Right in Different Languages
Discover 'Right' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'right' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, encompassing a wide range of meanings from correctness and justice to direction and possession. Its cultural importance is evident in its use in various idioms, laws, and philosophical concepts. For instance, the 'Moral Right' in French is 'Droit Moral', while in Spanish, it's 'Derecho Moral'. Understanding the translation of 'right' in different languages can open up new dimensions of cultural exchange and understanding.
Did you know that the English word 'right' comes from the Old English 'riht', which means 'just, good, fair, proper, correct'? This word has also been influenced by various other languages, including Germanic and Latin, showcasing its rich linguistic history. In German, 'right' translates to 'rechts', and in Italian, it's 'diritto'.
Exploring the word 'right' in different languages can be a fascinating journey, shedding light on the intricate connections between language, culture, and history. Keep reading to discover more translations of this versatile word!
Right
Right in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | reg | ||
| The word "reg" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word "recht", meaning "straight" or "correct". | |||
| Amharic | ቀኝ | ||
| The Amharic word for 'right' 'ቀኝ' can also mean 'the east' | |||
| Hausa | dama | ||
| "Dama" can also refer to the "right side" of a person or object. | |||
| Igbo | nri | ||
| In Igbo, the word “nri” also refers to a traditional priestly king associated with the goddess Ala | |||
| Malagasy | tsara | ||
| Malagasy TSARA means "right" in both moral and anatomical senses, and might share an etymology with Malay TERANG (bright or clear). | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kulondola | ||
| Kulondola may also be translated as 'right-handed', as the left hand in Nyanja culture was often used to complete less-desirable tasks. | |||
| Shona | rudyi | ||
| The word "rudyi" can also mean "correct" or "appropriate". | |||
| Somali | sax | ||
| Somali "sax" is an Arabic loanword meaning "proper" or "fit" and also means "healthy" in Afar. | |||
| Sesotho | hantle | ||
| Swahili | haki | ||
| Haki in Swahili also implies justice, righteousness, and truth. | |||
| Xhosa | kunene | ||
| Xhosa 'kunene' is derived from the Proto-Bantu form '*kunene' meaning 'straight' or 'correct'. It cognate to Swazi 'kunene' and Zulu 'kunene', all meaning 'right'. | |||
| Yoruba | ọtun | ||
| "Ọtun" can also refer to the east cardinal direction, the Yoruba Orisa of divination, or a position of honor in society. | |||
| Zulu | kwesokudla | ||
| In Zulu, "kwesokudla" can also mean "the right-hand side" or "the direction of the sun's rise." | |||
| Bambara | jo | ||
| Ewe | nyui | ||
| Kinyarwanda | iburyo | ||
| Lingala | malamu | ||
| Luganda | kituufu | ||
| Sepedi | nepagetše | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nifa | ||
Right in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حق | ||
| The Arabic word "حق" (right) can also refer to "justice", "truth", or "the rightful share or due." | |||
| Hebrew | ימין | ||
| The word "ימין" (right) in Hebrew also refers to the south, as in "ימינה" (to the right) and "ימין" (the south). | |||
| Pashto | ښي | ||
| The Pashto word "ښي" also means "good" or "correct". | |||
| Arabic | حق | ||
| The Arabic word "حق" (right) can also refer to "justice", "truth", or "the rightful share or due." | |||
Right in Western European Languages
| Albanian | e drejtë | ||
| The Albanian word "e drejtë" has its roots in the word "drekë" (oak), representing strength, justice, and order in ancient Albanian society. | |||
| Basque | eskubidea | ||
| The word “eskubidea” is based on the Latin word "ex-cubitum" which literally means "out of the elbow". | |||
| Catalan | dret | ||
| The Catalan word "dret" also means "law" or "justice". | |||
| Croatian | pravo | ||
| The word "pravo" in Croatian can also mean "law" and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "pravo", meaning "straight" or "correct." | |||
| Danish | ret | ||
| Ret, meaning right, also means straight, just, fair and direct. | |||
| Dutch | rechtsaf | ||
| In the Limburgish and Brabantian dialects of Dutch, "Rechtsaf" can also mean "really, indeed". | |||
| English | right | ||
| The word 'right' can also mean 'a correct answer' or 'a person's moral or legal entitlement' | |||
| French | droite | ||
| The French word 'droite' (right) comes from the Latin 'directus' (straight, direct), and its original meaning was 'to go straight'. | |||
| Frisian | rjochts | ||
| The Frisian word 'rjochts' is derived from the Proto-Germanic word '*rehta-' meaning 'straight' or 'correct'. | |||
| Galician | certo | ||
| The Galician word "certo\” is derived from the Latin "certus\”, meaning both "right" and "sure". | |||
| German | richtig | ||
| "Richtig" has the alternate old-style meaning of "straight through," as in: "Ich gehe richtig durch den Wald" | |||
| Icelandic | rétt | ||
| The Icelandic word 'rétt' can also refer to food and clothing, highlighting its broader connotation of 'straightness' or 'orderliness' | |||
| Irish | ceart | ||
| The word 'ceart' derives from the Proto-Celtic root *kar-to-, meaning both 'proper' and 'just'. | |||
| Italian | giusto | ||
| giusto's second meaning, used in music, refers to the rhythm and tempo of songs and compositions | |||
| Luxembourgish | riets | ||
| In the Luxembourgish language, the word "riets" is also used to refer to the direction "straight ahead" when giving directions. | |||
| Maltese | dritt | ||
| Maltese 'dritt' is derived from the Latin 'directum' and can also mean 'direct' or 'straight'. | |||
| Norwegian | ikke sant | ||
| "Ikke sant" is a Norwegian phrase that literally translates to "isn't it true?" or "am I right?" | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | direito | ||
| In Portuguese, "direito" can refer to both "right" and "law", reflecting its Latin root "directus" | |||
| Scots Gaelic | deas | ||
| The Gaelic word "deas" can also refer to the south, or the sunny side of a valley. | |||
| Spanish | derecho | ||
| The word "derecho" in Spanish comes from the Latin word "directum", meaning "straight" or "direct". | |||
| Swedish | rätt | ||
| Rätt shares its origin with the Old English word 'riht,' meaning 'orderly,' and can also mean 'plate' in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | iawn | ||
| The Welsh word 'iawn' can also refer to 'justice' or 'law'. | |||
Right in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | правільна | ||
| The word "правільна" can also mean "correct", "true", or "proper". | |||
| Bosnian | tačno | ||
| Tačno is also used as an adverb meaning "in a precise manner" or "exactly". | |||
| Bulgarian | нали | ||
| The word "нали" in Bulgarian also means "isn't it so?" or "don't you agree?" | |||
| Czech | že jo | ||
| The phrase "že jo" is also used as a way to affirmatively respond to statements or to ask for confirmation. | |||
| Estonian | eks | ||
| "Eks" can also refer to an axle, and is thought to be cognate with the Proto-Finnic "*ehke" and Proto-Indo-European "*aǵʰs-os" ('axle'). | |||
| Finnish | oikein | ||
| "Oikein" comes from the Proto-Finnic word *ojkë, which also meant "left". | |||
| Hungarian | jobb | ||
| "Jobb" has a double meaning and comes from the Sanskrit word "shubha," meaning "beautiful." | |||
| Latvian | pa labi | ||
| In Latvian, the word "pa labi" means "right" but its root, "lab-", also implies something "good" or "favorable". | |||
| Lithuanian | teisingai | ||
| The Lithuanian word "teisingai" ("right") is related to the Sanskrit word "r̥ju" ("straight") and the ancient Greek word "ορθή" ("upright"). | |||
| Macedonian | нели | ||
| The word "нели" (right) in Macedonian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *desьnъ, which also means "right hand." | |||
| Polish | dobrze | ||
| The Polish word "dobrze" can also mean "good" or "well", and is related to the Old Polish word "dobry", meaning "good" or "kind". | |||
| Romanian | dreapta | ||
| Alternate meanings of "dreapta" include: "straight", "upright", "correct", "just", and "proper". | |||
| Russian | верно | ||
| The Russian word "верно" can also mean "faithfully" or "truly". | |||
| Serbian | јел тако | ||
| In Serbian, "јел тако" is the colloquial form of "је ли то тако", meaning "is that true". As such, it can be used to both affirm or question an assertion. | |||
| Slovak | správny | ||
| The word "správny" in Slovak can also mean "correct" or "proper". | |||
| Slovenian | prav | ||
| The word also means "law" or "justice" in a legal context and is the root of words like "pravda" (justice) and "pravičnost" (fairness). | |||
| Ukrainian | правильно | ||
| The word "правильно" also means "correct" or "true" in Ukrainian. | |||
Right in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ঠিক | ||
| "ঠিক" comes from the Sanskrit "dik" meaning "direction, side". | |||
| Gujarati | બરાબર | ||
| "બરાબર" (right) shares its etymology with "બરા" (level) and "બર" (equal), highlighting its association with balance and equality. | |||
| Hindi | सही | ||
| The Hindi word "सही" can also mean "proper", "true", or "correct". | |||
| Kannada | ಸರಿ | ||
| The word "ಸರಿ" also means "correct", "true", or "proper" and is often used to express agreement or understanding. | |||
| Malayalam | ശരി | ||
| The Malayalam word "ശരി" (śari) stems from the Sanskrit word "sṛj" (create) and also signifies"good". | |||
| Marathi | बरोबर | ||
| In the Marathi language, "बरोबर" can also mean "to put in order" or "to arrange." | |||
| Nepali | सहि | ||
| The word "सहि" can also refer to an agreement, a proper match, or a suitable person. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਹੀ | ||
| 'ਸਹੀ' is sometimes also used to mean 'true'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | හරි | ||
| 'හරි' (right) is also used as a synonym for 'beautiful' in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | சரி | ||
| சரி also means "enough" or "that'll do" in Tamil, when used to express contentment or acceptance. | |||
| Telugu | కుడి | ||
| The word "కుడి" ("right") in Telugu also means "appropriate", "suitable" or "fitting". | |||
| Urdu | ٹھیک ہے | ||
Right in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 对 | ||
| In Chinese, 对 (right) also means opposite and pair. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 對 | ||
| Besides its main meaning, 對 (duì) can mean 'to confront' or 'a pair'. | |||
| Japanese | 正しい | ||
| 正 is also used as a prefix meaning "straight; correct; true." | |||
| Korean | 권리 | ||
| 권리 can also mean 'power' or 'authority'. | |||
| Mongolian | зөв | ||
| The word "зөв" (right) may have originated from the root word "зохи", meaning "to fit" or "to be appropriate", suggesting that something that is right aligns with established norms or expectations. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မှန်ပါတယ် | ||
Right in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | baik | ||
| The Indonesian word "baik" (right) is cognate with the Malay word "baik" (good), and with the Arabic word "baik" (between). | |||
| Javanese | bener | ||
| In Krama form, "bener" can also mean "to fix", while in Ngoko it means "true" or "correct" | |||
| Khmer | ត្រឹមត្រូវ | ||
| Lao | ຖືກຕ້ອງ | ||
| Malay | betul | ||
| 'Betul' in Indonesian also means 'genuine' or 'correct'. | |||
| Thai | ขวา | ||
| The Thai word "ขวา" can also refer to an auspicious direction or side. | |||
| Vietnamese | đúng | ||
| "Đúng" can also mean "precisely" or "exactly". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tama | ||
Right in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | sağ | ||
| The word "sağ" in Azerbaijani, meaning "right," is cognate with the Persian word "rāst" and the Sanskrit word "ṛta," both meaning "truth" or "order." | |||
| Kazakh | дұрыс | ||
| In Kazakh, "дұрыс" can also mean "correct" or "straight". | |||
| Kyrgyz | туура | ||
| The word "туура" in Kyrgyz can also refer to "flatness" or "justice". | |||
| Tajik | рост | ||
| In Tajik, the word "рост" can also refer to "growth" or "progress". | |||
| Turkmen | dogry | ||
| Uzbek | to'g'ri | ||
| The word "to'g'ri" can also mean "proper" or "appropriate" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | توغرا | ||
Right in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | akau | ||
| Hawaiian 'akau' originates in a Proto-Austronesian word that can mean both "right" and "left". | |||
| Maori | tika | ||
| The word "tika" in Maori comes from the Proto-Polynesian word "tika" but it also means "genuine", "correct", or "upright". | |||
| Samoan | tauagavale | ||
| Tauagavale can also mean 'correct' or 'proper' in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tama | ||
| The word "tama" in Tagalog has Proto-Austronesian origins and is related to words for "true" in other Philippine languages. | |||
Right in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | waliki | ||
| Guarani | akatúa | ||
Right in International Languages
| Esperanto | ĝuste | ||
| "Ĝuste" is derived from French "juste" and Latin "iuste" (justly). | |||
| Latin | iustum | ||
| "Iustum" in Latin can also refer to "regular" or "complete." | |||
Right in Others Languages
| Greek | σωστά | ||
| Σωστά derives from the Ancient Greek σωτός (safe, sound, whole), possibly from a Proto-Indo-European root *s(e)w- (to save). | |||
| Hmong | txoj cai | ||
| In Hmong, "txoj cai" can also refer to a person's appearance or physical condition, such as being "right" or "correct" in terms of one's health or physical well-being. | |||
| Kurdish | rast | ||
| The word "rast" in Kurdish is derived from the Persian word "rāst", meaning "straight" or "correct" | |||
| Turkish | sağ | ||
| The word "sağ" in Turkish can also mean "side" or "health." | |||
| Xhosa | kunene | ||
| Xhosa 'kunene' is derived from the Proto-Bantu form '*kunene' meaning 'straight' or 'correct'. It cognate to Swazi 'kunene' and Zulu 'kunene', all meaning 'right'. | |||
| Yiddish | רעכט | ||
| The Yiddish word "רעכט" can also mean "straight" or "correct". | |||
| Zulu | kwesokudla | ||
| In Zulu, "kwesokudla" can also mean "the right-hand side" or "the direction of the sun's rise." | |||
| Assamese | শুদ্ধ | ||
| Aymara | waliki | ||
| Bhojpuri | ठीक | ||
| Dhivehi | ކަނާތް | ||
| Dogri | स्हेई | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tama | ||
| Guarani | akatúa | ||
| Ilocano | kusto | ||
| Krio | rayt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕاست | ||
| Maithili | ठीक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯨꯝꯃꯤ | ||
| Mizo | dik | ||
| Oromo | sirrii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଠିକ୍ | ||
| Quechua | paña | ||
| Sanskrit | दक्षिणः | ||
| Tatar | уң | ||
| Tigrinya | ትኽክል | ||
| Tsonga | mfanelo | ||