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:
Afrikaans | beweging | ||
The word "beweging" in Afrikaans can also refer to a political or social movement, as well as the act of moving something. | |||
Amharic | እንቅስቃሴ | ||
The word "እንቅስቃሴ" can also refer to "motion" or "agitation" in Amharic. | |||
Hausa | motsi | ||
The Hausa word 'motsi' can also refer to someone who moves or travels a lot. | |||
Igbo | ije | ||
"Ije" also means "journey" and "dance." | |||
Malagasy | hetsika | ||
The Malagasy word "HETSIKA" also means "a way of being". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | mayendedwe | ||
The word "mayendedwe" can also refer to a journey or trip. | |||
Shona | kufamba | ||
The verb 'kufamba' is also translated as 'walking' and 'travelling'. | |||
Somali | dhaqdhaqaaq | ||
The word "dhaqdhaqaaq" also means "shaking" or "vibration" in Somali. | |||
Sesotho | motsamao | ||
The word "motsamao" comes from "tsamaya" meaning "to walk" or "to take a walk". | |||
Swahili | harakati | ||
The word "harakati" also means "activity" or "action" in Swahili. | |||
Xhosa | intshukumo | ||
In Xhosa the word intshukumo has many meanings such as: motion, stir, activity, agitation, and excitement. | |||
Yoruba | išipopada | ||
"Išipopada" can also mean "activity" or "labour" in Yoruba. | |||
Zulu | ukunyakaza | ||
Ukunyakaza may also refer to "to wiggle" or "to fidget." | |||
Bambara | yɛlɛmayɛlɛma | ||
Ewe | zɔzɔ̃ | ||
Kinyarwanda | kugenda | ||
Lingala | muvema | ||
Luganda | olugendo | ||
Sepedi | mosepelo | ||
Twi (Akan) | anamɔntuo | ||
Arabic | حركة | ||
Hebrew | תְנוּעָה | ||
The Hebrew word "תְנוּעָה" ("TNU'A") also refers to the system of vowel sounds in Hebrew. | |||
Pashto | خوځښت | ||
The Pashto word "خوځښت" also means "agitation" or "stirring up". | |||
Arabic | حركة | ||
Albanian | lëvizje | ||
The word "lëvizje" can also be used to refer to a political movement or a trend. | |||
Basque | mugimendua | ||
It can have both a physical or a philosophical meaning or can refer to a political organization or party. | |||
Catalan | moviment | ||
The Catalan word "moviment" can also refer to a social or political organization. | |||
Croatian | pokret | ||
The word "pokret" can also refer to a political or social movement. | |||
Danish | bevægelse | ||
The word "bevægelse" can also mean "agitation", "emotion", or "stirring". | |||
Dutch | beweging | ||
"Beweg" in "beweging" can be interpreted as either "to move" or "to stir". | |||
English | movement | ||
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. | |||
French | mouvement | ||
"Mouvement" in French can refer to art that captures a moment in time, or music that evokes a particular mood or feeling. | |||
Frisian | beweging | ||
The Frisian word "beweging" also means "exercise" or "physical activity". | |||
Galician | movemento | ||
In Galician, the word "movemento" shares its etymology with the French word "mouvement" and can also mean a musical piece or a revolution. | |||
German | bewegung | ||
In philosophy, Bewegung can refer to Hegel's category in his dialectical model of progressive development and change. | |||
Icelandic | samtök | ||
"Samtök" is also used to refer to a professional or trade association, as in "samtök lækna" (association of physicians). | |||
Irish | gluaiseacht | ||
"Gluaiseacht" is also used to mean "locomotion," "progression," or "motion." | |||
Italian | movimento | ||
The Italian word "movimento" can also refer to a dance performance or a political party. | |||
Luxembourgish | bewegung | ||
"Bewegung", which means "movement" (or literally "moving") in German, also signifies an activity, particularly an organized one. | |||
Maltese | moviment | ||
The Maltese word "moviment" is derived from the Latin "movimentum" and also means "insurrection" or "revolt" in Maltese. | |||
Norwegian | bevegelse | ||
"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 Gaelic | gluasad | ||
The word "gluasad" can also mean "stirring" or "disturbance". | |||
Spanish | movimiento | ||
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.} | |||
Swedish | rörelse | ||
rörelse derives from the Old Swedish word röra, which means "to stir, to move" and can also refer to "a business, a bustling activity". | |||
Welsh | symudiad | ||
The word "symudiad" can also mean "motion" or "stirring" in Welsh. |
Belarusian | руху | ||
The word "руху" can also mean "spirit" or "flow" in Belarusian. | |||
Bosnian | kretanje | ||
The word "kretanje" also means "circulation" in Bosnian. | |||
Bulgarian | движение | ||
The word "движение" can also refer to a political or social movement. | |||
Czech | hnutí | ||
The Czech word 'hnutí' (movement) originates from the verb 'hýbat se' (to move), which shares its root with the verb 'hnát' (to drive). | |||
Estonian | liikumine | ||
"Liikumine" has a secondary meaning of "traffic", and is cognate with "liikuma" (to move) and "liik" (kind). | |||
Finnish | liike | ||
The Finnish word "liike" also refers to an "enterprise", like "kaupallinen liike" (a business enterprise). | |||
Hungarian | mozgalom | ||
"Mozgalom" can also mean "agitation," "commotion" or "ferment," from the verb "mozgat" ("to move"). | |||
Latvian | kustība | ||
The Latvian word "kustība" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "keu-so-, " meaning "to swell" or "to rise." | |||
Lithuanian | judėjimas | ||
"Judėjimas" can also mean "motion" or "dance". | |||
Macedonian | движење | ||
In Macedonian, "движење" can also refer to "a political or social movement" and "a gesture of the hand or body." | |||
Polish | ruch | ||
"Ruch" also means a political party in Polish. | |||
Romanian | circulaţie | ||
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. | |||
Russian | движение | ||
Движение literally means 'movement', and also can mean a social or political movement. | |||
Serbian | кретање | ||
The word "кретање" can also refer to a procession, a march, or a parade. | |||
Slovak | pohyb | ||
The word "pohyb" can also mean "dance" in Slovak. | |||
Slovenian | premikanje | ||
Premikanje can also mean a political movement. | |||
Ukrainian | рух | ||
The word "рух" can also refer to the Ukrainian independence movement and is sometimes used as a synonym for "revolution" in Ukrainian. |
Bengali | আন্দোলন | ||
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. | |||
Gujarati | ચળવળ | ||
The word "ચળવળ" also has a secondary meaning of "activity" or "agitation" in Gujarati. | |||
Hindi | आंदोलन | ||
The Hindi word "आंदोलन" (andolan) can also refer to a political movement or agitation, as in "स्वतंत्रता आंदोलन" (swatantrata andolan) meaning "the independence movement" | |||
Kannada | ಚಲನೆ | ||
Alternate meanings of "ಚಲನೆ" include "dance" and "change". | |||
Malayalam | ചലനം | ||
The Malayalam word "ചലനം" (chalanam) also refers to "change" and "transition", capturing the dynamic nature of movement. | |||
Marathi | चळवळ | ||
The Marathi word 'चळवळ' also has alternate meanings such as a 'whirlpool', or 'rotation' | |||
Nepali | आन्दोलन | ||
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". | |||
Punjabi | ਅੰਦੋਲਨ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | චලනය | ||
The word චලනය (movement) is derived from the root word චල (to move). | |||
Tamil | இயக்கம் | ||
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. | |||
Telugu | కదలిక | ||
The Telugu word "కదలిక" (movement) shares its etymological root with "కడలి" (sea), suggesting a connection between movement and the flow of the sea. | |||
Urdu | تحریک | ||
The word تحریک (movement) is derived from the Arabic root word حرك (moved) and also means agitation, or incitement. |
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. | |||
Korean | 운동 | ||
The word "운동" (undong) in Korean can also refer to "exercise" or a "political movement". | |||
Mongolian | хөдөлгөөн | ||
The Mongolian word "хөдөлгөөн" has additional meanings such as "operation", "campaign", and "action". | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | လှုပ်ရှားမှု | ||
Indonesian | gerakan | ||
The Indonesian word "gerakan" can also refer to a political movement or a military operation. | |||
Javanese | gerakan | ||
"Gerakan" also means "a measure", or "a portion of goods to be transported or sold, as by a coolie or boat-builder" | |||
Khmer | ចលនា | ||
“ចលនា” can refer to any physical motion, changes in a system, or mental and emotive change and transformation. | |||
Lao | ການເຄື່ອນໄຫວ | ||
Malay | pergerakan | ||
In addition to its main meaning, "pergerakan" can also mean "the act of walking" in Malay. | |||
Thai | การเคลื่อนไหว | ||
The Thai word "การเคลื่อนไหว" can also refer to a political or social movement. | |||
Vietnamese | chuyển động | ||
The word "chuyển động" (literally "to change and move") can also have the figurative meanings of "development" and "change". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | paggalaw | ||
Azerbaijani | hərəkat | ||
The word "hərəkat" can also refer to a military campaign or march. | |||
Kazakh | қозғалыс | ||
Қозғалыс is also used figuratively to refer to | |||
Kyrgyz | кыймыл | ||
"Кыймыл" in Kyrgyz means both "movement" and "property". | |||
Tajik | ҳаракат | ||
In Tajik, "ҳаракат" can also refer to a military operation or campaign. | |||
Turkmen | hereket | ||
Uzbek | harakat | ||
The word “harakat” also means “vowel” due to the fact that vowels are articulated by an intentional movement of the tongue. | |||
Uyghur | ھەرىكەت | ||
Hawaiian | neʻe | ||
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". | |||
Maori | nekehanga | ||
The word "nekehanga" can also mean "change" or "transition" in Maori. | |||
Samoan | gaioi | ||
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". |
Aymara | sartawi | ||
Guarani | mongu'e | ||
Esperanto | movado | ||
The Esperanto word "movado" can also mean "clock" or "watch" due to its association with the movement of its parts. | |||
Latin | motus | ||
The Latin word 'motus' can also refer to a sedition or rebellion. |
Greek | κίνηση | ||
The word "κίνηση" comes from the ancient Greek verb "κινέω", meaning "to move". | |||
Hmong | kev tshem | ||
"Kev tshem" can also refer to "the soul" of a living body. | |||
Kurdish | hejînî | ||
The Kurdish word "hejînî" can also be translated as "shake" or "agitate". | |||
Turkish | hareket | ||
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). | |||
Xhosa | intshukumo | ||
In Xhosa the word intshukumo has many meanings such as: motion, stir, activity, agitation, and excitement. | |||
Yiddish | באַוועגונג | ||
"באַוועגונג" also means "motion" or "agitation" in Yiddish. | |||
Zulu | ukunyakaza | ||
Ukunyakaza may also refer to "to wiggle" or "to fidget." | |||
Assamese | বিপ্লৱ | ||
Aymara | sartawi | ||
Bhojpuri | हरकत | ||
Dhivehi | ހަރަކާތް | ||
Dogri | तैहरीक | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | paggalaw | ||
Guarani | mongu'e | ||
Ilocano | panaggaraw | ||
Krio | fɔ muv | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | جووڵە | ||
Maithili | गतिविधि | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯦꯡ ꯑꯣꯠꯄ | ||
Mizo | chet | ||
Oromo | sochii | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଗତି | ||
Quechua | kuyuy | ||
Sanskrit | आन्दोलन | ||
Tatar | хәрәкәт | ||
Tigrinya | ምንቅስቓስ | ||
Tsonga | mafambelo | ||