Reform in Different Languages
Discover 'Reform' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Reform, a simple word that carries immense significance. It represents the process of improving, altering, or changing something for the better. Throughout history, reform has been a catalyst for cultural evolution, shaping societies and impacting lives. From political reforms that have redefined nations to social reforms that have uplifted marginalized communities, this concept has been a cornerstone of progress.
But what happens when we take this powerful term and translate it into different languages? The meaning remains, but the cultural nuances add depth and dimension. For instance, in Spanish, 'reforma' not only means reform but also refers to a remodeling or renovation. In German, 'Reform' carries a sense of religious reformation, reflecting its historical context. In Japanese, 'reform' is '改革 (kaikaku),' a term that embodies the spirit of innovation and transformation.
Join us as we delve into the translations of 'reform' in various languages, offering a glimpse into the cultural importance of this term around the world.
Reform
Reform in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hervorming | ||
| In Dutch, "hervorming" refers to a form of Calvinist Protestantism, while in Afrikaans it means reform. | |||
| Amharic | ማሻሻያ | ||
| The word 'ማሻሻያ' (reform) comes from the Semitic root 'š-h-h', meaning 'to improve', 'to correct', or 'to change for the better'. | |||
| Hausa | gyara | ||
| The word 'gyara' has cognates in other Chadic languages, such as the Kanuri word 'gárà' which means 'to mend' or 'to repair'. | |||
| Igbo | mgbanwe | ||
| The word 'mgbanwe' also means 'transformation' in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | fanavaozana | ||
| The word FANAVAOZANA, which means "reformation," has its roots in the word VAVA, meaning "transformation." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kukonzanso | ||
| The term was borrowed from English through Zulu where it is also pronounced differently (ifokunzi) | |||
| Shona | kugadzirisa | ||
| Somali | dib u habaynta | ||
| The word "dib u habaynta" is derived from the Arabic word "إصلاح" (iṣlāḥ), which means "to improve" or "to change for the better." | |||
| Sesotho | phetoho | ||
| The word "phetoho" in Sesotho can also mean "to change" or "to improve". | |||
| Swahili | mageuzi | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "reform", "mageuzi" can also refer to "reformation" or "reconstruction" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | uhlaziyo | ||
| The term "Uhlaziyo" in Xhosa originates from the word "hlaza," meaning "to change" or "to renew." | |||
| Yoruba | atunṣe | ||
| "Atunṣe" is also the name of a traditional Yoruba music and dance. | |||
| Zulu | izinguquko | ||
| The Zulu word "izinguquko" is thought to derive from "ukuguquka," meaning "to change" or "to transform." | |||
| Bambara | bεnkansεbεn | ||
| Ewe | ɖɔɖɔɖowɔwɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ivugurura | ||
| Lingala | mbongwana | ||
| Luganda | ennongoosereza | ||
| Sepedi | mpshafatšo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nsakrae a wɔbɛyɛ | ||
Reform in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | اعادة تشكيل | ||
| The Arabic word "إعادة تشكيل" (reform) can have alternate meanings such as "reformation", "remodeling", or "reorganization" depending on its context. | |||
| Hebrew | רֵפוֹרמָה | ||
| The Hebrew word "רֵפוֹרמָה" (reform) comes from the Latin word "reformare", meaning "to form again". | |||
| Pashto | اصلاح | ||
| The Pashto word "اصلاح" (eslaah) shares its root with many other Persian/Arabic words that are related to improving or fixing something. | |||
| Arabic | اعادة تشكيل | ||
| The Arabic word "إعادة تشكيل" (reform) can have alternate meanings such as "reformation", "remodeling", or "reorganization" depending on its context. | |||
Reform in Western European Languages
| Albanian | reforma | ||
| The word "reforma" in Albanian can also refer to a type of dance. | |||
| Basque | erreforma | ||
| In Basque, "erreforma" also means "restoration" and "revitalization". | |||
| Catalan | reforma | ||
| The Catalan word "reforma" also means "repair" or "improvement". | |||
| Croatian | reforma | ||
| The Croatian word 'reforma' also means 'transformation' or 'change for the better'. | |||
| Danish | reform | ||
| The Danish word "reform" derives from the Latin "reformare," meaning "to reshape," and it can also mean "to restore to an original state." | |||
| Dutch | hervorming | ||
| The Dutch word "hervorming" comes from the German word "Reformation" and originally referred specifically to the Protestant Reformation. | |||
| English | reform | ||
| Reform can also refer to a person who has undergone rehabilitation, or to a movement that aims to improve or change a system or institution. | |||
| French | réforme | ||
| The French word "réforme" has roots in the Latin "formare," meaning "to mold" or "to shape," and can also refer to a religious movement that emerged during the 16th century in Europe. | |||
| Frisian | herfoarming | ||
| The word "herfoarming" in Frisian is derived from the Dutch word "herformen", which means "to reform" or "to transform". | |||
| Galician | reforma | ||
| The word "reforma" in Galician can also mean "change" or "modification" | |||
| German | reform | ||
| Reform in German can also refer to the Lutheran movement for reform within the Catholic Church, known as the Reformation. | |||
| Icelandic | umbætur | ||
| In Old Norse, the word 'umbætur' held a broader meaning, encompassing not just political or religious reform but also the restoration of honor or personal reputation. | |||
| Irish | athchóiriú | ||
| "Athchóiriú" is also used to mean "reformation" in religion, "correction" or "improvement" in general. | |||
| Italian | riforma | ||
| The term "riforma" derives from the Latin "reformāre" which means "to form again" or "to improve". | |||
| Luxembourgish | reforméieren | ||
| In der Umgangssprache bezeichnet "Reforméieren" auch die Renovierung oder Modernisierung eines Gebäudes. | |||
| Maltese | riforma | ||
| The Maltese word "riforma" can also refer to a type of vegetable soup, derived from the Italian word "riformare", meaning to "reform" or "reshape". | |||
| Norwegian | reform | ||
| The Norwegian word "reform" can also mean "to improve something" or "to make something better". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | reforma | ||
| In Portuguese, "reforma" also refers to a specific period of Portuguese history (1820-1823) marked by a constitutional monarchy. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ath-leasachadh | ||
| The word "ath-leasachadh" is etymologically related to the concept of making new laws, and in some dialects is used interchangeably with "lagh-leasachadh" meaning "law reform" | |||
| Spanish | reforma | ||
| The word "reforma" derives from the Latin "reformare" meaning "to form again" or "to change". In Spanish, it also has the meaning of "religious reform". | |||
| Swedish | reformera | ||
| Reformera can also mean 'reformation' or 'to refine' in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | diwygio | ||
| Its original meaning was to ``take back'' and ``amend,'' like in ``diwygio ffordd'' (``rectify a road'') | |||
Reform in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | рэформа | ||
| The word рэформа derives from the Latin word 'reformare', meaning 'to reform'. | |||
| Bosnian | reforma | ||
| The word "reforma" in Bosnian also means "formation" or "creation". | |||
| Bulgarian | реформа | ||
| The word "реформа" is derived from the Latin word "reformare", meaning "to form again" or "to reshape". | |||
| Czech | reforma | ||
| The Czech word "reforma" is borrowed from Latin, where "reformatio" means "repairing" or "remaking". | |||
| Estonian | reform | ||
| Reform in Estonian derives from German "Reform" and has additional meanings such as "change", "innovation", or "improvement". | |||
| Finnish | uudistaa | ||
| The Finnish word "uudistaa" (''reform'') comes from the same root as the word "uusi" (''new'') | |||
| Hungarian | reform | ||
| A "református" szó a latin "reformare" szóból származik, ami „újraalkot”-ot jelent. | |||
| Latvian | reforma | ||
| The Latvian word "reforma" also has the alternate meaning of "the improvement of a person's character". | |||
| Lithuanian | reforma | ||
| The Lithuanian word "reforma" derives from Latin and also means "formation". | |||
| Macedonian | реформи | ||
| Derived from the Latin "reformare" (to form again), "реформи" also means "renovation" or "repair" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | reforma | ||
| "Reforma" also means 'reformation 'in the religious context (16th c.) and a 'review of troops,' 'regimental parade ', or a type of army training "} | |||
| Romanian | reforma | ||
| The Romanian word "reforma" can also refer to a type of apple or a small, low-walled enclosure for keeping animals. | |||
| Russian | реформа | ||
| "Реформа" восходит к латинскому "reformare", что значит "переделывать", "переформировывать". | |||
| Serbian | реформа | ||
| The Old Church Slavonic word “реформа” derives from the Latin word “reformare,” meaning “to form again”. | |||
| Slovak | reforma | ||
| In Slovak, "reforma" can also mean "correction," "change for the better," or "improvement." | |||
| Slovenian | reforma | ||
| The word "reforma" in Slovenian can also mean "change" or "innovation" | |||
| Ukrainian | реформа | ||
| "Реформа" is used to refer to both a general reform and a specific religious reform. | |||
Reform in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সংশোধন | ||
| The Bengali word " সংশোধন " is a cognate of the Sanskrit term " शोध " meaning "to search" and "to purify". | |||
| Gujarati | સુધારા | ||
| The Gujarati word "સુધારા" (sudhara) can also refer to changes or modifications made to improve something. | |||
| Hindi | सुधार | ||
| सुधार can also mean "improvement" or "reformation". | |||
| Kannada | ಸುಧಾರಣೆ | ||
| The word "ಸುಧಾರಣೆ" (reform) can also refer to "improvement" or "correction" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | പുനഃസംഘടന | ||
| The Malayalam word പുനഃസംഘടന can also refer to the process of reorganizing or restructuring something. | |||
| Marathi | सुधारणा | ||
| The word सुधारणा (reform) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word सु (सु + धारण) meaning 'act of bearing,' 'maintaining,' 'observing,' hence "keeping a good form"} | |||
| Nepali | सुधार | ||
| सुधार derives from the Sanskrit word सुधारा, translating to 'good conduct'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸੁਧਾਰ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ප්රතිසංස්කරණ | ||
| Tamil | சீர்திருத்தம் | ||
| The Tamil word "சீர்திருத்தம்" originates from two Sanskrit words, meaning "good (or proper)" and "form or structure". | |||
| Telugu | సంస్కరణ | ||
| Urdu | اصلاح | ||
| The word "اصلاح" also means "correction" or "rectification" in Urdu. | |||
Reform in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 改革 | ||
| Reform is also used in Chinese to refer to changes in the system of education, with 'education reform' translating as "教改" | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 改革 | ||
| The word "改革" (reform) can also mean "to change for the better" or "to improve". | |||
| Japanese | 改革 | ||
| The word "改革" can also mean "regeneration" or "renewal" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 개정 | ||
| Originally, 개정 is a Chinese character composed of 개 and 정, which together mean 'fix' or 'establish'. | |||
| Mongolian | шинэчлэл | ||
| The word "шинэчлэл" ("reform") in Mongolian comes from the word "шинэ" ("new") and the suffix "-члэл" ("-ness"), meaning "newness" or "new quality". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပြုပြင်ပြောင်းလဲရေး | ||
Reform in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pembaruan | ||
| The Indonesian word "pembaruan" derives from the Old Javanese word "mambaruan" meaning "new" or "to renew". | |||
| Javanese | reformasi | ||
| The Javanese word "reformasi" can also refer to the period of political upheaval in Indonesia from 1998 to 2003. | |||
| Khmer | កំណែទម្រង់ | ||
| Lao | ການປະຕິຮູບ | ||
| Malay | pembaharuan | ||
| The Malay word "pembaharuan" is derived from the Arabic word "ibhar", which means "to make clear or manifest." | |||
| Thai | ปฏิรูป | ||
| ปฏิรูป (patirup) was originally derived from Sanskrit; and is closely related to the term ปฏิบัติ (patipat) in Buddhist texts, which roughly translates to "put into practice" or "perform". | |||
| Vietnamese | cải cách | ||
| "Cải cách" (reform) derives from the Chinese word "reform" and originally referred to religious or social innovation. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | reporma | ||
Reform in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | islahat | ||
| "Islah'"" means "correction" in Arabic, and is used in Persian and Azerbaijani to mean "reform". | |||
| Kazakh | реформа | ||
| The word "реформа" in Kazakh also means "change in the life of a person or society" | |||
| Kyrgyz | реформа | ||
| In Kyrgyz, the word "реформа" also specifically refers to the "Agrarian Reform" that took place during the Soviet era. | |||
| Tajik | ислоҳот | ||
| The Tajik word "ислоҳот" ("reform") is derived from the Persian word "eslahât", which also means "improvements" or "renovations". | |||
| Turkmen | reforma | ||
| Uzbek | islohot | ||
| The word "islohot" (reform) in Uzbek shares its root with the word "isloh" (to correct), implying a process of improvement or rectification. | |||
| Uyghur | ئىسلاھات | ||
Reform in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoʻoponopono | ||
| From the Polynesian languages, the origin of the word is "pono pona", where it means "all is in accordance with goodness in the world as it should be (or rightness in right relationship.)" | |||
| Maori | whakahou | ||
| Historically, "whakahou" had two meanings: "to make new" and "to amend". | |||
| Samoan | toe fuataiga | ||
| In Samoan, 'toe fuataiga' shares similar origins to the words 'follow' or 'accompany' in other Polynesian languages. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | reporma | ||
| The word "reporma" in Tagalog also means "metamorphosis" or "transformation". | |||
Reform in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | reforma luraña | ||
| Guarani | reforma rehegua | ||
Reform in International Languages
| Esperanto | reformo | ||
| In Esperanto, "reformo" can also refer to the "Esperanto Reform Movement". | |||
| Latin | reformacione | ||
| The Latin term "reformatio" originally referred to the repair of a building or object, rather than doctrinal or societal change. | |||
Reform in Others Languages
| Greek | μεταρρύθμιση | ||
| "Μεταρρύθμιση" originates from the merging of "μετά" (after) and "ρύθμιση" (regulation), signifying a change in regulation or system. | |||
| Hmong | hloov kho | ||
| Hmong "hloov kho" can also mean "to change" or "to convert". | |||
| Kurdish | nûwetî | ||
| The word "nûwetî" in Kurdish can also mean "new", "modern", or "contemporary". | |||
| Turkish | reform | ||
| Reform, from Latin 'reformare', also means 'to form again' or 'to create anew'. | |||
| Xhosa | uhlaziyo | ||
| The term "Uhlaziyo" in Xhosa originates from the word "hlaza," meaning "to change" or "to renew." | |||
| Yiddish | רעפאָרם | ||
| The Yiddish word "רעפּאָרם" can also refer to the "military draft" or a "requisition." | |||
| Zulu | izinguquko | ||
| The Zulu word "izinguquko" is thought to derive from "ukuguquka," meaning "to change" or "to transform." | |||
| Assamese | সংস্কাৰ | ||
| Aymara | reforma luraña | ||
| Bhojpuri | सुधार के काम कइल जा सकेला | ||
| Dhivehi | އިސްލާހުކުރުން | ||
| Dogri | सुधार करना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | reporma | ||
| Guarani | reforma rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | reporma | ||
| Krio | rifɔm | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | چاکسازی | ||
| Maithili | सुधार | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯔꯤꯐꯣꯔꯝ ꯇꯧꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | siamthatna tur a ni | ||
| Oromo | haaromsa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସଂସ୍କାର | ||
| Quechua | musuqyachiy | ||
| Sanskrit | सुधारः | ||
| Tatar | реформа | ||
| Tigrinya | ጽገና ምግባር | ||
| Tsonga | ku cinca | ||