Updated on March 6, 2024
The word impression holds a significant place in our vocabulary, encompassing a wide range of meanings related to the impact or effect something has on us. It can refer to the mental image of something, the effect or influence something has on our thoughts or feelings, or the mark or indentation left by an object. This versatile term has been a part of our cultural and linguistic heritage for centuries, playing a crucial role in various fields such as art, psychology, and philosophy.
Impressions also have a fascinating historical context. For instance, in the 17th century, the term was used to describe the act of printing or stamping an image or design onto a surface. This historical significance has shaped the word's evolution and cultural importance, making it a critical concept to understand and translate in different languages.
Moreover, understanding the translation of impression in different languages can help us appreciate the nuances of this term in various cultures. For example, in Spanish, the word for impression is 'impresión,' while in French, it's 'impression.' These translations not only provide insight into the linguistic diversity of different cultures but also highlight the universal significance of this term.
Afrikaans | indruk | ||
Indruk means "impression" in Afrikaans and comes from the Dutch word "indruk" with the same meaning | |||
Amharic | ስሜት | ||
The word "ስሜት" can also mean "feeling" or "emotion" in Amharic. | |||
Hausa | ra'ayi | ||
The Hausa word "ra'ayi" also means "opinion" and "viewpoint". | |||
Igbo | echiche | ||
The word "echiche" in Igbo is derived from the verb "chi" (to do, make), and implies an action or process rather than a static state. | |||
Malagasy | fahatsapana | ||
"fahatsapana" is derived from the root word "tsahatra" meaning "mark" or "trace". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | chithunzi | ||
The word "chithunzi" in Nyanja (Chichewa) can also refer to a "picture" or "photograph". | |||
Shona | pfungwa | ||
The word "pfungwa" also means "notion", "thought", or "idea" in Shona. | |||
Somali | aragti | ||
The word "aragti" can also mean "thought" or "idea" in Somali. | |||
Sesotho | maikutlo | ||
The term originates from an early method of printing which involved the impressing of a block of wood onto paper to leave an image, which led to the word acquiring the alternate meaning of "imprint". | |||
Swahili | hisia | ||
The Swahili word "hisia" also means "feeling", "sensation", or "emotion", showing its connection to the senses and subjective experiences. | |||
Xhosa | umbono | ||
The word 'umbono' may not only refer to the act of creating an impression, but also a physical imprint as a result of applying pressure. | |||
Yoruba | sami | ||
The Yoruba word "sami" can also mean "to know" or "to understand". | |||
Zulu | umbono | ||
The Zulu word 'umbono' also refers to a stamp or seal used to create an impression. | |||
Bambara | yecogo | ||
Ewe | nugɔmesese | ||
Kinyarwanda | impression | ||
Lingala | kolakisa | ||
Luganda | kisanyusa | ||
Sepedi | kgatišo | ||
Twi (Akan) | adwene | ||
Arabic | الانطباع | ||
It connotes 'an imprint, image, mark, scar, mark, trace, and stamp' | |||
Hebrew | רוֹשֶׁם | ||
The word "רוֹשֶׁם" can also mean "sign" or "mark". | |||
Pashto | تاثر | ||
"تاثر" comes from the Arabic root word وثر, which means to leave a mark, and can also refer to an effect or impact. | |||
Arabic | الانطباع | ||
It connotes 'an imprint, image, mark, scar, mark, trace, and stamp' |
Albanian | përshtypje | ||
The Albanian word "përshtypje" comes from the Latin "pressura", meaning "to press" or "to print", and it also has the alternate meaning of "pressure". | |||
Basque | inpresioa | ||
The Basque word "inpresioa" derives from the Latin word "impressio" meaning "forcefully pressed"} | |||
Catalan | impressió | ||
"Impressió" can also mean "print" or "printing" in some contexts, especially in the art world. | |||
Croatian | dojam | ||
The word 'dojam' (impression) comes from the Old Slavic word 'dojimati,' which means 'to take hold of.' | |||
Danish | indtryk | ||
In Danish, the word "indtryk" also has the meaning of "impact" or "influence". | |||
Dutch | indruk | ||
In Dutch, "indruk" literally means "in-pressure". | |||
English | impression | ||
The word "impression" originally meant "the act of pressing into something", but it has since come to mean "a mark left by something" or "a feeling or opinion that something gives you." | |||
French | impression | ||
In French, "impression" can also mean "printing" or "feeling". | |||
Frisian | ympresje | ||
The word "ympresje" in Frisian is derived from the French word "impression", which originally meant "an imprint". | |||
Galician | impresión | ||
In Galician, "impresión" can also mean "printing" or "printed material." | |||
German | eindruck | ||
In German, "Eindruck" can also refer to an imprint or a dent. | |||
Icelandic | far | ||
"Far", a common Icelandic word for "impression" also refers to the color grey and a type of wool that comes from certain kinds of sheep. | |||
Irish | tuiscint | ||
The word 'tuiscint' is also used to refer to a person's intuition or understanding. | |||
Italian | impressione | ||
The word "impressione" in Italian can also mean "feeling" or "emotion" | |||
Luxembourgish | androck | ||
In Luxembourgish, "Androck" can also refer to a "stamp" or "mark" made on an object or surface. | |||
Maltese | impressjoni | ||
The Maltese word "impressjoni" can also mean an imprint or trace. | |||
Norwegian | inntrykk | ||
Inntrykk also means "entrance hall" in older houses, from the verb "å inntre," to enter. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | impressão | ||
In Portuguese, "impressão" also means "printing" (e.g. "impressão digital" = "fingerprint") and "tax" (e.g. "impressão de consumo" = "consumption tax"). | |||
Scots Gaelic | beachd | ||
The word "beachd" also means "stamp" and "die". | |||
Spanish | impresión | ||
The word "impresión" in Spanish can also mean "printing" or "copy." | |||
Swedish | intryck | ||
Intryck (impression) is derived from the Old Norse word "intryckja," meaning "to force in" or "to imprint." | |||
Welsh | argraff | ||
"Argraff" is derived from the Latin "arreptare" (to seize) and "facere" (to make). |
Belarusian | уражанне | ||
The word "вражанне" is related to the Belarusian word "уражаць", meaning both "to impress" and "to harvest" | |||
Bosnian | utisak | ||
The word "utisak" in Bosnian also means "stamp" and "print". | |||
Bulgarian | впечатление | ||
In Bulgarian, the word "впечатление" also means "image" or "perception." | |||
Czech | dojem | ||
Dojem (impression) is a cognate of 'déjà vu' and shares its root with the verb "dojmout se" (to be impressed) or the noun "dojmutí" (emotion). | |||
Estonian | mulje | ||
In Võro, a regional language of Estonia, "mulje" can refer to a footprint or track. | |||
Finnish | vaikutelma | ||
The word 'vaikutelma' derives from the verb 'vaikuttaa', meaning 'to affect' or 'to influence'. | |||
Hungarian | benyomás | ||
"Benyomás" is also a synonym for the word "dent" | |||
Latvian | iespaids | ||
"Iespaids" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root “*wes-”, meaning “to dwell, stay, or remain”. This root is also found in the words "vest", "exist", and "vessel". | |||
Lithuanian | įspūdis | ||
The word "įspūdis" comes from the Latin word "impressio", meaning "a mark left by pressure". | |||
Macedonian | впечаток | ||
The word 'впечаток' in Macedonian is cognate with the Russian word 'впечатление', both deriving from the Proto-Slavic root *vьpečetь, meaning 'to stamp', 'to press'. | |||
Polish | wrażenie | ||
The word "wrażenie" comes from the verb "wrócić" (to return), meaning "something that comes back to us"} | |||
Romanian | impresie | ||
The Romanian word "impresie" also means "tax" and has the same root as "imprima" (to print}. | |||
Russian | впечатление | ||
"Впечатление" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "вътъчати" (literally, "to seal"). | |||
Serbian | утисак | ||
The word "утисак" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "оутискъ", which means "image, likeness, or figure" | |||
Slovak | dojem | ||
The word "dojem" (impression) in Slovak is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "dojьmъ", which also means "sensation". | |||
Slovenian | vtis | ||
The word "vtis" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*vьtь" meaning "mark, sign" and is related to the verb "*vьtiti" meaning "to mark, sign". | |||
Ukrainian | враження | ||
В українській мові “враження” може також означати "чуття" або "думку", на відміну від англійського “impression”. |
Bengali | ছাপ | ||
The word "ছাপ" in Bengali can also refer to a mark, print, or proof of something. | |||
Gujarati | છાપ | ||
The Gujarati word "છાપ" can also mean "stamp" or "seal". | |||
Hindi | प्रभाव | ||
The word प्रभाव (pr̥bhāv) in Hindi has multiple meanings, including 'a mark made by pressure', 'a strong feeling or emotion', and 'authority or influence'. | |||
Kannada | ಅನಿಸಿಕೆ | ||
The word "ಅನಿಸಿಕೆ" also means "feeling" or "sensation" in Kannada. | |||
Malayalam | മതിപ്പ് | ||
"മതിപ്പ്" (impression) derives from "മതി" (sufficient). So it suggests a perception that is satisfying or complete. | |||
Marathi | ठसा | ||
The word 'ठा' (Tha), from which 'ठासा' is derived, also means 'to stop' or 'to be stationary' in Marathi and several other Indo-Aryan languages. | |||
Nepali | छाप | ||
छाप can mean both 'impression' and 'printing block', the latter being the origin of the word. | |||
Punjabi | ਪ੍ਰਭਾਵ | ||
ਪ੍ਰਭਾਵ derives from the Sanskrit word "prabhāva", meaning "power", "influence", or "effect", and is cognate with the English word "proof". | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | හැඟීම | ||
හැංගීම derives from හැං (to hang), and originally meant 'a hanging, a suspended state', but now means 'an impression', 'an idea', or 'a feeling'. | |||
Tamil | எண்ணம் | ||
எண்ணம் can refer to a mental image or a feeling, and can also mean to think or contemplate. | |||
Telugu | ముద్ర | ||
The Telugu word "ముద్ర" also signifies "mark" and "gesture or attitude implying something." | |||
Urdu | تاثر | ||
The word "تاثر" is derived from the Arabic word "تاثر" meaning "effect" or "influence". |
Chinese (Simplified) | 印象 | ||
印象 originally meant “a symbol engraved on a seal.” | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 印象 | ||
In Traditional Chinese, the character "印象" means "image" or "impression, | |||
Japanese | 印象 | ||
The word "印象"(impression) originally referred to a seal or stamp used to mark documents. | |||
Korean | 인상 | ||
"인상" can refer to both a physical impression or a mental one. | |||
Mongolian | сэтгэгдэл | ||
The Mongolian word | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | အထင်အမြင် | ||
Indonesian | kesan | ||
"Kesan" can also mean "mark" or "trace" in Indonesian. | |||
Javanese | kesan | ||
Kesan' can mean 'impression' in Javanese, or it can refer to a 'trace' or 'mark' left behind. | |||
Khmer | ចំណាប់អារម្មណ៍ | ||
Lao | ຄວາມປະທັບໃຈ | ||
Malay | kesan | ||
Kesan shares proto-Austronesian roots with 'kesan' in Indonesian, 'kesan' in Javanese, 'kesan' in Sundanese, and 'kasan' in Tagalog, all meaning perception. | |||
Thai | ความประทับใจ | ||
The Thai word "ความประทับใจ" can also refer to a "feeling" or "perception". | |||
Vietnamese | ấn tượng | ||
In Vietnamese, 'ấn tượng' also means impact or influence. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | impresyon | ||
Azerbaijani | təəssürat | ||
The Azerbaijani word "təəssürat" is a loan from the Arabic word "ta'assur" which has the same meaning, and is ultimately derived from the Latin verb "imprimere" (to impress). | |||
Kazakh | әсер | ||
The word "әсер" also means "effect" or "feeling" in Kazakh. | |||
Kyrgyz | таасир | ||
"Таасир" in Kyrgyz can also refer to "influence", "effect", or "impact." | |||
Tajik | таассурот | ||
Derived from the Persian "ta'asur" meaning "impact" or "effect" | |||
Turkmen | täsir | ||
Uzbek | taassurot | ||
The Uzbek word "taassurot" is derived from the Arabic word "tasawwur", which means "to imagine" or "to form a mental picture" | |||
Uyghur | تەسىرات | ||
Hawaiian | manaʻo | ||
Manaʻo, roughly meaning "impression," has the additional meaning of "idea, thought, or concept." | |||
Maori | mana'o | ||
In Maori, "mana'o" can also mean "purpose" or "intention". | |||
Samoan | lagona | ||
Lagona can also mean a 'space' or 'interval' in Samoan. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | impression | ||
The word "impression" has meanings "a vague notion or belief" or "a mark made by pressing something down" in Filipino. |
Aymara | aru | ||
Guarani | temimo'ã | ||
Esperanto | impreso | ||
The Esperanto word "impreso" also has archaic meanings referring to the act of printing or stamping. | |||
Latin | impressionem | ||
The Latin word "impressionem" can also refer to a "mark" or a "trace." |
Greek | εντύπωση | ||
The word 'εντύπωση' (impression) derives from the verb 'τυπώνω' (to print), suggesting the idea of leaving a mark or imprint. | |||
Hmong | kev xav | ||
"Kev xav" can also mean "to see with the mind's eye" or "to understand" in Hmong. | |||
Kurdish | şop | ||
In Kurdish, the word "şop" also refers to a type of bread made with cornmeal. | |||
Turkish | izlenim | ||
In Ottoman Turkish, "izlenim" also meant "mark" or "scar". | |||
Xhosa | umbono | ||
The word 'umbono' may not only refer to the act of creating an impression, but also a physical imprint as a result of applying pressure. | |||
Yiddish | רושם | ||
רושם also means 'a noise or a great quantity' in Yiddish. | |||
Zulu | umbono | ||
The Zulu word 'umbono' also refers to a stamp or seal used to create an impression. | |||
Assamese | ছাপ | ||
Aymara | aru | ||
Bhojpuri | प्रभाव | ||
Dhivehi | އިމްޕްރެޝަން | ||
Dogri | असर | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | impresyon | ||
Guarani | temimo'ã | ||
Ilocano | makuna | ||
Krio | shep | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | کاریگەری | ||
Maithili | प्रभाव | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯝꯕ | ||
Mizo | intawnhriat | ||
Oromo | waa'ee waan tokkoo waan hubatame | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ରଭାବ | ||
Quechua | imprimiy | ||
Sanskrit | छवि | ||
Tatar | тәэсир | ||
Tigrinya | ግንዛበ | ||
Tsonga | tsakisa | ||