Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'evolve' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting the process of growth and development over time. It's a concept that transcends boundaries and cultures, making it a vital term to understand in various languages. Evolve is often associated with the scientific theory of evolution, but it also applies to personal growth, technological advancements, and societal changes.
Throughout history, the idea of evolution has been explored in various cultural contexts. From Charles Darwin's groundbreaking work on the subject to the evolution of music and art, this concept has shaped our understanding of the world and our place in it. Moreover, as we continue to evolve and adapt to new challenges, the importance of this term only grows.
Understanding the translation of 'evolve' in different languages can help us appreciate the cultural nuances that shape our perception of this concept. For instance, in Spanish, 'evolucionar' not only refers to biological evolution but also to personal and social development. Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'shinka' carries a sense of transformation and innovation.
Below, you'll find a list of translations of 'evolve' in various languages, providing a glimpse into the cultural significance of this important term.
Afrikaans | ontwikkel | ||
Ontwikkel can also mean 'to manifest' (e.g. 'The symptoms will develop shortly'). | |||
Amharic | በዝግመተ ለውጥ | ||
The verb 'evolve' also means 'take turns' and 'alternate.' | |||
Hausa | canzawa | ||
The word 'canzawa' is a cognate of the Arabic word 'nuzūl', which means 'descent' or 'movement downwards' and also carries connotations of evolution and change. | |||
Igbo | webata | ||
'Webata' is related to the Igbo word 'baata', meaning 'to turn'. | |||
Malagasy | mivoatra | ||
The Malagasy word "mivoatra" ultimately derives from the Proto-Austronesian word "*pa-tuwar-an" meaning "to change, to transform". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | kusintha | ||
In Nyanja, 'kusintha' also means 'to become mature' or 'to grow up'. | |||
Shona | shanduka | ||
"Shidhuka" also means "to change" in Shona, referring to the evolving nature of the world. | |||
Somali | horumariyo | ||
Horumariyo in Somali can also mean "to emerge", "to rise", "to appear", "to be born", "to come into being", or "to come from". | |||
Sesotho | fetoha | ||
Fetoha derives from the noun fothoho, 'opening or beginning', which may account for its sense of 'unveiling' in some contexts. | |||
Swahili | toa | ||
"Toa" also means "to produce" or "to create". | |||
Xhosa | iguquka | ||
'Iguquka' can also mean 'develop intellect' or 'be civilized' in Xhosa. | |||
Yoruba | dagbasoke | ||
The term 'dagbasoke,' meaning 'evolve' in Yoruba, refers to a transformation in both its literal and figurative senses. | |||
Zulu | ziphenduka | ||
"Ziphenduka" also means "reborn" or "renewed" in Zulu. | |||
Bambara | ewoliye | ||
Ewe | trɔ | ||
Kinyarwanda | ihindagurika | ||
Lingala | kobongwana | ||
Luganda | okukyuuka | ||
Sepedi | tšweletša | ||
Twi (Akan) | dane | ||
Arabic | تتطور | ||
The word "تتطور" in Arabic (evolve) can also mean "to develop" or "to change". | |||
Hebrew | לְהִתְפַּתֵחַ | ||
The word לְהִתְפַּתֵחַ derives from the root פ-ת-ח, which means "to open" or "to unfold." | |||
Pashto | تکامل | ||
The Pashto word "تکامل" also means "progress" or "development". | |||
Arabic | تتطور | ||
The word "تتطور" in Arabic (evolve) can also mean "to develop" or "to change". |
Albanian | evoluoj | ||
Evoluoj also means "to develop gradually and to become more advanced." | |||
Basque | eboluzionatu | ||
In Italian "eboluzionatu" means "evolve", "developed" and sometimes can be an insult. | |||
Catalan | evolucionar | ||
Catalan "evolucionar" comes from Latin "evolutio," meaning "an unrolling" of a scroll. | |||
Croatian | evoluirati | ||
The Croatian word "evoluirati" comes from the Latin word "evolvere," which means "to unroll" or "to develop." | |||
Danish | udvikle sig | ||
The Danish word "udvikle sig" is derived from "Udvikling" (development) and has a second meaning "to emerge" | |||
Dutch | evolueren | ||
De betekenis van evolueren (evolutie) komt van het Latijnse woord 'evolvere' dat letterlijk 'ontrollen' of 'ontvouwen' betekent. | |||
English | evolve | ||
The word "evolve" derives from the Latin "evolvere", meaning "to unroll" or "to unfold." | |||
French | évoluer | ||
"Évoluer" also means to change, develop, progress. | |||
Frisian | evolve | ||
The Frisian word 'evolve' can also mean 'to unfold' or 'to develop'. | |||
Galician | evolucionar | ||
The verb "evolucionar" comes from the Latin word "evolvere", which means "to unroll" or "to unfold". | |||
German | entwickeln | ||
"Entwickeln" in German also means "to develop" or "to unfold". | |||
Icelandic | þróast | ||
The word þróast comes from Old Norse, meaning to grow or to develop. | |||
Irish | éabhlóidiú | ||
Italian | evolvere | ||
In Italian, the verb "evolvere" can also mean to "unfold" or "develop" in a more general sense. | |||
Luxembourgish | evoluéieren | ||
Maltese | tevolvi | ||
The Maltese word "tevolvi" also means "to develop" in the context of a photographic image. | |||
Norwegian | utvikle seg | ||
The word "utvikle seg" is derived from the Old Norse word "útveðja," meaning "to develop" or "to unfold." | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | evoluir | ||
Portuguese evoluir can also mean 'issue' or 'develop' as in the expression 'evoluir um título' ('issue a security'). | |||
Scots Gaelic | mean-fhàs | ||
Mean-fhàs is a term borrowed from Old Norse through Scottish Gaelic loanwords, and its original meaning was a 'change of place' | |||
Spanish | evolucionar | ||
In Spanish, "evolucionar" also means to develop, improve, or change for the better. | |||
Swedish | utveckla | ||
"Utveckla" also means to "develop" in the sense of bringing something to a more advanced state | |||
Welsh | esblygu | ||
The word 'esblygu' in Welsh can also mean 'to escape' or 'to avoid'. |
Belarusian | развівацца | ||
The word развівацца, meaning 'evolve', also means to develop, unfold, or flourish. | |||
Bosnian | evoluirati | ||
Evoluirati derives from the Latin word "evolvere", meaning "to unroll" or "to develop". | |||
Bulgarian | еволюират | ||
The Bulgarian verb "еволюират" is derived from the Latin word "evolvere", meaning "to unroll" or "to develop gradually". It can also be used to mean "to change" or "to progress" in a more general sense. | |||
Czech | rozvíjet se | ||
The Czech word "rozvíjet se" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *razviti, meaning "to develop" or "to unfold". | |||
Estonian | arenema | ||
The ancient Greek word "arenama" means "virtue". Its Proto-Indo-European root also exists in the English "earthly" and "earnest". | |||
Finnish | kehittyä | ||
"Kehittyä" can refer to the physical change of a human being or an animal, or to the mental and spiritual evolution. | |||
Hungarian | fejlődik | ||
Fejlődik can also mean "develop" or "grow", and is related to the word "fejlődés" (development). | |||
Latvian | attīstīties | ||
The Latvian word “attīstīties” comes from the root “tīt,” meaning “to wrap around” or “to fold.” | |||
Lithuanian | evoliucionuoti | ||
The Lithuanian word "evoliucionuoti" is derived from the Latin "evolvere", meaning "to unroll" or "to develop". | |||
Macedonian | еволуираат | ||
In Macedonian, "еволуираат" can also refer to the evolution of thought, culture, or technology. | |||
Polish | ewoluować | ||
In Polish, "ewoluować" can also mean "to change over time" or "to develop gradually", not just in a biological sense. | |||
Romanian | evolua | ||
The Romanian word "evolua" is derived from the Latin "evolvere", meaning "to unroll" or "to unfold". | |||
Russian | развиваться | ||
Also means “to unfold”, “to develop”, “to blossom” in Russian. | |||
Serbian | еволуирати | ||
The term 'Еволуирати' ('evolve' in Serbian) derives from the Latin word 'evolvere,' meaning 'to unroll or unfold.' It carries a broader connotation than its English counterpart and encompasses both biological evolution and the development of ideas and concepts. | |||
Slovak | vyvíjať sa | ||
"Vyvíjať sa" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "vyti" meaning "to lead out, bring forth" and was adopted into Slovak through Church Slavonic in the 19th century. | |||
Slovenian | razvijati | ||
In Croatian, "razvijati" primarily means "to develop" and "to unfold". | |||
Ukrainian | еволюціонувати | ||
The word "еволюціонувати" (evolve) in Ukrainian can also mean "to develop" or "to change gradually over time". |
Bengali | বিকশিত | ||
বিকশিত ('evolve') originates from the Sanskrit word 'विकसित' meaning 'expanded' or 'progressed'. | |||
Gujarati | વિકસિત | ||
The Gujarati word "વિકસિત" can also refer to "progress" or "development" in a broad sense. | |||
Hindi | विकसित करना | ||
In botany, 'विकसित करना' means to unroll or expand as of a fern from a fiddlehead. | |||
Kannada | ವಿಕಸನ | ||
The word "ವಿಕಸನ" (evolve) derives from the Sanskrit root "vi-kas" meaning "to expand, to open," akin to "vicasana" (disappearance, dissolution). | |||
Malayalam | പരിണമിക്കുക | ||
The Malayalam word "പരിണമിക്കുക" literally means "to change gradually" and also translates to "evolve" in scientific contexts. | |||
Marathi | विकसित | ||
"विकसित" (evolve) also means 'to bloom' or 'to open up' in Marathi, highlighting the idea of gradual growth and transformation. | |||
Nepali | विकसित | ||
The word "विकसित" can also mean "to develop" or "to grow" in some contexts. | |||
Punjabi | ਵਿਕਸਤ | ||
It can also mean 'to expand' or 'to become large'. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පරිණාමය | ||
Tamil | பரிணாமம் | ||
The word 'பரிணாமம்' also means 'a change' or 'development' in Tamil. | |||
Telugu | పరిణామం | ||
The Telugu word "పరిణామం" not only refers to biological evolution, but also encompasses the concepts of gradual change and development in general. | |||
Urdu | تیار | ||
The word "تیار" is derived from the Arabic word "طور", meaning "form" or "shape", and has alternate meanings of "to prepare" or "to get ready". |
Chinese (Simplified) | 发展 | ||
"发展" also means develop, extend, or expand in Chinese. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 發展 | ||
The Chinese character "發展" can also mean "to unfold" or "to expand". | |||
Japanese | 進化する | ||
進化する (shinkasuru), meaning "evolve" in English, also means "progress" or "develop" in Japanese. | |||
Korean | 진화하다 | ||
"진화하다"는 고유어 "진보하다"에서 뜻을 따온 한자어입니다. | |||
Mongolian | хөгжинө | ||
Хөгжинө's alternate meanings includes 'to improve' and 'to progress'. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | တဖြည်းဖြည်းတိုးတက်ပြောင်းလဲလာ | ||
The English word "evolve" is derived from the Latin "evolvere", meaning "to unroll" or "to develop". |
Indonesian | berkembang | ||
In Indonesian, "berkembang" is a multifaceted word with roots in the concept of growth and development. | |||
Javanese | ngrembaka | ||
The word 'ngrembaka' is related to the word 'kembang', which means 'flower' or 'to bloom' in Javanese. | |||
Khmer | វិវត្ត | ||
The word "វិវត្ត" can also refer to the transformation of a Buddhist monk's robe to a higher grade in recognition of their spiritual attainment. | |||
Lao | ພັດທະນາ | ||
ພັດທະນາ (phattana), a borrowing from Pali meaning 'to evolve, develop or make progress', can refer to the process of developing a person's spiritual capacity in meditation. | |||
Malay | berkembang | ||
The word "berkembang" can also mean "to grow," "to expand," or "to increase." | |||
Thai | วิวัฒนาการ | ||
วิวัฒนาการ is also used to describe the development of ideas or processes. | |||
Vietnamese | tiến hóa | ||
"Tiền hóa" is also a Vietnamese word meaning "progress" or "development". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | umunlad | ||
Azerbaijani | inkişaf edir | ||
The Azerbaijani word "inkişaf edir" (evolve) can also mean "to develop" or "to grow". | |||
Kazakh | дамиды | ||
The Kazakh word "дамиды" (evolve) originates from the Persian word "دگریدن" (to change). | |||
Kyrgyz | өнүгүү | ||
Önүгүү is etymologically related to the word "ö" (grow), and can also mean "progress" or "development". | |||
Tajik | таҳаввул | ||
The Tajik word "таҳаввул" can also mean "transform" or "change". | |||
Turkmen | ösýär | ||
Uzbek | rivojlanmoqda | ||
The Uzbek word "rivojlanmoqda" is derived from the Persian word "rivoj" meaning "progress" or "advancement." | |||
Uyghur | تەرەققىي قىلىدۇ | ||
Hawaiian | liliuewe | ||
The Hawaiian word "liliuewe" is also used to describe a plant's growth or development. | |||
Maori | whanake | ||
The word "whanake" derives from the Maori words "whaka" (to make) and "ake" (to rise or grow). | |||
Samoan | evolve | ||
The word "evolve" has the alternate meaning of "to grow or change gradually" in Samoan. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | nagbabago | ||
Nagbabago is also used to describe a person's mood changing for the worse or to describe something turning sour. |
Aymara | kutitatayaña | ||
Guarani | mongakuaa | ||
Esperanto | evolui | ||
"Evolui" is a Esperanto word and its English equivalent is "evolve". | |||
Latin | evolve | ||
The Latin origin of 'evolve' is 'evolvere', which means 'to unroll' or 'to develop'. |
Greek | αναπτύσσω | ||
The word "αναπτύσσω" is also used to describe the growth, development, and unfolding of plants, animals, and other organisms. | |||
Hmong | evolve | ||
The Hmong word "evolve" (txheeb) can also mean "change" or "transform". | |||
Kurdish | pêşve diçin | ||
Turkish | gelişmek | ||
The term "gelişmek" in Turkish is derived from the verb "gelmek" meaning "to come", suggesting a gradual and dynamic process of "coming to be" or "becoming something different". | |||
Xhosa | iguquka | ||
'Iguquka' can also mean 'develop intellect' or 'be civilized' in Xhosa. | |||
Yiddish | יוואַלוו | ||
The Yiddish word "יוואַלוו" "evolve" comes from the Hebrew word "התפתח" "develop". | |||
Zulu | ziphenduka | ||
"Ziphenduka" also means "reborn" or "renewed" in Zulu. | |||
Assamese | বিকশিত হোৱা | ||
Aymara | kutitatayaña | ||
Bhojpuri | विकसित कईल | ||
Dhivehi | ދައުރުވުން | ||
Dogri | विकसत करना | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | umunlad | ||
Guarani | mongakuaa | ||
Ilocano | agsabali | ||
Krio | chenj | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | گەشە سەندن | ||
Maithili | विकसित | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯣꯏꯔꯛꯄ | ||
Mizo | chang | ||
Oromo | bifa jijjiirrachuu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ବିକାଶ | ||
Quechua | pintuy | ||
Sanskrit | वि- कस् | ||
Tatar | үсеш | ||
Tigrinya | መፂኡ | ||
Tsonga | ndzundzuluko | ||