Relationship in Different Languages
Discover 'Relationship' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Relationships are the foundation of human connection and interaction. They can take many forms, such as familial, romantic, platonic, or professional, and each one plays a unique role in our lives. The significance of relationships cannot be overstated, as they provide us with support, love, and a sense of belonging.
Throughout history and across cultures, relationships have held immense importance. In many societies, the strength of one's relationships is seen as a measure of their success and happiness. From ancient philosophers to modern-day psychologists, the importance of relationships has been a common theme in many cultural and intellectual movements.
Understanding the translation of the word 'relationship' in different languages can provide insight into how other cultures view and prioritize connections between people. For example, in Spanish, the word for relationship is 'relación,' while in French, it is 'relation.' In Mandarin Chinese, the word is '关系' (guān xì), and in Japanese, it is '関係' (kankei).
By learning these translations, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the cultural importance of relationships and broaden our understanding of the world around us.
Relationship
Relationship in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | verhouding | ||
| In Middle Dutch, the word "verhouding" had the meaning of "proportion" or "ratio." | |||
| Amharic | ግንኙነት | ||
| The Amharic word "ግንኙነት" can also refer to "connection" or "relationship" in a broader sense, not just to romantic relationships. | |||
| Hausa | dangantaka | ||
| "Dangantaka" is a Hausa term that can also mean "kinship", "family ties", or "interpersonal connection". | |||
| Igbo | mmekọrịta | ||
| Malagasy | fifandraisana | ||
| FIFANDRAISANA derives from "FANDRAISANA" meaning "marriage" or "matrimony", ultimately from Arabic "ZAWJ" meaning "spouse" or "husband". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ubale | ||
| In Chichewa, 'ubale' can also refer to family, kinship ties, or marriage connections. | |||
| Shona | hukama | ||
| The Shona word "hukama" comes from the root "-huk-," which means "to join". This root is also found in the words "hukanya" (to get married), "hukidza" (to add), and "hukuruka" (to get up). The word "hukama" can also refer to a family or clan. | |||
| Somali | xiriirka | ||
| The etymology of the word "xiriirka" in Somali is uncertain, although its meaning has remained the same over time. | |||
| Sesotho | kamano | ||
| The word "kamano" in Sesotho also refers to a person's "way of life" or "character." | |||
| Swahili | uhusiano | ||
| The word "uhusiano" also means "bond" or "kinship" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ubudlelwane | ||
| In Xhosa, "ubudlelwane" also carries connotations of interconnectedness, intimacy, and a sense of belonging. | |||
| Yoruba | ibatan | ||
| The word "ibatan" in Yoruba language can also mean a close friend or a sibling. | |||
| Zulu | ubuhlobo | ||
| The Zulu word "ubuhlobo" can also refer to "connection" or "kinship". | |||
| Bambara | jɛɲɔgɔnya | ||
| Ewe | ƒomedodo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umubano | ||
| Lingala | boyokani | ||
| Luganda | enkolagana | ||
| Sepedi | kamano | ||
| Twi (Akan) | twaka | ||
Relationship in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | صلة | ||
| In addition to "relationship," "صلة" can also mean "connection" or "kinship." | |||
| Hebrew | מערכת יחסים | ||
| The Hebrew word "מערכת יחסים" ('relationship') also denotes 'system', highlighting the interrelationship of its components. | |||
| Pashto | اړیکه | ||
| The Pashto word “اړیکه” can also mean “lineage”. | |||
| Arabic | صلة | ||
| In addition to "relationship," "صلة" can also mean "connection" or "kinship." | |||
Relationship in Western European Languages
| Albanian | marrëdhënie | ||
| The word "marrëdhënie" can also refer to a mathematical function or a connection between two objects or concepts. | |||
| Basque | harremana | ||
| In Basque mythology, “harremana” often refers to the cosmic connection between humans and nature. | |||
| Catalan | relació | ||
| The term "relació" in Catalan originally meant "narrative," and is still used in this sense in some contexts, such as in the phrase "relació de fets" (narrative of events). | |||
| Croatian | odnos | ||
| "Odnos" can also refer to a ratio or a relation in mathematics | |||
| Danish | forhold | ||
| Forhold can also mean 'condition' or 'circumstance' when used in a non-personal context. | |||
| Dutch | relatie | ||
| "Relatie" can also mean "equation" in mathematical contexts. | |||
| English | relationship | ||
| In addition to its interpersonal sense, the term "relationship" can also refer to a mathematical relation, a set of connections between entities. | |||
| French | relation | ||
| The word "relation" in French can also mean "story" or "report", and is derived from the Latin word "relatus", meaning "brought back" or "narrated". | |||
| Frisian | relaasje | ||
| The Frisian word "relaasje" is derived from the Middle Dutch word "relatie", which in turn comes from the Latin word "relatus", meaning "brought back". | |||
| Galician | relación | ||
| Galician "relación" comes from the same Latin root (*relation-) as English "relation" but also shares a root with "religion", a fact reflected in expressions such as the greeting "con Dios y con vos", which refers to the relationship between God and man. | |||
| German | beziehung | ||
| In German, the word "Beziehung" can also refer to a mathematical relation between two variables. | |||
| Icelandic | samband | ||
| In Sanskrit, "samband" means "connection, relationship, union." | |||
| Irish | caidreamh | ||
| The Irish word "caidreamh" is derived from the Proto-Celtic words "krei" and "domos", meaning "belonging to" and "house" respectively. | |||
| Italian | relazione | ||
| "Relazione" also means "report", indicating its connection to storytelling and the sharing of information. | |||
| Luxembourgish | relatioun | ||
| Maltese | relazzjoni | ||
| Maltese "relazzjoni" can also refer to the concept of "being". | |||
| Norwegian | forhold | ||
| In Norwegian, "forhold" can also mean "proposition" or "ratio". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | relação | ||
| In Portuguese, "relação" also refers to a chronological list or a logical connection. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | dàimh | ||
| The Gaelic word "dàimh" can also refer to a kinship group or a territory associated with a specific clan. | |||
| Spanish | relación | ||
| In Catalan, the word is synonymous with the English | |||
| Swedish | relation | ||
| The Swedish word 'relation' can also mean 'account' or 'story' depending on the context. | |||
| Welsh | perthynas | ||
| Perthynas, meaning "relationship," also refers to "belonging" and "relation" in Welsh. | |||
Relationship in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | адносіны | ||
| The Belarusian word "адносіны" (relationship) also refers to a relationship as in a job setting. | |||
| Bosnian | odnos | ||
| The word "odnos" derives from the Proto-Slavic word *otьnosъ*, meaning "attitude," originally related to the word *nositi* ("to carry"). | |||
| Bulgarian | връзка | ||
| In Old Church Slavonic, the word "връзка" meant "connection" or "tie". | |||
| Czech | vztah | ||
| In Czech, "vztah" can also refer to attitude, posture, position, circumstance, state or condition. | |||
| Estonian | suhe | ||
| The word "suhe" can also mean "relation" or "reference". | |||
| Finnish | suhde | ||
| In Swedish, "suhte" means "proportion, rate or ratio". | |||
| Hungarian | kapcsolat | ||
| The word "kapcsolat" in Hungarian ultimately derives from the Latin "capere" (to take) and "lacere" (to pull, tear). | |||
| Latvian | attiecības | ||
| The Latvian word attiecības derives from the verbs attīties ( | |||
| Lithuanian | santykiai | ||
| The Lithuanian word "santykiai" can also refer to mathematical relations or biological relations between organisms. | |||
| Macedonian | врска | ||
| The word "врска" also means "bond" or "tie" in Macedonian, reflecting its multifaceted nature in describing interpersonal connections. | |||
| Polish | związek | ||
| The word "związek" in Polish has additional meanings such as a union or association, and can also refer to a chemical compound. | |||
| Romanian | relaţie | ||
| "Relaţie" also means "relation" (as in "logical relation") and "ratio" (as in "the ratio of A to B"). | |||
| Russian | отношения | ||
| The Russian word "отношения" can also refer to "intercourse" or "connections" in certain contexts. | |||
| Serbian | однос | ||
| The Serbian word "однос" also has the meaning of "proportion" or "ratio". | |||
| Slovak | vzťah | ||
| The word "vzťah" in Slovak can also mean "relation", as in a mathematical expression. | |||
| Slovenian | razmerje | ||
| "Razmerje" can also mean "proportion" or "ratio". | |||
| Ukrainian | відносини | ||
| The word "відносини" originates from the verb "відносити" meaning "to relate" or "to refer to" or "to bring back". | |||
Relationship in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সম্পর্ক | ||
| The Bengali term "সম্পর্ক" can also refer to a connection or relation, particularly in a mathematical context. | |||
| Gujarati | સંબંધ | ||
| The word "સંબંધ" can also refer to a connection or association between two things or a group of people. | |||
| Hindi | संबंध | ||
| The word 'संबंध' ('relationship' in Hindi) also refers to the connection between the parts of a compound word. | |||
| Kannada | ಸಂಬಂಧ | ||
| "ಸಂಬಂಧ" (relationship) is derived from the noun "ಬಂಧ" (bond) and also means "context" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ബന്ധം | ||
| The word "ബന്ധം" (bandham) in Malayalam is derived from the Sanskrit word "bandha," meaning "bond" or "tie," and can also refer to "connection," "attachment," or "relationship." | |||
| Marathi | नाते | ||
| The word 'नाते' in Marathi can also mean 'fate' or 'destiny', and is related to the Sanskrit word 'नियति' (niyati) | |||
| Nepali | सम्बन्ध | ||
| "सम्बन्ध" also means 'interrelation of concepts' and is found in mathematical and philosophical discussions. | |||
| Punjabi | ਰਿਸ਼ਤਾ | ||
| The word "ਰਿਸ਼ਤਾ" can also refer to a blood relation or a connection between two people. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සම්බන්ධතාවය | ||
| As an alternative for the word “relationship”, the term “ සම්බන්ධතාවය ” in Sinhala is also used to describe the “connection” between entities (things, feelings, and individuals) and “associates or links” to establish “social links.” | |||
| Tamil | உறவு | ||
| The Tamil word "உறவு" also refers to marriage alliances, family connections by birth or marriage, or close friendship. | |||
| Telugu | సంబంధం | ||
| The word "సంబంధం" is also used to refer to a wedding or marriage, as well as a connection or association between things or people. | |||
| Urdu | رشتہ | ||
| The word "رشتہ" (relationship) is derived from the Sanskrit word "rishta," meaning "tie" or "connection"} | |||
Relationship in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 关系 | ||
| The word "关系" ("relationship") can also mean "connection", "influence", or "interpersonal network" in Chinese. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 關係 | ||
| It’s an umbrella term for interactions between people or things and can also mean a connection or affair. | |||
| Japanese | 関係 | ||
| 関係 comes from two kanji: 関 (barrier) and 係 (join). Originally, this referred to a narrow piece of land connecting two areas of land. | |||
| Korean | 관계 | ||
| "관계" can also mean "proportion" or "the equation between two or more things". | |||
| Mongolian | харилцаа | ||
| The Mongolian word ''харилцаа'' (relationship) also means ''business'' or ''trade''. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဆက်ဆံရေး | ||
Relationship in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | hubungan | ||
| In Sundanese and Malay, 'hubungan' also means 'connection'. | |||
| Javanese | sesambetan | ||
| The word "sesambetan" in Javanese can also refer to a connection or bond between people or things. | |||
| Khmer | ទំនាក់ទំនង | ||
| Lao | ສາຍພົວພັນ | ||
| Malay | hubungan | ||
| The word "hubungan" in Malay also means "connection" or "relation", and is used in various contexts beyond romantic relationships. | |||
| Thai | ความสัมพันธ์ | ||
| In Thai, the word "ความสัมพันธ์" can also refer to a mathematical relation. | |||
| Vietnamese | mối quan hệ | ||
| The Vietnamese word "mối quan hệ" can also refer to a romantic relationship, a business relationship, or a social connection. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | relasyon | ||
Relationship in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | münasibət | ||
| The word "münasibət" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Persian word "münasibāt" and also means "connection" or "relation." | |||
| Kazakh | қарым-қатынас | ||
| Kyrgyz | мамиле | ||
| It is related to the Russian word "мама" (mother) and can also refer to a close bond between two people. | |||
| Tajik | муносибат | ||
| The word "муносибат" comes from Arabic and its full meaning involves not only blood relatives but also social relations. | |||
| Turkmen | gatnaşyklary | ||
| Uzbek | munosabatlar | ||
| The word "munosabatlar" can also refer to "affairs", which were traditionally handled by the Foreign Ministry | |||
| Uyghur | مۇناسىۋەت | ||
Relationship in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pilina | ||
| The Hawaiian word "pilina" also means "to connect" or "to be close to". | |||
| Maori | hononga | ||
| The Maori word 'hononga' can also refer to a connection, bond, or link between people or things. | |||
| Samoan | faiā | ||
| "Faiā" also means "to be connected" or "to be bound together" in Samoan, emphasizing the interconnectedness and enduring nature of relationships. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | relasyon | ||
| The Tagalog word "relasyon" (relationship) is derived from the Spanish word "relación," meaning "connection" or "interdependence." | |||
Relationship in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | rilasyuna | ||
| Guarani | jokupyty | ||
Relationship in International Languages
| Esperanto | rilato | ||
| The word "rilato" in Esperanto is derived from the Latin word "relatio", which means "connection" or "relation". | |||
| Latin | necessitudo | ||
| Necessitudo relates to 'necces', 'binding', and was originally used to express the connection formed between borrower and creditor. | |||
Relationship in Others Languages
| Greek | σχέση | ||
| "Σχέση" can also refer to a mathematical function, as in "η γραφική σχέση της συνάρτησης" (the graphical representation of the function). | |||
| Hmong | kev txheeb ze | ||
| 'Kev txheeb ze' means both "relationship" and "to get used to each other" in the Hmong language. | |||
| Kurdish | peywendî | ||
| In Kurdish, the word "peywendî" refers to a bond or connection, often used for familial or interpersonal relationships. | |||
| Turkish | ilişki | ||
| The word "ilişki" is derived from the Persian word "ilışgan" meaning "inclined to associate with others." | |||
| Xhosa | ubudlelwane | ||
| In Xhosa, "ubudlelwane" also carries connotations of interconnectedness, intimacy, and a sense of belonging. | |||
| Yiddish | שייכות | ||
| The Yiddish word "שייכות" also means "membership" or "affiliation". | |||
| Zulu | ubuhlobo | ||
| The Zulu word "ubuhlobo" can also refer to "connection" or "kinship". | |||
| Assamese | সম্পৰ্ক | ||
| Aymara | rilasyuna | ||
| Bhojpuri | रिस्ता | ||
| Dhivehi | ގުޅުން | ||
| Dogri | रिश्ता | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | relasyon | ||
| Guarani | jokupyty | ||
| Ilocano | kinapin-ano | ||
| Krio | padi biznɛs | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پەیوەندی | ||
| Maithili | संबंध | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯔꯤ | ||
| Mizo | inlaichinna | ||
| Oromo | hariiroo | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସମ୍ପର୍କ | ||
| Quechua | masichay | ||
| Sanskrit | सम्बन्धः | ||
| Tatar | мөнәсәбәтләр | ||
| Tigrinya | ርክብ | ||
| Tsonga | vuxaka | ||