Proof in Different Languages
Discover 'Proof' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Proof is a powerful word, denoting the evidence or argument that establishes something as true or false. Its significance extends beyond the realm of logic and mathematics, touching on the very essence of how we perceive and interact with the world. Throughout history, the concept of proof has been intertwined with the development of human knowledge and culture. From legal systems to scientific discoveries, proof has been the cornerstone of our understanding and progress.
Given its importance, it's no surprise that the word 'proof' has been translated into countless languages around the world. Each translation offers a unique perspective on the concept, reflecting the cultural nuances and linguistic traditions of the people who use it. For example, in Spanish, 'proof' is translated as 'prueba', while in French, it becomes 'preuve'. In German, the word is 'Beweis', and in Mandarin Chinese, it is '证据'.
In this article, we'll explore the translations of 'proof' in a variety of languages, shedding light on the fascinating cultural and historical contexts that shape our understanding of this fundamental concept.
Proof
Proof in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | bewys | ||
| Bewys is cognate with the English "evidence" and both descend from the Latin "videre" (to see). | |||
| Amharic | ማረጋገጫ | ||
| The word ማረጋገጫ can also mean 'verification' or 'confirmation' in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | hujja | ||
| The word "hujja" in Hausa is the singular form of "hujjoji", which means "evidence" or "signs" | |||
| Igbo | akaebe | ||
| The Igbo word "akaebe" also has the alternate meanings of "demonstration" and "assurance". | |||
| Malagasy | famantarana | ||
| "Famantarana" is also used in Malagasy to refer to a "sign" or "indication". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | umboni | ||
| In Nyanja (Chichewa), the word "umboni" can also refer to a witness or evidence. | |||
| Shona | humbowo | ||
| The word "humbowo" can also mean "evidence" or "testimony" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | cadayn | ||
| Somali word "Cadayn" (proof) also means "sign," "trace," or "evidence." | |||
| Sesotho | bopaki | ||
| The word 'bopaki' can also refer to a 'certificate' or a 'receipt'. | |||
| Swahili | uthibitisho | ||
| The word "uthibitisho" can also mean "evidence" or "confirmation" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ubungqina | ||
| Proof is derived from the verb "ubungaqina" which means "to be certain" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | ẹri | ||
| The word "ẹri" can also mean "a mark," "a witness," or "a trace." | |||
| Zulu | ubufakazi | ||
| It has no direct translation but its etymology may be from 'to bring forth'. | |||
| Bambara | séereya | ||
| Ewe | kpeɖodzi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gihamya | ||
| Lingala | elembeteli | ||
| Luganda | obukakafu | ||
| Sepedi | bohlatse | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nnyinasoɔ | ||
Proof in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | دليل - إثبات | ||
| In the Quran, the word دليل is commonly used in the context of "evidence" and it is also sometimes used interchangeably with the word "argument". | |||
| Hebrew | הוכחה | ||
| The Hebrew word "הוכחה" ("proof") originally meant "argument", and is related to the verb "להוכיח" ("to argue"). | |||
| Pashto | ثبوت | ||
| The Pashto word "ثبوت" can also refer to "certainty" or "stability". | |||
| Arabic | دليل - إثبات | ||
| In the Quran, the word دليل is commonly used in the context of "evidence" and it is also sometimes used interchangeably with the word "argument". | |||
Proof in Western European Languages
| Albanian | prova | ||
| The word "prova" in Albanian is derived from the Latin word "proba" meaning "test". | |||
| Basque | froga | ||
| The etymological origin of the word "froga" is unknown and it also means a type of frog, possibly due to its small size in relation to the other types of frogs. | |||
| Catalan | prova | ||
| "Prova", "proof" in Catalan, also refers to a "test" or a "trial" or to the act of "trying". | |||
| Croatian | dokaz | ||
| In the context of mathematics, "dokaz" also means "theorem" or "proposition". | |||
| Danish | bevis | ||
| The Danish word "bevis" derives from the Latin word "bivia", meaning "crossroads" or "fork in the road". | |||
| Dutch | bewijs | ||
| The Dutch word 'bewijs' can also mean 'document used in a court of law' or 'evidence'. | |||
| English | proof | ||
| The word 'proof' derives from the Latin word 'probare,' meaning 'to test' or 'to approve.' | |||
| French | preuve | ||
| Preuve derives from the Latin 'probare', which originally meant 'to test', before becoming 'to approve'. | |||
| Frisian | bewiis | ||
| Bewiis is also an archaic word for 'poison' or 'toxic substance' in West Frisian, derived from the Middle Dutch word 'bewijs', meaning 'substance' or 'ingredient'. | |||
| Galician | proba | ||
| The word "proba" also refers to the act of tasting food or a liquid. | |||
| German | beweis | ||
| "Beweis" also means "evidence" and derives from the Old High German word "biwīsan," meaning "to make wise". | |||
| Icelandic | sönnun | ||
| The word "sönnun" is derived from the Old Norse word "sannr," meaning "true," and can also refer to the act of verifying or confirming something. | |||
| Irish | cruthúnas | ||
| In Medieval Irish, a 'cruthúnas' was not just 'proof' but also any type of historical evidence for a claim to land ownership, or other privileges. | |||
| Italian | prova | ||
| The Italian word prova ('proof') derives from the Latin proba ('test'). | |||
| Luxembourgish | beweis | ||
| In German, the cognate word "Beweis" can also refer to "evidence" or "argument". | |||
| Maltese | prova | ||
| The Maltese word "prova" is derived from the Italian "prova", meaning "trial" or "test", and has the additional meaning of "evidence" or "proof" in Maltese. | |||
| Norwegian | bevis | ||
| The Norwegian word "bevis" is derived from the Old Norse word "beiðask," meaning "to ask" or "to seek". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | prova | ||
| In Portuguese, the word "prova" also means "test" or "exam". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | dearbhadh | ||
| The Gaelic word "dearbhadh" also means "demonstration" or "trial". | |||
| Spanish | prueba | ||
| "Prueba" in Spanish is derived from the Latin word "probare" meaning to test or examine. | |||
| Swedish | bevis | ||
| In addition to "bevis" meaning proof, it can also be used to mean "document"} | |||
| Welsh | prawf | ||
| In Welsh, the word "prawf" can also mean "trial" or "attempt." | |||
Proof in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | доказ | ||
| In the 16th-18th centuries, the word "доказ" could also mean "evidence" or "testimony" | |||
| Bosnian | dokaz | ||
| The word 'dokaz' has different etymologies in Bosnian, including an Old-Slavic derivation meaning 'proof' and a Turkish derivation which translates as 'document'. | |||
| Bulgarian | доказателство | ||
| "Proof" in Bulgarian is a Slavic loanword and is related to the verb "доказать", which means to "show" or "demonstrate". | |||
| Czech | důkaz | ||
| The word "důkaz" in Czech also means "evidence" or "argument". | |||
| Estonian | tõend | ||
| The Estonian word "tõend" is a derivative of "tõdeda" (to prove), and also has the meaning of "certificate". | |||
| Finnish | todiste | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning, "todiste" can also refer to a document or testimony that supports a claim. | |||
| Hungarian | bizonyíték | ||
| The word "bizonyíték" originally meant "means of proof" and was later specialized to mean "proof". | |||
| Latvian | pierādījums | ||
| The word "pierādījums" also means "evidence" or "justification" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | įrodymas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "įrodymas" shares its root with the word meaning "evidence," "indication," or "sign." | |||
| Macedonian | доказ | ||
| The word "доказ" comes from the Proto-Slavic root *dok- "to point out" and has the same root as the word "документ" (document). | |||
| Polish | dowód | ||
| In Polish, the word "dowód" can also mean "document", highlighting the concept of evidence as a tangible manifestation of proof. | |||
| Romanian | dovada | ||
| The Romanian word "dovada" derives from the Latin word "proba", meaning "test" or "trial" but in modern Romanian it can also refer to a formal or legal document supporting a claim or allegation. | |||
| Russian | доказательство | ||
| The Russian word "доказательство" can also mean "evidence" or "argument". | |||
| Serbian | доказ | ||
| The Serbian word "доказ" can also mean evidence, argument, testament, proof of guilt, and demonstration. | |||
| Slovak | dôkaz | ||
| "Dôkaz" is also used to refer to the process or activity of verifying or demonstrating something | |||
| Slovenian | dokaz | ||
| The word "dokaz" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *dokazъ*, meaning "evidence" or "testimony". | |||
| Ukrainian | доказ | ||
| Ukrainian word "доказ" stems from the Old East Slavic "доказати" meaning "to indicate" and "to point out". | |||
Proof in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | প্রমাণ | ||
| In Sanskrit, the word 'प्रमाण' means 'measure', 'knowledge', and 'criterion' and is related to the Bengali word 'প্রমাণ' meaning 'proof'. | |||
| Gujarati | સાબિતી | ||
| Hindi | प्रमाण | ||
| The Sanskrit word 'प्रमाण' additionally means 'measure, norm, standard', implying that 'proof' is what measures or establishes the validity of an assertion. | |||
| Kannada | ಪುರಾವೆ | ||
| The word "ಪುರಾವೆ" ("proof") in Kannada is derived from the Sanskrit word "प्रमाण" ("pramāṇa") and also means "evidence" or "testimony". | |||
| Malayalam | തെളിവ് | ||
| The Malayalam word 'തെളിവ്' can also mean 'clarity', 'evidence', or 'confirmation'. | |||
| Marathi | पुरावा | ||
| The word "पुरावा" is also used as an antonym of the word "कावा" (which means "rum") in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | प्रमाण | ||
| The Sanskrit origin of "प्रमाण" translates as "measure, standard" and has broader connotations than its English counterpart. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਬੂਤ | ||
| The word "ਸਬੂਤ" can also refer to the quality of being strong or durable. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සාක්ෂි | ||
| Tamil | ஆதாரம் | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning as "proof," the Tamil word "ஆதாரம்" can also refer to "source," "basis," or "evidence." | |||
| Telugu | రుజువు | ||
| The word | |||
| Urdu | ثبوت | ||
| The term derives from the Arabic "θ-b-t", meaning "to be firm, established, proven, or fixed". | |||
Proof in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 证明 | ||
| "证明" (proof) can also refer to a legal document or a mathematical demonstration. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 證明 | ||
| "證明" can also mean "evidence" or "demonstration" in Chinese (Traditional). | |||
| Japanese | 証明 | ||
| "証明" is also used in Japanese to mean "evidence" and "demonstration." | |||
| Korean | 증명 | ||
| The word "증명" can also mean "evidence" or "testimony". | |||
| Mongolian | нотолгоо | ||
| The word "нотолгоо" can also refer to "evidence" or "document". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သက်သေ | ||
Proof in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bukti | ||
| "Bukti" in Indonesian can also mean "evidence", "testimony", or "documentary evidence". | |||
| Javanese | buktine | ||
| Also refers to a wooden plank used to press down on the strings of a 'rebab' (a traditional Javanese string instrument). | |||
| Khmer | ភស្តុតាង | ||
| Lao | ຫຼັກຖານສະແດງ | ||
| Malay | bukti | ||
| "Bukti" also means "evidence" or "sign" in Malay, and is cognate with the Sanskrit word "buddhi" (intellect or understanding). | |||
| Thai | หลักฐาน | ||
| หลักฐาน is derived from Sanskrit, meaning both 'proof' and 'mark or boundary'. | |||
| Vietnamese | bằng chứng | ||
| "Bằng chứng" can also mean "evidence" or "documentation". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | patunay | ||
Proof in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | sübut | ||
| Sanskrit 'supta' 'asleep', cf. Sanskrit 'sup' 'to sleep'. | |||
| Kazakh | дәлел | ||
| Дәлел can also mean an argument or evidence in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | далил | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "далил" also means "evidence" and "argument" | |||
| Tajik | далел | ||
| The word "далел" originates from the Arabic word "دليل" meaning "guide" or "evidence". | |||
| Turkmen | subutnama | ||
| Uzbek | dalil | ||
| In Uzbek, dalil (proof) derives from Arabic "adl" (justice), also referring to an honest witness, and is related to the Turkish "delil" (evidence, sign). | |||
| Uyghur | ئىسپات | ||
Proof in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hooiaio | ||
| Hawaiian word "hooiaio" originates from the verb "hooi" (to cause, make) and "iaio" (to be true). | |||
| Maori | tohu | ||
| Tohu is an expression of certainty or a sign of authentication in Maori | |||
| Samoan | faamaoniga | ||
| The word "faamaoniga" also means "witness" and "evidence" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | patunay | ||
Proof in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | yant'a | ||
| Guarani | kuaara'ã | ||
Proof in International Languages
| Esperanto | pruvo | ||
| Esperanto pruvo, from Russian проба, refers to proof in mathematics, but not in its judicial or quality sense. | |||
| Latin | probationem | ||
| Etymology: from Latin "probare" ("to test"), itself from "probus" ("good"). | |||
Proof in Others Languages
| Greek | απόδειξη | ||
| The Greek word απόδειξη originally meant “indication, demonstration, explanation, trial” (cf. Latin testimonium) and was applied metaphorically to “proof.” | |||
| Hmong | pov thawj | ||
| The Hmong word "pov thawj" also means "evidence" or "sign". | |||
| Kurdish | delîl | ||
| The word "delîl" is also used in the sense of "evidence", "indication", "reason", and "argument" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | kanıt | ||
| The Turkish word "kanıt" is also used to refer to "evidence" in a legal context, and it ultimately derives from the Arabic word "qinat", meaning "conviction" or "proof". | |||
| Xhosa | ubungqina | ||
| Proof is derived from the verb "ubungaqina" which means "to be certain" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | באווייז | ||
| The Yiddish word "באווייז" also means "appearance" or "evidence". | |||
| Zulu | ubufakazi | ||
| It has no direct translation but its etymology may be from 'to bring forth'. | |||
| Assamese | প্ৰমাণ | ||
| Aymara | yant'a | ||
| Bhojpuri | सबूत | ||
| Dhivehi | ހެކި | ||
| Dogri | सबूत | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | patunay | ||
| Guarani | kuaara'ã | ||
| Ilocano | ebidensia | ||
| Krio | pruf | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەڵگە | ||
| Maithili | प्रमाण | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯥꯈꯤ | ||
| Mizo | fiahna | ||
| Oromo | ragaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ରମାଣ | ||
| Quechua | malliy | ||
| Sanskrit | प्रमाणं | ||
| Tatar | дәлил | ||
| Tigrinya | መረጋገፂ | ||
| Tsonga | vumbhoni | ||