Reading in Different Languages
Discover 'Reading' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Reading is an incredibly significant and culturally important activity, as it allows us to access a world of knowledge, ideas, and stories. Through reading, we can learn about different cultures, perspectives, and ways of life, all from the comfort of our own homes. Moreover, reading has been shown to have numerous cognitive and emotional benefits, such as improving memory, empathy, and critical thinking skills.
Given the importance of reading, it's no wonder that people around the world are interested in learning how to say this word in different languages. After all, being able to communicate about reading in another language can help build connections, foster understanding, and create a sense of community.
Here are just a few examples of how to say 'reading' in various languages:
- Spanish: lectura
- French: lecture
- German: Lesen
- Mandarin Chinese: 读书 (dúshū)
- Japanese: 読む (yomu)
- Arabic: قراءة (qirāʾah)
Whether you're a language learner, a bookworm, or simply curious about the world around you, exploring the many translations of 'reading' can be a fun and enlightening way to deepen your understanding of different cultures and expand your horizons.
Reading
Reading in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | lees | ||
| The Afrikaans word "lees" has its origins in the Dutch word "lees," which means "reading," and also shares the same root as the English word "lesson." | |||
| Amharic | ንባብ | ||
| In some contexts, the Amharic word "ንባብ" also translates to "study" or "lecture." | |||
| Hausa | karatu | ||
| In Hausa, "karatu" can refer to both "reading" and "the reading of the Quran." | |||
| Igbo | ogugu | ||
| The Igbo word 'ogugu' can also mean 'knowledge' or 'understanding'. | |||
| Malagasy | famakiana | ||
| The Malagasy word "Famakiana" also means "storytelling" and is derived from the Arabic word "maqāma". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuwerenga | ||
| Kuwerenga may also mean to study, understand, or comprehend something. | |||
| Shona | kuverenga | ||
| Kuverenga in Shona also means 'to interpret' or 'to understand' | |||
| Somali | aqrinta | ||
| Aqrinta may come from the Proto-Cushitic root *qan- meaning "to count" or the Somali word "qoraal" which means "writing". | |||
| Sesotho | ho bala | ||
| In some African languages, 'ho bala' also means 'to understand' or 'to know'. | |||
| Swahili | kusoma | ||
| The word 'kusoma' can also mean 'to educate' or 'to learn'. | |||
| Xhosa | kufundwa | ||
| In Xhosa, 'kufundwa,' meaning 'reading,' is also used for 'study' or 'being taught,' indicating its broader use beyond simply the act of reading words. | |||
| Yoruba | kika | ||
| The word 'kika' can also be used to refer to the process of learning or studying. | |||
| Zulu | kuyafundwa | ||
| The word 'kuyafundwa' is derived from the verb 'funda', meaning 'to learn', and can also refer to the act of 'studying' or 'acquiring knowledge'. | |||
| Bambara | gafekalan | ||
| Ewe | nuxexlẽ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gusoma | ||
| Lingala | kotanga | ||
| Luganda | okusoma | ||
| Sepedi | go bala | ||
| Twi (Akan) | akenkan | ||
Reading in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | قراءة | ||
| The word "قراءة" comes from the root "قرأ" meaning "to collect" and implies the idea of gathering and understanding information. | |||
| Hebrew | קריאה | ||
| Despite its primary meaning as 'reading,' the Hebrew word 'קריאה' also denotes divine proclamations and summoning. | |||
| Pashto | لوستل | ||
| "لوستل" may also refer to a "lesson" or "scripture". | |||
| Arabic | قراءة | ||
| The word "قراءة" comes from the root "قرأ" meaning "to collect" and implies the idea of gathering and understanding information. | |||
Reading in Western European Languages
| Albanian | leximi | ||
| The Albanian word "leximi" is derived from the Greek word "lexis" (λέξις), which means "word" or "speech". | |||
| Basque | irakurtzen | ||
| In Basque mythology, the goddess Iratxoa, which means 'reading', is associated with snakes, magic and witchcraft | |||
| Catalan | lectura | ||
| Despite its apparent meaning, the term "lectura" in Catalan can also refer to a public speech. | |||
| Croatian | čitanje | ||
| The Croatian word "čitanje" derives from the verb "čitati" which, in addition to "reading" can also mean "collecting" or "picking". | |||
| Danish | læsning | ||
| The Danish word 'læsning' shares the same origin as the English 'lesson' but has a broader meaning, encompassing all forms of reading. | |||
| Dutch | lezing | ||
| Did you know that the Dutch word "lezing" can also mean a "lecture" in English? | |||
| English | reading | ||
| The verb “to read” comes from the Old English word “rædan,” meaning “to interpret.” | |||
| French | en train de lire | ||
| The French phrase "en train de lire" can also be used figuratively to mean "engaged in," as in "Il est en train de lire son avenir" ("He is busy plotting his future"). | |||
| Frisian | lêzing | ||
| The word 'lêzing' also means 'lecture' in Frisian, deriving from the Dutch word 'lezing' with the same meaning. | |||
| Galician | lectura | ||
| Lectura in Galician can also mean 'auction' or 'bid' | |||
| German | lesen | ||
| The word "lesen" in German can also mean "to pick" or "to gather". | |||
| Icelandic | lestur | ||
| The Icelandic word "lestur" also means "lesson" and is related to the Latin word "lectio," meaning "reading aloud". | |||
| Irish | ag léamh | ||
| The word “ag léamh” (“reading”) can also mean “perusing” or “studying” in Irish. | |||
| Italian | lettura | ||
| "Lettura" is not only a noun meaning "reading," but it can also be a verb, meaning either "allow" or, in the subjunctive, "must," "should," or "could." | |||
| Luxembourgish | liesen | ||
| German "lesen" meaning "liesen", as well as French "lesion" (injury), are derivates from Latin "laesion" (hurt) | |||
| Maltese | qari | ||
| The word "qari" can also refer to a person who recites the Qur'an in a mosque. | |||
| Norwegian | lesning | ||
| The Norwegian word lesning is a cognate with 'lesson' in English; both derive from a Proto-Germanic term which likely meant 'gathering'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | lendo | ||
| The word "lendo" in Portuguese also means "slow": "o carro estava lendo" (the car was slow). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | leughadh | ||
| The word "leughadh" comes from the Old Irish word "legad", meaning "to read" or "to recite," and is related to the Welsh word "darllen" and the Breton word "lenn." | |||
| Spanish | leyendo | ||
| Leyendo derives from the Latin 'legere', which also means 'to gather' or 'to read aloud'. | |||
| Swedish | läsning | ||
| The word "läsning" also means "lecture" in Swedish, likely derived from the Old Norse word "lesa" meaning "to gather" or "to pick up". | |||
| Welsh | darllen | ||
| The Welsh word "darllen" also means "to understand" or "to interpret". | |||
Reading in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | чытанне | ||
| Bosnian | čitanje | ||
| The word "čitanje" also refers to a collection of folklore songs and tales, often sung during gatherings or while working. | |||
| Bulgarian | четене | ||
| "Четене" can be either to "read" or to "count" — an archaism that is most often used in the expressions "чети да видиш" ("read to see") or "чети кога щеш" ("count whenever you want"). | |||
| Czech | čtení | ||
| The word "čtení" (reading) also means "lessons" or "recitation" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | lugemine | ||
| "Lugeda" also means "to count" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | käsittelyssä | ||
| In Finnish, käsittelyssä means 'being read,' while käsittely can mean 'process' and käsitteleminen means 'editing' or 'handling' | |||
| Hungarian | olvasás | ||
| The Hungarian word "olvasás" also relates to the activity of melting butter into other food and it originates from the Slavic term "olivati". | |||
| Latvian | lasīšana | ||
| Latvian verb 'lasīt' was formed from 'lāsis' (drop), 'lāšēt' (to drip), referring to the archaic tradition of carving runes into wooden sticks | |||
| Lithuanian | skaitymas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "skaitymas" also has the alternate meaning of "counting". | |||
| Macedonian | читање | ||
| The verb читање (reading) in Macedonian is also used in the context of "listening" in the sense of "listening to" or "perceiving" something with one's senses. | |||
| Polish | czytanie | ||
| Polish "czytanie" comes from the verb "czytać" and means the act of deciphering or understanding written words or signs | |||
| Romanian | citind | ||
| The Romanian word 'citire' ('reading') comes from the Latin verb 'citō' meaning 'I arouse', 'I set in motion', 'I evoke'. | |||
| Russian | чтение | ||
| The word «чтение» can also mean «lecture» or «religious service» in Russia, and is a cognate of the English word «chant». | |||
| Serbian | читање | ||
| The word "читање" derives from the Proto-Slavic root *kit-, which also means "to gather" or "to collect." | |||
| Slovak | čítanie | ||
| Slovak "čítanie" originally meant "act of reciting something aloud, recitation" related to "čítanie", "reading aloud". | |||
| Slovenian | branje | ||
| Branje is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *brati, meaning 'to pick' or 'to gather'. | |||
| Ukrainian | читання | ||
| The Ukrainian word "читання" can also refer to public lectures or presentations of literary works. | |||
Reading in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পড়া | ||
| The Bengali word "পড়া" derives from the Sanskrit verb "प्राड्" (prāḍ), meaning "to obtain, acquire". | |||
| Gujarati | વાંચન | ||
| In Gujarati, "વાંચન" can also refer to "study" or "learning." | |||
| Hindi | पढ़ना | ||
| The word "पढ़ना" also means "to study" or "to learn". | |||
| Kannada | ಓದುವಿಕೆ | ||
| The term 'ಓದುವಿಕೆ' can also be used in a metaphorical sense to mean 'perusal' or 'inspection'. | |||
| Malayalam | വായന | ||
| In Malayalam, 'വായന' not only refers to 'reading' but also to 'recitation', highlighting the oral tradition of sharing knowledge in the region. | |||
| Marathi | वाचन | ||
| वाचन (vachan) also refers to a form of classical Indian music that involves recitation. | |||
| Nepali | पढ्दै | ||
| The Nepali word "पढ्दै" (reading) originates from the Sanskrit root "पठ्" (to recite or read) and is also used to express the act of studying or learning. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪੜ੍ਹਨਾ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කියවීම | ||
| In Sinhala, the word "කියවීම" can also mean "explanation" or "interpretation". | |||
| Tamil | வாசிப்பு | ||
| வாசிப்பு is related to the word வாசல் (door) and refers to the act of entering into a new world through words. | |||
| Telugu | పఠనం | ||
| పఠనం (reading) comes from the Sanskrit word 'पाठन' (lesson) and also refers to public discourse in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | پڑھنا | ||
| The word "پڑھنا" also means "to understand" or "to comprehend" in Urdu. | |||
Reading in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 读 | ||
| "读" has two meanings: read or understand something | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 閱讀 | ||
| In Classical Chinese, "閱讀" means "perusing; browsing literature." | |||
| Japanese | 読書 | ||
| Derived from Chinese, 読書 originally meant to "study the Confucian classics" | |||
| Korean | 독서 | ||
| The word "독서" can also mean "studying" or "learning". | |||
| Mongolian | унших | ||
| 'Унших' is also the Mongolian word for 'to perceive' or 'to understand'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စာဖတ်ခြင်း | ||
Reading in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bacaan | ||
| Bacaan is derived from the Sanskrit word "vācana" meaning "speech, recitation, or reading." | |||
| Javanese | maca | ||
| Despite its association with reading, "maca" in Javanese can also refer to the action of "taking" or "grasping" an object. | |||
| Khmer | អាន | ||
| The word "អាន" also means "to study" or "to learn" in Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ການອ່ານ | ||
| Malay | membaca | ||
| In the Minangkabau language, "membaca" also means "to study" or "to learn." | |||
| Thai | การอ่าน | ||
| In Thai, "การอ่าน" can also mean "studying" or "reciting". | |||
| Vietnamese | đọc hiểu | ||
| The word "đọc hiểu" in Vietnamese is a compound word derived from the words "đọc" (read) and "hiểu" (understand). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pagbabasa | ||
Reading in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | oxu | ||
| The word "oxu" also means "to guess" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | оқу | ||
| "Оқу" can also mean "to study" and "to learn." | |||
| Kyrgyz | окуу | ||
| "Окуу" also means "teaching" in Kyrgyz, suggesting its multifaceted role in education. | |||
| Tajik | хондан | ||
| In Tajiki, the word "хондан" (xondan) can also mean "singing" or "reciting poetry". | |||
| Turkmen | okamak | ||
| Uzbek | o'qish | ||
| In Uzbek, "o'qish" also means "studying" or "learning". | |||
| Uyghur | ئوقۇش | ||
Reading in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | heluhelu ana | ||
| Heluhelu ana may also refer to the Hawaiian custom of memorization and reciting texts, which were often sacred chants or genealogies. | |||
| Maori | panui | ||
| The word 'panui' in Māori refers to reading, but also to written notices or proclamations | |||
| Samoan | faitauga | ||
| The etymology of "faitauga" is not fully agreed upon, but some believe it may derive from the Proto-Polynesian word *fakatonga*, meaning "to speak or call out". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | nagbabasa | ||
| The word "nagbabasa" can also mean "reading" in a figurative sense, such as "studying" or "learning." | |||
Reading in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ullaña | ||
| Guarani | moñe'ẽrã | ||
Reading in International Languages
| Esperanto | legado | ||
| The Esperanto word "legado" also means "legacy" in English. | |||
| Latin | lectio | ||
| In classical Latin, "lectio" also referred to a lecture and in Vulgar Latin an official or liturgical text. | |||
Reading in Others Languages
| Greek | αναγνωση | ||
| The Greek word "ανάγνωση" (anagnosē), commonly translated as "reading," originally meant "to recognize," "to acknowledge," or "to call back to mind."} | |||
| Hmong | kev nyeem | ||
| The word 'kev nyeem' in Hmong can also refer to studying or learning something more broadly. | |||
| Kurdish | xwendinî | ||
| "Xwendinî" in Kurdish can also refer to a gathering of people for storytelling or poetry reading. | |||
| Turkish | okuma | ||
| Okuma in Turkish also refers to a method of fortune telling using coffee grounds. | |||
| Xhosa | kufundwa | ||
| In Xhosa, 'kufundwa,' meaning 'reading,' is also used for 'study' or 'being taught,' indicating its broader use beyond simply the act of reading words. | |||
| Yiddish | לייענען | ||
| The word 'לייענען' ('reading') in Yiddish also means 'to study' or 'to look at carefully'. | |||
| Zulu | kuyafundwa | ||
| The word 'kuyafundwa' is derived from the verb 'funda', meaning 'to learn', and can also refer to the act of 'studying' or 'acquiring knowledge'. | |||
| Assamese | পঢ়ি থকা | ||
| Aymara | ullaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | पढ़ल रहल बानी | ||
| Dhivehi | ކިޔުން | ||
| Dogri | पढ़ाई | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pagbabasa | ||
| Guarani | moñe'ẽrã | ||
| Ilocano | panagbasa | ||
| Krio | ridin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | خوێندنەوە | ||
| Maithili | अध्ययन | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯥꯔꯤꯕ | ||
| Mizo | chhiar | ||
| Oromo | dubbisuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପ reading ିବା | ||
| Quechua | ñawinchay | ||
| Sanskrit | पठन | ||
| Tatar | уку | ||
| Tigrinya | ምንባብ | ||
| Tsonga | ku hlaya | ||
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