Imply in Different Languages
Discover 'Imply' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'imply' is a small but powerful part of any language. It carries with it a significance that goes beyond its simple definition, often used to convey subtle meanings and insinuations. In literature, media, and everyday conversation, to imply is to suggest something without stating it directly, leaving room for interpretation and inference. This makes 'imply' a culturally important term, as it allows for nuanced communication and the art of subtext.
Moreover, understanding the concept of 'imply' can help break down language barriers, as it's a common thread woven through many languages. For instance, in Spanish, 'imply' can be translated as 'insinuar', while in German, it becomes 'implizieren'. In French, the word takes on a slightly different form, 'sous-entendre', yet it retains the same core meaning.
With that in mind, let's explore how 'imply' is translated in various languages, diving deeper into the fascinating world of linguistic and cultural connections.
Imply
Imply in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | impliseer | ||
| In Afrikaans, "impliseer" can also mean "to accuse" or "to suspect". | |||
| Amharic | ማለት | ||
| ማለት, also transliterated as malat, is used in Amharic to ask a question that expects a yes or no answer | |||
| Hausa | nufa | ||
| The word "nufa" in Hausa can also mean to guess or infer. | |||
| Igbo | pụtara | ||
| Pụtara can also mean 'to happen' or 'to come to pass', showcasing its range of meaning beyond 'implying'. | |||
| Malagasy | midika | ||
| Midika derives from the verb "miditra," meaning "to enter," and implies an inference or suggestion. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kutanthauza | ||
| The word 'kutanthauza' can also mean 'to signify' or 'to indicate' in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | zvinoreva | ||
| The word "zvinoreva" also means "to point to" or "to indicate" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | maldahay | ||
| "Maldahay" also means "to point to", "to show" or "to indicate". | |||
| Sesotho | fana ka maikutlo | ||
| The word 'fana ka maikutlo' also means to 'appear to mean' or 'to be suggestive of'. | |||
| Swahili | inamaanisha | ||
| The word "inamaanisha" is derived from the Arabic word "anā", meaning "to say", and can also mean "to indicate" or "to suggest." | |||
| Xhosa | kuthetha | ||
| The word 'kuthetha' can also means to hint or suggest something to someone in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | tumọ si | ||
| In Yoruba, the word 'tumọ si' also means 'to point to' or 'to suggest' something subtly. | |||
| Zulu | kusho | ||
| The word 'kusho', meaning 'to imply, make a suggestion, hint, indicate, insinuate, intimate, or suggest', is derived from the Bantu root '-kub' (to cover) and the nominal prefix 'uku-'. | |||
| Bambara | imply (a jira). | ||
| Ewe | fia be | ||
| Kinyarwanda | bivuze | ||
| Lingala | kopesa likanisi ya koloba | ||
| Luganda | kitegeeza | ||
| Sepedi | bolela | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kyerɛ sɛ | ||
Imply in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | لمح | ||
| The Arabic word "لمح" can also mean "to glance" or "to wink." | |||
| Hebrew | לִרְמוֹז | ||
| רָמַז in Hebrew also means a traffic light because it signals to the drivers what to do. | |||
| Pashto | مطلب | ||
| The word "مطلب" ("imply") in Pashto is also used to refer to a "meaning" or "subject matter" | |||
| Arabic | لمح | ||
| The Arabic word "لمح" can also mean "to glance" or "to wink." | |||
Imply in Western European Languages
| Albanian | nënkuptoj | ||
| The word "nënkuptoj" in Albanian also means "to comprehend" or "to understand". | |||
| Basque | esan nahi du | ||
| The Basque word "esan nahi du" comes from the verb "esan" (to say) and the noun "nahi" (will) and literally means "what it will say". | |||
| Catalan | implica | ||
| Catalan 'implica' originates from the Latin word 'implicāre', meaning 'to entangle' or 'to involve'. | |||
| Croatian | implicirati | ||
| The verb "implicirati" in Croatian also means "to impose" or "to entail". | |||
| Danish | indebære | ||
| The word "indebære" originally meant "to bear in mind" or "to contain". In the 18th century, it began to be used to mean "to imply". | |||
| Dutch | impliceren | ||
| The Dutch verb "impliceren" is derived from the Latin verb "implicare", meaning "to entangle" or "to involve". In Dutch, it retains this sense of involvement or connection, but has also acquired the additional meaning of "to imply" in the sense of suggesting something indirectly. | |||
| English | imply | ||
| The term 'imply' was initially a legal one and was used to refer to an implication, an inferred or indirect meaning or conclusion. | |||
| French | impliquer | ||
| In French, "impliquer" can also mean "to involve" or "to drag into". | |||
| Frisian | ymplisearje | ||
| The Frisian word "ymplisearje" also means "to involve" or "to suggest". | |||
| Galician | implicar | ||
| The word "implicar" in Galician also means "to involve" or "to affect". | |||
| German | implizieren | ||
| As a rare alternate meaning, "implizieren" also means "to contain a germ". | |||
| Icelandic | gefa í skyn | ||
| The Icelandic verb gefa í skyn derives from the Old Norse phrase gefa í sýn, which literally means "give into sight." | |||
| Irish | le tuiscint | ||
| The Irish word "le tuiscint" implies understanding, comprehension, or knowledge. | |||
| Italian | implicare | ||
| The verb "implicare" derives from Latin and can also mean to "entangle" or "involve". | |||
| Luxembourgish | implizéieren | ||
| The word "implizéieren" derives from the Latin word "implicare", meaning "to fold in" or "to entangle." | |||
| Maltese | jimplika | ||
| The Maltese word "jimplika" ultimately derives from the Latin "implico," meaning “entangle” or “ensnare". | |||
| Norwegian | antyde | ||
| The word "antyde" in Norwegian can also mean "indicate" or "suggest". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | implica | ||
| The Portuguese verb "implica" can also mean to involve, to entail, to carry with it, or to result in something. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ciallaich | ||
| It is related to the Latin word "calumnia", meaning "false accusation". | |||
| Spanish | implicar | ||
| In Spanish, "implicar" can also mean to "involve" or "entangle". | |||
| Swedish | medföra | ||
| The Swedish word "medföra" is a cognate of the English word "meet" and means both "to bring along" and "to result in." | |||
| Welsh | awgrymu | ||
| The word "awgrymu" can also mean "to hint", "to suggest", or "to insinuate" | |||
Imply in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | маецца на ўвазе | ||
| Bosnian | implicirati | ||
| It can also mean to involve or include someone or something in a particular situation or activity. | |||
| Bulgarian | предполагам | ||
| The word "предполагам" can also mean "assume" or "presume" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | naznačit | ||
| The verb "naznačit" in Czech can also describe a hint or indication, or a trace of something. | |||
| Estonian | vihjata | ||
| Vihjata also means to 'warn', as in 'ta vihjas mulle, et mind vallandatakse', or 'he hinted at my imminent firing'. | |||
| Finnish | tarkoita | ||
| The noun 'tarkoitus' is cognate with Hungarian 'tartozik', meaning 'to have a purpose' or 'to belong'. The verb 'tarkoitaa' developed a more abstract meaning of 'to imply'. | |||
| Hungarian | maga után von | ||
| The word "maga után von" literally means "to drag after itself" and can also mean "to have (something) as a consequence". | |||
| Latvian | nozīmē | ||
| "Nozīmē" can also mean "to designate", "to intend", or "to mean" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | reikšti | ||
| “Reikšti” is a Lithuanian verb meaning “to express,” “to mean,” or “to signify,” and comes from the word “reikalas” meaning “need” or “necessity”. | |||
| Macedonian | имплицираат | ||
| The word "imply" comes from the Latin word "implicare," meaning "to enfold" or "to entangle." | |||
| Polish | sugerować | ||
| Sugerować in Polish can also mean 'to hint' or 'to suggest'. | |||
| Romanian | implică | ||
| The Romanian word "implică" derives from the Latin word "implicare", which means "to entangle" or "to involve". | |||
| Russian | подразумевать | ||
| The word "подразумевать" can also mean "to understand", "to assume", or "to suggest". | |||
| Serbian | подразумевати | ||
| The Serbian word 'подразумевати' is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *razuměti, meaning 'to understand' or 'to make sense of', and is related to words like 'razum' ('reason') and 'razumljiv' ('understandable'). | |||
| Slovak | naznačiť | ||
| "Naznačiť" is a Slovak verb that means "to point out" or "to indicate indirectly". It shares the same etymology with the Russian word "назвать" (nazvat), which means "to call" or "to name". | |||
| Slovenian | pomenijo | ||
| The word 'pomenijo' in Slovenian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'pomeniti', which also means 'to mean' or 'to signify'. | |||
| Ukrainian | мати на увазі | ||
| The Ukrainian word “мати на увазі” (“imply”) comes from the verb “мати” (“to have”) and the noun “увага” (“attention”), so it literally means “to have in attention”. | |||
Imply in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বোঝা | ||
| The word "বোঝা" can also mean "to carry a burden" or "to understand". | |||
| Gujarati | સૂચિત | ||
| "સૂચિત" is derived from Sanskrit words "su" meaning 'good' or 'well' and "cit" meaning 'thought' or 'intelligence'" | |||
| Hindi | मतलब | ||
| The word "मतलब" can also mean "purpose," "intention," or "significance" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಸೂಚಿಸುತ್ತದೆ | ||
| Malayalam | സൂചിപ്പിക്കുക | ||
| The word 'സൂചിപ്പിക്കുക' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'सूचित' (sūcita), which means 'indicated' or 'suggested'. It can also mean 'to refer to' or 'to have a hint of'. | |||
| Marathi | सुचवा | ||
| सुचवा is also derived from the Sanskrit word 'सु' which means 'good' and 'चव' which means 'taste', implying a positive connotation. | |||
| Nepali | संकेत | ||
| An alternate meaning of "संकेत" is a code or key used for secret communication. | |||
| Punjabi | ਭਾਵ | ||
| The root of the word 'ਭਾਵ' in Punjabi is the Sanskrit word 'भाव', meaning 'feeling' or 'emotion'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ඇඟවුම් කරන්න | ||
| Tamil | குறிக்கிறது | ||
| The Tamil word "குறிக்கிறது" can also mean "to indicate", "to point out", or "to refer to". | |||
| Telugu | సూచిస్తుంది | ||
| Its alternate meaning is to refer | |||
| Urdu | تقلید کرنا | ||
| The Urdu word "taqlid karna", meaning "to imitate", derives from the Arabic word "taqlid", meaning "imitation" or "following the example of another". | |||
Imply in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 意味着 | ||
| "意味着" 在中文中也可以表示“具有……的特征”或“预示着”等意思。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 意味著 | ||
| 意味著 can also mean 'significant', 'substantial', or 'essential'. | |||
| Japanese | 意味する | ||
| 意味する can also mean "to signify" or "to indicate". | |||
| Korean | 암시하다 | ||
| In Korean, 암시하다 (imply) originally meant "to point toward" or "to refer to". | |||
| Mongolian | гэсэн утгатай | ||
| Гэсэн утгатай is also used to mean `because` or `therefore` when connecting two clauses. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဆိုလိုသည်မှာ | ||
| It is derived from the Burmese word 'ဆို' (say/speak) and 'လို' (want/desire), indicating a speaker's intention to convey a specific meaning. | |||
Imply in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | berarti | ||
| The word "berarti" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *baRa meaning "to mean" or "to signify." | |||
| Javanese | tegese | ||
| Tegese, or "imply" in Javanese, shares a root with words meaning "mark" and "sign." | |||
| Khmer | បញ្ជាក់ | ||
| The word "បញ្ជាក់" can also mean "to state clearly" or "to make known". | |||
| Lao | ໝາຍ ຄວາມວ່າ | ||
| Malay | menyiratkan | ||
| The word "menyiratkan" can also mean "to lead to" or "to result in". | |||
| Thai | บอกเป็นนัยว่า | ||
| The word "บอกเป็นนัยว่า" comes from the root "บอก" which means "to tell" and "นัย" which means "meaning" or "implication". | |||
| Vietnamese | bao hàm, ngụ ý | ||
| The word "bao hàm, ngụ ý" (imply) in Vietnamese is derived from the Chinese characters "包含" (bao han), meaning "to include" or "to hold within". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magpahiwatig | ||
Imply in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | nəzərdə tutmaq | ||
| The verb "nəzərdə tutmaq" derives from the noun "nəzər", meaning "look" or "meaning", and the suffix "-da" indicating a condition or purpose. | |||
| Kazakh | меңзейді | ||
| The verb "меңзейді" in Kazakh can also mean "to be similar", a meaning not shared by the verb "imply" in English. | |||
| Kyrgyz | билдирет | ||
| The word "билдирет" in Kyrgyz can also mean "understand" or "get to know" in certain contexts. | |||
| Tajik | дар назар дорад | ||
| The word | |||
| Turkmen | diýmek | ||
| Uzbek | nazarda tutmoq | ||
| The Uzbek phrase "nazarda tutmoq" also means "to have in mind" or "to consider". | |||
| Uyghur | imply | ||
Imply in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoʻohiwahiwa | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word 'hoʻohiwahiwa' also means to adorn, beautify, or embellish. | |||
| Maori | tohu | ||
| The Maori word "tohu" can also mean "sign", "indication", or "evidence". | |||
| Samoan | faʻapea | ||
| The word faʻapea can also mean "to make it so it is". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | ipahiwatig | ||
| "Ipahiwatig" also means "to hint" or "to suggest" in Tagalog. | |||
Imply in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | imply sañ muni | ||
| Guarani | implica | ||
Imply in International Languages
| Esperanto | implici | ||
| The word "implici" in Esperanto comes from the Latin verb "implicare," meaning "to entwine" or "to involve." | |||
| Latin | sequitur | ||
| "Sequitur" is the third-person singular present indicative active form of "sequor," meaning "to follow" or "to come after." | |||
Imply in Others Languages
| Greek | συνεπάγονται | ||
| The word συνεπάγονται is derived from the Greek words σύν (with) and επάγειν (to bring on), so it literally means "to bring on something with something else." | |||
| Hmong | hais lus | ||
| The Hmong word "hais lus" can also mean "to express (a feeling or thought)," "to show (emotion)," or "to reveal (information)" | |||
| Kurdish | belîkirin | ||
| The term 'belîkirin' also means 'to indicate' or 'to hint at' in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | ima etmek | ||
| "Ima etmek" is also an idiom that means to suggest something in a delicate way. | |||
| Xhosa | kuthetha | ||
| The word 'kuthetha' can also means to hint or suggest something to someone in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | מיינען | ||
| In Yiddish literature, "meynikn" does not only mean "imply", but also "think", "consider", "estimate", and "determine in court". | |||
| Zulu | kusho | ||
| The word 'kusho', meaning 'to imply, make a suggestion, hint, indicate, insinuate, intimate, or suggest', is derived from the Bantu root '-kub' (to cover) and the nominal prefix 'uku-'. | |||
| Assamese | imply | ||
| Aymara | imply sañ muni | ||
| Bhojpuri | इशारा करत बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ދޭހަކޮށްދެއެވެ | ||
| Dogri | इशारा करना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magpahiwatig | ||
| Guarani | implica | ||
| Ilocano | ipasimudaagna | ||
| Krio | imply | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئاماژە بەوە دەکات | ||
| Maithili | तात्पर्य | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯝꯞꯂꯥꯏ ꯇꯧꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | imply rawh | ||
| Oromo | imply jechuudha | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବୁ ly ାନ୍ତୁ | ||
| Quechua | implicar | ||
| Sanskrit | तात्पर्यम् | ||
| Tatar | дигән сүз | ||
| Tigrinya | ዘመልክት እዩ። | ||
| Tsonga | swi vula | ||