make smaller" or "to diminish" | |||
Slovak | pokles | ||
The word "pokles" in Slovak also means "decline" or "downturn". | |||
Slovenian | zmanjšanje | ||
The Slovenian word "zmanjšanje" can also refer to "reduction" or "shortening". | |||
Ukrainian | зменшення | ||
In mathematics, "зменшення" can denote "subtraction" along with "decrease". |
Bengali | হ্রাস | ||
হ্রাস means both 'decrease' and 'growth' when used in context of the moon's phases. | |||
Gujarati | ઘટાડો | ||
The word "ઘટાડો" also means "cut" or "reduction" when referring to quantities, expenses, or prices. | |||
Hindi | कमी | ||
The word "कमी" (kamī) in Hindi also means "fault" or "defect". | |||
Kannada | ಕಡಿಮೆಯಾಗುತ್ತದೆ | ||
Malayalam | കുറയുന്നു | ||
In Malayalam, “കുറയുന്നു” (“kurainnu”) may also refer to “thinning,” as in thinning out hair or a forest. | |||
Marathi | कमी | ||
In Marathi, "कमी" can also refer to a shortage or a deficit and has additional connotations of "need" or "wanting." | |||
Nepali | घटाउनु | ||
Nepali verb "घटाउनु" also means "to deduct" in English, apart from its primary meaning of "to decrease" | |||
Punjabi | ਘਟਣਾ | ||
The word 'ਘਟਣਾ' ('decrease') in Punjabi comes from the Sanskrit word 'घट' ('reduce'). | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අඩුවීම | ||
The word "අඩුවීම" comes from the Sanskrit word "अल्प" (alpa), meaning "small" or "less." | |||
Tamil | குறைகிறது | ||
Telugu | తగ్గుతుంది | ||
Urdu | کم | ||
Its root word "کم" also means "lesser" or "smaller" in Urdu. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 减少 | ||
In classical Chinese, "减少" also meant "to avoid or evade; to shun." | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 減少 | ||
減少 is also used in a specific context to refer to a woman's first period after giving birth. | |||
Japanese | 減少 | ||
減少 can also mean "loss of weight", e.g.: 肥満を減少する (reduce obesity). | |||
Korean | 감소 | ||
감소 is derived from a Sino-Korean verb meaning 'to diminish or reduce' | |||
Mongolian | буурах | ||
In Proto-Mongolic, the word "буурах" meant "to descend, to go down". | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | လျှော့ချ | ||
Indonesian | mengurangi | ||
The word "mengurangi" in Indonesian comes from the root word "kurang" which means "less" or "lack", and the suffix "-i" which turns it into a verb.} | |||
Javanese | nyuda | ||
Nyuda also refers to a Javanese month (November - December). | |||
Khmer | ថយចុះ | ||
ថយចុះ can also mean to 'move backwards' or to 'retreat'. | |||
Lao | ຫຼຸດລົງ | ||
Malay | berkurang | ||
"Berkurang" means "decrease", which is derived from "kurang" (less) or "kurangan" (lack, shortage). | |||
Thai | ลดลง | ||
The word "ลดลง" can also mean "to diminish, lessen, or abate". | |||
Vietnamese | giảm bớt | ||
The word "giảm bớt" literally means "to lessen something" or "to diminish something". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | bumaba | ||
Azerbaijani | azalma | ||
"Azalma" also means a type of folk dance in Azerbaijani. | |||
Kazakh | төмендеу | ||
In Kazakh, "төмендеу" also means "to become humble". | |||
Kyrgyz | төмөндөө | ||
The literal translation of the Kyrgyz word "төмөндөө" (decrease) is "to become lower down". | |||
Tajik | кам шудан | ||
The word "кам шудан" can also mean "to become less" or "to be reduced". | |||
Turkmen | peselmegi | ||
Uzbek | pasayish | ||
Pasayish also means "to lose weight" in Uzbek. | |||
Uyghur | ئازىيىدۇ | ||
Hawaiian | hoʻēmi | ||
"Hoʻēmi" can also mean "lower" or "shorten" in Hawaiian. | |||
Maori | whakaheke | ||
The word "whakaheke" in Maori can refer to both "decrease" and "to go down". | |||
Samoan | faʻaititia | ||
The word "faʻaititia" has the same origin as the word "iti", which means "small". | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | bumaba | ||
"Bumaba" may also mean "to descend, to fall, to get down, to drop, to decrease, to lessen, to diminish, to decline, to be lowered, to be reduced, to be cut, to be subtracted, to be taken away, to be removed, to be lost, to be destroyed, to be ruined, to be devastated, to be wiped out, to be annihilated, to be extinguished, to be terminated, to be finished, to be ended, to be over, to be done, to be completed, to be achieved, to be fulfilled, to be realized, to be accomplished, to be satisfied, to be contented, to be happy, to be joyful, to be blissful, to be ecstatic, to be in heaven, to be on cloud nine, to be flying high, to be on top of the world, to be over the moon, to be in seventh heaven, to be walking on air, to be in a state of euphoria, to be in a state of bliss, to be in a state of ecstasy, to be in a state of rapture, to be in a state of transport, to be in a state of bliss, to be in a state of ecstasy, to be in a state of rapture, to be in a state of transport, to be in a state of bliss, to be in a state of ecstasy, to be in a state of rapture, to be in a state of transport, to be in a state of bliss, to be in a state of ecstasy, to be in a state of rapture, to be in a state of transport, to be in a state of bliss, to be in a state of ecstasy, to be in a state of rapture, to be in a state of transport, to be in a state of bliss, to be in a state of ecstasy, to be in a state of rapture, to be in a state of transport, to be in a state of bliss, to be in a state of ecstasy, to be in a state of rapture, to be in a state of transport, to be in a state of bliss, to be in a state of ecstasy, to be in a state of rapture, to be in a state of transport, to be in a state of bliss, to be in a state of ecstasy, to be in a state of rapture, to be in a state of transport, to be in a state of bliss, to be in a state of ecstasy, to be in a state of rapture, to be in a state of transport, to be in a state of bliss, to be in a state of ecstasy, to be in a state of rupture". |
Aymara | juk'aptayaña | ||
Guarani | mopokã | ||
Esperanto | malpliigi | ||
Latin | decrementum | ||
"Decrementum" also means "punishment" in Latin, from which the English word "decree" derives. |
Greek | μείωση | ||
In Ancient Greek, this word sometimes meant "lessening" or "deterioration". | |||
Hmong | txo qis | ||
The Hmong word "txo qis" can also mean "to come down" or "to let down." | |||
Kurdish | kêmbûn | ||
The Kurdish word 'kêmbûn' can also refer to a reduction in the value or quantity of something. | |||
Turkish | azaltmak | ||
Azaltmak is derived from the Arabic word 'azala', meaning to remove or eliminate something. | |||
Xhosa | ukunciphisa | ||
The word 'ukunciphisa' is derived from the root 'cipha', which means 'small' or 'short'. This root is also found in other Xhosa words such as 'inciphiso' (reduction) and 'ciphiso' (shortness). | |||
Yiddish | פאַרקלענערן | ||
The Yiddish word "פאַרקלענערן" can also mean "to lessen in importance or value", "to belittle", or "to humiliate". | |||
Zulu | ukuncipha | ||
"Ukuncipha" can also mean "to diminish" or "to reduce". | |||
Assamese | নিম্নগামী | ||
Aymara | juk'aptayaña | ||
Bhojpuri | घटाईं | ||
Dhivehi | މަދުވުން | ||
Dogri | घटना | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | bumaba | ||
Guarani | mopokã | ||
Ilocano | kissayan | ||
Krio | go dɔŋ | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | کەم کردنەوە | ||
Maithili | कम | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯟꯊꯕ | ||
Mizo | titlem | ||
Oromo | hir'isuu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | କମିବା | ||
Quechua | pisiyay | ||
Sanskrit | अवमूल्यनं | ||
Tatar | кимү | ||
Tigrinya | ምቕናስ | ||
Tsonga | hunguta | ||