Habit in Different Languages
Discover 'Habit' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Habits: they shape our lives, for better or for worse. A habit is a regular practice or tendency, often performed subconsciously. They can be beneficial, like reading before bed or exercising in the morning, or detrimental, like biting your nails or constantly checking your phone. Understanding the significance of habits can lead to personal growth and self-improvement.
Habits hold cultural importance as well. Different societies and communities have unique habits that define and distinguish them. From the Japanese tea ceremony to the Brazilian capoeira, these cultural habits encapsulate traditions, values, and ways of life. By learning about these habits, we not only expand our cultural knowledge but also appreciate the beauty of diversity.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'habit' in different languages can be intriguing and enlightening. For instance, the French say 'habitude,' while the Germans say 'Gewohnheit.' These translations offer a glimpse into the linguistic and cultural nuances of various countries.
Stay tuned to discover how the word 'habit' translates in a multitude of languages, shedding light on the diverse ways people around the world perceive and practice habits.
Habit
Habit in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | gewoonte | ||
| The word gewoonte comes from the Middle Dutch word "ghewoonte" meaning "custom" or "usage". | |||
| Amharic | ልማድ | ||
| In Amharic, "ልማድ" also means "custom" or "tradition." | |||
| Hausa | al'ada | ||
| In Hausa, the word "al'ada" derives from the Arabic word "ada", meaning "norm" or "practice". | |||
| Igbo | omume | ||
| The Igbo word 'omume' can also refer to a custom, ritual, or traditional practice. | |||
| Malagasy | fahazarana | ||
| The word 'fahazarana' is also used to describe the customary beliefs and practices passed down from one generation to another. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chizolowezi | ||
| "Chizolowezi" is also used to refer to the clothes a priest or nun wears specifically for their calling. | |||
| Shona | tsika | ||
| The word "tsika" also means "culture" and is related to the word "tsitsiko", which means "custom" or "tradition". | |||
| Somali | caado | ||
| The word "caado" in Somali also refers to a customary practice or a rule of conduct. | |||
| Sesotho | tloaelo | ||
| The word "tloaelo" can also refer to a practice, routine, custom, way of doing something, or an idiom. | |||
| Swahili | tabia | ||
| The Swahili word "tabia" also means "nature" or "temperament" and is cognate with the Arabic word "tabi'a" meaning "nature". | |||
| Xhosa | umkhwa | ||
| The word 'umkhwa' has multiple meanings, including 'habit,' 'way of being,' and 'law or regulation.' | |||
| Yoruba | iwa | ||
| "Iwa" also refers to a person's character, conduct, or disposition. | |||
| Zulu | umkhuba | ||
| The name 'umkhuba' is shared with a type of beer, as well as, a type of mushroom. | |||
| Bambara | fini | ||
| Ewe | numame | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ingeso | ||
| Lingala | ezaleli | ||
| Luganda | empisa | ||
| Sepedi | setlwaedi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | suban | ||
Habit in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عادة | ||
| In Arabic, the word "عادة" (habit) also refers to "norm" or "convention". | |||
| Hebrew | הֶרגֵל | ||
| The word "הֶרגֵל" in Hebrew derives from the verb "להורג" (la-horag), meaning "to kill", and originally referred to the habitual slaying of animals for food. | |||
| Pashto | عادت | ||
| The Pashto word "عادت" can also refer to a "custom" or "tradition" in addition to "habit". | |||
| Arabic | عادة | ||
| In Arabic, the word "عادة" (habit) also refers to "norm" or "convention". | |||
Habit in Western European Languages
| Albanian | zakon | ||
| The Albanian word 'zakon' derives from the Proto-Albanian root '*zak-' meaning 'custom, tradition'. | |||
| Basque | ohitura | ||
| The Basque word "ohitura" (habit) is derived from the verb "ohitu" (to become accustomed) and is related to the Latin word "consuetudo" (custom). | |||
| Catalan | hàbit | ||
| The word "hàbit" in Catalan is derived from the Latin "habitus," meaning "condition" or "state," and can also refer to a person's usual behaviour or clothing. | |||
| Croatian | navika | ||
| There is also a word 'naviknuti se', which means 'to get into the habit of doing something'. | |||
| Danish | vane | ||
| In Danish, "vane" can also refer to a weather vane or a windmill. | |||
| Dutch | gewoonte | ||
| The word "gewoonte" in Dutch originally meant "dwelling" or "place of residence". | |||
| English | habit | ||
| The word "habit" derives from the Latin word "habere," meaning "to have" or "to hold." | |||
| French | habitude | ||
| Habitude derives from the Latin habitudo, which means "condition," also related to the verb habere, which means "to have". | |||
| Frisian | gewoante | ||
| The Frisian word "gewoante" can also refer to "custom", "tradition", or "usage". | |||
| Galician | hábito | ||
| "Hábito" en gallego también puede referirse a un tipo de vestimenta tradicional o a un comportamiento repetido. | |||
| German | gewohnheit | ||
| Gewohnheit, a German word for "habit," also historically referred to a toll, fee, or customary tax. | |||
| Icelandic | venja | ||
| The word "venja" in Icelandic can also mean "to teach" or "to practice" something. | |||
| Irish | nós | ||
| The Irish term 'nós' ('habit') is of Latin origin and also means 'us' and 'we' in the same language and is cognate with the English word 'nose', derived from the Proto-Indo-European base *nas 'nose'. | |||
| Italian | abitudine | ||
| In Italian, "abitudine" also means "custom," "usage," or "practice." | |||
| Luxembourgish | gewunnecht | ||
| The word 'Gewunnecht' is derived from the Middle High German word 'gewoneheit', which means 'custom' or 'tradition'. | |||
| Maltese | drawwa | ||
| Maltese 'drawwa' comes from Middle Arabic 'drawahah' and was also once used to mean 'training' or 'education'. | |||
| Norwegian | vane | ||
| The word "vane" is also used to describe the weathercock on a church steeple. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | hábito | ||
| In Portuguese "hábito" can also mean costume or usual behavior. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | chleachdadh | ||
| In Gaelic, the word "chleachdadh" has connotations of "practice" or "usage" beyond its primary meaning of "habit." | |||
| Spanish | hábito | ||
| The Spanish word "hábito" comes from the Latin "habitus," which means "appearance" or "outward form. | |||
| Swedish | vana | ||
| The word "vana" originated from the Proto-Germanic "*wanian", meaning "to accustom". | |||
| Welsh | arfer | ||
| The word "arfer" in Welsh originally referred to a form of monastic clothing worn by religious orders, but is now used more generally to refer to any habit or custom. | |||
Habit in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | звычка | ||
| The word “звычка” also means 'custom' and goes back to the Slavic root *svykъ, from which “связь” ('connection') also originates. | |||
| Bosnian | navika | ||
| The word "navika" also means "seafarer" in Croatian. | |||
| Bulgarian | навик | ||
| The word "навик" in Bulgarian also means "skill" or "ability" and comes from the Proto-Slavic root *navьkъ, meaning "to become accustomed to". | |||
| Czech | zvyk | ||
| In Old Czech, "zvyk" also meant "law" or "custom". | |||
| Estonian | harjumus | ||
| "Harjumus" can also refer to a regular customer in Estonian slang. | |||
| Finnish | tottumus | ||
| Tottomus can also be used to refer to a child who has trouble sleeping, a 'fretful child', or an 'imp'. | |||
| Hungarian | szokás | ||
| "Szokás" derives from the Turkic "saqın-", meaning "to beware of" or "to be careful". | |||
| Latvian | ieradums | ||
| The word 'ieradums' also refers to a custom, practice, or tradition. | |||
| Lithuanian | įpročio | ||
| "Įprotis" is derived from the Lithuanian word "pratusti," meaning "to get used to." It can also refer to a custom or tradition. | |||
| Macedonian | навика | ||
| The word "навика" in Macedonian also means "device" or "machine". | |||
| Polish | nawyk | ||
| The Polish word 'nawyk' comes from an Old Slavic root that means 'to accustom' and is related to other Slavic words such as 'navyka' (skill) and 'navyk' (habit). | |||
| Romanian | obicei | ||
| The word "obicei" in Romanian is derived from the Latin word "consuetudo", meaning "custom" or "tradition". | |||
| Russian | привычка | ||
| "Привычка" (habit) comes from the verb "привыкнуть" (to get used to), which is related to "выкать" (to use the formal "you"). So "привычка" literally means "what you get used to" | |||
| Serbian | навика | ||
| The Serbian word "навика" can also refer to a skill, ability, or custom. | |||
| Slovak | zvyk | ||
| Zvyk's original meaning derives from the Old Church Slavonic "zъvyknǫti", meaning "to learn". | |||
| Slovenian | navada | ||
| The word "navada" can also refer to a groove worn into a surface. | |||
| Ukrainian | звичка | ||
| "Звичка" also refers to a kind of ritual or custom. | |||
Habit in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অভ্যাস | ||
| The word "অভ্যাস" (abhyas) is derived from the Sanskrit root "abhi" (towards) and "yas" (to go), meaning "to go towards" or "to approach". | |||
| Gujarati | આદત | ||
| The Gujarati word "આદત" (aadət) has roots in the same Indo-Aryan word as the English word "addiction" and can likewise refer to negative and habitual behaviors. | |||
| Hindi | आदत | ||
| The Hindi word "आदत" (habit) comes from the Sanskrit word "आदत" (nature, character) or "आदर" (respect). | |||
| Kannada | ಅಭ್ಯಾಸ | ||
| The word 'ಅಭ್ಯಾಸ' can also refer to the practice or repetition of something to acquire proficiency. | |||
| Malayalam | ശീലം | ||
| The Malayalam word "ശീലം" has alternate meanings such as "practice" or "custom", and is cognate with the Sanskrit term "शील". | |||
| Marathi | सवय | ||
| The word "सवय" in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "स्वभाव" (swabhava), which means "nature" or "disposition." | |||
| Nepali | बानी | ||
| The word “बानी” originates from the Sanskrit word “वृत्ति” (vritti), which means "attitude, behavior, or way of life". | |||
| Punjabi | ਆਦਤ | ||
| The word "ਆਦਤ" (habit) in Punjabi also means "custom" or "routine behavior". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පුරුද්ද | ||
| Tamil | பழக்கம் | ||
| The word 'பழக்கம்' can also mean 'tradition' or 'practice', and is cognate with the Sanskrit word 'prajakta', meaning 'custom' or 'habit'. | |||
| Telugu | అలవాటు | ||
| The Telugu word "అలవాటు" (alavaatu) is derived from the Sanskrit word "आलवण" (aalavan), meaning "to adhere to" or "to practice regularly" | |||
| Urdu | عادت | ||
| In Urdu, "عادت" also refers to a woman's monthly menstrual cycle. | |||
Habit in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 习惯 | ||
| 习惯 originated from "the custom of a bird" in the Han Dynasty. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 習慣 | ||
| The Chinese word 習慣 (xíguàn) is derived from the word 習 (xí), meaning "to learn" or "to practice," and 慣 (guàn), meaning "to be accustomed to" or "to be used to." | |||
| Japanese | 習慣 | ||
| "習慣" can mean "habit" or a "custom" as well as "addiction" or "obsession". | |||
| Korean | 습관 | ||
| '습관' can also mean 'to moisten' or 'to become moist.' | |||
| Mongolian | зуршил | ||
| Зуршил is a derivative of the verbs | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အလေ့အထ | ||
Habit in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kebiasaan | ||
| The word "kebiasaan" also means "custom" or "tradition". | |||
| Javanese | pakulinan | ||
| In Javanese, 'pakulinan' not only means 'habit', but also refers to a garment worn by children. | |||
| Khmer | ទំលាប់ | ||
| The word "ទំលាប់" also refers to a form of traditional Khmer song and dance. | |||
| Lao | ນິໄສ | ||
| The Lao word for "habit" has a broader meaning than the English word, encompassing both physical actions and mental processes, and is also used to describe the general characteristics or behavior of a person or animal. | |||
| Malay | kebiasaan | ||
| In Javanese the word also means 'law' or 'customary law', which is related to its use in Malay as customary law or practice. | |||
| Thai | นิสัย | ||
| นิสัย can also refer to one's demeanor or behavior. | |||
| Vietnamese | thói quen | ||
| Thói quen may derive from two Old Chinese morphemes, “habit, custom” (𡽔 thói, Mandarin suì) and “usual” (慣 quán, Mandarin guàn), though the etymology remains contested. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ugali | ||
Habit in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | vərdiş | ||
| "Vərdiş" may be rooted in the word "vird" in Arabic, which means "a prescribed form of worship," implying a repeated action that becomes habitual. | |||
| Kazakh | әдет | ||
| The word "әдет" in Kazakh can also refer to "ritual", "custom" or "tradition". | |||
| Kyrgyz | адат | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "адат" also has the alternate meaning of "tradition" and is related to the Arabic word "عادة". | |||
| Tajik | одат | ||
| The word "одат" (habit) in Tajik shares its root with the English word "custom." | |||
| Turkmen | endigi | ||
| Uzbek | odat | ||
| The word "odat" in Uzbek also refers to a religious practice or a custom. | |||
| Uyghur | ئادەت | ||
Habit in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | maʻa | ||
| "Maʻa" may also mean "custom," "practice," "tradition," "culture," "law," or even "right." | |||
| Maori | tikanga | ||
| Tikanga may also refer to Maori traditions, customs or protocols. | |||
| Samoan | mausa | ||
| The word "mausa" can also mean "custom," "ritual," or "practice" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | ugali | ||
| Ugali can also mean "characteristic," "nature," "disposition," or "temperament". | |||
Habit in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ukhampuniña | ||
| Guarani | jepokuaa | ||
Habit in International Languages
| Esperanto | kutimo | ||
| The word "kutimo" is derived from the verb "kuti", meaning "to do repeatedly" or "to be accustomed to," and it carries the same meaning in Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | habitus | ||
| Habit derives from the Latin 'habitus', meaning 'condition', 'manner', or 'nature' | |||
Habit in Others Languages
| Greek | συνήθεια | ||
| "Συνήθεια" in Greek can also mean "custom" or "convention". | |||
| Hmong | cwj pwm | ||
| The Hmong word "cwj pwm" can also refer to a person's demeanor, personality, or character. | |||
| Kurdish | hînbûnî | ||
| The Kurdish word "hînbûnî" means "habit" in English and also refers to a "customary practice or behavior.". | |||
| Turkish | alışkanlık | ||
| "Alışkanlık" comes from "alışmak," which means "to become accustomed" and "-lık," a suffix indicating a state or condition. | |||
| Xhosa | umkhwa | ||
| The word 'umkhwa' has multiple meanings, including 'habit,' 'way of being,' and 'law or regulation.' | |||
| Yiddish | מידע | ||
| מידע is also a Yiddish word for "knowledge" or "information." | |||
| Zulu | umkhuba | ||
| The name 'umkhuba' is shared with a type of beer, as well as, a type of mushroom. | |||
| Assamese | অভ্যাস | ||
| Aymara | ukhampuniña | ||
| Bhojpuri | आदत | ||
| Dhivehi | އާދަ | ||
| Dogri | आदत | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ugali | ||
| Guarani | jepokuaa | ||
| Ilocano | kababalin | ||
| Krio | abit | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | خوو | ||
| Maithili | आदति | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯩꯅꯕꯤ | ||
| Mizo | tihdanphung | ||
| Oromo | amala | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅଭ୍ୟାସ | ||
| Quechua | costumbre | ||
| Sanskrit | अभ्यास | ||
| Tatar | гадәт | ||
| Tigrinya | ልምዲ | ||
| Tsonga | ntolovelo | ||