Math in different languages

Math in Different Languages

Discover 'Math' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

Math, or mathematics, is a fundamental discipline that has been shaping human history and culture for millennia. From ancient civilizations' early arithmetic and geometry to today's complex algorithms and data analysis, math is the universal language that underpins our world. It has been instrumental in advancing science, technology, engineering, and even art. But what about math in different languages? Understanding the translation of math in various languages can open doors to cultural exploration and global connections.

For instance, the word 'math' translates to 'מתמטיקה' (matematika) in Hebrew, '数学' (shùxué) in Mandarin, and 'ماθematics' (māθēmātics) in Arabic. These translations not only reflect linguistic diversity but also highlight the global reach and significance of this essential discipline.

In this article, we delve into the intriguing world of math in different languages, uncovering fascinating insights and connections along the way. Join us as we embark on this global exploration of language, culture, and the universal language of math!

Math


Math in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaanswiskunde
The word 'wiskunde' in Afrikaans shares its root with the Dutch word 'wiskunde', which is derived from the Latin word 'ars metrica', meaning 'metrical art' or 'measurement art'.
Amharicሂሳብ
"ሂሳብ" is etymologically related to "ስሃብ," which means "calculation" or "accounting" in Ge'ez.
Hausalissafi
The word 'lissafi' is also a term for 'calculation' in Hausa.
Igboná mgbakọ na mwepụ
Malagasymatematika
Although the word ‘matematika’ is used to mean ‘mathematics’, it more specifically refers to ‘arithmetic’
Nyanja (Chichewa)masamu
The word "masamu" in Nyanja (Chichewa) is a loanword from Arabic and originally meant "writing" or "literature".
Shonamath
"Math" (masvomhu) is a noun in Shona that refers to both mathematics and science, and is also used as a verb meaning "to calculate".
Somalixisaabta
The word "xisaabta" also means "counting" in Somali.
Sesotholipalo
"Lipalo" can refer to a particular subject in school, mathematics, or arithmetic.
Swahilihesabu
Hesabu can refer both to the concept or discipline of arithmetic and to the calculation itself in Kiswahili.
Xhosaizibalo
izibalo, means 'the things that are counted' in Xhosa
Yorubaisiro
Igiro, another Yoruba term for mathematics, shares the same root as iro (knowledge, wisdom, and philosophy), indicating the interconnectedness of mathematics with other fields of knowledge in Yoruba culture.
Zuluizibalo
"Izibalo" in Zulu can also refer to the art of counting, or the concept of number.
Bambaramatematiki
Eweakɔnta
Kinyarwandaimibare
Lingalamatematike
Lugandaokubala
Sepedimmetse
Twi (Akan)nkontaa

Math in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicالرياضيات
The word "الرياضيات" (mathematics) in Arabic comes from the root word "رياض" (riad), meaning "pasture" or "garden", reflecting the idea of mathematics as a fertile ground for intellectual growth and development.
Hebrewמתמטיקה
The word "מתמטיקה" (math) is derived from the Greek word "μάθημα" (máthēma), which means "knowledge" or "study."
Pashtoریاضی
In Pashto, "ریاضی" originally meant "knowledge of the unseen" or "metaphysics," but now specifically refers to mathematics.
Arabicالرياضيات
The word "الرياضيات" (mathematics) in Arabic comes from the root word "رياض" (riad), meaning "pasture" or "garden", reflecting the idea of mathematics as a fertile ground for intellectual growth and development.

Math in Western European Languages

Albanianmatematikë
Basquematematika
"Matematika" has a close relation with "mat" (death) that is not present in Spanish.
Catalanmatemàtiques
In Catalan, the etymology of the word "matemàtiques" is linked to the Greek "máthema," meaning knowledge, and "matikós," meaning inclined or apt for knowledge.
Croatianmatematika
The word "matematika" in Croatian is derived from the Greek word "mathematikos", meaning "fond of learning."
Danishmatematik
Matematik was derived from the Greek words “máthema,” (meaning that which is learnt or known) and “tiké,” (meaning skill, technique, craft, or method), via Latin and French.
Dutchwiskunde
From the Middle Dutch 'wiskunst', meaning 'knowledge that is certain'.
Englishmath
"Math" comes from the Greek "μάθημα" (máthema), meaning "knowledge" or "learning."
Frenchmath
In French, the word "math" (pronounced "mat") also means "subject" or "topic".
Frisianwiskunde
In some dialects of Frisian, "wiskunde" also means "calculation" or "accounting".
Galicianmatemáticas
«Matemáticas» provén do grego «μάθημα» ('conocimiento') e refírese á ciencia do razonamento lóxico e abstracto.
Germanmathematik
In German, 'Mathematik' is derived from the Greek word 'mathematikos,' meaning 'eager to learn.'
Icelandicstærðfræði
The word "stærðfræði" comes from the Old Norse words "stærð" (size) and "fræði" (learning), and originally referred to the study of astronomy.
Irishmata
"Mata" in Irish can also mean "material" or "matter", showing its connection to the physical world.
Italianmatematica
The word 'matematica' derives from the Greek 'mathematikos,' meaning 'related to learning,' and ultimately from 'mathema,' meaning 'knowledge' or 'science.'
Luxembourgishmathematesch
"Mathematesch" is not only a loanword from French, but also has the alternative spelling "Mathematik".
Maltesematematika
The Maltese word 'matematika' is taken from the Arabic 'mātīmātīq' which in turn derives from the Greek 'mathēmatikē' meaning 'learned'.
Norwegianmatte
This word also exists in Swedish and Danish, meaning 'food' in both, and 'tired' in Swedish.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)matemática
In Portuguese, “matemática” is used for mathematics and “conta” for “math”.
Scots Gaelicmath
In Scots Gaelic, 'math' means 'good'.
Spanishmatemáticas
The word "matemáticas" (math) comes from the Greek word "mathema," which means "learning" or "knowledge".
Swedishmatematik
"Matematik" is the Swedish word for "mathematics", derived from the Greek word "máthema", meaning "knowledge" or "science".
Welshmathemateg
"Mathemateg" is a compound word "mat" and "hemateg," the latter meaning "to divide" or "to measure."

Math in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianматэматыка
The word "матэматыка" is derived from the Greek word μάθημα (máthema), which originally meant 'learning, knowledge'.
Bosnianmatematika
The word 'matematika' is derived from the Greek word 'μάθημα' (máthēma), which means 'learning' or 'knowledge'.
Bulgarianматематика
The word "математика" is derived from the Greek word "μάθημα", meaning "knowledge" or "learning".
Czechmatematika
The word "matematika" comes from the Greek word "μάθημα" (máthēma), which means "learning", "study", or "science".
Estonianmatemaatika
The Estonian word “matemaatika” comes from the Greek word “μαθηματικά” (mathematika), which means “learning, knowledge”. In Estonian, besides the common meaning of “math”, it can also mean “science” in general.
Finnishmatematiikka
"Matematiikka" is a loanword from Swedish and also means "the study of mathematics" in Finnish, as the suffix "-ikka" in Finnish can be used to form nouns referring to a field of study or the process of studying something.
Hungarianmatek
In Hungarian, 'matek' is an alternative term for mathematics, derived from the word 'magátan',
Latvianmatemātika
"Matemātika" derives from the Greek word "máthema," meaning "knowledge" or "learning."
Lithuanianmatematika
Alternately rendered as "matematiaka" and based on ancient Greek "mathēmatikē (τέχνη)" ("mathematical [art]"), "matematika" entered Baltic Lithuanian at some point between the 1540s-1670s.
Macedonianматематика
In some Slavic languages, the word "математика" is derived from the Greek word "μαθηματικά," which refers to knowledge or learning in general.
Polishmatematyka
The Polish word "matematyka" derives from the Greek "máthema" which means "knowledge, learning".
Romanianmatematica
In Romanian, "matematica" is derived from the Greek word "máthēma" meaning "knowledge," and "matikē" meaning "art."
Russianматематика
In ancient Greek, "máthema" referred to both knowledge and learning, as well as the objects of that knowledge.
Serbianматематика
The word "математика" comes from the Greek word "μάθημα" (máthēma), which means "knowledge".
Slovakmatematika
The word "matematika" is derived from the Greek word "mathema," meaning "learning" or "knowledge."
Slovenianmatematika
The word matematika in Slovenian can also mean "arithmetic" or "geometry."
Ukrainianматематика
The Ukrainian word "математика" also has the meaning of "mathematics".

Math in South Asian Languages

Bengaliগণিত
The Bangla word "গণিত" also means astrology, fortune-telling, or divination.
Gujaratiગણિત
"ગણિત" comes from the Sanskrit root गण "gaṃḈ", meaning "to compute", and is cognate with the English "gnome", meaning "a wise being".
Hindiगणित
In Sanskrit, "ganit" also pertains to counting, calculation, measuring, and assessing.
Kannadaಗಣಿತ
The word "ಗಣಿತ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "गणित" meaning "science of computation or calculation".
Malayalamകണക്ക്
The Malayalam word 'കണക്ക്' is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit word 'ganita' meaning 'calculation'.
Marathiगणित
"गणित" is also derived from the Sanskrit word "गण", meaning "to calculate or enumerate".
Nepaliगणित
The word "गणित" in Nepali derives from the Sanskrit word "गणना" meaning "counting" or "calculation".
Punjabiਗਣਿਤ
ਗਣਿਤ (ganit) may also refer to 'a body of knowledge' or 'a system of computation' in Sanskrit.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)ගණිතය
"ගණිතය" is a Sanskrit word that means "to count" and "to calculate."
Tamilகணிதம்
The Tamil word 'கணிதம்' (math) likely derives from the Sanskrit word 'गणित' (ganita), meaning 'calculation,' and can also refer to 'astrology' or 'astronomy.'
Teluguగణిత
The term "గణిత" can also refer to astrology or fortune-telling in Telugu.
Urduریاضی
The word 'ریاضی' in Urdu is derived from the Arabic word 'رياضي,' meaning 'related to mathematics' or 'pertaining to numbers'.

Math in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)数学
数学, the word for math in Chinese, also has the alternate meaning "the study of patterns"
Chinese (Traditional)數學
The first character "數" in "數學" means "number" and the second character "學" means "learning", so its literal meaning is "study of numbers".
Japanese数学
"数学" (math) in Japanese is derived from the Chinese word "數學" and can also mean "the science of numbers" or "the study of quantity."
Korean수학
The Korean word "수학" ("math") originates from the Chinese phrase "counting study," highlighting its fundamental focus on numerical concepts.
Mongolianматематик
The word "математик" ultimately derives from the Greek "μάθημα" (máthēma), meaning "knowledge" or "learning."
Myanmar (Burmese)သင်္ချာ

Math in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianmatematika
The word "matematika" is derived from the Greek word "μάθημα" (máthēma) meaning "knowledge" or "learning."
Javanesematématika
In Javanese, "matématika" also refers to mystical knowledge or a body of rules for a particular discipline.
Khmerគណិតវិទ្យា
Laoເລກຄະນິດສາດ
Malaymatematik
The word 'matematik' in Malay comes from the Arabic word 'ilm al-hisab', meaning 'science of calculation'.
Thaiคณิตศาสตร์
คำว่า "คณิตศาสตร์" ยังหมายถึง "การคำนวณ" หรือ "การใช้เหตุผลเชิงปริมาณ" ได้อีกด้วย
Vietnamesemôn toán
The word "môn Toán" is derived from the Chinese word " toán ", which means "calculation".
Filipino (Tagalog)matematika

Math in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniriyaziyyat
"Riyaziyyat" originates from the Arabic word "riyazi", meaning "related to mathematics or arithmetic"
Kazakhматематика
"Математика" is the Kazakh word for math. It originates from the Greek word "μαθηματικά" (mathematika), which means "learning" or "knowledge".
Kyrgyzматематика
Tajikматематика
Turkmenmatematika
Uzbekmatematik
The word 'matematik' is derived from the Ancient Greek word 'μάθημα' (máthema), originally meaning a lesson or study.
Uyghurماتېماتىكا

Math in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianmakemakika
The word 'makemakika' can also mean 'to measure or divide.'
Maoripangarau
The Maori word "pangarau" also holds the meanings "to count" and "to calculate" and has a shared root with the words for "measure" and "knowledge".
Samoannumera
The Samoan word for "numera" can also be understood as "numbers".
Tagalog (Filipino)matematika
The Tagalog word "matematika" is derived from the Spanish word "matemáticas," which in turn comes from the Greek word "máthema," meaning "knowledge" or "study."

Math in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarajakhuwinaka
Guaranipapapykuaa

Math in International Languages

Esperantomatematiko
The word "matematiko" is derived from the Greek word "μάθημα" (máthēma), which means "learning" or "knowledge."
Latinmath
The Latin word "mathesis" is the source of the English word "mathematics" and originally meant "learning" or "knowledge."

Math in Others Languages

Greekμαθηματικά
The word 'μαθηματικά' is derived from the Greek verb 'μανθάνω' (to learn), which also gives us the word 'μάθημα' (lesson).
Hmonglej
The Hmong word "lej" also means "count" and is related to the Thai word "lek" (นับ) with the same meaning.
Kurdishmath
The word "math" is derived from the Greek word "mathema," which means "learning" or "knowledge."
Turkishmatematik
The word 'matematik' in Turkish derives from the Arabic word 'māṯīmātīqiyyāt', meaning 'mathematical sciences'.
Xhosaizibalo
izibalo, means 'the things that are counted' in Xhosa
Yiddishמאַט
The Yiddish word מאַט "math" is also used for the state of checkmate in chess and can sometimes be found to mean "dead" or "exhausted."
Zuluizibalo
"Izibalo" in Zulu can also refer to the art of counting, or the concept of number.
Assameseঅংক
Aymarajakhuwinaka
Bhojpuriगणित
Dhivehiހިސާބު
Dogriस्हाब
Filipino (Tagalog)matematika
Guaranipapapykuaa
Ilocanomatematika
Kriomats
Kurdish (Sorani)بیرکاری
Maithiliगणित
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯑꯪꯀꯥ
Mizochhiarkawp
Oromoherrega
Odia (Oriya)ଗଣିତ
Quechuañawrayupa
Sanskritगणित
Tatarматематика
Tigrinyaሒሳብ
Tsongatinhlayo

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