Mission in Different Languages
Discover 'Mission' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'mission' holds great significance across cultures and languages. Derived from the Latin 'missio' meaning 'act of sending,' a mission represents a specific task, a sent purpose, or a dedicated goal. Historically, the term gained prominence during the age of exploration, as European powers sent explorers to spread their influence worldwide.
Mission's cultural importance extends to modern times, embodying ideas of purpose and dedication in various contexts, from business to personal growth. Understanding the translation of 'mission' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how diverse cultures perceive and prioritize purpose.
For instance, the Spanish translation, 'misión,' reflects the country's deep-rooted Catholic heritage, where missions were central to spreading the faith. In Japan, 'misshon' (ミッション) bears the influence of Western ideas, introduced during the Meiji Restoration.
Explore the world of 'mission' through its translations, and discover how language and culture intertwine to shape our understanding of purpose.
Mission
Mission in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | missie | ||
| In Afrikaans, "missie" means "mission", but it can also be used to refer to a female missionary or a female teacher. | |||
| Amharic | ተልእኮ | ||
| In Amharic, 'ተልእኮ' can also refer to a divine calling, such as the mission of Jesus Christ. | |||
| Hausa | manufa | ||
| The word 'manufa' can also refer to the 'place of work' or 'office' in the context of a mission. | |||
| Igbo | ozi | ||
| The Igbo word "ozi" can also refer to a message or a errand, highlighting its connection to the concept of communication and transmission. | |||
| Malagasy | asa fitoriana | ||
| The word 'asa fitoriana' can also refer to an errand or a task. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ntchito | ||
| A homonym of “ntchito” is a species of the parasitic plant known as dodder. | |||
| Shona | basa | ||
| Although "basa" is commonly known as "mission" in Shona, it also means "duty". | |||
| Somali | howlgalka | ||
| The word "howlgalka" comes from the Somali word "howl", which means "work" or "task." | |||
| Sesotho | thomo | ||
| The word "thomo" in Sesotho has cognates in other Bantu languages and is likely derived from a Proto-Bantu root meaning "to send" or "to delegate." | |||
| Swahili | utume | ||
| The word "utume" in Swahili also refers to a task or purpose. | |||
| Xhosa | umsebenzi | ||
| The word "umsebenzi" in Xhosa can also mean "work" or "occupation." | |||
| Yoruba | apinfunni | ||
| It is derived from the word apin, meaning "to return" or "to go back" and funni, meaning "to send"} | |||
| Zulu | ukuthunywa | ||
| The Zulu word "ukuthunywa", meaning "mission", is derived from the verb "thuma", meaning "to send". | |||
| Bambara | ci | ||
| Ewe | dɔdeasi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubutumwa | ||
| Lingala | mosala | ||
| Luganda | minsani | ||
| Sepedi | ponelopele | ||
| Twi (Akan) | botaeɛ | ||
Mission in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مهمة | ||
| The word "مهمة" also means "task" or "assignment" in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | משימה | ||
| The Hebrew word משימה (mission) is also related to the word משא (burden), suggesting that a mission involves a significant responsibility. | |||
| Pashto | ماموریت | ||
| The Pashto word 'ماموریت' ('mission') also means 'duty', 'task', or 'assignment'. | |||
| Arabic | مهمة | ||
| The word "مهمة" also means "task" or "assignment" in Arabic. | |||
Mission in Western European Languages
| Albanian | misioni | ||
| The word "misioni" in Albanian also refers to a type of traditional Albanian hat worn by men. | |||
| Basque | misioa | ||
| The Basque word "misioa" also means "task" or "errand". | |||
| Catalan | missió | ||
| The word "missió" can also refer to a diplomatic delegation or an errand. | |||
| Croatian | misija | ||
| The word "misija" comes from the Latin word "missio," which also meant "military service," and is related to the word "mittere," meaning "to send or dispatch." | |||
| Danish | mission | ||
| The Danish word "mission" can also mean "a set of tasks undertaken by a person or group of people on behalf of a larger organization or cause". | |||
| Dutch | missie | ||
| In Dutch, | |||
| English | mission | ||
| The English word mission originates from medieval Latin, which took it from the Late Latin missio, which in turn is the past participle of mittere, meaning | |||
| French | mission | ||
| "Mission" comes from the Latin "mittere," meaning "to send," and can also refer to a group of people sent on a special task. | |||
| Frisian | missy | ||
| In Frisian 'missy' can also mean 'mess' or 'mishmash', likely coming from 'mischen' (German), itself possibly from Latin 'misceo' | |||
| Galician | misión | ||
| In Galician, "misión" can also refer to a type of dance performance, especially a pantomime accompanied by music. | |||
| German | mission | ||
| The German word "Mission" can also refer to a diplomatic or trade delegation, or to a religious community's outreach efforts. | |||
| Icelandic | verkefni | ||
| The Icelandic word "verkefni" derives from the Old Norse "verki" (work) and "efni" (substance); hence, "verkefni" originally meant a task or enterprise. | |||
| Irish | misean | ||
| "Mission" in Irish, "misean," also denotes a "person of destiny" or a "heaven-sent person". | |||
| Italian | missione | ||
| The word 'missione' can also mean 'errand' or 'commission'. | |||
| Luxembourgish | missioun | ||
| Maltese | missjoni | ||
| The word "missjoni" in Maltese derives from the Italian word "missione", ultimately from the Latin word "missio" meaning "sending". | |||
| Norwegian | oppdrag | ||
| The word "oppdrag" also means "assignment" or "task" in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | missão | ||
| In Brazil, "missão" is more commonly used for evangelistic purposes than in Portugal, where it has a broader sense of purpose. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | misean | ||
| The word "misean" in Scots Gaelic can also mean "errand" or "message." | |||
| Spanish | misión | ||
| Misión can also mean a place where missionaries live, or a collection of buildings for a religious purpose. | |||
| Swedish | uppdrag | ||
| "Uppdrag" in Swedish can also mean "assignment" or "task." | |||
| Welsh | cenhadaeth | ||
| "Cenhadaeth" has also come to mean a meeting where the local church invites speakers for prayer and evangelism purposes. | |||
Mission in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | місія | ||
| The word "місія" in Belarusian also means "embassy". | |||
| Bosnian | misija | ||
| The word 'misija' can also mean 'task' or 'duty'. | |||
| Bulgarian | мисия | ||
| The Bulgarian word "мисия" shares the common Indo-European root with English "mission," ultimately derived from Latin and originally intended as a divine summons. | |||
| Czech | mise | ||
| The word "mise" in Czech also means "plate" or "dish", likely due to its Latin origin which refers to a course of food. | |||
| Estonian | missioon | ||
| The word "missioon" in Estonian is derived from Latin "missio" and originally meant "sending" or "commission". | |||
| Finnish | tehtävä | ||
| In addition to "mission," tehtävä can also refer to a "task," "duty," or "function."} | |||
| Hungarian | küldetés | ||
| The word "küldetés" can also mean "destiny" or "purpose". | |||
| Latvian | misija | ||
| In Latvian, "misija" also means "purpose" or "duty". | |||
| Lithuanian | misija | ||
| The Lithuanian word "misija" also refers to a type of theatrical or operatic work. | |||
| Macedonian | мисија | ||
| The Macedonian word “мисија” also has a connotation of a specific religious calling. | |||
| Polish | misja | ||
| The Polish noun 'Misja' can also denote a diplomatic, medical (e.g. Doctors Without Borders), or religious assignment, as well as a particular task assigned to someone. | |||
| Romanian | misiune | ||
| The Romanian word "misiune" can also refer to a "religious mission" or a "diplomatic mission". | |||
| Russian | миссия | ||
| The Russian word "миссия" (mission) also relates to the concept of "sent" or "派遣" in Chinese and "mission" in English. | |||
| Serbian | мисија | ||
| The Serbian word "мисија" also means "embassy". | |||
| Slovak | misie | ||
| Slovak misie (mission) is derived from German Mission (mission) and can also mean a type of fabric. | |||
| Slovenian | poslanstvo | ||
| "Poslanstvo" in Slovenian is related to "poslati" (to send), but also has meanings related to fate and purpose. | |||
| Ukrainian | місія | ||
| The Ukrainian word "місія" (mission) comes from the Latin word "missio" (mission), which refers to an official task or assignment. | |||
Mission in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মিশন | ||
| The word "মিশন" is derived from the Sanskrit word "मिषन" (miṣṇa), meaning "action, duty, or business" | |||
| Gujarati | મિશન | ||
| The word "મિશન" can also refer to a group of people sent on a specific task or assignment. | |||
| Hindi | मिशन | ||
| The Hindi word "मिशन" (mission) is derived from the Latin word "missio," meaning "sending" or "dispatching," and it can also refer to a religious or diplomatic delegation. | |||
| Kannada | ಮಿಷನ್ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಮಿಷನ್" (mission) is derived from the English word "mission," which in turn comes from the Latin word "mittere," meaning "to send." | |||
| Malayalam | ദൗത്യം | ||
| In Sanskrit, the cognate word दूत (dū́ta) meant 'messenger', 'ambassador', or 'envoy'. | |||
| Marathi | मिशन | ||
| The Marathi word "मिशन" also refers to a monastery, ashram, or congregation. | |||
| Nepali | मिशन | ||
| In Nepali, the word "मिशन" is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit word "मिश्रण", meaning a "mixture" or "combination". | |||
| Punjabi | ਮਿਸ਼ਨ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਮਿਸ਼ਨ" can also refer to a "task", "purpose", or "responsibility." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මෙහෙයුම | ||
| The word "මෙහෙයුම" ("mission") in Sinhala derives from the Sanskrit word "मेध" ("medha") meaning "wisdom" or "intelligence". | |||
| Tamil | பணி | ||
| The word "பணி" can also mean "work" or "service" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | మిషన్ | ||
| మిషన్ is related to the English word mission, but it's not an exact translation. | |||
| Urdu | مشن | ||
| The word "مشن" ("mission") in Urdu can also refer to a religious sect or a military expedition. | |||
Mission in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 任务 | ||
| 任务 (rènwù) literally means 'task' or 'duty' and is often used in a formal or professional context, particularly in the military or government. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 任務 | ||
| In Chinese, the word "任務" (mission) is used to refer to both a "task" or "duty" and a "mission" or "purpose". | |||
| Japanese | ミッション | ||
| The word "ミッション" can also refer to a religious calling or a special task given by a higher power. | |||
| Korean | 사명 | ||
| "사명" can also refer to a divine or moral obligation. | |||
| Mongolian | эрхэм зорилго | ||
| "Эрхэм зорилго" is the Mongolian word for "mission," which translates as "the purpose for which one is sent or goes, especially a religious one" in English. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မစ်ရှင် | ||
Mission in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | misi | ||
| The word "misi" is also used in Indonesian to refer to a type of traditional Javanese dance that tells a story through movement and gesture. | |||
| Javanese | misi | ||
| Javanese "misi" is derived from Sanskrit "miśi" which means "to send" or "to dispatch." | |||
| Khmer | បេសកកម្ម | ||
| "បេសកកម្ម" is derived from Sanskrit and has a similar meaning in both languages, referring to a task, undertaking, or obligation assigned to a specific individual or group. | |||
| Lao | ພາລະກິດ | ||
| Malay | misi | ||
| Misi' comes from Tamil 'mithi' = "dispatch" or "commission" and means "message, duty, objective, commission". | |||
| Thai | ภารกิจ | ||
| ภารกิจ originally derives from the Sanskrit word 'bhara' meaning 'to carry' or 'to support'. | |||
| Vietnamese | sứ mệnh | ||
| The word "sứ mệnh" is derived from the Chinese word "使命", meaning "command" or "order", and has come to mean "mission" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | misyon | ||
Mission in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | missiya | ||
| "Missiya" is also an archaic Azerbaijani word for "mosque" | |||
| Kazakh | миссия | ||
| In Kazakh, "миссия" (mission) also means a delegation sent abroad to represent the state or a religious organization. | |||
| Kyrgyz | миссия | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "миссия" also has the alternate meaning of "a religious or charitable organization" | |||
| Tajik | вазифа | ||
| The word "вазифа" is derived from the Persian word "وظیفه" and also means "duty" or "task". | |||
| Turkmen | tabşyryk | ||
| Uzbek | missiya | ||
| The word "missiya" in Uzbek can also refer to a "journey" or "travel". | |||
| Uyghur | ۋەزىپە | ||
Mission in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mikionali | ||
| The word "mikionali" in Hawaiian can also refer to a gathering or assembly of people. | |||
| Maori | miihana | ||
| The word "miihana" in Maori can also refer to a meeting place or a gathering of people. | |||
| Samoan | misiona | ||
| In Samoan, the word "misiona" can also refer to a gathering or assembly, often with religious or community significance. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | misyon | ||
| The Tagalog word "misyon" is derived from the Spanish word "misión", which in turn comes from the Latin word "missio", meaning "sending" or "dispatching". | |||
Mission in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | amta | ||
| Guarani | mba'e'aporã | ||
Mission in International Languages
| Esperanto | misio | ||
| Esperanto 'misio' has different meanings including 'message', 'errand' and a sense of Christian 'mission'. | |||
| Latin | missio | ||
| The Latin word "missio" also means "departure, discharge, or sending forth". | |||
Mission in Others Languages
| Greek | αποστολή | ||
| The Greek word "αποστολή" can also refer to a delegation, a team, or a task. | |||
| Hmong | tshajtawm | ||
| *Tshajtawm* is also the Hmong name for a type of rice-cake. | |||
| Kurdish | serpar | ||
| The word 'serpar' in Kurdish is derived from the Persian word 'ser', meaning 'head' or 'chief', and is also used to refer to a delegation or a group of people sent on a specific task. | |||
| Turkish | misyon | ||
| The Turkish word "misyon" can also refer to a religious duty or calling. | |||
| Xhosa | umsebenzi | ||
| The word "umsebenzi" in Xhosa can also mean "work" or "occupation." | |||
| Yiddish | מיסיע | ||
| "מיסיע" may derive from the French word "métier", meaning "trade" or "profession". | |||
| Zulu | ukuthunywa | ||
| The Zulu word "ukuthunywa", meaning "mission", is derived from the verb "thuma", meaning "to send". | |||
| Assamese | উদ্দেশ্য | ||
| Aymara | amta | ||
| Bhojpuri | ध्येय | ||
| Dhivehi | މިޝަން | ||
| Dogri | मिशन | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | misyon | ||
| Guarani | mba'e'aporã | ||
| Ilocano | gandat | ||
| Krio | wok | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئەرک | ||
| Maithili | लक्ष्य | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯊꯕꯛ ꯑꯃ | ||
| Mizo | thiltum bik | ||
| Oromo | ergama | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମିଶନ୍ | | ||
| Quechua | kachay | ||
| Sanskrit | नियोग | ||
| Tatar | миссия | ||
| Tigrinya | ተልእኾ | ||
| Tsonga | xikongomelo | ||