Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'presidential' is deeply ingrained in our global culture, signifying authority, leadership, and dignity. Derived from the term 'president,' it represents the highest level of political office in many countries. But did you know that the concept of a president has been around since ancient times, with figures like the Roman Consuls and the Doge of Venice embodying presidential qualities?
Understanding the translation of 'presidential' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances of political systems worldwide. For instance, in Spanish, 'presidencial' not only refers to the presidential office but also implies a sense of grandeur and formality. Meanwhile, in German, 'präsidial' carries a connotation of leadership and guidance.
Exploring these translations can enrich your understanding of presidential power and the cultural contexts in which it operates. Here are a few sample translations to pique your interest:
Afrikaans | presidensiële | ||
The Afrikaans word "presidensiële" derives from the Dutch word "presidentieel", meaning "of or relating to a president". | |||
Amharic | ፕሬዚዳንታዊ | ||
ፕሬዚዳንታዊ comes from ፕሬዝዳንት, itself from the English “president”. In English, presidential can also refer to the manner or style of a president, however this meaning does not exist in Amharic. | |||
Hausa | shugaban kasa | ||
In the 2015 Nigerian presidential election, shugaban kasa was a common translation for "president". | |||
Igbo | onye isi ala | ||
The Igbo phrase "onye isi ala" can also refer to someone with a large head. | |||
Malagasy | filoham-pirenena | ||
The word "filoham-pirenena" can also mean "the big house" or "the first house" in Malagasy. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | purezidenti | ||
The word 'Purezidenti' is also used to refer to the 'chairperson' of a meeting or organization in Nyanja. | |||
Shona | mutungamiri wenyika | ||
Mutungamiri wenyika" is also a term used in the Shona language referring to the head of a household or clan | |||
Somali | madaxweyne | ||
In Somali, 'madaxweyne' means 'head of the government', literally translating to 'big head' | |||
Sesotho | mopresidente | ||
The term 'mopresidente' is also used to describe something that is of or relating to the president. | |||
Swahili | urais | ||
The word "urais" is derived from the Arabic word "rais", which means "head" or "chief". | |||
Xhosa | umongameli | ||
The word 'Umongameli' can also refer to a 'councillor', 'headman', or 'chief'. | |||
Yoruba | ajodun | ||
In Yoruba, "ajodun" is related to the word "dun", which means "sweet" or "pleasant", suggesting a connection between leadership and the well-being of the people. | |||
Zulu | umongameli | ||
In Zulu, the term 'umongameli' not only signifies 'presidential' but also implies 'a leader who holds great authority and influence'. | |||
Bambara | jamanakuntigi ka baarakɛyɔrɔ | ||
Ewe | dukplɔla ƒe nya | ||
Kinyarwanda | perezida | ||
Lingala | mokonzi ya mboka | ||
Luganda | obwa pulezidenti | ||
Sepedi | mopresidente wa mopresidente | ||
Twi (Akan) | ɔmampanyin a ɔyɛ ɔmampanyin | ||
Arabic | رئاسي | ||
The word "رئاسي" ("presidential") in Arabic derives from the noun "رئيس" ("head"), ultimately originating from the Akkadian word "rēšu". Additionally, it may carry the sense of "preeminent" or "distinguished." | |||
Hebrew | נְשִׂיאוּתִי | ||
The Hebrew word "נְשִׂיאוּתִי" means both "presidential" and "princely". | |||
Pashto | ولسمشرۍ | ||
The word "ولسمشرۍ" is derived from the Arabic word "رئيس" (raʾīs), meaning "head" or "leader." | |||
Arabic | رئاسي | ||
The word "رئاسي" ("presidential") in Arabic derives from the noun "رئيس" ("head"), ultimately originating from the Akkadian word "rēšu". Additionally, it may carry the sense of "preeminent" or "distinguished." |
Albanian | presidenciale | ||
The Albanian word "presidenciale" can also refer to the seat of the president in a church or assembly. | |||
Basque | presidentetzarako | ||
In addition to its primary meaning, "presidentetzarako" can also refer to "the office of the president" in Basque. | |||
Catalan | presidencial | ||
The word "presidencial" in Catalan also means "relating to a president or presidency". | |||
Croatian | predsjednički | ||
The Croatian word "predsjednički," meaning "presidential," also carries the alternate meaning of "main" or "primary." | |||
Danish | præsidentvalg | ||
In Danish, "præsidentvalg" can refer to both elections for a president and for a chair of an organization. | |||
Dutch | presidentiële | ||
The word "presidentiële" in Dutch can also mean "relating to the president of a university or other institution with a hierarchical structure." | |||
English | presidential | ||
It ultimately derives from the *Latin* verb *prae-esse*, meaning "to be in charge," and its derivatives were applied to various leaders. | |||
French | présidentiel | ||
Its original meaning in the 16th century was "presiding over a court or a tribunal". | |||
Frisian | presidintskip | ||
The word "presidintskip" is derived from the Latin word "praesidere", meaning "to preside over". | |||
Galician | presidencial | ||
In Galician, “presidencial” can also mean “related to prisons” in colloquial speech; in formal usage this sense is conveyed by “penitenciario”. | |||
German | präsidentschaftswahl | ||
"Präsidentschaftswahl" is the German equivalent of "presidential election" in English. | |||
Icelandic | forsetakosningar | ||
The word forsetakosningar, meaning presidential, is rooted in the Old Norse word forseti, meaning leader or chieftain. | |||
Irish | uachtaránachta | ||
Italian | presidenziale | ||
The Italian word "presidenziale" can also mean "presiding" or "in the chair." | |||
Luxembourgish | présidents | ||
The word "présidents" in Luxembourgish can also mean "chairmen" or "company directors". | |||
Maltese | presidenzjali | ||
The word "presidenzjali" also has the alternate meaning of "prestigious" in Maltese. | |||
Norwegian | presidentvalget | ||
The word "presidentvalget" can also mean "presidential election" in Norwegian. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | presidencial | ||
In Portuguese, "presidencial" can also mean "presumptuous" or "arrogant." | |||
Scots Gaelic | ceann-suidhe | ||
The word "ceann-suidhe" is a compound of the words "ceann" meaning "head" and "suidhe" meaning "seat or position", referring to the head or seat of authority. | |||
Spanish | presidencial | ||
"Presidencial" in Spanish can also refer to something majestic or splendid. | |||
Swedish | president- | ||
In Swedish, the word 'president-' is derived from the French 'président', meaning 'leader of a group or association' | |||
Welsh | arlywyddol | ||
Arlywyddol derives from the word "arlywydd" meaning "chieftain" or "commander", and is also used to refer to a republic or presidency. |
Belarusian | прэзідэнцкі | ||
Bosnian | predsjednički | ||
The word 'predsjednički' comes from the Slavic root 'pred', meaning 'before' or 'in front', and 'sjediti', meaning 'to sit', and thus refers to someone who sits before others, such as a president. | |||
Bulgarian | президентски | ||
The word "президентски" also refers to the residence of the President of Bulgaria. | |||
Czech | prezidentský | ||
Czech "prezidentský" comes from Latin and German, and originally meant "that belongs to the president". | |||
Estonian | presidendivalimised | ||
The word "presidendivalimised" can also refer to the specific presidential election held in Estonia in 2001. | |||
Finnish | presidentin- | ||
As a loan from Swedish, the term "presidentin" entered Finnish in the 18th century, originally with the meaning of "ruler" or "sovereign". | |||
Hungarian | elnöki | ||
The word 'elnöki' derives from the Hungarian word 'elnök', which means 'chairman' or 'president'. It can also refer to something relating to a chairman or president, such as their office or duties. | |||
Latvian | prezidenta | ||
The word "prezidenta" in Latvian can also refer to a person who holds the office of president. | |||
Lithuanian | prezidento | ||
The word "prezidento" in Lithuanian shares its root with the word "prezidentas", which means "president." | |||
Macedonian | претседателски | ||
Polish | prezydencki | ||
Prezydencki can also mean 'of or pertaining to a president', 'presidential', or 'of or pertaining to a presidency'. | |||
Romanian | prezidenţial | ||
In Romanian, 'prezidenţial' also means 'dignified', 'authoritative', or 'respectable'. | |||
Russian | президентский | ||
The word "президентский" can also refer to a type of aircraft used for executive transport. | |||
Serbian | председнички | ||
The word "председнички" is used not only to describe things related to the president, but also to refer to things that are stately or luxurious. | |||
Slovak | prezidentský | ||
Prezidentský also means "large", "important", "significant" in Slovak. | |||
Slovenian | predsedniški | ||
The word 'predsedniški' derives from the word 'predsednik', which means 'president' or 'head of state'. | |||
Ukrainian | президентський | ||
The Ukrainian word "президентський" derives from the Latin word "praesidens", meaning "one who sits before" and is also related to the English word "president." |
Bengali | রাষ্ট্রপতি | ||
In Sanskrit, 'রাষ্ট্রপতি' (rashtrapati) is a compound of the words 'rashtra' (nation) and 'pati' (husband), signifying the 'lord of the nation'. | |||
Gujarati | રાષ્ટ્રપતિ | ||
Hindi | अध्यक्षीय | ||
The word "अध्यक्षीय" (adhyakshiya) can also mean "executive" or "chairman". | |||
Kannada | ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷೀಯ | ||
The word "ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷೀಯ" can also mean "pertaining to a chairman or chairperson". | |||
Malayalam | പ്രസിഡന്റ് | ||
In Malayalam, the word "പ്രസിഡന്റ്" can also refer to a person who presides over or leads a meeting, event, or organization. | |||
Marathi | राष्ट्रपती | ||
राष्ट्रपती is derived from the Sanskrit word 'rashtrapati,' which means 'head of state' or 'ruler of a nation'. | |||
Nepali | राष्ट्रपति | ||
The word "राष्ट्रपति" in Nepali is derived from the Sanskrit word "राज्यपाल" (rājyapāla), meaning "governor" or "ruler of a state". | |||
Punjabi | ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ | ||
This word is a loanword from English and its spelling is adapted to the Gurmukhi script. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ජනාධිපති | ||
The Sinhala word "ජනාධිපති" (janādipati) is derived from the Sanskrit words "jana" (people) and "adhipati" (ruler), and can also refer to a monarch or a head of state. | |||
Tamil | ஜனாதிபதி | ||
"ஜனாதிபதி" is derived from the Sanskrit words "jana" (people) and "pati" (lord), meaning "lord of the people". | |||
Telugu | అధ్యక్ష | ||
"అధ్యక్ష" (adhyaksha) also means 'leader' in the context of a group, society, or organisation. | |||
Urdu | صدارتی | ||
In Urdu, "صدارتی" ("presidential") also refers to the office or period of holding such a position. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 总统 | ||
总统 (zǒngtǒng) is also used in Chinese to refer to the head of a company or organization. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 總統 | ||
The term 「總統」 in Chinese is also used to refer to the chairman of a company. | |||
Japanese | 大統領 | ||
大統領 was originally a title granted to the head of the shogunate, but it now primarily refers to the president of a republic. | |||
Korean | 대통령 | ||
The word "대통령" (presidential) in Korean literally means "great head". | |||
Mongolian | ерөнхийлөгчийн | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) | သမ္မတ | ||
The word သမ္မတ comes from Pali and originally meant "elected by the assembly" |
Indonesian | presidensial | ||
In Indonesian, the word "presidensial" can also mean "pertaining to a president" or "presidential in character or style." | |||
Javanese | presiden | ||
The Javanese word "presiden" is derived from the Dutch word "president", further originating from the Latin word "praesidere". It can also refer to a traditional village leader. | |||
Khmer | ប្រធានាធិបតី | ||
The word ប្រធានាធិបតី derives from the Sanskrit words "prati" (head), "dhana" (wealth), and "pati" (master), and it can also mean "the master of the country's wealth". | |||
Lao | ປະທານາທິບໍດີ | ||
Malay | presiden | ||
The Malay word 'presiden' can also refer to the head of an organization or a village chief. | |||
Thai | ประธานาธิบดี | ||
The Thai word "ประธานาธิบดี" (presidential) comes from the Sanskrit word "प्रधान" (pradhāna), meaning "chief" or "head". | |||
Vietnamese | tổng thống | ||
"Tổng thống" in Vietnamese can mean either "presidential" or "head of state", but not necessarily the president of a specific country. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | presidential | ||
Azerbaijani | prezident | ||
The Azerbaijani word "prezident" is borrowed from French and Russian, and means "president." | |||
Kazakh | президенттік | ||
In Kazakh, the adjective “президенттік” (“presidential”) comes from Russian, where it is an adjective referring to “President”, which comes from Latin “præsidens,” meaning “sitting in front,” referring to the President of a Republic sitting before a senate. | |||
Kyrgyz | президенттик | ||
The word "президенттик" in Kyrgyz has a presidential meaning and can also mean "president" or "presidentiality". | |||
Tajik | президентӣ | ||
The word "президентӣ" (presidential) in Tajik can also refer to a person who holds the position of president. | |||
Turkmen | prezident | ||
Uzbek | prezidentlik | ||
In Uzbek, the word “prezidentlik” is also used to refer to the position or office of the president, in addition to its meaning as an adjective denoting something that is related to the president. | |||
Uyghur | پرېزىدېنت | ||
Hawaiian | pelekikena | ||
"Pele kikena" means both "dangerous Pele" and "presidential". | |||
Maori | perehitini | ||
The word 'perehitini' is derived from the English word 'president'. | |||
Samoan | pelesetene | ||
The term 'pelesetene' is a borrowing from the English word 'president'. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | pampanguluhan | ||
The word "pampanguluhan" is also used to refer to the office of the president or the presidency itself in Tagalog. |
Aymara | presidencial ukan irnaqiri | ||
Guarani | presidencial rehegua | ||
Esperanto | prezidenta | ||
Esperanto's "prezidenta" can be literally interpreted as "presidenting," capturing the continual nature of the presidential role. | |||
Latin | praesidis | ||
Praesidis (presidential) is derived from the Latin word ""praeses,"" meaning protector or governor. |
Greek | προεδρικός | ||
Προεδρικός in Greek derives from πρόεδρος (proedros), which initially meant "one who sits in front," but later came to mean "the chair" or "the one who presides". | |||
Hmong | thawj tswj hwm | ||
The word "thawj tswj hwm" can also mean "head of state" or "leader" in Hmong. | |||
Kurdish | serokatî | ||
Serokatî is also an informal and poetic name for the star Sirius in Kurdish. | |||
Turkish | başkanlık | ||
The word "başkanlık" can also refer to the office of the president or the presidential system of government. | |||
Xhosa | umongameli | ||
The word 'Umongameli' can also refer to a 'councillor', 'headman', or 'chief'. | |||
Yiddish | פּרעזאַדענטשאַל | ||
פּרעזאַדענטשאַל can also mean 'important' and, when used with a negative connotation, is sometimes even used for pompous. | |||
Zulu | umongameli | ||
In Zulu, the term 'umongameli' not only signifies 'presidential' but also implies 'a leader who holds great authority and influence'. | |||
Assamese | ৰাষ্ট্ৰপতি পদৰ | ||
Aymara | presidencial ukan irnaqiri | ||
Bhojpuri | राष्ट्रपति के पद पर भइल | ||
Dhivehi | ރިޔާސީ… | ||
Dogri | राष्ट्रपति पद दा | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | presidential | ||
Guarani | presidencial rehegua | ||
Ilocano | presidente ti presidente | ||
Krio | prɛsidɛnt fɔ bi prɛsidɛnt | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | سەرۆکایەتی | ||
Maithili | राष्ट्रपति पद के | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯔꯥꯁ꯭ꯠꯔꯄꯇꯤꯒꯤ ꯃꯤꯍꯨꯠ ꯑꯣꯏꯈꯤ꯫ | ||
Mizo | presidential a ni | ||
Oromo | pirezidaantii | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରପତି | ||
Quechua | presidencial nisqa | ||
Sanskrit | राष्ट्रपतिः | ||
Tatar | президент | ||
Tigrinya | ፕረዚደንታዊ ምዃኑ ይፍለጥ | ||
Tsonga | vupresidente bya vupresidente | ||