Imagine in Different Languages
Discover 'Imagine' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Imagine, a simple word that holds so much power. It's a word that invites us to explore new possibilities, to dream, and to create. It's a word that has been used by some of the greatest minds in history to inspire and motivate. From philosophers and poets to scientists and artists, the word 'imagine' has been a catalyst for innovation and progress.
But what about the rest of the world? How do other cultures and languages convey this powerful concept? Understanding the translation of 'imagine' in different languages can open up a whole new world of cultural understanding and appreciation. For example, in Spanish, 'imagine' is 'imaginar', while in French, it's 'imaginer'. In German, it's 'sich vorstellen', and in Japanese, it's '想像する' (souzou suru).
Exploring the word 'imagine' in different languages not only broadens our linguistic skills but also deepens our connection to other cultures. It allows us to see the world through a different lens and to appreciate the beauty and richness of our diverse human experience.
Imagine
Imagine in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | verbeel jou | ||
| "Verbeel jou" literally translates to "imagine yourself" in English. | |||
| Amharic | አስቡት | ||
| This verb originates from the root ኤቲኒ (sbt), which also means to hope. | |||
| Hausa | tunanin | ||
| The word "tunanin" can also mean "to hope" or "to expect". | |||
| Igbo | iche | ||
| The Igbo word 'iche' also means 'the process of putting something into practice' | |||
| Malagasy | sary an-tsaina | ||
| The term "sary an-tsaina" in Malagasy can also refer to the act of daydreaming or fantasizing about the future. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kulingalira | ||
| The word 'kulingalira' in Nyanja (Chichewa) is a cognate of the Yao word 'kulingalira', which means 'to perceive, to think, to expect'. | |||
| Shona | fungidzira | ||
| 'Fungidzira' is most likely related to the prefix 'fu' which connotes 'to cause' or 'to bring about' action. | |||
| Somali | qiyaas | ||
| "Qiyaas" is also used to mean "guess" or "approximate" and is related to the Arabic word "qiyās" meaning "analogy" or "inference". | |||
| Sesotho | nahana | ||
| "Nahana" also means "to think" or "to believe" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | fikiria | ||
| Fikiria is also used to express 'idea' or 'thought' in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | cinga | ||
| The Xhosa word “cinga” also means “to look at” or “to observe”. | |||
| Yoruba | fojuinu | ||
| The verb "fojuinu" can mean a number of things, including "imagine," "guess," or "suppose." | |||
| Zulu | cabanga | ||
| The word 'cabanga' in Zulu also means 'to think' or 'to consider'. | |||
| Bambara | ka miri | ||
| Ewe | bu eŋu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | tekereza | ||
| Lingala | kokanisa | ||
| Luganda | lowooza | ||
| Sepedi | nagana | ||
| Twi (Akan) | fa no sɛ | ||
Imagine in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تخيل | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "imagine," "تخيل" also means "to conceive" or "to envision." | |||
| Hebrew | לדמיין | ||
| The word לדמיין (imagine) is derived from the root דמה (to resemble), suggesting the creation of an image in the mind. | |||
| Pashto | تصور وکړئ | ||
| The Pashto word تصور وکړئ is also used to mean "consider" or "think about". | |||
| Arabic | تخيل | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "imagine," "تخيل" also means "to conceive" or "to envision." | |||
Imagine in Western European Languages
| Albanian | imagjinoni | ||
| Imagjinoni comes from Latin "imaginari" (to create mental images) and also means "imaginary" or "fictional" in Albanian. | |||
| Basque | imajinatu | ||
| The word "imajinatu" derives from the Latin word "imaginari" and originally meant "to depict or represent." | |||
| Catalan | imagina’t | ||
| The Catalan word "imagina't" comes from the Latin word "imaginari", meaning "to form a mental image". | |||
| Croatian | zamisliti | ||
| "Zamisliti" in Croatian can also mean "to intend" or "to purpose." | |||
| Danish | forestille | ||
| The Danish word "forestille" originally meant "to place before" and can still have this meaning in certain contexts outside of "imagine". | |||
| Dutch | stel je voor | ||
| In Dutch, "stel je voor" literally translates to "set yourself before" or "place yourself in front of", which captures the notion of imagining something before one's eyes. | |||
| English | imagine | ||
| From the Latin "imago," an image, it now evokes creation out of nothing. | |||
| French | imaginer | ||
| The French word “imaginer” comes from the Latin verb “imaginari” and can also mean “to conceive” or “to think.” | |||
| Frisian | yntinke | ||
| In Old Frisian, yntinke also meant 'to perceive,' and it is related to the modern Dutch denken ('to think') and Duits denken ('to think'). | |||
| Galician | imaxina | ||
| In Galician, "imaxinar" (imagine) shares its etymology with the Latin word "imago" (image), but also has an alternate meaning of "to plan or intend". | |||
| German | vorstellen | ||
| The word "vorstellen" can also mean "to introduce" or "to present". | |||
| Icelandic | ímyndaðu þér | ||
| Ímyndaðu þér (imagine) comes from the verb "mynda" (to form, create). This is the same root that gives us "mynd" (picture) and "myndasmíði" (animation). | |||
| Irish | samhlaigh | ||
| The Irish word "samhlaigh" can also mean "liken" or "compare". | |||
| Italian | immaginare | ||
| In Italian, the word "immaginare" can also mean "to visualize" or "to conceive of". | |||
| Luxembourgish | virstellen | ||
| The verb "virstellen" can also have the meaning "to represent" in certain contexts. | |||
| Maltese | immaġina | ||
| The word "immaġina" originally meant "image" and is related to the word "immaġni" (Latin: "imago"). | |||
| Norwegian | forestill deg | ||
| Forestill deg is a combination of 'forestille' (show, exhibit) and 'deg' (self/you). | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | imagine | ||
| In Portugal, "imaginar" is synonymous with "pretend", whereas in Brazil it carries a more literal meaning of "imagine" or "picture in one's mind". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | smaoinich | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word 'smaoinich' is derived from the Old Irish verb 'smáinim' meaning 'to think', 'to consider', or 'to ponder'. | |||
| Spanish | imagina | ||
| The Spanish word "imagina" can also refer to a mental image, a figure in a dream, or a phantom. | |||
| Swedish | tänka | ||
| "Tänka" may also mean to "think" or "consider," or to "intend" or "plan." | |||
| Welsh | dychmygwch | ||
| Welsh word "dychmygwch" is a derivative of the archaic verb "damcan" meaning "to suppose or presume." | |||
Imagine in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | уявіце сабе | ||
| "Уявіце сабе" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *obobraziti, which also means "to show" or "to depict". | |||
| Bosnian | zamislite | ||
| "Zamislite" is derived from "zamisliti se," meaning "to think about, to consider." | |||
| Bulgarian | представям си | ||
| "Представям си" in Bulgarian also means "to present oneself" in some contexts. | |||
| Czech | představit si | ||
| The verb 'představit si' also means 'to present oneself', 'to introduce oneself' and 'to show one's appreciation'. | |||
| Estonian | kujutage ette | ||
| The Estonian word "kujutage ette" can also mean "to represent" or "to imagine". | |||
| Finnish | kuvitella | ||
| "Kuvittele" (imagine) is a loanword from Swedish "kuvitera" (depict), which in turn comes from French "cuvrir" (cover). | |||
| Hungarian | képzeld el | ||
| The word "képzeld el" can also mean "to picture to oneself" or "to conceive of". | |||
| Latvian | iedomājies | ||
| The Latvian word "iedomājies" can also mean "to presuppose" or "to assume". | |||
| Lithuanian | įsivaizduok | ||
| The verb įsivaizduok stems from the Lithuanian word vaizdas (image, vision) and the prefix įsi- (entering, getting into), thus signifying the action of entering a state of imagining. | |||
| Macedonian | замисли | ||
| In Macedonian, 'замисли' is also a synonym for 'dream' and can refer to a state of contemplation or reverie. | |||
| Polish | wyobrażać sobie | ||
| The Polish word "wyobrażać sobie" has a broader meaning than the English "imagine", encompassing both "to imagine" and "to portray". | |||
| Romanian | imagina | ||
| Imagina derives from the Latin verb "īmāgīnārī" meaning "to imagine". | |||
| Russian | представить | ||
| The verb "представить" comes from an Old Slavic word that also meant | |||
| Serbian | замислити | ||
| The closest cognate to "замислити" is "мыслить" in Russian, which can also mean both "think" and "imagine." | |||
| Slovak | predstavte si | ||
| In Slovak, predstavte si also suggests the notion of introducing someone to others | |||
| Slovenian | predstavljajte si | ||
| "Predstavljajte si" is a very close synonym of "zamislite" and "si zamislite" and thus a direct translation of "imagine". In its archaic meaning it can also be used as a first person plural imperative form to mean "let's imagine". | |||
| Ukrainian | уявіть | ||
| The Ukrainian word "уявіть" can also mean "visualize" or "form a mental image of something." | |||
Imagine in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | কল্পনা | ||
| In Bengali, the word "কল্পনা" (kolpona) can also refer to a hypothesis, a dream, or a mental image. | |||
| Gujarati | કલ્પના | ||
| The word "કલ્પના" (kalpana) also refers to a specific type of poetic composition in Gujarati literature. | |||
| Hindi | कल्पना कीजिए | ||
| "कल्पना कीजिए" is a derivative of "कल्प" (conception, desire) and its alternate meaning in Hindi is "to perceive". | |||
| Kannada | ಕಲ್ಪಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಿ | ||
| Malayalam | സങ്കൽപ്പിക്കുക | ||
| Marathi | कल्पना करा | ||
| The Marathi word "कल्पना करा" can also mean "to envision" or "to conceive" in English. | |||
| Nepali | कल्पना गर्नुहोस् | ||
| The verb 'कल्पना गर्नुहोस्' is derived from the Sanskrit verb 'कल्प' (kalp), meaning 'to form in mind, conceive, imagine'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਲਪਨਾ ਕਰੋ | ||
| The word "kalpana karo" is also used in a more figurative sense to mean "make up" or "invent." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සිතන්න | ||
| The Sinhalese word "සිතන්න" can also mean to "consider" or "understand", highlighting its broader semantic range beyond just imagining. | |||
| Tamil | கற்பனை செய்து பாருங்கள் | ||
| Telugu | .హించు | ||
| The Telugu word .హించు is derived from Sanskrit "hi", meaning to think or consider. | |||
| Urdu | تصور | ||
| The Urdu word "تصور" can also mean "thought" or "idea". | |||
Imagine in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 想像 | ||
| In Chinese, '想像' can also mean 'thought' or 'idea'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 想像 | ||
| In Chinese, "想像" can also mean "conjecture" or "guess". | |||
| Japanese | 想像する | ||
| The word "想像する" (sōzōsuru) is composed of two kanji: "想像" (sōzō), which means "imagination", and "する" (suru), which means "to do". | |||
| Korean | 상상하다 | ||
| "상상하다" originally meant "to think" or "to suppose". | |||
| Mongolian | төсөөлөх | ||
| The word "төсөөлөх" also has the meaning of "to suppose" or "to assume" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မြင်ယောင်ကြည့်ပါ | ||
Imagine in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | membayangkan | ||
| "Membayangkan" means "imagine" in Indonesian and it derives from the Sanskrit word "mimansa" meaning "thinking". | |||
| Javanese | mbayangno | ||
| The word 'mbayangno' is derived from the Javanese words 'mbayang' (shadow) and 'no' (thought), and can also mean 'hallucinate' or 'daydream'. | |||
| Khmer | ស្រមៃ | ||
| The word ស្រមៃ (sramay) in Khmer also means 'to consider', 'to suppose', or 'to think' | |||
| Lao | ຈິນຕະນາການ | ||
| Malay | bayangkan | ||
| "Bayangkan" also means "imagine" in several other languages, including Indonesian and Javanese. | |||
| Thai | จินตนาการ | ||
| "จินตนาการ" comes from Sanskrit and means "to think" or "to know." | |||
| Vietnamese | tưởng tượng | ||
| The Vietnamese word "tưởng tượng" can also refer to an illusion or hallucination, reflecting the fluidity of imagination and the boundaries of reality. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | isipin mo | ||
Imagine in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | təsəvvür edin | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "təsəvvür edin" is derived from the Persian "تصور کنید" (tasavvor konid), which literally means "make a picture of". It can also be used to mean "suppose", "guess", or "imagine". | |||
| Kazakh | елестету | ||
| The word "елестету" in Kazakh can also mean "to suppose" or "to fancy". | |||
| Kyrgyz | элестетүү | ||
| "Элестетүү" means "to create a mental image". In physics, it means "to form an image". In photography, it means "to take a picture". | |||
| Tajik | тасаввур кунед | ||
| "Тасаввур кунед" (imagine) derives from the Arabic word "تصور" (conception, idea) and Persian word "کردن" (to do, to make). | |||
| Turkmen | göz öňüne getiriň | ||
| Uzbek | tasavvur qiling | ||
| The Uzbek word "tasavvur qiling" can also mean "to conceive" or "to envisage". | |||
| Uyghur | تەسەۋۋۇر قىلىپ بېقىڭ | ||
Imagine in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | e noʻonoʻo | ||
| "E noʻonoʻo" is literally 'to think repeatedly,' coming from the repeated form of the verb "noʻonoʻo" ('to think'). | |||
| Maori | whakaaro | ||
| The Maori word "whakaaro" is also used to describe a "thought" or "opinion". | |||
| Samoan | vaai faalemafaufau | ||
| The expression "vaai faalemafaufau" can also mean "to picture" or "to visualize". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | isipin | ||
| The word "isipin" also means "to think of" or "to consider" in Tagalog. | |||
Imagine in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | lup'iña | ||
| Guarani | ha'ãngáva | ||
Imagine in International Languages
| Esperanto | imagu | ||
| The Esperanto word "imagu" comes from Esperanto word "imagi", which comes from Latin word "imago", which means "image" or "copy". | |||
| Latin | meditati | ||
| Meditati is also a past participle of the verb "meditor", meaning "to ponder" or "to deliberate". | |||
Imagine in Others Languages
| Greek | φαντάζομαι | ||
| Φαντάζομαι may also mean 'make visible,' 'form in the imagination,' 'picture to oneself,' 'think', 'suppose,' or 'believe' | |||
| Hmong | xav | ||
| The word "xav" can also mean "dream", "hope", or "wish". | |||
| Kurdish | fikirin | ||
| The root of the Kurdish word "fikirin" can be traced back to the Persian word "fikr", meaning "thought" or "idea." | |||
| Turkish | hayal etmek | ||
| The word "hayal etmek" is derived from the Arabic word "khayāl" which means "phantom, illusion, or apparition". This reflects the idea that imagined things are not real but instead exist only in the mind. | |||
| Xhosa | cinga | ||
| The Xhosa word “cinga” also means “to look at” or “to observe”. | |||
| Yiddish | ימאַדזשאַן | ||
| The Yiddish word 'ימאַדזשאַן' ('imagine') derives from the Hebrew word 'imagined' ('figure'), also cognate of the English word 'imagine'. | |||
| Zulu | cabanga | ||
| The word 'cabanga' in Zulu also means 'to think' or 'to consider'. | |||
| Assamese | কল্পনা কৰা | ||
| Aymara | lup'iña | ||
| Bhojpuri | कल्पना करीं | ||
| Dhivehi | ވިސްނާލުން | ||
| Dogri | सोचना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | isipin mo | ||
| Guarani | ha'ãngáva | ||
| Ilocano | ingepen | ||
| Krio | imajin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بیرکردنەوە | ||
| Maithili | कल्पना करु | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯅꯗꯨꯅ ꯌꯦꯡꯁꯤ | ||
| Mizo | suangtuah | ||
| Oromo | yaadi | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କଳ୍ପନା କର | | ||
| Quechua | umanchay | ||
| Sanskrit | गणयति | ||
| Tatar | күз алдыгызга китерегез | ||
| Tigrinya | ኢልካ ሕሰብ | ||
| Tsonga | anakanya | ||