Updated on March 6, 2024
The word resolve holds a significant place in our lives, denoting the firmness of purpose and determination to overcome obstacles. It is a powerful concept, often associated with perseverance, self-discipline, and inner strength. Throughout history, countless individuals have demonstrated resolve in various cultural and historical contexts, from political leaders to civil rights activists, athletes to artists.
Understanding the translation of resolve in different languages can provide valuable insights into how other cultures express this important concept. For instance, the German translation is Entschlossenheit, which also carries connotations of decisiveness and fearlessness. Meanwhile, the Chinese translation, 坚定 (jiān dìng), emphasizes steadfastness and unwavering resolve.
Exploring the many translations of resolve can enrich our appreciation of this vital concept and deepen our connection to the global community. Here are just a few of the many translations of this powerful word:
Afrikaans | oplos | ||
The Afrikaans word "oplos" derives from the Dutch word "oplossen", meaning "to dissolve" or "to solve". | |||
Amharic | መፍታት | ||
The Amharic word "መፍታት" can mean "to resolve" conflicts or issues, or "to solve" mathematical problems. | |||
Hausa | warware | ||
Hausa 'warware' (resolve) and 'wari' (to be firm) share an etymology, likely deriving from a 'heavy' root. | |||
Igbo | dozie | ||
The Igbo word 'dozie' also means 'firmness of purpose' or 'steadfastness'. | |||
Malagasy | tapa-kevitra | ||
The word "tapa-kevitra" is composed of two Malagasy words: "tapa" (to cut) and "kevitra" (thought). | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuthetsa | ||
'Kuthetsa' can also refer to 'taking something away from someone' | |||
Shona | kugadzirisa | ||
The word "kugadzirisa" can also mean to put together, arrange, or prepare something. | |||
Somali | xallin | ||
"Xallin" is derived from the Arabic word "hall" and is commonly used to refer to an outcome, result, or settlement. In some contexts, it can imply "intention" or "agreement". | |||
Sesotho | rarolla | ||
'Rarolla' is derived from the Proto-Bantu root '-lol-', meaning 'to bind' or 'to tie'. | |||
Swahili | tatua | ||
"Tatua" is also the Swahili word for "solve" or "puzzle". | |||
Xhosa | zisombulule | ||
"Zisombulule" originally meant 'to cause to become straight', or 'to make free of obstructions'—both literally and figuratively, e.g., 'to settle or arrange matters'. | |||
Yoruba | yanju | ||
Despite its similar sound and spelling, 'yanju' does not have the same etymology as 'yanrin' which means 'fire' in Yoruba; rather it is a contraction of the phrase 'ya'nju' ('make your intentions known'). | |||
Zulu | xazulula | ||
The Zulu word 'xazulula' is derived from the root '-azulula', meaning 'to make something smooth' or 'to even out'. | |||
Bambara | ka ɲɛnabɔ | ||
Ewe | le avu | ||
Kinyarwanda | kwiyemeza | ||
Lingala | kobongisa | ||
Luganda | okumalirira | ||
Sepedi | rarolla | ||
Twi (Akan) | siesie | ||
Arabic | حل | ||
The word "حل" in Arabic can also mean "descent" and is the root of the word "محل", meaning "place". | |||
Hebrew | לִפְתוֹר | ||
The word "לִפְתוֹר" can also mean "to unravel" or "to decipher" in Hebrew. | |||
Pashto | حل | ||
The word "حل" in Pashto also means "dissolve" or "break". | |||
Arabic | حل | ||
The word "حل" in Arabic can also mean "descent" and is the root of the word "محل", meaning "place". |
Albanian | vendosmëri | ||
The word 'vendosmëri' (resolve) is derived from the Albanian word 'vendos' (to decide), and it literally means 'the act of deciding'. | |||
Basque | ebatzi | ||
"Ebatzi" can also mean "to give" or "to pay for something" in Basque. | |||
Catalan | resoldre | ||
"Resoldre" also means "to melt" or "to dissolve" in Catalan, deriving from the Latin word "resolvere" meaning "to loosen". | |||
Croatian | odlučnost | ||
"Odlučnost" is derived from "od- " (away) and "lučiti" (to separate), implying a definitive separation from hesitation. | |||
Danish | beslutte | ||
The word 'beslutte' (resolve) is derived from the Old Norse word 'slita', meaning 'to tear' or 'to cleave'. | |||
Dutch | oplossen | ||
The Dutch word "oplossen" also means 'to dissolve' | |||
English | resolve | ||
The word 'resolve' comes from the Latin 'resolvere' meaning to loosen, untie or reduce something back to its constituents. | |||
French | résoudre | ||
The French word "résoudre" comes from the Latin "resolvere," meaning "to loosen" and "to untie". | |||
Frisian | oplosse | ||
The Frisian word "oplosse" is derived from the Old Frisian word "oplosen", which also meant "to set free". | |||
Galician | resolver | ||
"resolver" en gallego deriva del verbo latino resolvĕre, en tanto que sustantivo se refiere a un tipo de dispositivo eléctrico empleado en instalaciones industriales | |||
German | entschlossenheit | ||
Entschlossenheit is cognate with the English word 'decision' and originally meant 'the act of cutting'. | |||
Icelandic | leysa | ||
The word "leysa" can also mean "promise" or "oath". | |||
Irish | réiteach | ||
It comes from the Proto-Celtic *rext-ik-i̯o-, the same origin as Latin rectum and *reg- in regere, English “right”, “reach”, and Sanskrit ṛjīka-s, the "correct one". | |||
Italian | risolvere | ||
Risolvere also means "to analyze", "to break down into parts", and "to undo" in Italian. | |||
Luxembourgish | opléisen | ||
"Opléis" derives from the Latin „resolvere", meaning not only to solve but also to loosen or to unbind; hence the alternate meaning of „opléisen“: to loosen a rope. | |||
Maltese | issolvi | ||
It derives from the Medieval Latin "resolvere" which also has the meaning "to dissolve, to melt". The same etymology has the Maltese verb "dewweb" (to melt). | |||
Norwegian | løse | ||
"Løse" does not mean "resolve" in Norwegian. In Danish, it means "to loosen". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | resolver | ||
In Portuguese, "resolver" also means "answer" and "solve". | |||
Scots Gaelic | fuasgladh | ||
The Gaelic word "fuasgladh" can also mean salvation, redemption, liberation, deliverance, release, comfort, remedy, solution, or escape. | |||
Spanish | resolver | ||
The Spanish word "resolver" also means "to solve a problem" or "to find a solution". | |||
Swedish | lösa | ||
The word "lösa" (resolve) is also used to mean "solve" or "to pay" in Swedish. | |||
Welsh | datrys | ||
The Welsh word 'datrys' can also mean 'determination' or 'decision'. |
Belarusian | вырашыць | ||
Bosnian | razriješiti | ||
The word "razriješiti" also means "to untie" and "to release". | |||
Bulgarian | разреши | ||
The word "разреши" can also mean "allow", "permit", or "grant". | |||
Czech | odhodlání | ||
The Czech word "odhodlání" can also refer to a decision. | |||
Estonian | lahendada | ||
Lahendada is a verb in Estonian. Its cognates include lahendus (solution), lahendama (to solve), lahendamata (unsolved), lahenev (convergent). | |||
Finnish | ratkaista | ||
The word "ratkaista" originally meant "to untie" or "to loosen" in Finnish. | |||
Hungarian | elhatározás | ||
The word 'elhatározás' in Hungarian is also used to denote a decision or determination. | |||
Latvian | atrisināt | ||
"Atrisināt" is a Latvian word meaning "resolve," which is ultimately derived from the Latin word "resolutio," meaning "loosening" or "solution." | |||
Lithuanian | ryžtis | ||
The Lithuanian word "ryžtis" is etymologically related to Slavic words for "cut" "decide," implying a decisive and bold act. | |||
Macedonian | решени | ||
The word 'решени' also means 'decided' or 'determined' in Macedonian. | |||
Polish | rozwiązać | ||
"Rozwiązać" is a Polish verb that can also mean "to untie" or "to untangle". | |||
Romanian | rezolva | ||
The Romanian word 'rezolva' comes from the Latin 'resolvere', which also means 'release' or 'loosen'. | |||
Russian | разрешить | ||
In Russian, the word "разрешить" can also mean "to allow" or "to grant permission". | |||
Serbian | разрешити | ||
The word "разрешити" is also used in Serbian with a religious sense of "absolving" sins. | |||
Slovak | vyriešiť | ||
The Slovak verb "vyriešiť" comes from the Proto-Slavic verb *rěšiti, which also means "to tell" or "to explain". | |||
Slovenian | rešiti | ||
The verb "rešiti" also means "to save", reflecting its historical roots in the concept of salvation. | |||
Ukrainian | вирішити | ||
The word "вирішити" in Ukrainian can also refer to the process of making a decision, finding a solution, or coming to an understanding. |
Bengali | সমাধান | ||
সমাধান (resolve) has many other meanings, one of them is the result or outcome. | |||
Gujarati | સંકલ્પ | ||
"સંકલ્પ" is derived from Sanskrit and means 'a resolution or vow' or 'a mental determination or intention'. | |||
Hindi | संकल्प | ||
The word "संकल्प" can also refer to a Hindu religious rite involving the making of a vow or commitment. | |||
Kannada | ಪರಿಹರಿಸಲು | ||
The Kannada word "ಪರಿಹರಿಸಲು" (parihurisalu) also means "to translate", a meaning derived from its Sanskrit root "pari + hr" (around + take). | |||
Malayalam | പരിഹരിക്കുക | ||
പരിഹരിക്കുക has an alternate meaning of 'to dispel' and is derived from the Sanskrit root 'hṛṣ' meaning 'joy' or 'excitement'. | |||
Marathi | निराकरण | ||
The Marathi word "निराकरण" can also mean "settlement" or "payment." | |||
Nepali | समाधान गर्नुहोस् | ||
In Nepali, the word "समाधान गर्नुहोस्" not only means "resolve" but also "to solve a problem, to find a way out of a difficult situation." | |||
Punjabi | ਨੂੰ ਹੱਲ | ||
The word "ਨੂੰ ਹੱਲ" (resolve) in Punjabi is derived from the Sanskrit word "√ह्र" (hr) meaning "to seize" or "to take hold of" | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | විසඳන්න | ||
Tamil | தீர்க்க | ||
"தீர்க்க" is derived from the Proto-Dravidian root "*teːr-", meaning "to cross" or "to come to an end". | |||
Telugu | పరిష్కరించండి | ||
The word "resolve" comes from the Latin word "resolvere," which means "to loosen" or "to untie." | |||
Urdu | حل کریں | ||
'حل کرنا' has other meanings, such as 'to dissolve', or 'to be absorbed into' and 'to solve' |
Chinese (Simplified) | 解决 | ||
In Taiwan, "解决" can also refer to "paying one's debts." | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 解決 | ||
決斷(きけつだん)という中国語の動詞の意味は「決定」と「分解」である | |||
Japanese | 解決する | ||
"解決する" can also mean "dissolve" or "disintegrate". | |||
Korean | 결의 | ||
결의 originates from the Chinese characters 決意 (juéyì), meaning "firm intention." | |||
Mongolian | шийдвэрлэх | ||
The Mongolian word "шийдвэрлэх" can also mean "to solve", "to decide", or "to determine". | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ဆုံးဖြတ်ပါ | ||
Indonesian | menyelesaikan | ||
"Menyelesaikan" is also used in Indonesian to mean "to complete" or "to finish". | |||
Javanese | mutusake masalah | ||
The word "mutusake masalah" also means "to solve a problem". | |||
Khmer | ដោះស្រាយ | ||
Lao | ແກ້ໄຂ | ||
The Lao word ແກ້ໄຂ (resolve) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'gairati' meaning 'to set in order'. | |||
Malay | tekad | ||
In addition to its literal meaning of "resolve," the word "tekad" also carries the figurative sense of "determination" or "willpower". | |||
Thai | แก้ไข | ||
"แก้ไข" has its root in Sanskrit and can also mean "correct", "repair", or "edit" | |||
Vietnamese | giải quyết | ||
"giải quyết" means "resolve", "solve", "settle", or "conclude" in English. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | lutasin | ||
Azerbaijani | həll etmək | ||
"Həll etmək" also means "make" in Azerbaijani, which is not an alternate meaning or an etymological origin. | |||
Kazakh | шешіңіз | ||
The Kazakh word "шешіңіз" also means "determination, firmness, resolution, steadfastness, tenacity." | |||
Kyrgyz | чечүү | ||
The word "чечүү" in Kyrgyz (resolve) derives from the verb "чечмек" (to solve, to resolve, to untie). | |||
Tajik | ҳал кардан | ||
The word "ҳал кардан" in Tajik can also mean "to break", "to destroy", or "to defeat". | |||
Turkmen | çözmek | ||
Uzbek | hal qilish | ||
The Uzbek word "hal qilish" can also mean "to get rid of" or "to finish something". | |||
Uyghur | ھەل قىلىڭ | ||
Hawaiian | hoʻoholo | ||
The word "hoʻoholo" in Hawaiian also means "to decide" or "to judge". | |||
Maori | whakatau | ||
The word 'whakatau' also means 'to arrange', 'to organize', or 'to make a decision'. | |||
Samoan | fofo | ||
The word "fofo" can also mean "to promise" or "to agree" in Samoan. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | lutasin | ||
Derived from the Tagalog word "lusot" (to slip through), "lutasin" originally meant "to try to slip through" or "to overcome obstacles."} |
Aymara | askichaña | ||
Guarani | apañuãijora | ||
Esperanto | solvi | ||
Esperanto "solvi" derives from "solvi" meaning "to solve" in Latin but can also be understood as an abbreviation of "solvi" meaning "to loosen" in Esperanto. | |||
Latin | consilium | ||
The Latin word "consilium" can also mean 'council' or 'assembly'. |
Greek | αποφασίζω | ||
The word "αποφασίζω" comes from the "απο- + -φασίζω", meaning "away from" and "to speak". | |||
Hmong | daws | ||
The word "daws" in Hmong can also refer to the act of making a decision or a commitment. | |||
Kurdish | biryardan | ||
The word "biryardan" also means to "make a covenant" in Kurdish. | |||
Turkish | çözmek | ||
The word "çözmek" in Turkish also means "melt" and "untie". | |||
Xhosa | zisombulule | ||
"Zisombulule" originally meant 'to cause to become straight', or 'to make free of obstructions'—both literally and figuratively, e.g., 'to settle or arrange matters'. | |||
Yiddish | באַשליסן | ||
The Yiddish word באַשליסן (resolve) shares its root with the German word beschließen (conclude), but can also mean to determine or decide. | |||
Zulu | xazulula | ||
The Zulu word 'xazulula' is derived from the root '-azulula', meaning 'to make something smooth' or 'to even out'. | |||
Assamese | সমাধান | ||
Aymara | askichaña | ||
Bhojpuri | हल कईल | ||
Dhivehi | ހައްލުކުރުން | ||
Dogri | फैसला | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | lutasin | ||
Guarani | apañuãijora | ||
Ilocano | iresolba | ||
Krio | sɔlv | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | توانەوە | ||
Maithili | हल करु | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯋꯥꯔꯦꯞ ꯂꯧꯕ | ||
Mizo | tifel | ||
Oromo | furuu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ସମାଧାନ କର | | ||
Quechua | tukuchiy | ||
Sanskrit | संकल्प: | ||
Tatar | чишү | ||
Tigrinya | ምፍታሕ | ||
Tsonga | ololoxa | ||