Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'psychological' has a profound significance in our daily lives, as it pertains to the human mind, emotions, and behavior. Understanding the psychological aspects of ourselves and others can lead to improved communication, empathy, and personal growth. Moreover, the study of psychology has a rich cultural importance, with different societies and languages offering unique perspectives on the human experience.
For instance, did you know that the ancient Greeks had two words for 'psychological' - 'psychikos' and 'noeros' - which distinguished between the physical and intellectual aspects of the soul? Or that in Japanese, 'seishin-teki' combines the characters for 'spirit' and 'body' to convey a holistic view of the human psyche?
As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, understanding the nuances of psychological terminology in different languages can open up new avenues of communication and cross-cultural understanding. Whether you're a student of psychology, a language enthusiast, or simply curious about the human mind, exploring the translations of 'psychological' in various languages can be a fascinating journey.
Here are some sample translations to get you started:
Afrikaans | sielkundig | ||
Sielkundig stems from the Dutch word "zielkundig", which means "pertaining to the soul". | |||
Amharic | ሥነ-ልቦናዊ | ||
The word ሥነ-ልቦናዊ also means "the science of the heart", highlighting the traditional view of emotions and thinking as originating in the heart. | |||
Hausa | na tunani | ||
Na tunani in Hausa can also refer to an individual who is overly sensitive. | |||
Igbo | nke uche | ||
The word "nke uche" can also refer to anything related to the mind or intellect. | |||
Malagasy | ara-tsaina | ||
The word "ara-tsaina" also means "mind" or "intelligence" in Malagasy. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | zamaganizidwe | ||
The word 'zamaganizidwe' means 'psychological,' but it can also refer to 'attitude' or 'mentality'. | |||
Shona | zvepfungwa | ||
The term 'zvepfungwa' also means 'of the mind' or 'intellectual'. | |||
Somali | nafsi ahaaneed | ||
It is a noun derived from the verb nafsan, which means to take a breath, and thus refers to the process of breathing or the state of being alive. | |||
Sesotho | kelello | ||
Swahili | kisaikolojia | ||
"Kisaikolojia" can be literally translated from Swahili as "the study of the small". | |||
Xhosa | ngokwengqondo | ||
The term 'ngokwengqondo' can also mean 'mind' or 'spirit' in Xhosa. | |||
Yoruba | àkóbá | ||
The word 'àkóbá' can also mean 'the mind' or 'the soul' in Yoruba. | |||
Zulu | ngokwengqondo | ||
The root word 'ngqondo' means 'mind', and the prefix 'ngo-' makes the word refer to 'psychology'. | |||
Bambara | hakili ta fan fɛ | ||
Ewe | susuŋutinunya | ||
Kinyarwanda | imitekerereze | ||
Lingala | psychologique | ||
Luganda | eby’eby’omwoyo | ||
Sepedi | tša monagano | ||
Twi (Akan) | adwene mu nimdeɛ | ||
Arabic | نفسي | ||
The word "نفسي" in Arabic derives from the root "نفس" (self, soul), and thus has broader connotations of "inner" or "subjective". | |||
Hebrew | פְּסִיכוֹלוֹגִי | ||
The term "פְּסִיכוֹלוֹגִי" derives from the Greek "psykhe," meaning "breath, soul," and "logos," meaning "word, reason." | |||
Pashto | رواني | ||
رواني is an adjective derived from the Arabic word روان ( روان ) and refers to the nature or condition of something being psychological or psychiatric. | |||
Arabic | نفسي | ||
The word "نفسي" in Arabic derives from the root "نفس" (self, soul), and thus has broader connotations of "inner" or "subjective". |
Albanian | psikologjike | ||
Albanian's “psikologjike” also means “mental,” or “of the mind” and is a loanword from the Ancient Greek “psychologikos. | |||
Basque | psikologikoa | ||
Psikologikoa literally means "of the soul" in Basque, from "psikolo" (soul) and the suffix "-koa" (of). | |||
Catalan | psicològic | ||
The word "psicològic" derives from the Greek "psychê," meaning "soul," and "logos," meaning "knowledge" or "study. | |||
Croatian | psihološki | ||
The word 'psihološki' derives from the Greek word 'psukhē', meaning 'soul', and 'logos', meaning 'study'. | |||
Danish | psykologisk | ||
The word 'psykologisk' also has the meaning of 'mental', which can refer to a person's emotional or cognitive state. | |||
Dutch | psychologisch | ||
In Dutch, "psychologisch" can also mean "mental" or "emotional". | |||
English | psychological | ||
The term 'psychological' derives from the Greek word 'psyche,' which refers not only to the 'mind' but also to the 'soul,' 'breath' and 'life-essence'. | |||
French | psychologique | ||
The word "psychologique" in French can also mean "mental" or "psychic". | |||
Frisian | psychologysk | ||
It derives from Ancient Greek (ψυχή, psukhē, "soul, mind, spirit") + λόγος, logos, "word, speech, study of"). | |||
Galician | psicolóxico | ||
O termo "psicológico" deriva do grego "psychê" (alma) e "logos" (estudo), ou seja, o estudo da alma ou da mente. | |||
German | psychologisch | ||
The German word "psychologisch" can also refer to the mental or emotional state of an individual. | |||
Icelandic | sálræn | ||
The word 'sálræn' is derived from the Old Norse word 'sál' meaning 'soul' or 'mind', and the suffix '-ræn' meaning 'pertaining to'. It is related to the English word 'psychology'. | |||
Irish | síceolaíoch | ||
The word "síceolaíoch" derives from the Greek terms "psykhe" (mind, soul) and "logos" (word, study), meaning "the study of the mind." | |||
Italian | psicologico | ||
The Italian word "psicologico" can also refer to something related to the mind or intellect. | |||
Luxembourgish | psychologescher | ||
Psychological in Luxembourgish, 'psychologescher', is derived from the Greek 'psyche', meaning 'mind' or 'soul' and 'logos', meaning 'study'. | |||
Maltese | psikoloġiku | ||
The word “psikoloġiku” originates from the Greek “psukhē” meaning “breath, soul, mind” and “logos” meaning “word, reason”. | |||
Norwegian | psykologisk | ||
In Norwegian, "psykologisk" can also refer to the study of the human mind or behavior. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | psicológico | ||
The word is derived from the Greek "psychology", which means "study of the soul or mind". | |||
Scots Gaelic | saidhgeòlasach | ||
The word "saidhgeòlasach" also refers to the branch of science dedicated to the mind in Gaelic. | |||
Spanish | psicológico | ||
Psicológico literally means 'of the soul' in Spanish, and can refer to mental states, moods, or emotions. | |||
Swedish | psykologisk | ||
The word "psykologisk" derives from Greek "psychê" (soul, mind) and "logos" (word, thought). | |||
Welsh | seicolegol | ||
Seicolegol', the Welsh word for 'psychological', derives from 'seicoleg', which in turn derives from Latin 'psycho-logia'. |
Belarusian | псіхалагічны | ||
The word 'псіхалагічны' is most often used in the sense of 'psychic', in addition to 'psychological' | |||
Bosnian | psihološki | ||
"Psihološki" is derived from the Greek word "psyche" meaning "soul" or "mind". | |||
Bulgarian | психологически | ||
The Bulgarian word "психологически" (psychological) comes from the Greek "ψυχή" (psyche, soul) and "λόγος" (logos, word, reason). | |||
Czech | psychologický | ||
The word "psychologický" can also mean "mentally ill" in Czech. | |||
Estonian | psühholoogiline | ||
The word "psühholoogiline" is derived from the Greek word "psyche", meaning "soul" or "mind", and "logos", meaning "word", "reason", or "study". | |||
Finnish | psykologinen | ||
The Finnish word "psykologinen" can also refer to the "science of the human soul". | |||
Hungarian | pszichológiai | ||
The word "pszichológiai" can also mean "relating to the soul" in Hungarian. | |||
Latvian | psiholoģisks | ||
In Latvian, 'psiholoģisks' also refers to the realm of the mind and consciousness. | |||
Lithuanian | psichologinis | ||
The word "psichologinis" derives from the Greek word "ψυχολογία" (psychologia), which means "the study of the mind" | |||
Macedonian | психолошки | ||
The word "психолошки" in Macedonian can also mean "mental" or "emotional". | |||
Polish | psychologiczny | ||
The word "psychologiczny" in Polish also refers to the study of the mind and behavior, similar to the English term "psychology". | |||
Romanian | psihologic | ||
In Romanian, "psihologic" can also mean "occult" or "related to the human psyche" | |||
Russian | психологический | ||
The Russian word "психологический" (psychological) comes from the Greek word "ψυχή" (psyche), meaning "mind" or "soul". | |||
Serbian | психолошки | ||
The root of the word "психолошки" is the Greek word "ψυχή" (psyche), meaning "breath, soul, mind". | |||
Slovak | psychologické | ||
The Czech and Slovak words "psychologický" and "psychologické" also have the meaning "mental", "pertaining to the mind". | |||
Slovenian | psihološki | ||
The Slovene word "psiholoski" originates from the Greek terms "psykhe" (soul) and "logos" (study), meaning the study of the soul. | |||
Ukrainian | психологічний | ||
}Психологічний" походить від грецького psyche, що означає "душа" або "розум", та logos, що означає "слово" або "навчання". Термін психологія вперше з'явився в XVI столітті, а його сучасне значення було встановлено у XVIII столітті. |
Bengali | মানসিক | ||
The word 'মানসিক' (psychological) comes from the Sanskrit word 'मानस' (mind) and also means 'mental' or 'pertaining to the mind'. | |||
Gujarati | માનસિક | ||
The Gujarati word "માનસિક" comes from the Sanskrit word "मानस" meaning "mind", and thus it is also sometimes used to refer to "mental" or "intellectual" matters. | |||
Hindi | मनोवैज्ञानिक | ||
"मनोवैज्ञानिक" (psychological) comes from the Greek words "psyche" (soul) and "logos" (study), implying the study of the soul or mind. | |||
Kannada | ಮಾನಸಿಕ | ||
"ಮಾನಸಿಕ" may also mean "of the mind", "mental", or "pertaining to intellect" in Kannada. | |||
Malayalam | മന psych ശാസ്ത്രപരമായ | ||
"മന psych ശാസ്ത്രപരമായ" means "psychological" but also has some other meanings, like the study of the human mind and behaviour. | |||
Marathi | मानसिक | ||
The literal meaning of 'मानसिक' is 'related to the mind', or 'belonging to the mind' | |||
Nepali | मनोवैज्ञानिक | ||
The word "मनोवैज्ञानिक" in Nepali comes from the Sanskrit word "मनोविज्ञान" (manovigyan), which means "science of the mind". | |||
Punjabi | ਮਨੋਵਿਗਿਆਨਕ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මානසික | ||
In Sinhala, "මානසික" can also refer to "mental" or "intellectual", highlighting its broader semantic range beyond just "psychological". | |||
Tamil | உளவியல் | ||
"உளவியல்" (psychological) in Tamil literally means "the study of the inner self," implying an introspective approach to psychology. | |||
Telugu | మానసిక | ||
"మానసిక" also means "mind" in Sanskrit, and is often used in a spiritual context to refer to the mental or spiritual state of a person. | |||
Urdu | نفسیاتی | ||
The term 'نفسیاتی' (psychological) shares its root with the Arabic word for 'soul' (نفس). |
Chinese (Simplified) | 心理 | ||
‘心理’可表示心理状态或心理活动,也可指心理学学科或心理诊疗 | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 心理 | ||
心理 is also used to describe the 'mind' or 'thinking' of a person. | |||
Japanese | 心理的 | ||
心理的 is also applied in describing a person or situation that is unstable and sensitive | |||
Korean | 심리적 | ||
심리적 can also mean 'perceptive, intuitive' or 'sensitive, touchy'. | |||
Mongolian | сэтгэл зүйн | ||
The word "сэтгэл зүйн" is derived from the Sanskrit word "citta", which means "mind" or "consciousness". | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | စိတ်ပိုင်းဆိုင်ရာ | ||
Indonesian | psikologis | ||
"Psikologis" is derived from the Greek word "psykhe" meaning "mind" and "logos" meaning "study of". | |||
Javanese | psikologis | ||
Kata 'psikologis' berasal dari kata Yunani 'psykhe' (jiwa) dan 'logos' (ilmu), sehingga secara harfiah berarti 'ilmu jiwa'. | |||
Khmer | ផ្លូវចិត្ត | ||
ផ្លូវចិត្ត is also used to refer to a person's thoughts and feelings, or their inner world. | |||
Lao | ທາງຈິດໃຈ | ||
Malay | psikologi | ||
The term 'psikologi' is derived from the Greek word 'psyche', meaning 'soul' or 'mind'. | |||
Thai | ทางจิตวิทยา | ||
The word "way" can also refer to a "route" in Thai, or figuratively to one's "way of life" or "path." | |||
Vietnamese | tâm lý | ||
The word "tâm lý" in Vietnamese can also mean "mentality" or "attitude". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | sikolohikal | ||
Azerbaijani | psixoloji | ||
Psixoloji (Azerbaijani) originates from the Greek word "psyche," meaning "soul" or "mind," and "logos," meaning "study" or "knowledge." | |||
Kazakh | психологиялық | ||
The word "психологиялық" in Kazakh can also refer to "mental" or "intellectual" processes or characteristics. | |||
Kyrgyz | психологиялык | ||
The Kyrgyz word "психологиялык" is derived from the Greek word "ψυχολογία" meaning "study of the mind or soul". | |||
Tajik | равонӣ | ||
The word "равонӣ" originates from the Persian word "روان" meaning "soul, spirit, or mind". | |||
Turkmen | psihologiki | ||
Uzbek | psixologik | ||
The Uzbek word "psixologik" comes from the Greek word "psykhē," meaning "soul," and the suffix "-logia," meaning "study." | |||
Uyghur | پىسخىكا | ||
Hawaiian | kālaimeaola | ||
The term 'kālaimeaola' in Hawaiian denotes the study of psychology or the mind's functioning. | |||
Maori | hinengaro | ||
One literal translation of "hinengaro" is "the sitting place of the thought or desire" | |||
Samoan | mafaufau | ||
In Samoan, 'mafaufau' can also refer to the mind or consciousness. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | sikolohikal | ||
The Tagalog word "sikolohikal" (psychological) comes from the Greek word "psyche" (soul or mind) and the suffix "-ikos" (pertaining to or belonging to). |
Aymara | psicológico ukat juk’ampinaka | ||
Guarani | psicológico rehegua | ||
Esperanto | psikologia | ||
Latin | animi | ||
The Latin word "animi" can also mean "spirit", "courage", or "passion". |
Greek | ψυχολογικός | ||
Ψυχολογικός is derived from the Greek roots 'ψυχή' (soul) and 'λόγος' (word, reason), indicating a focus on the mind and its workings. | |||
Hmong | puas hawv | ||
Puas hawv means 'psychological' in Hmong; however, it may also refer to something that is 'difficult to understand' or 'not clear'. | |||
Kurdish | psîkî | ||
Kurdish word "psîkî" ultimately comes from Greek "ψυχικός" (psychikos), meaning "of the soul" or "mental". | |||
Turkish | psikolojik | ||
The word "psikolojik" in Turkish can also mean "mental" or "emotional". | |||
Xhosa | ngokwengqondo | ||
The term 'ngokwengqondo' can also mean 'mind' or 'spirit' in Xhosa. | |||
Yiddish | פסיכאלאגיש | ||
The Yiddish word "פסיכאלאגיש" can also mean "crazy" or "out of one's mind". | |||
Zulu | ngokwengqondo | ||
The root word 'ngqondo' means 'mind', and the prefix 'ngo-' makes the word refer to 'psychology'. | |||
Assamese | মানসিক | ||
Aymara | psicológico ukat juk’ampinaka | ||
Bhojpuri | मनोवैज्ञानिक बा | ||
Dhivehi | ނަފްސާނީ ގޮތުންނެވެ | ||
Dogri | मनोवैज्ञानिक | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | sikolohikal | ||
Guarani | psicológico rehegua | ||
Ilocano | sikolohikal nga | ||
Krio | saykolojik | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | دەروونی | ||
Maithili | मनोवैज्ञानिक | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯥꯏꯀꯣꯂꯣꯖꯤꯀꯦꯜ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
Mizo | rilru lam thil a ni | ||
Oromo | saayikoloojii | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ମାନସିକ | ||
Quechua | psicológico nisqa | ||
Sanskrit | मनोवैज्ञानिक | ||
Tatar | психологик | ||
Tigrinya | ስነ-ኣእምሮኣዊ | ||
Tsonga | swa ntivo-miehleketo | ||