Fault in different languages

Fault in Different Languages

Discover 'Fault' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'fault' carries significant weight in our vocabulary, referring to a wide range of concepts from errors and mistakes to geological fractures in the earth's crust. Its cultural importance is evident in its use in proverbs, literature, and scientific discourse. Understanding the translation of 'fault' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how other cultures perceive and express this concept.

For instance, in Spanish, 'fault' translates to 'fallo' or 'error', while in French, it's 'faute', which also means 'miss' or 'omission'. In German, 'fault' becomes 'Fehler', and in Japanese, 'fault' is 'fōrudo' (フォールド), a direct loanword from English that refers to a geological fault.

Exploring the nuances of 'fault' in various languages can enrich our understanding of this term and deepen our appreciation for the richness and diversity of human language and culture. Below, you'll find a list of translations of 'fault' in different languages, providing a window into the unique ways that people around the world express this important concept.

Fault


Fault in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansfout
The word fout is derived from the Middle Dutch word vout, meaning "wrong," and is related to the English word "foul."
Amharicስህተት
"ስህተት" is derived from the Proto-Semitic root *šgṭ meaning "error, mistake, or fault".
Hausalaifi
The word laifi can also be translated to 'mistake' or 'error'.
Igbommejọ
The Igbo word "mmejọ" not only means "fault" but also refers to a "sin" or "wrongdoing against a deity or person."
Malagasytsiny
"Tsiny" also means "misfortune" or "bad luck" in Malagasy.
Nyanja (Chichewa)cholakwika
"Cholakwika" can mean either a fault (in a machine or circuit) or a mistake (in action or decision).
Shonakukanganisa
The word 'kukanganisa' can also mean 'to miss', 'to make a mistake', or 'to fail to do something'.
Somalicilad
Somali cilad 'fault, error' from Arabic khalad 'fault, error, defect' from khtl 'be mistaken'
Sesothophoso
The word "phoso" in Sesotho shares the same root with the word "posa" which means to put something down or to lay something flat.
Swahilikosa
"Kosa" can also refer to a transgression against a rule or law.
Xhosaimpazamo
The word "impazamo" can also be used as an adjective referring to something that is incorrect or broken.
Yorubaẹbi
Ẹbi, a Yoruba word meaning "fault," has a cognate in "ebi," meaning "sin" in the Edo language.
Zuluiphutha
The Zulu word "iphutha" (fault) originates from the verb "phutha" (to err, to make a mistake), and also carries the meaning of "failing to meet a standard or requirement."
Bambarajalaki
Ewevodada
Kinyarwandaamakosa
Lingalalibunga
Lugandaomusango
Sepediphošo
Twi (Akan)mfomsoɔ

Fault in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicخطأ
خطأ can also mean 'error', 'mistake', or 'incorrectness'
Hebrewאשמה
The term 'אשמה' also appears in rabbinic literature, where it refers to a legal obligation or debt.
Pashtoخطا
"خطا" is also used to refer to 'mistake' or 'error', highlighting its broad semantic range.
Arabicخطأ
خطأ can also mean 'error', 'mistake', or 'incorrectness'

Fault in Western European Languages

Albanianfaji
The word "faji" in Albanian has an alternative meaning of "flaw", or "defect".
Basqueakats
The word "akats" in Basque, meaning "fault", has alternative meanings such as "deficiency" and "disability".
Catalanculpa
The word "culpa" in Catalan derives from the Latin word "culpa" meaning "blame" or "guilt"
Croatiankvar
The word "kvar" in Croatian also means "malfunction", "damage", or "defect", and comes from the Proto-Slavic word "kwara" meaning "blemish" or "disfigurement".
Danishfejl
In Danish, "fejl" also means "error" or "mistake" and is related to the word "fail".
Dutchfout
The Dutch word “fout” can refer to a mistake, an error, or a flaw, but it also has a more archaic meaning of “evil” or “sinful.”
Englishfault
Etymology: Middle English faute, from Old French, from Late Latin fallita, alteration of fallata, feminine past participle of fallere, "to deceive".
Frenchfaute
"Faute" derives from the Old French word "faulte", meaning "lack" or "error",
Frisianfout
Frisian "fout" (fault) is thought to be derived from Middle Dutch "vut", a variation on "vrot" (rotten).
Galicianculpa
The Spanish "culpa" and the Galician "culpa" have slightly different meanings and etymology, but they are not mutually exclusive and often overlap, as they derive from Latin culp(p)a which, in turn, comes from the Indo-European *kel- "to conceal".
Germanfehler
Fehler originally referred to 'deviation' or 'mistake', not necessarily a 'fault'.
Icelandicsök
"Sök" also means "lawsuit" in Icelandic, and is cognate with the English word "seek."
Irishlocht
The word "locht" (fault) in Irish also means "defect" or "blemish" and is derived from the Proto-Celtic root *lok-to- (defect).
Italiancolpa
The Latin original is "culpa," meaning "guilt," with the secondary sense of "blame," from the PIE root "*kel-,
Luxembourgishfeeler
Feeler also means 'tentacles' or 'antennae' in German, from which it is derived.
Maltesetort
The Maltese word "tort" may derive from the Italian "torto," meaning "wrongful act," or the French "tort," meaning "harm."
Norwegianfeil
The Norwegian word "feil" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "*fehila" meaning "crime" or "sin."
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)culpa
The word "culpa" can also mean guilt, offense, and blame.
Scots Gaeliclocht
Scots Gaelic "locht" derives from Scottish Gaelic "loch" (a lake) and Proto-Germanic "*lok-." The latter is also the root of modern "lake" in English.
Spanishculpa
"Culpa" is also used in Spanish to refer to a "crime" or "offence."
Swedishfel
The word "fel" in Swedish originated from the German word "fehlen", meaning "to be absent", and its cognate "fail" exists in English.
Welshbai
Cognate with Latin "vitium" (blemish, defect) and with English "vice," its alternate meanings include "defect," "blemish," "flaw," "error," and "blemish in character."

Fault in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianвіна
The word "віна" also means "guilt" or "sin" and is related to the Old Church Slavonic word "вина".
Bosniangreška
It comes from the Proto-Slavic word *grěhъ, which originally meant "sin".
Bulgarianгрешка
The word "грешка" can also refer to a "mistake" or "error".
Czechchyba
In Czech, "chyba" has alternate meanings including "mistake" and, archaically, "defect".
Estoniansüü
In Estonian the word "süü" can mean both "fault" and "accusation" and derives from "süüdistama" (to blame), which in turn derives from "süü".
Finnishvika
The Finnish word "vika" (fault) is related to the Old Norse word "vík" (bay), which referred to a geographical formation on the edge of the land.
Hungarianhiba
The word "hiba" also means "demerit" and "error" in Hungarian.
Latvianvaina
The word "vaina" in Latvian can also refer to a "sheath" or "scabberd".
Lithuaniankaltė
"Kaltė" can also mean "guilt" in Lithuanian.
Macedonianгрешка
According to Vasmer's dictionary, the word "грешка" is borrowed from Bulgarian and can also mean "sin".
Polishwina
"Wina" in Polish also means "blame," "guilt," and "responsibility."
Romanianvina
The Romanian word "vină" (fault) also means "wine" in Romanian and "guilt" in French.
Russianвина
The Russian word "вина" (вина) can also mean "guilt" or "punishment".
Serbianгрешка
The word "грешка" is also used to describe a mistake or error, and it can be traced back to the Old Church Slavonic word "грѣхъ" (sin).
Slovakchyba
The word "chyba" can also mean "mistake" or "error" in Slovak.
Sloveniannapaka
The term 'napaka' has historically been used to describe both errors and sins
Ukrainianнесправність
The Ukrainian word "несправність" (fault) also means "malfunction" or "defect"

Fault in South Asian Languages

Bengaliদোষ
The word "দোষ" in Bengali shares its etymology with other Indo-Aryan languages and carries additional meanings such as "flaw", "blemish", or "sin".
Gujaratiખામી
The Gujarati word "ખામી" is derived from Sanskrit, and can also mean "defect", "blemish" or "imperfection"
Hindiदोष
दोष (dosh) is a Hindi word meaning "fault", but it can also refer to a "sin", "defect", or "ailment".
Kannadaತಪ್ಪು
The Kannada word "ತಪ್ಪು" (fault) shares the root "tap" with "tapa" (heat, penance), suggesting an association with "doing something wrong" or "heating something up" when used in the sense of a "fault".
Malayalamതെറ്റ്
The word 'തെറ്റ്' in Malayalam can also mean 'a mistake' or 'an error'.
Marathiचूक
The word "चूक" in Marathi can also mean "mistake" or "error".
Nepaliगल्ती
The Nepali word "गल्ती" also refers to a slip or mistake made by a person.
Punjabiਨੁਕਸ
The word "ਨੁਕਸ" (fault) in Punjabi also refers to a small hole or defect in something.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)වරද
වරද (varada) is cognate to the Sanskrit word 'varad' signifying 'giving', 'bestowal' or 'blessing'
Tamilதவறு
Tamil "தவறு" derives from Sanskrit "sthavir", originally meaning "old" or "senior", but evolved in Tamil to signify a "mistake".
Teluguతప్పు
The word "తప్పు" can also be used to refer to a "mistake".
Urduغلطی
"غلطی" in addition to meaning "fault," also means "mistake" and "error."

Fault in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)故障
故障 in Chinese can refer to a fault in machinery or an error in judgment or thinking.
Chinese (Traditional)故障
故障 in Chinese can mean a breakdown, malfunction, or error but can also mean a crime or wrongdoing
Japanese障害
障害 in Japanese can also refer to mental impairments, disabilities, or challenges.
Korean결점
"결점" originally meant "good point" in Chinese, but its meaning changed to "bad point" in Korean.
Mongolianалдаа
The word "алдаа" can also mean "mistake" or "error".
Myanmar (Burmese)အမှား

Fault in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiankesalahan
"Kesalahan" can also mean "wrongdoing" or "mistake."
Javanesekaluputan
In Javanese, "kaluputan" can also mean "mistake" or "error".
Khmerកំហុស
The word "កំហុស" can also mean "mistake" or "error".
Laoຄວາມຜິດ
Malaykesalahan
Kesalahan' also translates to 'mistake', 'error', or 'wrongdoing' depending on the context
Thaiความผิด
The Thai word "ความผิด" (fault) is also spelled "ความเป็นผิด" and can also refer to "wrongdoing" or "guilt".
Vietnameselỗi
"Lỗi" is the Vietnamese word for an error or a mistake, but it can also refer to a sin or wrong-doing; a defect or a flaw; a shortcoming or a failing.
Filipino (Tagalog)kasalanan

Fault in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanigünah
"Günah" is also used in the sense of "the act of eating something forbidden by religious law" in Azerbaijani.
Kazakhкінә
The word 'Кінә' also means 'sin' or 'guilt' in Kazakh.
Kyrgyzкүнөө
The word "күнөө" in Kyrgyz can also mean "sin" or "guilt".
Tajikайб
The word "айб" can also refer to a disgrace or a shame and is derived from the Old Persian word "aib" meaning "crime" or "offense".
Turkmenýalňyşlyk
Uzbekayb
The word "ayb" has been derived from the Persian word "aib",
Uyghurخاتالىق

Fault in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianhewa
The Hawaiian word "hewa" also means "to miss, to err, to deviate, to mistake".
Maori
The word "hē" in Maori can also mean "error", "mistake", or "defect".
Samoansese
Sese has the alternate meaning of "a wrong".
Tagalog (Filipino)kasalanan
The word "kasalanan" can also refer to a sin or transgression, which ultimately results in a fault or mistake.

Fault in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarapantja
Guaraniangaipa

Fault in International Languages

Esperantokulpo
Esperanto's "kulpo" derives from Latin culpa, meaning blame or guilt, or French "coupable", meaning guilty.
Latinculpam
Culpa is Latin for fault or guilt, but its root culpa is related to sculpture, where it meant a flaw or error in a piece.

Fault in Others Languages

Greekσφάλμα
The word 'σφάλμα' originally meant 'trip' or 'misstep' and was later applied to errors in general.
Hmongtxhaum
In the Hmong language 'txhaum', meaning “a fault,” also refers to "an inability to produce a desired outcome."
Kurdishşaşî
The word "şaşî" in Kurdish also refers to a "flaw" or "defect", particularly in the context of physical appearance or character.
Turkishhata
The word "hata" in Turkish has multiple meanings, including "fault", "mistake", and "error", and comes from the Arabic word "haṭā", meaning "to deviate from the right path".
Xhosaimpazamo
The word "impazamo" can also be used as an adjective referring to something that is incorrect or broken.
Yiddishשולד
The Yiddish word "שולד" (shuld) can also refer to a "burden" or "responsibility."
Zuluiphutha
The Zulu word "iphutha" (fault) originates from the verb "phutha" (to err, to make a mistake), and also carries the meaning of "failing to meet a standard or requirement."
Assameseদোষ
Aymarapantja
Bhojpuriदोष
Dhivehiކުށް
Dogriगलती
Filipino (Tagalog)kasalanan
Guaraniangaipa
Ilocanobasol
Kriofɔlt
Kurdish (Sorani)هەڵە
Maithiliगलती
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯑꯔꯥꯟꯕ
Mizodiklohna
Oromodogoggora
Odia (Oriya)ଦୋଷ
Quechuahucha
Sanskritदोषः
Tatarгаеп
Tigrinyaጥፍኣት
Tsongaxihoxo

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