Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'repeat' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting the action of saying or doing something again. It's a fundamental concept in various aspects of life, from learning and memorization to daily routines and habits. Culturally, we find 'repeat' in numerous idioms, songs, and even in our stories, where themes and motifs often repeat to create rhythm and meaning.
Moreover, the concept of repetition is not confined to English or modern Western cultures. Many languages and traditions around the world have their own ways of expressing 'repeat', reflecting unique cultural perspectives and linguistic nuances.
For instance, did you know that 'repeat' translates to 'wiederholen' in German and 'répéter' in French? Or that in Japanese, it's '再生' (saisen) in the context of mechanical repetition, but '繰り返す' (kurikaesu) for verbal or mental repetition?
Join us as we explore the translations of 'repeat' in various languages, diving into the fascinating world of linguistic and cultural diversity.
Afrikaans | herhaal | ||
The Afrikaans word "herhaal" originally meant "to tell again", but now commonly means "to repeat". | |||
Amharic | መድገም | ||
The Amharic word "መድገም" can also mean "increase" or "growth". | |||
Hausa | maimaita | ||
In Hausa, "maimaita" not only means "repeat" but also "dance", and the "mai" prefix in both senses means "one who". | |||
Igbo | ikwugharị | ||
The word 'ikwugharị' in Igbo also means 'repetition' or 'duplication'. | |||
Malagasy | avereno | ||
The word "Avereno" also means "to call out" or "to give a response" in Malagasy. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | bwerezani | ||
Bwerezani is also used to describe actions that are done over and over again, such as 'bwerezani kusambira' (to keep swimming). | |||
Shona | dzokorora | ||
The word "dzokorora" can also refer to the act of going back and forth, or shuttling between two places. | |||
Somali | ku celi | ||
ku celi derives from the Arabic word "ta`wīd" meaning "to repeat". | |||
Sesotho | pheta | ||
The word "pheta" in Sesotho also means "to speak", "to tell", or "to talk". | |||
Swahili | kurudia | ||
The word 'kurudia' derives from the verb '-rudia', meaning 'to return' or 'to do something again'. | |||
Xhosa | phinda | ||
Xhosa 'phinda' is thought to have originated in an exclamation meaning 'that is so/exactly', now only found in 'phindeka' ('to agree'), a sense still found in Zulu 'phinda', which can also mean 'in addition' | |||
Yoruba | tun ṣe | ||
In Benin, "tun ṣe" is interpreted as "to do again or repeatedly". | |||
Zulu | phinda | ||
The word 'phinda' can also mean 'to fold' or 'to double up'. | |||
Bambara | seginkan | ||
Ewe | gawɔe ake | ||
Kinyarwanda | subiramo | ||
Lingala | kozongela | ||
Luganda | okuddamu | ||
Sepedi | bušeletša | ||
Twi (Akan) | ti mu | ||
Arabic | كرر | ||
"كرر" can also mean "to announce" or "to proclaim" in Arabic. | |||
Hebrew | חזור | ||
The Hebrew word "חזור" can also mean "to return" or "to go back". | |||
Pashto | تکرار کړئ | ||
The Pashto word "تکرار کړئ" also means "reproduce" or "copy" in English. | |||
Arabic | كرر | ||
"كرر" can also mean "to announce" or "to proclaim" in Arabic. |
Albanian | përsëris | ||
The word "përsëris" in Albanian is a derivative of the Latin word "repetire" which means "to do something again". | |||
Basque | errepikatu | ||
Basque "errepikatu" originates from Spanish "repetir", but has also been used to mean "reply" or "answer". | |||
Catalan | repetir | ||
The Catalan word "repetir" also means "to play again" in the context of a game or performance. | |||
Croatian | ponoviti | ||
" ponoviti" means "to repeat" in most Slavic languages but it also means "to repeat a grade" in Croatian | |||
Danish | gentage | ||
"Gentage" (repeat) in Danish comes from "gen" (again) and "tage" (to take). | |||
Dutch | herhaling | ||
The word "herhaling" is derived from the Middle Dutch word "herhalen", which means "to speak again" or "to recite". | |||
English | repeat | ||
The word "repeat" also refers to the musical sign (repeat) denoting a repetition of a musical passage. | |||
French | répéter | ||
"Répéter" initially meant "to try again" and was related to the Latin word "petere," meaning "to seek". | |||
Frisian | werhelje | ||
The Frisian word "werhelje" originates from the Old Frisian word "werhalia," which means "to repeat." | |||
Galician | repetir | ||
In Galician, "repetir" can also mean to insist or to emphasize something | |||
German | wiederholen | ||
"Wiederholen" can also mean "to recall" or "to reiterate". | |||
Icelandic | endurtaka | ||
"Endurtaka" can also mean "to resume" or "to continue". | |||
Irish | athuair | ||
The word “athuair” can also mean “to echo” or “to resonate”. | |||
Italian | ripetere | ||
The Italian word "ripetere" comes from the Latin word "repetire," which means "to ask again" or "to demand back." | |||
Luxembourgish | widderhuelen | ||
The word "widderhuelen" comes from the Proto-Germanic word *widurhaljaną, meaning "to call back" or "to repeat." | |||
Maltese | irrepeti | ||
In Maltese, "irrepeti" can also mean 'to play again' (a game or recording) or 'to return to a subject' (in a conversation). | |||
Norwegian | gjenta | ||
The word "gjenta" comes from the Old Norse word "gienta", meaning "to go back" or "to return". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | repetir | ||
"Repetir" comes from Latin "repĕtere" (to seek again), and in Portuguese it can also mean "to play again" (music, games) or "to say or do again" (in a way that is perceived as annoying). | |||
Scots Gaelic | ath-aithris | ||
The term "ath-aithris" can also refer to the practice of repeating tales or stories. | |||
Spanish | repetir | ||
Repetir can also mean 'to return or come back' (ie. 'volver') and is derived from the 're-' prefix (again) and 'petere', meaning to aim at something. | |||
Swedish | upprepa | ||
The word 'upprepa' in Swedish has a similar origin to its English counterpart, stemming from the Proto-Indo-European root '*rep-': 'to turn, bend, go back' | |||
Welsh | ailadrodd | ||
The word 'ailadrodd' can also mean 'to tell' or 'to recite' in Welsh. |
Belarusian | паўтарыць | ||
The word "паўтарыць" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *povьtoriti, meaning "to do again". | |||
Bosnian | ponoviti | ||
The verb "ponoviti" comes from the Proto-Slavic verb *ponoviti, "to renew". | |||
Bulgarian | повторете | ||
"Повторете" in Bulgarian also has the meaning of "retell, recite, say again" | |||
Czech | opakovat | ||
"Opakovat" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*opъkъvati", meaning "to say again". | |||
Estonian | kordama | ||
The word "kordama" is likely derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*kord-a-", which also means "to repeat" or "to do again". | |||
Finnish | toistaa | ||
In Finnish, the word "toistaa" can also have the archaic meaning of "to make something public" and is related to the noun "toiseus" (otherness). | |||
Hungarian | ismétlés | ||
The Hungarian word "ismétlés" has been recorded since the early 17th century with the original meaning of "imitation", and then later "repeated". The word is cognate with the Finnish word "uusi" (new). | |||
Latvian | atkārtot | ||
A similar word, "atkartot" (to repeat) is derived from the Proto-Indo-European word "*h₂werǵʰ-" (to turn, wind) which also yields the Latvian word "vert" (to turn), adding to the richness of the Latvian language. | |||
Lithuanian | pakartoti | ||
The word "pakartoti" in Lithuanian shares its roots with the Slavic word "povtora", meaning "to turn", "to go back" | |||
Macedonian | повторете | ||
The word "повторете" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*povъtoriti", which means "to do again" | |||
Polish | powtarzać | ||
The word "powtarzać" in Polish comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*povъtoriti", meaning "to repeat, to iterate, to do again". | |||
Romanian | repeta | ||
In Romanian, 'repetare' is used metaphorically to mean 'to make a mess' or 'to make a fuss'. | |||
Russian | повторение | ||
The Russian word "повторение" also means "repetition" or "rehearsal". | |||
Serbian | понављање | ||
The word "понављање" can also mean "repetition" or "recurrence" in Serbian. | |||
Slovak | opakovať | ||
"Opakovať" is derived from the Proto-Slavic verb *povьtoriti, which also means "to fold". | |||
Slovenian | ponovite | ||
The word "ponovite" in Slovenian also means "to recall" and "to reconsider". | |||
Ukrainian | повторити | ||
The Ukrainian word "повторити" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *povtoriti, which also means "to turn back" or "to return". |
Bengali | পুনরাবৃত্তি | ||
The word “পুনরাবৃত্তি” in Bengali, which means “repetition”, also has the alternate meaning of “recurrence” or “periodicity” in some contexts. | |||
Gujarati | પુનરાવર્તન | ||
Hindi | दोहराना | ||
"दोहराना" also means "to fold" in Hindi. | |||
Kannada | ಪುನರಾವರ್ತಿಸಿ | ||
Malayalam | ആവർത്തിച്ച് | ||
ആവർത്തിച്ച് (Aavarthicchu) is derived from the Sanskrit root "vrt" (to turn, to cover), implying the act of doing something over and over again. | |||
Marathi | पुन्हा करा | ||
The Marathi word "पुन्हा करा" can mean either "to repeat" or "to do again," depending on the context. | |||
Nepali | दोहोर्याउनुहोस् | ||
Punjabi | ਦੁਹਰਾਓ | ||
"ਦੁਹਰਾਓ" is a Punjabi word borrowed from Sanskrit, and can also mean "twice" or "double" in some contexts. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නැවත කරන්න | ||
It can also mean to restore something to its original state or condition. | |||
Tamil | மீண்டும் | ||
In Tamil, 'மீண்டும்' also means 'again', 'once more', 'over and over', 'repeatedly', 'continuously' and 'recurrently'. | |||
Telugu | పునరావృతం | ||
పునరావృతం (punaraavrththam) is related to the Sanskrit words "punara", meaning "again," and "avvrtham," meaning "to turn or to repeat"} | |||
Urdu | دہرائیں | ||
The word "دہرائیں" in Urdu comes from the Arabic word "دار", meaning "to turn around", and is related to the English word "iterate" |
Chinese (Simplified) | 重复 | ||
重复 can also mean to duplicate, double, or do something over. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 重複 | ||
重複 in Traditional Chinese can also be used as a noun, meaning "duplication" or "repetition." | |||
Japanese | 繰り返す | ||
繰り返す (kurikaesu) can also mean "to go back over," or "to recall." | |||
Korean | 반복 | ||
The word "반복" (repeat) is derived from the Middle Chinese word "pan-puk", which means to do something over and over again. | |||
Mongolian | давтах | ||
The word "давтах" can also refer to a type of Mongolian folk music. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ထပ်ခါတလဲလဲလုပ်ပါ | ||
Indonesian | ulang | ||
Ulang in Indonesian also has alternate meanings such as "repetition", "iteration" or "recurrence". | |||
Javanese | mbaleni maneh | ||
“Mbaleni” is derived from the root word “bali” meaning to return or do something again. | |||
Khmer | ធ្វើម្តងទៀត | ||
The term "dhver mtang tiey" is the combination of "dhver" (to do) and "mtang tiey" (again). | |||
Lao | ເຮັດຊ້ ຳ | ||
Malay | ulangi | ||
The word 'ulangi' in Malay may have originated from the Proto-Austronesian word *ulaŋ, meaning 'again' or 'once more'. | |||
Thai | ทำซ้ำ | ||
ทำซ้ำ (tham-sap) can also mean "to repeat" or "to do again" in Thai. | |||
Vietnamese | nói lại | ||
The word "nói lại" can also mean "to argue" or "to quarrel" depending on the context. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | ulitin | ||
Azerbaijani | təkrarlamaq | ||
The word "təkrarlamaq" can also mean "to iterate" or "to recite" in Azerbaijani. | |||
Kazakh | қайталау | ||
The Kazakh word "қайталау" also means "to recite" or "to memorize". | |||
Kyrgyz | кайталоо | ||
The Kyrgyz word "кайталоо" is derived from the Proto-Turkic root *kayta-, meaning "to return" or "to go back," and is cognate with the Mongolian word "хуйх," meaning "to repeat" or "to do again." | |||
Tajik | такрор кунед | ||
The word "такрор кунед" comes from the Arabic word "تَكْرِير", which means "repetition" or "iteration". | |||
Turkmen | gaýtala | ||
Uzbek | takrorlang | ||
The Uzbek word "takrorlang" has alternate meanings such as "reiterate" and "reproduce". | |||
Uyghur | تەكرارلاڭ | ||
Hawaiian | hai hou | ||
The word "hai hou" originated from the Proto-Polynesian word "*taki hou", meaning "to do again". | |||
Maori | tukurua | ||
The word "tukurua" also refers to a second chance or an opportunity to try again. | |||
Samoan | toe fai | ||
The Samoan word "toe fai" can also mean to go back, to return, to continue, or to resume. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | ulitin | ||
The Tagalog word "ulitin" originates from the Proto-Austronesian word "*ulit" meaning "to reiterate" or "to say again". |
Aymara | ripitiña | ||
Guarani | je'ejey | ||
Esperanto | ripeti | ||
"Ripeti" derives from Latin, and can also mean "to try" or "to make a trial." | |||
Latin | repeat | ||
The Latin verb "repēto" also means "ask again," "demand," and "urge". |
Greek | επαναλαμβάνω | ||
The verb "επαναλαμβάνω" is derived from the prefix "επαν- ("again") and the verb "λαμβάνω" ("to take"), suggesting the notion of "taking again" or "doing something over again". | |||
Hmong | rov ua dua | ||
The word "rov ua dua" in Hmong can also mean "to continue" or "to do again." | |||
Kurdish | dûbare | ||
The word "dûbare" in Kurdish also means "again" or "once more". | |||
Turkish | tekrar et | ||
In Turkish, the verb "tekrar et" has an alternate meaning "to reintroduce (an element or feature)" that is not expressed by "repeat." | |||
Xhosa | phinda | ||
Xhosa 'phinda' is thought to have originated in an exclamation meaning 'that is so/exactly', now only found in 'phindeka' ('to agree'), a sense still found in Zulu 'phinda', which can also mean 'in addition' | |||
Yiddish | איבערחזרן | ||
"איבערחזרן" is also used in Yiddish to mean 'to reexamine' or 'to review'. | |||
Zulu | phinda | ||
The word 'phinda' can also mean 'to fold' or 'to double up'. | |||
Assamese | পুনৰাবৃত্তি | ||
Aymara | ripitiña | ||
Bhojpuri | दुहरावऽ | ||
Dhivehi | ރިޕީޓްކުރުން | ||
Dogri | दरहाना | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | ulitin | ||
Guarani | je'ejey | ||
Ilocano | uliten | ||
Krio | tɔk bak | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | دووبارەکردنەوە | ||
Maithili | दोहरानाइ | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯟꯖꯤꯟꯕ | ||
Mizo | tinawn | ||
Oromo | irra-deebi'uu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ପୁନରାବୃତ୍ତି କର | | ||
Quechua | kutipay | ||
Sanskrit | परिहरन | ||
Tatar | кабатлау | ||
Tigrinya | ደገመ | ||
Tsonga | vuyelela | ||