Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'print' holds a significant place in our daily lives and in the annals of history. From the first printed book, the Gutenberg Bible, to the modern-day newspapers, magazines, and books, print has been a vital means of communication and knowledge transfer. The cultural importance of print cannot be overstated, as it has shaped societies, influenced art, and preserved historical records.
Moreover, the word 'print' has a fascinating history. It originated from the Latin term 'printare', which means 'to impress'. This etymology reflects the very nature of the printing process, where ink is impressed onto a surface to create an image or text.
Understanding the translation of 'print' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and historical contexts associated with this word. For instance, in Spanish, 'print' is 'impresión', in French, it's 'impression', in German, it's 'Druck', and in Japanese, it's '印刷'.
In this article, we delve deeper into the translations of 'print' in various languages, shedding light on the rich cultural and historical significance of this word.
Afrikaans | druk | ||
The Afrikaans word "druk" can also refer to the pressure applied during the printing process. | |||
Amharic | ማተም | ||
The root መተመ translates to 'to seal,' 'to shut,' and 'to close.' | |||
Hausa | bugu | ||
The Hausa word "bugùṣ" (print), probably comes from the Kanakuru word "bàgà", meaning "to stamp". | |||
Igbo | bipụta | ||
There is no known etymology for “bipụta” in Igbo. | |||
Malagasy | pirinty | ||
"Pirinty" can also mean "the action of printing or writing", "an impression or image made from an original"} | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | sindikizani | ||
'Sindikizani' also means 'to spread out something for drying' in Nyanja (Chichewa). | |||
Shona | purinda | ||
The word "purinda" in Shona can also refer to "press" or "publish". In this context, it is derived from the English word "print" through assimilation. | |||
Somali | daabac | ||
The word "daabac" derives from Arabic, where it denotes both stamping and the process of printing. | |||
Sesotho | hatisa | ||
"Hatisa" (print) comes from the word "hatsa" (to squeeze and crush), as printing involves pressing the paper against the printing block. | |||
Swahili | chapisha | ||
In Swahili, the word "chapisha" is derived from the Arabic word "tab'a" meaning "to strike" or "to impress". | |||
Xhosa | shicilela | ||
'Shicilela' is a Xhosa word that has two different meanings, depending on the context: 'to print' or 'to write' something. | |||
Yoruba | tẹjade | ||
Although "tẹjade" means "print" in Yoruba, it also refers to a "footprint" or "impression" made by a foot, tire, or other object. | |||
Zulu | phrinta | ||
The Zulu word "phrinta" can also mean "trace" or "mark". | |||
Bambara | sɛbɛnni | ||
Ewe | agbalẽtata | ||
Kinyarwanda | icapiro | ||
Lingala | konyata mikanda | ||
Luganda | okukuba ebitabo | ||
Sepedi | go gatiša | ||
Twi (Akan) | tintim | ||
Arabic | طباعة | ||
The word "طباعة" originates from the Arabic root "طبَع" (to stamp or mark), and can also refer to "to imprint" or "to make a mark". | |||
Hebrew | הדפס | ||
The Hebrew word "הדפס" ("print") shares its root with the word "דפוס" ("press"), reflecting their shared history in the printing process. | |||
Pashto | چاپ | ||
چاپ can also mean postage stamp in Pashto. | |||
Arabic | طباعة | ||
The word "طباعة" originates from the Arabic root "طبَع" (to stamp or mark), and can also refer to "to imprint" or "to make a mark". |
Albanian | shtyp | ||
In Albanian, the word "shtyp" also refers to a printing press or a printing establishment. | |||
Basque | inprimatu | ||
The noun 'inprimatu' originates from the verb 'inprimatu' (to print), which comes from the Latin verb 'imprimere' and the suffix '-atu', denoting the result of the action or the state of being. | |||
Catalan | imprimir | ||
In Catalan, "imprimir" derives from the Latin "imprimere" and also means "to impose" or "to charge." | |||
Croatian | ispis | ||
The word "ispis" in Croatian can also refer to an official document or a transcript. | |||
Danish | |||
In Danish, "Print" also refers to a type of cloth or fabric, particularly one with a textured or patterned surface. | |||
Dutch | afdrukken | ||
The Dutch word "afdrukken" is related to the German "abdrücken" (to imprint, to shoot) and originally meant "to press down". | |||
English | |||
"Print" comes from the Old French "empreinte", which means "impression", and also has the meaning of "stamped or imprinted pattern" | |||
French | impression | ||
"Impression" in French also refers to book printing and the visual impact of a performance. | |||
Frisian | ôfdrukke | ||
"Ôfdrukke" is derived from the Middle Dutch word "drucke", meaning "something that has been pressed down". | |||
Galician | imprimir | ||
"Imprimir" also means "to push" or "to throw" in Galician. | |||
German | |||
The word "drucken" is derived from the Middle High German word "drucken," which meant "to press" or "to oppress." | |||
Icelandic | prenta | ||
"Prenta" comes from the Old Norse word "prenta", which means "to stamp" or "to impress". | |||
Irish | cló | ||
Cló also means 'fame' and may be of the same origin, from the Proto-Celtic word *klou̯os, meaning 'fame' or 'renown'. | |||
Italian | stampa | ||
"Stampa" can also mean "news" or "printing office" in Italian. | |||
Luxembourgish | drécken | ||
The word "drécken" is thought to derive from the High German "drücken" (to press), meaning the act of applying pressure to transfer ink to paper. | |||
Maltese | jistampa | ||
The Maltese term "jistampa" is a loanword from the English "gist," which refers to the essence or main point of a piece of writing or discourse. | |||
Norwegian | skrive ut | ||
The verb "å skrive ut" can also mean "to discharge" or "to issue" in Norwegian. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | impressão | ||
In Portuguese, "impressão" can also refer to an opinion or an idea. | |||
Scots Gaelic | clò-bhualadh | ||
The word "clò-bhualadh" is also used to describe the process of printing, as well as the resultant printed material. | |||
Spanish | impresión | ||
In Spanish "impresión" also means "impression" as in the mark left by something that has pressed on a surface. | |||
Swedish | skriva ut | ||
The verb "skriva" means "write" and "ut" is a preposition that indicates "out" making "skriva ut" mean "to write out." | |||
Welsh | |||
The Welsh word 'print' comes from the Latin 'premere', meaning 'to press' or 'to squeeze'. |
Belarusian | друк | ||
The name "print" is derived from Middle English "prente" which is in turn borrowed from Old French "empreinte ", the feminine past participle of "empreindre" (literally "imprint", "press in"). | |||
Bosnian | ispis | ||
"Ispis" in Bosnian also means "output" or "display". | |||
Bulgarian | печат | ||
The word "печат" in Bulgarian can also mean "stamp" or "signet." | |||
Czech | tisk | ||
Czech "tisk" (print) comes from the same root as the German word "drücken" (to press), reflecting the physical action of printing. | |||
Estonian | printida | ||
"Printida" also means "to be forced" in Estonian | |||
Finnish | tulosta | ||
The name 'Tulosta' refers to an action performed in the morning of the next day as opposed to 'Paina', referring to publishing the results late in the evening. | |||
Hungarian | nyomtatás | ||
The Hungarian word "nyomtatás" literally means "pressing", referring to the historical method of printing with a printing press. | |||
Latvian | izdrukāt | ||
The Latvian word “izdrukāt” comes from the verb “drukāt” meaning “to press” and refers to the process of applying pressure to transfer an image or text onto paper. | |||
Lithuanian | spausdinti | ||
Macedonian | печати | ||
The word "печати" can also refer to a seal or stamp. | |||
Polish | wydrukować | ||
The word "wydrukować" comes from the German word "drucken," meaning "to press" or "to squeeze." | |||
Romanian | imprimare | ||
The Romanian word "imprimare" derives from the Latin "imprimere," meaning "to press in" or "to imprint." | |||
Russian | распечатать | ||
The word "Распечатать" can also mean "to unseal" or "to unpack". | |||
Serbian | штампати | ||
"Штампати" originates from the German word "stampfen" (to stamp) via the Hungarian word "stempli" (stamp). | |||
Slovak | tlačiť | ||
In Slovak, "tlačiť" not only refers to printing but also has the meaning of "pushing". | |||
Slovenian | natisni | ||
The word "natisni" likely derives from Proto-Slavic *nьtisnǫti, from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to press downwards." | |||
Ukrainian | друк | ||
The Ukrainian word "друк" can also mean "publication" or "press". |
Bengali | ছাপা | ||
In some contexts, "ছাপা" can mean the stamping or impression of a seal or other object, rather than printing in the sense of reproducing text or images. | |||
Gujarati | છાપો | ||
The Gujarati word **छापो** (chhapo), meaning "print," also signifies an impression, an effect, a sign.} | |||
Hindi | प्रिंट | ||
Besides 'print', 'प्रिंट' also means 'impression' or 'copy'. | |||
Kannada | ಮುದ್ರಿಸಿ | ||
ಮುದ್ರಿಸಿ (print) derives from the Sanskrit word 'mudra', meaning 'seal' or 'impression'. | |||
Malayalam | അച്ചടിക്കുക | ||
അച്ചടിക്കുക also means to imprint or stamp something, like a rubber stamp or a branding iron. | |||
Marathi | प्रिंट | ||
The word "प्रिंट" is also used in Marathi to refer to a photograph or a footprint. | |||
Nepali | प्रिन्ट गर्नुहोस् | ||
The word "प्रिन्ट गर्नुहोस्" is derived from the English word "print" and its Hindi equivalent " प्रिंट करना". | |||
Punjabi | ਛਾਪੋ | ||
The word "ਛਾਪੋ" (print) in Punjabi also refers to the impression or mark left on something, as well as the act of pressing or stamping. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මුද්රණය කරන්න | ||
In Sinhala, “මුද්රණය කරන්න” not only means “print” but also refers to the act of stamping or marking something by pressing an implement on it. | |||
Tamil | அச்சு | ||
'அச்சு' also means mould or cast. | |||
Telugu | ముద్రణ | ||
The Telugu word "ముద్రణ" can also mean "seal", "impression", or "mark". | |||
Urdu | پرنٹ کریں | ||
پرنٹ in some contexts can mean to publish or to impress (as on someone's mind). |
Chinese (Simplified) | 打印 | ||
"打印" can also mean "to spy" or "to snitch" in Chinese slang. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 打印 | ||
The word "打印" can also mean "fingerprint". | |||
Japanese | 印刷 | ||
The Japanese word '印刷' ('printing') was originally used to refer to the process of making a copy of a text or image using a wooden block. | |||
Korean | 인쇄 | ||
The Korean word "인쇄" (insoe) also refers to a kind of tax levied specifically on printed matter. | |||
Mongolian | хэвлэх | ||
The word "хэвлэх" (print) in Mongolian can also mean "to spread, to disseminate" (news, information, etc.). | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ပုံနှိပ်ထုတ်ဝေခဲ့သည် | ||
Indonesian | mencetak | ||
"Mencetak" in Indonesian has Javanese origins, with "cetak" meaning "to mark/stamp" or "to imprint". | |||
Javanese | nyithak | ||
In Javanese, the word "nyithak" has an alternate meaning of "to hit" or "to strike". | |||
Khmer | បោះពុម្ព | ||
The word "បោះពុម្ព" can also be used to describe the process of making a mold or casting a metal. | |||
Lao | ພິມ | ||
The word "ພິມ" can also refer to the act of writing or typing. | |||
Malay | mencetak | ||
The word "mencetak" in Malay originally meant "to make something by stamping or pressing", but now it also means "to print"} | |||
Thai | พิมพ์ | ||
The word "พิมพ์" comes from the Sanskrit word "प्रतिबimba" (pratbimba), meaning "image" or "reflection". | |||
Vietnamese | in | ||
In Vietnamese, "in" can also mean "press" or "stamp". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | |||
Azerbaijani | çap | ||
The word "çap" can also mean "width" or "diameter" in Azerbaijani. | |||
Kazakh | басып шығару | ||
The verb "басып шығару" can also mean "to squeeze" or "to press" something. | |||
Kyrgyz | басып чыгаруу | ||
Tajik | чоп кардан | ||
The word "чоп кардан" in Tajik also means "to stamp" or "to seal". | |||
Turkmen | çap et | ||
Uzbek | chop etish | ||
The literal translation of "chop etish" is "to cut and place," in reference to the process of woodblock printing. | |||
Uyghur | بېسىپ چىقىرىش | ||
Hawaiian | paʻi | ||
Other interpretations of "paʻi" include "to strike," "to pound," or "to stamp." | |||
Maori | tā | ||
"Tā" also means "to stamp" or "to mark" in Maori. | |||
Samoan | lolomi | ||
The word "lolomi" originates from "lolofi" meaning "write" and was later extended to include printing. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | mag-print | ||
The Tagalog word "mag-print" is derived from the Spanish word "imprimir", meaning "to impress" or "to make an impression". |
Aymara | imprimir uñt’ayaña | ||
Guarani | impresión rehegua | ||
Esperanto | presi | ||
From Greek **πρεσβεύω** (presbeūō), "send on a mission": a printing job is sending words to the masses through print; also related to **πρέσβυς** (présbus), "old man, elder": print is an older technology. | |||
Latin | |||
"Print" comes from the Latin word "premere," which also means "to press". |
Greek | τυπώνω | ||
The verb “τυπώνω” derives from the noun “τύπος”, which refers to the form of a thing, its impression or a model to be imitated. | |||
Hmong | luam tawm | ||
In some dialects, "luam tawm" also means "to write" or "to compose." | |||
Kurdish | çap | ||
In Ottoman Turkish, "çap" also meant "a small coin" or "size, dimension, circumference." | |||
Turkish | yazdır | ||
The word "Yazdır" also means "to write" or "to compose" in Turkish. | |||
Xhosa | shicilela | ||
'Shicilela' is a Xhosa word that has two different meanings, depending on the context: 'to print' or 'to write' something. | |||
Yiddish | דרוקן | ||
The Yiddish word "דרוקן" can also mean "press" or "oppress". | |||
Zulu | phrinta | ||
The Zulu word "phrinta" can also mean "trace" or "mark". | |||
Assamese | প্ৰিন্ট কৰক | ||
Aymara | imprimir uñt’ayaña | ||
Bhojpuri | प्रिंट कइल जाला | ||
Dhivehi | ޕްރިންޓް ކުރާށެވެ | ||
Dogri | प्रिंट करना | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | |||
Guarani | impresión rehegua | ||
Ilocano | imprenta | ||
Krio | |||
Kurdish (Sorani) | چاپکردن | ||
Maithili | प्रिंट | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄ꯭ꯔꯤꯟꯇ ꯇꯧꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
Mizo | print rawh | ||
Oromo | maxxansaa | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ମୁଦ୍ରଣ | ||
Quechua | imprimiy | ||
Sanskrit | मुद्रणम् | ||
Tatar | бастыру | ||
Tigrinya | ሕትመት | ||
Tsonga | ku kandziyisa | ||