Education in Different Languages
Discover 'Education' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Education is a fundamental pillar of personal growth and societal development. It is the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, typically at a school or university, aimed at imparting knowledge and honing skills. The significance of education cannot be overstated, as it is a key determinant of a person's future opportunities and success.
Throughout history, education has been held in high cultural importance across civilizations. From the ancient Greeks and their love of philosophy, to the Islamic Golden Age's emphasis on science and mathematics, education has always been a cornerstone of cultural identity and progress.
Understanding the translation of education in different languages can offer fascinating insights into how various cultures approach learning and knowledge. For instance, in Spanish, education is 'educación', while in French it's 'éducation'. In Mandarin, it's '教育' (jiàoyù), and in Japanese, it's '教育' (kyōiku).
Delving into the nuances of these translations can reveal historical contexts, societal values, and unique perspectives that make language and culture so intriguing.
Education
Education in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | onderwys | ||
| The word "onderwys" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word "onderwijs" which also means "education". | |||
| Amharic | ትምህርት | ||
| "ትምህርት" is derived from the Ge'ez root "ትመ" which means "to teach". | |||
| Hausa | ilimi | ||
| Hausa word "ilimi" means education and it refers to knowledge acquired through formal learning. | |||
| Igbo | mmuta | ||
| "Mmuta" also means "that which is known" or "that which is learned". | |||
| Malagasy | fampianarana | ||
| The word "fampianarana" in Malagasy derives from the root "ianatra", meaning "to learn", and the prefix "fa-", indicating "causation". It can also refer to "teaching" or "instruction". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | maphunziro | ||
| The term 'maphunziro' is also used to describe the physical location where education takes place, i.e., a school. | |||
| Shona | dzidzo | ||
| The word "dzidzo" can also refer to the process of being educated or to the knowledge acquired through education. | |||
| Somali | waxbarasho | ||
| The word 'waxbarasho' comes from the Arabic 'ta'līm', meaning 'teaching or learning'. It can also refer to a 'school' or 'university'. | |||
| Sesotho | thuto | ||
| The word "thuto" in Sesotho derives from the root "-thut-", meaning "to extract" or "to derive", implying the process of extracting knowledge through education. | |||
| Swahili | elimu | ||
| The Swahili word "elimu" is ultimately derived from the Arabic "ilm", which means "knowledge". | |||
| Xhosa | imfundo | ||
| The word 'imfundo' in Xhosa, meaning education, is derived from the verb 'funda,' which means 'to learn' or 'to study.' | |||
| Yoruba | eko | ||
| In Yoruba, "eko" also denotes enlightenment, training, or knowledge acquisition process. | |||
| Zulu | imfundo | ||
| The word 'imfundo' in Zulu is also used to mean 'knowledge', 'intelligence' and 'wisdom'. | |||
| Bambara | ladamuni | ||
| Ewe | susᴐsrɔ̃ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | uburezi | ||
| Lingala | mateya | ||
| Luganda | okusoma | ||
| Sepedi | thuto | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nwomasua | ||
Education in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | التعليم | ||
| Hebrew | חינוך | ||
| The word "חינוך" derives from the root "חנך", meaning "to dedicate" or "to lead," emphasizing the transformative aspect of education. | |||
| Pashto | زده کړه | ||
| The word "زده کړه" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*wid-", meaning "to see" or "to know." | |||
| Arabic | التعليم | ||
Education in Western European Languages
| Albanian | edukimi | ||
| The Albanian word 'edukimi' is derived from the Latin word 'educere', meaning 'to lead out' or 'to draw forth'. | |||
| Basque | hezkuntza | ||
| "Hezkuntza" literally translates as "action to raise." | |||
| Catalan | educació | ||
| "Educació" derives from the Latin "educatio", meaning "a breeding, a bringing up, or a nourishing". | |||
| Croatian | obrazovanje | ||
| The Croatian word "obrazovanje" is derived from the Slavic root "ob-raz", meaning "to form" or "to shape". | |||
| Danish | uddannelse | ||
| Related linguistically to the Danish words for 'form', 'shape', 'image', and the German 'gestalten' (to shape). | |||
| Dutch | opleiding | ||
| The word "opleiding" in Dutch can also refer to a training course or a program of study. | |||
| English | education | ||
| "Education" also means the act or process of raising or training a child or young person. | |||
| French | éducation | ||
| The French word "éducation" derives from the Latin "educatio," meaning "a bringing up, a rearing," and is related to the verb "educo," meaning "to lead out, to bring up." | |||
| Frisian | oplieding | ||
| In the 18th century, 'oplieding' was used for both education and upbringing. | |||
| Galician | educación | ||
| In Galician, "educación" also means "upbringing", "breeding", or "good manners" | |||
| German | bildung | ||
| German "Bildung" has many meanings, from "culture" to "cultivation" to "molding oneself" or "being part of a community". | |||
| Icelandic | menntun | ||
| The word "menntun" is derived from the Old Norse word "mentun", which means "wisdom" or "thought". | |||
| Irish | oideachas | ||
| Oideachas shares a root with 'Aoidh' (a poet), suggesting the role of education in preserving a culture's knowledge and traditions. | |||
| Italian | formazione scolastica | ||
| "formazione scolastica" literally translates to "school formation," reflecting the emphasis on the formative role of education in shaping individuals. | |||
| Luxembourgish | ausbildung | ||
| The word "Ausbildung" in Luxembourgish has an etymological connection to the verb 'ausbilden', meaning 'to shape' or 'to mould'. | |||
| Maltese | edukazzjoni | ||
| The Maltese word "edukazzjoni" derives from the Latin "educatio," meaning "a bringing up," and is related to the verb "educare," meaning "to nourish" or "to rear." | |||
| Norwegian | utdanning | ||
| The word "utdanning" means "education in Norwegian" and derives from the verb "utdanne" which itself comes from "danne" which means "to form". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | educação | ||
| The word "Educação" in Portuguese derives from the Latin "educatio", meaning "a bringing up", and encompasses the broader concept of cultivation and development of human potential. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | foghlam | ||
| Its ultimate origin is the Proto-Indo-European root *wleǵh- ("to lie, to speak"). | |||
| Spanish | educación | ||
| The word "educación" comes from the Latin verb "educare," meaning "to lead out" or "to train." | |||
| Swedish | utbildning | ||
| The word "utbildning" is derived from the Old Norse word "utbygging", meaning "to build out" or "to expand". | |||
| Welsh | addysg | ||
| The word "addysg" is derived from the Latin word "educere", meaning "to lead out" or "to bring up". | |||
Education in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | адукацыя | ||
| "Адукацыя" [adukacyja - education] is connected with the Latin “educere” [to lead] and means "upbringing". | |||
| Bosnian | obrazovanje | ||
| The word "obrazovanje" in Bosnian is derived from the Old Slavic word "obrazъ", meaning "image" or "form". Alternatively, it can also refer to the "process of forming" something. | |||
| Bulgarian | образование | ||
| The word "образование" in Bulgarian also means "formation" or "establishment", reflecting its broader sense of "shaping" or "molding" individuals and society. | |||
| Czech | vzdělání | ||
| Etymology: from past tense of vzdělat (to educate) from vědět (to know). | |||
| Estonian | haridus | ||
| The word “haridus” is derived from the verb “harima”, meaning “to cultivate” or “to refine”. | |||
| Finnish | koulutus | ||
| The word "koulutus" comes from the Old Norse word "skóli" meaning "school" or "knowledge." | |||
| Hungarian | oktatás | ||
| The word "oktatás" is derived from the verb "oktat", which means "to teach" or "to instruct" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | izglītība | ||
| Izglītība comes from 'izgelt' - to become mature, and 'tība' - the state of becoming, it's the process of maturing the mind. | |||
| Lithuanian | švietimas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "švietimas" derives from the PIE root *swei-, meaning "to be bright". | |||
| Macedonian | образование | ||
| The Macedonian word "образование" can also refer to "civilization" or "politeness."} | |||
| Polish | edukacja | ||
| The term 'Edukacja' derives from Latin 'educere', meaning 'to lead out' or 'to bring up' | |||
| Romanian | educaţie | ||
| The Romanian word "educaţie" comes from the Latin "educatio", meaning "the act of raising a child". | |||
| Russian | образование | ||
| The Russian word "образование" also means "formation" and "upbringing". | |||
| Serbian | образовање | ||
| The word "образовање" also implies a process of shaping or forming, as in the phrase "образовање личности" (formation of personality). | |||
| Slovak | vzdelanie | ||
| "Vzdelanie" originally meant "upbringing" or "care" and denoted the process of shaping a person's character and behaviour. | |||
| Slovenian | izobraževanje | ||
| The word 'izobraževanje' in Slovenian originally meant 'to give form to', and still retains that connotation today. | |||
| Ukrainian | освіта | ||
| "Освіта" has historically also meant "enlightenment", "culture", and "erudition". | |||
Education in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | শিক্ষা | ||
| The Bengali word for "education" (শিক্ষা) can also refer to learning, teaching, training, and discipline. | |||
| Gujarati | શિક્ષણ | ||
| The word "shikshan" (शिक्षण) in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit root "shish" (शिश), meaning "to discipline or instruct". It can also refer to the process of training or learning, as well as the knowledge or skills acquired through education. | |||
| Hindi | शिक्षा | ||
| In Sanskrit, "śikṣā" originally referred to the six disciplines of grammar, etymology, prosody, astronomy, mathematics, and archery. | |||
| Kannada | ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ | ||
| The word "ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ" comes from the Sanskrit root "shiksh", meaning "to teach", and also carries the connotation of "discipline, training, guidance, and instruction" | |||
| Malayalam | വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം | ||
| Its etymology originates from Sanskrit and it has two meanings: 'acquisition of knowledge through study' and 'discipline', "right conduct". Also referred to as 'Sanskrit knowledge' or 'traditional disciplines'. | |||
| Marathi | शिक्षण | ||
| शिक्षण (shikshan) derives from the Sanskrit root 'shiksh', meaning to learn or instruct. | |||
| Nepali | शिक्षा | ||
| शिक्षा can also mean training, discipline, or correction. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਿੱਖਿਆ | ||
| ਸਿੱਖਿਆ is also used in the sense of 'learning' or 'acquirement of knowledge,' and sometimes 'instruction'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අධ්යාපන | ||
| "අධ්යාපන" is derived from the Sanskrit word "अध्ययनं" (adhyayanam), meaning 'study' or 'learning'. This also reflects a similar sense of 'acquiring knowledge' as found in the usage of "education" in English. | |||
| Tamil | கல்வி | ||
| The word 'கல்வி' in Tamil derives from the root 'கல்' (stone) and is related to the concept of writing and engraving on stone as a means of transmitting knowledge. | |||
| Telugu | చదువు | ||
| "చదువు" also means "reading" and has an alternate meaning of "literacy." | |||
| Urdu | تعلیم | ||
| The word "تعلیم" can also refer to the process of disciplining or training a person or an animal. | |||
Education in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 教育 | ||
| The word "教育" (jiàoyù) originally meant "to cultivate and raise" in ancient Chinese. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 教育 | ||
| The traditional Chinese character 教育 also means "upbringing", "cultivation", "breeding", and "nurture". | |||
| Japanese | 教育 | ||
| The kanji '教' in '教育' originally meant 'to receive instructions', while '育' meant 'to nurture or raise' | |||
| Korean | 교육 | ||
| The Korean word "교육" (education) originally meant "to teach what is right and proper". | |||
| Mongolian | боловсрол | ||
| Боловсрол derives from the Mongolian verb "боловсруулх" meaning "to educate" or "to cultivate." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပညာရေး | ||
Education in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pendidikan | ||
| "Pendidikan" in Indonesian originally referred to "breeding" (of animals or plants), and then later came to be applied more broadly to the training of humans. | |||
| Javanese | pendhidhikan | ||
| The word 'pendhidhikan' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'vidya', meaning knowledge or learning. | |||
| Khmer | ការអប់រំ | ||
| Lao | ການສຶກສາ | ||
| Malay | pendidikan | ||
| The word "pendidikan" in Malay comes from the root word "didik," meaning "to rear" or "to train." | |||
| Thai | การศึกษา | ||
| The word "การศึกษา" in Thai is derived from the Sanskrit word "shiksha" (instruction) and the Pali word "sikkha" (training). | |||
| Vietnamese | giáo dục | ||
| The word "giáo dục" originated from the Chinese word "教导", meaning "to instruct and guide." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | edukasyon | ||
Education in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | təhsil | ||
| Təhsil also means "learning" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | білім беру | ||
| The word "білім беру" in Kazakh can also refer to "instruction", "training", or "upbringing". | |||
| Kyrgyz | билим берүү | ||
| The Kyrgyz word “bilim berүү” means “to give knowledge” and is related to the word “bilim”, meaning “knowledge” or “science”. | |||
| Tajik | маориф | ||
| The word "маориф" ("education") in Tajik comes from the Arabic word "معارف" ("knowledge") and has alternate meanings of "learning" and "enlightenment". | |||
| Turkmen | bilim | ||
| Uzbek | ta'lim | ||
| Ta'lim (Uzbek) comes from the Arabic word "ta'lim" meaning "teaching, learning". It can also mean "discipline, instruction, training". | |||
| Uyghur | مائارىپ | ||
Education in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | aʻo | ||
| The word "aʻo" in Hawaiian can also mean "light" or "torch". | |||
| Maori | matauranga | ||
| The word "matauranga" can also refer to knowledge, wisdom, or understanding, and it is often used in a spiritual or cultural context. | |||
| Samoan | aʻoaʻoga | ||
| The word 'aʻoaʻoga' can also refer to religious instruction, and comes from the root word ʻaʻo, meaning 'to learn' or 'to teach'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | edukasyon | ||
| "Edukasyon" in Tagalog can also refer to the cultivation of something, such as a plant or animal, as well as the development of someone's character or qualities. | |||
Education in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | yatichäw | ||
| Guarani | tekombo'e | ||
Education in International Languages
| Esperanto | edukado | ||
| "Edukado" also means "brought up" or "brought to perfection" in Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | educationem | ||
| The word "educationem" in Latin also means "the act of breeding or rearing". | |||
Education in Others Languages
| Greek | εκπαίδευση | ||
| "Εκπαίδευση" comes from the Ancient Greek word "παιδεία" (paideia), which means "the rearing of a child", from "παῖς" (pais), "child". | |||
| Hmong | kev kawm | ||
| The Hmong noun "kev kawm" derives from the root verb "kawm", meaning "to learn or study". | |||
| Kurdish | zanyarî | ||
| In Kurdish folklore, 'zanyarî' also refers to a form of spiritual guidance and mentorship found in Sufi practices. | |||
| Turkish | eğitim | ||
| In the old Turkic language, the term 'eğitim', meaning 'education' or 'training,' was used to describe the process of teaching a hawk to hunt. | |||
| Xhosa | imfundo | ||
| The word 'imfundo' in Xhosa, meaning education, is derived from the verb 'funda,' which means 'to learn' or 'to study.' | |||
| Yiddish | חינוך | ||
| The Yiddish word "חינוך" also means "dedication" or "inauguration." | |||
| Zulu | imfundo | ||
| The word 'imfundo' in Zulu is also used to mean 'knowledge', 'intelligence' and 'wisdom'. | |||
| Assamese | শিক্ষা | ||
| Aymara | yatichäw | ||
| Bhojpuri | पढ़ाई | ||
| Dhivehi | ތަޢުލީމް | ||
| Dogri | शिक्षा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | edukasyon | ||
| Guarani | tekombo'e | ||
| Ilocano | edukasion | ||
| Krio | skul biznɛs | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | خوێندن | ||
| Maithili | शिक्षा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯍꯩ ꯃꯁꯤꯡ | ||
| Mizo | zirna | ||
| Oromo | barumsa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଶିକ୍ଷା | ||
| Quechua | yachay | ||
| Sanskrit | शिक्षा | ||
| Tatar | мәгариф | ||
| Tigrinya | ትምህርቲ | ||
| Tsonga | dyondzo | ||