Happen in Different Languages
Discover 'Happen' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'happen' is a common English verb that signifies an event or series of events taking place. Its cultural importance is evident in literature, film, and everyday conversations, as it allows us to describe and share our experiences with others. Understanding the translation of 'happen' in different languages can help us connect with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Did you know that 'happen' can be translated into 'suceder' in Spanish, 'arriver' in French, or 'geschehen' in German? Each of these translations carries its own unique cultural connotations and nuances, reflecting the rich linguistic diversity of the world around us.
Whether you're planning a trip abroad, studying a new language, or simply curious about the world around you, learning the translation of 'happen' in different languages can be a fun and rewarding experience. Keep reading to discover more about this fascinating word and its many translations!
Happen
Happen in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | gebeur | ||
| Cognate with the Dutch word "gebeur" and German "Gebühr", it is related to the Indo-European root *gheb- ( | |||
| Amharic | ተከሰተ | ||
| The root word ከሰተ is related to the concept of 'error' or 'mistake', as in ከሰተ አይደለም ('it is not a mistake'), implying an element of unexpected occurrence or deviation from the norm. | |||
| Hausa | faru | ||
| The word ''faru'' also means ''to come back'' or ''to be back'' in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | eme | ||
| The Igbo word "eme" also refers to a type of traditional Igbo song or chant. | |||
| Malagasy | hitranga | ||
| Hitranga derives from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian root *tuduŋ, which also means "to point". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zichitike | ||
| Zichitike is also used in Chichewa to refer to an event that occurs coincidentally or by chance | |||
| Shona | kuitika | ||
| "Kuitika" in Shona can also mean "to be finished, completed, or ended". | |||
| Somali | dhici | ||
| Dhici also means "occur" or "take place" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | etsahala | ||
| 'Etsa' is a shortened word from '-etsa hala', which is imperative of 'ho etsa', meaning 'to do', 'to make' | |||
| Swahili | kutokea | ||
| The word "kutokea" comes from the verb "tokea", whose primary meaning is "to arise" or "to come out of". | |||
| Xhosa | yenzeke | ||
| "Yenzeka" also means "to occur" and "to take place". | |||
| Yoruba | ṣẹlẹ | ||
| "Ṣẹlẹ" can also mean "to move," "to go," or "to run". Its root is "ṣẹ" (to do), and "lẹ" (to go). | |||
| Zulu | kwenzeke | ||
| In the passive voice the word kwezeke means 'to happen' or 'to be done', but it can also mean 'to be in the state' of doing something. | |||
| Bambara | ka kɛ | ||
| Ewe | dzɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | bibaho | ||
| Lingala | kosalema | ||
| Luganda | obubaawo | ||
| Sepedi | direga | ||
| Twi (Akan) | si | ||
Happen in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | يحدث | ||
| Derived from the root "حدوث" (occurrence), "يحدث" also means "to emerge" or "to take place." | |||
| Hebrew | לִקְרוֹת | ||
| The Hebrew word "לִקְרוֹת" can also mean "to occur," "to take place," or "to come to pass." | |||
| Pashto | پیښیږي | ||
| پېښیږي is derived from the Persian word پیښیستن and is also used in some Iranian languages. | |||
| Arabic | يحدث | ||
| Derived from the root "حدوث" (occurrence), "يحدث" also means "to emerge" or "to take place." | |||
Happen in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ndodh | ||
| The Albanian word 'ndodh' is ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰē-, meaning 'to put' or 'to set'. | |||
| Basque | gertatu | ||
| The Basque word "gertatu" has an alternate meaning of "to make happen" or "to cause to happen." | |||
| Catalan | passar | ||
| The verb "passar" in Catalan can also mean "to pass by" or "to go through". | |||
| Croatian | dogoditi se | ||
| The word "dogoditi se" is derived from the Old Slavic word "dogoda", meaning "event" or "encounter". | |||
| Danish | ske | ||
| The word "ske" can also mean "to occur" or "to take place". | |||
| Dutch | gebeuren | ||
| "Gebeuren" is cognate with English "behaviour". | |||
| English | happen | ||
| The word "happen" derives from the Old English term "gehappian," meaning "to chance or come about." | |||
| French | se produire | ||
| In French, "se produire" can refer to something occurring, as well as to an artist performing in a show. | |||
| Frisian | barre | ||
| Besides "happen", "barre" also means "to get" and "to catch" and is probably related to the English verb "bear, | |||
| Galician | acontecer | ||
| "Acontecer" derives from the Latin word "accadere," which also means "to befall." | |||
| German | geschehen | ||
| The word "geschehen" is derived from the Old High German word "skēhan", which means "to separate". It can also refer to an event or occurrence. | |||
| Icelandic | gerast | ||
| The word "gerast" in Icelandic is also used to refer to a specific type of folk song or a rhythmic spell. | |||
| Irish | tarlú | ||
| The Irish "tarlú" is a cognate of the German "tarn", which originally meant "to cover" but has since taken on various new meanings. | |||
| Italian | accadere | ||
| The word "accadere" derives from the Latin "ad-cadere," meaning "to fall into." | |||
| Luxembourgish | geschéien | ||
| Maltese | jiġri | ||
| The word "jiġri" is derived from the Proto-Semitic root "*jgr" meaning "to move, go, or run". | |||
| Norwegian | skje | ||
| Skje is also used in the expression "det skjedde ikke på min vakt", meaning "that didn't happen on my watch". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | acontecer | ||
| The Portuguese word "acontecer" originated in Latin "ad contingere", meaning both "come into contact" (as people, things or places) in a physical way, and "come into contact" intellectually (as between thoughts, events and experiences), thus acquiring a philosophical connotation. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | tachairt | ||
| "Tachart" can also refer to "an occurrence, an incident" and is the origin of "tackart" in the same sense in Scots. | |||
| Spanish | suceder | ||
| The verb "suceder" is derived from the Latin verb "succedere", meaning "to follow" or "to come after". | |||
| Swedish | hända | ||
| "Hända" in Swedish also means "event" or "occurrence" in contexts unrelated to time. | |||
| Welsh | digwydd | ||
| The term "digwydd" in Welsh is derived from the root word "gwydd," meaning "to know," and is related to the concept of "coming to know" or "becoming aware." | |||
Happen in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | здарыцца | ||
| Bosnian | desiti se | ||
| The word "desiti se" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *děti sę, meaning "to become, to make oneself, to happen." | |||
| Bulgarian | се случи | ||
| Се случи also means "it happened" or "it has happened." | |||
| Czech | přihodit se | ||
| The Czech word "přihodit se" also means "to throw something onto something else". | |||
| Estonian | juhtuma | ||
| "Juhtuma" also means "to become" or "to be" as well as "to come to pass" or "to take place". | |||
| Finnish | tapahtua | ||
| Tapahtua is derived from the Proto-Finnic verb *tapahtua, meaning "to happen" or "to occur". | |||
| Hungarian | történik | ||
| The word "történik" is derived from the Old Hungarian word "történikni", meaning "to come about, to pass, to take place". It is also related to the word "történelem", meaning "history". | |||
| Latvian | notikt | ||
| The word “notikt” in Latvian also includes the idea of “being present” and “coming into existence” and is more closely related to “to occur” or “to take place” in English. | |||
| Lithuanian | atsitikti | ||
| "Atsitikti" is cognate with several Slavic words that mean "to encounter" or "to take place". | |||
| Macedonian | се случи | ||
| "се случи" can also mean "to be born" in Macedonian, a usage not found in other Slavic languages | |||
| Polish | zdarzyć | ||
| The word 'zdarzyć' also means to 'succeed' and is related to the word 'zdarzenie' ('event'). | |||
| Romanian | întâmpla | ||
| The Romanian word "întâmpla" is also used to describe the act of welcoming or meeting someone. | |||
| Russian | случиться | ||
| The word "случиться" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *slučiti sę, meaning "to happen" or "to occur." | |||
| Serbian | десити се | ||
| "Десити се" is originally related to "do se, dogoditi se" | |||
| Slovak | stať sa | ||
| The word "stať sa" also means "to become" and is cognate to English "state". | |||
| Slovenian | zgodilo | ||
| The verb zgodilo, with its many meanings such as "happen", "occur", "take place", and "come to pass", can also be used figuratively as "to meet" or "to encounter" someone or something. | |||
| Ukrainian | трапиться | ||
| "Трапиться" is derived from the word "приключиться" and is not synonymous with the word "случаться" | |||
Happen in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ঘটবে | ||
| ঘটবে can also mean "to occur," "to take place," or "to come to pass." | |||
| Gujarati | થાય છે | ||
| The root word of "થાય છે" is "થવો," which also means "to come into existence," "to be born," and "to become." | |||
| Hindi | होना | ||
| The word "होना" (happen) in Hindi also means "to exist" or "to become. | |||
| Kannada | ಸಂಭವಿಸುತ್ತದೆ | ||
| The word "ಸಂಭವಿಸುತ್ತದೆ" in Kannada has a root in the Sanskrit word "sam-bhav", which means "to come into being" or "to become possible" | |||
| Malayalam | സംഭവിക്കുക | ||
| 'സംഭവിക്കുക' is a Malayalam word which also has an alternate meaning 'to meet a girl' | |||
| Marathi | घडणे | ||
| ** घडणे**, from PIE root: *gʰendh-*, 'to grasp'. | |||
| Nepali | हुन्छ | ||
| The word "हुन्छ" in Nepali can also mean "exists" or "is present." | |||
| Punjabi | ਵਾਪਰਨਾ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සිදුවන්න | ||
| Tamil | நடக்கும் | ||
| The word "நடக்கும்" literally means "to walk" but is also used in the sense of "to happen". | |||
| Telugu | జరుగుతుంది | ||
| Urdu | ہو | ||
| The word "ہو" is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "صير" (sir) meaning "to become" or "to happen." | |||
Happen in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 发生 | ||
| The word 发生 ('happen' in English) can also be used to mean 'produce' or 'occur'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 發生 | ||
| 發生 can mean "to generate" or "to occur" in Traditional Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | 起こる | ||
| "起こる" can also mean "to get angry" or "to cause". | |||
| Korean | 우연히 있다 | ||
| 우연히 있다(우연) is derived from the Middle Chinese word ’’ngjien’’ meaning chance or encounter, and shares its etymology with the word ’’연분(connection)’’. | |||
| Mongolian | болох | ||
| The Mongolian word "болох" does not have any alternative meanings or etymologies to report. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဖြစ်ပျက် | ||
Happen in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | terjadi | ||
| Terjadi derives from the Old Javanese term 'jadi', meaning 'become' or 'realize'. | |||
| Javanese | kelakon | ||
| The word "kelakon" can also mean "to be present" or "to be available", and is derived from the Old Javanese word "kalakon" meaning "to take place". | |||
| Khmer | កើតឡើង | ||
| The word “កើតឡើង” in Khmer can also mean “to be born” or “to originate”. | |||
| Lao | ເກີດຂື້ນ | ||
| Malay | berlaku | ||
| Berlaku also means to be valid, current, or in effect. | |||
| Thai | เกิดขึ้น | ||
| The term "เกิดขึ้น" can also refer to the origin or emergence of something. | |||
| Vietnamese | xảy ra | ||
| "Xảy ra" also means "to occur" or "to take place". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mangyari | ||
Happen in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | baş verir | ||
| The word "baş verir" can also mean "to appear" or "to take place" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | болады | ||
| The word "болады" is derived from the root "бол-", which means "to be", and the suffix "-ады", which indicates a past tense. It can also mean "to become" or "to occur". | |||
| Kyrgyz | болот | ||
| The term "болот" also refers to a kind of grass found in the swamps | |||
| Tajik | рӯй медиҳад | ||
| The Tajik word "рӯй медиҳад" can also mean "to come true" or "to occur." | |||
| Turkmen | bolup geçýär | ||
| Uzbek | sodir bo'lmoq | ||
| The word "sodir bo'lmoq" can also mean "to take place" or "to occur". | |||
| Uyghur | يۈز بېرىدۇ | ||
Happen in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hiki | ||
| The word 'hiki' in Hawaiian can also refer to the act of moving or pulling something towards oneself. | |||
| Maori | tupu | ||
| The Maori word "tupu" also means "to grow" and is related to the Polynesian word "tupuna" meaning "ancestor". | |||
| Samoan | tupu | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of 'happen,' 'tupu' can also refer to growth, development, or increase. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | mangyari | ||
| The word "mangyari" in Tagalog is derived from the Sanskrit word "mṛṣyati" meaning "to wipe" or "to crush". It is also used in the sense of "to take place" or "to come to pass". | |||
Happen in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | utjayaña | ||
| Guarani | jehu | ||
Happen in International Languages
| Esperanto | okazi | ||
| "okazi" can also mean "to fit" or "to contain" in Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | factum | ||
| In Latin, "factum" also refers to a deed or act that establishes a legal claim. | |||
Happen in Others Languages
| Greek | συμβεί | ||
| The word "συμβεί" is derived from the Greek word "συν", meaning "with," and "βαίνω", meaning "to go," and originally meant "to come together with." | |||
| Hmong | tshwm sim | ||
| "Tshwm sim" can also mean "to arrive" or "to be present" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | bûyin | ||
| In Persian, "bûyin" also means "to be able to". | |||
| Turkish | olmak | ||
| Olmak, meaning "to happen", derives from the word "ol," meaning "fire" or "spirit" in the Ural-Altaic language family. | |||
| Xhosa | yenzeke | ||
| "Yenzeka" also means "to occur" and "to take place". | |||
| Yiddish | פּאַסירן | ||
| "פּאַסירן" can also mean "to take place", "to occur", or "to come to pass". | |||
| Zulu | kwenzeke | ||
| In the passive voice the word kwezeke means 'to happen' or 'to be done', but it can also mean 'to be in the state' of doing something. | |||
| Assamese | ঘটা | ||
| Aymara | utjayaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | भईल | ||
| Dhivehi | ވުން | ||
| Dogri | होना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mangyari | ||
| Guarani | jehu | ||
| Ilocano | mapasamak | ||
| Krio | apin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕوویدا | ||
| Maithili | कोनो घटना भेनाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯣꯏꯊꯣꯛꯄ | ||
| Mizo | thleng | ||
| Oromo | ta'uu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଘଟେ | | ||
| Quechua | imanay | ||
| Sanskrit | भवति | ||
| Tatar | була | ||
| Tigrinya | ይኽሰት | ||
| Tsonga | humelela | ||