Evidence in Different Languages
Discover 'Evidence' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Evidence is a powerful word that carries significant weight in many realms, from legal proceedings to scientific research. It refers to the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid. The significance of evidence cannot be overstated, as it forms the backbone of our understanding and decision-making processes in various aspects of life.
Throughout history, the concept of evidence has played a pivotal role in shaping cultures and societies. From ancient civilizations relying on eyewitness accounts to modern forensic science, the pursuit of evidence has driven humanity to uncover truths and solve mysteries. Moreover, evidence serves as a universal language, transcending borders and connecting people across the globe.
Given the importance of evidence in different cultures and languages, it's fascinating to explore how this term translates in various tongues. For instance, in Spanish, evidence translates to 'evidencia,' while in French, it becomes 'preuve.' In German, the word for evidence is 'Beweis,' and in Mandarin Chinese, it's '证据' (zhèngjué).
Discovering the nuances of how evidence translates in different languages not only broadens our linguistic knowledge but also enriches our appreciation for the cultural significance of this vital concept.
Evidence
Evidence in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | getuienis | ||
| Getuienis is derived from Dutch getuigenis and was used in legal contexts since the 17th century. It also came to mean "proof" in the form of eyewitness accounts. | |||
| Amharic | ማስረጃ | ||
| The Amharic word ማስረጃ (masreja) has roots in the Semitic language and also means 'to establish' or 'cause to exist' | |||
| Hausa | shaida | ||
| The word shaida, meaning evidence in Hausa, has the additional connotation of proof or testimony, often used in a legal context. | |||
| Igbo | ihe akaebe | ||
| Ihe akaebe also refers to a physical object or document presented as proof or verification of the truth of a statement | |||
| Malagasy | porofo | ||
| The Malagasy word "POROFO" also means "the proof of a thing". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | umboni | ||
| The word "umboni" in Nyanja (Chichewa) also means "testimony" or "proof". | |||
| Shona | humbowo | ||
| The Shona word “humbowo” also means a footprint or a mark left by someone or something. | |||
| Somali | caddayn | ||
| The word "caddayn" in Somali can also refer to testimony, a witness, or a piece of information | |||
| Sesotho | bopaki | ||
| The term 'bopaki' has alternate meanings in legal contexts, referring to evidence submitted during court trials. | |||
| Swahili | ushahidi | ||
| The Swahili word "ushahidi" also means "testimony" and "proof". | |||
| Xhosa | ubungqina | ||
| "Ubungqina" is also used to describe a witness in a legal context. | |||
| Yoruba | ẹri | ||
| The word "ẹri" (evidence) in Yoruba can also mean "witness" or "testimony". | |||
| Zulu | ubufakazi | ||
| The word ubufakazi has different interpretations depending on how it is used, e.g. as an idiom. | |||
| Bambara | seereya | ||
| Ewe | kpeɖodzi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ibimenyetso | ||
| Lingala | elembeteli | ||
| Luganda | obukakafu | ||
| Sepedi | bohlatse | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adanseɛ | ||
Evidence in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | دليل | ||
| دليل, the Arabic word for evidence, also means 'guide'. | |||
| Hebrew | עֵדוּת | ||
| The word also carries the connotation of the testimony of witnesses in a legal setting, as in the phrase "לעשות עֵדוּת" (to bear witness). | |||
| Pashto | ثبوت | ||
| In Pashto, "ثبوت" can also mean "proof" or "testimony." | |||
| Arabic | دليل | ||
| دليل, the Arabic word for evidence, also means 'guide'. | |||
Evidence in Western European Languages
| Albanian | prova | ||
| "Prova" comes from the Latin word "proba," which means "test" or "examination." | |||
| Basque | frogak | ||
| "Frogak" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "bhrēĝh-", meaning "to break", hence the meanings "fragment" and "proof". | |||
| Catalan | proves | ||
| The Catalan word "proves" not only means "evidence" but also "test" and "exam". | |||
| Croatian | dokaz | ||
| The Croatian word "dokaz" also means "proof" or "argument". | |||
| Danish | beviser | ||
| The Danish word "beviser" also refers to a "proof" in mathematics or logic. | |||
| Dutch | bewijs | ||
| 'Bewijs' (evidence) also means 'proof', 'demonstration', and 'certificate'. | |||
| English | evidence | ||
| The word evidence derives from the Latin term "evidentia", meaning "clearness" or "visibility," and also carries the connotation of "proof" or "demonstration." | |||
| French | preuve | ||
| The French word "preuve" derives from the Latin word "probare," meaning "to test, try out, or approve." | |||
| Frisian | bewiis | ||
| The word 'bewiis' is cognate to 'bewize' in West Frisian and to 'bewijs' in Dutch, but unlike in Dutch it is only used in the sense of 'written document'. | |||
| Galician | evidencia | ||
| In Galician, "evidencia" can also mean "appearance", "look" or "semblance". In this sense, it is similar to the Spanish "evidencia" meaning "appearance." | |||
| German | beweise | ||
| The German word "Beweise" can also refer to a mathematical demonstration, as in "Beweis einer Behauptung" (proof of a proposition). | |||
| Icelandic | sönnunargögn | ||
| The Icelandic word "sönnunargögn" derives from the Old Norse words "sönnun" (truth) and "gögn" (data), meaning "data that establishes the truth" | |||
| Irish | fianaise | ||
| The word "fianaise" can also refer to the process of giving evidence. | |||
| Italian | prova | ||
| "Prova" comes from the Latin word "probare," which means "to test" or "to prove". | |||
| Luxembourgish | beweiser | ||
| In the sense of “evidence,” Beweiser also means “certificate,” as in a medical certificate or a birth certificate. | |||
| Maltese | evidenza | ||
| Maltese word "evidenza" is derived from Latin word "evidentia", meaning both "evidence" and "obviousness". | |||
| Norwegian | bevis | ||
| The word «bevis» means both «burden of proof» and «evidence». Both these words are connected to the Latin *vis* that means both force and sight; but in the word «bevis» force is the primary meaning; in «visibility» sight is. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | provas | ||
| In Latin, "probare" means "to prove"; in Portuguese, "provar" also means "to taste". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fianais | ||
| "Fianais" literally translates as "witnessing" or "testifying" in Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | evidencia | ||
| In Spanish, "evidencia" also means "fact, data, or proof", "certainty", and "clarity or obviousness". | |||
| Swedish | bevis | ||
| The Swedish word "bevis" is derived from an Old Norse word "bevi" meaning "reason," "cause," and "proof," and is related to "bewies" meaning "to prove, show." | |||
| Welsh | tystiolaeth | ||
| The Welsh word "tystiolaeth" can also mean "testimony" or "proof". | |||
Evidence in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | доказы | ||
| In Polish, the root "dokaz" has the meaning of "proof" and is a synonym for the word "dowód" | |||
| Bosnian | dokazi | ||
| The word "dokazi" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*dokazъ", meaning "proof". | |||
| Bulgarian | доказателства | ||
| The Bulgarian word "доказателства" comes from the root "доказвам" meaning "to prove" and shares its root with the verb "доказвам се" meaning "to prove oneself". | |||
| Czech | důkaz | ||
| The word "důkaz" can also refer to "proof" or "verification". | |||
| Estonian | tõendid | ||
| Estonian word "tõendid" is derived from the Proto-Finnic *toténa - to prove, to establish, to bear witness | |||
| Finnish | todisteet | ||
| Todisteet means not only evidence but can also refer to means of proving something, like a witness or a receipt. | |||
| Hungarian | bizonyíték | ||
| "Bizonyíték" is derived from the verb "bizonyít" which means to prove, certify, demonstrate, establish, show, or verify. | |||
| Latvian | pierādījumi | ||
| The Latvian word "pierādījumi" comes from the verb "pierādīt" (to prove), which itself is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁rew- (to speak), suggesting that evidence was originally something that was spoken or declared. | |||
| Lithuanian | įrodymas | ||
| The word "įrodymas" derives from the verb "rodyti," meaning "to show" or "to indicate," and also relates to the words "rodyklė" (arrow) and "įrodyti" (to prove). | |||
| Macedonian | доказ | ||
| Доказ in Macedonian can also mean proof, testimony, document, or a legal instrument. | |||
| Polish | dowód | ||
| "Dowód" in Polish originally meant a soldier's proof of service and was only later extended to mean evidence in court. | |||
| Romanian | dovezi | ||
| The Romanian word "dovezi" originates from the Polish word "dowod", meaning "proof". | |||
| Russian | свидетельство | ||
| The Russian word "свидетельство" can also refer to a document, such as a birth certificate, which is an official record of a particular fact or event, or to the ceremony of witnessing a marriage or other event. | |||
| Serbian | доказ | ||
| The word "доказ" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *dok-, meaning "to show" or "to point out." | |||
| Slovak | dôkazy | ||
| Dôkazy also means "proof" in Slovak, and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *dokazъ, which means "witness". | |||
| Slovenian | dokazi | ||
| The Slovenian word "dokazi" is cognate with the Russian word "доказательство" (dokazatelstvo), both ultimately deriving from the Proto-Slavic root *dokazati, meaning "to prove". | |||
| Ukrainian | докази | ||
| The word 'докази' is connected to the verbs 'доказати' ('to prove') and 'докукати' ('to pester'). | |||
Evidence in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | প্রমান | ||
| প্রমান (evidence) is also used to refer to a measurement, a standard, or a proof. | |||
| Gujarati | પુરાવા | ||
| The word "પુરાવા" may also refer to proof, testimony, or confirmation. | |||
| Hindi | सबूत | ||
| The word | |||
| Kannada | ಪುರಾವೆಗಳು | ||
| The word "ಪುರಾವೆಗಳು" can also refer to "proof" or "testimony" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | തെളിവ് | ||
| The word തെളിവ്, meaning 'evidence', is derived from the Proto-Dravidian word *teḷi, meaning 'to appear' or 'to be visible'. It is related to the Tamil word தெளிவு (teḷivu), meaning 'clarity' or 'brightness'. | |||
| Marathi | पुरावा | ||
| The Marathi word "पुरावा" can also mean "old" or "ancient" | |||
| Nepali | प्रमाण | ||
| The word 'प्रमाण' (pramāṇa) in Nepali can also mean 'proof', 'authority', 'measurement', 'criterion', 'sign', or 'knowledge'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਬੂਤ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਸਬੂਤ" (sabūt) originates from the Sanskrit word "प्रमाण" (pramāna), meaning "measure" or "proof". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සාක්ෂි | ||
| The word "සාක්ෂි" (evidence) in Sinhala originates from the Sanskrit word "साक्षी" (witness, knowledge), ultimately derived from the root "सच्" (to tell, to speak). | |||
| Tamil | ஆதாரம் | ||
| The word can also mean 'proof', 'reason', 'cause', or 'basis'. | |||
| Telugu | సాక్ష్యం | ||
| The verb form of సాక్ష్యం, साक्ष, comes from the Sanskrit language and means to witness or observe. | |||
| Urdu | ثبوت | ||
| The word "ثبوت" also means "stability" or "firmness". | |||
Evidence in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 证据 | ||
| The word "证据" in Chinese is derived from the root word "証", meaning "to witness" or "to testify". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 證據 | ||
| 證據 is a compound word in Chinese that means something that is clear and visible. | |||
| Japanese | 証拠 | ||
| The word "証拠" (shouko) originally meant "something that has been proved" or "something that is true." | |||
| Korean | 증거 | ||
| In Middle Korean, "증거" also meant "proof of innocence". | |||
| Mongolian | нотлох баримт | ||
| The Mongolian noun “нотлох баримт”, meaning 'evidence', is derived from “нотлох”, meaning 'to prove', and “баримт”, meaning 'document' or 'proof' | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သက်သေအထောက်အထား | ||
Evidence in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bukti | ||
| Related to or derived from the word "bukti", meaning "to prove" or "proof" in Old Javanese. | |||
| Javanese | bukti-bukti | ||
| In the Javanese language, "bukti-bukti" has alternate meanings relating to clues, signs, or indications, extending beyond its primary meaning of "evidence." | |||
| Khmer | ភស្តុតាង | ||
| The word "ភស្តុតាង" (evidence) in Khmer is derived from the Sanskrit word "प्रत्यक्ष" ( प्रत्यक्ष ), which means "direct perception" or "immediate experience". | |||
| Lao | ຫຼັກຖານ | ||
| Malay | bukti | ||
| From the Proto-Austronesian root *bukit, meaning "hill" or "mountain". | |||
| Thai | หลักฐาน | ||
| หลักฐาน' may also refer to a 'pillar' in architecture or the 'reason' for something in philosophy. | |||
| Vietnamese | chứng cớ | ||
| Chứng cớ in Vietnamese comes from Hán tự 證據, | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ebidensya | ||
Evidence in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dəlil | ||
| The word “dəlil” has a similar etymology to the Arabic word “dalīl,” meaning “guide” or “proof,” reflecting its role as support for a claim. | |||
| Kazakh | дәлелдемелер | ||
| The Kazakh word "дәлелдемелер" not only means "evidence" but also means "proofs" and "arguments". | |||
| Kyrgyz | далил | ||
| The word "далил" also has a meaning in Kyrgyz as "proof". | |||
| Tajik | далел | ||
| The word "далел" in Tajik can also mean a "proof", "sign", or "indication". | |||
| Turkmen | subutnama | ||
| Uzbek | dalil | ||
| The Uzbek word "dalil" also means "proof", "sign", "argument", or "symptom". | |||
| Uyghur | دەلىل-ئىسپات | ||
Evidence in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hōʻike hōʻike | ||
| The word "hōʻike hōʻike" originates from the Hawaiian term meaning "manifestation" or "showing". | |||
| Maori | taunakitanga | ||
| Although its primary meaning is 'evidence', 'taunakitanga' has other meanings, such as 'proof', 'sign' and 'confirmation'. | |||
| Samoan | molimau | ||
| The Samoan word for "evidence" "molimau" also means "witness" and is derived from the verb "moli" meaning "to speak". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | ebidensya | ||
| "Ebidensya" in Tagalog likely originates from the Spanish word "evidencia", reflecting the influence of Spanish on Filipino language and legal system. | |||
Evidence in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | utjirinaka | ||
| Guarani | ñembojapyre | ||
Evidence in International Languages
| Esperanto | evidenteco | ||
| The Esperanto word “evidenteco” relates to “evido” (“proof”), and it also has the meaning of “obviousness”. | |||
| Latin | quod | ||
| The Latin "quod" originally meant "that which" and could refer to evidence, a circumstance, a legal charge, or a reason. | |||
Evidence in Others Languages
| Greek | απόδειξη | ||
| The Greek word "απόδειξη" can also refer to a mathematical demonstration, a receipt or a proof. | |||
| Hmong | pov thawj | ||
| "Cov pov thawj" (evidence in Hmong) is etymologically rooted in "tsawj", meaning "to prove" and "pov" meaning "the thing." | |||
| Kurdish | delîl | ||
| "Delîl" is also used as a term for "guide" or "proof" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | kanıt | ||
| The word "kanıt" in Turkish originated from the Persian word "günahit" meaning "proof" and also "sin". | |||
| Xhosa | ubungqina | ||
| "Ubungqina" is also used to describe a witness in a legal context. | |||
| Yiddish | זאָגן | ||
| The Yiddish word "זאָגן" (zogn) also means "to say" or "to tell". | |||
| Zulu | ubufakazi | ||
| The word ubufakazi has different interpretations depending on how it is used, e.g. as an idiom. | |||
| Assamese | প্ৰমাণ | ||
| Aymara | utjirinaka | ||
| Bhojpuri | सबूत | ||
| Dhivehi | ހެކި | ||
| Dogri | सबूत | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ebidensya | ||
| Guarani | ñembojapyre | ||
| Ilocano | ebidensia | ||
| Krio | pruf | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەڵگە | ||
| Maithili | साक्ष्य | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯥꯈꯤ | ||
| Mizo | finfiahna | ||
| Oromo | ragaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ରମାଣ | ||
| Quechua | evidencia | ||
| Sanskrit | उपपत्तिः | ||
| Tatar | дәлилләр | ||
| Tigrinya | ማስረጃ | ||
| Tsonga | vumbhoni | ||