Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'response' carries great significance in our daily lives and in various cultural contexts. It represents the action or manner in which one reacts to a situation, stimulus, or inquiry. Responses can be verbal, non-verbal, or written, and they play a crucial role in communication and interaction.
Throughout history, responses have shaped the course of events, from diplomatic negotiations to scientific discoveries. The speed, tone, and content of a response can reveal much about a person's character, intentions, or knowledge. Moreover, the concept of a 'response' is universal, making it a fascinating subject of study across different languages and cultures.
For instance, in Spanish, 'response' translates to 'respuesta', while in French, it is 'réponse'. In German, it is 'Antwort', and in Japanese, it is '返事 (henji)'. Understanding these translations can help us appreciate the nuances of how different cultures view and express the idea of a 'response'.
In this article, we will explore the translations of 'response' in various languages, shedding light on the cultural importance and significance of this word.
Afrikaans | reaksie | ||
Afrikaans "reaksie" also means "reaction", from the Old French "reaction". | |||
Amharic | ምላሽ | ||
"ምላሽ" can also mean "reply" and is an Amharic term derived from the verb "መለሰ" meaning "to return". | |||
Hausa | amsa | ||
The Hausa word "amsa" also signifies a reply or rejoinder to another person's statement. | |||
Igbo | nzaghachi | ||
"Nzaghachi" in Igbo can also mean "answer", "reaction" or "retaliation". | |||
Malagasy | famaliana | ||
The word 'FAMALIANA' also refers to the 'act of responding'. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | yankho | ||
Nyanja 'yankho' originates from the root '-yankh-' meaning 'to answer' or 'to respond' | |||
Shona | mhinduro | ||
The word "mhinduro" could come from the Proto-Bantu root "-ntuza", meaning "to reply" or "to give an answer". | |||
Somali | jawaab | ||
The word "jawaab" also means "reply" or "answer" in Somali. | |||
Sesotho | karabo | ||
The word "karabo" in Sesotho also means "a way of answering" or "a way of reacting to something". | |||
Swahili | majibu | ||
The word 'majibu' also means 'reply', 'answer', or 'solution' in Swahili. | |||
Xhosa | impendulo | ||
The word "impendulo" can mean "answer" or "revenge" in Xhosa. | |||
Yoruba | idahun | ||
In Ekiti dialect of Yoruba, "idahun" means "thank you". | |||
Zulu | impendulo | ||
In Xhosa, the term 'impendulo' also signifies 'reply' or 'answer', highlighting its semantic consistency across Nguni languages. | |||
Bambara | jaabi | ||
Ewe | ŋuɖoɖo | ||
Kinyarwanda | igisubizo | ||
Lingala | eyano | ||
Luganda | okuddamu | ||
Sepedi | phetolo | ||
Twi (Akan) | anoyie | ||
Arabic | استجابة | ||
"استجابة" also means "compliance" in Arabic. | |||
Hebrew | תְגוּבָה | ||
The Hebrew word "תְגוּבָה", meaning "response", also has the alternate meaning of "reaction" in a chemical or biological context. | |||
Pashto | ځواب | ||
The word "ځواب" in Pashto can also refer to a "reason" or "reply". | |||
Arabic | استجابة | ||
"استجابة" also means "compliance" in Arabic. |
Albanian | përgjigje | ||
The word "përgjigje" can also mean "answer" or "reply". | |||
Basque | erantzuna | ||
The Basque word "erantzuna" also means "reply", "answer", or "solution", and derives from the verb "erantzun" ("to answer") along with the suffix "-a". | |||
Catalan | resposta | ||
The word "resposta" also means "answer" and "reply" in Catalan. | |||
Croatian | odgovor | ||
The Croatian word "odgovor" is derived from the Old Slavic word "otъgovorъ", meaning "speech in reply" or "answer". | |||
Danish | respons | ||
The word "respons" in Danish is derived from the Latin word "responsum", meaning "answer" or "reply". | |||
Dutch | reactie | ||
Apart from meaning "response", "reactie" also means "chemical reaction" and "reaction time" in Dutch. | |||
English | response | ||
"Response" is related to the Latin word "respondere," meaning "to promise," and can also describe a reaction to an event or situation. | |||
French | réponse | ||
The French word "réponse" can also mean "answer" or "reply". | |||
Frisian | antwurd | ||
The Frisian word "antwurd" derives from the Old Frisian "and-word" meaning "counter-word" or "counter-speech" and is related to the English "answer". | |||
Galician | resposta | ||
The Galician word "resposta" also has the alternate meaning of "answer". | |||
German | antwort | ||
In Middle High German, "antwort" meant "counter-speech" and "speech in reply," while "antwurten" meant "to return speech." | |||
Icelandic | svar | ||
Svar is also used in the sense of "answer" or "reply". | |||
Irish | freagra | ||
Freagra, meaning "response" in Irish, can also be used to mean "an answer to a riddle" or "a solution to a problem" | |||
Italian | risposta | ||
The Italian word "risposta" derives from the Latin "responsus" and also refers to an answer to a legal demand. | |||
Luxembourgish | äntwert | ||
The Luxembourgish word "Äntwert" derives from the Old French word "answerre" and is cognate with the English word "answer". | |||
Maltese | rispons | ||
Maltese word "rispons" comes from the Latin word "responsum" meaning "an answer" or "a response". | |||
Norwegian | respons | ||
"Respons" comes from Latin "responsum" and also means "(musical) answer" | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | resposta | ||
The word "resposta" in Portuguese derives from the Latin "responsum", meaning "an answer, a reply". | |||
Scots Gaelic | freagairt | ||
The word "freagairt" is ultimately derived from the Proto-Celtic root *werg-i-, meaning "to turn" or "to bend". | |||
Spanish | respuesta | ||
The word "respuesta" derives from the same Latin root as the word "reply," meaning to return or turn back. | |||
Swedish | svar | ||
The word svar is also used in Swedish to refer to the answer to a riddle or puzzle. | |||
Welsh | ymateb | ||
While the English word "response" derives from the Latin "responsum," the Welsh word "ymateb" traces its roots to "ateb," referring to the act of returning, echoing, or answering. |
Belarusian | адказ | ||
The word "адказ" in Belarusian can also mean an "answer" or a "reply". | |||
Bosnian | odgovor | ||
Although the word "odgovor" has the same root as the English word "answer" in Proto-Indo-European, it primarily means "response" in Bosnian. | |||
Bulgarian | отговор | ||
The word "отговор" in Bulgarian comes from the Old Slavic word "otglagoljь", which means "to speak back". | |||
Czech | odezva | ||
The word "Odezva" in Czech has Slavic roots, and its original meaning was "echo" or "reverberation". It is also used to describe a reaction to a stimulus or event. | |||
Estonian | vastus | ||
The word "vastus" in Estonian is derived from the Latin word "vastus", meaning "empty" or "broad". | |||
Finnish | vastaus | ||
The word 'vastaus' is derived from the Proto-Finnic word '*vastane' which means 'meeting, encounter' but also 'answer'. | |||
Hungarian | válasz | ||
The Hungarian word "válasz" can also mean "choice" or "division", sharing the same root as the verb "választ", meaning "to choose" or "to separate". | |||
Latvian | atbildi | ||
The word "atbildi" is derived from the Proto-Baltic root *at- "to answer". | |||
Lithuanian | atsakymą | ||
"Atsakymą" is a noun derived from the verb "atsakyti," meaning "to answer" or "to reply." | |||
Macedonian | одговор | ||
"Одговор" derives from the Old Church Slavonic language, where it had similar meanings alongside "defence", "proof" or "apology". | |||
Polish | odpowiedź | ||
The word "odpowiedź" comes from the Proto-Slavic root *otvědъ, meaning "answer, reply". | |||
Romanian | raspuns | ||
The Romanian word "raspuns" originates from the Latin "responsum" meaning "answer" and also has the connotation of a solution to a problem. | |||
Russian | ответ | ||
"Ответ" derives from the Old Church Slavonic "вѣтъ", meaning "knowledge", "information". | |||
Serbian | одговор | ||
"Одговор" is cognate to the Bulgarian word "отговор" and the Czech word "odpověď" and is derived from a Proto-Slavic root meaning "turn, reply". | |||
Slovak | odpoveď | ||
"Odpoveď" in Slovak is derived from the verb "odpovedať," which originally meant to "answer," "speak up" or "say something back." | |||
Slovenian | odziv | ||
The word "odziv" in Slovenian derives from the Proto-Slavic word "otъzъvъ," meaning "echo" or "sound back." | |||
Ukrainian | відповідь | ||
The word "відповідь" derives from the Proto-Slavic word *otъvětъ, meaning "answer" or "reply". |
Bengali | প্রতিক্রিয়া | ||
"প্রতিক্রিয়া" can also mean 'reaction' in chemistry or biology. | |||
Gujarati | પ્રતિભાવ | ||
Hindi | प्रतिक्रिया | ||
"प्रतिक्रिया" (response) is derived from the Sanskrit word "प्रति" (against) and "क्रिया" (action), hence implying a reaction or counter-action. | |||
Kannada | ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆ | ||
Malayalam | പ്രതികരണം | ||
പ്രതികരണം in Malayalam means response, reaction, or action in response to something. | |||
Marathi | प्रतिसाद | ||
The Marathi word "प्रतिसाद" (pratisād) originates from the Sanskrit word "प्रतिसाद" (pratisād), which has the same meaning and also refers to an echo or reverberation. | |||
Nepali | प्रतिक्रिया | ||
"प्रतिक्रिया" can also mean 'reaction' in Nepali. | |||
Punjabi | ਜਵਾਬ | ||
The word "ਜਵਾਬ" (response) in Punjabi is derived from the Persian word "جواب" (answer), which in turn comes from the Arabic word "جَوابٌ" (answer). | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ප්රතිචාරය | ||
Tamil | பதில் | ||
In Tamil, "பதில்" can also mean "remedy" or "solution". | |||
Telugu | ప్రతిస్పందన | ||
ప్రతిస్పందన is also used to refer to a musical composition responding to or echoing another piece of music. | |||
Urdu | جواب | ||
The word "جواب" in Urdu comes from the Persian word "پاسخی" (pāsukh), meaning "answer" or "reply". |
Chinese (Simplified) | 响应 | ||
"响应" in Chinese also means "answer" or "meet (a request)". | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 響應 | ||
In Chinese, "響應" can also refer to a phenomenon where many people react the same way to something, often in a positive or supportive manner. | |||
Japanese | 応答 | ||
"応答" can also mean 'to answer,' 'reply,' 'respond,' 'acknowledge,' or even 'react' in Japanese. | |||
Korean | 응답 | ||
응답, 반응, 대답 | |||
Mongolian | хариу | ||
The word 'хариу' in Mongolian also refers to the act of explaining something. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | တုံ့ပြန်မှု | ||
Indonesian | tanggapan | ||
The Indonesian word 'tanggapan' can also mean 'opinion' or 'impression'. | |||
Javanese | tanggepan | ||
The Javanese word "tanggepan" has several meanings including "response," "obligation," or "responsibility." | |||
Khmer | ការឆ្លើយតប | ||
Lao | ການຕອບສະຫນອງ | ||
Malay | tindak balas | ||
"Tindak balas" literally means "act of retaliating" in Malay. | |||
Thai | การตอบสนอง | ||
The word 'การตอบสนอง' can also refer to a physical reaction to a stimulus or a chemical reaction. | |||
Vietnamese | phản ứng | ||
"Phản ứng" is a Sino-Vietnamese word composed of two Chinese characters: "反" (phản) meaning "opposite" and "ứng" (ứng) meaning "answer". Thus, "phản ứng" literally means "opposite answer" or "counter-answer", implying a response or reaction that is not in accordance with expectations or demands. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | tugon | ||
Azerbaijani | cavab | ||
In Persian, "cavab" means "answer" or "question", and in Ottoman Turkish, it means "letter" or "reply." | |||
Kazakh | жауап | ||
The Kazakh word "жауап" is also used to refer to an explanation or justification, and derives from the verb "жауап беру" (to respond). | |||
Kyrgyz | жооп | ||
The Kyrgyz word "жооп" also has the meanings of "answer" and "solution". | |||
Tajik | посух | ||
The word "посух" in Tajik can also refer to a staff or walking stick. | |||
Turkmen | jogap | ||
Uzbek | javob | ||
The word "javob" in Uzbek also means "answer" and derives from the Persian word "javāb". | |||
Uyghur | جاۋاب | ||
Hawaiian | pane | ||
The Hawaiian word "pane" comes from Proto-Oceanic **paŋe** ('to speak, make a sound, chant') | |||
Maori | whakautu | ||
The word "whakautu" in Maori also means "to make a sound", "to answer", or "to reply". | |||
Samoan | tali | ||
Tali is used both as an interjection to mean "wow" and as a noun meaning "response" in Samoan. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | tugon | ||
"Tugon" comes from the Proto-Austronesian word *tugun which means "to respond" or "to call out." |
Aymara | jaysawi | ||
Guarani | mbohovái | ||
Esperanto | respondo | ||
"Respondo" in Esperanto also relates to the concept of "answering a call" in certain contexts, similar to the phrase "responding to a phone call" in English. | |||
Latin | responsum | ||
In Roman law, a "responsum" was an official legal opinion given by a jurisconsult, often in response to a query from a magistrate or a private individual. |
Greek | απάντηση | ||
"Απάντηση" (response) originates from the verb "απαντώ", meaning "to meet", implying a reciprocal action of responding. | |||
Hmong | teb | ||
In the White Hmong dialect, the word “teb” also means "opinion".} | |||
Kurdish | bersiv | ||
The word "bersiv" in Kurdish is derived from the Persian word "pasokh", meaning "answer" or "reply". | |||
Turkish | tepki | ||
The word 'tepki' comes from the Persian word 'tep', meaning 'to leap' or 'to move'. | |||
Xhosa | impendulo | ||
The word "impendulo" can mean "answer" or "revenge" in Xhosa. | |||
Yiddish | ענטפער | ||
The Yiddish word "ענטפער" also means "answer" in English. | |||
Zulu | impendulo | ||
In Xhosa, the term 'impendulo' also signifies 'reply' or 'answer', highlighting its semantic consistency across Nguni languages. | |||
Assamese | সঁহাৰি | ||
Aymara | jaysawi | ||
Bhojpuri | जबाब | ||
Dhivehi | ޖަވާބު | ||
Dogri | परता | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | tugon | ||
Guarani | mbohovái | ||
Ilocano | sungbat | ||
Krio | ansa | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | وەڵامدانەوە | ||
Maithili | प्रतिक्रिया | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯥꯎꯈꯨꯝ | ||
Mizo | chhanna | ||
Oromo | deebii | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ରତିକ୍ରିୟା | ||
Quechua | kutichiy | ||
Sanskrit | प्रतिक्रिया | ||
Tatar | җавап | ||
Tigrinya | ምላሽ | ||
Tsonga | nhlamulo | ||