Updated on March 6, 2024
Identification is a fundamental aspect of our daily lives, providing a sense of self and allowing us to interact with the world around us. It is a concept that transcends cultural boundaries, playing a crucial role in various aspects of society, from legal systems to social interactions. The word 'identification' has been translated into different languages, reflecting its global significance.
Throughout history, identification has taken many forms, from early forms of identification such as tribal markings and family crests, to modern forms such as passports and ID cards. The need to identify ourselves and others is a universal human experience, one that has been explored in art, literature, and philosophy.
For those with a passion for language and culture, understanding the translation of 'identification' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how other cultures view and understand this concept. Whether you're a student of linguistics, a world traveler, or simply someone with a curiosity for language, exploring the translations of 'identification' is a fascinating journey.
Here are some translations of the word 'identification' in different languages, just to pique your interest:
Afrikaans | identifikasie | ||
The word 'identifikasie' is also used in Afrikaans as a term for 'identification parade', a process in which witnesses attempt to identify a suspect from a lineup of similar-looking individuals. | |||
Amharic | መታወቂያ | ||
The word "መታወቂያ" can also mean "certificate" or "badge" in Amharic. | |||
Hausa | ganewa | ||
Derived from "gani," which means "to recognize," and "wa," a suffix for abstract nouns. | |||
Igbo | njirimara | ||
The Igbo word 'njirimara' derives from the phrase 'iji na m'ara,' meaning 'to be seen and known,' emphasizing the concept of visibility and recognition. | |||
Malagasy | famantarana | ||
The word "famantarana" can also refer to the process of establishing or verifying someone's identity. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | chizindikiritso | ||
The word "chizindikiritso" can also refer to an identity card or a passport. | |||
Shona | chitupa | ||
The word "chitupa" can also mean "a sign" or "a mark". | |||
Somali | aqoonsi | ||
The word "aqoonsi" can also refer to a badge or a passport. | |||
Sesotho | boitsebiso | ||
The word "boitsebiso" is also used to refer to the act of revealing or disclosing something. | |||
Swahili | kitambulisho | ||
The word "kitambulisho" can also refer to an identification card or a passport. | |||
Xhosa | ukuchonga | ||
The word "ukuchonga" in Xhosa also means "to point out" or "to indicate with the finger" | |||
Yoruba | idanimọ | ||
The word "idanimọ" in Yoruba also means "recognition" or "awareness". | |||
Zulu | ukuhlonza | ||
"Ukuhlonza" literally means "to track someone down" in Zulu. | |||
Bambara | dantigɛli | ||
Ewe | dzesidede ame | ||
Kinyarwanda | indangamuntu | ||
Lingala | botalisi ya moto | ||
Luganda | okuzuula omuntu | ||
Sepedi | go hlaola | ||
Twi (Akan) | nkyerɛkyerɛmu a wɔde kyerɛ | ||
Arabic | هوية | ||
هوية is not only used to signify personal identification documents, but also one's nature and character. | |||
Hebrew | זיהוי | ||
Aside from the general meaning, "זיהוי" can also mean to recognize or to be recognized. | |||
Pashto | پیژندنه | ||
The Pashto word "پیژندنه" can also mean "recognition" or "awareness". | |||
Arabic | هوية | ||
هوية is not only used to signify personal identification documents, but also one's nature and character. |
Albanian | identifikimi | ||
Identifikimi in Albanian also means 'the process of establishing a person's identity by obtaining an official document'. | |||
Basque | identifikazioa | ||
The Basque word "identifikazioa" is derived from the Latin word "identificare", which means "to make the same". | |||
Catalan | identificació | ||
The word "identificació" in Catalan can also refer to the act of registering a person or thing. | |||
Croatian | identifikacija | ||
"Identifikacija" comes from Latin "identifico" meaning to recognize or establish the identity of someone or something. | |||
Danish | identifikation | ||
In addition to "identification", "identfikikation" can denote "identity document". | |||
Dutch | identificatie | ||
In Dutch, 'identificatie' can also refer to the act of identifying or verifying something. | |||
English | identification | ||
The word identification comes from the Latin identificare, meaning to make the same. | |||
French | identification | ||
The word "identification" in French can also mean "registration" or "proof of identity." | |||
Frisian | identifikaasje | ||
The word "identifikaasje" is derived from the Latin word "identificare", meaning "to make the same" or "to establish the identity of". | |||
Galician | identificación | ||
In Galician, "identificación" can also mean "certificate of identity". | |||
German | identifizierung | ||
The German word "Identifizierung" is derived from the Latin word "identificare", meaning "to make the same" or "to recognize". | |||
Icelandic | auðkenni | ||
In Old Norse, auðkenni was originally a word for "a distinguishing mark". | |||
Irish | aitheantais | ||
The Irish word 'aitheantais' also has meanings related to knowledge and recognition. | |||
Italian | identificazione | ||
Identificazione comes from the Latin 'identificare', meaning 'to establish or prove identity'. | |||
Luxembourgish | identifikatioun | ||
The word "Identifikatioun" (identification) in Luxembourgish is derived from Latin "identifīcātiō", which also refers to "making the same" and "declaration as the same". | |||
Maltese | identifikazzjoni | ||
The Maltese word "identifikazzjoni" is derived from the French word "identification" and can also refer to a person's identity card. | |||
Norwegian | identifikasjon | ||
The Norwegian word "identifikasjon" derives from the Latin word "identificare", meaning "to make identical". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | identificação | ||
"Identificação" also means "identification document" and can refer to an official document with your photograph and personal information on it. | |||
Scots Gaelic | aithneachadh | ||
"Aithneachadh" in Scots Gaelic may also refer to 'identification', 'knowledge' or 'acquaintance'. | |||
Spanish | identificación | ||
The word "identificación" comes from the Latin word "identificare", meaning "to make the same". | |||
Swedish | identifiering | ||
Identifiering is a Swedish word stemming from the verb identifiera, which means "to identify" and is derived from the Latin word "identificare". | |||
Welsh | adnabod | ||
The word adnabod is composed of the prefix 'ad' meaning 'to' and the noun 'nabod' meaning 'knowledge'. |
Belarusian | ідэнтыфікацыя | ||
Bosnian | identifikacija | ||
The word "identifikacija" can also refer to the process of establishing a person's identity through means such as fingerprints, DNA, or facial recognition. | |||
Bulgarian | идентификация | ||
"Идентификация" can also mean "self-identification" and "finding something similar" in Bulgarian. | |||
Czech | identifikace | ||
The Czech word "identifikace" is ultimately derived from the Latin "identificare", meaning "to make identical" and "to understand". | |||
Estonian | identifitseerimine | ||
The word "identifitseerimine" means "making known" and derives from "tuntma õppima," meaning "to get to know." | |||
Finnish | henkilöllisyystodistus | ||
The word “henkilöllisyystodistus” in Finnish literally means “certificate of personality”. | |||
Hungarian | azonosítás | ||
The term "azonosítás" also denotes the process of authentication. | |||
Latvian | identifikācija | ||
In Latvian, "identifikācija" also means "identity card". | |||
Lithuanian | identifikacija | ||
In Lithuanian, the word "identifikacija" is derived from the Latin word "identifier", meaning to make known, and can also refer to a personal document used to prove one's identity. | |||
Macedonian | идентификација | ||
"Идентификација" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "идѣти" (ideti), meaning "to go". | |||
Polish | identyfikacja | ||
The word "identyfikacja" is Polish for "identification" and "ID-ing". The latter in Polish is also referred to as "legitymowanie". | |||
Romanian | identificare | ||
The Romanian word "Identificare" stems from the Latin word "identificare", meaning "to make the same" or "to recognize". | |||
Russian | идентификация | ||
The word "identification" in Russian ("идентификация") also implies the concept of "establishment" or "confirmation" of something's identity or existence. | |||
Serbian | идентификација | ||
The Serbian word "идентификација" (identification) derives from the French word "identification" and also means "testimony" or "proof of identity." | |||
Slovak | identifikácia | ||
The Slovak word "identifikácia" (identification) comes from the Latin word "identitas", meaning "sameness" or "oneness". | |||
Slovenian | identifikacija | ||
The word 'identifikacija' comes from the Latin word 'identificare', which means 'to make the same'. | |||
Ukrainian | ідентифікація | ||
"Ідентифікація" is derived from Latin "identificare" and also has the meaning of "recognition". |
Bengali | সনাক্তকরণ | ||
"সনাক্তকরণ" (identification) comes from the Sanskrit word "সনাক্ত" (sanakta), meaning "united" or "joined." | |||
Gujarati | ઓળખ | ||
ओळख (ōḷakh) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'अभिज्ञान' (abhijñāna), meaning 'recognition' or 'identification'. In Gujarati, it is also used to refer to one's 'identity' or 'self-awareness'. | |||
Hindi | पहचान | ||
Its roots come from the Sanskrit word 'jnana' ('knowledge') and 'pahi' ('protection or understanding'). | |||
Kannada | ಗುರುತಿಸುವಿಕೆ | ||
The word "ಗುರುತಿಸುವಿಕೆ" literally translates to "making something recognisable" and is also used to refer to "recognising" or "identifying". | |||
Malayalam | തിരിച്ചറിയൽ | ||
Marathi | ओळख | ||
ओळख (Identification) also refers to recognition and acquaintance in Marathi. | |||
Nepali | परिचय | ||
"परिचय" is used both for "identification" as well as "introduction" in Nepali | |||
Punjabi | ਪਛਾਣ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | හඳුනා ගැනීම | ||
The word හඳුනා ගැනීම also means 'to recognize' or 'to ascertain', highlighting its versatile nature in describing the process of identifying something. | |||
Tamil | அடையாளம் | ||
"அடையாளம்" also translates to "a symbol", which could mean an object standing in as a manifestation of an abstract, or even a mathematical symbol for an abstract number, function, etc. | |||
Telugu | గుర్తింపు | ||
The word "గుర్తింపు" can also refer to "recognition" or "identification of an object". | |||
Urdu | شناخت | ||
شناخت is also used to mean "recognition", and figuratively "the realization of something". |
Chinese (Simplified) | 鉴定 | ||
The word "鉴定" can also mean to determine the value or authenticity of something. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 鑑定 | ||
鑑定 can also mean appraisal or verification | |||
Japanese | 識別 | ||
" identification" in Japanese kanji 識別, lit. "recognize and distinguish". | |||
Korean | 신분증 | ||
The word 신분증 (identification) is composed of the words 신분 (status, position) and 증 (proof) | |||
Mongolian | таних | ||
The term "таних" also refers specifically to identification documents, especially passports and identity cards. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ဖော်ထုတ်ခြင်း | ||
Indonesian | identifikasi | ||
The Indonesian word 'identifikasi' also carries the meaning of 'to be identified' and 'to become known'. | |||
Javanese | identifikasi | ||
"Identifikasi" means "to find out" in the Javanese language, but can also refer to "a mark of distinction" or "a way of identifying something". | |||
Khmer | អត្តសញ្ញាណកម្ម | ||
The word also denotes the legal recognition of a person as having certain characteristics or status, and it is also used in psychology to describe the process by which an individual acquires a sense of self. | |||
Lao | ການລະບຸຕົວຕົນ | ||
Malay | pengenalan diri | ||
Pengenalan diri also refers to a person's understanding of their own qualities, strengths, and weaknesses. | |||
Thai | บัตรประจำตัว | ||
"บัตรประจำตัว" is a compound word, combining "บัตร" (card) and "ประจำตัว" (belonging to oneself), meaning "identification card". | |||
Vietnamese | nhận biết | ||
The word "nhận biết" comes from the Sino-Vietnamese word "認識", which means "cognitive understanding" or "recognition." | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | pagkakakilanlan | ||
Azerbaijani | eyniləşdirmə | ||
The word "identification" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Arabic word "ayn", meaning "eye", and the Turkish suffix "-laşma", meaning "to become". It can also refer to the process of identifying with a particular group or idea. | |||
Kazakh | сәйкестендіру | ||
The word "сәйкестендіру" can also mean "to match" or "to correspond" in Kazakh. | |||
Kyrgyz | идентификация | ||
The Kyrgyz word "идентификация" is derived from the Russian word "идентификация" which in turn comes from the Latin word "identificare" meaning "to make identical". | |||
Tajik | шиносоӣ | ||
The word "шиносоӣ" can also mean "identification" in the context of determining a person's identity. | |||
Turkmen | şahsyýeti kesgitlemek | ||
Uzbek | identifikatsiya qilish | ||
"Identifikatsiya qilish" means "identification" and also means "authentication." | |||
Uyghur | كىملىك | ||
Hawaiian | ʻikeʻike | ||
The Hawaiian word ʻikeʻike can also mean "knowledge" or "understanding." | |||
Maori | tuakiri | ||
The Maori word "tuakiri" ("identification") comes from the Proto-Polynesian word "takiri", meaning "to show, to point out, to identify" or "to recognise, to know". | |||
Samoan | faʻailoaina | ||
In the Hawaiian language, "ho'ailona" is to "make known" and "ho'ailona" also means "to identify". In the Marquesan language, "ho'e'a" means "to make known". The Samoan word "fa'ailo" means "to reveal, to display" or "to mark" and the Samoan word "fa'ailoaina" means "identification". | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | pagkakakilanlan | ||
The word "pagkakakilanlan" is derived from the root word "kakilala", meaning "to know" or "to be acquainted with". |
Aymara | uñt’ayaña | ||
Guarani | identificación rehegua | ||
Esperanto | identigo | ||
Esperanto "identigo" can also mean "sameness" or a "duplicate". | |||
Latin | idem | ||
The Latin word "idem" can also mean "the same" or "likewise". |
Greek | ταυτοποίηση | ||
The word "ταυτοποίηση" comes from the Greek root "ταυτόν", meaning "the same," and the suffix "-ποίηση", meaning "making," indicating the process of establishing identity. | |||
Hmong | daim ntawv qhia npe | ||
Daim ntawv qhia npe is a Hmong compound word comprising daim ('card; paper'), ntawv ('letter; book'), and qhia ('to tell') in order to render an English identification card. | |||
Kurdish | nasname | ||
The etymology of 'nasname' in Kurdish can be linked to its components, with 'nas' referring to 'identification', 'sign', or 'trace' and 'name' meaning 'name', together creating a multidimensional word for identification. | |||
Turkish | kimlik | ||
Kimlik in Turkish comes from the Arabic word كمال/kamāl, which means totality or beauty. | |||
Xhosa | ukuchonga | ||
The word "ukuchonga" in Xhosa also means "to point out" or "to indicate with the finger" | |||
Yiddish | לעגיטימאַציע | ||
The Yiddish word "לעגיטימאַציע" ultimately derives from the Latin word "legitimatio," meaning "the act of making legitimate". | |||
Zulu | ukuhlonza | ||
"Ukuhlonza" literally means "to track someone down" in Zulu. | |||
Assamese | চিনাক্তকৰণ | ||
Aymara | uñt’ayaña | ||
Bhojpuri | पहचान के बारे में बतावल गइल बा | ||
Dhivehi | ދެނެގަތުން | ||
Dogri | पहचान करना | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | pagkakakilanlan | ||
Guarani | identificación rehegua | ||
Ilocano | pannakailasin | ||
Krio | fɔ no pɔsin | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | ناسینەوە | ||
Maithili | पहचान | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯁꯛ ꯈꯪꯗꯣꯀꯄꯥ꯫ | ||
Mizo | hriat chian theihna | ||
Oromo | adda baasuu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ପରିଚୟ | ||
Quechua | riqsichiy | ||
Sanskrit | परिचयः | ||
Tatar | идентификация | ||
Tigrinya | መለለዪ መንነት | ||
Tsonga | ku tivisiwa | ||