Experience in Different Languages
Discover 'Experience' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Experience: a word that holds such weight and significance in our daily lives. It represents the sum of our knowledge, skills, and wisdom gained through our interactions with the world around us. From a cultural standpoint, experience is a concept that transcends borders and languages, yet is uniquely shaped by each individual's personal journey.
Throughout history, experience has been a central theme in literature, philosophy, and psychology. From Aristotle's concept of 'experience as the source of knowledge' to William James's 'stream of consciousness' theory, experience has been explored and analyzed in countless ways.
Moreover, understanding the translation of experience in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and perspectives of speakers around the world. For instance, the French word 'expérience' not only refers to personal experience but also to scientific experiments, while the Spanish word 'experiencia' can also mean 'expertise' or 'proficiency'.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious about the world around you, exploring the translation of experience in different languages is a fascinating journey that can broaden your horizons and deepen your understanding of the human experience.
Experience
Experience in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | ervaring | ||
| The Afrikaans word "ervaring" derives from the Dutch word "ervaring" and originally meant "knowledge gained through experiment". | |||
| Amharic | ተሞክሮ | ||
| The word "ተሞክሮ" can also mean "trial" or "ordeal" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | kwarewa | ||
| The Hausa word "kwarewa" can also refer to a journey or path to somewhere. | |||
| Igbo | ahụmahụ | ||
| The word "ahụmahụ" derives from the Igbo word "ahụ" (body) and the suffix "-mahụ" (to feel), thus conveying the idea that experience is something that is physically felt and internalized. | |||
| Malagasy | experience | ||
| The word "experience" in Malagasy has the same origin as the word "experiment" in English, coming from the Latin "experiri" meaning "to test". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zochitika | ||
| The word "zochitika" is also used to refer to "knowledge gained through experience". | |||
| Shona | ruzivo | ||
| Ruzivi also means "knowledge" in the Shona language, highlighting the interconnectedness between experience and knowledge acquisition. | |||
| Somali | waayo-aragnimo | ||
| In Somali, "waayo-aragnimo" not only means "experience," but also "having a history." The two meanings are connected because experiences shape history, both personal and societal. | |||
| Sesotho | boiphihlelo | ||
| The word "boiphihlelo" is derived from the verb "ho phuhi", meaning "to blow", and refers to something that has been blown or expanded by the wind, hence its association with experience and knowledge. | |||
| Swahili | uzoefu | ||
| The word "uzoefu" comes from the verb "kuzoea" which means "to get used to". It can also refer to knowledge gained through practice or observation. | |||
| Xhosa | amava | ||
| "Amava" refers to the sum of one's lived experiences and knowledge. | |||
| Yoruba | iriri | ||
| In Yorùbá, the word ìrírí can also refer to the process of learning or undergoing something. | |||
| Zulu | isipiliyoni | ||
| The word "isipiliyoni" in Zulu is derived from the verb "isilila", meaning "to listen" or "to obey." | |||
| Bambara | ko dɔn | ||
| Ewe | nuteƒekpɔkpɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | uburambe | ||
| Lingala | ekperianse | ||
| Luganda | obumanyirivu | ||
| Sepedi | maitemogelo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | suahunu | ||
Experience in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تجربة | ||
| The word "تجربة" also means "test" or "trial" in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | ניסיון | ||
| The Hebrew word ניסיון (nisayon) not only means "experience" but also "test" suggesting that experiences are seen as tests sent by God. | |||
| Pashto | تجربه | ||
| The Pashto word "تجربه" is derived from the Arabic word "تَجربة" meaning "test, trial, or examination." | |||
| Arabic | تجربة | ||
| The word "تجربة" also means "test" or "trial" in Arabic. | |||
Experience in Western European Languages
| Albanian | përvojën | ||
| "Përvojën" also means "journey" or "travel" in Albanian, emphasizing the experiential aspect of travel. | |||
| Basque | esperientzia | ||
| Esperientzia in Basque also means 'proof' and 'lesson' | |||
| Catalan | experiència | ||
| In Catalan, the word 'experiència' also refers to a traditional religious play performed in churches and convents. | |||
| Croatian | iskustvo | ||
| The word 'iskustvo' originates from the Old Slavic language, where it meant 'temptation' or 'test'. | |||
| Danish | erfaring | ||
| The Danish word "erfaring" derives from the Old Norse word "reynsla", meaning "trial", "test" or "experiment". | |||
| Dutch | ervaring | ||
| In Dutch, “ervaring” originates from the Latin word “experientia,” which denotes the process of trying or testing. | |||
| English | experience | ||
| The word "experience" derives from the Latin "experientia" and originally meant "a trial" or "test". | |||
| French | expérience | ||
| The French word "expérience" comes from the Latin word "experimentum," which means "test" or "trial." | |||
| Frisian | ûnderfining | ||
| The word 'ûnderfining' is also used to refer to a person's background or knowledge about a particular subject. | |||
| Galician | experiencia | ||
| In Galician, "experiencia" shares an etymology with "expert", indicating its connection to knowledge and proficiency. | |||
| German | erfahrung | ||
| The word "Erfahrung" is a derivative of the verb "erfahren" (to experience), which itself derives from the Old High German "erfarên" (to journey, to travel). | |||
| Icelandic | reynsla | ||
| The word 'reynsla' in Icelandic comes from the verb 'reynda' meaning 'to try' or 'to test'. | |||
| Irish | taithí | ||
| The word "taithí" comes from the Old Irish word "taidch", meaning "a way" or "a journey". | |||
| Italian | esperienza | ||
| Esperienza also means 'experiment' in Italian and comes from the Latin 'experientia', meaning 'trial'. | |||
| Luxembourgish | erfahrung | ||
| The word "Erfahrung" can also refer to a "trial" in a legal context. | |||
| Maltese | esperjenza | ||
| The Maltese word "esperjenza" is derived from the Italian "esperienza", which in turn comes from the Latin "experientia" meaning "trial, proof, test". | |||
| Norwegian | erfaring | ||
| The word "erfaring" is derived from the Old Norse word "far" meaning "travel" or "journey" and "ing" meaning "action". Thus the word originally meant "the action of traveling". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | experiência | ||
| The word "experiência" in Portuguese shares its origin with "expériment" in French and "experiment" in English, all of which derive from the Latin "experientia," meaning "trial, proof, or knowledge gained through experience." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | eòlas | ||
| Eòlas comes from the Gaelic word ' fios' which means 'knowledge', and can be used in a more general sense to mean 'knowledge and understanding' rather than just 'experience'. | |||
| Spanish | experiencia | ||
| In Spanish, "experiencia" also means "knowledge" or "skill". | |||
| Swedish | erfarenhet | ||
| Erfarenhet is also a technical term in mathematics and refers to a sequence of events that are executed in order. | |||
| Welsh | profiad | ||
| Profiad can also mean enjoying, understanding, or perceiving something. | |||
Experience in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | вопыт | ||
| The word "вопыт" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "opytъ", which originally meant "a test" or "an attempt". | |||
| Bosnian | iskustvo | ||
| The word "iskustvo" in Bosnian derives from the Proto-Slavic word *iskusъ, meaning "trial" or "attempt". | |||
| Bulgarian | опит | ||
| "Опит" also means "experiment" and comes from the Old Church Slavonic word meaning "attempt". | |||
| Czech | zkušenosti | ||
| The word "Zkušenosti" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "skusiti", meaning "to test". | |||
| Estonian | kogemus | ||
| The word "kogemus" in Estonian is cognate with the English word "cognitive". | |||
| Finnish | kokea | ||
| "Kokea" can also denote "suffering" from the Proto-Finnic word meaning "hard to bear." | |||
| Hungarian | tapasztalat | ||
| In Hungarian, the word "tapasztalat" is related to the word "tapaszt", meaning "to feel" or "to sense". | |||
| Latvian | pieredze | ||
| "Pieres" is the root that means "end" and "dze" is an old way of expressing "to do" or "to make." | |||
| Lithuanian | patirtis | ||
| The Indo-European origin of "patirtis" implies suffering, while its modern meaning is a lived or felt event. | |||
| Macedonian | искуство | ||
| The Macedonian word "Искуство" originally derived from the Church-Slavonic language and has been used throughout history to refer both to artistic endeavors as well as the skill in practicing a craft and can carry shades of meaning related to "art". | |||
| Polish | doświadczenie | ||
| The Polish word "doświadczenie" originally meant "a tasting" and is related to the verb "świadczyć", meaning "to witness". | |||
| Romanian | experienţă | ||
| In Romanian, the word "experienţă" also means "expertise" or "skill". | |||
| Russian | опыт | ||
| The word "опыт" in Russian can also mean "an experiment" or simply the "outcome of something." | |||
| Serbian | искуство | ||
| The Serbian word "искуство" also means "art", similar to the English word "experience". | |||
| Slovak | skúsenosti | ||
| The Slovak word "skúsenosti" derives from the Proto-Slavic word *skusь, which also meant "test" and can be traced back as far as the Proto-Indo-European word *keus-, "try, attempt". | |||
| Slovenian | izkušnje | ||
| The Slovenian word "izkušnje" comes from Old Slavic word meaning either "trial, experiment, experience" or "temptation" | |||
| Ukrainian | досвід | ||
| The word "досвід" can also mean "experiment", "attempt", or "proof" in Ukrainian. | |||
Experience in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অভিজ্ঞতা | ||
| Derived from Sanskrit abhi ('towards') + jna ('knowledge'), the word 'abhijnata' originally meant 'recognition'. | |||
| Gujarati | અનુભવ | ||
| The word "અનુભવ" also means "to feel" or "to undergo" in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | अनुभव | ||
| The Hindi word "अनुभव" is derived from the Sanskrit root "भू", meaning "to become". | |||
| Kannada | ಅನುಭವ | ||
| The word also means "feeling" or "emotion" and can be used as a verb, meaning "to feel" or "to experience" something. | |||
| Malayalam | അനുഭവം | ||
| The word "അനുഭവം" also means "realization" or "understanding" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | अनुभव | ||
| The Marathi word "अनुभव" derives from the Sanskrit term "अनुभूति", meaning "feeling or perception". | |||
| Nepali | अनुभव | ||
| अनुभव translates to 'sensation' in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਤਜਰਬਾ | ||
| The word "ਤਜਰਬਾ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "अनुभव" (anubhava), meaning "cognition through direct experience". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අත්දැකීමක් | ||
| The word 'අත්දැකීමක්' can also mean 'a lesson learned from past mistakes' or 'a feeling of being cheated or deceived'. | |||
| Tamil | அனுபவம் | ||
| In Tamil, "அனுபவம்" can also refer to the result or consequence of an action, as well as a state of deep understanding or wisdom. | |||
| Telugu | అనుభవం | ||
| అనుభవం also means 'knowledge', derived from anu (with, by) and bhavana (production, arising). | |||
| Urdu | تجربہ | ||
| The word "تجربہ" (experience) in Urdu derives from the Arabic root "جرب" (to test or try) and carries the additional meanings of "trial", "proof", or "experiment". | |||
Experience in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 经验 | ||
| "经验" originally meant "to meet" and has connotations of "knowledge from practice" and "trial and error. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 經驗 | ||
| In ancient Chinese, 經驗 referred specifically to the empirical knowledge gained from personal observations and interactions. | |||
| Japanese | 経験 | ||
| "経験" derives from Chinese and refers to "undergoing a specific activity" or "a state of undergoing." | |||
| Korean | 경험 | ||
| The Korean word "경험" can also mean "test" or "trial". | |||
| Mongolian | туршлага | ||
| "Туршлага" is cognate with "түрс" (sight, gaze), and is also used in Khalkha Mongolian to mean "to take a glance". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အတွေ့အကြုံ | ||
Experience in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pengalaman | ||
| "Pengalaman" comes from the root word "peng-alam", meaning "to enter a space or environment", implying an immersive encounter. | |||
| Javanese | pengalaman | ||
| In Old Javanese, " pengalaman " originally meant "to travel" or "to adventure." | |||
| Khmer | បទពិសោធន៍ | ||
| Lao | ປະສົບການ | ||
| The Lao word ປະສົບການ also refers to the personal qualities and knowledge that come from one's lived experience. | |||
| Malay | pengalaman | ||
| In some parts of Malaysia, the term pengalaman is also applied to a type of fermented glutinous rice cake | |||
| Thai | ประสบการณ์ | ||
| Derived from Sanskrit, the word "ประสบการณ์" also means "evidence supporting the truth of an event". | |||
| Vietnamese | kinh nghiệm | ||
| "Kinh nghiệm" literally means "through seeing" in Vietnamese, but it can also refer to skills or knowledge acquired through experience. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | karanasan | ||
Experience in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | təcrübə | ||
| The word "təcrübə" in Azerbaijani originates from the Persian word "tajrīb" and also means "knowledge" or "observation". | |||
| Kazakh | тәжірибе | ||
| Kyrgyz | тажрыйба | ||
| The word "тажрыйба" (experience) in Kyrgyz also means "a lesson learned from past mistakes". | |||
| Tajik | таҷриба | ||
| The Tajik word "таҷриба" is derived from the Persian word "تجربه" meaning "assay" or "test" | |||
| Turkmen | tejribe | ||
| Uzbek | tajriba | ||
| The word "tajriba" can also mean "test" or "experiment" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | تەجرىبە | ||
Experience in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻike | ||
| 'Ike' is also a Hawaiian word for 'knowledge', derived from the Proto-Polynesian word *siki, which means 'to see', 'to know', or 'to understand'. | |||
| Maori | wheako | ||
| The word "wheako" can also refer to a journey or a period of time. | |||
| Samoan | poto masani | ||
| "Poto masani" literally means "dark road" and alludes to the difficulties one faces in life. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | karanasan | ||
| Derived from the Sanskrit word 'karana' meaning 'instrument' or 'means' | |||
Experience in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | yatxata | ||
| Guarani | tembiasa | ||
Experience in International Languages
| Esperanto | sperto | ||
| In Italian "sperto" means "skillful", "clever". | |||
| Latin | experientia | ||
| As an archaic term, it refers to a risk, assay, or experiment. | |||
Experience in Others Languages
| Greek | εμπειρία | ||
| The Greek word "εμπειρία" comes from the root word "πειράω", meaning "to try out" or "to test". | |||
| Hmong | kev paub | ||
| The term "kev paub" can also refer to knowledge acquired through education, training, or study | |||
| Kurdish | tecribe | ||
| The word 'tecribe' comes from the Arabic word 'tacrib' and the Persian word 'tajribe', both with a similar meaning of 'experiment' or 'trial'. | |||
| Turkish | deneyim | ||
| The word "deneyim" in Turkish derives from the Persian word "dānish" meaning "knowledge" or "science". | |||
| Xhosa | amava | ||
| "Amava" refers to the sum of one's lived experiences and knowledge. | |||
| Yiddish | דערפאַרונג | ||
| Yiddish 'דערפאַרונג' ('experience') comes from the German 'Erfahrung,' meaning 'knowledge derived from experience' or 'proof' | |||
| Zulu | isipiliyoni | ||
| The word "isipiliyoni" in Zulu is derived from the verb "isilila", meaning "to listen" or "to obey." | |||
| Assamese | অভিজ্ঞতা | ||
| Aymara | yatxata | ||
| Bhojpuri | अनुभव | ||
| Dhivehi | ތަޖުރިބާ | ||
| Dogri | तजरबा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | karanasan | ||
| Guarani | tembiasa | ||
| Ilocano | kapadasan | ||
| Krio | ɛkspiriɛns | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئەزموون | ||
| Maithili | अनुभव | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯊꯦꯡꯅꯔꯛꯈꯤꯕ | ||
| Mizo | tawnhriat | ||
| Oromo | muuxannoo | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅଭିଜ୍ଞତା | ||
| Quechua | yachaykuna | ||
| Sanskrit | अनुभवः | ||
| Tatar | тәҗрибә | ||
| Tigrinya | ተሞክሮ | ||
| Tsonga | hlangana | ||