Fundamental in different languages

Fundamental in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

At its core, 'fundamental' refers to the most basic or essential aspects of something. This concept is universal, and understanding the fundamentals of a subject is crucial for mastery and appreciation. The significance of the 'fundamental' extends beyond the technical realm, as it also touches on our shared human experiences and values.

Throughout history, various cultures have emphasized the importance of fundamentals in various ways. In ancient Greek philosophy, for instance, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle sought to understand the fundamental principles that govern reality. In East Asian philosophy, Confucius stressed the importance of fundamental virtues like benevolence and righteousness.

Given the cultural importance of 'fundamental,' it's no surprise that people might be interested in its translations in different languages. By exploring these translations, we can gain insights into how other cultures conceptualize the essence of things and appreciate the richness of our linguistic and cultural diversity.

Here are some translations of 'fundamental' in various languages:

Fundamental


Fundamental in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansfundamenteel
In Afrikaans, "fundamenteel" can have the connotation of something that is essential to a person's character beyond religious belief.
Amharicመሠረታዊ
Hausana asali
The word "na asali" in Hausa can also mean "the original, the real, the essential, the true, the right, the good, the beautiful, the pure, the holy, the divine, the eternal, the infinite, the transcendent, the ultimate, the absolute."
Igboisi
The Igbo word 'isi' also means 'head' or 'top,' suggesting a connection between the fundamental nature of something and its position of prominence or leadership.
Malagasyfototra
The word "fototra" in Malagasy is derived from the Indonesian word "dasar" which also means "fundamental".
Nyanja (Chichewa)zachikhalidwe
Derived from '-chikha' ('to do something firmly') and '-lidwa' ('to be done').
Shonayakakosha
Yakakosha, meaning both 'essential' and 'original', comes from the Shona word 'yaka', meaning 'source' or 'root'.
Somaliaasaasiga ah
The term "asaasiga ah" signifies something crucial, substantive, or elemental, analogous to the English equivalents of "essence", "foundation", and "core".
Sesothomotheo
Motheo also means 'origin' and is related to the word 'motsoho', meaning 'base'.
Swahilimsingi
"Msingi" also means "foundation" in Swahili and is the origin of the name of Tanzania's capital, Dodoma, which was the foundation of the new Tanzanian capital in 1974.
Xhosaesisiseko
E'siSiko, also refers to a 'risk', or a 'challenge'.
Yorubaipilẹ
Ipile denotes both "fundamental" and "the foundation of a building" in Yoruba.
Zuluokuyisisekelo
The word "okuyisisekelo" in Zulu is derived from the root "-yis" meaning "to be" and "-siko" meaning "foundation".
Bambaradugumata
Ewegɔmeɖonu
Kinyarwandashingiro
Lingalantina
Lugandakyetagisa
Sepedibohlokwa
Twi (Akan)nnyinasoɔ

Fundamental in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicأساسي
The word "أساسي" in Arabic also means "essence" or "basis".
Hebrewבסיסי
Another meaning of בסיסי is 'basic' or 'elementary'.
Pashtoبنسټیز
The word "بنسټیز" can also refer to "basic" or "main" elements or ideas.
Arabicأساسي
The word "أساسي" in Arabic also means "essence" or "basis".

Fundamental in Western European Languages

Albanianthemelore
The word "themelore" in Albanian is derived from the Greek word "themelion," meaning "foundation" or "cornerstone."
Basqueoinarrizkoa
The word "oinarrizkoa" also means "elemental" or "basic" in Basque.
Catalanfonamental
Fonamental, in Catalan, can refer to either 'fundamental' or 'important'.
Croatiantemeljne
The word "temeljne" in Croatian can also mean "main" or "basic".
Danishgrundlæggende
The word "grundlæggende" also derives from the Old Norse word "grundr", meaning "ground", and "leggja", meaning "to lay".
Dutchfundamenteel
Fundamenteel in Dutch can also mean 'groundwork' or 'foundation'.
Englishfundamental
The word "fundamental" originates from the Latin word "fundamentum," meaning "foundation" or "base."
Frenchfondamental
The French word "fondamental" comes from the Latin word "fundamentum", which means "foundation" or "base".
Frisianfûnemintele
The word "fûnemintele" can also mean "foundation" or "principle".
Galicianfundamental
En la época clásica las "siete artes liberales" o disciplinas fueron llamadas "fundamentais" por ser base del resto de los saberes.
Germangrundlegend
The word 'grundlegend' comes from the words 'Grund' (meaning 'ground') and 'legen' (meaning 'to lay'), and it can also mean 'basic' or 'essential'.
Icelandicgrundvallaratriði
The Icelandic word "grundvallaratriði" literally translates to "pillars of the foundation" or "basic principles".
Irishbunúsach
The word "bunúsach" is derived from the Proto-Celtic word "*bonasakos," meaning "origin" or "foundation.
Italianfondamentale
The Italian word "fondamentale" (fundamental) derives both from the Latin "fundere" (to pour) and "fundamentum" (foundation).
Luxembourgishfundamental
In Luxembourgish, the word "fundamental" also means "bottom layer" or "foundation".
Maltesefundamentali
The Maltese word "fundamentali" can also mean "basic" or "essential."
Norwegianfundamental
In Norwegian, "fundamental" refers to a person's personality, not basic principles.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)fundamental
"Fundamental" comes from the Latin word "fundamentum," meaning "foundation" or "base."
Scots Gaelicbunaiteach
The term "bunaiteach" is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "bun" (foundation).
Spanishfundamental
"Fundamental" also means "basic, essential, core" and originates from the Latin word "fundare", meaning "to found, establish".
Swedishgrundläggande
Grundläggande, meaning fundamental, can also refer to the ground or foundation of something.
Welshsylfaenol
The word "sylfaenol" is derived from the Latin word "fundamentum", which means "foundation" or "support."

Fundamental in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianфундаментальны
Word can also mean: “essential, basic, underlying, principal” in Belarusian.
Bosnianfundamentalno
The word 'fundamentalno' derives from the Latin adjective 'fundamentalis' meaning 'basic', 'essential' or 'pertaining to the foundation'.
Bulgarianосновен
The word "основен" can also mean "basic" or "primary" in Bulgarian.
Czechzákladní
The Czech word "základní" originally meant "elementary" or "primary," and still retains this meaning in certain contexts, such as "základní škola" (primary school).
Estonianpõhimõtteline
In Estonian, the word "põhimõtteline" has the additional sense of "principled" or "based on principles".
Finnishperustavanlaatuinen
The word "perustavanlaatuinen" is derived from the words "perusta" (foundation) and "laatu" (quality), meaning "having a basic or fundamental quality"
Hungarianalapvető
The word "alapvető" originated from merging three words: "alap" (meaning base or foundation), "vetette" (meaning it was laid by someone / put in place by someone), and "ő" (the third person personal pronoun, i.e., he), so basically it means that something was laid down as a base by someone.
Latvianfundamentāls
The word "fundamentāls" in Latvian also has the alternate meaning of "elementary" or "basic".
Lithuanianesminis
The word "esminis" could also mean "primary" or "important" in a more general sense.
Macedonianфундаментален
In some contexts, 'фундаментален' can mean 'basic', 'core' or 'elementary'.
Polishfundamentalny
The Polish word "fundamentalny" also means "basic" or "essential".
Romanianfundamental
In Romanian, "fundamental" comes from Latin "fundamentum" (foundation) but also means "basic" or "elementary".
Russianфундаментальный
In Russian, "фундаментальный" can also mean "thorough" or "detailed".
Serbianтемељне
The word "темељне" (fundamental) in Serbian also means "thorough", "well-founded" or "basic".
Slovakzásadné
"Zásadné" in Slovak is also used to refer to matters that are substantial, significant, or essential, similar to the English usage of "foundational" or "critical".
Sloveniantemeljni
The word "temeljni" in Slovenian also means "primordial" or "basic".
Ukrainianфундаментальний
The word "фундаментальний" comes from the Latin word "fundamentum", meaning "foundation".

Fundamental in South Asian Languages

Bengaliমৌলিক
The term "মৌলিক" can also refer to the basic principles or elements of any subject or system.
Gujaratiમૂળભૂત
In English, the term "fundamental" is derived from the Latin word "fundamentum," which means "foundation" or "base."
Hindiमौलिक
The word "मौलिक," meaning "fundamental" in Hindi, can also mean "original," "elemental," "basic," or "root" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "मूल," meaning "root".
Kannadaಮೂಲಭೂತ
"ಮೂಲಭೂತ" (fundamental) means essential, basic, and primary and is derived from the root "ಮೂಲ" (origin, foundation).
Malayalamഅടിസ്ഥാനപരമായത്
Marathiमूलभूत
मूलभूत means 'cause' or 'reason' in Sanskrit and 'origin' or 'base' in Marathi.
Nepaliमौलिक
The word मौलिक also means 'original, native'
Punjabiਬੁਨਿਆਦੀ
Sinhala (Sinhalese)මූලික
The word "මූලික" can also mean "root" or "origin" in Sinhala.
Tamilஅடிப்படை
Teluguప్రాథమిక
The word "ప్రాథమిక" (fundamental) also means "that which is first" or "that which is most important".
Urduبنیادی
The word "بنیادی" also means "elementary" or "primary" in Urdu.

Fundamental in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)基本的
基本的 (jīběn de) also means "basic", "elementary", or "primary" in Chinese.
Chinese (Traditional)基本的
"基本的" (basic) is the Chinese translation of "fundamental" and also means "basic; elementary."
Japaneseファンダメンタル
"ファンダメンタル" is an English loanword meaning fundamental, originally an adjective formed from the Latin word 'fundus' meaning 'base' or 'ground'"
Korean기본적인
기본적인 means basic in Korean, but can also mean 'elementary' and 'primary'.
Mongolianүндсэн
The word "үндсэн" also has the alternate meanings of "basis" and "root" in Mongolian.
Myanmar (Burmese)အခြေခံကျ

Fundamental in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianmendasar
In Indonesian, the word "mendasar" also means "to lay a foundation" or "to create a basis for something," emphasizing its connection to foundational principles or concepts.
Javanesedhasar
In addition to "fundamental", "dhasar" in Javanese can refer to a foundation, principle, or element.
Khmerមូលដ្ឋានគ្រឹះ
Laoພື້ນຖານ
Malayasas
The word “asas” in Malay has Sanskrit roots and can also mean “basis” or “foundation.”
Thaiพื้นฐาน
พื้นฐาน can also refer to a foundation of a building or a surface upon which something is built.
Vietnamesecơ bản
Cơ bản can also mean "basic" or "elementary" in Vietnamese.
Filipino (Tagalog)pangunahing

Fundamental in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniəsas
In the 16th century,
Kazakhіргелі
The Kazakh word "іргелі" ("fundamental") is etymologically related to the word "ірге" ("foundation") and can also mean "basic", "essential", or "primary."
Kyrgyzнегизги
The word "негизги" can also mean "main" or "basic" in Kyrgyz.
Tajikасосӣ
The word "асосӣ" in Tajik is derived from the Arabic word "اساسی" (asāsī), meaning "basic".
Turkmenesasy
Uzbekasosiy
The word "asosiy" in Uzbek is derived from the Arabic word "asās", meaning "foundation" or "basis".
Uyghurfundamental

Fundamental in Pacific Languages

Hawaiiankumumea
The word kumumea in Hawaiian also refers to the foundation of a house or other structure, and to the base or root of a plant.
Maoritaketake
The word 'taketake' is also used to describe the central post of a Maori meeting house, which is sometimes carved with representations of atua (deities).
Samoantaua
Taua also means 'war', suggesting that the fundamental elements of a thing are the source of its strength and resilience.
Tagalog (Filipino)pangunahing
The word 'pangunahing' derives from the root word 'pangulo,' which means 'leader', emphasizing the foundational nature of something.

Fundamental in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarawakiskiri
Guaranimopyenda

Fundamental in International Languages

Esperantofundamenta
In addition to its primary meaning, "fundamenta" can also mean "foundation" or "basis" in Esperanto.
Latinfundamental
The Latin word “fundamentalis” is closely related to the verb “fundare,” meaning "to establish" or "to lay a foundation."

Fundamental in Others Languages

Greekθεμελιώδης
"θεμελιώδης" (fundamental) comes from "θέμεθλος" (foundation) and means "relating to the foundation."
Hmongsiv
In White Hmong, "siv" can also refer to "the main purpose" or "the main point" of something.
Kurdishbingehane
The word "bingehane" derives from the Persian word "buniyad" meaning "foundation" or "basis".
Turkishtemel
Temel can also mean 'basic' or 'foundation' in Turkish
Xhosaesisiseko
E'siSiko, also refers to a 'risk', or a 'challenge'.
Yiddishפונדאַמענטאַל
The word "פונדאַמענטאַל" (fundamental) in Yiddish, which dates back to the 16th century, derives from the Hebrew "פֿונאַמענט" (fundament) and ultimately from the Latin "fundamentum" (foundation).
Zuluokuyisisekelo
The word "okuyisisekelo" in Zulu is derived from the root "-yis" meaning "to be" and "-siko" meaning "foundation".
Assameseমৌলিক
Aymarawakiskiri
Bhojpuriमौलिक
Dhivehiއަސާސީ
Dogriबुनियादी
Filipino (Tagalog)pangunahing
Guaranimopyenda
Ilocanonapateg
Krioimpɔtant
Kurdish (Sorani)بنەڕەتی
Maithiliमौलिक
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯇꯉꯥꯏ ꯐꯗꯕ ꯌꯨꯝꯐꯝ
Mizobulpui
Oromobu'uura
Odia (Oriya)ମୌଳିକ
Quechuaaswan allin
Sanskritमौलिक
Tatarфундаменталь
Tigrinyaመሰረታዊ
Tsongaswa nkoka

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