Literary in Different Languages
Discover 'Literary' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The term
Literary
Literary in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | literêr | ||
| The word "literêr" can also mean "erudite" or "well-read" in Afrikaans. | |||
| Amharic | ሥነ-ጽሑፋዊ | ||
| In classical Ethiopian usage, the word also meant "medical" or "scientific." | |||
| Hausa | adabi | ||
| In Hausa, 'adabi' not only means 'literary' but also pertains to 'knowledge' or 'education'. | |||
| Igbo | edemede | ||
| The word 'edemede' in Igbo also refers to the wisdom and knowledge embedded in storytelling. | |||
| Malagasy | haisoratra | ||
| "Haisoratra" is derived from the root word "soratra" (writing), and can also mean "scripture" or "literature" in a religious context. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zolembalemba | ||
| The Chichewa word 'zolembalemba,' derived from the verb 'ku-lemba,' can also refer to the act of writing or drawing. | |||
| Shona | zvinyorwa | ||
| Somali | suugaaneed | ||
| The word "suugaaneed" in Somali derives from the root "suug", meaning "mind" or "thought." | |||
| Sesotho | bongoli | ||
| The term 'bongoli' can also refer to a type of traditional Sesotho poetry. | |||
| Swahili | fasihi | ||
| Fasihi derives from the Arabic word "fasih" meaning "eloquent, articulate". | |||
| Xhosa | uncwadi | ||
| The word "uncwadi" in Xhosa can also refer to a person who is educated or knowledgeable. | |||
| Yoruba | mookomooka | ||
| "Mookomooka" in Yoruba can also mean "book lover". | |||
| Zulu | okubhaliwe | ||
| The Zulu word "okubhaliwe" also means "the written word". | |||
| Bambara | sɛbɛnniko siratigɛ la | ||
| Ewe | agbalẽŋɔŋlɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubuvanganzo | ||
| Lingala | ya mikanda | ||
| Luganda | eby’ebiwandiiko | ||
| Sepedi | dingwalo tša dingwalo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nhoma mu nsɛm | ||
Literary in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | أدبي | ||
| The word "أدبي" is derived from the root "أدب" which means "good manners, culture, refined behavior", and it can also refer to "literature" in a broader sense. | |||
| Hebrew | סִפְרוּתִי | ||
| While in some cases "סִפְרוּתִי" refers to the literary aspect of something, in other cases such as the "סִפְרוּתִי" setting in a cafe or bar it means sophisticated. | |||
| Pashto | ادبي | ||
| The Pashto word ادبي comes from Arabic and also means 'courteous' | |||
| Arabic | أدبي | ||
| The word "أدبي" is derived from the root "أدب" which means "good manners, culture, refined behavior", and it can also refer to "literature" in a broader sense. | |||
Literary in Western European Languages
| Albanian | letrare | ||
| The Albanian word "letrare" derives from the Latin word "littera", meaning "letter" or "writing", and refers to anything related to written expression or scholarship. | |||
| Basque | literarioa | ||
| In Basque, the word 'literarioa' can also refer to a person who writes or studies literature. | |||
| Catalan | literària | ||
| The term "literària" in Catalan is derived from the Latin word "litteratura", meaning "writing" or "letters", and refers to anything related to literature, including works of literature, literary criticism, and literary history. | |||
| Croatian | literarni | ||
| The word 'literarni' also means 'grammatical' in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | litterære | ||
| The Danish word "litterære" can also mean "trash" or "litter". | |||
| Dutch | literair | ||
| In Dutch, the word "letterlijk" has the same root as "literair" and means "literally". | |||
| English | literary | ||
| The word "literary" derives from the 14th century Latin literarius, from littera, "letter", and thus originally meant "pertaining to written or printed matter or to literature". | |||
| French | littéraire | ||
| "Littéraire" in French can also mean "well-read" or "pertaining to literature." | |||
| Frisian | literêr | ||
| In medieval Frisian 'literêr' could also mean 'learned' or 'scientific' | |||
| Galician | literario | ||
| "Literario" also means "cultured" or "learned" in Galician. | |||
| German | literarisch | ||
| Literarisch in German also has the meaning of polite and sophisticated. | |||
| Icelandic | bókmennta | ||
| Irish | liteartha | ||
| "Liteartha" comes from "leitir" (a hillside) and "fer" (a man), referring to a person who reads on a hillside. | |||
| Italian | letterario | ||
| The word "letterario" in Italian can also mean "academic" or "scholarly". | |||
| Luxembourgish | literaresch | ||
| Maltese | letterarji | ||
| "Letterarji" has roots in "littera" (meaning "letter") and refers to works of writing, or "written material". | |||
| Norwegian | litterære | ||
| This word derives from the Latin word «littera», meaning «letter». | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | literário | ||
| The word 'literário' derives from the Latin word 'litterarius', meaning 'of or pertaining to literature'. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | litreachail | ||
| 'Litreachail' derives in part from ‘leitir,' a letter inscribed in rock or wood in the old Ogham alphabet. | |||
| Spanish | literario | ||
| En su sentido literal, literario significa letrado y erudito. | |||
| Swedish | litterär | ||
| The word litterär (literary) can also refer to litters or stretchers in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | llenyddol | ||
| In Welsh, 'llenyddol' also means 'of or relating to the pen' or 'of or relating to writing'. | |||
Literary in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | літаратурны | ||
| The word "літаратурны" in Belarusian can also mean "related to literature" or "pertaining to literature". | |||
| Bosnian | književno | ||
| The word 'književno' also has a secondary meaning of 'fictional' or 'unreal'. | |||
| Bulgarian | литературен | ||
| In Bulgarian, "литературен" (literary) shares its root with "литература" (literature) and "литера" (letter). | |||
| Czech | literární | ||
| The word "literární" is also used to describe something that is related to education or knowledge. | |||
| Estonian | kirjanduslik | ||
| The word "kirjanduslik" in Estonian has additional meanings, such as "fictional" or "fabricated". | |||
| Finnish | kirjallisuuden- | ||
| Hungarian | irodalmi | ||
| The Hungarian word "irodalmi" derives from the verb "ír" (to write) and originally meant "written" or "scriptural". | |||
| Latvian | literārs | ||
| The word "literārs" can also mean "educated" or "cultured" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | literatūrinis | ||
| The word "literatūrinis" is derived from the Latin word "littera" meaning "letter." | |||
| Macedonian | литературен | ||
| The Macedonian word "литературен" is derived from the Latin word "litteratus" and entered Macedonian via French and Russian. | |||
| Polish | literacki | ||
| The word "literacki" ("literary") derives from Latin "litteratus" meaning knowledgeable, educated, literate. | |||
| Romanian | literar | ||
| The term "literar" also exists in Romanian, but refers to a person that performs literary or artistic creation, or to the specific activities of such an individual. | |||
| Russian | литературный | ||
| The Russian word "литературный" can also refer to a person engaged in literary activity or a literary work. | |||
| Serbian | књижевно | ||
| The word "књижевно" can also refer to someone who is well-educated or cultured. | |||
| Slovak | literárny | ||
| The Slovak word "literárny" comes from the Latin word "litterarius", meaning "of or pertaining to literature". | |||
| Slovenian | literarni | ||
| The word "literarni" in Slovenian can also mean "scientific" or "documentary". | |||
| Ukrainian | літературний | ||
| The word "літературний" can also mean "related to literature" or "educated" in Ukrainian. | |||
Literary in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সাহিত্যিক | ||
| সাহিত্যিক may also mean 'a man of letters' or 'a scholar' in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | સાહિત્યિક | ||
| The word "સાહિત્યિક" ("literary" in Gujarati) also means "pertaining to the study of literature" or "having a literary style. | |||
| Hindi | साहित्यिक | ||
| The word "साहित्यिक" (literary) is derived from the Sanskrit word "सहित" (accompanied), referring to the company of wise or learned people. | |||
| Kannada | ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ | ||
| ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ is derived from the Sanskrit word "sahitya" meaning "a collection of writings" or "composed work". | |||
| Malayalam | സാഹിത്യ | ||
| The word 'സാഹിത്യ' in Malayalam is derived from the Sanskrit word 'sahitya', meaning 'bringing together' or 'assemblage' | |||
| Marathi | साहित्य | ||
| The word साहित्य' also refers to a type of sacred text in the Buddhist tradition, known as a 'sutra'. | |||
| Nepali | साहित्यिक | ||
| The word 'साहित्यिक' can derive from 'सहृदयता' which refers to someone who can deeply appreciate a literary work by grasping its intent, feeling, or sentiment. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਾਹਿਤਕ | ||
| The word 'ਸਾਹਿਤਕ' in Punjabi is derived from the Sanskrit word 'sahitya', which originally meant 'assemblage' or 'collection'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සාහිත්ය | ||
| The word 'සාහිත්ය' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'sahitya', which means 'good writing'. | |||
| Tamil | இலக்கிய | ||
| The word 'இலக்கிய' is derived from the word 'இலக்கு', meaning 'aim' or 'goal', and implies something that is well-written and conforms to literary standards. | |||
| Telugu | సాహిత్యం | ||
| సాహిత్యం (literary) is derived from Sanskrit and in alternate usage may refer to good manners, civility, or politeness. | |||
| Urdu | ادبی | ||
| "ادبی" can also be an adjective, meaning "related to literature". | |||
Literary in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 文学的 | ||
| 除了「與文學有關的」，「文学的」也指「文雅的、不俗氣的」 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 文學的 | ||
| 文學的 can also mean "cultured" or "sophisticated". | |||
| Japanese | 文学 | ||
| The word "文学" (bungaku) in Japanese has additional meanings such as "letters" and "culture", reflecting the broader scope of its usage compared to "literature" in English. | |||
| Korean | 문호 | ||
| The word 문호 (munho) can also mean "door" or "opening," reflecting the gatekeeper role of writers in Korean society. | |||
| Mongolian | утга зохиолын | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စာပေ | ||
Literary in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | sastra | ||
| The word 'sastra' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'shastra', which means 'a treatise' or 'a book of instruction'. | |||
| Javanese | sastra | ||
| In Javanese the word sastra comes from the Sanskrit language which means "teaching" or "advice" | |||
| Khmer | អក្សរសាស្ត្រ | ||
| Lao | ວັນນະຄະດີ | ||
| Malay | sastera | ||
| The Malay word "sastera" is derived from the Sanskrit word "shastra" meaning "science" and can also refer to religious or technical knowledge. | |||
| Thai | วรรณกรรม | ||
| The word "วรรณกรรม" in Thai is derived from the Sanskrit word "varṇa" meaning "letter, color" and "karma" meaning "action, work". | |||
| Vietnamese | văn học | ||
| The Vietnamese word "văn học" is derived from Chinese and means both "literature" and "writing". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pampanitikan | ||
Literary in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ədəbi | ||
| Kazakh | әдеби | ||
| The Kazakh word | |||
| Kyrgyz | адабий | ||
| The word "адабий" in Kyrgyz also refers to a type of artistic narrative, similar to a folk tale or legend. | |||
| Tajik | адабӣ | ||
| The Tajik word "адабӣ" (literary) originates from the Arabic word "أدب" (adab), meaning culture, refinement, or politeness. | |||
| Turkmen | edebi | ||
| Uzbek | adabiy | ||
| The word "adabiy" in Uzbek comes from the Arabic word "adabiyah," which means "literature" or "collection of writings." | |||
| Uyghur | ئەدەبىي | ||
Literary in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | moʻokalaleo | ||
| The word "moʻokalaleo" can also refer to a style of chanting or oration in Hawaiian culture known as "mele moʻokalaleo". | |||
| Maori | tuhinga | ||
| The word "tuhinga" in Maori also means "writing" or "inscription". | |||
| Samoan | tusitusiga | ||
| Tusitusiga can also mean writing, composition, or a story. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pampanitikan | ||
| Pampanitikan derives from a Sanskrit root that means "flower-like," reflecting the notion that literature "blooms" or "flourishes" like flowers. | |||
Literary in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | literatura tuqit yatxataña | ||
| Guarani | literario rehegua | ||
Literary in International Languages
| Esperanto | literatura | ||
| The Esperanto word "literatura" derives from the Latin word "litera" (letter), and also means "scripture" or "writing" in Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | literary | ||
| The Latin word "litterarius" also means "alphabetic" or "of the alphabet". | |||
Literary in Others Languages
| Greek | λογοτεχνικός | ||
| The word "λογοτεχνικός" is derived from the Greek words "λόγος" (word) and "τέχνη" (art), and it originally referred to any type of written work, not just literature in the modern sense. | |||
| Hmong | ntaub ntawv | ||
| Kurdish | edebî | ||
| The word "edebî" in Kurdish originates from the Arabic word "adab" and also means "ethics". | |||
| Turkish | edebi | ||
| The word "edebi" is derived from the Arabic word "adab," which means "culture" or "education." | |||
| Xhosa | uncwadi | ||
| The word "uncwadi" in Xhosa can also refer to a person who is educated or knowledgeable. | |||
| Yiddish | ליטערארישע | ||
| ליטערארישע is cognate with the German word 'literarisch'. | |||
| Zulu | okubhaliwe | ||
| The Zulu word "okubhaliwe" also means "the written word". | |||
| Assamese | সাহিত্যিক | ||
| Aymara | literatura tuqit yatxataña | ||
| Bhojpuri | साहित्यिक के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | އަދަބީ ގޮތުންނެވެ | ||
| Dogri | साहित्यिक | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pampanitikan | ||
| Guarani | literario rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | literario nga | ||
| Krio | buk ɛn magazin dɛn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئەدەبی | ||
| Maithili | साहित्यिक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯥꯍꯤꯠꯌꯒꯤ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | literary lam hawi | ||
| Oromo | ogbarruu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସାହିତ୍ୟିକ | ||
| Quechua | literatura nisqamanta | ||
| Sanskrit | साहित्यिकम् | ||
| Tatar | әдәби | ||
| Tigrinya | ስነ-ጽሑፋዊ | ||
| Tsonga | ya matsalwa | ||