Negative in Different Languages
Discover 'Negative' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'negative' carries a significant weight in our daily lives, often representing the opposite of positive or desirable outcomes. Its cultural importance is undeniable, as it helps us understand and navigate the world around us. From a young age, we're taught that negative experiences can help us grow and learn, making it a crucial concept in personal development.
Moreover, the word 'negative' has fascinating historical contexts. In ancient times, the Romans believed that a negative force, called 'fell ales,' caused misfortune and disaster. In modern mathematics, a negative number represents a decrease or opposite.
Understanding the translation of 'negative' in different languages can broaden our cultural awareness and enhance our communication skills. For instance, in Spanish, 'negative' translates to 'negativo,' while in French, it's 'négatif.' In German, the word for 'negative' is 'negativ,' and in Japanese, it's 'fuhen' (负面) or 'fushiteki' (否定的).
Negative
Negative in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | negatief | ||
| The Afrikaans word "negatief" can also mean "photograph". | |||
| Amharic | አሉታዊ | ||
| The Amharic word "አሉታዊ" can also be used to refer to people or things that are harmful, evil, or destructive. | |||
| Hausa | korau | ||
| The word "korau" in Hausa also means "evil" or "bad." | |||
| Igbo | adighi nma | ||
| Igbo word "adighi nma" (negative) also means "disagreeable, unpleasant, or unfavorable". | |||
| Malagasy | ratsy | ||
| "Ratsy" in Malagasy also means "dry" or "lean", and can be used to describe a person who is thin or malnourished. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zoipa | ||
| The word "zoipa" is also used in Chichewa to describe something that is bad or harmful. | |||
| Shona | zvisina kunaka | ||
| The word "zvisina kunaka" in Shona is also used to describe something that is unfavorable or undesirable. | |||
| Somali | taban | ||
| In Somali, the word for negative, ‘taban’, literally means ‘in between’ or ‘to cut the middle’.”} | |||
| Sesotho | mpe | ||
| The word "mpe" in Sesotho is derived from Proto-Bantu "-pi" meaning "not, absent". | |||
| Swahili | hasi | ||
| "Hasi" also means "bad" and "unfortunate" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | engalunganga | ||
| In Xhosa, "engalunganga" does not simply mean "negative" but also has connections to "wrong" and "bad," broadening its usage beyond purely mathematical contexts. | |||
| Yoruba | odi | ||
| The word "odi" in Yoruba can also refer to a type of bird, or to a particular type of divination. | |||
| Zulu | okungekuhle | ||
| The Zulu word 'okungekuhle' can also mean 'unpleasant' or 'unfavorable'. | |||
| Bambara | juguma | ||
| Ewe | si menyo o | ||
| Kinyarwanda | bibi | ||
| Lingala | mabe | ||
| Luganda | ekibi | ||
| Sepedi | sa thabišego | ||
| Twi (Akan) | negetifu | ||
Negative in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | سلبي | ||
| The word "سلبي" also means passive, inactive, or lacking in energy in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | שלילי | ||
| The root of the Hebrew word 'shliliy' (negative) is 'shalal' which means 'to be weak'. | |||
| Pashto | منفي | ||
| The word "منفي" also means "refugee". | |||
| Arabic | سلبي | ||
| The word "سلبي" also means passive, inactive, or lacking in energy in Arabic. | |||
Negative in Western European Languages
| Albanian | negativ | ||
| The Albanian word "negativ" is of French origin and also means "film slide". | |||
| Basque | negatiboa | ||
| Negatiboa derives from the Latin 'negō' meaning 'to forbid' and also signifies 'without' or 'no' in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | negatiu | ||
| The Catalan word "negatiu" comes from the Latin "negativus", meaning "denying" or "refusing". | |||
| Croatian | negativan | ||
| The word "negativan" can also mean "pessimistic" in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | negativ | ||
| "Negativ" can also mean "photographic negative". | |||
| Dutch | negatief | ||
| In Dutch, "negatief" can also mean the photographic equivalent of a film negative (a positive image on a clear background), or refer to someone who is introverted. | |||
| English | negative | ||
| The word "negative" derives from the Latin "negare" meaning "to deny or refuse" and has come to encompass meanings beyond its original sense. | |||
| French | négatif | ||
| In French, "négatif" can also refer to a photographic negative or the negative side of a magnet. | |||
| Frisian | negatyf | ||
| The Frisian word "negatyf" can also mean "negative feedback" or "disapproval". | |||
| Galician | negativo | ||
| The Galician word "negativo" also refers to a photograph that has not been developed. | |||
| German | negativ | ||
| The German word "Negativ" can also refer to a photographic negative or a negative number. | |||
| Icelandic | neikvætt | ||
| The Icelandic word "neikvætt" derives from the Old Norse term "neikviðr" meaning "averse" or "opposed." | |||
| Irish | diúltach | ||
| "Diúltach" is also used as a noun to refer to a person who is negative or pessimistic. | |||
| Italian | negativo | ||
| In Italian, "negativo" can also refer to a photographic negative or a person's blood type. | |||
| Luxembourgish | negativ | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "negativ" can also refer to a photographic negative. | |||
| Maltese | negattiv | ||
| The Maltese word "negattiv" can also mean "negative attitude or behavior". | |||
| Norwegian | negativ | ||
| The word "negativ" in Norwegian can also mean "photograph" or "negative film". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | negativo | ||
| In Portuguese, the word "negativo" can also mean "no" as an exclamation, similar to the English "nix". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | àicheil | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, the term 'àicheil' can also refer to something that is 'unlucky' or 'inauspicious'. | |||
| Spanish | negativo | ||
| In Spanish, the word "negativo" has multiple meanings, including "negative" in the sense of "no" and "negative" in the sense of "film negative". | |||
| Swedish | negativ | ||
| Negativ is also used in Swedish to describe a photographic negative, something that is pessimistic, or a person who is uncooperative or obstructive. | |||
| Welsh | negyddol | ||
| "Negyddol" can also refer to the negative (as in electrical or maths), a debt or deficit, or the negative aspects of a person's character. | |||
Negative in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | адмоўны | ||
| The word "адмоўны" comes from the Latin word "negare", meaning "to deny" or "to refuse." | |||
| Bosnian | negativan | ||
| The term "negativan" can also mean "photographic negative" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | отрицателен | ||
| The word "отрицателен" also means "pessimistic" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | negativní | ||
| "Negativní" can also mean "no-nonsense" or "pragmatic" in Czech | |||
| Estonian | negatiivne | ||
| In Estonian, "negatiivne" can also mean "disapproving" or "critical". | |||
| Finnish | negatiivinen | ||
| "Negatiivinen" also means "photograph negative" in Finnish. | |||
| Hungarian | negatív | ||
| The word "negatív" in Hungarian is used to describe something that is bad or unpleasant, but it can also be used as a synonym for "no" or "not". | |||
| Latvian | negatīvs | ||
| In photography, "negatīvs" can also refer to the original, inverted image captured on film or a digital sensor. | |||
| Lithuanian | neigiamas | ||
| The word "neigiamas" has an older meaning of "unripe" or "not ripe". However, it was used figuratively to mean "having a bad quality" or "defective", which eventually evolved into its current meaning of "negative". | |||
| Macedonian | негативни | ||
| The word негативни derives from the Latin word "negativus" meaning "reversed" or "opposite." | |||
| Polish | negatywny | ||
| The word "negatywny" can also mean "pessimistic" or "cynical" in Polish, conveying a negative outlook or attitude. | |||
| Romanian | negativ | ||
| *Negativ* derives from Latin and is a false friend meaning | |||
| Russian | отрицательный | ||
| "Отрицательный" also refers to a male figure in grammar and syntax, as opposed to "положительный" (positive), which is feminine. | |||
| Serbian | негативан | ||
| The word “negative” comes from Latin “negare”, meaning "to deny". | |||
| Slovak | negatívny | ||
| The word "negativny" also means "pessimistic" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | negativno | ||
| The word 'negativno' in Slovenian comes from the Latin word 'negativus' which means 'expressing denial' or 'opposed to something'. | |||
| Ukrainian | негативний | ||
| The Ukrainian word "негативний" can also mean "unlucky" or "unfavorable". | |||
Negative in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | নেতিবাচক | ||
| The alternate meaning of "নেতিবাচক" is something that prevents something else that should or is expected to be done. | |||
| Gujarati | નકારાત્મક | ||
| Hindi | नकारात्मक | ||
| The Hindi word "नकारात्मक" also means "to disapprove of" or "to reject." | |||
| Kannada | ಋಣಾತ್ಮಕ | ||
| 'ऋणात्मक' का मूल अर्थ है 'उधार'} | |||
| Malayalam | നെഗറ്റീവ് | ||
| The word "നെഗറ്റീവ്" (negative) can also mean "not active" or "lacking in enthusiasm" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | नकारात्मक | ||
| In Marathi, 'नकारात्मक' ('nakaraatmak') also means 'rejecting' or 'disapproving'. | |||
| Nepali | नकारात्मक | ||
| "नकारात्मक" also means "rejection" in Nepali, derived from Sanskrit "नकारा" (rejection). | |||
| Punjabi | ਨਕਾਰਾਤਮਕ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සෘණ | ||
| The word 'සෘණ' (sṛṇa) may have also once been used to refer to a person belonging to a low caste. | |||
| Tamil | எதிர்மறை | ||
| The word 'எதிர்மறை' also means 'contradiction' or 'opposition' in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | ప్రతికూల | ||
| Urdu | منفی | ||
| The Persian origin of "negative" literally means "not having" and thus implies a state of "not being". | |||
Negative in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 负 | ||
| The Chinese character "负" originally meant "to carry" or "to bear", but over time it came to also mean "negative" in the mathematical sense. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 負 | ||
| The word "負" (negative) in Traditional Chinese can also mean "bear" or "to bear a burden". | |||
| Japanese | 負 | ||
| 負 also means "owe" or "bear" (carry) something, implying a state of liability or responsibility. | |||
| Korean | 부정 | ||
| 부정 (否定) is derived from the Chinese character which also means 'untruth', 'wrong' or 'injustice'. | |||
| Mongolian | сөрөг | ||
| Сөрөг can also mean "the opposite" or "the reverse". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အနုတ်လက္ခဏာ | ||
Negative in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | negatif | ||
| The word "negatif" in Indonesian can also mean "film" or "photographic plate. | |||
| Javanese | negatif | ||
| The Javanese word "negatif" has an alternate meaning of "not yet". | |||
| Khmer | អវិជ្ជមាន | ||
| The Khmer word 'អវិជ្ជមាន' originally meant 'ignorance' or 'lack of knowledge', but now it is also used to mean 'not existing' or 'absent'. | |||
| Lao | ກະທົບທາງລົບ | ||
| Malay | negatif | ||
| "Negatif" means "negative" in Malay, but it also means "camera film". This is because the early cameras used negative film to capture images. | |||
| Thai | เชิงลบ | ||
| The word "เชิงลบ" can also mean "negative slope" or "negative number" in mathematics. | |||
| Vietnamese | tiêu cực | ||
| The word 'tiêu cực' in Vietnamese can mean 'negative' in the sense of being pessimistic or undesirable, but it can also mean 'to destroy' or 'to eliminate'. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | negatibo | ||
Negative in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | mənfi | ||
| The word "mənfi" in Azerbaijani also means "harmful" or "negative force". | |||
| Kazakh | теріс | ||
| In Kazakh, "теріс" also means "bad omen," "misfortune," or "unlucky."} | |||
| Kyrgyz | терс | ||
| The word "терс" in Kyrgyz can also refer to the reverse side of something or to a mistake. | |||
| Tajik | манфӣ | ||
| "Манфӣ" comes from the Arabic word "naf" meaning "self" and is also used to mean "selfish" in Tajik language. | |||
| Turkmen | otrisatel | ||
| Uzbek | salbiy | ||
| "Salbiy" in Uzbek also means "left" or "sinister". In many cultures, the left is associated with negativity or evil. | |||
| Uyghur | سەلبىي | ||
Negative in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | maikaʻi ʻole | ||
| The Hawaiian word "maikaʻi ʻole" directly translates to "not good", but it is also used to express concepts such as bad, evil, or wrong. | |||
| Maori | kino | ||
| In Maori, "kino" can also refer to "bad" or "harmful" in a general sense, and is related to the concept of "tapu" (sacredness and prohibition). | |||
| Samoan | leaga | ||
| The word "leaga" in Samoan also means "lazy". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | negatibo | ||
| Derived from Spanish "negativo", "negatibo" also means "film negative" and "camera negative" in Tagalog. | |||
Negative in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | janiwa | ||
| Guarani | mbotove | ||
Negative in International Languages
| Esperanto | negativa | ||
| The Esperanto word "negativa" is derived from the Latin "negare", meaning "to deny or refuse". | |||
| Latin | negans | ||
| The Latin word "negans" originally referred to an opponent in a legal dispute and later came to mean "denying" or "negative." | |||
Negative in Others Languages
| Greek | αρνητικός | ||
| The word "αρνητικός" can also mean "rejecting" or "denying" in Greek. | |||
| Hmong | tsis zoo | ||
| Tsis zoo can also mean "no" or "not". | |||
| Kurdish | nebaş | ||
| The word "nebaş" in Kurdish also refers to a negative response or disapproval. | |||
| Turkish | olumsuz | ||
| "Olumsuz" kelimesi Arapça "olmayan" anlamına gelen "salb" kelimesinden gelir ve "yokluk" veya "red" anlamına da gelebilir. | |||
| Xhosa | engalunganga | ||
| In Xhosa, "engalunganga" does not simply mean "negative" but also has connections to "wrong" and "bad," broadening its usage beyond purely mathematical contexts. | |||
| Yiddish | נעגאַטיוו | ||
| The Yiddish word "נעגאַטיוו" (negative) can also mean "a piece of paper or film with an image reversed, from which prints are made". | |||
| Zulu | okungekuhle | ||
| The Zulu word 'okungekuhle' can also mean 'unpleasant' or 'unfavorable'. | |||
| Assamese | ঋণাত্মক | ||
| Aymara | janiwa | ||
| Bhojpuri | नकारात्मक | ||
| Dhivehi | ނައްސި | ||
| Dogri | नेईं | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | negatibo | ||
| Guarani | mbotove | ||
| Ilocano | negatibo | ||
| Krio | bad | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نەرێنی | ||
| Maithili | नकारात्मक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯐꯠꯇꯕ | ||
| Mizo | dik lo | ||
| Oromo | nagatiiva | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ନକାରାତ୍ମକ | ||
| Quechua | negativo | ||
| Sanskrit | नकारात्मक | ||
| Tatar | тискәре | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣሉታ | ||
| Tsonga | xobiha | ||