Opening in Different Languages
Discover 'Opening' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'opening' holds a special significance in our daily lives, often symbolizing new beginnings, opportunities, and transitions. From the grand opening of a new business to the first page of a book, openings capture our imagination and invite us to explore what lies ahead.
Culturally, openings hold great importance across the globe. In Japan, the traditional tea ceremony begins with a small opening, setting the stage for a peaceful and mindful experience. In Western cultures, the opening of gifts is often a joyous and celebratory occasion, marking milestones and achievements. Understanding the word 'opening' in different languages can provide valuable insights into these cultural nuances and help bridge communication gaps.
Moreover, knowing the translation of 'opening' in various languages can be practical in many situations. Whether you're traveling, studying abroad, or conducting international business, being able to communicate effectively in the local language can make a world of difference.
Here are some translations of the word 'opening' to get you started:
Opening
Opening in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | opening | ||
| The Afrikaans word "opening" can also mean "revelation" or "disclosure". | |||
| Amharic | በመክፈት ላይ | ||
| The word "በመክፈት ላይ" can also mean "being opened" or "about to open." | |||
| Hausa | budewa | ||
| The word "budewa" in Hausa also refers to a type of traditional mud house with a thatched roof. | |||
| Igbo | mmeghe | ||
| The word "mmeghe" can also refer to "mouth" or "door" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | fampidiran-dresaka | ||
| The word 'fampidiran-dresaka' literally means 'to open the door' in Malagasy, and is often used to refer to the act of opening something up in general. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kutsegula | ||
| "Kutsegula" in Nyanja also means "to reveal", "to disclose", or "to confess". | |||
| Shona | kuvhura | ||
| The Shona word "kuvhura" can also mean "to disclose" or "to reveal". | |||
| Somali | furitaanka | ||
| Furitaanka can also refer to the act of initiating or beginning something. | |||
| Sesotho | ho bula | ||
| The word "ho bula" in Sesotho can also refer to the act of starting or beginning something, similar to the English expression "to open up". | |||
| Swahili | kufungua | ||
| In Swahili, 'kufungua' also means to 'untie' or 'to release'. | |||
| Xhosa | ukuvula | ||
| UkUvulela means to agree in Xhosa | |||
| Yoruba | nsii | ||
| NSII also means "a hole in a wall" and "a passage" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | ukuvula | ||
| The word “ukuvula” (opening in Zulu) also has a metaphorical meaning of making a request, or asking for permission. | |||
| Bambara | da wulicogo | ||
| Ewe | ʋuʋu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gufungura | ||
| Lingala | kofungola | ||
| Luganda | okuggulawo | ||
| Sepedi | go bula | ||
| Twi (Akan) | a wobue ano | ||
Opening in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | افتتاح | ||
| The word "افتتاح" (iftitah) in Arabic can also refer to the first chapter or verse of a book or writing. | |||
| Hebrew | פְּתִיחָה | ||
| The Hebrew word "פְּתִיחָה" can also refer to "an overture" or a "preface". | |||
| Pashto | پرانیستل | ||
| The word "پرانیستل" can also refer to the act of beginning or starting something. | |||
| Arabic | افتتاح | ||
| The word "افتتاح" (iftitah) in Arabic can also refer to the first chapter or verse of a book or writing. | |||
Opening in Western European Languages
| Albanian | hapje | ||
| The word "hapje" can also refer to a "beginning" or "commencement" in Albanian. | |||
| Basque | irekitze | ||
| The term derives from Basque folklore, where 'Ireki'(to open) and 'Eztei'(wedding), together mean the day people gather and celebrate the engagement and opening the future marriage. | |||
| Catalan | obertura | ||
| The Catalan word 'obertura' can also refer to a musical overture or an inaugural speech. | |||
| Croatian | otvor | ||
| The Croatian word "otvor" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "otъvorъ", which means "that which is opened". | |||
| Danish | åbning | ||
| In Danish, "åbning" can refer to an inaugural ceremony, a job vacancy announcement, or a hole in something. | |||
| Dutch | opening | ||
| "Opening" can mean the act of opening something or an opening in a surface. | |||
| English | opening | ||
| The word "opening" can also refer to an opportunity or a beginning. | |||
| French | ouverture | ||
| In French, "ouverture" originates from Latin "apertura" and also means "prelude" or "composition that introduces an opera or ballet." | |||
| Frisian | iepening | ||
| The Frisian word for 'iepening' also refers to a small ditch, a hole or an inlet. | |||
| Galician | apertura | ||
| In Galician, "apertura" also refers to the act of opening an assembly or meeting. | |||
| German | öffnung | ||
| The word "Öffnung" also means "bowel movement" or "defecation" in a colloquial or slangy context. | |||
| Icelandic | opnun | ||
| In Icelandic, "opnun" can also refer to the act of disclosing information or secrets. | |||
| Irish | ag oscailt | ||
| The word "ag oscailt" can also mean "in bloom" or "unveiling" in Irish. | |||
| Italian | apertura | ||
| In Italian, "apertura" also means "exposure" or "disclosure". | |||
| Luxembourgish | ouverture | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Ouverture" also means "overture" in music. | |||
| Maltese | ftuħ | ||
| "Ftuħ" in Maltese also refers to the beginning of a new business, academic year, or other enterprise. | |||
| Norwegian | åpning | ||
| The word "åpning" in Norwegian can also refer to an official start of an event, meeting, or performance, like the opening of a concert or exhibit. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | abertura | ||
| "Abertura" can also mean the beginning of a play or speech. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fosgladh | ||
| The Gaelic word "fosgladh" derives from the Proto-Celtic term for "key". | |||
| Spanish | apertura | ||
| The verb 'aperturar' comes from the Latin word 'aperturare', which means 'to open' or 'to expose' | |||
| Swedish | öppning | ||
| "Öppning" derives from the Old Norse word "opning" meaning "that which is opened", related to the verb "öpna" ("to open"), ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root "*peh₂-" ("to open"). | |||
| Welsh | agor | ||
| The word `agor` can also mean `a market` or `a place of assembly` in Welsh. | |||
Opening in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | адкрыццё | ||
| The word "адкрыццё" can also mean "discovery" or "invention". | |||
| Bosnian | otvaranje | ||
| The word "otvaranje" can also refer to an aperture or an inaugural event. | |||
| Bulgarian | отваряне | ||
| The word "отваряне" can also refer to the act of unlocking or unblocking something. | |||
| Czech | otevírací | ||
| The word "otevírací" can also refer to a noun meaning "opening" or "aperture" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | avamine | ||
| This word can also mean 'keyhole' or 'manhole' in Estonian | |||
| Finnish | avaaminen | ||
| The word "avaaminen" can also refer to the action of commencing a conversation or undertaking a task. | |||
| Hungarian | nyítás | ||
| In Hungarian, "nyítás" also means "starting" or "beginning", as seen in the phrase "tanévnyitás" ("start of the school year"). | |||
| Latvian | atvēršana | ||
| The word can also be used to refer to the inauguration of a new building or monument. | |||
| Lithuanian | atidarymas | ||
| "Atidarymas" also has the alternate meaning of "dedication of a church building for religious services". | |||
| Macedonian | отворање | ||
| The word "отворање" can also refer to the act of starting or beginning something. | |||
| Polish | otwarcie | ||
| In its primary meaning "otwarcie" is a noun derived from "otwierać" (open), but can also be used as the verbal noun form of the verb "otworzyć" (to open), which has a slightly different connotation. | |||
| Romanian | deschidere | ||
| The word "deschidere" can also refer to an opening or beginning of an event or action. | |||
| Russian | открытие | ||
| Originally, “открытие” meant “something new, unknown,” as in an invention or a revelation. Later, it narrowed down to “opening.” | |||
| Serbian | отварање | ||
| "Отварање" can also mean "broth" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | otvorenie | ||
| The Slovak word "otvorenie" can also refer to an official ceremony or event. | |||
| Slovenian | odpiranje | ||
| The Slovenian word "odpiranje" (opening) stems from the Slavic word "*opьrati*", which originally meant "to untie" or "to free". | |||
| Ukrainian | відкриття | ||
| The word "відкриття" in Ukrainian can also mean "discovery" or "invention." | |||
Opening in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | খোলার | ||
| The word "খোলার" also means "to peel" or "to skin" in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | ઉદઘાટન | ||
| ઉદઘાટન or opening in Gujarati can also mean to untie or unravel something | |||
| Hindi | प्रारंभिक | ||
| प्रारंभिक comes from the Sanskrit prefix प्र ( | |||
| Kannada | ಆರಂಭಿಕ | ||
| ಆರಂಭಿಕ derives from Sanskrit and can also mean 'beginning' or 'the first part of something'. | |||
| Malayalam | തുറക്കുന്നു | ||
| The Malayalam word "തുറക്കുന്നു" can also be used to refer to the act of breaking or cracking something. | |||
| Marathi | उघडत आहे | ||
| The word | |||
| Nepali | उद्घाटन | ||
| उद्घाटन is derived from the Sanskrit roots "ud" (up) and "ghan" (to strike), and also means "to begin" or "to inaugurate" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਖੋਲ੍ਹਣਾ | ||
| The term "khoolhṇa" has multiple meanings and can imply either "to open" or "to peel" something | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | විවෘත | ||
| The word "විවෘත" can also mean "clear", "manifest", or "evident". | |||
| Tamil | திறப்பு | ||
| "திறப்பு" in Old Tamil had the meaning of "key" or "lock", as opposed to the modern meaning of "opening". | |||
| Telugu | ప్రారంభ | ||
| Though it literally means "beginning", "ప్రారంభ" can also refer to "a ceremony" or "a formal event" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | افتتاحی | ||
| The word "افتتاحی" can also mean "inaugural" or "opening ceremony". | |||
Opening in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 开场 | ||
| 开场 can also mean to start a play or performance. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 開場 | ||
| 開場 can also mean "to start speaking," "to give a speech," or "to give a performance" | |||
| Japanese | オープニング | ||
| The word "オープニング" can also mean "overture" or "introduction" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 열리는 | ||
| "열리는" can also refer to the start of a new academic year or term, as in "새로운 학기가 열린다." | |||
| Mongolian | нээлт | ||
| Нээлт may be a loanword from the Manchu word "netehe" | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အဖွင့် | ||
| "အဖွင့်" also refers to the act of opening, or the space created by opening something. | |||
Opening in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pembukaan | ||
| The Indonesian word "pembukaan" is also used to refer to a preface or introduction in a book, speech, or document. | |||
| Javanese | bukaan | ||
| The word "bukaan" in Javanese also means "initiation" or "commencement". | |||
| Khmer | បើក | ||
| The Khmer word "បើក" has various meanings, including "to open," "to turn on," and "to start." | |||
| Lao | ເປີດ | ||
| The word ເປີດ "opening" in Lao comes from the Pali word "pavuttam" meaning "opened, unrolled, expanded." | |||
| Malay | pembukaan | ||
| "Pembukaan" means "to open" or "unveiling" and can also refer to the preamble of a document or the opening ceremony of an event. | |||
| Thai | การเปิด | ||
| The Thai word "การเปิด" (opening) can also refer to an official ceremony or announcement. | |||
| Vietnamese | khai mạc | ||
| The word "khai mạc" can also mean "to start a new business or enterprise". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pagbubukas | ||
Opening in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | açılış | ||
| "Açılış" can also mean "launching" or "inauguration". | |||
| Kazakh | ашылу | ||
| The Kazakh word "ашылу" has an alternate meaning of "to be freed". | |||
| Kyrgyz | ачылышы | ||
| The word "ачылышы" also refers to the act of becoming known or revealed. | |||
| Tajik | кушодан | ||
| The word "кушодан" can also mean "to open up" or "to blossom" in a metaphorical sense. | |||
| Turkmen | açylýar | ||
| Uzbek | ochilish | ||
| The word "ochilish" in Uzbek also means "awakening" or "enlightenment". | |||
| Uyghur | ئېچىش | ||
Opening in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | wehe ana | ||
| In Hawaiian, "wehe ana" not only means "opening," but also "unveiling" or "revealing," suggesting a deeper layer of uncovering and disclosure. | |||
| Maori | whakatuwhera | ||
| The Maori word "whakatuwhera" not only means "opening" but also "setting free" and "liberating" | |||
| Samoan | tatalaina | ||
| Tatalaina can also mean a gap or passageway. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pagbubukas | ||
| In Tagalog, 'pagbubukas' also refers to the act of inaugurating a new place or unveiling a new exhibit. | |||
Opening in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jist’araña | ||
| Guarani | apertura rehegua | ||
Opening in International Languages
| Esperanto | malfermo | ||
| "Malfermo" also means "feeble, weak, unstable" in Italian. | |||
| Latin | apertio | ||
| Originally, “apertio” meant “a lifting up” in Latin, from “aperire,” meaning “to separate from.” | |||
Opening in Others Languages
| Greek | άνοιγμα | ||
| The word 'άνοιγμα', besides meaning 'opening', can also refer to the gap between the teeth, or to a hole in the road. | |||
| Hmong | qhib | ||
| The Hmong word "qhib" also means "to unlock" or "to unveil". | |||
| Kurdish | dergeh | ||
| While "dergeh" is commonly used in the sense of "opening" in Kurdish, interestingly it also carries the connotation of "door" in the dialect spoken in the Hakkâri region. | |||
| Turkish | açılış | ||
| Açılış (opening) is also used in Turkish to refer to the launch or inauguration of a building, event, or institution. | |||
| Xhosa | ukuvula | ||
| UkUvulela means to agree in Xhosa | |||
| Yiddish | עפן | ||
| The Yiddish word "עפן" is a cognate of the German word "offen", meaning "open". In Yiddish, it can also refer to something that is stale or spoiled, perhaps due to being left in the "open". | |||
| Zulu | ukuvula | ||
| The word “ukuvula” (opening in Zulu) also has a metaphorical meaning of making a request, or asking for permission. | |||
| Assamese | খোলা | ||
| Aymara | jist’araña | ||
| Bhojpuri | खुलल बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ހުޅުވުމެވެ | ||
| Dogri | खुलना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pagbubukas | ||
| Guarani | apertura rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | panaglukat | ||
| Krio | we de opin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کردنەوەی | ||
| Maithili | खुलब | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯥꯡꯗꯣꯀꯄꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | hawn a ni | ||
| Oromo | banamuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଖୋଲିବା | ||
| Quechua | kichariy | ||
| Sanskrit | उद्घाटनम् | ||
| Tatar | ачу | ||
| Tigrinya | ምኽፋት ምዃኑ’ዩ። | ||
| Tsonga | ku pfula | ||