Depict in Different Languages
Discover 'Depict' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'depict' holds a significant place in our vocabulary as it allows us to describe the act of representing or illustrating something, often through visual means. This cultural importance is evident in various art forms, literature, and media, where the ability to depict has been instrumental in communicating ideas and emotions across time periods and cultures.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'depict' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how other cultures convey similar concepts. For instance, the German translation, 'darstellen,' not only shares the same root as the English word but also highlights the visual nature of the action. Meanwhile, the Spanish translation, 'representar,' emphasizes the idea of standing in for something else, further enriching our understanding of the word.
With this in mind, let's explore how 'depict' translates in a variety of languages, shedding light on the fascinating cultural and linguistic nuances that shape our global community.
Depict
Depict in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | uitbeeld | ||
| The Afrikaans word "uitbeeld" can also refer to the act of portraying or representing something. | |||
| Amharic | የሚያሳይ | ||
| The word "የሚያሳይ" can also mean "to show, to demonstrate, to exhibit, to display, to make visible," or "to represent." | |||
| Hausa | nuna | ||
| "Nuna" also means "to show" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | gosi | ||
| The verb 'gosi' also means to be present or to appear in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | sarina | ||
| The word "sarina" can also mean a "form of drawing or painting." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | onetsani | ||
| The word 'onetsani' can also mean 'to show' or 'to indicate'. | |||
| Shona | kuratidza | ||
| The word "kuratidza" can also mean "to illustrate" or "to draw a picture of" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | sawirid | ||
| Sawirid can also mean 'imagine', 'think', or 'guess' in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | bontša | ||
| In Old Sesotho, "bontša" also meant "to appoint, to choose, to pick". | |||
| Swahili | onyesha | ||
| "Onyesha" also means "to show" or "to demonstrate" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | bonisa | ||
| The word 'bonisa' in Xhosa holds an archaic meaning of 'to carve', revealing its connections to the visual arts and craftsmanship. | |||
| Yoruba | ṣe apejuwe | ||
| The Yoruba word "ṣe apejuwe" can also mean "to demonstrate" or "to show off". | |||
| Zulu | bonisa | ||
| In some contexts, 'bonisa' can also refer to the act of making an image or picture. | |||
| Bambara | ja jira | ||
| Ewe | ƒe nɔnɔmetata | ||
| Kinyarwanda | shushanya | ||
| Lingala | ezali komonisa bililingi | ||
| Luganda | okukuba ekifaananyi | ||
| Sepedi | bontšha | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ho mfonini | ||
Depict in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تصف | ||
| The Arabic word تصف (depict) also means 'to describe' or 'to represent,' akin to the English 'depict,' ultimately deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root *deik- ('to show') | |||
| Hebrew | לתאר | ||
| The word לתאר ('depict') in Hebrew originally meant 'to delineate' or 'sketch,' and it is related to the word תאר ('outline'). | |||
| Pashto | انځورول | ||
| In Pashto, "انځورول" also means "to portray" or "to describe". | |||
| Arabic | تصف | ||
| The Arabic word تصف (depict) also means 'to describe' or 'to represent,' akin to the English 'depict,' ultimately deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root *deik- ('to show') | |||
Depict in Western European Languages
| Albanian | përshkruaj | ||
| The Albanian word "përshkruaj" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *prek-, meaning "to draw, shape, or form." | |||
| Basque | irudikatu | ||
| The term "irudikatu" also means "represent" or "imagine" in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | representar | ||
| The verb "representar" in Catalan has an additional meaning of "to perform a play". | |||
| Croatian | prikazati | ||
| The Croatian word "prikazati" likely evolved from "prikazanje," which originally meant "appearance" or "vision." | |||
| Danish | skildre | ||
| The word "skildre" in Danish, a cognate of "schilderen" in Dutch, is derived from the Germanic root words "schild" (shield) and "eren" (to honor). | |||
| Dutch | verbeelden | ||
| The Dutch word "verbeelden" can additionally mean "to think", "to imagine", or "to pretend." | |||
| English | depict | ||
| The word “depict” derives from the Latin word “depingere,” which means “to paint”. | |||
| French | représenter | ||
| The French word "représenter" can also mean "to represent" or "to stand for". | |||
| Frisian | ôfbyldzje | ||
| Frisian verb ôfbyldzje originally meant: "to copy, to write" and derives from of < Latin "off", i.e. "away, from", and bildzje, from Middle Dutch "beelden", i.e. "image". | |||
| Galician | representar | ||
| Galician "representar" can also mean "to represent", in the sense of being an actor or performer on stage. | |||
| German | darstellen | ||
| Darstellen also means to represent, portray, or perform. | |||
| Icelandic | lýsa | ||
| The word "lýsa" is derived from the Proto-Germanic root "leusaną", meaning "to shine, light up". | |||
| Irish | léiriú | ||
| Léiriú can also mean: show, exhibition, display, performance, demonstration, representation, description. | |||
| Italian | raffigurare | ||
| "Raffigurare" is a compound word derived from the Latin "refigurare" and "figurare", meaning "to make again" and "to form". | |||
| Luxembourgish | duergestallt | ||
| Maltese | juru | ||
| The word 'juru' is also used in Maltese to describe the act of taking a person's picture. | |||
| Norwegian | skildre | ||
| The word "skildre" in Norwegian has roots in the Old Norse word "skilja", meaning "to separate" or "to part". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | retratar | ||
| "Retratar" can also mean to withdraw or to retract. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | dealbh | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "dealbh" is derived from the Proto-Celtic word "delbos", meaning "image". It can also mean "idol", "statue", or "form". | |||
| Spanish | representar | ||
| "Representar" can also mean "to act in a play, film, or television program, or "to stand for or embody something." | |||
| Swedish | skildra | ||
| "Skildra" originally stems from the Old Norse "skjöldr" meaning "shield." | |||
| Welsh | darlunio | ||
| The Welsh word "darlunio" can also mean to describe, portray or represent something. | |||
Depict in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | адлюстроўваць | ||
| Bosnian | portretirati | ||
| Bosnian word 'portretirati' originates from the French word 'pourtraire', which means 'to portray'. | |||
| Bulgarian | изобразяват | ||
| Изобразяват also means "to present in art". | |||
| Czech | líčit | ||
| Líčit (Czech: literally "to tell a story") has been used to describe various forms of depiction, from painting to photography to writing. | |||
| Estonian | kujutama | ||
| In Finnish, the word "kujutama" means "to imitate". | |||
| Finnish | kuvata | ||
| In Finnish, "kuvata" also means to photograph, film, or portray through art. | |||
| Hungarian | ábrázol | ||
| Ábrázol in Hungarian comes from the word "ábrázat" meaning "face" and refers to the act of "showing" or "displaying" something. | |||
| Latvian | attēlot | ||
| The word "attēlot" also means "to reflect" or "to mirror" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | pavaizduoti | ||
| The word "pavaizduoti" comes from the Proto-Balto-Slavic root *vaizd- "to see" | |||
| Macedonian | отсликуваат | ||
| "Отсликуваат" (depict) derives from the verb "сликам" (paint), and can also mean to represent or portray. | |||
| Polish | przedstawiać | ||
| The word "przedstawiać" also means "to present" or "to introduce" in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | descrie | ||
| The Romanian word "descrie" can also mean "to perceive" or "to discover". | |||
| Russian | изображать | ||
| The root of the word "изображать" is "образ," which means "image" or "form." | |||
| Serbian | сликати | ||
| The word "сликати" (''slikati'') in Serbian also means "to paint" and shares the same root as "слика" (''slika'') meaning "picture". | |||
| Slovak | líčiť | ||
| The Slovak verb "líčiť" can also mean "to paint" or "to draw". | |||
| Slovenian | upodabljajo | ||
| The Slovenian word "upodabljajo" comes from the Proto-Slavic verb *podobbiti, meaning "to make similar." | |||
| Ukrainian | зобразити | ||
| У слові “зобразити” виділяється корінь -браз- (образ). Також існують омоніми: зображати і зображувати, які відрізняються наголосом і формою майбутнього часу. | |||
Depict in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | চিত্রিত | ||
| চিত্রিত can mean 'to capture an image' or 'to delineate a picture'. | |||
| Gujarati | ચિત્રિત | ||
| The Gujarati word 'ચિત્રિત' ('depict') is cognate with the English words 'picture' and 'portrait', and comes from the Sanskrit word 'citrā' ('representation'). | |||
| Hindi | चित्रित | ||
| The word चित्रित (chitrit) is derived from the Sanskrit root चित् (chit), meaning 'to think' or 'to understand'. | |||
| Kannada | ಚಿತ್ರಿಸಿ | ||
| The term "ಚಿತ್ರಿಸಿ" originated from the word "चित्री" in the Sanskrit language, meaning a female painter, and ultimately comes from the root "चित्र", meaning a picture, a painting, or a work of art. | |||
| Malayalam | ചിത്രീകരിക്കുക | ||
| The word 'ചിത്രീകരിക്കുക' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'चित्र' ('picture') and refers to the representation of a scene or subject through art, writing, or other forms of expression. | |||
| Marathi | चित्रण | ||
| The word "चित्रण" also means "a portrait" or "a description". | |||
| Nepali | चित्रण | ||
| The word "चित्रण" in Nepali can also mean "picture" or "image". | |||
| Punjabi | ਦਰਸਾਉ | ||
| The word "ਦਰਸਾਉ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "दर्शन" (darshan), which means "sight" or "perception". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නිරූපණය කරන්න | ||
| Tamil | சித்தரிக்க | ||
| Telugu | వర్ణించండి | ||
| The word 'వర్ణించండి' ('depict') is derived from the Sanskrit word 'वर्ण' ('color') and can also mean 'describe' or 'narrate'. | |||
| Urdu | عکاسی کرنا | ||
| عکاسی کرنا is an Urdu word meaning to depict or portray, and it is derived from the Persian word عکس (aks), meaning 'reflection'. | |||
Depict in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 描绘 | ||
| 描绘 also means 'to trace' or 'to portray'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 描繪 | ||
| The word "描繪" can also mean "to delineate", "to outline", or "to sketch" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | 描写する | ||
| 描写する can also mean "copy" or "trace" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 묘사하다 | ||
| The etymology of 묘사하다 derives from the Chinese characters 描寫, where 描 refers to "delineating" and 寫 refers to "writing". | |||
| Mongolian | дүрслэх | ||
| The word "дүрслэх" can also mean "to visualize" or "to portray." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပုံဖော် | ||
Depict in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | menggambarkan | ||
| In addition to "depict", "menggambarkan" also means "to describe", "to portray", or "to illustrate". | |||
| Javanese | nggambarake | ||
| The word "nggambarake" can also mean "to draw" or "to write" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ពិពណ៌នា | ||
| Lao | ອະທິບາຍ | ||
| Malay | gambarkan | ||
| "Menggambarkan" is also Malay for "to draw; to paint; to portray". | |||
| Thai | พรรณนา | ||
| In Sanskrit, "varṇ" means "describe, narrate, paint," and "nā" means "a noun suffix". | |||
| Vietnamese | miêu tả | ||
| It can also carry the secondary meaning of "description" when used with the word "lời" (words). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ilarawan | ||
Depict in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | təsvir etmək | ||
| The word "təsvir etmək" can also mean "to paint a picture" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | бейнелеу | ||
| The word "бейнелеу" comes from the Arabic word "بَيْنَة" which means "evidence", "proof", or "argument". | |||
| Kyrgyz | сүрөттөө | ||
| Сүрөттөө - is used in Kyrgyz both in the meaning of “depiction” and in the sense of “portrayal”/“painting”. | |||
| Tajik | тасвир кардан | ||
| The word "тасвир кардан" ultimately comes from the Arabic word "صور", meaning "image" or "figure". | |||
| Turkmen | şekillendirýär | ||
| Uzbek | tasvirlash | ||
| Uzbek "tasvirlash" translates to "portray" in English, and can also mean "to describe" or "to express." | |||
| Uyghur | تەسۋىر | ||
Depict in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hōʻikeʻike | ||
| The word "hōʻikeʻike" is a compound word that literally means "to cause to see and see". | |||
| Maori | whakaahua | ||
| The Maori word "whakaahua" can also refer to "to make an image of"} | |||
| Samoan | ata | ||
| Ata has alternate uses such as "mark" or "paint" and was formerly used to mean "to write". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | ilarawan | ||
| "Ilarawan" in Tagalog can also mean "to describe" or "to portray". | |||
Depict in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | uñacht’ayaña | ||
| Guarani | ohechauka | ||
Depict in International Languages
| Esperanto | bildigi | ||
| "Bildigi" is related to the word "bildo" which means "image" or "painting." | |||
| Latin | commeditor | ||
| The term COMMEDITOR is not found in Latin. | |||
Depict in Others Languages
| Greek | περιγράφω | ||
| The verb "περιγράφω" initially meant "to draw around" something, and later obtained the meaning of "to describe". | |||
| Hmong | xwm txheej | ||
| The word "xwm txheej" in Hmong can also mean "to draw" or "to paint". | |||
| Kurdish | nîgar kirin | ||
| The word "nîgar kirin" has Arabic origin and means "to paint, draw, or illustrate". | |||
| Turkish | göstermek | ||
| Göstermek also means "to indicate something" or "to point something out" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | bonisa | ||
| The word 'bonisa' in Xhosa holds an archaic meaning of 'to carve', revealing its connections to the visual arts and craftsmanship. | |||
| Yiddish | ויסמאָלן | ||
| The word "ויסמאָלן" in Yiddish comes from the German "ausmalen", which means "to color in" or "to illustrate". | |||
| Zulu | bonisa | ||
| In some contexts, 'bonisa' can also refer to the act of making an image or picture. | |||
| Assamese | চিত্ৰিত কৰা | ||
| Aymara | uñacht’ayaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | चित्रण कइल गइल बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ތަސްވީރުކުރުން | ||
| Dogri | चित्रण करना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ilarawan | ||
| Guarani | ohechauka | ||
| Ilocano | iladawan | ||
| Krio | pikchɔ | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | وێنا بکە | ||
| Maithili | चित्रित करब | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯎꯠꯄꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | lemchan a ni | ||
| Oromo | agarsiisu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଚିତ୍ରଣ | ||
| Quechua | siq’iy | ||
| Sanskrit | चित्रयतु | ||
| Tatar | сурәтләү | ||
| Tigrinya | ስእሊ | ||
| Tsonga | ku kombisa | ||