Firm in Different Languages
Discover 'Firm' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'firm' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting strength, stability, and resolve. It reflects a sense of unwavering commitment and unyielding resolve, making it a culturally important term across the globe. But what does 'firm' mean in different languages? Understanding the translation of this word can provide unique insights into various cultures and languages.
For instance, in Spanish, 'firm' translates to 'firme', which is derived from the Latin 'firmus'. This term is used in a variety of contexts, from legal documents to expressions of determination. Meanwhile, in German, 'firm' becomes 'fest', a word that also signifies 'celebration', adding a layer of cultural significance.
Exploring the translations of 'firm' in different languages can be a fascinating journey. Here are a few examples:
Firm
Firm in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | ferm | ||
| The Afrikaans word "ferm" derives from the Latin "firmus" and can also refer to a farm or a dam. | |||
| Amharic | ጽኑ | ||
| The Amharic word ጽኑ (firm) also means "firmness" and "strength". | |||
| Hausa | m | ||
| In Hausa, "m" also refers to a type of tree and can be a verb meaning "to be full." | |||
| Igbo | guzosie ike | ||
| The Igbo word "guzosie ike" literally means "to take on strength" or "to become strong." | |||
| Malagasy | mafy | ||
| The Malagasy word "mafy" also means "to be serious, earnest. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | olimba | ||
| The word "olimba" can also mean "to be stubborn" or "to be determined". | |||
| Shona | yakasimba | ||
| "Yakasimba" also means "to be difficult" or "to be stubborn" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | adag | ||
| The term 'adag' may also refer to a law or principle in Somali culture and language. | |||
| Sesotho | tiile | ||
| Sesotho 'tiile' also means 'to establish' or 'to fix in a place'. | |||
| Swahili | imara | ||
| Imara, meaning 'firm', comes from a root word that also means 'strength' or 'power'. | |||
| Xhosa | ngokuqinileyo | ||
| In addition to 'firm', 'ngokuqinileyo' can also mean 'hard', 'strong', or 'stubborn' in Xhosa | |||
| Yoruba | duro | ||
| The Yoruba word "duro" may also refer to "stone" or "something durable". | |||
| Zulu | ngokuqinile | ||
| The word 'ngokuqinile' also refers to a person who is resolute or unyielding. | |||
| Bambara | gɛlɛn | ||
| Ewe | le tenu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ushikamye | ||
| Lingala | makasi | ||
| Luganda | obuggumivu | ||
| Sepedi | tiilego | ||
| Twi (Akan) | pintinn | ||
Firm in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حازم | ||
| In Persian, the name "Hazem" means "the courageous and intelligent one that achieves everything." | |||
| Hebrew | מוּצָק | ||
| The word "מוּצָק" in Hebrew can also derive from the root "צוק" meaning "a rock" and thus it also refers to the geological term "solid". | |||
| Pashto | فرم | ||
| A firm is known by different terms in Pashto. In Pashto, a firm can also refer to a company or a business organization, but it is not commonly used in this sense. | |||
| Arabic | حازم | ||
| In Persian, the name "Hazem" means "the courageous and intelligent one that achieves everything." | |||
Firm in Western European Languages
| Albanian | të fortë | ||
| In Albanian, "të fortë" not only means "firm", but it can also mean "strong" or "loud", depending on the context. | |||
| Basque | irmoa | ||
| The word 'irmoa' also means 'unmoving, steadfast, or unwavering' in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | ferm | ||
| The Catalan word "ferm" can also mean "strong", "stable", or "fixed." | |||
| Croatian | firma | ||
| Croatian "firma" is used in economics, but it also refers to the signature or validation of a document and can be an archaic term for "contract". | |||
| Danish | firma | ||
| The Danish word "firma" can also refer to a business or company, or to a type of legal entity. | |||
| Dutch | firma | ||
| In Dutch, the word "firma" is also used to refer to a business entity similar to a company or a partnership. | |||
| English | firm | ||
| The word "firm" can also refer to a business organization or partnership. | |||
| French | raffermir | ||
| The verb "raffermir" also derives from the old Frankish term "fermen" which means "to warm" or "to strengthen". | |||
| Frisian | flink | ||
| In modern Frisian, "flink" also refers to a sharp pain in the head or joints. | |||
| Galician | firme | ||
| In Galician, "firme" also means "signature", likely derived from the Latin word "firmare" (to sign). | |||
| German | feste | ||
| The origin of the word "Feste" lies in an Old English word that also meant "to establish". | |||
| Icelandic | fyrirtæki | ||
| Fyrirtæki can also refer to a business or company and is ultimately derived from Old Norse "fyrir", meaning "before" or "in front of" and "tækja", meaning "to take". | |||
| Irish | daingean | ||
| The word 'daingean' in Irish can also refer to a fortified place or stronghold. | |||
| Italian | fermo | ||
| The word "fermo" in Italian can also mean "still" or "motionless". | |||
| Luxembourgish | firma | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Firma" can also refer to a "legal entity" or a "company". | |||
| Maltese | ditta | ||
| "Ditta" means "firm" in Italian and "brand" in Maltese. | |||
| Norwegian | fast | ||
| In Norwegian, the word "fast" can also mean "solid" or "durable." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | empresa | ||
| The Portuguese word "empresa" comes from the Latin "imprehendere", meaning "to undertake" or "to seize". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | daingeann | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "daingeann" also refers to a fort or stronghold. | |||
| Spanish | firma | ||
| "Firma" in Spanish can also mean "signature" or "legal entity." | |||
| Swedish | fast | ||
| The Swedish word "fast" can also mean "steady" or "stable". | |||
| Welsh | cadarn | ||
| Cadarn can also refer to 'mighty', 'powerful', 'strong' or 'tough'. | |||
Firm in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | цвёрдая | ||
| Bosnian | čvrsto | ||
| The word "čvrsto" also means "healthy" or "strong" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | твърд | ||
| The word "твърд" can also mean "hard" or "solid" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | firma | ||
| In Old Church Slavonic, this is derived from the word for “contract”, while its cognate in Polish, “firma,” means "signature." | |||
| Estonian | kindel | ||
| The word "kindel" in Estonian also means "sure", "certain" or "constant". | |||
| Finnish | yritys | ||
| The word "yritys" in Finnish derives from the word "yrittää" meaning "to try" and also signifies an attempt, effort, or venture. | |||
| Hungarian | cég | ||
| The word "cég" is also used to refer to the sign or logo of a company or business. | |||
| Latvian | stingrs | ||
| The word stingrs is derived from the Proto-Indoeuropean root *ḱer- "to make firm, to tighten". | |||
| Lithuanian | firma | ||
| The word "firma" in Lithuanian also means "sky" or "firmament". | |||
| Macedonian | цврста | ||
| In Slavic languages 'цврст' refers to 'solid' (e.g. liquid vs. solid) and thus has different connotations depending on the context. | |||
| Polish | firma | ||
| Firma derives from the Latin firma meaning 'signature', 'bond' or 'security'. | |||
| Romanian | firmă | ||
| In Romanian, "firmă" is derived from Latin "firmus" meaning "strong" and can also refer to a medical certificate for exemption from work. | |||
| Russian | фирма | ||
| Фирма may also mean a trademark, a signature, or a signature tune, particularly in music. | |||
| Serbian | фирма | ||
| The word "фирма" has a root cognate with "firm" in English and shares its meaning, but its other meanings are "trade mark" and "company". | |||
| Slovak | pevné | ||
| The word "pevné" is also used to denote something that is "reliable" or "safe." | |||
| Slovenian | trdno | ||
| The word "trdno" also means "tightly" or "firmly" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | фірма | ||
| In legal terms, "фірма" can also mean a business entity, such as a limited liability company (LLC). | |||
Firm in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | দৃঢ় | ||
| "দৃঢ়" can alternately mean stubborn, resolute, unyielding, or strong. | |||
| Gujarati | પે firmી | ||
| The Gujarati word "પે firmી" (firm) originally meant a shop or business establishment, and its alternate meaning of "firm" (steadfast) is derived from its association with the stability and reliability of a well-established business. | |||
| Hindi | दृढ़ | ||
| The Hindi word "दृढ़" shares an Indo-European root with Latin "durus" (hard) and English "durable" | |||
| Kannada | ದೃ | ||
| ದೃ is also the masculine form of ದೃಢ (firm), and can mean firmness, strength, or determination. | |||
| Malayalam | ഉറച്ച | ||
| The origin of the word "ഉറച്ച" can be traced back to the Sanskrit "drdha", meaning "solid" or "firm". | |||
| Marathi | टणक | ||
| The word "टणक" in Marathi can also mean "tight" or "firmly fixed". | |||
| Nepali | दृढ | ||
| The word 'दृढ' ('firm') in Nepali is also related to the Sanskrit word 'दृढ़' ('strong', 'solid') and the Prakrit word 'दढ' ('firm', 'strong'). | |||
| Punjabi | ਪੱਕਾ | ||
| The word "ਪੱਕਾ" in Punjabi can also refer to something that is mature, ripe, or well-cooked, and is derived from the Sanskrit word "pakva." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ස්ථිරයි | ||
| The word 'ස්ථිරයි' can also be used to refer to 'a fixed place' or 'a stable condition'. | |||
| Tamil | நிறுவனம் | ||
| The word 'நிறுவனம்' (firm) in Tamil, comes from the root word 'நிறு' (to establish), and originally meant a place or an institution where something was established or set up. | |||
| Telugu | సంస్థ | ||
| The term "సంస్థ" (firm) in Telugu also refers to a "foundation," "establishment," or "organization." | |||
| Urdu | فرم | ||
| The Urdu word "فرم" also means "form", and "decree" | |||
Firm in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 公司 | ||
| "公司" (gōngsī) is composed of the characters "公" (gōng) meaning 'public' and "司" (sī) meaning 'manage'. In addition to the meaning of a firm or company, "公司" can also refer to an organization or institute. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 公司 | ||
| "公司" (gong si) literally means "common business" in Chinese (Traditional), and is used to refer to both firms and companies. | |||
| Japanese | 当社 | ||
| The word "当社" (tōsha) in Japanese can also mean "our company" or "our firm". | |||
| Korean | 상사 | ||
| The Korean word "상사" (firm) derives from the Chinese word "公司", meaning "joint company". | |||
| Mongolian | хатуу | ||
| In Mongolian, the word "хатуу" also has an alternate meaning of "brave or tenacious" | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မြဲမြံ | ||
| The word "မြဲမြံ" in Myanmar (Burmese) is derived from the Pali word "dhamma", meaning "truth" or "law". | |||
Firm in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | perusahaan | ||
| "Perusahaan" comes from the Sanskrit word "persahaja" meaning "friend" or "partner". | |||
| Javanese | tenan | ||
| The Javanese word "tenan" also means "really" or "surely" and is related to the word "tanti" which means "true". | |||
| Khmer | ក្រុមហ៊ុន | ||
| Lao | ບໍລິສັດ | ||
| The term ບໍລິສັດ is a Khmer loanword which also carries the meaning "government office" in Khmer. | |||
| Malay | tegas | ||
| The word "tegas" is derived from the Javanese word "teges" meaning "precise" or "exact". | |||
| Thai | บริษัท | ||
| The Thai word “บริษัท” (firm) comes from the French word “société” (society), reflecting the idea of a company as a legal entity formed by an association of individuals. | |||
| Vietnamese | chắc chắn | ||
| "Chắc chắn" is often used in Vietnamese with more literal meanings like "certainly," but can also mean "firmly" as a result of the verb "chắc" ("to press" or "to squeeze") | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | matatag | ||
Firm in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | möhkəm | ||
| The word "möhkəm" in Azerbaijani shares a common Proto-Turkic origin with the Turkish "muhkem" and means "firm" as well as "strong", "solid", and "reliable." | |||
| Kazakh | берік | ||
| The word "берік" can be derived from the Proto-Turkic root "*berek" meaning both "firm, strong" and "fruit". | |||
| Kyrgyz | бекем | ||
| In Russian, 'бекем' (firm) is a word taken from Turkic languages, where it means a 'fortress' or 'stronghold'. | |||
| Tajik | устувор | ||
| The word "устувор" also means "strong" and "solid". | |||
| Turkmen | berk | ||
| Uzbek | qat'iy | ||
| The word "qat'iy" in Uzbek also means "strict" or "exact". | |||
| Uyghur | قەتئىي | ||
Firm in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kūpaʻa | ||
| In addition to "firm," the Hawaiian word "kūpaʻa" also connotes steadfastness, loyalty, determination, and resoluteness. | |||
| Maori | maro | ||
| Maro is also a name for a Maori war club made of whale bone or hardwood. | |||
| Samoan | mausali | ||
| Mausali also means "tough" or "unyielding" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | matatag | ||
| "Matatag" also means "brave" or "strong" in Tagalog. | |||
Firm in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | chiqapa | ||
| Guarani | teraguapy | ||
Firm in International Languages
| Esperanto | firma | ||
| Latin | firm | ||
| The Latin word “firmus” means “strong” or “steadfast” and is the root of the English word “firm.” | |||
Firm in Others Languages
| Greek | εταιρεία | ||
| The Greek word "εταιρεία" can also mean "company" or "association". | |||
| Hmong | ruaj | ||
| The Hmong word "ruaj," meaning "firm," also means "steadfast" and "reliable." | |||
| Kurdish | bicî | ||
| The word “bicî” means “firm” and can also be used to express “unyielding”. | |||
| Turkish | sağlam | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "firm" or "sturdy", "sağlam" can also mean "healthy" or "sound" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | ngokuqinileyo | ||
| In addition to 'firm', 'ngokuqinileyo' can also mean 'hard', 'strong', or 'stubborn' in Xhosa | |||
| Yiddish | פעסט | ||
| The word "פעסט" in Yiddish comes from the German word "fest" and has connotations of both strength and determination. | |||
| Zulu | ngokuqinile | ||
| The word 'ngokuqinile' also refers to a person who is resolute or unyielding. | |||
| Assamese | দৃঢ় | ||
| Aymara | chiqapa | ||
| Bhojpuri | कंपनी | ||
| Dhivehi | ހަރުދަނާ | ||
| Dogri | मजबूत | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | matatag | ||
| Guarani | teraguapy | ||
| Ilocano | natibker | ||
| Krio | kɔmni | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | تووند | ||
| Maithili | दृढ़ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯦꯠꯄ | ||
| Mizo | nghet | ||
| Oromo | kan hin sochoone | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଦୃ firm | ||
| Quechua | empresa | ||
| Sanskrit | प्रतिष्ठान | ||
| Tatar | нык | ||
| Tigrinya | ትካል | ||
| Tsonga | tiya | ||