Screen in Different Languages
Discover 'Screen' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'screen' holds immense significance in our daily lives, serving as a barrier, a display, or a means of protection. From early cave paintings to the latest smartphones, screens have been a cultural cornerstone, documenting our evolution and shaping our interactions. Understanding the translation of 'screen' in different languages can provide fascinating insights into how various cultures perceive and utilize this versatile concept.
For instance, in Spanish, 'screen' translates to 'pantalla,' which also means 'shield' or 'mask' in certain contexts. In German, 'Bildschirm' combines 'image' and 'shield,' reflecting the dual nature of screens. Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'tsuuchou' represents 'screen,' carrying historical connotations from traditional Japanese room dividers to modern technology.
Explore the many faces of 'screen' in different languages, and discover the unique perspectives that these translations unveil. Stay tuned for a captivating list of 'screen' translations that will broaden your understanding of this ubiquitous concept.
Screen
Screen in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | skerm | ||
| The word 'skerm' in Afrikaans originates from the Dutch word 'scherm' meaning 'protection' or 'defence'. | |||
| Amharic | ማያ ገጽ | ||
| The word "ማያ ገጽ" (screen) can also refer to a "façade" or "mask" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | allo | ||
| The word "allo" entered Hausa from Arabic, where it means "a sign, a mark, a banner, a flag". | |||
| Igbo | ihuenyo | ||
| "Ihuenyo" refers to the wooden frame with strings on which traditional hunting nets are hanged; an alternate meaning is a wooden or wire mesh to separate one space from another. | |||
| Malagasy | efijery | ||
| The word "efijery" in Malagasy can also refer to a "sieve" or "filter". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chophimba | ||
| The word "chophimba" can also mean "obstacle" or "barrier" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | chidzitiro | ||
| "Chidzitiro" is also used figuratively to refer to a person who acts as an intermediary or a buffer between two parties. | |||
| Somali | shaashadda | ||
| The word "shaashadda" is borrowed from the Arabic word "shāsha" which also refers to "gauzy silk fabric" and "a thin veil covering one's face". | |||
| Sesotho | skrine | ||
| The Sesotho word "skrine" is derived from English, where it originally meant "a piece of furniture with shelves or drawers". | |||
| Swahili | skrini | ||
| The word "skrini" in Swahili also refers to a type of traditional bed frame used in Zanzibar. | |||
| Xhosa | isikrini | ||
| The Xhosa word "isikrini" (screen) is also used to mean "display" or "mirror", and likely derives from the verb "ukukrini" (to screen, to sift) | |||
| Yoruba | iboju | ||
| Iboju, often used to refer to a computer or phone screen, originates from the Yoruba verb "ju", meaning "to cover" or "to hide." | |||
| Zulu | isikrini | ||
| The Zulu word "isikrini" is thought to be derived from the English word "screen", which was introduced to the Zulu language during the colonial era. | |||
| Bambara | ekaran | ||
| Ewe | mɔxenu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | mugaragaza | ||
| Lingala | ecran | ||
| Luganda | lutimbe | ||
| Sepedi | sekerini | ||
| Twi (Akan) | skriin | ||
Screen in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | شاشة | ||
| The word "شاشة" is derived from the root word "شش" in Arabic, which refers to a transparent fabric or a sieve. | |||
| Hebrew | מָסָך | ||
| The word מָסָך ("screen") in Hebrew shares its root with "to pour" or "to hide." | |||
| Pashto | پرده | ||
| In Pashto, "پرده" can also refer to a theatrical play or drama, or a type of traditional female attire used to cover the face or body in public. | |||
| Arabic | شاشة | ||
| The word "شاشة" is derived from the root word "شش" in Arabic, which refers to a transparent fabric or a sieve. | |||
Screen in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ekran | ||
| "Ekran" derives from Greek, "ekran" means "curtain, veil" and metaphorically "what separates us from something else: a screen, display". | |||
| Basque | pantaila | ||
| (The) word "pantaila" is the Basque term for "screen" in several contexts; it specifically derives from the French word "panneau" and more distantly originates in "pannus" in Latin. | |||
| Catalan | pantalla | ||
| Catalan "pantalla" derives from the French "paravent," meaning "folding screen," and can also mean "façade" or "pretense."} | |||
| Croatian | zaslon | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "screen" in Croatian, "zaslon" also has the archaic meaning of "umbrella" and the colloquial meaning of "condom." | |||
| Danish | skærm | ||
| In Danish, the word "skærm" can also refer to the brim of a hat or the visor of a helmet. | |||
| Dutch | scherm | ||
| Scherm can also mean 'fencing', originating from Middle Dutch scerm, itself from Old High German skirm, meaning 'skirmish'. | |||
| English | screen | ||
| The word 'screen' originates from the Old French word 'escran,' meaning 'a shield or barrier.' | |||
| French | écran | ||
| "Écran" was first used to refer to a large panel of wicker or other material, set up as a makeshift wall by soldiers under siege. | |||
| Frisian | skerm | ||
| In some dialects of Frisian, "skerm" can also refer to a curtain. | |||
| Galician | pantalla | ||
| The word "pantalla" in Galician can also refer to a "shield" or a "curtain" | |||
| German | bildschirm | ||
| "Bildschirm" originates from Middle High German "bilschirmen" (covering) and refers to the shield or cover used previously as a protection over painted images. | |||
| Icelandic | skjá | ||
| The word "skjá" derives from the Old Norse word "skjöldr", meaning "shield" or "protection", and its modern meaning as "screen" is a later semantic shift. | |||
| Irish | scáileán | ||
| Italian | schermo | ||
| The word "schermo" derives from the French word "écran" which means "protection". It also retains this meaning in Italian. | |||
| Luxembourgish | écran | ||
| In Luxembourgish, the word "écran" can also refer to a fireplace screen. | |||
| Maltese | iskrin | ||
| The term "iskrin" originated from the Late Latin word "scrinium," meaning "box, chest, case or shrine. | |||
| Norwegian | skjerm | ||
| The word "skjerm" can also refer to a wing, a leaf, or a protective cover for something. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | tela | ||
| The Portuguese word "tela" (screen) may also refer to a "fabric" or a "painting canvas". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | sgrion | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "sgrion" originally meant "a thin sheet of metal" but has come to mean "screen" in modern usage. | |||
| Spanish | pantalla | ||
| The word "pantalla" comes from the Latin "pandere," meaning "to spread out" or "to display." | |||
| Swedish | skärm | ||
| The Swedish word "skärm" is ultimately derived from the Old Norse word "skærmr", which meant "a curtain" or "a partition." | |||
| Welsh | sgrin | ||
| Welsh "sgrin" is derived from the Latin "scritinium", meaning "a piece of furniture for writing on" and the Welsh "grin", meaning "a face". | |||
Screen in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | экран | ||
| Экран по-белорусски может также означать "щит", "перегородка" и "защита". | |||
| Bosnian | ekran | ||
| The term "ekran" is also used to refer to film projection equipment or TV receivers in Serbo-Croatian languages. | |||
| Bulgarian | екран | ||
| The word "екран" in Bulgarian derives from the French word "écran" meaning "shield" or "partition." | |||
| Czech | obrazovka | ||
| The word "obrazovka" also means "picture" in Czech, referring to a mental image or an artwork. | |||
| Estonian | ekraan | ||
| Ekraan is a borrowing from German "Schirm" ("screen"), which can also mean "umbrella" or "shield" | |||
| Finnish | -näyttö | ||
| The word "näyttö" in Finnish derives from the verb "näyttää" (to show), suggesting its primary function as a display surface. | |||
| Hungarian | képernyő | ||
| "Képernyő" means "screen" in Hungarian and comes from *kép* ("image") and *ernyő* ("screen"), but it can also mean "display" or "monitor." | |||
| Latvian | ekrāns | ||
| The word "ekrāns" can also refer to a type of fabric with a raised pattern or to the act of screening someone. | |||
| Lithuanian | ekranas | ||
| The word "ekranas" originally referred to a device for screening grain, and it also has the alternate meaning of "damper" or "vane". | |||
| Macedonian | екран | ||
| The word "екран" in Macedonian comes from the French word "écran", which in turn comes from the Latin word "scrannea", meaning "bench". | |||
| Polish | ekran | ||
| Ekran is derived from the Greek word eikōn meaning "image" and also bears similar meaning in Polish - "obraz". | |||
| Romanian | ecran | ||
| "Ecran" means "screen" in Romanian, but it comes from the French word "écran", which means "shield". | |||
| Russian | экран | ||
| В театре, кино и на телевидении "экраном" называют поверхность для проецирования изображения. | |||
| Serbian | екран | ||
| The Serbian word "екран" derives from the French word "écran", which originally meant a large fan used to protect people from heat or cold. | |||
| Slovak | obrazovka | ||
| "Obrazovka" also means "education" in Slovak, derived from "obraz" (image). | |||
| Slovenian | zaslon | ||
| The word "zaslon" can also refer to a device used to protect against radiation or heat. | |||
| Ukrainian | екран | ||
| "Екран" (screen) is derived from "écran" (shield) in French, reflecting its original use to protect from heat, light, or wind. | |||
Screen in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পর্দা | ||
| The word "পর্দা" can also refer to a curtain or veil, often used in traditional Indian and Muslim societies to conceal women from view. | |||
| Gujarati | સ્ક્રીન | ||
| The word 'screen' comes from the Latin word 'scrineum', meaning 'chest' or 'box', and was originally used to refer to a partition or divider. | |||
| Hindi | स्क्रीन | ||
| The word 'screen' can also refer to a process of sifting or sorting, or to a barrier that protects from something. | |||
| Kannada | ಪರದೆಯ | ||
| The term "ಪರದೆಯ" is also used to refer to a wall or curtain that separates two areas. | |||
| Malayalam | സ്ക്രീൻ | ||
| സ്ക്രീൻ (screen) comes from the Old French word 'escran' (meaning 'fence' or 'shield'), and is ultimately derived from the Latin word 'scrindum', meaning 'partition' or 'lattice'. | |||
| Marathi | स्क्रीन | ||
| The Marathi word "स्क्रीन" (screen) is derived from the English word "screen" and can also refer to a protective cover or a sieve. | |||
| Nepali | स्क्रीन | ||
| In Nepali, "स्क्रीन" (screen) also means a cloth or mat hung as a partition or to protect someone from drafts. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਕਰੀਨ | ||
| The word "skreen" in Punjabi ultimately derives from the Persian "sipara", meaning "shield" or "curtain", and entered Punjabi via Hindi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තිරය | ||
| "තිරය" can also mean a curtain (for a window), a sheet, a layer, or a covering. | |||
| Tamil | திரை | ||
| The Tamil word "திரை" (screen) is also used to refer to a curtain or veil. | |||
| Telugu | స్క్రీన్ | ||
| The word "స్క్రీన్" comes from the French word "écran", which can also mean "shield" or "partition". | |||
| Urdu | اسکرین | ||
| The word "اسکرین" is derived from the Old French word "escran", meaning "shield" or "protection". | |||
Screen in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 屏幕 | ||
| The Chinese character '屏幕' ('screen') can also refer to 'a barrier' or 'a partition'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 屏幕 | ||
| 屏幕 in Chinese (Traditional) refers to both the physical item we use as a display for devices and the virtual barrier that separates the user from the inner workings of a computer. | |||
| Japanese | 画面 | ||
| "画面" literally means "face on the picture" and is only used in Japanese to refer to computer screens or TV screens. | |||
| Korean | 화면 | ||
| 화면 also means "page" or "face" in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | дэлгэц | ||
| The Mongolian word "дэлгэц" also means "the surface of a pond" when water is completely frozen. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မျက်နှာပြင် | ||
Screen in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | layar | ||
| The word "layar" in Indonesian is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "layag" meaning "sail", which also gave rise to the Malay word "layar" with the same meaning. | |||
| Javanese | layar | ||
| In Javanese, "layar" means both "screen" and "sail" | |||
| Khmer | អេក្រង់ | ||
| The word "អេក្រង់" is derived from the French word "écran", which itself comes from the Old French word "escran", meaning "shield" or "partition". | |||
| Lao | ໜ້າ ຈໍ | ||
| Malay | skrin | ||
| The Malay word 'skrin' shares its origin with the English word 'screen' and the French word 'ecran', all derived from the Old French 'escran'. | |||
| Thai | หน้าจอ | ||
| The Thai word "หน้าจอ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "mukhajā". | |||
| Vietnamese | màn | ||
| In Hán-Nôm script, màn (幔) means "curtain" or "screen", while màn (曼) or mạn (蔓) means "a type of grass", "to spread", or "to grow luxuriantly." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | screen | ||
Screen in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ekran | ||
| The word "ekran" in Azerbaijani also means "a barrier" or "a partition". | |||
| Kazakh | экран | ||
| "Экран" in Kazakh (скрин) also means "display; face; appearance; facade; cover; crust; casing; frame; enclosure; shell; husk; hull; skin; membrane; film; panel; shield; barrier; curtain; veil; drape; shutter; blind; shade; visor; brim; sunshade" | |||
| Kyrgyz | экран | ||
| The word "экран" can also mean "curtain" or "shade" in Russian. | |||
| Tajik | экран | ||
| В английском языке слова "экран" и "занавес" имеют общий латинский корень "scrinium", что означает "шкаф или ящик". | |||
| Turkmen | ekrany | ||
| Uzbek | ekran | ||
| The word "ekran" is derived from the French word "écran" and the Russian word "экран", both meaning "screen". | |||
| Uyghur | ئېكران | ||
Screen in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pale | ||
| Pale is sometimes used to refer to the tapa cloth itself, or to clothing made from it. | |||
| Maori | mata | ||
| The word "mata" in Maori also means "eye" or "face," highlighting the multifaceted perception of "viewing" in Maori culture. | |||
| Samoan | pupuni | ||
| The word 'pupuni' is also a Polynesian term for the 'native cabbage', the Polynesian plant Cordyline terminalis. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | screen | ||
| In Tagalog, the word 'screen' has two alternate meanings: a protective shield or barrier, and a thin, translucent material used for blocking or filtering light or air. | |||
Screen in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | pantalla | ||
| Guarani | pejuha | ||
Screen in International Languages
| Esperanto | ekrano | ||
| Latin | screen | ||
| The Latin word "scrinia" referred to a box or case for storing books or documents, providing the etymological root for the English word "screen". | |||
Screen in Others Languages
| Greek | οθόνη | ||
| The word "οθόνη" originally meant "sail". In modern Greek, it is also used to refer to "cinema" and "television". | |||
| Hmong | npo | ||
| The word "npo" can also mean "shield" or "protection". | |||
| Kurdish | rûber | ||
| The word "rûber" also refers to a "veil" or a "curtain". | |||
| Turkish | ekran | ||
| "Ekran" kelimesi Yunanca "ekrane" sözcüğünden türemiştir, anlamı "yukarı kaldırmak, sergilemek"tir ve en nihayetinde Proto-Hint-Avrupa dili kökenli "*sker-, *skre-" sözcüğünden türemiştir; anlamı "çevirmek, bükmek"tir. | |||
| Xhosa | isikrini | ||
| The Xhosa word "isikrini" (screen) is also used to mean "display" or "mirror", and likely derives from the verb "ukukrini" (to screen, to sift) | |||
| Yiddish | פאַרשטעלן | ||
| In Yiddish, "פאַרשטעלן" can not only mean "screen" but also "misrepresent" or "pretend". | |||
| Zulu | isikrini | ||
| The Zulu word "isikrini" is thought to be derived from the English word "screen", which was introduced to the Zulu language during the colonial era. | |||
| Assamese | স্ক্ৰীণ | ||
| Aymara | pantalla | ||
| Bhojpuri | स्क्रीन | ||
| Dhivehi | ސްކްރީން | ||
| Dogri | स्क्रीन | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | screen | ||
| Guarani | pejuha | ||
| Ilocano | screen | ||
| Krio | skrin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | شاشە | ||
| Maithili | परदा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯐꯤꯖꯪ | ||
| Mizo | puanzar | ||
| Oromo | iskiriinii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସ୍କ୍ରିନ୍ | ||
| Quechua | qawana | ||
| Sanskrit | पट | ||
| Tatar | экран | ||
| Tigrinya | ሽፋን | ||
| Tsonga | xikirini | ||