Movement in different languages

Movement in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

Movement is a fundamental aspect of our lives, encompassing everything from physical motion to social change. It's a concept that transcends cultural boundaries and is essential to understanding the world around us. Throughout history, movements have shaped societies, from the civil rights movement in the United States to the Arab Spring in the Middle East. But what about the word 'movement' itself? How is it translated in different languages, and what can this tell us about the cultures that use them?

For instance, in Spanish, 'movement' is 'movimiento,' while in French, it's 'mouvement.' In German, it's 'Bewegung,' and in Japanese, it's 'undo.' These translations not only help us communicate across languages, but they also provide a glimpse into the unique cultural perspectives of each language's users.

So, whether you're a language learner, a cultural enthusiast, or just curious, exploring the translations of 'movement' can be a fascinating journey. Here's a list of translations in various languages to get you started:

Movement

Movement in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansbeweging
The word "beweging" in Afrikaans can also refer to a political or social movement, as well as the act of moving something.
Amharicእንቅስቃሴ
The word "እንቅስቃሴ" can also refer to "motion" or "agitation" in Amharic.
Hausamotsi
The Hausa word 'motsi' can also refer to someone who moves or travels a lot.
Igboije
"Ije" also means "journey" and "dance."
Malagasyhetsika
The Malagasy word "HETSIKA" also means "a way of being".
Nyanja (Chichewa)mayendedwe
The word "mayendedwe" can also refer to a journey or trip.
Shonakufamba
The verb 'kufamba' is also translated as 'walking' and 'travelling'.
Somalidhaqdhaqaaq
The word "dhaqdhaqaaq" also means "shaking" or "vibration" in Somali.
Sesothomotsamao
The word "motsamao" comes from "tsamaya" meaning "to walk" or "to take a walk".
Swahiliharakati
The word "harakati" also means "activity" or "action" in Swahili.
Xhosaintshukumo
In Xhosa the word intshukumo has many meanings such as: motion, stir, activity, agitation, and excitement.
Yorubaišipopada
"Išipopada" can also mean "activity" or "labour" in Yoruba.
Zuluukunyakaza
Ukunyakaza may also refer to "to wiggle" or "to fidget."
Bambarayɛlɛmayɛlɛma
Ewezɔzɔ̃
Kinyarwandakugenda
Lingalamuvema
Lugandaolugendo
Sepedimosepelo
Twi (Akan)anamɔntuo

Movement in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicحركة
Hebrewתְנוּעָה
The Hebrew word "תְנוּעָה" ("TNU'A") also refers to the system of vowel sounds in Hebrew.
Pashtoخوځښت
The Pashto word "خوځښت" also means "agitation" or "stirring up".
Arabicحركة

Movement in Western European Languages

Albanianlëvizje
The word "lëvizje" can also be used to refer to a political movement or a trend.
Basquemugimendua
It can have both a physical or a philosophical meaning or can refer to a political organization or party.
Catalanmoviment
The Catalan word "moviment" can also refer to a social or political organization.
Croatianpokret
The word "pokret" can also refer to a political or social movement.
Danishbevægelse
The word "bevægelse" can also mean "agitation", "emotion", or "stirring".
Dutchbeweging
"Beweg" in "beweging" can be interpreted as either "to move" or "to stir".
Englishmovement
The word 'movement' can also refer to an organized group of people working towards a common goal or cause, such as the civil rights movement.
Frenchmouvement
"Mouvement" in French can refer to art that captures a moment in time, or music that evokes a particular mood or feeling.
Frisianbeweging
The Frisian word "beweging" also means "exercise" or "physical activity".
Galicianmovemento
In Galician, the word "movemento" shares its etymology with the French word "mouvement" and can also mean a musical piece or a revolution.
Germanbewegung
In philosophy, Bewegung can refer to Hegel's category in his dialectical model of progressive development and change.
Icelandicsamtök
"Samtök" is also used to refer to a professional or trade association, as in "samtök lækna" (association of physicians).
Irishgluaiseacht
"Gluaiseacht" is also used to mean "locomotion," "progression," or "motion."
Italianmovimento
The Italian word "movimento" can also refer to a dance performance or a political party.
Luxembourgishbewegung
"Bewegung", which means "movement" (or literally "moving") in German, also signifies an activity, particularly an organized one.
Maltesemoviment
The Maltese word "moviment" is derived from the Latin "movimentum" and also means "insurrection" or "revolt" in Maltese.
Norwegianbevegelse
"Bevegelse" can also refer to a political or social movement.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)movimento
In Portuguese, "movimento" (movement) can also refer to a group of people working together for a common goal or a change in society.
Scots Gaelicgluasad
The word "gluasad" can also mean "stirring" or "disturbance".
Spanishmovimiento
Movimiento, in Spanish, shares the same root as motion and is also used to convey the concept of motion or change in many contexts like the Civil Rights Movement.}
Swedishrörelse
rörelse derives from the Old Swedish word röra, which means "to stir, to move" and can also refer to "a business, a bustling activity".
Welshsymudiad
The word "symudiad" can also mean "motion" or "stirring" in Welsh.

Movement in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianруху
The word "руху" can also mean "spirit" or "flow" in Belarusian.
Bosniankretanje
The word "kretanje" also means "circulation" in Bosnian.
Bulgarianдвижение
The word "движение" can also refer to a political or social movement.
Czechhnutí
The Czech word 'hnutí' (movement) originates from the verb 'hýbat se' (to move), which shares its root with the verb 'hnát' (to drive).
Estonianliikumine
"Liikumine" has a secondary meaning of "traffic", and is cognate with "liikuma" (to move) and "liik" (kind).
Finnishliike
The Finnish word "liike" also refers to an "enterprise", like "kaupallinen liike" (a business enterprise).
Hungarianmozgalom
"Mozgalom" can also mean "agitation," "commotion" or "ferment," from the verb "mozgat" ("to move").
Latviankustība
The Latvian word "kustība" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "keu-so-, " meaning "to swell" or "to rise."
Lithuanianjudėjimas
"Judėjimas" can also mean "motion" or "dance".
Macedonianдвижење
In Macedonian, "движење" can also refer to "a political or social movement" and "a gesture of the hand or body."
Polishruch
"Ruch" also means a political party in Polish.
Romaniancirculaţie
The Romanian word "circulaţie" also refers to the movement of fluids in the body, such as blood or lymph, and to the circulation of money or goods.
Russianдвижение
Движение literally means 'movement', and also can mean a social or political movement.
Serbianкретање
The word "кретање" can also refer to a procession, a march, or a parade.
Slovakpohyb
The word "pohyb" can also mean "dance" in Slovak.
Slovenianpremikanje
Premikanje can also mean a political movement.
Ukrainianрух
The word "рух" can also refer to the Ukrainian independence movement and is sometimes used as a synonym for "revolution" in Ukrainian.

Movement in South Asian Languages

Bengaliআন্দোলন
আন্দোলন is derived from the Sanskrit root "dol," meaning "to move," and can also refer to a political or social cause or a particular action or initiative.
Gujaratiચળવળ
The word "ચળવળ" also has a secondary meaning of "activity" or "agitation" in Gujarati.
Hindiआंदोलन
The Hindi word "आंदोलन" (andolan) can also refer to a political movement or agitation, as in "स्वतंत्रता आंदोलन" (swatantrata andolan) meaning "the independence movement"
Kannadaಚಲನೆ
Alternate meanings of "ಚಲನೆ" include "dance" and "change".
Malayalamചലനം
The Malayalam word "ചലനം" (chalanam) also refers to "change" and "transition", capturing the dynamic nature of movement.
Marathiचळवळ
The Marathi word 'चळवळ' also has alternate meanings such as a 'whirlpool', or 'rotation'
Nepaliआन्दोलन
The word "आन्दोलन" is derived from the Sanskrit root "and" meaning "to agitate" or "to shake", and can also refer to a "commotion" or "disturbance".
Punjabiਅੰਦੋਲਨ
Sinhala (Sinhalese)චලනය
The word චලනය (movement) is derived from the root word චල (to move).
Tamilஇயக்கம்
The word "இயக்கம்" (movement) in Tamil has its roots in the verb "இயக்கு" (to move or cause to move) and can also refer to a political or social movement.
Teluguకదలిక
The Telugu word "కదలిక" (movement) shares its etymological root with "కడలి" (sea), suggesting a connection between movement and the flow of the sea.
Urduتحریک
The word تحریک (movement) is derived from the Arabic root word حرك (moved) and also means agitation, or incitement.

Movement in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)运动
The character "动" in "运动" means "to move", and the character "运" means "to transport", which collectively implies the concept of "movement".
Chinese (Traditional)運動
*運動* in Chinese means exercise, sports, physical activities, or even political movements.
Japanese移動
移動 is also used in Japanese as a way of referring to someone's commute to and from work or school.
Korean운동
The word "운동" (undong) in Korean can also refer to "exercise" or a "political movement".
Mongolianхөдөлгөөн
The Mongolian word "хөдөлгөөн" has additional meanings such as "operation", "campaign", and "action".
Myanmar (Burmese)လှုပ်ရှားမှု

Movement in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiangerakan
The Indonesian word "gerakan" can also refer to a political movement or a military operation.
Javanesegerakan
"Gerakan" also means "a measure", or "a portion of goods to be transported or sold, as by a coolie or boat-builder"
Khmerចលនា
“ចលនា” can refer to any physical motion, changes in a system, or mental and emotive change and transformation.
Laoການເຄື່ອນໄຫວ
Malaypergerakan
In addition to its main meaning, "pergerakan" can also mean "the act of walking" in Malay.
Thaiการเคลื่อนไหว
The Thai word "การเคลื่อนไหว" can also refer to a political or social movement.
Vietnamesechuyển động
The word "chuyển động" (literally "to change and move") can also have the figurative meanings of "development" and "change".
Filipino (Tagalog)paggalaw

Movement in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanihərəkat
The word "hərəkat" can also refer to a military campaign or march.
Kazakhқозғалыс
Қозғалыс is also used figuratively to refer to
Kyrgyzкыймыл
"Кыймыл" in Kyrgyz means both "movement" and "property".
Tajikҳаракат
In Tajik, "ҳаракат" can also refer to a military operation or campaign.
Turkmenhereket
Uzbekharakat
The word “harakat” also means “vowel” due to the fact that vowels are articulated by an intentional movement of the tongue.
Uyghurھەرىكەت

Movement in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianneʻe
The Hawaiian word "neʻe" has multiple meanings, including "movement", "to move", "to walk", "to travel", "to go", "to shift", "to progress", "to change", "to alter", "to vary", "to transform".
Maorinekehanga
The word "nekehanga" can also mean "change" or "transition" in Maori.
Samoangaioi
The word 'gaioi' can also refer to a 'movement of people', like a dance or parade.
Tagalog (Filipino)kilusan
The Tagalog word "kilusan" is also used to refer to "a movement of the body" or "a rhythmic pattern".

Movement in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarasartawi
Guaranimongu'e

Movement in International Languages

Esperantomovado
The Esperanto word "movado" can also mean "clock" or "watch" due to its association with the movement of its parts.
Latinmotus
The Latin word 'motus' can also refer to a sedition or rebellion.

Movement in Others Languages

Greekκίνηση
The word "κίνηση" comes from the ancient Greek verb "κινέω", meaning "to move".
Hmongkev tshem
"Kev tshem" can also refer to "the soul" of a living body.
Kurdishhejînî
The Kurdish word "hejînî" can also be translated as "shake" or "agitate".
Turkishhareket
The Turkish word "hareket" also has extended meanings like "operation" (as in "military operation") or "initiative," and can be figuratively used to describe a sudden change (e.g. a price hike).
Xhosaintshukumo
In Xhosa the word intshukumo has many meanings such as: motion, stir, activity, agitation, and excitement.
Yiddishבאַוועגונג
"באַוועגונג" also means "motion" or "agitation" in Yiddish.
Zuluukunyakaza
Ukunyakaza may also refer to "to wiggle" or "to fidget."
Assameseবিপ্লৱ
Aymarasartawi
Bhojpuriहरकत
Dhivehiހަރަކާތް
Dogriतैहरीक
Filipino (Tagalog)paggalaw
Guaranimongu'e
Ilocanopanaggaraw
Kriofɔ muv
Kurdish (Sorani)جووڵە
Maithiliगतिविधि
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯂꯦꯡ ꯑꯣꯠꯄ
Mizochet
Oromosochii
Odia (Oriya)ଗତି
Quechuakuyuy
Sanskritआन्दोलन
Tatarхәрәкәт
Tigrinyaምንቅስቓስ
Tsongamafambelo

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