Know in Different Languages
Discover 'Know' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'know' is a small but powerful word, holding great significance in our daily lives and communication. To know something is to have knowledge or understanding of it, a fundamental aspect of human intelligence and progress. This simple word has been the foundation of countless discoveries, inventions, and cultural advancements throughout history.
The concept of knowledge is not only universal but also deeply ingrained in various cultures and languages around the world. For instance, in Spanish, 'know' translates to 'saber', while in French, it is 'savoir'. In German, it is 'kennen' or 'wissen', depending on the context. These translations not only reflect the linguistic diversity of different cultures but also highlight the unique ways in which knowledge is perceived and valued across the globe.
Understanding the translation of 'know' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and perspectives of various societies. It can also facilitate cross-cultural communication and foster a deeper appreciation for the richness and diversity of human language and thought.
Know
Know in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | weet | ||
| Afrikaans 'weet' and the Dutch verb 'weten' are cognate with Old English 'witan' and German 'wissen'. | |||
| Amharic | ማወቅ | ||
| The Amharic word ማወቅ can also mean "experience," "recognize," or "be aware of." | |||
| Hausa | sani | ||
| Hausa "sani" also means to 'be aware of', 'to perceive' or to 'understand' something. | |||
| Igbo | mara | ||
| "Mara" in Igbo also means "to see" or "to perceive". | |||
| Malagasy | mahalala | ||
| The word "mahalala" in Malagasy is probably derived from the Proto-Austronesian root word for "to know". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mukudziwa | ||
| In Nyanja, the word 'mukudziwa' can also mean 'to be aware of' or 'to be conscious of'. | |||
| Shona | ziva | ||
| The word "ziva" also means "to wake up" and "to dawn" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | ogow | ||
| "Ogow" also means to be aware of or to realize something. | |||
| Sesotho | tseba | ||
| The verb 'tseba' in Sesotho also means 'to recognise', 'to be aware of', or 'to be familiar with'. | |||
| Swahili | kujua | ||
| The word "kujua" in Swahili, with its root "ju", refers to a range of concepts including knowing, understanding, consciousness, and perception. | |||
| Xhosa | yazi | ||
| The word "yazi" also means "understand", "realize", or "recognize" in Xhosa, adding additional depth to its significance. | |||
| Yoruba | mọ | ||
| In the Yoruba language, the word "mọ" also means "to be aware of" or "to have knowledge of something." | |||
| Zulu | yazi | ||
| The word "yazi" in Zulu can also mean "guess" or "understand." | |||
| Bambara | ka dɔn | ||
| Ewe | nya nu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | menya | ||
| Lingala | koyeba | ||
| Luganda | okumanya | ||
| Sepedi | tseba | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nim | ||
Know in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | أعرف | ||
| The Arabic word "أعرف" can also mean "I understand" or "I have an idea about something" | |||
| Hebrew | לָדַעַת | ||
| The word "לָדַעַת" ("know") is also related to the root "ידע" ("to separate"), suggesting a connection between knowledge and the ability to discern or differentiate. | |||
| Pashto | پوهیږم | ||
| The word "پوهیږم" in Pashto is derived from the Proto-Indo-Iranian root *ǵnā-, meaning "to know, to understand". | |||
| Arabic | أعرف | ||
| The Arabic word "أعرف" can also mean "I understand" or "I have an idea about something" | |||
Know in Western European Languages
| Albanian | e di | ||
| The Albanian word "e di" (to know) shares the same Indo-European root as the Spanish word "saber" (to know), the German word "wissen" (to know), and the English word "wit" (knowledge). | |||
| Basque | jakin | ||
| The noun and verb "jakin" in Basque is derived from "iaki" meaning "to see" and ultimately from Pre-Indo-European "*ak-" meaning "look". | |||
| Catalan | saber | ||
| The Catalan word "saber" derives from the Latin "sapere," meaning "to taste," and also means "flavor" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | znati | ||
| The word 'znati' in Croatian is also used to refer to 'be familiar with', 'be aware of', or 'have knowledge of' something. | |||
| Danish | ved godt | ||
| The word "ved" is derived from the Proto-Germanic verb "wētan", meaning "to perceive" or "to observe". | |||
| Dutch | weten | ||
| Wetten in Dutch can also refer to gambling | |||
| English | know | ||
| The word 'know' is derived from the Old English word 'cnawan', which means 'to perceive or understand' | |||
| French | connaître | ||
| The French word “connaître” also means “acknowledge” or “recognize” when used with a specific object and without specifying the source of knowledge | |||
| Frisian | witte | ||
| The word 'witte' in Frisian is also used to refer to 'understanding' or 'intelligence'. | |||
| Galician | sabe | ||
| Galician "sabe" is cognate to Portuguese "sabe", which comes from the same root as Latin "sapere" and French "savoir" and also means "to taste". | |||
| German | kennt | ||
| Kennt is a modal verb used to express abilities or permissions, meaning 'can' or 'may'. | |||
| Icelandic | veit | ||
| Veit can also mean wise, knowledgeable, or informed. | |||
| Irish | tá a fhios | ||
| Italian | conoscere | ||
| The Italian word "conoscere" derives from the Latin "cognoscere," meaning "to get to know" or "to become acquainted with." | |||
| Luxembourgish | wëssen | ||
| Wëssen is a contraction of the words 'wissen' and 'sein' and also means 'to be' in German. | |||
| Maltese | taf | ||
| "Taf" is derived from the Arabic "taʿrafa" and originally meant to recognize or distinguish. | |||
| Norwegian | vet | ||
| The word "vet" also means "weather" in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | conhecer | ||
| The Portuguese word "conhecer" derives from the Latin "cognoscere" (to learn, to find out), which is also the root of the English word "cognize". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fios | ||
| Fios derives from the Old Irish "fiss" which means "knowledge" or "intelligence". | |||
| Spanish | saber | ||
| In Spanish, "saber" can also mean "to taste" or "to have flavor." | |||
| Swedish | känna till | ||
| The phrase 'känna till' in Swedish evolved from the expression 'kunna till', meaning 'to be able to' or 'to be capable of' something. | |||
| Welsh | gwybod | ||
| The verb 'gwybod', like the English verb 'can', is also used as an auxiliary verb in Welsh to indicate ability. | |||
Know in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | ведаю | ||
| In the Belarusian language the word "ведаю" can have the meaning of "possess", "be good at something". | |||
| Bosnian | znam | ||
| The word "znam" derives from the Proto-Slavic root "*zъnati", which also meant "know how to". | |||
| Bulgarian | зная | ||
| The verb "зная" can also mean "being aware of" or "having knowledge of" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | vědět | ||
| The Czech word "vědět" comes from the Proto-Slavic root "*vědъ", which also meant "to see" or "to perceive". The related verb "vidět" in Czech still means "to see". | |||
| Estonian | tea | ||
| The Estonian word "tea" also means "to know", deriving from the same root as the Latin verb "scire." | |||
| Finnish | tietää | ||
| The word "tietää" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word *tita-, meaning "to show, to prove, to give evidence." | |||
| Hungarian | tudni | ||
| The word 'tudni' can also mean 'to be able to' or 'to have the ability to do something'. | |||
| Latvian | zināt | ||
| The word "zināt" also means "to be familiar with something". | |||
| Lithuanian | žinoti | ||
| The Proto-Indo-European root *ǵneh₂tó, from which žinoti derives, can also be found in words like 'notorious', 'gnosis' and 'cognizant'. | |||
| Macedonian | знај | ||
| The word "знај" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *znati, meaning "to know," and is related to the English word "know". | |||
| Polish | wiedzieć | ||
| The verb "wiedzieć" is related to Polish word "widzieć" which means "to see" and the Proto-Slavic root "*věděti" (to see, perceive). | |||
| Romanian | știu | ||
| The Romanian word "știu" is derived from the Latin "scio", but in Romanian it also has the alternate meaning of "can" or "to be able to". | |||
| Russian | знать | ||
| "Знать" (знать) is cognate with the Latin "noscere" (to know) and the Sanskrit "jnā-" (to know), and also means "nobility" and "gentry" in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | знам | ||
| The verb 'znati', meaning 'to know', derives from the Proto-Slavic word 'zьnati'. | |||
| Slovak | vedieť | ||
| "Vedieť" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*vědъ", meaning "knowledge", and is related to the English word "wit". | |||
| Slovenian | vem | ||
| The word "vem" in Slovenian can also refer to a type of tree frog or a type of dance. | |||
| Ukrainian | знати | ||
| The word "знати" can also mean "to be famous" or "to be acquainted with someone or something". | |||
Know in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | জানি | ||
| Cognate to Hindi and Urdu "jaanna" and derived from the Sanskrit word "jna". | |||
| Gujarati | જાણો | ||
| "જાણો" means “to know" in Gujarati, and it also refers to a type of traditional Gujarati musical instrument. | |||
| Hindi | जानना | ||
| The Sanskrit word 'jñā' from which it is derived, also refers to 'perceive', 'understand', and even 'recognise'. | |||
| Kannada | ತಿಳಿಯಿರಿ | ||
| In Kannada, "ತಿಳಿಯಿರಿ" (tiliyiri) also means "to become clear" or "to understand." | |||
| Malayalam | അറിയുക | ||
| In Malayalam, 'അറിയുക' also means to realize or understand, in addition to its primary meaning of 'know'. | |||
| Marathi | माहित आहे | ||
| The Marathi word "माहित आहे" can also mean "well-informed" or "aware". | |||
| Nepali | चिन्छु | ||
| The Nepali word 'चिन्छु' is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱey-, meaning 'to perceive or know'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਤਾ ਹੈ | ||
| The word "pata hai" in Punjabi also means "understand", "realize", "recognize", or "be aware of". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | දැනගන්න | ||
| Tamil | தெரியும் | ||
| தெரியும்" can also mean "to be apparent, obvious, or visible" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | తెలుసు | ||
| The word "తెలుసు" is used to denote knowledge of a particular subject or skill, as well as to indicate awareness of a particular event or fact. | |||
| Urdu | جانتے ہیں | ||
Know in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 知道 | ||
| 知道 may refer to a Chinese surname (Mandarin: Zhī Dào; Cantonese: Ji Do), a kind of Chinese tofu (Mandarin: zhīdòufu; Cantonese: jidoufu; literally: "to know beancurd"), or an archaic form of the Japanese word "to" (止) in some compounds. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 知道 | ||
| "知道" can also mean "to receive", "to understand", "to be aware of", or "to be informed about". | |||
| Japanese | 知っている | ||
| "知る" means "to know," but it also means "to realize" or "to be aware of." | |||
| Korean | 알고있다 | ||
| The word "알고있다" (know) in Korean is derived from the Middle Korean word "아르", which means "to understand" or "to be aware of". | |||
| Mongolian | мэдэх | ||
| The Mongolian word "мэдэх" can also mean "to understand", "to be aware of", or "to have knowledge of something." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သိတယ် | ||
| The verb "သိတယ်" in Myanmar, derived from the Proto-Burman-Loloish root (*s-ti), means "to know" or "to get to know". | |||
Know in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tahu | ||
| The word 'tahu' in Indonesian also means tofu and can be used to refer to knowledge as well as food. | |||
| Javanese | ngerti | ||
| "ngerti" is thought to derive from "gerti", which refers to a deep understanding of a certain topic. | |||
| Khmer | ដឹង | ||
| The Khmer word "ដឹង" is also used in the sense of "to understand", "to be aware of", or "to be informed about". | |||
| Lao | ຮູ້ | ||
| The term “rũu,” also spelled “hūu (ຮື່),” comes from the Sanskrit verb “śru” (शृ), to hear. | |||
| Malay | tahu | ||
| The word "tahu" in Malay, meaning "to know," also has a culinary meaning: a type of fried tofu popular in Indonesia. | |||
| Thai | ทราบ | ||
| The word "ทราบ" originally meant "to grind", but its meaning gradually shifted to "to know" over time. | |||
| Vietnamese | biết rôi | ||
| In Vietnamese, “biết rồi” (“know”) can also mean “I’m aware (of something)”, “I already know”, or “I understand” in English. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | alam | ||
Know in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bilmək | ||
| "Bilmək" (know) originates from the Proto-Turkic word "*bil- " meaning "mind, know". It also shares the same root with the verb "bildiri" (inform), and the noun "bildiri" (announcement). | |||
| Kazakh | білу | ||
| In some dialects of Kazakh, "білу" can also mean "to recognize" or "to understand". | |||
| Kyrgyz | билүү | ||
| The word "билүү" can also mean "information", "knowledge", or "science". | |||
| Tajik | донед | ||
| The word "донед" is also related to the Persian word "danestan," meaning "to comprehend." | |||
| Turkmen | bil | ||
| Uzbek | bilish | ||
| In some dialects of the Uzbek language, "bilish" can also mean "to be able to" or "to be aware of". | |||
| Uyghur | بىلىڭ | ||
Know in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻike | ||
| 'Ike' also refers to knowledge or insight gained through spiritual experience or deep reflection. | |||
| Maori | mōhio | ||
| The Maori word "mōhio" has cognates in other Polynesian languages, including the Hawaiian word "mahalo", which means "gratitude" or "thanks". | |||
| Samoan | iloa | ||
| In addition to its literal meaning 'to know', ilo also means 'to smell' in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | alam mo | ||
| "Alam mo" can also be used to express surprise or disbelief. | |||
Know in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | yatiña | ||
| Guarani | kuaa | ||
Know in International Languages
| Esperanto | sciu | ||
| The Esperanto word "sciu" is derived from the Latin word "scio", which means "to know or understand". | |||
| Latin | scio | ||
| The verb "scio" in Latin is cognate with the Greek "oida" ("know"), and also means "have experience of" or "be acquainted with". | |||
Know in Others Languages
| Greek | ξέρω | ||
| The Greek word "ξέρω" is also used to express the concept of "guessing" or "assuming". | |||
| Hmong | paub | ||
| "Paub" in Hmong also means "to acknowledge" or "to understand". | |||
| Kurdish | zanîn | ||
| The word "zanîn" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵneh₃- meaning "to know" or "to understand". | |||
| Turkish | bilmek | ||
| The word “bilmek” can also be used in a more formal way to express “to be informed” or “to be aware”. | |||
| Xhosa | yazi | ||
| The word "yazi" also means "understand", "realize", or "recognize" in Xhosa, adding additional depth to its significance. | |||
| Yiddish | וויסן | ||
| The Yiddish word "וויסן" can also mean "to experience" or "to learn". | |||
| Zulu | yazi | ||
| The word "yazi" in Zulu can also mean "guess" or "understand." | |||
| Assamese | জনা | ||
| Aymara | yatiña | ||
| Bhojpuri | जानल | ||
| Dhivehi | އެނގުން | ||
| Dogri | जानो | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | alam | ||
| Guarani | kuaa | ||
| Ilocano | ammo | ||
| Krio | no | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | زانین | ||
| Maithili | बुझू | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯪꯕ | ||
| Mizo | hria | ||
| Oromo | beeki | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଜାଣ | ||
| Quechua | yachay | ||
| Sanskrit | जानातु | ||
| Tatar | бел | ||
| Tigrinya | ፍለጥ | ||
| Tsonga | tiva | ||