Growth in Different Languages
Discover 'Growth' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Growth is a powerful word that carries significant meaning across cultures and languages. It represents the process of continuous improvement, development, and progress, whether in a personal, professional, or organizational context. Historically, growth has been a key factor in the evolution of societies, driving innovation, exploration, and transformation.
In our modern, globalized world, understanding the translation of growth in different languages has become increasingly important. As we engage with diverse communities, businesses, and cultures, being able to communicate the concept of growth in a meaningful way can help build connections, foster understanding, and drive success.
For example, in Spanish, growth is 'crecimiento', while in French, it's 'croissance'. In Mandarin, the character for growth, '成长', is composed of two parts - '成', which means to become or complete, and '长', which means long or tall. Together, these characters convey the idea of reaching one's full potential.
In the following list, you'll find the translations of growth in 10 different languages, providing a glimpse into the cultural significance of this important concept.
Growth
Growth in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | groei | ||
| "Groei" in Afrikaans comes from the Old Dutch word "groeve" meaning "pit" or "depression". Hence its other meaning is "mine" or "quarry". | |||
| Amharic | እድገት | ||
| The word "እድገት" can also mean "development" or "progress". | |||
| Hausa | girma | ||
| Hausa "girma" stems from "giram" (to increase in number, amount, or length) and also means "progress" or "development." | |||
| Igbo | uto | ||
| 'Uto' also means 'to sprout' and 'germinate' in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | fitomboana | ||
| The word "fitomboana" derives from the root "-ombo-" meaning "to grow" and the prefix "fi-" indicating a passive or reflexive form. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kukula | ||
| The word "kukula" in Nyanja also means "to increase" or "to become bigger". | |||
| Shona | kukura | ||
| Shona 'kukura' means 'growth' or 'maturity' and can refer to 'the increase in size or weight of a person or animal' or 'the development of a person's mind or character'. | |||
| Somali | koritaanka | ||
| The Somali word "koritaanka" can also refer to the process of development or maturation. | |||
| Sesotho | kholo | ||
| Kholo can also refer to the process of increasing in size. | |||
| Swahili | ukuaji | ||
| "Ukuaji" can also refer to the process of development or progress, or the increase in size or number over time. | |||
| Xhosa | ukukhula | ||
| "Ukukhula" also means "to rise" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | idagba | ||
| Idagba also means "progress" or "prosperity" and is often used as a personal name. | |||
| Zulu | ukukhula | ||
| "In Zulu, ukukhula has the alternative meanings of "to arise", "to grow", "to spread", and "to increase." | |||
| Bambara | jiidiya | ||
| Ewe | tsitsi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gukura | ||
| Lingala | bokoli | ||
| Luganda | okukula | ||
| Sepedi | kgolo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | onyini | ||
Growth in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نمو | ||
| The word "نمو" can also mean "height" or "stature" in Arabic, particularly when referring to a person's physical appearance. | |||
| Hebrew | צְמִיחָה | ||
| The Hebrew word "צְמִיחָה" also means "sprouting" or "vegetation." | |||
| Pashto | وده | ||
| "وده" can refer to bodily growth as well as the increase in height that comes with getting older | |||
| Arabic | نمو | ||
| The word "نمو" can also mean "height" or "stature" in Arabic, particularly when referring to a person's physical appearance. | |||
Growth in Western European Languages
| Albanian | rritje | ||
| In Albanian, the word "rritje" also means "education" or "upbringing". | |||
| Basque | hazkundea | ||
| The first syllable of the word "hazkundea" can also be translated as "grow" (as in "grow tomatoes"). | |||
| Catalan | creixement | ||
| Creixement" shares its origin with the English word "increase" and the Latin word "cresco" (to grow). | |||
| Croatian | rast | ||
| The word "rast" (growth) in Croatian is cognate with "rest" and "рост (rost)" in Russian. | |||
| Danish | vækst | ||
| Historically, "vækst" did not only refer to a physical magnitude, but also to the increase in value of animals and money | |||
| Dutch | groei | ||
| In the Middle Ages the word 'groei' was also used for the time when cattle were driven from the pasture to the stable, an old custom still practiced at the end of October. | |||
| English | growth | ||
| The verb 'grow' is of Germanic origin and is cognate with the German 'grôen' and Dutch 'groeien'. | |||
| French | croissance | ||
| The French word "croissance" also means "increasing prosperity". | |||
| Frisian | groei | ||
| The Frisian word "groei" is related to the English "grow". | |||
| Galician | crecemento | ||
| The word "crecemento" in Galician derives from the Latin verb "crescere" (to grow), and also has the meaning of "increase" or "development". | |||
| German | wachstum | ||
| The German word 'Wachstum' ('growth') comes from the Old High German 'wahsan' ('to grow'), which is related to the Latin 'augeo' ('to increase'). | |||
| Icelandic | vöxtur | ||
| "vöxtur" is also an Icelandic name, most commonly given to girls. | |||
| Irish | fás | ||
| The word "fás" can also mean "prophecy" or "omen" in Irish. | |||
| Italian | crescita | ||
| The word "crescita" originally derives from the Latin participle "crescitus," meaning "to increase" or "to grow." | |||
| Luxembourgish | wuesstem | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Wuesstem" can also refer to "the state of being damp" or "the action of growing". | |||
| Maltese | tkabbir | ||
| The Maltese word "tkabbir" is derived from the Arabic word "takbîr", meaning "greatening" or "magnification". | |||
| Norwegian | vekst | ||
| It also means 'interest', 'increase' and 'exchange'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | crescimento | ||
| In Portugal, "crescimento" can refer to physical growth or to the increase of profits or revenues. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fàs | ||
| 'Fàs' can also mean 'slope' or 'slant' in Scots Gaelic, possibly due to its connection to the act of growing, where something rises from the ground at an angle. | |||
| Spanish | crecimiento | ||
| In botany, "crecimiento" also refers to the process of plant development from seed to maturity. | |||
| Swedish | tillväxt | ||
| The word "tillväxt" originally meant "increase" or "addition" in Swedish, and is related to the verb "växa" (to grow). | |||
| Welsh | twf | ||
| In the medieval period, 'twf' also meant 'increase' and the 'growing of crops' | |||
Growth in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | рост | ||
| "Рост" also means "height" in Belarusian, and its root is a Proto-Indo-European word meaning "to rise". | |||
| Bosnian | rast | ||
| Rast also means 'expenditure' or a 'burden' in some contexts. | |||
| Bulgarian | растеж | ||
| The word "растеж" can also refer to the increase in the size or number of something, such as the growth of a population or the growth of a business. | |||
| Czech | růst | ||
| "Růst" has an alternate meaning in Czech that is "rate of change". | |||
| Estonian | kasvu | ||
| In Finnish, “kasvu” also means “profit”. | |||
| Finnish | kasvu | ||
| The Finnish word "kasvu" can refer to both physical and economic growth. | |||
| Hungarian | növekedés | ||
| In Old Hungarian, the word "növekedés" could also mean "vegetation". | |||
| Latvian | izaugsmi | ||
| Latvian "izaugsmi" comes from "izstigt" (to get out, emerge) or from "augt" (to grow), meaning literally something that comes from within. | |||
| Lithuanian | augimas | ||
| "Augimas" is a derivative of the Proto-Indo-European root "*aug-", meaning "to increase" or "to grow". | |||
| Macedonian | раст | ||
| The word 'раст' can also refer to the process of growth or development in a general sense. | |||
| Polish | wzrost | ||
| "Wzrost" can also refer to a person's weight or height. | |||
| Romanian | creştere | ||
| "Creştere" comes from the Latin word "creare," meaning "to create," and the Slavic word "*rastь", meaning "to increase." | |||
| Russian | рост | ||
| The word "рост" also means "height" and is cognate with the English word "raise". | |||
| Serbian | раст | ||
| The word "раст" can also refer to a plant or a child. | |||
| Slovak | rast | ||
| The word "rast" also means "height" or "stature" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | rast | ||
| The word 'rast' also means 'growth of a plant' and is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root '*reh₁-' meaning 'to grow'. | |||
| Ukrainian | зростання | ||
| The word "зростання" can also refer to an increase in the intensity of a process or phenomenon over time. | |||
Growth in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বৃদ্ধি | ||
| The word "বৃদ্ধি" ("growth") in Bengali comes from the Sanskrit word "वृद्धि" ("increase"), which itself is derived from the root "वृध्" ("to grow"). | |||
| Gujarati | વૃદ્ધિ | ||
| The word "વૃદ્ધિ" (growth) in Gujarati also means "increase" or "accumulation". | |||
| Hindi | विकास | ||
| The Sanskrit root of the Hindi word for "development" also relates to the meaning "to create". | |||
| Kannada | ಬೆಳವಣಿಗೆ | ||
| "ಬೆಳವಣಿಗೆ" can also refer to the act of unfolding, expansion, or development in a larger sense. | |||
| Malayalam | വളർച്ച | ||
| The word "വളർച്ച" (growth) in Malayalam also refers to the process of developing or maturing. | |||
| Marathi | वाढ | ||
| The Marathi word वाढ or वाधा can also refer to increase, enlargement, a rise in level. | |||
| Nepali | वृद्धि | ||
| The word "वृद्धि" also means "increase" or "gain" in Sanskrit and Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਵਿਕਾਸ ਦਰ | ||
| The Punjabi noun "વિકાસ દર" means not only "rate of growth", as is the case for the corresponding English word "growth."; it also means simply, "growth." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වර්ධනය | ||
| The Sinhalese word "වර්ධනය" is derived from Sanskrit and holds connotations of "increasing" or "prospering". | |||
| Tamil | வளர்ச்சி | ||
| "வளர்ச்சி" can also refer to the increase in size, quantity, or intensity of something, or to the development or progress of something over time. | |||
| Telugu | పెరుగుదల | ||
| "పెరుగుదల" also means the increase of something in thickness but not in size. | |||
| Urdu | نمو | ||
| Urdu word "نمو" ("growth") also means "development", "expansion", "progress", and "increase". | |||
Growth in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 成长 | ||
| "成长" is composed of the characters "长" (long, increase) and "成" (become, achieve), and also means cultivating and fostering. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 成長 | ||
| 成長 (growth) is also used to refer to the process of development or maturation. | |||
| Japanese | 成長 | ||
| The word "成長" in Japanese means not only "growth" in the biological sense, but also "improvement" in skills, knowledge, or experience. | |||
| Korean | 성장 | ||
| The Hanja for '성장' was originally used in a negative sense, referring to 'disturbance' or 'obstruction'. | |||
| Mongolian | өсөлт | ||
| Өсөлт may also refer to an increase or increment | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တိုးတက်မှုနှုန်း | ||
| In English, "growth" can also refer to the increase in size or amount of something, or its development. | |||
Growth in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pertumbuhan | ||
| Pertumbuhan in Indonesian can also refer to "development" or "progress". | |||
| Javanese | wuwuh | ||
| "Wuwuh" in Javanese can also refer to a pregnant woman's belly, or to the growing of plants or animals. | |||
| Khmer | កំណើន | ||
| "កំណើន" can also refer to "progress" or "improvement" in Khmer, not just physical growth. | |||
| Lao | ການຂະຫຍາຍຕົວ | ||
| Malay | pertumbuhan | ||
| The term "pertumbuhan" in Malay comes from the root word "tumbuh", meaning "to grow", and also holds the connotation of "development" or "progress". | |||
| Thai | การเจริญเติบโต | ||
| The word "การเจริญเติบโต" can also refer to "development", "progress", or "advancement". | |||
| Vietnamese | sự phát triển | ||
| "Phát triển" (development) also refers to physical or mental maturity and expansion of scope or content. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paglago | ||
Growth in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | böyümə | ||
| "Böümə" is also used to indicate the act of getting rich and developing in general. | |||
| Kazakh | өсу | ||
| The word "өсу" in Kazakh also means "progress" or "development". | |||
| Kyrgyz | өсүш | ||
| The word "өсүш" can also refer to "progress" or "development" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | афзоиш | ||
| The word "афзоиш" in Tajik can also mean "increase" or "amplification." | |||
| Turkmen | ösüşi | ||
| Uzbek | o'sish | ||
| "O'sisha", which is the term for growth, can also refer to a type of fruit or a kind of bird, depending on its context in a sentence. | |||
| Uyghur | ئۆسۈش | ||
Growth in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ulu ana | ||
| "Ulu ana" also means "the child of" when used in a genealogical context. | |||
| Maori | tupuranga | ||
| Tūpuna (ancestors) + rangi (sky, heavens) = tūpuranga (growth, progress, evolution) | |||
| Samoan | tuputupu aʻe | ||
| In some contexts, "tuputupu aʻe" can also refer to "development" or "progress" | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | paglaki | ||
| The Tagalog word "paglaki" can also mean "increase in size" or "expansion." | |||
Growth in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jiltawi | ||
| Guarani | kakuaa | ||
Growth in International Languages
| Esperanto | kresko | ||
| Kresko also has an alternate meaning of "flourish, develop, improve." | |||
| Latin | incrementum | ||
| "Incrementum" can also refer to an increase in value, especially in a financial context. | |||
Growth in Others Languages
| Greek | ανάπτυξη | ||
| Despite its original meaning as "to make known," ανάπτυξη has come to mean "growth." | |||
| Hmong | kev loj hlob | ||
| Kev loj hlob literally translates to "the growing of flesh" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | zêdebûnî | ||
| The word “zêdebûnî” in Kurdish has etymological connections to the concept of development | |||
| Turkish | büyüme | ||
| The word "büyüme" also means "enlargement", "expansion" and "development" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | ukukhula | ||
| "Ukukhula" also means "to rise" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | וואוקס | ||
| The Yiddish word “וואוקס” (“growth”) is cognate with the German word “Wuchs” (“growth”) and the English word “wax”. | |||
| Zulu | ukukhula | ||
| "In Zulu, ukukhula has the alternative meanings of "to arise", "to grow", "to spread", and "to increase." | |||
| Assamese | বৃদ্ধি | ||
| Aymara | jiltawi | ||
| Bhojpuri | विकास | ||
| Dhivehi | ހެދިބޮޑުވުން | ||
| Dogri | बाद्धा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paglago | ||
| Guarani | kakuaa | ||
| Ilocano | panagdakkel | ||
| Krio | gro | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گەشە | ||
| Maithili | वृद्धि | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯥꯍꯧ ꯂꯩꯕ | ||
| Mizo | thang | ||
| Oromo | guddina | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅଭିବୃଦ୍ଧି | | ||
| Quechua | wiñay | ||
| Sanskrit | वृद्धि | ||
| Tatar | үсеш | ||
| Tigrinya | ዕቤት | ||
| Tsonga | ku kula | ||