Desk in Different Languages
Discover 'Desk' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Desks are an essential part of our daily lives, providing a dedicated space for work, study, or creativity. From the grand writing desks of historical figures to the modern standing desks of today, the desk has evolved in significance and design over time. Its cultural importance is undeniable, symbolizing productivity, knowledge, and power.
Translating 'desk' into different languages offers a unique glimpse into how various cultures view and utilize this versatile piece of furniture. For instance, in Spanish, 'desk' is 'escritorio' - a term that emphasizes the desk's function as a writing surface. Meanwhile, in German, 'desk' becomes 'Schreibtisch,' which directly translates to 'writing table.'
Understanding the translation of 'desk' in different languages can be beneficial for travelers, international students, or professionals working in multinational companies. It showcases the beauty of linguistic diversity and fosters cultural appreciation.
Desk
Desk in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | lessenaar | ||
| The word "lessenaar" is derived from the Dutch word "lessenaar", meaning "reading stand" or "music stand". | |||
| Amharic | ዴስክ | ||
| In Amharic, ዴስክ is borrowed from English and originally derived from Spanish “desco”. | |||
| Hausa | tebur | ||
| "Tebur" is also used to refer to a flat area or surface | |||
| Igbo | tebụl | ||
| "Tebụl" is cognate with "table" and is sometimes also used to mean a dining or study "table". | |||
| Malagasy | desk | ||
| In Malagasy, the word "desk" (latabatra) can also refer to a table or a workbench. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | desiki | ||
| The word "desiki" has roots in Portuguese and is used in Nyanja (or Chichewa) to mean not only "desk" but also "workstation". | |||
| Shona | tafura | ||
| The word 'tafura' comes from the Proto-Bantu root *-pʰul-, meaning 'to spread out' or 'to flatten'. | |||
| Somali | miiska | ||
| The word 'miiska' is also used to refer to other types of work surfaces such as a kitchen counter or even an altar or a podium. | |||
| Sesotho | deske | ||
| The word 'deske' in Sesotho refers to a piece of furniture used for working or studying at, but also means 'a bench' or 'a seat'. | |||
| Swahili | dawati | ||
| The word "dawati" in Swahili can also refer to an inkpot or writing case, reflecting its historical use as a writing surface. | |||
| Xhosa | idesika | ||
| Idesika in Xhosa also refers to a place where a chief holds court. | |||
| Yoruba | iduro | ||
| In the Yoruba language, the word 'Iduro' also means 'a place of rest or a stool'. | |||
| Zulu | ideski | ||
| The Zulu word “ideski” can also mean “chair” or “table.” | |||
| Bambara | tabali | ||
| Ewe | kplᴐ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ameza | ||
| Lingala | biro | ||
| Luganda | meeza | ||
| Sepedi | teseke | ||
| Twi (Akan) | akonnwa | ||
Desk in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مكتب | ||
| The term "مكتب" originates from the Arabic root "كتب" meaning "to write" and can also refer to a bureau or an office. | |||
| Hebrew | שׁוּלְחָן כְּתִיבָה | ||
| The word שולחן כתיבה means 'writing table' in Hebrew, and is derived from the verb 'שלח' ('to send'), which implies the idea of extending or stretching out. | |||
| Pashto | ډیسک | ||
| The word "ډیسک" in Pashto comes from the Persian word "ديسک" meaning "flat surface", and can also refer to a table or a tray. | |||
| Arabic | مكتب | ||
| The term "مكتب" originates from the Arabic root "كتب" meaning "to write" and can also refer to a bureau or an office. | |||
Desk in Western European Languages
| Albanian | tavolinë | ||
| The Albanian word "tavolinë" is derived from the Latin word "tabula", meaning "small plank" or a "flat surface used for writing". | |||
| Basque | mahaia | ||
| The word "mahaia" derives from the Proto-Basque word “*maha-i”, from which also derives the word for "tablecloth" ("mahai-txapel") and "apron" ("mahaiko") in different dialects. | |||
| Catalan | escriptori | ||
| The word "escriptori" is derived from the Latin "scriptorium", meaning "writing room" or "office". | |||
| Croatian | radni stol | ||
| The Croatian word "radni stol" literally translates to "working table". | |||
| Danish | skrivebord | ||
| The word "skrivebord" derives from the Old Norse "skrifa" (write) and "bord" (table). | |||
| Dutch | bureau | ||
| In Dutch, "bureau" also means "office" and is derived from the French word "bureau" meaning "cloth covering a writing table". | |||
| English | desk | ||
| The word 'desk' originates from the Latin word 'descus,' meaning 'table' or 'board,' and its use specifically for a writing table dates back to the 16th century. | |||
| French | bureau | ||
| Bureau also means the equivalent of the United States Census Bureau or the Indian Central Statistical Organisation in French. | |||
| Frisian | buro | ||
| "Buro" also means "office" in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | mesa | ||
| In Galician, "mesa" can also refer to a table, an altar, or a sacrificial stone, all with similar flat surfaces to a desk. | |||
| German | schreibtisch | ||
| The German word "Schreibtisch" comes from Middle High German "schrîbetisch", meaning "table for writing" or "writing desk". | |||
| Icelandic | skrifborð | ||
| The Icelandic word for "desk", skrifborð, literally translates as "writing board". | |||
| Irish | deasc | ||
| The Irish word "deasc" has alternate meanings of "table" in general and also "writing desk." | |||
| Italian | scrivania | ||
| The word "scrivania" derives from the Latin word "scribere", meaning "to write". | |||
| Luxembourgish | dësch | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Dësch" is derived from the Latin word "discus", meaning "flat circular plate" or "table". | |||
| Maltese | skrivanija | ||
| The word "skrivanija" is derived from Italian, where it originally meant not only "desk" but also "secretary". | |||
| Norwegian | skrivebord | ||
| The word "skrivebord" is derived from the Old Norse words "skrifa" (to write) and "bord" (table), and originally meant a writing table. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | escrivaninha | ||
| The word "escrivaninha" comes from the Old French word "escrivainie", meaning "writing desk". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | deasg | ||
| Deasg (desk) may originally have referred to a rectangular table, or to the long table at the side of a room to which diners retired after a meal for drinks. | |||
| Spanish | escritorio | ||
| Escritorio (desk) derives from the Latin 'scriptorium' (writing room or office), a place for monks to copy texts. | |||
| Swedish | skrivbord | ||
| The word 'skrivbord' comes from the medieval Latin 'scriptorium', meaning 'writing table'. | |||
| Welsh | desg | ||
| The Welsh word "desg" can also refer to a writing table, a writing surface, or a lectern. | |||
Desk in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | пісьмовы стол | ||
| The word "пісьмовы стол" in Belarusian is derived from the Old East Slavic word "писати" (to write), which is related to the Latin word "scribere" and the Greek word "graphein". Other Slavic languages, such as Russian, Ukrainian and Polish, have similar words for "desk" that are derived from the same root. | |||
| Bosnian | radni sto | ||
| The word "radni sto" comes from the word "rad", which means "work". | |||
| Bulgarian | бюро | ||
| The Bulgarian word "бюро" originates from the French and German language and means either office or department. | |||
| Czech | lavice | ||
| Lavice was borrowed from German language where it means 'bench' or 'form'. | |||
| Estonian | laud | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "desk," "laud" can also refer to a flat surface, a board, or a table in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | vastaanotto | ||
| In addition to 'desk', the word 'vastaanotto' can also mean 'reception' or 'appointment' in Finnish. | |||
| Hungarian | asztal | ||
| In some dialects, "asztal" also means "table". | |||
| Latvian | rakstāmgalds | ||
| The word "rakstāmgalds" ultimately derives from the Proto-Germanic word "*wrikaną", meaning "to write". | |||
| Lithuanian | rašomasis stalas | ||
| The word rašomasis stalas in Lithuanian literally means "writing table" and comes from the word "rašyti" meaning "to write". | |||
| Macedonian | биро | ||
| The word "биро" comes from the Turkish word "büro", which in turn comes from the French word "bureau". | |||
| Polish | biurko | ||
| "Biurko" in Polish is derived from the German "Büro", which is derived in turn from the French "bureau". | |||
| Romanian | birou | ||
| The word "birou" comes from the Turkish word "büro," which itself is derived from the French word "bureau". | |||
| Russian | стол письменный | ||
| Derived from "стол" (table) with the addition of "письменный" (written), emphasizing its specific purpose for writing. | |||
| Serbian | радни сто | ||
| In Serbian, "радни сто" (desk) literally translates to "working hundred", with "сто" (hundred) possibly referring to the table's 4 legs. | |||
| Slovak | písací stôl | ||
| The Slovak word "písací stôl" also means "writing table" in English. | |||
| Slovenian | pisalna miza | ||
| The Slovenian word "pisalna miza" literally translates to "writing table" in English, highlighting its primary purpose. | |||
| Ukrainian | письмовий стіл | ||
| Письмовий стіл comes from the word письмо (pys'mo), meaning letter or writing, and стіл (stil), meaning table. | |||
Desk in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ডেস্ক | ||
| The word "desk" is derived from the Latin word "desca," meaning "table" or "writing surface." | |||
| Gujarati | ડેસ્ક | ||
| The word 'desk' comes from the Latin word 'desca', meaning 'table'. | |||
| Hindi | डेस्क | ||
| "डेस्क" is derived from the Latin "desca", meaning "table". | |||
| Kannada | ಮೇಜು | ||
| The word "ಮೇಜು" (mēju) is likely derived from the Sanskrit word "मेज" (meja), which means "a table"} | |||
| Malayalam | ഡെസ്ക്ക് | ||
| The word 'ഡെസ്ക്ക്' in Malayalam can also refer to a table or a bench used for studying or working. | |||
| Marathi | डेस्क | ||
| The word "डेस्क" is derived from Latin "desca", meaning "table" or "counter". | |||
| Nepali | डेस्क | ||
| The Nepali word 'डेस्क' is borrowed from the English word 'desk' which in turn originates from the Old Spanish word 'desco' meaning 'writing table'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਡੈਸਕ | ||
| The term "desk" can also refer to a platform for public speaking in the United Kingdom | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මේසය | ||
| The word "මේසය" (desk) in Sinhala originates from the Sanskrit word "मेज" (table). | |||
| Tamil | மேசை | ||
| The Tamil word "மேசை" can also refer to a "table" or a "platform". | |||
| Telugu | డెస్క్ | ||
| The word "desk" comes from the Latin word "discus", meaning "table". | |||
| Urdu | ڈیسک | ||
| The English word "desk" comes from the Latin "discus", meaning "a dish or plate". | |||
Desk in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 台 | ||
| The character 台 can also mean 'platform', 'stage', or 'terrace'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 台 | ||
| 臺 can also refer to a raised platform or a stage, and its other Chinese character simplification is "台". | |||
| Japanese | 机 | ||
| The word "机" (desk) can also mean "machine" or "opportunity" and is derived from the Chinese word "幾" (table). | |||
| Korean | 책상 | ||
| '책상' originates from '책' (book) and '상' (table), meaning a table specifically for books. | |||
| Mongolian | ширээ | ||
| "Ширээ" Mongolian word for "desk", is also used to refer to the flat table-like area at the back of some types of horse saddles. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စားပွဲပေါ်မှာ | ||
Desk in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | meja tulis | ||
| "Meja tulis" also means "writing table" in Indonesian, possibly referring to the table used for writing in the past. | |||
| Javanese | mejo | ||
| "Mejo" is also a term for a carpenter, or someone who works at a desk. | |||
| Khmer | តុ | ||
| The word "តុ" can also refer to a "table" or a "platform" in Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ໂຕະ | ||
| "ໂຕະ" is also sometimes used to refer to the table used for eating as well. | |||
| Malay | meja | ||
| The word "meja" also means "table" in Malay, as it originates from the Portuguese word "mesa" with the same meaning. | |||
| Thai | โต๊ะทำงาน | ||
| The Thai word "โต๊ะทำงาน" can also refer to a workbench or a writing table, in addition to its primary meaning of "desk". | |||
| Vietnamese | bàn | ||
| Bàn is also used as a noun to refer to an examination table or a table used to display items. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mesa | ||
Desk in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | yazı masası | ||
| "Yazı masası" in Azerbaijani refers to both a desk, and to the written word, literature, and the act of writing itself. | |||
| Kazakh | жұмыс үстелі | ||
| The word "жұмыс үстелі" in Kazakh can also be used to refer to a "work table" or "work surface".} | |||
| Kyrgyz | стол | ||
| Слово "стол" в кыргызском языке имеет дополнительное значение "гора". | |||
| Tajik | миз | ||
| The word "миз" in Tajik can also refer to a "table" or a "bench". | |||
| Turkmen | stol | ||
| Uzbek | stol | ||
| "Stol" also means "chair" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | ئۈستەل | ||
Desk in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pākaukau | ||
| Pākaukau can also refer to the base of an object, a support or foundation | |||
| Maori | tēpu | ||
| "Tēpu" can also mean "table" or "shelf". | |||
| Samoan | kesi | ||
| In Samoan, "kesi" can also mean "table" or "shelf", highlighting its multifunctional nature. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | mesa | ||
| Mesa (desk) is a synonym of "lamesa" in Spanish which also means "desk". | |||
Desk in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | iskrituryu | ||
| Guarani | mesa mba'apoha | ||
Desk in International Languages
| Esperanto | skribotablo | ||
| The word "skribotablo" is derived from the Latin words "scribo" (to write) and "tabula" (table). | |||
| Latin | desk | ||
| In late Latin, the word "descus" referred to a slanted board used for writing and drawing. | |||
Desk in Others Languages
| Greek | γραφείο | ||
| "Γραφείο" also signifies "office," which derives from Ancient Greek "γραφέω," "to write." | |||
| Hmong | rooj | ||
| The word "rooj" in Hmong can also mean 'seat', 'sofa', or 'bench'. | |||
| Kurdish | meza nivîsê | ||
| The word meza nivîsê comes from Persian, meaning "place for writing". Similar words can be traced back to ancient Indo-European languages, such as the Greek verb "menein", meaning "to remain". | |||
| Turkish | sıra | ||
| The word "sıra" can also mean "order" or "series" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | idesika | ||
| Idesika in Xhosa also refers to a place where a chief holds court. | |||
| Yiddish | שרייַבטיש | ||
| Yiddish שרייַבטיש (shraybtish) derives from the German Schreibtisch, which in turn comes from the Middle High German schrîptisch, meaning "writing table" | |||
| Zulu | ideski | ||
| The Zulu word “ideski” can also mean “chair” or “table.” | |||
| Assamese | ডেস্ক | ||
| Aymara | iskrituryu | ||
| Bhojpuri | मेज | ||
| Dhivehi | ޑެސްކު | ||
| Dogri | डेस्क | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mesa | ||
| Guarani | mesa mba'apoha | ||
| Ilocano | lamesaan | ||
| Krio | dɛks | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | مێز | ||
| Maithili | टेबल | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯐꯥꯂ | ||
| Mizo | dawhkan | ||
| Oromo | barcuma | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଡେସ୍କ | ||
| Quechua | escritorio | ||
| Sanskrit | लेखनपीठ | ||
| Tatar | өстәл | ||
| Tigrinya | ጠረጴዛ | ||
| Tsonga | desika | ||