Quiet in Different Languages
Discover 'Quiet' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'quiet' holds a profound significance in our daily lives, offering a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of our hectic world. It represents tranquility, peace, and the opportunity to reflect, learn, and grow. Culturally, quiet moments are often associated with mindfulness, meditation, and spiritual connection. The ability to appreciate quiet can also signify emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'quiet' in different languages can provide fascinating insights into how various cultures perceive and value silence. For instance, the Spanish 'silencio' and the French 'silence' not only share similarities with their English counterpart but also reflect the Romance language roots.
As you delve deeper into the world of language and culture, you may find it intriguing to learn that some languages have unique ways of expressing quietude. For example, in Japanese, 'shizukana' (しずかな) is used to convey a soothing, calm quiet, while 'mimi o sumasu' (耳をすます) signifies listening carefully.
Discover the beauty of quiet in various languages through our comprehensive list below:
Quiet
Quiet in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | stil | ||
| The word "stil" in Afrikaans is cognate with the English word "still" and also means "without movement" or "motionless". | |||
| Amharic | ጸጥ ያለ | ||
| The Amharic word ጸጥ ያለ also means "mute" or "dumb". | |||
| Hausa | shiru | ||
| In the Zazzau dialect, the word "shiru" also refers to a type of soup. | |||
| Igbo | juu | ||
| The word 'juu' in Igbo can also mean 'still, calm, serene, peaceful, or gentle'. | |||
| Malagasy | mangina | ||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chete | ||
| The word 'chete' can also be used to mean 'stay' or 'remain' in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | nyarara | ||
| The word "nyarara" which means "quiet" in Shona also refers to a type of bird believed to be associated with magic. | |||
| Somali | xasilloon | ||
| The word "xasilloon" in Somali can also refer to a type of tree with aromatic leaves. | |||
| Sesotho | khutsa | ||
| The word "khutsa" can also mean "still" or "motionless" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | kimya | ||
| "Kimya" can also mean "calm" or "tranquil" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | cwaka | ||
| The word "cwaka" in Xhosa means "quiet," but is also used to indicate that something is hidden or secret. | |||
| Yoruba | idakẹjẹ | ||
| "Idakẹjẹ" also means a "secret meeting" or "secret assembly" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | athule | ||
| "Athule" also denotes a calm or composed nature in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | mumalen | ||
| Ewe | zi ɖoɖoe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ceceka | ||
| Lingala | kimya | ||
| Luganda | okusirika | ||
| Sepedi | setu | ||
| Twi (Akan) | dinn | ||
Quiet in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | هادئ | ||
| The word "هادئ" is derived from the Arabic root "هدأ" which also means "to settle down" or "to become calm". | |||
| Hebrew | שֶׁקֶט | ||
| The Hebrew word "שֶׁקֶט" derives from the root שׁ.ק.ט, which also means "to lie down" or "to dwell in a place." | |||
| Pashto | غلی | ||
| The Pashto word "غلی" (ghale) is possibly derived from Proto-Indo-European *gʰel- meaning "bright, shining". | |||
| Arabic | هادئ | ||
| The word "هادئ" is derived from the Arabic root "هدأ" which also means "to settle down" or "to become calm". | |||
Quiet in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i qetë | ||
| The word "i qetë" derives from the Proto-Albanian "qet" (to rest), cognate with Greek "κεῖμαι" (to lie down). | |||
| Basque | lasai | ||
| The word **lasai** originates from the proto-Basque word *laso(i)*, a synonym of peace. | |||
| Catalan | tranquil | ||
| The word "tranquil" in Catalan comes from the Latin word "tranquillitas," which means "calmness" or "serenity." | |||
| Croatian | miran | ||
| The term "miran" can also be interpreted as "peaceful" or "calm" in the context of emotional or spiritual states. | |||
| Danish | rolige | ||
| The word "rolige" comes from the Old Norse word "róligr", meaning "peaceful" or "calm". | |||
| Dutch | rustig | ||
| Rustig can also mean 'rusty' in Dutch, which is related to its origin in the Middle Dutch word 'roest' meaning 'rust'. | |||
| English | quiet | ||
| The word 'quiet' is derived from the Latin word 'quietus', meaning 'at rest' or 'peaceful'. | |||
| French | silencieux | ||
| "Silencieux" is also a French noun meaning "muffler" (on a vehicle). | |||
| Frisian | stil | ||
| The word "stil" can also mean "softly" or "gently". | |||
| Galician | tranquilo | ||
| The Galician "tranquilo" also refers to a state of calm, serenity, relaxation or well-being, similar to its meaning in Portuguese.} | |||
| German | ruhig | ||
| In German, the word "ruhig" not only means peaceful but also a "moving slowly" or "at rest." | |||
| Icelandic | rólegur | ||
| The Icelandic word "rólegur" can also refer to a person who is calm or serene. | |||
| Irish | ciúin | ||
| The Middle Irish word 'ciún' means 'tranquil' and is the root of the surname Sheehan. | |||
| Italian | silenzioso | ||
| 'Silenzioso' (quiet) can also mean 'soft' or 'discreet' in Italian. | |||
| Luxembourgish | roueg | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "roueg" can also refer to a sheltered place or a recess | |||
| Maltese | kwiet | ||
| Maltese word "kwiet" is derived from Arabic "khāwi", meaning "empty" or "unoccupied". | |||
| Norwegian | stille | ||
| The Norwegian word "stille" also has alternate meanings, including "motionless", "calm", and "peaceful". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | quieto | ||
| "Quieto" can also mean "stopped" or "unmoving" in Portuguese. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | sàmhach | ||
| In addition to meaning "quiet," "sàmhach" can also mean "lonely," "gloomy," or "still." | |||
| Spanish | tranquilo | ||
| "Tranquilo" also means "calm" or "peaceful" in Spanish, derived from the Latin "tranquillus" with the same meanings. | |||
| Swedish | tyst | ||
| The word "tyst" in Swedish is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "þustaz", meaning "silent". | |||
| Welsh | tawel | ||
| Tawel may also refer to 'length' or 'duration' in the context of time or space. | |||
Quiet in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | ціха | ||
| "Ціха" is also related to the word "ціхінька", which means "very quietly" or "gently". | |||
| Bosnian | tiho | ||
| The word "tiho" in Bosnian is also used to describe someone who is shy or reserved. | |||
| Bulgarian | тихо | ||
| The word тихо may also mean "slowly" or "gently". | |||
| Czech | klid | ||
| The word "klid" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "*klidъ" meaning "peace" or "harmony." | |||
| Estonian | vaikne | ||
| In ancient Estonian, "vaik" referred to darkness and silence, hence "vaikne (quiet)" shares its root with "vaikus (silence)" and "vaigistama (to silence)". | |||
| Finnish | hiljainen | ||
| The word "hiljainen" is cognate with the Estonian word "hiline", meaning "late". | |||
| Hungarian | csendes | ||
| The word "csendes" can alternately refer to a "gentle" or "calm" state of mind or behavior. | |||
| Latvian | kluss | ||
| "Klusa" is cognate with "глухой" in Russian, meaning deaf or dumb, and "klusi" in Proto-Slavic, meaning the same. | |||
| Lithuanian | tylu | ||
| "Tylu" in Lithuanian also means "slow" or "lazy". | |||
| Macedonian | тивко | ||
| The word "тивко" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *tixъ, which also means "hidden" or "secret". | |||
| Polish | cichy | ||
| "Cichy" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*tixъ", which meant "silent", "hidden", or "dark", and is related to the Russian word "tixij" ("quiet"). | |||
| Romanian | liniște | ||
| "Linişte" has the same etymology as "lin" (flax) and refers to the absence of noise or interruption, just as flax is seen as a symbol of peace and tranquility. | |||
| Russian | тихий | ||
| The word "тихий" can also refer to a gentle or calm nature, or to a person who is not talkative or assertive. | |||
| Serbian | тихо | ||
| In Serbian, the word "тихо" can also mean "calmly" or "in secret." | |||
| Slovak | ticho | ||
| In some dialects, ticho can also mean 'slowly' or 'cautiously'. | |||
| Slovenian | tih | ||
| The word "tih" can also mean "gentle" or "soft". | |||
| Ukrainian | тихо | ||
| "Тихо" comes from the same root as "таять" (to melt) and can refer to the absence of sound, movement, or disturbance. | |||
Quiet in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | শান্ত | ||
| In Bengali, "শান্ত" (shanto) also signifies composure, tranquility, calmness, and serenity, reflecting a deeper sense of internal peace and well-being. | |||
| Gujarati | શાંત | ||
| Etymology uncertain, with some suggestions that it may be related to the Tamil word 'sathiyam' (silence) or the Sanskrit word 'shamanta' (gentle), while others suggest it's a derivative of the Sanskrit word 'shaanti' (tranquility). | |||
| Hindi | चुप | ||
| The word "चुप" in Hindi is also used as an interjection to express surprise or astonishment. | |||
| Kannada | ಸ್ತಬ್ಧ | ||
| The word 'ಸ್ತಬ್ಧ' (stabdhdha) has alternate meanings including 'still,' 'fixed,' or 'unmoving' | |||
| Malayalam | ശാന്തം | ||
| ശാന്തം also means "well-being," "happiness," or "peace," and derives from the Sanskrit "śānta" ("calm, composed"). | |||
| Marathi | शांत | ||
| The word "शांत" can also mean "calm" or "peaceful" in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | शान्त | ||
| The word "शान्त" also means "peace" in Sanskrit, the language from which Nepali originated. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸ਼ਾਂਤ | ||
| The word "ਸ਼ਾਂਤ" is derived from Sanskrit and also means "serene" or "peaceful". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නිහ .යි | ||
| The Sinhala word "නිහ .යි" is ultimately derived from Sanskrit "niḥśabda" which literally translates to "without noise". | |||
| Tamil | அமைதியான | ||
| The word "அமைதியான" is also used to describe someone who is peaceful or calm. | |||
| Telugu | నిశ్శబ్ద | ||
| The word "నిశ్శబ్ద" comes from the Sanskrit word "निःशब्द" which literally means "without sound" or "silent". It can also refer to a state of mind or being in which there is no mental activity or disturbance. | |||
| Urdu | خاموش | ||
| The word 'خاموش' is derived from the Persian word 'خاموشیدن' meaning 'to become quiet' or 'to be silent'. | |||
Quiet in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 安静 | ||
| 安静 can also refer to solitude, loneliness or calmness. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 安靜 | ||
| The word "安靜" can also mean "at rest" or "still", referring to the absence of movement or disturbance. | |||
| Japanese | 静か | ||
| 静か is also used to describe the absence of activity, such as a quiet room or a quiet night. | |||
| Korean | 조용한 | ||
| 조용한 originally meant 'to be still' and was used to describe a state of peace or tranquility. | |||
| Mongolian | нам гүм | ||
| The word "нам гүм" can also mean "to calm down" or "to fall asleep" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တိတ်ဆိတ် | ||
Quiet in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | diam | ||
| "Diam" can also refer to "calm" or "silent" and is derived from the Old Javanese word "dhem" meaning "silent". | |||
| Javanese | sepi | ||
| In some areas, especially Surakarta, "sepi" also refers to a lack of activity. | |||
| Khmer | ស្ងាត់ | ||
| The word 'ស្ងាត់' ('quiet') also means 'calm', 'still', and 'serene' depending on the context. | |||
| Lao | ງຽບ | ||
| In Lao, the word ງຽບ (quiet) also means calm, peaceful, and serene. | |||
| Malay | senyap | ||
| "Senyap" also means "peace" or "tranquility." | |||
| Thai | เงียบ | ||
| The word "เงียบ" (quiet) in Thai also has the alternate meaning of "calm", "still", or "peaceful". | |||
| Vietnamese | yên tĩnh | ||
| "Yên tĩnh" (quiet) is derived from the Chinese character 晏 (yàn, "peaceful, tranquil"), meaning "tranquil, quiet, serene." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tahimik | ||
Quiet in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | sakit | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "sakit" also means "deaf" or "mute" in Persian. | |||
| Kazakh | тыныш | ||
| 'Тыныш' is also a homonym with the word meaning 'breath' in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | тынч | ||
| The word "тынч" also means peace, rest or tranquility. | |||
| Tajik | ором | ||
| The word "ором" can also be an adverb, similar to "quietly" or "gently". | |||
| Turkmen | ümsüm | ||
| Uzbek | tinch | ||
| The word tinch also means “peace” like in "Ushbu tinch va osudalik muhit... ("... This peace and quiet... ") (Oybek) | |||
| Uyghur | جىمجىت | ||
Quiet in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | malie | ||
| The word "malie" also means "soft, gentle, easygoing, peaceful, or calm" in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | ata noho | ||
| The word 'ata noho' is also used in Maori to refer to a calm or peaceful feeling, and to describe someone who is relaxed or at ease. | |||
| Samoan | filemu | ||
| Filemu is also used to describe a peaceful, contented, or untroubled state of mind. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tahimik | ||
| The word 'tahimik' also means 'peaceful' in Tagalog. | |||
Quiet in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | aliqakiña | ||
| Guarani | py'aguapy | ||
Quiet in International Languages
| Esperanto | trankvila | ||
| Tranquila derives from Latin "tranquillus" ("calm, quiet"), hence its spelling with "k". Its root, "tranqs", appears in Spanish "tranquilo" and French "tranquille" too. | |||
| Latin | quiescis | ||
| The verb "quiescis" can also mean "to be idle", "to be inactive", or "to be at rest". | |||
Quiet in Others Languages
| Greek | ησυχια | ||
| In ancient Greek, 'ησυχια' could also refer to a sacred sanctuary or a state of tranquility, often associated with the gods. | |||
| Hmong | nyob ntsiag to | ||
| "Nyob ntsiag to" is an idiom used to describe someone who is quiet or reserved. | |||
| Kurdish | rehet | ||
| The word "rehet" in Kurdish has cognates in other Iranian languages such as Persian "rahat" and Pashto "rehat". | |||
| Turkish | sessiz | ||
| The word "sessiz" comes from the Persian word "sukut", which means "silence" or "calm". | |||
| Xhosa | cwaka | ||
| The word "cwaka" in Xhosa means "quiet," but is also used to indicate that something is hidden or secret. | |||
| Yiddish | שטיל | ||
| The Yiddish word "שטיל" also means "still" in the sense of "not moving," as in "the water stood still"} | |||
| Zulu | athule | ||
| "Athule" also denotes a calm or composed nature in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | নীৰৱ | ||
| Aymara | aliqakiña | ||
| Bhojpuri | शांत | ||
| Dhivehi | އަޑުމަޑު | ||
| Dogri | खमोश | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tahimik | ||
| Guarani | py'aguapy | ||
| Ilocano | naulimek | ||
| Krio | kwayɛt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | هێمن | ||
| Maithili | शांत | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯇꯨꯃꯤꯟꯅꯥ ꯂꯩꯕ | ||
| Mizo | reh | ||
| Oromo | callisaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଶାନ୍ତ | ||
| Quechua | hawka | ||
| Sanskrit | शांतिम् | ||
| Tatar | тыныч | ||
| Tigrinya | ፀጥ ዝበለ | ||
| Tsonga | miyela | ||