Personality in Different Languages
Discover 'Personality' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Personality is a fascinating concept that has been explored and celebrated across different cultures and languages. It refers to the unique set of characteristics, behaviors, and patterns that define an individual, influencing how they think, feel, and act. Understanding personality is crucial in building relationships, fostering empathy, and promoting effective communication.
Throughout history, personality has been a subject of great interest in various fields such as psychology, philosophy, and literature. The concept has been shaped and influenced by cultural contexts, leading to the development of different theories and models. For instance, the Big Five personality traits, which include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, are widely accepted in Western cultures.
As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, understanding the translation of personality in different languages has become more important than ever. By learning how this concept is expressed in various languages, we not only expand our vocabulary but also gain insights into the values, beliefs, and worldviews of other cultures.
Here are some translations of personality in different languages: Spanish - personalidad, French - personnalité, German - Persönlichkeit, Italian - personalità, Chinese - 个性 (gèxìng), Japanese - 個性 (kosei), Arabic - شخصية (shakhsiyya), Russian - личность (lichnost').
Personality
Personality in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | persoonlikheid | ||
| The Afrikaans term "persoonlikheid" is cognate with the English words "persona", "personage" or "personification". | |||
| Amharic | ስብዕና | ||
| "ስብዕና" is a term in Amharic that shares a relation to "behavior" and "social behavior". | |||
| Hausa | hali | ||
| The word "hali" is derived from the Arabic word "hal", meaning "condition" or "state". | |||
| Igbo | àgwà | ||
| The word "àgwà" also means "behaviour" or "conduct" and it is related to the word "àgwàetiti" which means "character". | |||
| Malagasy | toetra | ||
| The word "TOETRA" (personality) in Malagasy originally meant "appearance, face". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | umunthu | ||
| 'Munthu' comes from Proto-Bantu *muntu 'human being', but also refers to an apparition in traditional Chewa belief. | |||
| Shona | hunhu | ||
| In the 1970s, the word 'hunhu' was used to refer to the 'soul' or 'animating force', as a 'container' of the totality of a person's experiences and actions. | |||
| Somali | shakhsiyadda | ||
| The Somali word "shakhsiyadda" likely derives from the Arabic word "shakhsiya" meaning "form" or "figure". | |||
| Sesotho | botho | ||
| In the plural, 'malatho' refers to ancestors' spirits. | |||
| Swahili | utu | ||
| "Utu" also means "custom","habit","nature","character" or "essence" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ubuntu | ||
| In Xhosa, "ubuntu" embodies qualities of benevolence, compassion, dignity, and unity, signifying a person's interconnectedness with others. | |||
| Yoruba | eniyan | ||
| The word "eniyan" comes from the Yoruba word "eni" (owner) and "an" (body), indicating its association with the individual's physical and spiritual attributes. | |||
| Zulu | ubuntu | ||
| The Zulu word "ubuntu" can also refer to benevolence, humaneness, and compassion. | |||
| Bambara | hadamadenya | ||
| Ewe | ame tɔxɛ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | imiterere | ||
| Lingala | bomoto | ||
| Luganda | ebikukwatako | ||
| Sepedi | seriti | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nipaban | ||
Personality in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الشخصية | ||
| "الشخصية" (al-shakhsiyya) means "personality" but also can mean "character", "personage", or "character trait" | |||
| Hebrew | אִישִׁיוּת | ||
| The word "אִישִׁיוּת" ("personality") in Hebrew is derived from the root "אִישׁ" ("man"), signifying the unique qualities and characteristics that distinguish an individual. | |||
| Pashto | شخصیت | ||
| The word "شخصیت" in Pashto also means "appearance" or "look". | |||
| Arabic | الشخصية | ||
| "الشخصية" (al-shakhsiyya) means "personality" but also can mean "character", "personage", or "character trait" | |||
Personality in Western European Languages
| Albanian | personalitet | ||
| In Albanian, the word "personalitet" also has the meaning of "self" or "ego". | |||
| Basque | nortasuna | ||
| "Nortasuna" also means "quality, goodness, goodness of the heart, honesty, conscience" in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | personalitat | ||
| The word "personalitat" also means "trait" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | osobnost | ||
| The word "osobnost" in Croatian is derived from "osoba" meaning "person" and can also refer to "appearance" or "figure". | |||
| Danish | personlighed | ||
| The word "personlighed" derives from the Latin "persona" (mask or role) and implies the outward, socially acceptable presentation of an individual. | |||
| Dutch | persoonlijkheid | ||
| In Dutch, "persoonlijkheid" originally referred to one's legal status as a person, distinct from one's character or temperament. | |||
| English | personality | ||
| The term 'personality' derives from the Latin 'persona', meaning 'actor's mask', but also 'role' or 'character'. | |||
| French | personnalité | ||
| The word "personnalité" in French originally meant "the quality of being a person", but now also refers to "a distinctive character or set of traits." | |||
| Frisian | persoanlikheid | ||
| In Frisian, the word "persoanlikheid" can also mean "character" or "temperament." | |||
| Galician | personalidade | ||
| As well as "personality", "personalidade" also means "face" or "personage" in Galician. | |||
| German | persönlichkeit | ||
| Die Etymologie von "Persönlichkeit" im Deutschen ist "Persona", die Maske, die ein Schauspieler auf der Bühne trug. | |||
| Icelandic | persónuleiki | ||
| The Old Norse word "persónuleiki" originally meant "mask" or "persona", and is related to the Latin word "persona", meaning "mask" or "character." | |||
| Irish | pearsantacht | ||
| The word 'pearsantacht' in Irish also means 'character' or 'disposition'. | |||
| Italian | personalità | ||
| The word "personalità" originally meant "individuality" but also refers to one's outward appearance and is also used in the context of acting. | |||
| Luxembourgish | perséinlechkeet | ||
| "Perséinlechkeet" comes from the Latin word "persona" and can also mean "face" or "mask". | |||
| Maltese | personalità | ||
| "Personalità" (Personality) in Maltese can also refer to "character" or "persona". | |||
| Norwegian | personlighet | ||
| The Norwegian word "personlighet" originally meant "the quality of a person". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | personalidade | ||
| A palavra "personalidade" em português também pode significar "identidade" ou "individualidade". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | pearsa | ||
| In Irish, "pearsa" refers to a "person" or "character" in a play or poem. | |||
| Spanish | personalidad | ||
| In Spanish, "personalidad" also refers to legal status, such as a company or corporation. | |||
| Swedish | personlighet | ||
| The word "personlighet" can also mean "individuality" or "character". | |||
| Welsh | personoliaeth | ||
| The word 'personoliaeth' comes from the Latin word 'persona', meaning 'mask' or 'character'. | |||
Personality in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | асобы | ||
| In Belarusian, "асобы" (personality) originates from the term "асоба" (person), which itself comes from the Latin "persona" (mask). This reflects the idea that personality is a social construct that we present to the world. | |||
| Bosnian | ličnost | ||
| The word "ličnost" can also refer to "identity" or "personhood" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | личност | ||
| The word "личност" also means "person" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | osobnost | ||
| In Czech, the word "osobnost" also means "individual" or "character". | |||
| Estonian | iseloom | ||
| The word "iseloom" comes from the Old Estonian word "ise", meaning "self". | |||
| Finnish | persoonallisuus | ||
| The Finnish word "persoonallisuus" is derived from the Latin word "persona", meaning "mask" or "character". | |||
| Hungarian | személyiség | ||
| "Személyiség" also means "identity card" or "passport" and is a synonym for "magánszemély" ("private person") | |||
| Latvian | personība | ||
| The word "personība" in Latvian comes from the Latin "persona," originally meaning "mask" or "actor's role. | |||
| Lithuanian | asmenybė | ||
| The word "asmenybė" derives from the Sanskrit root "asman," meaning both "stone" and "self." | |||
| Macedonian | личност | ||
| The word "личност" can also mean "person" or "individual". | |||
| Polish | osobowość | ||
| The Polish word "osobowość" is derived from the Latin word "persona". Besides "personality", it can also mean "a character in a play". | |||
| Romanian | personalitate | ||
| A different meaning of 'personalitate' in Romanian is 'the status of having a personality or being a celebrity'. | |||
| Russian | личность | ||
| The word "личность" also means "individual" or "person" in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | личност | ||
| The Serbian word "личност" (personality) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *ličьnъ, meaning "face" or "mask." | |||
| Slovak | osobnosť | ||
| The word "osobnosť" in Slovak can also refer to a public figure or a celebrity. | |||
| Slovenian | osebnost | ||
| The Slavic word "osebnost" originally meant "a separate existence" (cf. Russian "osob", Polish "osoba"). | |||
| Ukrainian | особистість | ||
| The Ukrainian word "особистість" (personality) derives from the adjective "особливий" (special), and retains its original meaning of "uniqueness" or "individuality". | |||
Personality in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ব্যক্তিত্ব | ||
| Gujarati | વ્યક્તિત્વ | ||
| Hindi | व्यक्तित्व | ||
| व्यक्तित्व comes from the Sanskrit व्यक्त (vyakta), meaning 'manifest' or 'expressed,' and त्व (tva), a suffix denoting quality or state. | |||
| Kannada | ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿತ್ವ | ||
| The word 'ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿತ್ವ' (personality) in Kannada is derived from the Sanskrit word 'व्यक्ति' meaning 'a person' and the suffix 'त्व' which means 'quality or state'. | |||
| Malayalam | വ്യക്തിത്വം | ||
| Marathi | व्यक्तिमत्व | ||
| The Marathi word 'व्यक्तिमत्व' ('personality') originates from the Sanskrit word 'व्यक्तिमत्वम्' ('individual nature, character'), which itself derives from 'व्यक्ति' ('individual') and 'मत' ('opinion'). | |||
| Nepali | व्यक्तित्व | ||
| "व्यक्तित्व" (personality) is also used informally to mean 'a person'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸ਼ਖਸੀਅਤ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පෞරුෂත්වය | ||
| Tamil | ஆளுமை | ||
| The word 'ஆளுமை' can also mean 'rule' or 'sovereignty' in Tamil, reflecting the idea that personality involves the exercise of control or authority. | |||
| Telugu | వ్యక్తిత్వం | ||
| In Telugu, the word "వ్యక్తిత్వం" originates from two Sanskrit words: "व्यक्ति" ("person") and "त्वम्" ("self"), indicating the essence and characteristics of a particular individual. | |||
| Urdu | شخصیت | ||
| Urdu "شخصیت" is derived from "شخص", meaning "an individual" and can also imply someone's "nature" or "distinction". | |||
Personality in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 个性 | ||
| "个性" in Chinese also means "characteristic" or "temperament". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 個性 | ||
| "個性" in Chinese (Traditional) can also mean 'inborn nature', 'trait', 'characteristic', 'temperament' or 'disposition'. | |||
| Japanese | 人 | ||
| The term "人 (personality)" can also imply "humanity," which encapsulates the collective traits and experiences of the human race, embodying empathy and a sense of connection amongst individuals | |||
| Korean | 인격 | ||
| The word 인격 is derived from the Chinese ⼈格, which referred to human attributes and qualities. | |||
| Mongolian | хувийн шинж чанар | ||
| "Хувийн шинж чанар" is a Mongolian word for "personality" which is also used to refer to the qualities that make a person unique | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကိုယ်ရည်ကိုယ်သွေး | ||
Personality in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kepribadian | ||
| The word "kepribadian" is derived from the Sanskrit word "pribadi", meaning "self", and the suffix "-an", which denotes a quality or characteristic. | |||
| Javanese | kepribadian | ||
| In the traditional Javanese belief, 'kepribadian' also means a guardian deity that protects a person's life and destiny. | |||
| Khmer | បុគ្គលិកលក្ខណៈ | ||
| Lao | ບຸກຄະລິກ | ||
| Malay | keperibadian | ||
| "Keperibadian" also means "appearance" and "manner" in Malay. | |||
| Thai | บุคลิกภาพ | ||
| The word "บุคลิกภาพ" is derived from Sanskrit and originally meant "distinctive character or quality". | |||
| Vietnamese | nhân cách | ||
| The Sino-Vietnamese word "nhân cách" literally means "benevolent character" and carries an ethical component. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pagkatao | ||
Personality in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | şəxsiyyət | ||
| The word "şəxsiyyət" in Azerbaijani can also refer to a person's identity or character. | |||
| Kazakh | тұлға | ||
| "Тұлға" (personality) in Kazakh also refers to one's physical form or appearance, and can be used to describe a statue or monument. | |||
| Kyrgyz | инсан | ||
| The word "инсан" also means "a good person" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | шахсият | ||
| The word "шахсият" originates from the Arabic word "الشخصية" and also means "appearance" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | şahsyýet | ||
| Uzbek | shaxsiyat | ||
| The word "shaxsiyat" comes from the Arabic word "shakhsiya", meaning "distinctive quality". | |||
| Uyghur | مىجەز | ||
Personality in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻano kanaka | ||
| The Hawaiian word 'ʻano kanaka' literally translates to 'human essence' and refers to both a person's character and their physical appearance. | |||
| Maori | tuakiri | ||
| "Tuakiri" also refers to a type of dance or song, as well as a form of divination." | |||
| Samoan | uiga | ||
| "Uiga" in Samoan can also refer to the 'face' of a person or animal, emphasizing their outward appearance and characteristics. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pagkatao | ||
| The Tagalog word "pagkatao" also refers to "human essence" or "personhood" rather than just its common use as "personality." | |||
Personality in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jaqiña | ||
| Guarani | teko | ||
Personality in International Languages
| Esperanto | personeco | ||
| "Personeco" comes from the Latin word "persona", which means "mask". This is because in the theatre, actors would wear masks to represent different characters. | |||
| Latin | personality | ||
| In Latin, the word "persona" originally meant a theatrical mask representing a character, hence its secondary meaning of "personality". | |||
Personality in Others Languages
| Greek | προσωπικότητα | ||
| The Greek word "προσωπικότητα" is derived from the word "πρόσωπον" (prosopon), meaning "face" or "mask". | |||
| Hmong | cwm pwm | ||
| The Hmong word for "personality," "cwm pwm," also carries the connotation of one's physical appearance in some contexts. | |||
| Kurdish | şexsîyet | ||
| The Kurdish word "şexsîyet" is derived from the Arabic word "shakhsiyyah" meaning "personhood" and can also refer to "fame" or "reputation". | |||
| Turkish | kişilik | ||
| 'Kişilik' also means 'to be a person' and 'humanity' in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | ubuntu | ||
| In Xhosa, "ubuntu" embodies qualities of benevolence, compassion, dignity, and unity, signifying a person's interconnectedness with others. | |||
| Yiddish | פּערזענלעכקייט | ||
| The Yiddish word "פּערזענלעכקייט" (persenlekhkeyt) derives from the German word "Persönlichkeit", which in turn comes from the Latin "persona" (mask). | |||
| Zulu | ubuntu | ||
| The Zulu word "ubuntu" can also refer to benevolence, humaneness, and compassion. | |||
| Assamese | ব্যক্তিত্ব | ||
| Aymara | jaqiña | ||
| Bhojpuri | व्यक्तित्व | ||
| Dhivehi | ޝަޚުސިއްޔަތު | ||
| Dogri | शखसीयत | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pagkatao | ||
| Guarani | teko | ||
| Ilocano | personalidad | ||
| Krio | karakta | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کەسایەتی | ||
| Maithili | व्यक्तित्व | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯤꯑꯣꯏ ꯑꯃꯒꯤ ꯃꯇꯤꯛ ꯃꯒꯨꯟ | ||
| Mizo | mizia | ||
| Oromo | eenyummaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିତ୍ୱ | ||
| Quechua | pi kay | ||
| Sanskrit | व्यक्तित्व | ||
| Tatar | шәхес | ||
| Tigrinya | ባህርያት | ||
| Tsonga | vumunhu | ||