Properly in Different Languages
Discover 'Properly' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'properly' is a small but mighty one, carrying significant weight in our daily lives and communications. It signifies that something is done in the correct manner, following established rules and standards. This concept is not only crucial in our personal lives but also in professional settings, where doing things properly can mean the difference between success and failure.
Moreover, the idea of 'properness' varies across cultures, making the translation of 'properly' a fascinating exploration of cultural norms and values. For instance, the Spanish translation of 'properly' is 'correctamente,' while in French, it's 'correctement.' These translations not only help us understand the word's meaning in different languages but also offer a glimpse into the cultural contexts that shape them.
So, whether you're learning a new language, exploring different cultures, or simply seeking to expand your vocabulary, understanding the translations of 'properly' is a great place to start. Here are some translations of 'properly' in various languages, from Spanish and French to Mandarin and Arabic.
Properly
Properly in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | behoorlik | ||
| The Afrikaans word "behoorlik" is cognate with the Dutch "behoorlijk", which means "appropriate, suitable, or decent". | |||
| Amharic | በትክክል | ||
| በትክክል ('properly') also means 'actually' or 'in fact' and is derived from በ that ('in') and ትክክል ('agreement'). | |||
| Hausa | yadda ya kamata | ||
| The phrase "yadda ya kamata" in Hausa, meaning "properly", also signifies "in an appropriate manner" or "as it should be". | |||
| Igbo | n'ụzọ kwesịrị ekwesị | ||
| The word "n'ụzọ kwesịrị ekwesị" can also mean "appropriately" or "in the right way" depending on the context in which it's used. | |||
| Malagasy | araka ny tokony ho | ||
| The word "araka ny tokony ho" in Malagasy can also mean "according to the norm" or "as it should be". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | bwino | ||
| The term "bwino" may be borrowed from English "beautiful," or from Tumbuka." } | |||
| Shona | zvakanaka | ||
| The word "zvakanaka" can also mean "acceptable" or "good enough". | |||
| Somali | si sax ah | ||
| "Si sax ah" also means "in a good manner," "decently," or "nicely." | |||
| Sesotho | hantle | ||
| There is another meaning of "hantle" which is "a lot, many" | |||
| Swahili | vizuri | ||
| "vizuri" can be used to mean "well (as in healthy)", "correct", or "in good condition"} | |||
| Xhosa | ngokufanelekileyo | ||
| The word "ngokufanelekileyo" can also be used to mean "in a manner that is pleasing or acceptable." | |||
| Yoruba | daradara | ||
| The word "dàradàrà" has another meaning besides "properly": "slowly" or "steadily". | |||
| Zulu | kahle | ||
| The word 'kahle' in Zulu, also means 'to do something thoroughly'. | |||
| Bambara | kaɲɛ | ||
| Ewe | nyuie | ||
| Kinyarwanda | neza | ||
| Lingala | malamu | ||
| Luganda | bulungi | ||
| Sepedi | ka tshwanelo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | yie | ||
Properly in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | بصورة صحيحة | ||
| The word بصورة صحيحة ('properly') in Arabic also means 'correctly'. | |||
| Hebrew | כראוי | ||
| The word “כראוי” is also used in religious and legal contexts, to imply the way things should be done according to the law | |||
| Pashto | په سمه توګه | ||
| په سمه توګه could also mean "in the right direction" or "in the right spot". | |||
| Arabic | بصورة صحيحة | ||
| The word بصورة صحيحة ('properly') in Arabic also means 'correctly'. | |||
Properly in Western European Languages
| Albanian | si duhet | ||
| The Albanian word 'si duhet' can also mean 'as it must be', 'as it should be' or 'in due order'. | |||
| Basque | behar bezala | ||
| "Behar bezala" is also a Basque idiom meaning "as one has to". | |||
| Catalan | correctament | ||
| The word "correctament" derives from the Latin "correctus" meaning "straightened" or "made right." | |||
| Croatian | pravilno | ||
| The alternate meanings of the word 'pravilno' in Croatian include 'legally', 'by regulation', and 'morally'. | |||
| Danish | korrekt | ||
| In Danish, "korrekt" can also mean "precise," "exact" or "correct." | |||
| Dutch | naar behoren | ||
| In the Netherlands, "naar behoren" is also used colloquially to express a feeling of contentment, similar to "all right, all right." | |||
| English | properly | ||
| "Properly" means not only "correctly," but also "peculiarly." | |||
| French | correctement | ||
| The word «correctement» comes from the Latin word «correctus» which means «corrected» or «straightened». | |||
| Frisian | proper | ||
| In modern West Frisian, "pâper" has also come to mean "certificate, diploma" | |||
| Galician | correctamente | ||
| The Galician word "correctamente" can also mean "correctly", "rightly", or "accurately" in English. | |||
| German | richtig | ||
| The word "richtig" is derived from Old High German "reht" and originally meant "straight" or "direct" | |||
| Icelandic | almennilega | ||
| Almennilega is also the name of a well-known Icelandic beer. | |||
| Irish | i gceart | ||
| Literally meaning 'in the centre' or 'in the middle' it also has legal connotations of being 'in order' or 'correct'. | |||
| Italian | propriamente | ||
| The Italian word "propriamente" ultimately derives from the Latin word "proprius" meaning "one's own". | |||
| Luxembourgish | richteg | ||
| Richteg comes from "recht", a German word that means "right" or "correct". | |||
| Maltese | sewwa | ||
| "Sewwa" can also mean "good luck" or "blessing". | |||
| Norwegian | ordentlig | ||
| The word "ordentlig" comes from the Old Norse word "ord" meaning "order". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | devidamente | ||
| The word "devidamente" derives from the Latin "debita mente", meaning "according to duty" or "in a due manner". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | mar bu chòir | ||
| The Gaelic "mar bu chòir" literally translates to "as it should be". | |||
| Spanish | correctamente | ||
| In Spanish, 'correctamente' derives from the Latin 'correctus' meaning 'straightened, amended' and 'adjusted to a norm'. | |||
| Swedish | ordentligt | ||
| Ordentligt may also mean 'orderly' in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | yn iawn | ||
| The word "yn iawn" can also mean "very" or "very good". | |||
Properly in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | правільна | ||
| "Правільна" in Belarusian can also mean "right", "true", or "correct". | |||
| Bosnian | pravilno | ||
| The word "pravilno" in Bosnian can also mean "regularly" or "correctly". | |||
| Bulgarian | правилно | ||
| The word "правилно" also means "correctly," "rightly," and "regularly." | |||
| Czech | správně | ||
| The Czech word "správně" comes from the Proto-Slavic root | |||
| Estonian | korralikult | ||
| "Korralik" also means "tidy" in Estonian and derives from the word "kord" meaning "order". | |||
| Finnish | asianmukaisesti | ||
| "Asianmukaisesti" is cognate with the Estonian word "asjakohaselt" which means "to the point". | |||
| Hungarian | megfelelően | ||
| The word "megfelelően" is derived from the verb "megfelel", which means to match, correspond, or comply with something, and the suffix "-en", which indicates a manner or state of being. | |||
| Latvian | pareizi | ||
| "Pareizi" can also mean "correctly", "adequately" or "appropriately" in English. | |||
| Lithuanian | tinkamai | ||
| The word "tinkamai" in Lithuanian is derived from the word "tinkamas", which means "suitable" or "appropriate". | |||
| Macedonian | правилно | ||
| The word "правилно" in Macedonian can also mean "regularly" or "correctly". | |||
| Polish | prawidłowo | ||
| The word "prawidłowo" comes from the Proto-Slavic noun "pravidlo," which means "ruler" or "measure." | |||
| Romanian | corect | ||
| The Romanian word «corect» shares the same etymology with «correct» from French and English. | |||
| Russian | должным образом | ||
| It originates from the Old Slavic 'долгъ' (debt, duty), and can sometimes mean 'due'. | |||
| Serbian | прописно | ||
| The word “прописно” has an extra meaning: “written with capital letter”. | |||
| Slovak | správne | ||
| "Správne" in Slovak also means "correctly" and derives from the PIE root *ker- meaning "to take care, protect". | |||
| Slovenian | pravilno | ||
| Pravilno, meaning 'properly,' comes from the Proto-Slavic pravь, meaning 'correct,' and is related to the English 'right' and 'righteous'. | |||
| Ukrainian | належним чином | ||
| The word "належним чином" is derived from the root "належний," which means "proper" or "due." | |||
Properly in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সঠিকভাবে | ||
| The word "সঠিকভাবে" can also mean "correctly" or "appropriately". | |||
| Gujarati | યોગ્ય રીતે | ||
| The word "properly" can also mean "in a suitable or correct manner". | |||
| Hindi | अच्छी तरह | ||
| The word "अच्छी तरह" can also mean "thoroughly" or "completely". | |||
| Kannada | ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ | ||
| The word "ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ" can also mean "correctly", "accurately", or "precisely" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ശരിയായി | ||
| Marathi | व्यवस्थित | ||
| The word "व्यवस्थित" can also refer to being organized, arranged, or systematic. | |||
| Nepali | राम्रोसँग | ||
| Punjabi | ਸਹੀ .ੰਗ ਨਾਲ | ||
| "Properly" comes from the Old French word "proprement," which means "fittingly" or "in an appropriate manner." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නිසි | ||
| නිසි can mean either "properly" or "in order". | |||
| Tamil | ஒழுங்காக | ||
| The term “ஒழுங்காக” in Tamil also refers to something orderly, arranged systematically; or well-regulated, controlled or governed. | |||
| Telugu | సరిగ్గా | ||
| The word "సరిగ్గా" can also mean "correctly", "in order", or "in the right way". | |||
| Urdu | مناسب طریقے سے | ||
| The word "مناسب طریقے سے" ("properly") literally means "in an appropriate manner" or "in a way that is suitable for the situation". | |||
Properly in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 适当地 | ||
| 适当地 can also mean 'just the right degree or amount' or 'fairly' | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 適當地 | ||
| 『適當』一詞源自『適』，意指恰到好處，『當』則表示應當、恰當之意。 | |||
| Japanese | 正しく | ||
| 正しく can also mean "correctly" or "accurately" depending on the context. | |||
| Korean | 정확히 | ||
| 정확히 can also mean "right on time" or "precisely". | |||
| Mongolian | зөв | ||
| "Зөв" means "true" in Mongolian and is also the root of "учир" meaning "reason" and "мөн" meaning "essence." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စနစ်တကျ | ||
Properly in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tepat | ||
| The word "tepat" can also mean "exactly" or "precisely". | |||
| Javanese | kanthi bener | ||
| The word "kanthi bener" in Javanese originally meant "in the right way"} | |||
| Khmer | យ៉ាងត្រឹមត្រូវ | ||
| The term “យ៉ាងត្រឹមត្រូវ” can also be translated as “appropriately” or “suitably” to emphasize fittingness according to the circumstances. | |||
| Lao | ຢ່າງຖືກຕ້ອງ | ||
| Malay | dengan betul | ||
| The phrase "dengan betul" can also be used to mean "correctly" or "precisely" in Malay. | |||
| Thai | อย่างถูกต้อง | ||
| The word "อย่างถูกต้อง" ("properly") in Thai can also mean "as it should be" or "in the right way". | |||
| Vietnamese | đúng cách | ||
| Đúng cách means not just "correctly" but also "formally" in this context. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ng maayos | ||
Properly in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | düzgün şəkildə | ||
| "Düzgün şəkildə" is a phrase in Azerbaijani language that can be translated into both "properly" and "symmetrically". | |||
| Kazakh | дұрыс | ||
| The word "дұрыс" in Kazakh can also mean "right" or "correct". | |||
| Kyrgyz | туура | ||
| The word "туура" (properly) in Kyrgyz can also mean "right" or "correct". | |||
| Tajik | дуруст | ||
| The Tajik word "дуруст" has cognates in many Iranian languages and means "correct" or "suitable" in its original meaning. | |||
| Turkmen | dogry | ||
| Uzbek | to'g'ri | ||
| The word "to'g'ri" can also mean "straight" or "correct" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | مۇۋاپىق | ||
Properly in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kūpono | ||
| Kūpono can also mean 'correct, righteous, just, true, in order, proper, fit, suitable, seemly, becoming, decorous, right, due, appropriate, becoming, correct, in accordance with, according to' in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | tika | ||
| The word "tika" in Maori can also mean "just" or "straight." | |||
| Samoan | faʻalelei | ||
| Faʻalelei also means "completely" and derives from words meaning "to make good" and "thoroughly". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | maayos | ||
| "Maayos" comes from the Spanish word "bueno", meaning "good" or "well". | |||
Properly in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ukatjama | ||
| Guarani | imba'erekóva | ||
Properly in International Languages
| Esperanto | konvene | ||
| The word "konvene" comes from "convene" which also means "to call together" | |||
| Latin | recte | ||
| The word "recte" originally meant "in a straight line" in Latin, and retains this meaning in some contexts such as geometry. | |||
Properly in Others Languages
| Greek | σωστά | ||
| The word "σωστά" derives from the ancient Greek word for "safe" or "sound". | |||
| Hmong | kom yog | ||
| The word "kom yog" can also mean "very" or "really" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | bi rêkûpêk | ||
| The term "bi rêkûpêk" in Kurdish language can also refer to "orderly" or "one by one" in some dialects. | |||
| Turkish | uygun şekilde | ||
| The word "uygun şekilde" in Turkish comes from the Arabic word "wuqf", meaning "endowment" or "religious foundation". | |||
| Xhosa | ngokufanelekileyo | ||
| The word "ngokufanelekileyo" can also be used to mean "in a manner that is pleasing or acceptable." | |||
| Yiddish | ריכטיק | ||
| The word "ריכטיק" (rikhtik) in Yiddish also means "correct" or "right", and is related to the German word "richtig" with the same meaning. | |||
| Zulu | kahle | ||
| The word 'kahle' in Zulu, also means 'to do something thoroughly'. | |||
| Assamese | সঠিকভাৱে | ||
| Aymara | ukatjama | ||
| Bhojpuri | अच्छा तरह से | ||
| Dhivehi | މުދާ | ||
| Dogri | चंगी-चाल्ली | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ng maayos | ||
| Guarani | imba'erekóva | ||
| Ilocano | nakusto | ||
| Krio | kɔrɛkt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەدروستی | ||
| Maithili | नीक जेना | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯑꯣꯡ ꯆꯨꯝꯅ | ||
| Mizo | mumal | ||
| Oromo | akka ta'utti | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସଠିକ୍ ଭାବରେ | | ||
| Quechua | allintapuni | ||
| Sanskrit | उचितं | ||
| Tatar | тиешенчә | ||
| Tigrinya | ብግቡእ | ||
| Tsonga | nhundzu | ||