Economy in Different Languages
Discover 'Economy' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The economy is a significant and culturally important concept that impacts our daily lives, no matter where we live in the world. At its core, an economy is a system for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. But the economy is also so much more than that – it’s a reflection of our values, beliefs, and priorities as a society.
Throughout history, economies have evolved and adapted to changing circumstances, from the agricultural economies of ancient civilizations to the industrial economies of the 19th century to the digital economies of today. And as our global economy becomes increasingly interconnected, understanding economic concepts in different languages has never been more important.
For example, did you know that the Chinese character for 'economy' (經濟) literally translates to 'managing resources'? Or that in Arabic, the word for 'economy' (ال iqtisād) comes from a root word meaning 'to be careful or thrifty'? These translations offer a fascinating glimpse into the cultural values and priorities of different societies.
Below, you'll find a list of translations of the word 'economy' in a variety of languages, from Spanish and French to Hindi and Japanese. Whether you're a student of economics, a language enthusiast, or simply someone interested in learning more about the world around you, we hope you find this list informative and engaging.
Economy
Economy in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | ekonomie | ||
| In 1887, "ekonomie" took on a new meaning in Afrikaans, referring to an agricultural system based on self-sufficiency rather than monetary profit. | |||
| Amharic | ኢኮኖሚ | ||
| The Amharic word "ኢኮኖሚ" is derived from the Greek word "οίκος" (house) and "νόμος" (law), and therefore has a broader meaning than just "economy". | |||
| Hausa | tattalin arziki | ||
| "Tattalin arziki" literally means "the care of wealth" or "the management of money" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | akụ na ụba | ||
| Malagasy | toekarena | ||
| The Malagasy word `toekarena` refers to the economy as a system and the individual's participation in it | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chuma | ||
| The Nyanja word 'chuma' also has other meanings, including 'debt' and 'poverty'. | |||
| Shona | hupfumi | ||
| The word 'hupfumi' in Shona is derived from the verb 'hupfuma', meaning 'to prosper' or 'to succeed'. | |||
| Somali | dhaqaalaha | ||
| The Somali word 'dhaqaalaha' originates from the Arabic word 'iqtisad', meaning 'moderation' or 'frugal management'. | |||
| Sesotho | moruo | ||
| The Sesotho word "moruo" also means "life" or "existence". | |||
| Swahili | uchumi | ||
| "Uchumi" also means "a budget" or "household expenses". | |||
| Xhosa | ezoqoqosho | ||
| The word "ezoqoqosho" in Xhosa can also refer to "ways and means" or "resources to achieve a goal." | |||
| Yoruba | aje | ||
| The Yoruba word "aje" can also refer to a powerful spirit that controls wealth and fortune. | |||
| Zulu | umnotho | ||
| "Umnotho" also means "profit" or "income". | |||
| Bambara | sɔrɔ | ||
| Ewe | ga ŋuti nya | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubukungu | ||
| Lingala | nkita | ||
| Luganda | yikonome | ||
| Sepedi | ekonomi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | sikasɛm | ||
Economy in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الاقتصاد | ||
| The word "الاقتصاد" originates from the Greek word "οικος", meaning "house", and "νομος", meaning "law", referring to the management of household affairs. | |||
| Hebrew | כַּלְכָּלָה | ||
| The Hebrew word "כַּלְכָּלָה" (economy) also means "provisions" or "sustenance". | |||
| Pashto | اقتصاد | ||
| The Pashto word "اقتصاد" is derived from the Arabic word "قسط" ("balance"), suggesting an intrinsic connection between economy and harmony or well-being. | |||
| Arabic | الاقتصاد | ||
| The word "الاقتصاد" originates from the Greek word "οικος", meaning "house", and "νομος", meaning "law", referring to the management of household affairs. | |||
Economy in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ekonomia | ||
| Ekonomia is not derived from Greek oikos and nomos but from the Illyrian word *ekon-, which means 'wealth'. | |||
| Basque | ekonomia | ||
| The Basque word "ekonomia" likely derives from the Latin "oeconomia," referring to "household management" or "thrift." | |||
| Catalan | economia | ||
| "Economia" in Catalan comes from the Greek word "oikonomia", which means "household management". | |||
| Croatian | ekonomija | ||
| The word 'Ekonomija' also means 'farm' in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | økonomi | ||
| Økonomi primarily means management of land and estate before it took the meaning of economy during the 16th century. | |||
| Dutch | economie | ||
| In Dutch, "economie" can also refer to the management of a household or business. | |||
| English | economy | ||
| The word 'economy' derives from the Greek word "oikonomia," meaning "household management" or "stewardship of resources." | |||
| French | économie | ||
| In French, "économie" can also refer to thriftiness or the management of household affairs. | |||
| Frisian | ekonomy | ||
| In Frisian, "ekonomy" can also mean "household management" or "farming". | |||
| Galician | economía | ||
| The Galician word "economía" originally meant "household management" and is related to the Greek word "oikos" meaning "house". | |||
| German | wirtschaft | ||
| The word 'Wirtschaft' originally referred to a household or farm, and its economic meaning emerged from the management of these units. | |||
| Icelandic | hagkerfi | ||
| Hagkerfi can also refer to "economy" in a more general sense, such as a set of systems and procedures. | |||
| Irish | geilleagar | ||
| The word 'Geilleagar' in Irish also refers to a type of fishing net or a place where fish are plentiful. | |||
| Italian | economia | ||
| In Italian, “economia” also refers to the administration of material resources used in a household. | |||
| Luxembourgish | wirtschaft | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Wirtschaft" also refers to a tavern or hostelry. | |||
| Maltese | ekonomija | ||
| In Maltese, 'ekonomija' can also refer to household management, thrift, or frugality | |||
| Norwegian | økonomi | ||
| The word 'økonomi' in Norwegian shares its root with the Greek word 'oikonomia', which means 'household management' or 'stewardship'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | economia | ||
| The Portuguese word "economia" comes from the Ancient Greek term "oikonomia" meaning "household management." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | eaconamaidh | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "eaconamaidh" also means "government" or "administration". | |||
| Spanish | economía | ||
| The Spanish word "economía," derived from the Greek "oikonomia" (household management), also denotes "frugality" or "thrift." | |||
| Swedish | ekonomi | ||
| Originally, Swedish 'ekonomi' was only used in the plural, with a meaning 'economy, finances' but since the 17th century also acquired the singular form 'ekonomi' with a meaning 'national economy'. | |||
| Welsh | economi | ||
| The word 'economi' has its roots in the Greek word 'oikos', or 'household', and may also refer to 'savings' or 'thrift' in Welsh. | |||
Economy in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | эканоміка | ||
| The Belarusian word "эканоміка" ("economy") derives from the Greek word "οικονομία" ("household management") and also refers to the branch of knowledge concerned with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. | |||
| Bosnian | ekonomija | ||
| The word "ekonomija" can also refer to a household or farm, and derives from the Greek word "oikos" meaning "house". | |||
| Bulgarian | икономика | ||
| The Bulgarian word "икономика" (economy) is likely derived from the Greek word "οἰκονομία" (stewardship or management of a household). | |||
| Czech | ekonomika | ||
| The word "ekonomika" in Czech comes from the Greek word "oikonomia," which means "household management." | |||
| Estonian | majandus | ||
| "Majandus" derives from verb "maandama" meaning "to feed" and noun "ma" meaning "land". Economy thus literally means "to feed the land". | |||
| Finnish | taloudessa | ||
| "Taloudessa" comes from the Old Norse word "tal", meaning "number" or "account". | |||
| Hungarian | gazdaság | ||
| The Hungarian word "gazdaság" is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "kazγa", meaning "supply", and its original meaning was "household" | |||
| Latvian | ekonomika | ||
| Latvian "ekonomika" comes from the German "Ökonomie", a cognate of English "economy" which derives from Ancient Greek "οἶκος" (house, estate, abode) and "νέμω" (to arrange, administer, distribute, pasture) | |||
| Lithuanian | ekonomika | ||
| In Lithuanian, "ekonomika" not only means "economy" but also refers to an "economic textbook". | |||
| Macedonian | економија | ||
| The word "економија" in Macedonian, meaning "economy", shares its root with the Greek term "oikonomia", which refers to household management or administration. | |||
| Polish | gospodarka | ||
| Gospodarka, derived from 'gospodarz,' 'host, provider, farmer, lord, squire' in Polish, also refers to 'farming' and 'provision of food and shelter for the household.' | |||
| Romanian | economie | ||
| The Romanian word "economie" derives from the Greek "oikonomia", meaning "household management". | |||
| Russian | экономия | ||
| In Russian, "экономия" also means "saving" or "thrift". | |||
| Serbian | економија | ||
| The Serbian word "економија" ultimately derives from the Ancient Greek word "οἰκονομία", which originally meant "household management". | |||
| Slovak | ekonomiky | ||
| "Ekonómia" is also used to refer to a student's budget. | |||
| Slovenian | gospodarstvo | ||
| Slovenian gospodarstvo comes from gospodar 'master of the house' and gospodarica 'mistress of the house,' reflecting an earlier meaning of 'household.' | |||
| Ukrainian | економіка | ||
| The term "економіка" derives from the ancient Greek word "οίκος" meaning "house" and "νόμος" meaning "law" or "rule, | |||
Economy in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অর্থনীতি | ||
| The word 'অর্থনীতি' (economy) derives from the Greek word 'oikonomia', meaning 'household management' or 'stewardship'. In modern usage, it encompasses the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services in a society. | |||
| Gujarati | અર્થતંત્ર | ||
| The Gujarati word અર્થતંત્ર ('arthatantra') derives from the Sanskrit words 'artha' (material benefit, wealth) and 'tantra' (system). | |||
| Hindi | अर्थव्यवस्था | ||
| The Hindi word अर्थव्यवस्था, commonly used for "economy", translates literally to "system of wealth or meaning". | |||
| Kannada | ಆರ್ಥಿಕತೆ | ||
| ಆರ್ಥಿಕತೆ is also used to refer to 'economic policy', or 'financial status'. | |||
| Malayalam | സമ്പദ് | ||
| The word "സമ്പദ്" is derived from Sanskrit and originally meant "acquisition of wealth" or "prosperity". | |||
| Marathi | अर्थव्यवस्था | ||
| The term "अर्थव्यवस्था" is also used in Marathi to refer to the meaning or purpose of something. | |||
| Nepali | अर्थव्यवस्था | ||
| "अर्थव्यवस्था" is derived from the Sanskrit words "अर्थ" (riches) and "व्यवस्था" (system). | |||
| Punjabi | ਆਰਥਿਕਤਾ | ||
| The loanword "ਆਰਥਿਕਤਾ" was borrowed from Sanskrit where it means "the state of being profitable, useful, or advantageous". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ආර්ථිකය | ||
| The word ආර්ථිකය can also refer to the economic system or the economic sector. | |||
| Tamil | பொருளாதாரம் | ||
| Telugu | ఆర్థిక వ్యవస్థ | ||
| Urdu | معیشت | ||
| The word "معیشت" can also refer to "livelihood" or "sustenance" in Urdu. | |||
Economy in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 经济 | ||
| The word "经济" was originally used in ancient China to mean "state affairs". It only later came to refer to the "economy" in the modern sense. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 經濟 | ||
| The origin of 經濟 in Chinese is related to the concept of "governing the nation and people" and "management of resources". | |||
| Japanese | 経済 | ||
| The Japanese word "経済" (keizai), meaning "economy," evolved from its original sense of "national law and order." | |||
| Korean | 경제 | ||
| The term 경제 originated from the classical Chinese word for "rule of a country" and later took on the meaning of "livelihood" and "economy" in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | эдийн засаг | ||
| The Mongolian word 'эдийн засаг' can also mean 'household economy', 'business management', or 'political economy'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စီးပွားရေး | ||
Economy in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | ekonomi | ||
| "Ekonomi" is derived from the Greek word "oikonomia", meaning "household management". | |||
| Javanese | ekonomi | ||
| "Ekonomi" derives from the Old Javanese word "wkwami", meaning "to manage" and encompasses the concepts of "household" and "well-being". | |||
| Khmer | សេដ្ឋកិច្ច | ||
| Lao | ເສດຖະກິດ | ||
| Malay | ekonomi | ||
| The word "ekonomi" in Malay is derived from the Greek word "oikonomia," meaning "household management." | |||
| Thai | เศรษฐกิจ | ||
| The Thai word "เศรษฐกิจ" comes from the Sanskrit word अर्थशास्त्र (arthashastra), which refers to the science or art of material well-being. | |||
| Vietnamese | nên kinh tê | ||
| "Nên kinh tê" originated from the Chinese word "经政", meaning "to establish a stable economic system". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ekonomiya | ||
Economy in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | iqtisadiyyat | ||
| The word "iqtisadiyyat" in Azerbaijani originates from the Arabic "iqtiṣād", which in turn derives from the verb "qaṣada" meaning 'to intend', 'to aim', 'to provide', or 'to suffice' | |||
| Kazakh | экономика | ||
| Казахское слово «экономика» происходит от греческого «oikonomia», что означает «домоводство» или «управление домашним хозяйством». | |||
| Kyrgyz | экономика | ||
| "экономика" in Kyrgyz means "farm work" as well as "economy". | |||
| Tajik | иқтисодиёт | ||
| Иқтисодиёт (iqtisodiёт) is also a loanword from Arabic meaning 'frugal' or 'economical', and is spelled the same in Uyghur and Uzbek. | |||
| Turkmen | ykdysadyýet | ||
| Uzbek | iqtisodiyot | ||
| The Uzbek word "iqtisodiyot" originally meant "home economics" but later came to mean "economy" in a more general sense. | |||
| Uyghur | ئىقتىساد | ||
Economy in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoʻokele waiwai | ||
| The Hawaiian word "hoʻokele waiwai" literally translates to "navigating wealth" or "guiding resources." | |||
| Maori | ohanga | ||
| The word 'ohanga' has ancient roots in the Maori language, signifying not just economy but also kinship ties and a sense of belonging. | |||
| Samoan | tamaoaiga | ||
| The Samoan word "tamaoaiga" also refers to the extended family or clan and the economic activities associated with it, such as cooperative farming, fishing, and the sharing of resources. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | ekonomiya | ||
| In Tagalog, the word "ekonomiya" is derived from the Spanish "economía" and also refers to the management of household expenses or finances. | |||
Economy in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | qullqichäwi | ||
| Guarani | virureko | ||
Economy in International Languages
| Esperanto | ekonomio | ||
| The word "ekonomio" in Esperanto is derived from the Greek word "oikonomia", which originally meant "household management". | |||
| Latin | oeconomia | ||
| “Oeconomia” is a Latin word meaning “household management,” the origin of the term “economics.” | |||
Economy in Others Languages
| Greek | οικονομία | ||
| Hmong | kev khwv nyiaj txiag | ||
| The Hmong word for economy, "kev khwv nyiaj txiag," is a compound word meaning "the way of getting money." | |||
| Kurdish | abor | ||
| The word "abor" in Kurdish can also refer to "income" or "revenue." | |||
| Turkish | ekonomi | ||
| In Turkish, 'ekonomi' also refers to the household or household management. | |||
| Xhosa | ezoqoqosho | ||
| The word "ezoqoqosho" in Xhosa can also refer to "ways and means" or "resources to achieve a goal." | |||
| Yiddish | עקאנאמיע | ||
| In Yiddish, "עקאנאמיע" also refers to a "household" or "sustenance", reflecting its root in the Greek word for "household management". | |||
| Zulu | umnotho | ||
| "Umnotho" also means "profit" or "income". | |||
| Assamese | অৰ্থনীতি | ||
| Aymara | qullqichäwi | ||
| Bhojpuri | अर्थबेवस्था | ||
| Dhivehi | އިޤްޠިޞާދު | ||
| Dogri | अर्थबवस्था | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ekonomiya | ||
| Guarani | virureko | ||
| Ilocano | ekonomia | ||
| Krio | mɔni biznɛs | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئابوری | ||
| Maithili | अर्थव्यवस्था | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯦꯟꯃꯤꯠꯂꯣꯟ | ||
| Mizo | sum leh pai lam | ||
| Oromo | diinagdee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅର୍ଥନୀତି | ||
| Quechua | economia | ||
| Sanskrit | अर्थव्यवस्था | ||
| Tatar | икътисад | ||
| Tigrinya | ቁጠባ | ||
| Tsonga | ikhonomi | ||