Professional in Different Languages
Discover 'Professional' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'professional' holds great significance in our society, denoting a level of expertise, skill, and dedication in a particular field. It's a cultural cornerstone, representing the value we place on hard-earned knowledge and experience. But what does 'professional' mean in other languages, and how does its translation reflect cultural differences?
For instance, in Spanish, 'profesional' (pronounced proh-feh-see-oh-nal) goes beyond simply being competent; it implies a commitment to ethical behavior and high-quality work. In German, 'berufsmäßig' (pronounced beh-roofs-mass-ig) carries a connotation of specialization and full-time engagement. Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'プロフェッショナル' (pronounced purofesshonaru) reflects the country's respect for technical mastery and continuous learning.
Understanding the translation of 'professional' in different languages can offer fascinating insights into cultural norms and expectations. It can also be crucial for global communication, as it helps break down language barriers and fosters mutual respect.
Professional
Professional in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | professioneel | ||
| The Afrikaans word professioneel can also mean a “professor” | |||
| Amharic | ባለሙያ | ||
| Hausa | sana'a | ||
| The word 'sana'a' can also mean 'work', 'trade', or 'craft' in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | ọkachamara | ||
| Ọkachamara is derived from the Igbo word 'ọkacha' which means 'to be the best' and 'ọmara' which means 'knowledge'. | |||
| Malagasy | professional | ||
| The Malagasy word "manam-pahaizana" is derived from the French "profession" and "professionnel". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | akatswiri | ||
| The word 'akatswiri' comes from the verb 'kugwira', meaning 'to work', and the suffix '-i', which indicates a person who does an action. | |||
| Shona | nyanzvi | ||
| The word "nyanzvi" is also used in Shona to refer to a skilled person or an expert in a particular field, similar to the English "artisan" or "master craftsman". | |||
| Somali | xirfadle | ||
| The word "xirfadle" in Somali also means "skillful" or "expert". | |||
| Sesotho | setsebi | ||
| The word "setsebi" in Sesotho also means "a person who is in the know". | |||
| Swahili | mtaalamu | ||
| "Mtaalamu" can also mean "expert" or "specialist". | |||
| Xhosa | ingcali | ||
| Xhosa terms "ingcali" and "igcisa" both refer to professionals, with "igcisa" used in the context of the arts, such as traditional healers, diviners, and artists, while "ingcali" refers to those in other fields like law, teaching, engineering, etc. | |||
| Yoruba | ọjọgbọn | ||
| Ọjọgbọn is derived from the root word "ọjọ" meaning "day" or "time", and "gbọn" meaning "to be wise or skillful", implying a person's accumulated wisdom and experience over time. | |||
| Zulu | ochwepheshe | ||
| The word "ochwepheshe" in Zulu also means "expert" or "master". | |||
| Bambara | baarakɛla | ||
| Ewe | dɔnyala | ||
| Kinyarwanda | abahanga | ||
| Lingala | ayebi mosala | ||
| Luganda | omukugu | ||
| Sepedi | seprofešenale | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adwumayɛni | ||
Professional in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | المحترفين | ||
| The word "المحترفين" derives from "حرف" meaning occupation, and denotes those skilled in any particular occupation. | |||
| Hebrew | מקצועי | ||
| "מקצועי" (professional) is derived from the Hebrew word "מקצוע" (profession), but can also refer to someone who is skilled or competent in a particular field. | |||
| Pashto | مسلکي | ||
| The Pashto word "مسلکي" (professional) is derived from "مسلک" (profession), which itself comes from the Arabic word "مسلك" (path or way), indicating a specialized field of knowledge and skill. | |||
| Arabic | المحترفين | ||
| The word "المحترفين" derives from "حرف" meaning occupation, and denotes those skilled in any particular occupation. | |||
Professional in Western European Languages
| Albanian | profesional | ||
| In Albanian, "profesional" can also refer to a person who specializes in a particular field, such as a musician or an artist. | |||
| Basque | profesionala | ||
| The Basque word "profesionala" is derived from the Spanish word "profesional" but can also refer to a person who exhibits a high level of skill or expertise. | |||
| Catalan | professional | ||
| The word "professional" comes from the Latin word "professio", which means "to declare publicly". | |||
| Croatian | profesionalni | ||
| The term 'profesionalni' in Croatian has a broader meaning, also referring to someone who is skilled or competent in a particular field or activity | |||
| Danish | professionel | ||
| In Danish, "professionel" can also refer to a person employed in a specific trade or occupation, regardless of their level of expertise or training. | |||
| Dutch | professioneel | ||
| In Dutch, "professioneel" can also mean "done with a professional attitude", even if the person doing the task is not a professional in that field. | |||
| English | professional | ||
| The word "professional" stems from the Latin "professio," meaning "public avowal of religious faith or belief," and has evolved to encompass broader concepts like specialized skill or expertise. | |||
| French | professionnel | ||
| In French, "professionnel" can also refer to a "sportsperson playing for pay" | |||
| Frisian | profesjoneel | ||
| "Profesjoneel" is also used in Frisian to describe someone who does something as a hobby. | |||
| Galician | profesional | ||
| In Galician, in addition to its primary meaning, "profesional" can also refer to someone who is very good at doing something or who engages in an activity as a hobby. | |||
| German | fachmann | ||
| The German word "Fachmann" not only means "professional" but also someone "expert" or "specialist" in a certain field | |||
| Icelandic | fagmannlegur | ||
| The word fagmannlegur has two other meanings in Icelandic: skillful and expert. | |||
| Irish | gairmiúil | ||
| "Gairmiúil" derives from the word "gairm," meaning "call" or "summons," indicating the notion of being called to a certain profession or occupation. | |||
| Italian | professionale | ||
| The word "professionale" in Italian also means "dedicated" or "conscientious". | |||
| Luxembourgish | berufflech | ||
| The word "berufflech" is derived from the German word "beruflich", which means "professional", but it can also be used to refer to something that is done for a living. | |||
| Maltese | professjonali | ||
| Maltese "professjonali" is derived from Italian "professionale" and Latin "professiō" (avowal), and can also mean "avowedly" or "professing". | |||
| Norwegian | profesjonell | ||
| In Norwegian, "profesjonell" can also mean "reliable" or "punctual." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | profissional | ||
| In Portuguese, the word "profissional" comes from "profissão," which can mean either "profession" or "job," and is also used as an adjective meaning "skilled" or "expert." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | proifeasanta | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, "proifeasanta" also means "adept, skilled, or accomplished in a particular art or pursuit." | |||
| Spanish | profesional | ||
| In Spanish, the word "profesional" has a double meaning: 1) a person who practices a profession, and 2) the opposite of "amateur" or "unskilled". | |||
| Swedish | professionell | ||
| The word "professionell" in Swedish can also refer to a person who is skilled in a particular field but lacks formal training or certification. | |||
| Welsh | proffesiynol | ||
| The Welsh word "proffesiynol" is etymologically derived from the Middle English "professionel", ultimately stemming from the Latin "professio". | |||
Professional in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | прафесійны | ||
| The word "прафесійны" derives from the Latin word "professio" and can mean an occupation, calling, or religious affiliation. | |||
| Bosnian | profesionalni | ||
| In Bosnian, "profesionalni" also means "of professional level" or "related to professionals". | |||
| Bulgarian | професионален | ||
| The word "професионален" ("professional") in Bulgarian also has the additional meaning of "skilled" or "expert". | |||
| Czech | profesionální | ||
| The word "profesionální" can also be used to describe someone who is highly skilled or experienced in a particular area. | |||
| Estonian | professionaalne | ||
| The word is derived from the Latin word 'professio', meaning an acknowledgement of faith or an open declaration. | |||
| Finnish | ammattilainen | ||
| "Ammattilainen" may also mean "expert" or "specialist". | |||
| Hungarian | szakmai | ||
| The word "szakmai" originally referred to occupations related to knowledge, skills or trade secrets, but its meaning has since expanded to encompass any profession. | |||
| Latvian | profesionāls | ||
| The word "profesionāls" is derived from the Latin word "professio", which means "to declare publicly" or "to acknowledge". | |||
| Lithuanian | profesionalus | ||
| The Lithuanian word "profesionalus" is derived from the Latin word "professionalis", meaning "of or relating to a profession". | |||
| Macedonian | професионални | ||
| The word "професионални" (professional) is derived from the Latin word "professio" (declaration), and can also refer to a person who makes a living from a specific occupation or activity. | |||
| Polish | profesjonalny | ||
| In Polish, the word "profesjonalny" can also mean "skilled" or "expert". | |||
| Romanian | profesional | ||
| In Romanian, "profesional" also means "one who professes religion", akin to the English word "professor". | |||
| Russian | профессиональный | ||
| The word “профессиональный” can also mean skilled, proficient, accomplished or expertly trained, in addition to its primary meaning of "professional." | |||
| Serbian | професионални | ||
| In Serbian, the word "професионални" can also refer to a person who has received professional training in a particular field or occupation. | |||
| Slovak | profesionálny | ||
| The Slovak word "profesionálny" is derived from the Latin word "professio", meaning "declaration of faith".} | |||
| Slovenian | strokovno | ||
| The word "strokovno" also means "expert" or "specialist". | |||
| Ukrainian | професійний | ||
| The word «професійний» («professional») is derived from «професія» («profession»), which originates from Latin «professio» («public declaration, declaration of faith, calling») through German «Professio» («profession») and Polish «profesja» («profession») | |||
Professional in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পেশাদার | ||
| The word পেশাদার (pesha-dar) in Bengali, derived from the Persian word pesha (profession), refers not only to a skilled professional but also to a person who earns a living through their profession. | |||
| Gujarati | વ્યાવસાયિક | ||
| The term "વ્યાવસાયિક" is a Gujarati word that can refer to either a professional or a person who is employed or has a career. | |||
| Hindi | पेशेवर | ||
| In Hindi, 'पेशेवर' also means 'a person who has the authority or responsibility to represent others, such as a spokesperson or delegate'. | |||
| Kannada | ವೃತ್ತಿಪರ | ||
| Malayalam | പ്രൊഫഷണൽ | ||
| In Malayalam, the word 'പ്രൊഫഷണൽ' ('professional') is also used to refer to a person who is an expert in a particular field. | |||
| Marathi | व्यावसायिक | ||
| In Marathi, "व्यावसायिक" can also mean a "businessman" or a "merchant". | |||
| Nepali | व्यावसायिक | ||
| The Nepali word 'व्यावसायिक' can also refer to someone who specializes in a particular field of business, such as a salesperson or accountant. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪੇਸ਼ੇਵਰ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වෘත්තීය | ||
| The word "වෘත්තීය" (vrutthiya) is also used to refer to a person who has been trained in a particular field. | |||
| Tamil | தொழில்முறை | ||
| தொழில்முறை originally meant "skillful work" and "service in the field of work". | |||
| Telugu | ప్రొఫెషనల్ | ||
| The word 'ప్రొఫెషనల్' (professional) can also refer to someone who has achieved a certain level of skill or competence in a particular field. | |||
| Urdu | پیشہ ور | ||
| The word پیشہ ور, which usually means 'professional' in Urdu, literally means an 'expert in one's profession'. | |||
Professional in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 专业的 | ||
| "专业的" 同时表示 "专业的" 和 "专业的 (人或单位)", 对应的英文为 "professional" 和 "professional (a person or an organization)" | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 專業的 | ||
| 專業的（profession）本指宗教信仰，後來才衍生為職業的意思。 | |||
| Japanese | プロフェッショナル | ||
| The word "professional" in Japanese, プロフェッショナル, is derived from the English word "professional", which means "a person who is engaged in a specified activity as their main paid occupation or vocation." | |||
| Korean | 전문적인 | ||
| 전문적인(專業的) is a South Korea-specific hanja word that does not have any direct relation to its Chinese origin, which means "speciality". | |||
| Mongolian | мэргэжлийн | ||
| The word "мэргэжлийн" is a noun that means "profession" or "occupation" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပရော်ဖက်ရှင်နယ် | ||
Professional in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | profesional | ||
| In Indonesian, "profesional" can also mean "professional athlete" or "player", but it doesn't mean "expert". | |||
| Javanese | profesional | ||
| In Javanese, the word “profesional” can also refer to a traditional healer who specializes in a particular illness. | |||
| Khmer | វិជ្ជាជីវៈ | ||
| The word "វិជ្ជាជីវៈ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "vijñānajīva", meaning "a person who lives by knowledge or learning". | |||
| Lao | ມືອາຊີບ | ||
| The word "ມືອາຊີບ" derives from the Pali word "ajiva", meaning "a livelihood". It can also refer to a person who is skilled in a particular field or occupation. | |||
| Malay | profesional | ||
| The Malay word "profesional" can also mean "expert" or "specialist". | |||
| Thai | มืออาชีพ | ||
| The word "มืออาชีพ" can mean both "professional" and "expert" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | chuyên nghiệp | ||
| Chuyên nghiệp is also a word in Vietnamese, but it is used to describe a person who acts professionally, rather than someone who has a profession. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | propesyonal | ||
Professional in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | peşəkar | ||
| "Peşəkar" is also used to refer to skilled or qualified workers in general. | |||
| Kazakh | кәсіби | ||
| The Kazakh word "кәсіби" also means "craftsman" or "expert". | |||
| Kyrgyz | кесипкөй | ||
| The word | |||
| Tajik | касбӣ | ||
| The word "касбӣ" in Tajik comes from the Persian word "کسب" which means "occupation" or "profession". The word "касبӣ" in Tajik can also mean "skilled worker" or "artisan". | |||
| Turkmen | hünärmen | ||
| Uzbek | professional | ||
| Uyghur | كەسپى | ||
Professional in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻoihana | ||
| ʻOihana is also used in Hawaiian to refer to a trade or profession. | |||
| Maori | ngaio | ||
| The word "ngaio" can also refer to a tree native to New Zealand, known for its strong and durable timber. | |||
| Samoan | polofesa | ||
| The word 'polofesa' comes from the English word 'professional', meaning someone who is paid to perform a certain task | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | propesyonal | ||
| Though often translated as "professional," the Tagalog word "propesyonal" actually originates from the Spanish word "profesional," which more accurately translates to "one who has undergone formal training and certification in a specific field." | |||
Professional in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | yatxatata | ||
| Guarani | katupyrytee | ||
Professional in International Languages
| Esperanto | profesia | ||
| The term 'profesia' derives from Latin 'pro' (forward) and 'fateor' (to confess), thus suggesting someone engaged in a publicly acknowledged vocation. | |||
| Latin | professional | ||
| The Latin word "professional" originally meant "one who makes a public declaration" and was often used to refer to gladiators or actors. | |||
Professional in Others Languages
| Greek | επαγγελματίας | ||
| The Greek word "επαγγελματίας" derives from the noun "επάγγελμα" (occupation), which in turn comes from the verb "επάγομαι" (to bring about, to produce). | |||
| Hmong | tus kws tshaj lij | ||
| The word "tus kws tshaj lij" is a compound word made up of the words "tus" (meaning "person"), "kws" (meaning "book"), "tshaj" (meaning "know"), and "lij" (meaning "skilled"). | |||
| Kurdish | karî | ||
| The word "karî" in Kurdish is related to the Sanskrit word "kar" meaning "to do" and the word "kirm" meaning "work". In ancient India and Iran, "karî" was used to refer to skilled workers such as carpenters and goldsmiths, whereas today it is mostly used to refer to employees of state institutions. | |||
| Turkish | profesyonel | ||
| The word 'profesyonel' also means 'a football goalkeeper' in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | ingcali | ||
| Xhosa terms "ingcali" and "igcisa" both refer to professionals, with "igcisa" used in the context of the arts, such as traditional healers, diviners, and artists, while "ingcali" refers to those in other fields like law, teaching, engineering, etc. | |||
| Yiddish | פאַכמאַן | ||
| The Yiddish word "פאַכמאַן" (pakhman) also means "expert" and is derived from the German word "Fachmann." | |||
| Zulu | ochwepheshe | ||
| The word "ochwepheshe" in Zulu also means "expert" or "master". | |||
| Assamese | পেশাদাৰী | ||
| Aymara | yatxatata | ||
| Bhojpuri | पेशेवर | ||
| Dhivehi | ޕްރޮފެޝަނަލް | ||
| Dogri | पेशेवर | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | propesyonal | ||
| Guarani | katupyrytee | ||
| Ilocano | propesional | ||
| Krio | sabi gud gud wan | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پیشەگەر | ||
| Maithili | व्यावसायिक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯤꯟꯐꯝꯒꯤ ꯑꯣꯏꯕ | ||
| Mizo | eizawn nana hmang | ||
| Oromo | ogeessa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବୃତ୍ତିଗତ | ||
| Quechua | profesional | ||
| Sanskrit | व्यवसायी | ||
| Tatar | профессиональ | ||
| Tigrinya | በዓል ልምዲ | ||
| Tsonga | xiphurofexini | ||