Moment in Different Languages
Discover 'Moment' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
At its core, the word 'moment' represents a point in time or a brief period of time. However, its significance goes far beyond this simple definition. Moments are the building blocks of our lives, shaping our experiences, memories, and personal growth. They hold cultural importance across the globe, as societies have long sought to capture and preserve significant moments through various forms of art, literature, and historical records.
Given the universal nature of time, it's no surprise that the word 'moment' has been translated into countless languages, each with its own unique cultural and linguistic nuances. For example, in Spanish, 'moment' translates to 'momento,' while in French, it becomes 'moment.' In Mandarin Chinese, the word takes on a more complex form, '这个时刻' (zhège shíkè), which directly translates to 'this time/period.'
Understanding the translation of 'moment' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural contexts and histories of various societies. Join us as we explore the fascinating world of language and culture through the lens of this simple, yet powerful, word.
Moment
Moment in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | oomblik | ||
| "Oomblik" (derived from "oom", meaning "uncle", and "blik", meaning "glance") suggests a brief, affectionate moment shared between family. | |||
| Amharic | አፍታ | ||
| The word "afta" used to mean "breath", later taking on the sense of "moment" or instant. | |||
| Hausa | lokacin | ||
| The Hausa word "lokacin" also means "situation," "condition," or "circumstance." | |||
| Igbo | oge | ||
| The word "oge" can also mean "time" or "occasion" in Igbo, signifying its broader significance beyond simply a single moment. | |||
| Malagasy | fotoana | ||
| In Malagasy, "fotoana" is also a colloquial term that can mean "a short while". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mphindi | ||
| Mphindi is also an edible wild plant and is used to treat wounds and coughs | |||
| Shona | nguva | ||
| "Nguva" can also refer to "time", "season", or "history." | |||
| Somali | daqiiqad | ||
| The Somali word for moment, 'daqiiqad', also means 'precise' or 'minute'. | |||
| Sesotho | motsotsoana | ||
| The Sesotho word "motsotsoana" can also refer to a "short while" or a "brief period of time." | |||
| Swahili | wakati | ||
| Wakati is derived from the verb 'ku-wakia' which means 'to happen' or 'to occur'. | |||
| Xhosa | okomzuzwana | ||
| "Okomzuzwana" is derived from "umzuzwana," meaning small flame or flicker. It implies a precise, short point in time. | |||
| Yoruba | asiko | ||
| The word 'asiko' also means 'time' and can be used to refer to a specific point in time or to a period of time. | |||
| Zulu | umzuzwana | ||
| "Umzuzwana" can refer to the moment in time, a particular time, or a short interval of time. | |||
| Bambara | wagati | ||
| Ewe | ɣeyiɣi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | akanya | ||
| Lingala | ntango | ||
| Luganda | akaseera | ||
| Sepedi | nakwana | ||
| Twi (Akan) | berɛ | ||
Moment in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | لحظة | ||
| The word "لحظة" can also mean "glance", "wink", or "second" in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | רֶגַע | ||
| In biblical Hebrew "רֶגַע" meant both a "moment" as well as the trembling that accompanied emotional upheaval. | |||
| Pashto | شېبه | ||
| The Pashto word "شېبه" (moment) has cognates in other Iranian languages, such as Persian "شب" (night) and Avestan "xšap" (night). | |||
| Arabic | لحظة | ||
| The word "لحظة" can also mean "glance", "wink", or "second" in Arabic. | |||
Moment in Western European Languages
| Albanian | moment | ||
| "Momenti" in Albanian can mean either "moment" or "momentum". | |||
| Basque | unea | ||
| The Basque word "unea" also means "turn", "round" or "time". | |||
| Catalan | moment | ||
| In Catalan, "moment" can also mean "time" or "season". | |||
| Croatian | trenutak | ||
| In Bulgarian and Serbo-Croatian, an additional sense of "instant, flash, spark" in addition to "moment" can be found. | |||
| Danish | øjeblik | ||
| The word "øjeblik" is related to the word "øje" (eye), implying a "blink of an eye" or a "brief moment". | |||
| Dutch | moment | ||
| The Dutch word "moment" can also mean "opportunity" or "chance". | |||
| English | moment | ||
| Moment is derived from the Latin word "momentum," meaning impulse or force, and originally referred to a fleeting instant in time. | |||
| French | moment | ||
| The word "moment" in French comes from the Latin word "momentum," which means "movement" or "change". | |||
| Frisian | momint | ||
| Frisian 'momint' also means 'momentum' in English. | |||
| Galician | momento | ||
| The common noun "momento" in Galician means "a present given to commemorate a past event", but can also mean "a keepsake". | |||
| German | moment | ||
| The German word for "moment" can also refer to "torque" or "engine power". | |||
| Icelandic | augnablik | ||
| Related to the Old Norse word "augnabragð", meaning "the time it takes to say a word" | |||
| Irish | nóiméad | ||
| The Irish word "nóiméad" ultimately derives from the Latin "momentum," and in addition to meaning "moment," it can also mean "impetus," "energy," or "drive." | |||
| Italian | momento | ||
| "Momento" can also refer to "reminder" or "memento", a tangible object that serves as a memory trigger. | |||
| Luxembourgish | moment | ||
| The word "Moment" can also mean "impulse" or "opportunity" in Luxembourgish. | |||
| Maltese | mument | ||
| The word "mument" in Maltese is derived from the Latin word "momentum", meaning "impulse" or "impetus". | |||
| Norwegian | øyeblikk | ||
| Øy means island and blikk means glance, thus the word literally translates as "island glance". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | momento | ||
| In Portuguese, "momento" can also refer to a small gift or souvenir, typically given as a keepsake or reminder of a special occasion. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | mionaid | ||
| Scots Gaelic "mionaid" comes from Latin "minuta" which means a "small part" of time. | |||
| Spanish | momento | ||
| The word 'momento' in Spanish has multiple meanings, from 'moment' to 'memory of a special event' to 'keepsake.' | |||
| Swedish | ögonblick | ||
| "Ögonblick" originates from the obsolete Swedish word "ögnabragd", meaning "a blink of an eye". | |||
| Welsh | hyn o bryd | ||
| The term 'hyn o bryd' ('moment') literally translates as 'time out' ('hin' - time 'of' or 'out' - 'of' 'pryd' - time or when). | |||
Moment in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | момант | ||
| The word "момант" also means "power" in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | momenat | ||
| In Bosnian, the word "momenat" can also refer to a "momentum of force". | |||
| Bulgarian | момент | ||
| In Bulgarian, "момент" also translates to "impulse" and "momentum". | |||
| Czech | okamžik | ||
| Okamžik is related to the verb 'okávat' (to expect) and originally meant 'an expected or hoped-for moment'. | |||
| Estonian | hetk | ||
| The word "hetk" also refers to an appropriate or opportune time or occasion. | |||
| Finnish | hetki | ||
| "Hetki" can also mean "a little while" or "a while". | |||
| Hungarian | pillanat | ||
| The word pillanat, meaning "moment" in Hungarian, also refers to a tiny, hard insect that lives in wood and is considered a pest. | |||
| Latvian | brīdi | ||
| The word "brīdi" is a cognate of the Lithuanian word "brindis" and the Old Church Slavonic word "brĭdĭ", derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*bʰer-" (to cut, to divide). | |||
| Lithuanian | momentas | ||
| In Lithuanian, "momentas" can also refer to an amount of force or torque. | |||
| Macedonian | момент | ||
| The word "момент" can also refer to the right time or opportunity. | |||
| Polish | za chwilę | ||
| The Polish phrase "za chwilę" has alternate meanings, such as "soon" or "in a moment". | |||
| Romanian | moment | ||
| In Romanian, "moment" can also refer to a specific time or instance, as in "în acel moment" (at that moment). | |||
| Russian | момент | ||
| The Russian word "момент" (moment) originates from the Latin word "momentum" (movement, impulse), which in turn is derived from the verb "movere" (to move). | |||
| Serbian | тренутак | ||
| The word "тренутак" in Serbian comes from the Old Slavic word "tręsti" meaning "to shake" or "to move". | |||
| Slovak | okamih | ||
| The word `okamih` in Slovak might be derived from Latin `occūmentum`, meaning `something hidden`, implying its transient nature. | |||
| Slovenian | trenutek | ||
| The word "trenutek" shares its root with the Latin word "tendo" meaning "to stretch" or "to make taut". | |||
| Ukrainian | момент | ||
| "Момент" в українській мові має те ж саме значення, що й латинське "momentum", яке означало "рух" або "імпульс". | |||
Moment in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মুহূর্ত | ||
| The Sanskrit word "muhūrta" has an additional sense of an astrological time unit equivalent to 48 minutes. | |||
| Gujarati | ક્ષણ | ||
| The word "ಕ್ಷಣ" is also used in Kannada and Marathi with the same meaning, and has Sanskrit origins. | |||
| Hindi | पल | ||
| The Hindi word "पल" not only means "moment" but also has the meanings of "eyelid" and "wing" in the context of birds. | |||
| Kannada | ಕ್ಷಣ | ||
| The word "ಕ್ಷಣ" not only means "moment" but also refers to a unit of time used in measuring musical performance. | |||
| Malayalam | നിമിഷം | ||
| The word "നിമിഷം" (moment) in Malayalam can also refer to a blink of an eye or a short period of time. | |||
| Marathi | क्षण | ||
| The Marathi word "क्षण" can also refer to "eyelid" and "the edge of something" | |||
| Nepali | पल | ||
| Nepali word "पल" also means "eyelid". | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਲ | ||
| The word "ਪਲ" is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "प्रलय" (pralaya), meaning "dissolution" or "end of the world." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මොහොත | ||
| "මොහොත" comes from Sanskrit and originally meant "a twinkling of the eye". | |||
| Tamil | கணம் | ||
| The Tamil word "கணம்" also refers to a group or multitude, and is cognate with "கண" meaning "to count" in Sanskrit. | |||
| Telugu | క్షణం | ||
| The Telugu word "క్షణము" (kṣaṇam), meaning "moment," derives from the Sanskrit word "क्षण" (kṢaṇa) meaning "instant, fraction," and is also associated with "death" in poetic usage. | |||
| Urdu | لمحہ | ||
| The word "لمحہ" (moment in Urdu) is derived from the pre-Islamic Arabian notion of the "atom of time" or the "smallest possible unit of time". | |||
Moment in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 时刻 | ||
| The Chinese word "时刻" also means "always" or "every moment." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 時刻 | ||
| The word '時刻' can refer both to a specific moment or an extended moment, with a similar ambiguity in the English word 'moment'. | |||
| Japanese | 瞬間 | ||
| The word "瞬間" can also mean "an instant" or "a flash of light". | |||
| Korean | 순간 | ||
| The word "순간" is derived from the Chinese characters "瞬間", which means "a short period of time". | |||
| Mongolian | мөч | ||
| Мөч is related to möngün, which means silver, and it was a word for a measure of silver in the Mongolian era. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ခဏ | ||
| The word "ခဏ" can also refer to a period of time, such as a day or a month. | |||
Moment in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | saat | ||
| The word "saat" in Indonesian comes from the Arabic word "sa'at", meaning "time" or "hour", and also shares a similar root with the English word "second". | |||
| Javanese | wayahe | ||
| The word also refers to the time between the birth of a newborn and when the body is washed. | |||
| Khmer | ពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ន | ||
| Lao | ປັດຈຸບັນ | ||
| Malay | sekejap | ||
| "Sekejap" is a reduplicated form of the word "kejap", which means "a while". It is often used to indicate a short period of time, such as a moment or an instant. | |||
| Thai | ช่วงเวลา | ||
| ช่วงเวลา derives from Sanskrit "kṣaṇa", which also translates to “instant,” “interval,” and “period”. | |||
| Vietnamese | chốc lát | ||
| The word "chốc lát" can also mean "a little while" or "a short time". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sandali | ||
Moment in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | an | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "an" shares an etymology with "an" in Turkish language, both ultimately deriving from Persian "ān". | |||
| Kazakh | сәт | ||
| The Kazakh word "сәт" can also mean "time", "occasion", "opportunity", or "period of time". | |||
| Kyrgyz | көз ирмем | ||
| The term “көз ирмем” means a moment, a short period of time in Kyrgyz and is a phrase literally meaning “blink of the eye”. | |||
| Tajik | лаҳза | ||
| The word "лаҳза" also means "accent" in Persian and "tone" in Turkish. | |||
| Turkmen | pursat | ||
| Uzbek | lahza | ||
| In Uzbek, "lahza" can also refer to a "short period of time" or an "interval". | |||
| Uyghur | moment | ||
Moment in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | manawa | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word "manawa" also means "breath" or "heartbeat." | |||
| Maori | momeniti | ||
| The word 'momeniti' is a loanword from English and can also mean 'a brief event or experience'. | |||
| Samoan | taimi | ||
| The word 'taimi' not only means 'moment' in Samoan, but also 'time' and 'weather'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | sandali | ||
| Sandali may also refer to a type of footwear, particularly sandals, derived from the Spanish word for 'sandals'. | |||
Moment in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ukhapacha | ||
| Guarani | ko'ag̃aite | ||
Moment in International Languages
| Esperanto | momento | ||
| In Esperanto, "momento" can also refer to a keepsake or souvenir. | |||
| Latin | momentum | ||
| The Latin word 'momentum' can also refer to 'consequence', 'importance', or 'weight'. | |||
Moment in Others Languages
| Greek | στιγμή | ||
| The word " στιγμή " is also used in Greek to mean "a point ". | |||
| Hmong | lub caij | ||
| 'Lub caij' is derived from the Chinese phrase 'li shi ji,' which also translates to moment. | |||
| Kurdish | evdem | ||
| The word "evdem" in Kurdish finds its roots in the Persian word "avam" meaning "public," suggesting a broader sense of "a shared instant in time" beyond its literal translation as "moment." | |||
| Turkish | an | ||
| "An", derived from Persian, can also refer to an agreement or oath. | |||
| Xhosa | okomzuzwana | ||
| "Okomzuzwana" is derived from "umzuzwana," meaning small flame or flicker. It implies a precise, short point in time. | |||
| Yiddish | מאָמענט | ||
| In Yiddish, "מאָמענט" can also refer to a specific amount of time, similar to the French word "instant". | |||
| Zulu | umzuzwana | ||
| "Umzuzwana" can refer to the moment in time, a particular time, or a short interval of time. | |||
| Assamese | মুহূৰ্ত | ||
| Aymara | ukhapacha | ||
| Bhojpuri | पल | ||
| Dhivehi | ހިނދުކޮޅު | ||
| Dogri | पल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sandali | ||
| Guarani | ko'ag̃aite | ||
| Ilocano | kanito | ||
| Krio | tɛm | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سات | ||
| Maithili | क्षण | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯤꯠꯀꯨꯞ | ||
| Mizo | hun tawi te | ||
| Oromo | yeroo gabaabduu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତ | ||
| Quechua | uchuy pacha | ||
| Sanskrit | क्षण | ||
| Tatar | мизгел | ||
| Tigrinya | ቕጽበት | ||
| Tsonga | nkarhi | ||