Religion in Different Languages
Discover 'Religion' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Religion, a concept that has shaped societies and cultures throughout history, is a set of beliefs, practices, and rituals centered around the worship of a superhuman power or powers. Its significance lies in its ability to provide a sense of purpose, identity, and community to people around the world. From Christianity to Hinduism, Buddhism to Islam, the cultural importance of religion cannot be overstated.
Moreover, understanding the translation of religion in different languages can offer valuable insights into how various cultures perceive and engage with the divine. For instance, the word for religion in Spanish, 'religión,' is derived from the Latin 'religio,' meaning 'to bind together.' Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'shūkyō' （宗教）is composed of two characters: 'shū' (sect or school) and 'kyō' (teaching or doctrine), reflecting the country's emphasis on religious education and scholarship.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural anthropologist, or simply someone curious about the world around you, exploring the translations of religion in different languages is a fascinating journey that can deepen your appreciation for the rich tapestry of human belief and practice.
Religion
Religion in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | godsdiens | ||
| The Afrikaans word "godsdiens" etymologically relates to "divine service" and "worship" and is cognate with the English word "religion". | |||
| Amharic | ሃይማኖት | ||
| "Haymanot" also means "faith," and its root, "hāymn," denotes "firm trust." | |||
| Hausa | addini | ||
| Hausa distinguishes between adini, a belief system followed by a group of people, and addini, a personal spiritual path. | |||
| Igbo | okpukpe | ||
| The word "okpukpe" also means "custom" or "tradition" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | fivavahana | ||
| "Fivavahana" originates from the root word "vavaha" meaning "to bind" or "to tie" representing the connection between individuals and their beliefs. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chipembedzo | ||
| The word "chipembedzo" is derived from the root word "pembedza", meaning "to believe" or "to have faith". | |||
| Shona | chitendero | ||
| "Chitendero" derives from "tenda," meaning "to worship". | |||
| Somali | diinta | ||
| The word 'diinta' is also used to refer to a specific set of beliefs or practices, such as Christianity or Islam. | |||
| Sesotho | bolumeli | ||
| Bolumeli is also understood to mean the state of being at peace with oneself and with nature. | |||
| Swahili | dini | ||
| Dini in Swahili can also refer to customs or practices, especially those associated with a particular culture or group. | |||
| Xhosa | inkolo | ||
| "Inkolo" is derived from the verb "ukukola" meaning "to work". This suggests that religion is seen as a form of work or service. | |||
| Yoruba | esin | ||
| "Esin Olorun," "the religion of Olorun," and was used to describe Christianity by the Anglican missionary Henry Townsend in 1843. | |||
| Zulu | inkolo | ||
| The word "inkolo" is thought to be derived from the word "ukukholwa," meaning "to believe." | |||
| Bambara | diinɛ | ||
| Ewe | subɔsubɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | idini | ||
| Lingala | lingomba | ||
| Luganda | eddiini | ||
| Sepedi | tumelo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔsom | ||
Religion in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | دين | ||
| The word "دين" "religion" in Arabic, also has the meanings of debt and custom. | |||
| Hebrew | דָת | ||
| The Hebrew word "דָת" (dat) also means "law", "custom", or "decree". | |||
| Pashto | مذهب | ||
| مذهب also refers to a particular creed or set of beliefs within a religion. | |||
| Arabic | دين | ||
| The word "دين" "religion" in Arabic, also has the meanings of debt and custom. | |||
Religion in Western European Languages
| Albanian | feja | ||
| The word "Feja" derives from the Latin word "Fides" meaning "faith" or "trust". | |||
| Basque | erlijioa | ||
| The word 'erlijioa' is derived from the Latin word 'religio', which originally meant 'care of the gods'. This meaning has persisted in the Basque word 'erlijioa', where it specifically refers to the worship and service of a supreme being or beings. | |||
| Catalan | religió | ||
| The Catalan word "religió" also carries the archaic sense of "order" or "society," analogous to the etymology of the French word "religion." | |||
| Croatian | religija | ||
| The word 'religija' derives from the Latin word 'religare', meaning 'to bind' or 'to connect'. | |||
| Danish | religion | ||
| In Danish, "religion" can also refer to "devotion" or "faith." | |||
| Dutch | religie | ||
| De term 'religie' komt van het Latijnse 'religare', dat 'opnieuw verbinden' betekent. | |||
| English | religion | ||
| The word "religion" derives from the Latin word "religio," meaning "obligation" or "scrupulousness." | |||
| French | religion | ||
| The French word "religion" derives from the Latin "religare," meaning "to bind," and thus also connotes a sense of obligation or duty. | |||
| Frisian | leauwe | ||
| The Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root of word | |||
| Galician | relixión | ||
| The Galician word "relixión" comes from the Latin word "religio", which originally meant "obligation" or "reverence". | |||
| German | religion | ||
| In German, the word "Religion" can also refer to a set of rules or principles that govern a group or organization, or to a specific religious order. | |||
| Icelandic | trúarbrögð | ||
| It originally meant "beliefs" and has been used historically to refer to non-Christian faiths. | |||
| Irish | reiligiún | ||
| The Irish word "reiligiún" (pronounced "rel-ee-gi-oon") is cognate with the Latin "religio" (meaning "scruple"), and ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*reiq-", meaning "to bind" or "to control". | |||
| Italian | religione | ||
| The word 'religione' in Italian is derived from the Latin word 'religio', which originally meant 'scrupulous regard for what is considered right and proper' | |||
| Luxembourgish | relioun | ||
| Relioun, a Luxembourgish word for religion, is derived from the Latin word "religio", meaning "restraint, scruple, sacred obligation," and the French word "religion", meaning "system of faith and worship." | |||
| Maltese | reliġjon | ||
| The word "reliġjon" can also be used to refer to a religious community or organization. | |||
| Norwegian | religion | ||
| The Norwegian word "religion" comes from the Latin "religio", which originally meant "reverence for the gods" or "scrupulous observance of religious duty". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | religião | ||
| Em sânscrito, a palavra 'dharma', que é a raiz da palavra 'religião' em português, significa tanto 'norma' como 'lei' | |||
| Scots Gaelic | creideamh | ||
| The word "creideamh" in Scots Gaelic comes from the Old Irish word "cretem", meaning "belief" or "faith". | |||
| Spanish | religión | ||
| The Spanish word "religión" comes from the Latin word "religio," which means "scrupulousness, reverence for the gods," and "obligation." | |||
| Swedish | religion | ||
| The word 'religion' comes from the Latin word 'religio', which means 'reverence for the divine' or 'piety'. | |||
| Welsh | crefydd | ||
| The word "crefydd" is derived from the Welsh word "cred" meaning "faith" and "ydd" indicating a state or condition. | |||
Religion in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | рэлігія | ||
| The Belarusian word "рэлігія" comes from the Latin word "religio", which originally meant "restraint" or "reverence". | |||
| Bosnian | religija | ||
| The word 'religija' comes from the Latin word 'religare', meaning 'to bind back', and also refers to a type of social organisation in the pre-Roman Slavic society that focused on blood relations. | |||
| Bulgarian | религия | ||
| Слово "религия" происходит от латинского слова religio и означает "связь", "благочестие", "богослужение". | |||
| Czech | náboženství | ||
| 'Náboženství' literally means 'bonding again', from the prefix 'na-' (again) and verb 'vázat' (to bind). | |||
| Estonian | religioon | ||
| The word "religioon" in Estonian comes from the Latin word "religio", which means "obligation, reverence, or respect for what is considered sacred". | |||
| Finnish | uskonto | ||
| The word "uskonto" is thought to derive from the word "usko", meaning "belief" or "faith." | |||
| Hungarian | vallás | ||
| Vallás also meant "oath" or "promise" in Old Hungarian, a meaning which was preserved in modern Romanian (făgăduință). | |||
| Latvian | reliģija | ||
| In Latvian, the word "reliģija" can also mean "creed", "belief", or "faith". | |||
| Lithuanian | religija | ||
| The Lithuanian word "religija" originates from the Latin word "religio", which can also mean "conscientious scruples" or "obligation." | |||
| Macedonian | религија | ||
| The word “религија” in Macedonian has a Latin etymology, derived from 'religio' meaning a sense of duty towards the divine. | |||
| Polish | religia | ||
| The Polish word "religia" comes from the Latin word "religio," which originally meant "reverence for the gods" or "devotion". | |||
| Romanian | religie | ||
| In Romanian, the word "religie" also means "bond," "tie," or "attachment". | |||
| Russian | религия | ||
| The word "религия" comes from the Latin word "religio," which means "obligation" or "reverence." | |||
| Serbian | религија | ||
| The Serbian word "религија" ultimately derives from the Latin word "religio", which originally meant something closer to "reverence" or "obligation". | |||
| Slovak | náboženstvo | ||
| The word "náboženstvo" (religion) is derived from the Proto-Slavic root "*nа-božььnъ" which means 'related to God'. It can also refer to piety or reverence for a divine being. | |||
| Slovenian | religija | ||
| The word 'religija' comes from the Latin word 'religio,' which means 'obligation, reverence, awe, respect.' | |||
| Ukrainian | релігія | ||
| The word "релігія" in Ukrainian ultimately derives from the Latin "religio", meaning "piety" or "devotion". | |||
Religion in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ধর্ম | ||
| The word "ধর্ম" ("religion") originally meant "law" or "custom" in Sanskrit, and still has that meaning in some contexts in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | ધર્મ | ||
| The Gujarati word "ધર્મ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "धर्म", which has a range of meanings including "law", "righteousness", and "duty". | |||
| Hindi | धर्म | ||
| The word 'धर्म' in Hindi has multiple meanings, including 'religion', 'righteousness', 'duty', and 'law'. | |||
| Kannada | ಧರ್ಮ | ||
| The Kannada word ಧರ್ಮ also has meanings such as 'justice', 'ethics', 'morality', 'righteousness', 'correct action', 'duty', and 'obligation'. | |||
| Malayalam | മതം | ||
| The Malayalam word "മതം" ("matham") also means "opinion" or "philosophy" in contexts outside of religion. | |||
| Marathi | धर्म | ||
| The word "धर्म" (religion) in Marathi also means "righteousness" and "duty." | |||
| Nepali | धर्म | ||
| In Sanskrit, धर्म (Dharma) can have meanings such as law, righteousness, duty or right conduct. | |||
| Punjabi | ਧਰਮ | ||
| The word 'ਧਰਮ' in Punjabi is derived from the Sanskrit word 'धर्म', which has a diverse range of meanings including 'duty', 'virtue', 'justice', 'order', and 'law'. It encompasses both religious and ethical aspects and plays a pivotal role in the spiritual, cultural, and societal fabric of Punjabi society. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ආගම | ||
| In Sinhala, 'ආගම' also connotes 'a path to salvation or ultimate reality' and 'a system of beliefs and practices'. | |||
| Tamil | மதம் | ||
| The Tamil word "மதம்" (matham) originates from the Sanskrit word "मथ् (math)", meaning "to churn," and has alternate meanings such as "opinion" or "path or way." | |||
| Telugu | మతం | ||
| The word "matam" also means "opinion" or "viewpoint" in Telugu, reflecting the broader concept of religion as a system of beliefs or practices. | |||
| Urdu | مذہب | ||
| The word "مذہب" (religion) comes from the root word "ذهب" (to go) and can also mean "a way of life" or "a school of thought" in Urdu. | |||
Religion in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 宗教 | ||
| '宗' means the root and '教' means teaching. It can also refer to religious sects or schools of thought. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 宗教 | ||
| 宗 is the ancestral temple, the place to worship the ancestors of the clan, and 教 means education, doctrine. So the word “宗教” literally refers to a doctrine used to worship ancestors. | |||
| Japanese | 宗教 | ||
| The word "宗教" (shūkyō) in Japanese originally meant "to bind together" or "to tie together" | |||
| Korean | 종교 | ||
| The word "종교" (religion) derives from the Sino-Korean words "宗" (zong) meaning "ancestor, sect" and "敎" (jiao) meaning "teaching, doctrine". | |||
| Mongolian | шашин | ||
| In Mongolian, шашин can also refer to an individual's spiritual journey or religious practice. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဘာသာတရား | ||
Religion in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | agama | ||
| The word "agama" in Indonesian can also refer to a traditional medicinal practice, particularly in Java and Sumatra. | |||
| Javanese | agama | ||
| In Javanese, "agama" can also refer to a set of doctrines or principles guiding one's behavior and beliefs. | |||
| Khmer | សាសនា | ||
| The word "សាសនា" in Khmer is derived from the Pali-Sanskrit word "śāsana" and originally referred to the teachings and doctrines of various disciplines. | |||
| Lao | ສາສະ ໜາ | ||
| Malay | agama | ||
| Agama stems from the Sanskrit word "āgama," which can also mean "tradition, scripture, or doctrine." | |||
| Thai | ศาสนา | ||
| The word "ศาสนา" in Thai can also mean "belief system" or "doctrine." | |||
| Vietnamese | tôn giáo | ||
| "Tôn giáo" (religion) is derived from the Chinese word "宗教" (zongjiao), meaning "doctrines for the masses". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | relihiyon | ||
Religion in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | din | ||
| The word "din" is borrowed from Persian and it also has the alternate meaning of "book of religion, religious writing, scripture". | |||
| Kazakh | дін | ||
| "Дін" can also mean "custom" or "way of life" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | дин | ||
| The word "дин" (religion) in Kyrgyz is etymologically related to the Arabic word "ديّن" (dīn), which has a broader meaning encompassing both religion and way of life. | |||
| Tajik | дин | ||
| The word "дин" can also mean "faith", "belief", or "doctrine". | |||
| Turkmen | din | ||
| Uzbek | din | ||
| In Uzbek, "din" also means "faith" and "belief". | |||
| Uyghur | دىن | ||
Religion in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | haipule | ||
| The word "haipule" in Hawaiian can also refer to a priest or a religious ceremony. | |||
| Maori | karakia | ||
| Karakia, which literally translates to 'to chant' in Maori, refers to the ancient practice of incantation in Maori spiritual and religious rituals. | |||
| Samoan | lotu | ||
| The word "lotu" in Samoan is cognate with "lotu" in Tongan, "lotu" in Fijian and "lotu" in Hawaiian, all meaning "worship." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | relihiyon | ||
| The Tagalog word "relihiyon" is derived from the Spanish word "religión", which in turn comes from the Latin word "religio", meaning "duty to God". | |||
Religion in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | rilijyuna | ||
| Guarani | tupãjerovia | ||
Religion in International Languages
| Esperanto | religio | ||
| Latin | religio | ||
| Cicero used "religio" to refer to reverence for the gods and the duties owed to them, as well as a concern for divine matters. | |||
Religion in Others Languages
| Greek | θρησκεία | ||
| In Greek, "θρησκεία" originally meant "worship, reverence" and was closely associated with the concept of "cult" or "sect". | |||
| Hmong | kev ntseeg | ||
| The Hmong word "kev ntseeg" literally means "path of belief" or "law of belief". | |||
| Kurdish | ol | ||
| The word "ol" in Kurdish is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂el- meaning "to grow" or "to become". | |||
| Turkish | din | ||
| The word "din" comes from the Arabic word "deen," which means "way of life. | |||
| Xhosa | inkolo | ||
| "Inkolo" is derived from the verb "ukukola" meaning "to work". This suggests that religion is seen as a form of work or service. | |||
| Yiddish | רעליגיע | ||
| The Yiddish word "religion" (רעליגיע) also means "superstition" and has pejorative connotations, derived from its German origin. | |||
| Zulu | inkolo | ||
| The word "inkolo" is thought to be derived from the word "ukukholwa," meaning "to believe." | |||
| Assamese | ধৰ্ম | ||
| Aymara | rilijyuna | ||
| Bhojpuri | धरम | ||
| Dhivehi | ދީން | ||
| Dogri | धर्म | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | relihiyon | ||
| Guarani | tupãjerovia | ||
| Ilocano | relihion | ||
| Krio | rilijɔn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئایین | ||
| Maithili | धर्म | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯥꯏꯅꯤꯉ | ||
| Mizo | sakhua | ||
| Oromo | amantaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଧର୍ମ | ||
| Quechua | religion | ||
| Sanskrit | धर्म | ||
| Tatar | дин | ||
| Tigrinya | ሃይማኖት | ||
| Tsonga | vukhongeri | ||