Different in Different Languages
Discover 'Different' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'different' holds a special place in our vocabulary, as it allows us to express the rich diversity that exists in our world. From physical characteristics and talents to beliefs and traditions, the concept of difference is fundamental to understanding and appreciating the cultural importance of individuality. 'Different' in different languages showcases the beautiful variations that exist across the globe, highlighting the unique identities of each culture.
Throughout history, the recognition of difference has played a crucial role in shaping societies and influencing human interactions. For instance, the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously stated that 'the only constant in life is change.' This wisdom underscores the significance of difference, as it reminds us that the world is in a constant state of flux, with each culture contributing its unique perspective to the global mosaic.
As you explore the various translations of the word 'different' below, consider the ways in which this concept has influenced your own life and the lives of those around you. By embracing and celebrating our differences, we can foster a more inclusive, compassionate world that values the unique qualities of every individual.
Different
Different in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | anders | ||
| "Anders" may mean "different" or "otherwise" in Afrikaans, which is not usually interchangeable in English. | |||
| Amharic | የተለየ | ||
| In addition to meaning "different," "የተለየ" can also mean "distinct" or "separate." | |||
| Hausa | daban-daban | ||
| The term "daban-daban" may have originated from the Hausa word "daba," meaning "side" or "direction," suggesting an idea of deviation or difference from the norm. | |||
| Igbo | iche iche | ||
| Iche iche also means "very or plenty" and is usually used in a derogatory context. | |||
| Malagasy | samy hafa | ||
| “Samy hafa” is a Malagasy idiom that means “to be different from others” or “to be unique.” | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zosiyana | ||
| The word "zosiyana" is also used figuratively to mean "different from the norm" or "unusual". | |||
| Shona | zvakasiyana | ||
| Zvakasiyana can also mean 'to be diverse' or 'to vary'. | |||
| Somali | kala duwan | ||
| "Kala-duwan" may mean "completely changed" or be related to "kala-qeyb","something apart", | |||
| Sesotho | fapane | ||
| The word "fapane" can also mean "another" or "some other" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | tofauti | ||
| Tofauti is derived from the Arabic word 'tafawutu' meaning 'to separate' or 'to distinguish'. It is cognate with the French word 'difference'. | |||
| Xhosa | eyahlukileyo | ||
| 'Eyahlukileyo' in Xhosa can also mean 'outstanding', 'remarkable', or 'eccentric'. | |||
| Yoruba | yatọ | ||
| In some other contexts, "yatọ" may also mean "another" or "separate". | |||
| Zulu | kwehlukile | ||
| The Zulu word 'kwehlukile' also means 'unusual' or 'strange' and is derived from 'kwehluka' ('to separate'). | |||
| Bambara | wɛrɛ | ||
| Ewe | to vovo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | bitandukanye | ||
| Lingala | ekeseni | ||
| Luganda | okwaawukana | ||
| Sepedi | fapanego | ||
| Twi (Akan) | soronko | ||
Different in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مختلف | ||
| مختلف "mukhtalif" means "different" but it also means a "disagreement" or "quarrel". | |||
| Hebrew | שונה | ||
| The word "שונה" ("different") also means "to change" or "to repeat" in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | مختلف | ||
| مختلف also means "other" in Pashto; its cognate "دیگر" means the same in Persian | |||
| Arabic | مختلف | ||
| مختلف "mukhtalif" means "different" but it also means a "disagreement" or "quarrel". | |||
Different in Western European Languages
| Albanian | të ndryshme | ||
| "Të ndryshme" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *ter- "to cross, pass over" (cf. English "trans-" and Greek "διά-")." | |||
| Basque | desberdinak | ||
| The word "desberdinak" in Basque is a compound word derived from "desa" (direction) and "berdin" (equal) | |||
| Catalan | diferent | ||
| The Catalan word "diferent" is derived from the Latin word "differens", meaning "distinctive". | |||
| Croatian | drugačiji | ||
| The Croatian word "drugačiji" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "drugъ", which also means "friend". Thus, the word "drugačiji" originally meant "friend-like" or "familiar". | |||
| Danish | forskellige | ||
| The Danish word "forskellige" ultimately derives from the Old Norse "fraskilja," meaning "to part" or "to separate." | |||
| Dutch | anders | ||
| Dutch "anders" derives from Old Saxon "ander", meaning "other", also related to English "other" and Latin "alter". | |||
| English | different | ||
| The word 'different' originates from the Latin word 'differre', meaning 'to carry apart' or 'to separate'. | |||
| French | différent | ||
| In old French 'différent' could also mean 'distinguished, excellent', while 'différence' meant 'distinction, excellence'. This meaning can still be found in expressions such as 'faire la différence', meaning 'to excel'. | |||
| Frisian | ferskillend | ||
| The Frisian word "ferskillend" was borrowed from Middle Dutch "verschelen" but is now used in a wider sense. | |||
| Galician | diferente | ||
| In Galician, "diferente" also has the meanings of "dissimilar" and "various". | |||
| German | anders | ||
| "Anders" also means "otherwise" and "in a different way". | |||
| Icelandic | öðruvísi | ||
| Öðruvísi is a cognate with the German anders, and is related to the English word | |||
| Irish | difriúil | ||
| "Difriúil" likely comes from an old word for "to tear apart" or "to separate," and it retains some of that meaning in modern Irish, e.g., in reference to a dispute that results in a split into two opposing factions. | |||
| Italian | diverso | ||
| The masculine plural form, 'diversi', also carries a political significance in Italy as the name for a coalition or party representing various factions or ideologies. | |||
| Luxembourgish | anescht | ||
| The word “anescht” derives from the Old High German word “anast,” meaning “other.” | |||
| Maltese | differenti | ||
| The word "differenti" is derived from the Latin word "differre" | |||
| Norwegian | forskjellig | ||
| The word 'forskjellig' is derived from the Old Norse word 'forskelligr', meaning 'to distinguish'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | diferente | ||
| The Portuguese word "diferente" derives from the Latin "differre," meaning "to postpone," and carries connotations of separation or delay. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | eadar-dhealaichte | ||
| Spanish | diferente | ||
| The word "diferente" in Spanish comes from the Latin word "differens", meaning "distinguishing" or "separating". | |||
| Swedish | annorlunda | ||
| Swedish "annorlunda" from Old Norse annarrlunda, "another way" | |||
| Welsh | gwahanol | ||
| The Welsh word "gwahanol" is cognate with the Breton word "disheñvel" and the Cornish word "dihanel". | |||
Different in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | розныя | ||
| "Розныя" is the modern Belarusian spelling of the word, but the archaic spelling is "рознь" and it has two alternate meanings: 'disagreement' and 'discord'. | |||
| Bosnian | drugačiji | ||
| The word 'drugačiji' comes from the Proto-Slavic word 'drugъ', which means 'other' or 'another'. | |||
| Bulgarian | различен | ||
| Различен in Bulgarian, derives from the Old Slavic word *različьnъ, which means | |||
| Czech | odlišný | ||
| The word "odlišný" has also been used historically to mean "lonely" or "separate". | |||
| Estonian | erinevad | ||
| The word "erinevad" can also refer to "various" or "several". | |||
| Finnish | eri | ||
| The word "eri" also means "other", "different kind" or "foreign". | |||
| Hungarian | különböző | ||
| The Hungarian word "különböző" is of Slavic origin and contains morphemes meaning "other" and "face/view". | |||
| Latvian | savādāk | ||
| The Latvian word **savādāk** can also mean "unusually" or "in an extraordinary way". | |||
| Lithuanian | skirtingi | ||
| The word “skirtingi” can also mean “special” or “unique” depending on the context and intonation used. | |||
| Macedonian | различни | ||
| Македонското „различни“ значи и „различити“ (српски: различити) и „разнолики“ (српски: разноврсни) | |||
| Polish | różne | ||
| "Różne" also means "various". However, it can also be used as a noun, meaning "miscellaneous items" or "odds and ends". | |||
| Romanian | diferit | ||
| The word "diferit" is derived from the Latin word "differre", which means "to carry apart". | |||
| Russian | другой | ||
| The word "другой" can also mean "another" or "the other" in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | различит | ||
| The word "различит" also means "to distinguish" or "to discern". | |||
| Slovak | rôzne | ||
| "Rôzne" is cognate with Old Polish "różny" and Serbo-Croatian "razan" both meaning "varied". | |||
| Slovenian | drugačen | ||
| "Drugačen" can also mean "unusual" or "strange". | |||
| Ukrainian | інший | ||
| The Ukrainian word "і́нший" originally implied "another of the same type", so it can still refer to someone or something "different" yet belonging to a certain class. | |||
Different in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বিভিন্ন | ||
| The word "বিভিন্ন" comes from the Sanskrit word "विभिन्न" (vibhinna), which also means "divided" or "separated". | |||
| Gujarati | ભિન્ન | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "different", "ભિન્ન" can also mean "separated", "diverse", or "partitioned" in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | विभिन्न | ||
| विभिन्न comes from 'विभिन्न' (vi+bhinna) - meaning 'to divide' | |||
| Kannada | ವಿಭಿನ್ನ | ||
| "ವಿಭಿನ್ನ" is a Sanskrit word that originally meant "distinct", "separate", or "dissimilar" | |||
| Malayalam | വ്യത്യസ്ത | ||
| Marathi | भिन्न | ||
| "भिन्न" has multiple meanings, also including 'share' and 'fraction' | |||
| Nepali | फरक | ||
| Nepali "फरक" likely derives from Sanskrit "पर्यक" (paryak) meaning "separation, difference" and is related to "पार्थक्य" (pārthakyam). | |||
| Punjabi | ਵੱਖਰਾ | ||
| The word "ਵੱਖਰਾ" originally meant "apart" or "at a distance" in Prakrit, and is derived from the root "vi-kr" meaning "to divide" or "to separate". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වෙනස් | ||
| The word 'වෙනස්' (different) in Sinhala is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *wer-, meaning 'to turn, to change'. | |||
| Tamil | வெவ்வேறு | ||
| The Tamil word வெவ்வேறு (vevveṟu) is derived from the proto-Dravidian root *veṟ-, meaning 'to separate', and is cognate with the Telugu word వేరు (vēru), meaning 'other' or 'different'. | |||
| Telugu | భిన్నమైనది | ||
| Urdu | مختلف | ||
| The word "مختلف" is derived from the Arabic root "خلف" which means "to differ" or "to be different". | |||
Different in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 不同 | ||
| The first character of 不同 (bùtóng) "not the same" (不 bù, "not") shares its etymology with the character 否 (fǒu), "not, no". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 不同 | ||
| The word "不同" can also mean "disagree" or "not the same" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | 異なる | ||
| The kanji in "異なる" can also mean "to differentiate," conveying a nuance of distinguishing or setting apart. | |||
| Korean | 다른 | ||
| The Korean word '다른' can also mean 'other' or 'another'. | |||
| Mongolian | өөр | ||
| Öөр also means 'side' in Mongolian, and the plural 'өөрүүд' refers to a group of friends. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကွဲပြားခြားနားသည် | ||
Different in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | berbeda | ||
| The word "berbeda" in Indonesian is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *beda or *bide, meaning "to be separate". | |||
| Javanese | beda | ||
| In Javanese, 'beda' can also refer to a disagreement or a separate part or piece. | |||
| Khmer | ខុសគ្នា | ||
| Lao | ແຕກຕ່າງ | ||
| Malay | berbeza | ||
| The word "berbeza" is cognate with Tagalog "iba" both of which derive from the Proto-Austronesian *Ciba which also meant different | |||
| Thai | แตกต่างกัน | ||
| แตกต่างกัน derives from "แตก" meaning "to break" and "ต่าง" meaning "other"} | |||
| Vietnamese | khác nhau | ||
| The word "khác nhau" literally means "other each other". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magkaiba | ||
Different in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | fərqli | ||
| "Fərqli" is also used to describe something that is unusual or strange. | |||
| Kazakh | әр түрлі | ||
| The Kazakh word "әр түрлі" is composed of the terms "әр" (which means "various" or "diverse") and "түрлі" (meaning "differing" or "changing"). | |||
| Kyrgyz | ар башка | ||
| В значении «другой» и «иной» слово «ар башка» употребляется редко, в основном оно имеет значение «отдельный», «собственный», «особый». | |||
| Tajik | гуногун | ||
| The word "гуногун" in Tajik can also refer to something that is unique or special. | |||
| Turkmen | başga | ||
| Uzbek | boshqacha | ||
| The Uzbek word "boshqacha" can also refer to "unique", "unusual", or "strange". | |||
| Uyghur | ئوخشىمايدۇ | ||
Different in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻokoʻa | ||
| The word 'ʻokoʻa' derives from the Proto-Polynesian root *toko, meaning 'distinct' or 'separate'. | |||
| Maori | rerekē | ||
| In Maori, the word "rerekē" also refers to something being unique or distinct. | |||
| Samoan | ese | ||
| Ese in Samoan can also mean 'foreign' and 'out of place', or 'another' when referring to a group of people. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | iba | ||
| The word "iba" in Tagalog can also mean "strange" or "unusual". | |||
Different in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | mayja | ||
| Guarani | iñambue | ||
Different in International Languages
| Esperanto | malsama | ||
| The word "malsama" comes from the Esperanto word "malsami," which means "unequal," and is also related to the Latin word "malus," meaning "bad." | |||
| Latin | alium | ||
| In Latin, "alium" also means "another", "the other", or "the rest". | |||
Different in Others Languages
| Greek | διαφορετικός | ||
| The word "διαφορετικός" ('different') in Greek is derived from the verb "διαφέρω" ('to differ, to be different'), which in turn comes from the prefix "δια-" ('apart'), and the root "φέρ-" ('to bear, to carry'). | |||
| Hmong | txawv | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning as "different," "txawv" can also signify "special," "rare," or "extraordinary" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | wekîdin | ||
| The Kurdish word 'wekîdin' also means 'to separate', 'to deviate', and 'to change'. | |||
| Turkish | farklı | ||
| "Farklı" is a Turkish word which, besides the basic meaning of "different," has two additional meanings originating from Arabic and Persian languages respectively. | |||
| Xhosa | eyahlukileyo | ||
| 'Eyahlukileyo' in Xhosa can also mean 'outstanding', 'remarkable', or 'eccentric'. | |||
| Yiddish | אַנדערש | ||
| "Andersh" in Yiddish has the alternate meaning of "otherwise". It shares the same root as the English word "other". | |||
| Zulu | kwehlukile | ||
| The Zulu word 'kwehlukile' also means 'unusual' or 'strange' and is derived from 'kwehluka' ('to separate'). | |||
| Assamese | অন্য | ||
| Aymara | mayja | ||
| Bhojpuri | अलग | ||
| Dhivehi | ތަފާތު | ||
| Dogri | बक्खरा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magkaiba | ||
| Guarani | iñambue | ||
| Ilocano | sabali | ||
| Krio | difrɛn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | جیاواز | ||
| Maithili | अलग | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯦꯟꯅꯕ | ||
| Mizo | danglam | ||
| Oromo | gargar | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଭିନ୍ନ | ||
| Quechua | huk niraq | ||
| Sanskrit | भिन्नः | ||
| Tatar | төрле | ||
| Tigrinya | ፍሉይ | ||
| Tsonga | hambana | ||