Mental in Different Languages
Discover 'Mental' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'mental' has a wide range of significations, from referring to the mind and its functions, to describing something as crazy or unstable. Its cultural importance is undeniable, as mental health and well-being have become increasingly discussed and prioritized in recent years. Understanding the translation of 'mental' in different languages can provide insight into how other cultures view and discuss mental health.
Did you know that the English word 'mental' comes from the Latin 'mens', meaning 'mind'? Or that in some languages, such as Spanish and French, the word for 'mental' is similar to the word for 'mind'? In Spanish, 'mental' is 'mental', and in French, it's 'mental'. Meanwhile, in languages such as Japanese and Chinese, the word for 'mental' is composed of characters that represent different aspects of the mind and its functions.
Below, you'll find a list of translations of the word 'mental' in various languages. Whether you're a language enthusiast, a mental health advocate, or simply curious, this list is sure to provide interesting insights into the cultural importance of mental health around the world.
Mental
Mental in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | verstandelike | ||
| Afrikaans' "verstandelike" shares its root with the English "stand", alluding to the mind's capacity for stability and comprehension. | |||
| Amharic | አዕምሯዊ | ||
| In Amharic, "አዕምሮ" can also refer to the mind, intellect, or consciousness, while "ምሯዊ" specifically denotes a psychological or mental state. | |||
| Hausa | shafi tunanin mutum | ||
| The word "shafi tunanin mutum" in Hausa can also mean "thoughtful" or "considerate". | |||
| Igbo | iche echiche | ||
| The Igbo word "iche echiche" is an example of reduplication, where the repetition of a word intensifies its meaning. | |||
| Malagasy | ara-tsaina | ||
| The word "ara-tsaina" is also used in the sense of "crazy" or "mad". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zamaganizidwe | ||
| From the verb **zamaganiza** (**to think**). | |||
| Shona | mupfungwa | ||
| "Mupfungwa" also refers to a traditional Shona musical instrument made from a hollowed-out gourd with attached strings. | |||
| Somali | maskaxeed | ||
| The word "maskaxeed" can also mean "mad" or "crazy". | |||
| Sesotho | kelello | ||
| The word 'kelello', meaning 'mind', is derived from the verb 'lela', which means 'to hear', suggesting that the mind is where one listens and understands. | |||
| Swahili | kiakili | ||
| Although it means “mad,” “kiakili” can also refer to a person with a sharp intellect or an eccentric character. | |||
| Xhosa | ngengqondo | ||
| The word "ngengqondo" also refers to the inner mind or the part of the brain responsible for complex thought. | |||
| Yoruba | opolo | ||
| The term 'opolo' can also refer to one's inner strength or resolve in the face of challenges | |||
| Zulu | ngokwengqondo | ||
| Historically, the word ngokwengqondong refers to the practice of using snuff or chewing tobacco to enhance one's state of alertness and concentration during important gatherings, rituals and events. | |||
| Bambara | hakili | ||
| Ewe | le susume | ||
| Kinyarwanda | mu mutwe | ||
| Lingala | ya moto | ||
| Luganda | bya mutwe | ||
| Sepedi | ya monagano | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adwenem | ||
Mental in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عقلي | ||
| عقلي, meaning "mental" in Arabic, derives from the root word "عقل" (aql), which also means "intellect" or "reason." | |||
| Hebrew | נַפשִׁי | ||
| The Hebrew word "נַפשִׁי" can also refer to "a person" or "a life." | |||
| Pashto | رواني | ||
| The Pashto word "رواني" (mental) also refers to "spiritual" or "unconscious" qualities. | |||
| Arabic | عقلي | ||
| عقلي, meaning "mental" in Arabic, derives from the root word "عقل" (aql), which also means "intellect" or "reason." | |||
Mental in Western European Languages
| Albanian | mendor | ||
| The Albanian word "mendor" is also used to describe someone who is wise or intelligent. | |||
| Basque | mentala | ||
| In Basque, 'mentala' can also refer to the spirit world or 'the other side,' as well as the faculty of thinking or reasoning. | |||
| Catalan | mental | ||
| The word 'mental' in Catalan also means 'intellectual' or 'pertaining to the mind'. | |||
| Croatian | mentalni | ||
| The Croatian word 'mentalni' can also refer to a type of disability. | |||
| Danish | mental | ||
| The Danish word "mental" comes from the Latin word "mens", meaning "mind" or "intellect". | |||
| Dutch | mentaal | ||
| In Dutch "mentaal" is often used to mean "intellectual", particularly in relation to capabilities and activities that require a lot of thinking. | |||
| English | mental | ||
| The word 'mental' can also refer to the intellect or the state of mind, as in 'a mental exercise' or 'a mental health condition'. | |||
| French | mental | ||
| French "mental" comes from Latin "mens" ("mind"), and is also used informally to mean "crazy". | |||
| Frisian | mentale | ||
| The Frisian word "mentale" can also refer to a "meadow" or a "common pasture." | |||
| Galician | mental | ||
| German | mental | ||
| The word "mental" in German can also mean "intellectual" or "psychic". | |||
| Icelandic | hugarfar | ||
| In Icelandic, "hugarfar" means "mental," but it etymologically means "spirit-journey" and can also colloquially refer to a person's "demeanor" or "behavior." | |||
| Irish | meabhrach | ||
| The word "meabhrach" can also mean "mad" or "insane" in Irish. | |||
| Italian | mentale | ||
| In Italian, "mentale" can also refer to the chin or to the jaw. | |||
| Luxembourgish | mental | ||
| Maltese | mentali | ||
| The word 'mentali' derives from the French word 'mental' and refers to mental processes or abilities. | |||
| Norwegian | mental | ||
| The Norwegian word "mental" can also mean "great" or "excellent". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | mental | ||
| In Portuguese, "mental" can also mean "crazy" or "mad" | |||
| Scots Gaelic | inntinn | ||
| Scots Gaelic inntinn derives from the Welsh noun ynn, 'brain', 'mind', 'understanding'. | |||
| Spanish | mental | ||
| The word "mental" in Spanish has additional meanings, such as "crazy" or "eccentric." | |||
| Swedish | mental | ||
| In Swedish, "mental" can also refer to a type of thin, crispy bread. | |||
| Welsh | meddyliol | ||
| "Meddyliol" is thought to be derived from the Proto-Celtic root *medyo-, meaning "to think" or "to judge". | |||
Mental in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | разумовая | ||
| In Russian and Belarusian, the term “mental” is often applied not only to mental activities (such as thinking) but also to sensory processes and perception, as in “sensory cognition” (rather than “sensual cognition”) and “mental image” rather than “sensual image”. | |||
| Bosnian | mentalni | ||
| The word "mentalni" in Bosnian can also refer to someone who is mentally ill or emotionally unstable. | |||
| Bulgarian | психически | ||
| The word “психически” (“mentally”) derives from the Ancient Greek word “ψυχή” (“soul”). | |||
| Czech | duševní | ||
| The Czech word "duševní" can also refer to spiritual or emotional states, as opposed to just intellectual ones. | |||
| Estonian | vaimne | ||
| The word "vaimne" is also used in a religious sense, referring to the "spirit" or "soul" | |||
| Finnish | henkinen | ||
| A similar word 'henki' in Finnish means 'spirit' or 'life', relating to the concept of the mind as the 'spirit' of a person. | |||
| Hungarian | szellemi | ||
| The word "szellemi" also means "intellectual" or "spiritual" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | prāta | ||
| The word "prāta" also means "mind" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | protinis | ||
| Protinis (mental) comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *pr̥t-, meaning "forward, before". | |||
| Macedonian | ментални | ||
| The word "ментални" can also refer to "intellectual" or "psychological" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | psychiczny | ||
| "Psychiczny" in Polish can also refer to "paranormal" or "psychic". | |||
| Romanian | mental | ||
| The Romanian word "mental" ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*men-," meaning "to think." | |||
| Russian | умственный | ||
| The Russian word "умственный" comes from the verb "умить," meaning "to reason," and is related to the word "ум," meaning "intellect." | |||
| Serbian | ментални | ||
| The Serbian word “ментални“ also means “relating to mental health” and “psychiatric”. | |||
| Slovak | mentálne | ||
| The Slovak word "mentálne" comes from the Latin word "mens", meaning "mind". | |||
| Slovenian | duševno | ||
| The Slovenian word "duševno" can also refer to "spiritual" or "emotional" states. | |||
| Ukrainian | психічний | ||
| The word "психічний" derives from the Greek word "ψυχή" (psyche), meaning "soul". In English, it often refers to psychological or psychiatric matters. | |||
Mental in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মানসিক | ||
| The term মানসিক comes from the Sanskrit words 'manas' and 'krita', meaning 'related to the mind'. | |||
| Gujarati | માનસિક | ||
| The Gujarati word "માનસિક" can also refer to the mind, intellect, or consciousness. | |||
| Hindi | मानसिक | ||
| The word "मानसिक" also relates to "the mind" and can mean "intellect" or "cognition" | |||
| Kannada | ಮಾನಸಿಕ | ||
| Derived from Sanskrit "manas" (mind), "ಮಾನಸಿಕ" also refers to imagination and the subliminal. | |||
| Malayalam | മാനസിക | ||
| The word | |||
| Marathi | वेडा | ||
| The word "वेडा" (mental) in Marathi also means "eccentric" or "crazy". | |||
| Nepali | मानसिक | ||
| The word मानसिक originates from the Sanskrit word Manas, meaning 'mind or intellect'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਮਾਨਸਿਕ | ||
| "ਮਾਨਸਿਕ" (मानसिक) is likely derived from Sanskrit, meaning "of the mind," and can also refer to "spiritual" or "intellectual." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මානසික | ||
| Tamil | மன | ||
| Originally 'mana' referred to the organs of sensation, like eyes and ears, and secondarily to mind, thought, will, imagination, memory, or emotion. | |||
| Telugu | మానసిక | ||
| మానసిక derives from the Sanskrit word 'manas' meaning 'mind' and can also refer to 'mental faculties' or 'psychic'. | |||
| Urdu | ذہنی | ||
| The word 'ذہنی' is derived from the Arabic root ' ذهن ' which means 'mind'. It can also refer to 'intellect', 'understanding', or 'thought'. | |||
Mental in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 心理 | ||
| The Chinese character "心" in "心理" also means "heart" or "core", reflecting the traditional Chinese belief in the connection between mind and body. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 心理 | ||
| In Chinese, the character "心理" can also refer to "psychology". | |||
| Japanese | メンタル | ||
| "メンタル" is short for "mental health" and specifically implies a state of distress, rather than the general meaning it holds in other languages. | |||
| Korean | 지적인 | ||
| The word 지적인 (mental) can also refer to a person's intellectual abilities, such as their intelligence, memory, and problem-solving skills. | |||
| Mongolian | сэтгэцийн | ||
| The word "сэтгэцийн" also refers to psychology and psychiatry in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စိတ်ပိုင်းဆိုင်ရာ | ||
Mental in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | mental | ||
| The Indonesian word "mental" can also mean "mentality" or "spirituality". | |||
| Javanese | mental | ||
| The term "mental" (mental) is a loanword from Javanese which refers to "crazy", "insane", or "psychotic". | |||
| Khmer | ផ្លូវចិត្ត | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "mental", "ផ្លូវចិត្ត" can also refer to a path or way, highlighting the connection between the mind and the journey of life. | |||
| Lao | ຈິດໃຈ | ||
| "ຈິດໃຈ" can also refer to one's emotions, thoughts, or feelings. | |||
| Malay | mental | ||
| In Malay, the word "mental" also means "crazy" or "insane". | |||
| Thai | จิต | ||
| จิต is derived from the Sanskrit word "chitta," meaning "mind," and can also refer to "awareness," "consciousness," or "the self." | |||
| Vietnamese | tâm thần | ||
| The Vietnamese word 'tâm thần' can also refer to 'deity' or 'spirit', reflecting its root in Chinese 'shen' ('deity'). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kaisipan | ||
Mental in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | zehni | ||
| In Azerbaijani, "zehni" can also refer to the mind or intellect as the seat of consciousness and thought processes. | |||
| Kazakh | ақыл-ой | ||
| "Ақыл-ой" also means "intellect" or "mind" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | акыл-эс | ||
| Kyrgyz "акыл-эс" derives from "ак" (wise) and "эс" (memory), reflecting the notion that wisdom comes from accumulated knowledge. | |||
| Tajik | равонӣ | ||
| The word "равонӣ" can also refer to a person's mood or state of mind. | |||
| Turkmen | akyl | ||
| Uzbek | aqliy | ||
| The word "aqliy" is derived from the Arabic "`aql" meaning "reason, intellect, intelligence". | |||
| Uyghur | روھىي | ||
Mental in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | noʻonoʻo | ||
| The second definition of noʻonoʻo is to consider, reflect, or remember; the third and fourth are to have an opinion, a thought, or an intention.} | |||
| Maori | hinengaro | ||
| Samoan | mafaufau | ||
| Mafaufau can also refer to an altar or an offering place for a god or spirit. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kaisipan | ||
| The word "kaisipan" is also used to refer to the "mind" or the "intellect." | |||
Mental in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | amuyu | ||
| Guarani | apytu'ũregua | ||
Mental in International Languages
| Esperanto | mensa | ||
| The Esperanto word 'mensa' comes from the Latin word 'mens' meaning 'mind,' and also refers to a table in Esperanto, as it does in several other languages. | |||
| Latin | mentis | ||
| The Latin word 'mentis' also means 'mind', 'understanding', and 'intellect'. | |||
Mental in Others Languages
| Greek | διανοητικός | ||
| The Greek word "διανοητικός" originally meant "pertaining to thought or intellect" but can also refer to "mental illness" or "cognitive impairment." | |||
| Hmong | hlwb | ||
| The Hmong word "hlwb" can also refer to "sick" or "ill". | |||
| Kurdish | fêhmî | ||
| The Kurdish word "fêhmî" can also refer to "intellect" or "understanding". | |||
| Turkish | zihinsel | ||
| The Turkish word "zihinsel" derives from the Persian word "ذهن" (zehn), meaning "mind" or "intellect". In addition to its primary meaning of "mental", it can also mean "intellectual" or "cognitive". | |||
| Xhosa | ngengqondo | ||
| The word "ngengqondo" also refers to the inner mind or the part of the brain responsible for complex thought. | |||
| Yiddish | גייַסטיק | ||
| The Yiddish word "גייַסטיק" (mental) is derived from the French "gay" (happy) | |||
| Zulu | ngokwengqondo | ||
| Historically, the word ngokwengqondong refers to the practice of using snuff or chewing tobacco to enhance one's state of alertness and concentration during important gatherings, rituals and events. | |||
| Assamese | মানসিক | ||
| Aymara | amuyu | ||
| Bhojpuri | मानसिक | ||
| Dhivehi | ބޯ ހަމަނުޖެހުން | ||
| Dogri | जैह्न्नी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kaisipan | ||
| Guarani | apytu'ũregua | ||
| Ilocano | iti panunot | ||
| Krio | maynd | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | عەقلی | ||
| Maithili | पागल | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯋꯥꯈꯜꯒꯤ | ||
| Mizo | rilru | ||
| Oromo | kan sammuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମାନସିକ | ||
| Quechua | yuyay | ||
| Sanskrit | मानसिक | ||
| Tatar | психик | ||
| Tigrinya | ስነ ኣእምሮኣዊ | ||
| Tsonga | miehleketo | ||