Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'scene' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, often used to describe a particular setting or social context. It's a term that transcends cultural boundaries, making its understanding crucial for anyone interested in language and culture. Whether you're a theater enthusiast, a photography junkie, or a casual observer, the scene is where the action unfolds.
Historically, the term 'scene' has been used in theater to describe a act or a backdrop. In the visual arts, a 'scene' can be a depicted event or setting. This versatility makes 'scene' a fascinating word to explore across different languages.
For instance, in Spanish, 'scene' translates to 'escena'. In French, it's 'scène', and in German, it's 'Szene'. Each language offers a unique translation, reflecting the word's cultural significance in each region.
Below, you'll find a comprehensive list of 'scene' translations in various languages. This list not only serves as a linguistic tool but also as a cultural journey, highlighting the global impact of this simple yet powerful word.
Afrikaans | toneel | ||
The Afrikaans word "toneel" is derived from the Dutch word "tooneel", which means "theatre stage". | |||
Amharic | ትዕይንት | ||
The word "ትዕይንት" can also refer to "theatrical performance". | |||
Hausa | scene | ||
In Hausa, "scene" can also mean "a group of people gathered for a purpose" or "a performance". | |||
Igbo | ebe | ||
The word "ebe" in Igbo can also mean "place", "occasion", "situation", or "sight". | |||
Malagasy | sehatra | ||
Malagasy "sehatra" is a homophone for "square" and relates to the idea of an open stage. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | mawonekedwe | ||
Mawonekedwe, in Nyanja, comes from the root word "woneka," meaning "to appear" | |||
Shona | chiitiko | ||
The word "chiitiko" can also refer to a play or performance, highlighting its theatrical origins. | |||
Somali | goobta | ||
The word 'goobta' in Somali can also refer to a 'meeting' or a 'place of assembly'. | |||
Sesotho | ketsahalo | ||
Etymology: from the verb 'ketsa' ('to cut') + '-ha' (nominal infix for tools). | |||
Swahili | eneo | ||
The Swahili word "eneo" can also mean "place" or "area" and is derived from the Proto-Bantu root "-end-," meaning "to lie down" or "to rest." | |||
Xhosa | imeko | ||
The Xhosa word "imeko" can also refer to a place, a situation, or an event. | |||
Yoruba | iṣẹlẹ | ||
"Ìṣẹlẹ" means "situation" and is often used to refer to events in which someone's character or reputation has been put at risk. | |||
Zulu | isigcawu | ||
The word "isigcawu" is used in Zulu to refer to a stage in a play, a movie or television, a view or spectacle, and an occasion. | |||
Bambara | kɛnɛ | ||
Ewe | nukpɔkpɔ | ||
Kinyarwanda | ibibera | ||
Lingala | esika | ||
Luganda | oluyombo | ||
Sepedi | sefala | ||
Twi (Akan) | beaeɛ | ||
Arabic | مشهد | ||
The word مشهد (mašhad) also means a place for pilgrimage, particularly a shrine. | |||
Hebrew | סְצֵינָה | ||
סְצֵינָה" can also mean "stage" or "setting" in Hebrew. | |||
Pashto | صحنه | ||
صحنه (Sahna) means “scene” and “stage” in Pashto, it is derived from Arabic root word ص ح ن (ṢaḤana) that means “plate” and “saucer”, also, صحنه can be “stage” as in a theater or “arena” for sports. | |||
Arabic | مشهد | ||
The word مشهد (mašhad) also means a place for pilgrimage, particularly a shrine. |
Albanian | skena | ||
The Albanian word "skenë" ultimately derives from the Greek word "skēnē", which originally meant "tent" or "hut" and later came to refer to the stage of a theater. | |||
Basque | eszena | ||
Although "eszena" means "scene" in Basque, the word derives from a Greek and Gothic verb, meaning "to decorate." | |||
Catalan | escena | ||
In Catalan, "escena" can also refer to the theatrical stage or the theatrical profession. | |||
Croatian | scena | ||
The word "scena" in Croatian can also refer to a stage, a theatrical performance or a specific part of a play. | |||
Danish | scene | ||
In Danish, the word "scene" can also refer to the place of a crime or the stage of an event. | |||
Dutch | tafereel | ||
The Dutch word "tafereel" also means "painting". | |||
English | scene | ||
The word "scene" derives from the Greek word "skēnē", meaning "booth, tent, or stage". | |||
French | scène | ||
"scène" is derived from the Greek "skēnē" meaning "tent, stage" and can also refer to a theatrical performance or a specific section within a play. | |||
Frisian | sêne | ||
The Frisian word “sêne” is cognate with the English word “screen” and is also related to the French word “scène”. | |||
Galician | escena | ||
Escena "scene" derives from Late Latin "scena" which referred to the partition between the "postscaenium" and the "proscaenium" as well as the area behind the partition where performers prepared to go on stage. | |||
German | szene | ||
The word "Szene" in German can also mean scenery, stage, place of action, or social circle. | |||
Icelandic | vettvangur | ||
Vettvangur derives from "vettvangr" meaning "battlefield" hence a "scene". | |||
Irish | radharc | ||
The Irish word "radharc" can also refer to a spectacle or a display. | |||
Italian | scena | ||
The Italian word "scena" derives from the Latin "scaena," meaning "stage." | |||
Luxembourgish | zeen | ||
The Luxembourgish word "Zeen" can also refer to the "place on a river where it is wide and shallow" (especially for cattle crossings or fishing). | |||
Maltese | xena | ||
In Maltese, "xena" also means "drama" or "excitement." | |||
Norwegian | scene | ||
The Norwegian word "scene" can also mean "a dramatic situation or episode" or "a view or spectacle". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cena | ||
"Cena" in Portuguese can also mean "dinner" or "supper". | |||
Scots Gaelic | sealladh | ||
The word 'sealladh' also means 'appearance' or 'sight', and can refer to a physical appearance or a mental image. | |||
Spanish | escena | ||
"Escena" derives from the Latin "ex" and "scaena," and also refers to the "backstage" area in a theater. | |||
Swedish | scen | ||
The word "scen" can also mean a "place" or a "stage" in the entertainment industry. | |||
Welsh | olygfa | ||
The word "olygfa" has its etymological roots in the Greek word "ὀλιγάκη", meaning a small number or fewness and might therefore also be understood as indicating an "excerpt" |
Belarusian | сцэна | ||
The Belarusian word "сцэна" can also refer to the set location in the performing arts or to a situation which could be regarded as dramatic. | |||
Bosnian | scene | ||
U bosanskom jeziku postoji i riječ "scena" koja se koristi za opisivanje pozornice u teatru ili za opisivanje nekog događaja ili situacije. | |||
Bulgarian | сцена | ||
In Bulgarian, "сцена" can also refer to a stage or a theatrical performance. | |||
Czech | scéna | ||
The Czech word "scéna" also means "theater" and comes from the Greek "skēnē" meaning "tent" or "stage building." | |||
Estonian | stseen | ||
The word "stseen" in Estonian originates from the German word "Szene," meaning "a part of a play." | |||
Finnish | näkymä | ||
The Finnish word "näkymä" (scene) also refers to a scenic vista or spectacle. | |||
Hungarian | színhely | ||
The word "színhely" can also refer to a theater or a stage, reflecting its theatrical origins. | |||
Latvian | aina | ||
"aina" is also the name of a Latvian lake and a Latvian female given name | |||
Lithuanian | scena | ||
In Lithuanian "scena" can be translated as "scene" in a theatre, stage or "scenery" in a play. | |||
Macedonian | сцена | ||
The word "сцена" in Macedonian originally referred to a stage or platform for public performances, and has since broadened its meaning to encompass any setting or context. | |||
Polish | scena | ||
The Polish word "scena" also means "stage" in the theatrical context, as it derives from the Latin word "scaena" with the same meaning. | |||
Romanian | scenă | ||
Romanian "scenă" derives from Greek "skēnē" (tent, pavilion), but also refers to one's behavior in public | |||
Russian | сцена | ||
Russian "сцена" goes back to Greek "skēnē" and originally meant "hut" or "tent" in the context of Greek theatre. | |||
Serbian | сцена | ||
The Serbian word "сцена" can also mean "stage" or "theater". | |||
Slovak | scéna | ||
The Slovak word "scéna" can also mean a stage or a theatre. | |||
Slovenian | prizor | ||
The word "prizor" in Slovenian is derived from the verb "prizorirati," meaning "to watch" or "to observe." | |||
Ukrainian | сцени | ||
The Ukrainian word "сцени" is derived from the Latin "scena", meaning "stage" or "place of action". |
Bengali | দৃশ্য | ||
The Sanskrit word 'दृश्य' (dṛśya) means 'that which is seen' and also refers to a performance or spectacle in Bengali. | |||
Gujarati | દ્રશ્ય | ||
The word "દ્રશ્ય" can also refer to a theatrical performance or a spectacle. | |||
Hindi | स्थल | ||
The Hindi word "स्थल" can also refer to a location, place, or site. | |||
Kannada | ದೃಶ್ಯ | ||
The word "ದೃಶ್ಯ" can also refer to 'sight' or 'vision'. | |||
Malayalam | രംഗം | ||
രംഗം can also refer to a battle, theatre performance, or musical concert, showing its wide semantic field in Malayalam. | |||
Marathi | देखावा | ||
The word 'देखावा` is also used to describe a person's appearance, style, or demeanor. | |||
Nepali | दृश्य | ||
Derived from Sanskrit "dṛṣya," originally meaning "visible" or "that which can be seen". | |||
Punjabi | ਸੀਨ | ||
The Punjabi word 'ਸੀਨ' (scene) can also refer to a 'fight', reflecting the theatrical origins of the word in Punjabi. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | දර්ශනය | ||
Tamil | காட்சி | ||
In the context of television or film, "காட்சி" refers to a sequence of continuous visual shots or frames. | |||
Telugu | దృశ్యం | ||
Urdu | منظر | ||
The word "منظر" can also refer to a sight, view, or landscape. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 现场 | ||
"现场" can also mean "spot," "sight," "situation," or "circumstances." | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 現場 | ||
The right side of 現場 depicts a play, hence the meaning of "scene" in a movie or theater. | |||
Japanese | シーン | ||
In Japanese, "シーン" (shīn) has alternate meanings such as "view" or "scenery". | |||
Korean | 장면 | ||
The word "장면" also means "a scene of action" in Korean, as in a historical or battle setting. | |||
Mongolian | үзэгдэл | ||
The word "үзэгдэл" can also mean "phenomena" or "incident" in Mongolian. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | မြင်ကွင်း | ||
Indonesian | tempat kejadian | ||
The Javanese word "kejadian" means both "event" and "scene of a crime". | |||
Javanese | pemandangan | ||
Pemandangan in Javanese is a combination of 'pe' meaning 'by' or 'with' and 'mandang' meaning 'to see', hence 'a view' or 'a scene'. | |||
Khmer | ឈុតឆាក | ||
The Khmer word "ឈុតឆាក" originates from the Sanskrit word "chhuta" meaning "free" or "let go" and "chakra" meaning "wheel" or "circle", suggesting a free or moving scene. | |||
Lao | ສາກ | ||
The word "ສາກ" can also refer to a "place", "area", or "space" in Lao. | |||
Malay | pemandangan | ||
"Pemandangan" also means "views" as in "my views on the matter" or scenic views | |||
Thai | ฉาก | ||
"ฉาก" (scene) also refers to the backdrop or setting in a play, or a mental image or impression. | |||
Vietnamese | bối cảnh | ||
"Bối cảnh" can also mean "background" or "context". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | eksena | ||
Azerbaijani | səhnə | ||
"Səhnə" ultimately traces its roots to the Ancient Greek word "skēnē", meaning a tent or a stage. | |||
Kazakh | көрініс | ||
The word "көрініс" in Kazakh can also mean "appearance" or "view". | |||
Kyrgyz | көрүнүш | ||
Kyrgyz "көрүнүш": also means "a spectacle or event that is unusual, impressive, or entertaining" | |||
Tajik | саҳна | ||
The word “саҳна” (sahna) can also refer to a theater's stage or a movie's set, and it shares this meaning with its Persian origin “sahneh”. | |||
Turkmen | sahna | ||
Uzbek | sahna | ||
In the Uzbek language, the word "sahna" can also refer to a stage or an event. | |||
Uyghur | نەق مەيدان | ||
Hawaiian | hanana | ||
Hanana, meaning "a gathering", originated from the Proto-Polynesian *sanasana meaning a "crowd watching an event." | |||
Maori | whakaaturanga | ||
The word 'whakaaturanga' also means 'expression', 'exhibition', 'presentation', or 'show' in Maori. | |||
Samoan | vaaiga | ||
"Vaaiga" also means "to look at" or "to watch" in Samoan. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | eksena | ||
The word "eksena" in Tagalog can also refer to a situation, an event, or a spectacle |
Aymara | isina | ||
Guarani | oikóva | ||
Esperanto | sceno | ||
The word "sceno" in Esperanto also has the alternate meaning of "curtain" or "stage curtain". | |||
Latin | scene | ||
In Latin, "scene" also refers to a "curtain" or "stage backdrop". |
Greek | σκηνή | ||
The Greek word "σκηνή" (scene) derives from the verb "σκηνέω" (to pitch a tent), alluding to the temporary, ephemeral nature of scenes in theater and life. | |||
Hmong | scene | ||
In Hmong, "scene" can refer to a specific location, a group of people involved in an event, or the setting of a story. | |||
Kurdish | sehne | ||
The word "sehne" can also refer to theater or cinema. | |||
Turkish | faliyet alani, sahne | ||
In Spanish, "escena" can also refer to a scandal, while in Italian, "scena" can mean a stage or a phase in a play. | |||
Xhosa | imeko | ||
The Xhosa word "imeko" can also refer to a place, a situation, or an event. | |||
Yiddish | סצענע | ||
In Yiddish, "סצענע" can also refer to a scandal or commotion, reflecting its theatrical origin. | |||
Zulu | isigcawu | ||
The word "isigcawu" is used in Zulu to refer to a stage in a play, a movie or television, a view or spectacle, and an occasion. | |||
Assamese | দৃশ্য | ||
Aymara | isina | ||
Bhojpuri | द्रशय | ||
Dhivehi | ސީން | ||
Dogri | नजारा | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | eksena | ||
Guarani | oikóva | ||
Ilocano | buya | ||
Krio | ples | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | دیمەن | ||
Maithili | दृश्य | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯛꯇꯝ | ||
Mizo | hmun | ||
Oromo | taatee | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଦୃଶ୍ୟ | ||
Quechua | escena | ||
Sanskrit | दृश्य | ||
Tatar | күренеш | ||
Tigrinya | ኣጋጣሚ | ||
Tsonga | ndhawu | ||