Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'due' is a small but powerful term, denoting something that is owed, expected, or scheduled. Its significance goes beyond mere financial obligations; it touches on the very fabric of our social contracts and personal commitments. From meeting a deadline at work to fulfilling a promise to a friend, the concept of 'due' is a universal language that transcends cultural boundaries.
Throughout history, the word 'due' has played a pivotal role in shaping human behavior and institutions. In ancient Rome, for example, the term 'debitum' referred to a debt or obligation, which was often settled with goods or services rather than money. Today, the word 'due' continues to evolve, taking on new meanings and connotations in different contexts and cultures.
Understanding the translation of 'due' in different languages can open up a world of possibilities for global communication and cultural exchange. Here are a few examples:
Afrikaans | verskuldig | ||
The Afrikaans word "verskuldig" derives from the Dutch word "verschuldigd", which also means "owing" or "incurred". | |||
Amharic | ምክንያት | ||
The Amharic word "ምክንያት" also means "cause" or "reason". | |||
Hausa | saboda | ||
Saboda is thought to derive from a combination of the words 'saa' meaning 'to do' and 'bo da' meaning 'for' or 'because'. | |||
Igbo | ruru | ||
Igbo 'ruru' means both 'due' and 'very', and this double meaning has been exploited in word play and proverbs. | |||
Malagasy | noho | ||
Noho means 'due' when it comes after a noun, and 'in the process of' when it comes after a verb or a preposition in Malagasy. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | chifukwa | ||
The word "chifukwa" can also mean "reason" or "cause" in Nyanja. | |||
Shona | zvakakodzera | ||
"Zvakakodzera" also refers to "deserve" in the context of being worthy of reward or punishment. | |||
Somali | sabab u tahay | ||
The word "sabab u tahay" in Somali can also mean "reason" or "cause". | |||
Sesotho | loketseng | ||
The word "loketseng" in Sesotho can also refer to a "fixed time" or a "period of time". | |||
Swahili | kutokana | ||
In Swahili, "kutokana" can also mean "to originate from" or "to be derived from." | |||
Xhosa | ngenxa | ||
The word 'ngenxa' can also mean 'because of' or 'on account of'. | |||
Yoruba | nitori | ||
The word "nitori" can also mean "because" or "on behalf of." | |||
Zulu | okufanele | ||
The Zulu word 'okufanele' can also mean 'necessary' or 'obligatory'. | |||
Bambara | sarata | ||
Ewe | si li | ||
Kinyarwanda | kubera | ||
Lingala | delai | ||
Luganda | ebbanja | ||
Sepedi | kolotwago | ||
Twi (Akan) | aso | ||
Arabic | بسبب | ||
The word "بسبب" can also mean "because of" or "on account of". | |||
Hebrew | בשל | ||
בשל is a cognate of the Arabic بسط meaning "to stretch, spread out" | |||
Pashto | له امله | ||
The word "له امله" in Pashto can also mean "hope" or "desire". | |||
Arabic | بسبب | ||
The word "بسبب" can also mean "because of" or "on account of". |
Albanian | për shkak | ||
The Albanian word "për shkak" can also mean "on account of" or "for the reason of". | |||
Basque | dela eta | ||
The word "dela eta" in Basque is derived from the Latin word "debet" and originally meant "debt" or "obligation". This meaning is still preserved in some regional dialects of Basque, but in standard Basque, "dela eta" now primarily means "due". | |||
Catalan | deguda | ||
The Catalan word "deguda" comes from the Latin word "debitum", meaning "that which is owed", and has the same meaning in English. | |||
Croatian | zbog dospijeća | ||
In Slavic languages the word "zbog" means "because" or "on account of," and the word "dospijeća" means "maturity" or "deadline." | |||
Danish | på grund | ||
På grund, which shares its origins with the English words "grand" and "ground," has the alternate meanings of "bottom" and "shallow area in the ocean." | |||
Dutch | ten gevolge | ||
"Ten gevolge" can also mean "consequently" or "as a result of." | |||
English | due | ||
The word 'due' can also refer to a legal obligation, such as the payment of a debt, or the performance of a duty. | |||
French | dû | ||
The French word "dû" can also mean "owed" in the context of a debt. | |||
Frisian | due | ||
Frisian also uses due for something that is "owed" or "unpaid". | |||
Galician | vencido | ||
The Galician word "vencido" means "due" but it also has the meaning of "defeated" or "overcome". | |||
German | fällig | ||
The word "fällig" in German can also mean "maturing" or "becoming payable". | |||
Icelandic | vegna | ||
The word 'vegna' comes from the Old Norse word 'vegn', meaning 'balance'. | |||
Irish | dlite | ||
"Dlite" in Irish also means "debt" and "right". | |||
Italian | dovuto | ||
Etymology: from the Latin "debere", to owe. | |||
Luxembourgish | wéinst | ||
The word "wéinst" can also mean "recently" or "just now". | |||
Maltese | dovut | ||
The word 'dovut' is derived from the Italian 'dovuto', which means 'due', and also 'owing' or 'obliged'. | |||
Norwegian | forfall | ||
Norwegian 'forfall' ('due') may have originally meant the forfeit of security for failing to appear in court. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | vencimento | ||
"Vencimento" can also mean "achievement" or "success" in Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil). | |||
Scots Gaelic | ri phàigheadh | ||
Spanish | debido | ||
"Debido" comes from the Latin "debita," which also means "appropriate to repay or furnish." | |||
Swedish | på grund av | ||
På grund av's 'grund' is a cognate of 'ground' in English, and is related to 'ground' in the sense of a reason or basis. | |||
Welsh | yn ddyledus | ||
The Welsh word "yn ddyledus" can also mean "in debt" or "obligated" in addition to its meaning of "due". |
Belarusian | з-за | ||
The Belarusian word "з-за" ("due") also refers to a geographical location or direction, especially a place behind something. | |||
Bosnian | zbog | ||
"Zbog" (due) comes from the Slavic word "za boga" (for God), alluding to a medieval law that forced debtors to work for their creditors if they failed to repay their debts on time. | |||
Bulgarian | в следствие | ||
The word "в следствие" in Bulgarian can also mean "as a result of" or "because of" | |||
Czech | z důvodu | ||
"Z důvodu" originated from a combination of the words "z" (from) and "důvodu" (reason) in Old Czech and later gained its current meaning of expressing the cause of an action. | |||
Estonian | tähtaeg | ||
The Estonian noun "tähtaeg" has the same Indo-European origin as the English noun "term". | |||
Finnish | erääntyy | ||
The Finnish word "erääntyy" comes from the Proto-Finnic word *ärän- and means "to mature, to ripen". | |||
Hungarian | esedékes | ||
"Esédesked" means "due" in Hungarian and is derived from the Latin word "ex" ("out") and the Hungarian word "dús" ("thick"). | |||
Latvian | dēļ | ||
Latvian "dēļ" is a cognate of Old Church Slavonic "дѣлъ", which originally meant "part, portion, share". | |||
Lithuanian | terminas | ||
Loanword from German "Termin" that means "time of payment," "term, period" (originally from Latin)} | |||
Macedonian | доспеваат | ||
In Macedonian, the term “доспеваат” also holds historical significance due to the influence of Old Macedonian, in which the word “спевам” referred to a maturity date in ancient legal documents. | |||
Polish | z powodu | ||
The Polish word "z powodu" also has the meaning of "because of" and comes from the Slavic root "vod-" meaning "to lead, to guide". | |||
Romanian | datorat | ||
The word "datorie" in Romanian is derived from Latin "debitor" (borrower) and it may also refer to a person's obligation or duty. | |||
Russian | в связи | ||
The Russian phrase "в связи" can also mean "in connection with" or "owing to". | |||
Serbian | због | ||
While its initial meaning was 'to hit', 'због' has come to encompass the nuances of 'on account of, because of, for the sake of' and 'on the grounds of'. | |||
Slovak | splatné | ||
The Slovak word "splatné" also means "payable". | |||
Slovenian | zapadlosti | ||
In the Slovenian language, the word "zapadlosti" can also refer to a geographical direction (west). | |||
Ukrainian | належним | ||
The word "належним" also means "fitting", "proper", or "appropriate". |
Bengali | বাকি | ||
The word "বাকি" in Bengali has additional meanings besides "due", such as "remaining" and "surplus." | |||
Gujarati | કારણે | ||
The word "કારણે" can also mean "because" or "for" in Gujarati. | |||
Hindi | देय | ||
देय' ('due') is derived from the Sanskrit root 'dā' ('to give') and can also mean 'to be paid' or 'that which is to be given or paid'. | |||
Kannada | ಕಾರಣ | ||
The word "ಕಾರಣ" ("kAraNa") in Kannada can also refer to "cause" or "reason". | |||
Malayalam | കാരണം | ||
The Malayalam word "കാരണം" also means "reason", "cause", or "factor". | |||
Marathi | देय | ||
The word "देय" in Marathi can also mean "obligation" or "responsibility." | |||
Nepali | कारण | ||
The word "कारण" can also mean "reason" or "cause" | |||
Punjabi | ਕਾਰਨ | ||
Derived from Persian via Urdu "kārān","kāran", also means "reason" which is another sense of word "ਕਾਰਨ" in Panjabi. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නියමිතයි | ||
Tamil | காரணமாக | ||
The Tamil word "காரணமாக" (kāraṇamāka) ultimately derives from the Sanskrit word "कारण" (kāraṇa), meaning "cause, reason, or motive." | |||
Telugu | కారణంగా | ||
The word "కారణంగా" can also mean "on account of" or "because of" in English. | |||
Urdu | وجہ سے | ||
Chinese (Simplified) | 到期 | ||
The original meaning of "到期" is "to arrive at the appointed time". | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 到期 | ||
The word "到期" can also mean "to arrive" or "to come to an end". | |||
Japanese | 期限 | ||
"期限" originates in the Buddhist concept of an "end point" (or goal) that can be reached through self-cultivation. | |||
Korean | 정당한 | ||
정당한 comes from the Chinese word 正當, meaning "proper justification". | |||
Mongolian | дуусах ёстой | ||
"Due" comes from the Latin word "dēbitum," meaning "that which is owed." | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ကြောင့် | ||
Indonesian | jatuh tempo | ||
The word "jatuh tempo" literally means "to fall in time" in Indonesian, implying the arrival of a specified time for payment or fulfillment. | |||
Javanese | amarga | ||
Amarga can also refer to a type of Javanese song or a certain style of Javanese music. | |||
Khmer | ដល់កំណត់ | ||
The word ដល់កំណត់ can also be used to refer to a deadline. | |||
Lao | ເນື່ອງຈາກ | ||
Malay | kerana | ||
In ancient times, the word 'kerana' could have meant 'because'. | |||
Thai | ครบกำหนด | ||
The word "ครบกำหนด" can also refer to the expiration date of a product or service. | |||
Vietnamese | đến hạn | ||
The word "đến hạn" can also mean "expiry date" or "deadline". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | dahil | ||
Azerbaijani | görə | ||
Görə, meaning "due," can also mean "by virtue of," "as a result of" or "because". | |||
Kazakh | байланысты | ||
The word "байланысты" can mean "due", "connected", or "related" in Kazakh. | |||
Kyrgyz | байланыштуу | ||
The Kyrgyz word "байланыштуу" is derived from the verb "байлануу" (to be connected or related), and can also mean "relationship" or "connection." | |||
Tajik | бояд | ||
The word "бояд" in Tajik has no alternate meanings and its etymology is unknown | |||
Turkmen | bermeli | ||
Uzbek | tufayli | ||
The word "tufayli" in Uzbek can also refer to something that is obtained without effort or merit. | |||
Uyghur | تېگىشلىك | ||
Hawaiian | ma muli o | ||
Mu means “because” and li or lilo means “to turn” or “to move over.” So “ma muli o” can mean "because of," "on account of," or "consequently." | |||
Maori | tika | ||
The word 'tika' can also refer to 'justice', 'rightness', or 'correctness'. | |||
Samoan | tatau | ||
"Tatau" can also refer to a Samoan marking or symbol that is similar to a tattoo in other cultures. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | dahil | ||
The word "dahil" can also mean "because" or "since" in Tagalog. |
Aymara | ukatakjama | ||
Guarani | oñemoha'arõva | ||
Esperanto | konvena | ||
The Esperanto word "konvena" is derived from the Latin word "convenire," meaning "to come together" or "to agree." | |||
Latin | debitum | ||
In Latin, the word "debitum" can also refer to a debt or an obligation. |
Greek | λόγω | ||
The word "λόγω" can also mean "by reason of" or "on account of" in Greek. | |||
Hmong | vim | ||
In Hmong, "vim" is also a term of address for an older, respected person. | |||
Kurdish | dana | ||
The word "dana" can also refer to a "gift" in the context of a wedding dowry. | |||
Turkish | vadesi gelmiş | ||
The Turkish word "vadesi gelmiş" literally translates to "its due date has arrived" and is used to refer to a payment or obligation that has become due. | |||
Xhosa | ngenxa | ||
The word 'ngenxa' can also mean 'because of' or 'on account of'. | |||
Yiddish | פעליק | ||
The Yiddish word פעליק originates from the Middle High German word vellic, which also means 'due'. | |||
Zulu | okufanele | ||
The Zulu word 'okufanele' can also mean 'necessary' or 'obligatory'. | |||
Assamese | দেয় | ||
Aymara | ukatakjama | ||
Bhojpuri | बकाया | ||
Dhivehi | ލިބެންޖެހޭ | ||
Dogri | देने जोग | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | dahil | ||
Guarani | oñemoha'arõva | ||
Ilocano | agsipud | ||
Krio | fɔ gɛt | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | بەهۆی | ||
Maithili | बाकी | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯋꯥꯠꯄ | ||
Mizo | hun | ||
Oromo | ga'e | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଦେୟ | ||
Quechua | huntachina | ||
Sanskrit | देय | ||
Tatar | тиеш | ||
Tigrinya | መወዳእታ | ||
Tsonga | hikwalaho | ||