Design in different languages

Design in Different Languages

Discover 'Design' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

Design, a simple word with profound significance. It is a concept that has shaped civilizations, influenced cultures, and transformed societies. From the ancient pyramids of Egypt to the modern skyscrapers of New York, design has been the driving force behind some of humanity's most significant achievements.

But what is design? At its core, design is the process of creating solutions to problems. It's about taking an idea and turning it into something tangible, something that can be experienced and interacted with. It's about understanding the needs of people and the world around us, and then using that understanding to create something that is not only functional but also beautiful and meaningful.

Given its importance, it's no surprise that the word 'design' has been translated into countless languages around the world. In Spanish, for example, design is 'diseño'. In French, it's 'conception'. In German, it's 'Entwurf'. And in Japanese, it's 'デザイン' (desain).

Understanding these translations can give us a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance of design. It can help us see how different societies have approached the concept of design, and how they have used it to shape their own unique identities.

Design

Design in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansontwerp
Ontwerp shares an etymological root with the English "warp" referring to threads twisted together.
Amharicዲዛይን
The Amharic word "ዲዛይን" (design) is derived from the English word "design" and has the same meaning.
Hausazane
In Hausa, "zane" can also refer to a plan, a scheme, or a plot.
Igboimewe
The Igbo word "imewe" also means "pattern" or "model".
Malagasyfamolavolana
The word "famolavolana" also means "the art of shaping words" in Malagasy.
Nyanja (Chichewa)kapangidwe
"Kapangidwe" also means "purpose" and is derived from the verb "kupanga" (to make a form or shape).
Shonadhizaini
This Shona word for "design" is borrowed from English.
Somalinaqshad
Naqshad also means 'the design used in decorating a camel's saddle bag'.
Sesothomoralo
The Sesotho word "moralo" translates primarily as "design" as opposed to "plan" or "purpose" as "sebopeho" would.
Swahilikubuni
"Kubuni" also means "to carve," "to draw," or "to engrave" in Swahili.
Xhosauyilo
The word "uyilo" in Xhosa can also refer to a blueprint or a plan.
Yorubaapẹrẹ
The word "apẹrẹ" can also refer to a pattern or a model.
Zuluukwakheka
The Zulu word "ukwakheka" can also mean "to weave" or "to plait".
Bambaradesɛn
Eweaɖaŋudɔ
Kinyarwandaigishushanyo
Lingalalikanisi ya kosala eloko
Lugandaokukuba
Sepedimoakanyetšo
Twi (Akan)hyehyɛ

Design in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicالتصميم
"التصميم" also means "the decision" or "the judgment".
Hebrewלְעַצֵב
The Hebrew word לְעַצֵב (la'atzev) can also mean to "form" or "shape," as in the process of creating something.
Pashtoډیزاین
The Pashto word “ډیزاین” (“design”) originates from the French word “dessin,” meaning “drawing” or “plan.”
Arabicالتصميم
"التصميم" also means "the decision" or "the judgment".

Design in Western European Languages

Albaniandizajni
The Albanian "dizajni" comes from Italian "disegnare," meaning "to arrange," and from Old French "designet," meaning "plot."
Basquediseinua
Diseinua is a loanword from the French word "dessin" meaning "drawing".
Catalandisseny
The word "disseny" in Catalan comes from the Latin word "designare", meaning "to mark out" or "to draw".
Croatianoblikovati
The word "oblikovati" can also mean "to form" or "to shape" in Croatian.
Danishdesign
The Danish word "design" (design) has an alternate meaning of "rain".
Dutchontwerp
"Ontwerp" also means plan, concept, or draft.
Englishdesign
The word 'design' derives from the Latin word 'designare', meaning 'to mark out'.
Frenchconception
The French word "conception" originates from the Latin word "conceptus", meaning "something conceived or formed in the mind".
Frisianûntwerpe
The Frisian word "ûntwerpe" is cognate with the English word "answer."
Galiciandeseño
In Galician, the word "deseño" derives from the Latin "designāre", meaning "to mark out", but also refers to artistic concepts like "pattern" or "layout".
Germandesign
German "Design" means both "design" and "pattern", highlighting the connection between the two concepts.
Icelandichönnun
Hönnun, meaning “design” or “craftmanship” in Icelandic, may have derived from an Anglo-Saxon cognate word, “hunnon”, which also refers to artistry.
Irishdearadh
The Irish word 'dearadh' also means 'purpose' or 'intention'.
Italiandesign
"Disegno" (design) also means drawing, sketch, cartoon, plan, outline, intention, and purpose.
Luxembourgishdesign
In Luxembourgish, the word "Design" can also mean "pattern" or "model".
Maltesedisinn
The word 'disinn' is related to the Italian word 'disegno', which can also refer to 'a drawing' or 'a plan' in addition to its primary meaning of 'design'
Norwegiandesign
In Norwegian, "design" can also refer to "pattern" or "drawing".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)projeto
The Portuguese word "projeto" comes from the Latin word "proiectus", meaning "something thrown forward" or "a plan."
Scots Gaelicdealbhadh
The verb "dealbh" also means "to shape, form, or figure," which is why "dealbhadh" also means either "the act of shaping or forming" or "the form or shape of something."
Spanishdiseño
The word "diseño" comes from the Italian word "disegno", meaning "drawing", and has a broader meaning in Spanish that encompasses artistic and industrial design.
Swedishdesign
The Swedish word "design" also means "pattern".
Welshdyluniad
The Welsh word "dyluniad" is derived from the same root as the English word "delineate" and the Old Irish word "dliged," which means "law".

Design in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianдызайн
Originally, the word "дызайн" comes from the Latin word "designare", meaning "to mark out" or "to sketch".
Bosniandizajn
The word "dizajn" is likely derived from the Italian word "disegno", which means "drawing" or "plan".
Bulgarianдизайн
In Bulgarian, "дизайн" also means a "plan" or "scheme".
Czechdesign
The Czech word "design" also means "intent" or "purpose".
Estoniankujundus
Estonian word “kujundus” derives from a verb “kujutama”, which means to imagine or to picture.
Finnishdesign
In Finnish, `design` can also refer to a pattern, a plan, or a concept, derived from the Latin `designare` meaning "to designate or mark out".
Hungariantervezés
The Hungarian word "tervezés" not only means "design" but also "planning" and "engineering".
Latviandizains
Dizaini (plural: dizaini) is derived from the French word 'dezeing,' and is commonly used to refer to a design or pattern, in the context of art and aesthetics.
Lithuaniandizainas
Dizainas is derived from the Old Italian word
Macedonianдизајн
The word "дизајн" (design) comes from the Latin word "designare", meaning "to mark out". In some contexts, it can also refer to an underlying purpose or plan.
Polishprojekt
In Polish, "projekt" also refers to a draft or blueprint, capturing the initial stages of design.
Romanianproiecta
The word "proiecta" comes from the Latin word "proiectum", which means "to throw forward" or "to design".
Russianдизайн
"Дизайн" is borrowed from French, where it means "drawing, drawing, intention, scheme, plan, project, composition of parts". In Russian, the word "design" often refers to the artistic aspect of the design.
Serbianдизајн
Serbian 'дизајн' ('design') ultimately derives from French 'dessin' with the same meaning, stemming from the Latin verb 'designare' meaning 'to mark out', 'to denote'.
Slovakdizajn
The Slovak word "dizajn" comes from the French word "dessin", meaning "drawing", and can refer to both artistic and technical drawings.
Slovenianoblikovanje
In mathematics, "oblikovanje" refers to a process of "forming" mathematical entities, such as shapes or functions.
Ukrainianдизайн
Ukrainian word "дизайн" ("design") derives from the French "dessin" ("drawing") and is also used to refer to the act of designing.

Design in South Asian Languages

Bengaliনকশা
The word "নকশা" (design) derives from the Sanskrit term "nakṣatra" (constellation), and also refers to a pattern or plan.
Gujaratiડિઝાઇન
The Gujarati word "ડિઝાઇન" also refers to a plan or a blueprint.
Hindiडिज़ाइन
The word 'डिज़ाइन' comes from the Latin word 'signum', which means 'a sign' or 'a mark'.
Kannadaವಿನ್ಯಾಸ
The word "ವಿನ್ಯಾಸ" also carries the connotation of "plan" or "scheme" in Kannada.
Malayalamരൂപകൽപ്പന
The Malayalam word "rupalkalpana" comes from the Sanskrit word "rupakalpa", which means "creation of form".
Marathiडिझाइन
In Marathi, 'डिझाइन' has a secondary meaning of 'a clever plan or scheme'.
Nepaliडिजाईन
The Nepali word "डिजाईन" is a loanword from English and has the same meaning and etymology.
Punjabiਡਿਜ਼ਾਇਨ
The word "ਡਿਜ਼ਾਇਨ" in Punjabi can also refer to a plan or scheme, or to the process of creating something.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)නිර්මාණ
The word "නිර්මාණ" can also refer to the process of creation or composition.
Tamilவடிவமைப்பு
Teluguరూపకల్పన
The word "రూపకల్పన" is derived from the Sanskrit word "रूपकल्पना", meaning "imagination" or "visualisation".
Urduڈیزائن

Design in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)设计
In early Chinese texts, "设计" could also mean conspiracy to overthrow a government.
Chinese (Traditional)設計
設計 is also the traditional Chinese version of the Western name "Design."
Japanese設計
The characters for "設計" also form the phrase "the will of the heavens," implying a divine plan.
Korean디자인
The word "디자인" (design) in Korean has been derived from the French word "dessin", meaning "drawing" or "sketch". It primarily refers to the process of creating and shaping something, but it can also denote a pattern or a plan.
Mongolianдизайн
The word 'дизайн' ('design') in Mongolian originally meant 'intent', 'purpose', or 'plan'.
Myanmar (Burmese)ဒီဇိုင်း

Design in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianrancangan
In Indonesian, the word "rancangan" originally meant "plan" or "scheme" and is now used almost exclusively to refer to design.
Javanesedesain
'Desain' is also a Javanese word for 'a pattern' or 'an ornament'.
Khmerរចនា
The word "រចនា" in Khmer also means "creation" or "composition".
Laoອອກ​ແບບ
Malayreka bentuk
The word "reka bentuk" in Malay is derived from the Sanskrit word "rekha", meaning "line" or "drawing".
Thaiออกแบบ
ออกแบบ derives from the Thai word "ออก" (out) and "แบบ" (model), implying the creation of something new and distinct.
Vietnamesethiết kế
The word "thiết kế" is derived from the Chinese word "設計", which means "to plan or draw a design".
Filipino (Tagalog)disenyo

Design in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanidizayn
In Azerbaijani, "dizayn" also alludes to "an intention to achieve a target".
Kazakhжобалау
The word "жобалау" may also refer to a type of embroidery in traditional Kazakh culture.
Kyrgyzдизайн
The word "дизайн" in Kyrgyz also means "project" or "layout".
Tajikтарроҳӣ
A secondary meaning of “тарроҳӣ” is “a draft or plan” in Persian and Tajik, whereas in Arabic this word is associated with “the act of creating”.
Turkmendizaýn
Uzbekdizayn
The Uzbek word "dizayn" (дизайн) is derived from the Russian word "диза́йн" and ultimately from the French word "dessin", meaning "drawing" or "plan".
Uyghurلايىھىلەش

Design in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianhoʻolālā
Hoʻolālā also means "to cause to appear" or "to manifest" in Hawaiian.
Maorihoahoa
The word "hoahoa" in Maori can also refer to the "plan" or "intent" of something, or the "idea" or "concept" behind a design.
Samoanmamanu
"Mamanu" is a variant of "manomano", meaning "to paint" or "to draw".
Tagalog (Filipino)disenyo
"Disenyo" is also a Spanish loanword that means "drawing, sketch, or plan."

Design in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaralurata
Guaraniapora'ãngarã

Design in International Languages

Esperantoprojektado
The word "projektado" originally meant "outline, plan" and is also used in Esperanto to mean "projection" (e.g., a film or slide show).
Latinconsilio
The word "consilio" can also refer to a plan or purpose, as well as the act of deliberating or considering something.

Design in Others Languages

Greekσχέδιο
The word "σχέδιο" also means "plan", "scheme", or "intention" in Greek.
Hmongtsim
Tsim can also refer to a pattern made by an animal's fur or skin in Hmong.
Kurdishmînakkirin
Kurdish word "mînakkirin" means "design", "pattern", "plan" and "scheme" in English.
Turkishtasarım
The Turkish word "tasarım" also means "conception, formation, drawing"}
Xhosauyilo
The word "uyilo" in Xhosa can also refer to a blueprint or a plan.
Yiddishפּלאַן
The Yiddish word "פּלאַן" (plan) is derived from the Greek word "πλάνος" (planos), meaning "wandering" or "roaming."
Zuluukwakheka
The Zulu word "ukwakheka" can also mean "to weave" or "to plait".
Assameseডিজাইন
Aymaralurata
Bhojpuriडिजाइन
Dhivehiޑިޒައިން
Dogriडजैन
Filipino (Tagalog)disenyo
Guaraniapora'ãngarã
Ilocanodisenio
Kriodizayn
Kurdish (Sorani)ديزاين
Maithiliडिजाइन
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯃꯑꯣꯡ ꯃꯇꯧ
Mizoruangam siam
Oromotolfama
Odia (Oriya)ଡିଜାଇନ୍
Quechuapallay
Sanskritप्ररचन
Tatarдизайн
Tigrinyaንድፊ
Tsongavukhavisi

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