Seize in Different Languages
Discover 'Seize' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'seize' holds a powerful connotation in English, often associated with taking urgent action or grasping something with force. Its significance extends beyond the realm of language, as it represents a call to action, a demand for change, and a reflection of one's ability to take control of a situation.
Throughout history, the word 'seize' has been used in various cultural and political contexts. For instance, during the French Revolution, the phrase 'seize the day' was popularized by the Roman poet Horace and later adopted by the revolutionaries as a call to make the most of the present moment.
Understanding the translation of 'seize' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and historical contexts that shape the word's meaning. For example, in Spanish, 'seize' translates to 'agarrar', while in French, it becomes 'saisir'. These translations not only reflect linguistic differences but also highlight the unique cultural perspectives that shape our understanding of this powerful word.
In the following list, you'll find the translations of 'seize' in various languages, from German to Chinese and beyond. Explore the diverse meanings and cultural significance of this word, and discover how it connects us all in our shared human experience.
Seize
Seize in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | gryp | ||
| "Gryp" is derived from the Dutch word "grijpen" and also means "hold" or "grasp". | |||
| Amharic | ያዝ | ||
| The word "ያዝ" also means "to grasp" or "to hold." | |||
| Hausa | kwace | ||
| The Hausa word "kwace" can also refer to the act of "seizing" someone's property or the "confiscation" of goods. | |||
| Igbo | jidere | ||
| The verb 'jidere' may also mean 'to hold', 'to keep', or 'to retain', depending on the context. | |||
| Malagasy | sambory | ||
| The etymology of "sambory" in Malagasy is uncertain, but it may be related to the Malay word "sambor" meaning "to seize" or "to capture". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | gwira | ||
| The word "gwira" can also mean "to hold firmly" or "to grasp" in Nyanja (Chichewa). | |||
| Shona | tora | ||
| The word "tora" in the Shona language can also refer to the act of grasping or holding something firmly. | |||
| Somali | qabasho | ||
| Sesotho | tšoara | ||
| The word 'tšoara' is also used in Setswana, and is derived from the Proto-Bantu root '-sɔ̀r-a', which means 'to grab' or 'to catch'. | |||
| Swahili | shika | ||
| It also means 'to catch' or 'to arrest'. | |||
| Xhosa | bamba | ||
| Bamba derives from the Proto-Bantu root *-pama which also means "to seize". | |||
| Yoruba | gba | ||
| The noun form "gbà" is used for holding or keeping something in place or possession. | |||
| Zulu | bamba | ||
| The word "bamba" in Zulu also means "to catch" or "to hold onto" something. | |||
| Bambara | ka minɛ | ||
| Ewe | zi nu dzi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | fata | ||
| Lingala | kokanga | ||
| Luganda | okubaka | ||
| Sepedi | golega | ||
| Twi (Akan) | gye ɔhyɛ so | ||
Seize in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حجز اسر يستولى | ||
| The verb حجز، also means to make a reservation or book something like a hotel room, or a plane ticket etc. | |||
| Hebrew | לִתְפּוֹס | ||
| The word לִתְפּוֹס, "seize," derives from the verb תָּפַס, "catch" or "clutch." | |||
| Pashto | نیول | ||
| The word "نیول" in Pashto also means "to arrest" or "to imprison". | |||
| Arabic | حجز اسر يستولى | ||
| The verb حجز، also means to make a reservation or book something like a hotel room, or a plane ticket etc. | |||
Seize in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kap | ||
| The word "kap" in Albanian, meaning "to seize", shares roots with the Slavic word "hapati" and the Old Norse word "hlaupa". | |||
| Basque | bahitu | ||
| In 1562, the word "bahitu" was also used to describe the action of "grabbing" or "catching" something | |||
| Catalan | aprofitar | ||
| The verb "aprofitar" can also mean "to take advantage of" or "to make the most of something". | |||
| Croatian | ugrabiti | ||
| The verb 'ugrabiti' is derived from the Slavic verb 'grabiti', meaning 'to seize', and is related to the words 'grabež' (robbery) and 'grob' (grave). | |||
| Danish | gribe | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "seize", "gribe" can also mean "to take hold of" or "to understand" in Danish. | |||
| Dutch | beslag leggen op | ||
| In its other sense, "beslag leggen op" also means "to levy an attachment" on property.} | |||
| English | seize | ||
| The word "seize" comes from the Old French word "seisir," meaning "to take possession of". | |||
| French | s'emparer de | ||
| The French verb "s'emparer de" also means "to become master of" or "to take possession of". | |||
| Frisian | seize | ||
| In Frisian, the verb "seize" has an additional meaning of "to seize an opportunity". | |||
| Galician | aproveitar | ||
| The Galician word “aproveitar” also means “to take advantage of”. | |||
| German | ergreifen | ||
| The word "ergreifen" is used in various contexts like law, medicine, and music but primarily means "to grasp" or "to seize". | |||
| Icelandic | grípa | ||
| The word 'grípa' is also used to describe a sudden illness or attack. | |||
| Irish | urghabháil | ||
| Italian | cogliere | ||
| In Italian, "cogliere" also means to capture, understand, or surprise. | |||
| Luxembourgish | ergräifen | ||
| Der Begriff "ergereifen" leitet sich im Luxemburgischen ursprünglich vom Begriff "greifen" bzw. "ergreifen" im Sinne von "fassbar werden" ab. | |||
| Maltese | aqbad | ||
| In Arabic, "aqbad" means to "seize", but in Maltese it can also mean "to grab" or "to catch". | |||
| Norwegian | gripe | ||
| The Norwegian word "gripe" can also mean "to scold" or "to grumble". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | agarrar | ||
| "Agarrar" can also mean "to hold on to", "to grab", "to catch", or "to take hold of". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | gabh air adhart | ||
| The word "gabh air adhart" originates from the Old Irish "gaibim", meaning "I take, seize, or receive". | |||
| Spanish | confiscar | ||
| Spanish verb confiscar is derived from Late Latin confiscare, meaning to forfeit or escheat to the treasury. | |||
| Swedish | gripa | ||
| The word "gripa" also refers to "getting caught in the act" and is related to "griff" (meaning "grip"). | |||
| Welsh | atafaelu | ||
| Welsh "atafaelu" also means "attack," which has an alternate spelling "atefaelu" when in reference to an army. | |||
Seize in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | захапіць | ||
| The Belarusian word "захапіць" means "seize", but it can also mean "capture" or "conquer". | |||
| Bosnian | oduzeti | ||
| The verb 'oduzeti' comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *auǵʰ-, meaning 'to increase' or 'to add'. | |||
| Bulgarian | изземете | ||
| The word "изземете" derives from the Proto-Slavic word **jemti**, meaning "to take." | |||
| Czech | chytit | ||
| The word "chytit" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*xŭtiti" and originally meant "to desire, long for". | |||
| Estonian | haarama | ||
| The word "haarama" may also be used in the sense of "to grab" or "to grasp" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | tarttua | ||
| "Tarttua" can also mean to stick to, to adhere to, or to be glued to something. | |||
| Hungarian | megragadni | ||
| The Hungarian verb "megragadni" can also mean "to grasp" or "to catch". | |||
| Latvian | sagrābt | ||
| "Sagrābt" is cognate with "grab" in English and "grabien" in Old High German, all stemming from the Proto-Indo-European root *greb-, meaning "to seize". | |||
| Lithuanian | pasisavinti | ||
| "Pasisavinti" is derived from the verb "savinti," meaning to make something one's own, and the prefix "pa-," which indicates a strengthening of the action. | |||
| Macedonian | заплени | ||
| The word "заплени" in Macedonian can also mean "to captivate" or "to charm". | |||
| Polish | chwycić | ||
| The verb «chwycić» comes from the Proto-Slavic verb *xvatati, which also meant «to seize». | |||
| Romanian | apuca | ||
| "Apuc" has another meaning in Romanian, being the name of a mountain range in the Carpathians. | |||
| Russian | воспользоваться | ||
| The verb "воспользоваться" (seize) comes from the Old Slavic verb "възыти" which originally meant to climb or to go up, but later acquired the additional meaning "seize" | |||
| Serbian | запленити | ||
| The word "запленити" also means "to charm" or "to fascinate" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | chytiť | ||
| The verb "chytit" in Slovak can also mean "to catch" or "to trap" | |||
| Slovenian | zaseči | ||
| The Slovenian word "zaseči" also means "to intersect" or "to notch" in English. | |||
| Ukrainian | схопити | ||
| Схопити derives from Proto-Slavic *xopiti, meaning "to grab, seize" and is related to хопити (khopity) "to grab, clutch, hook" and схопище (skhopyshche) "seizure, spasm". | |||
Seize in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | জব্দ করা | ||
| The word "জব্দ করা" also means "to conquer" or "to capture" in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | જપ્ત | ||
| જપ્ત (seize) comes from the Sanskrit word 'graptah', meaning 'taken'. | |||
| Hindi | को जब्त | ||
| को जब्त is derived from the Arabic word 'qabḍah', meaning 'to hold or grasp'. | |||
| Kannada | ವಶಪಡಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಿ | ||
| “ವಶಪಡಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಿ” can also mean to obtain the possession of or control over something by force or legal process. | |||
| Malayalam | പിടിച്ചെടുക്കുക | ||
| Marathi | जप्त | ||
| The word "जप्त" is derived from the Arabic word "ظبط" (dabt), which means "to write down" or "to record." | |||
| Nepali | पक्राउ | ||
| The term "पक्राउ" (seize) in Nepali derives from the Sanskrit word "प्रकृति" (nature), indicating the act of seizing something with force or control. | |||
| Punjabi | ਜ਼ਬਤ ਕਰੋ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අල්ලා | ||
| The word "අල්ලා" can also mean "to obtain" or "to acquire". | |||
| Tamil | பறிமுதல் | ||
| Telugu | స్వాధీనం | ||
| The word "స్వాధీనం" can also mean "to take possession of" or "to occupy". | |||
| Urdu | ضبط | ||
| In Arabic, ضبط means to record or document, and in Hebrew it means to bind together | |||
Seize in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 抢占 | ||
| 抢占 can also refer to taking advantage of a situation or opportunity, or to preempt an action by someone else. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 搶占 | ||
| The word "搶占" can also mean "rush to seize" or "snatch". | |||
| Japanese | つかむ | ||
| The verb 「つかむ」 can also mean "feel", "grab", or "understand." | |||
| Korean | 잡다 | ||
| The morpheme 잡 in this word also refers to a type of traditional folk music originating from Jeju Island, called Jeju minyo 잡. | |||
| Mongolian | хураан авах | ||
| "Хураан авах" is one of the Mongolian words that originally meant "to hunt down" and "to pursue". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သိမ်းယူ | ||
Seize in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | merebut | ||
| "Merebut" can also mean to gain control of a situation or to win a competition. | |||
| Javanese | ngrebut | ||
| The word 'ngrebut' in Javanese is also used to refer to a traditional Javanese game where players compete to seize a prize. | |||
| Khmer | រឹបអូស | ||
| "រឹបអូស" is also used to mean "attach" or "hold onto" objects, and it can be used in the context of arresting someone or confiscating their belongings. | |||
| Lao | ຍຶດ | ||
| The term "ຍຶດ" also refers to a type of Lao weaving and can be found in Lao idioms. | |||
| Malay | rampas | ||
| The word “rampas” also means “confiscate” in Malay | |||
| Thai | ยึด | ||
| The Thai word "ยึด" can also be used to mean "hold on to" or "grasp." | |||
| Vietnamese | nắm bắt | ||
| "Nắm bắt" also means "understand" or "to remember something". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sakupin | ||
Seize in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ələ keçirmək | ||
| The word "ələ keçirmək" in Azerbaijani can also mean "to become familiar with" or "to master". | |||
| Kazakh | тартып алу | ||
| The verb "тартып алу" ("seize") also means "to take away" or "to withdraw" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | басып алуу | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "басып алуу" also means "to occupy" or "to take over". | |||
| Tajik | гирифтан | ||
| "Гирифтан" is used to describe the act of seizing or capturing something, as well as the act of forcibly taking or apprehending someone. | |||
| Turkmen | tutmak | ||
| Uzbek | ushlamoq | ||
| The word "ushlamoq" is derived from Proto-Turkic *tɯš- meaning "to hold" and is related to the Uighur word "tušulmoq" meaning "to be caught". | |||
| Uyghur | تۇتۇش | ||
Seize in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hopu | ||
| Hopu can also mean to snatch, catch, or trap. | |||
| Maori | hopu | ||
| In the Māori language, "hopu" can also refer to "taking possession" or "claiming" something. | |||
| Samoan | faoa faamalosi | ||
| "Faao faamalosi" can also mean "to grab firmly" or "to hold tight." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | sakupin | ||
| The word "sakupin" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "*sakup" meaning "to hold" or "to grasp". | |||
Seize in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | umaña | ||
| Guarani | juru'akua | ||
Seize in International Languages
| Esperanto | kapti | ||
| From Polish “chwycić” meaning “to grasp, to catch”, from Proto-Slavic *xvat-, *xvatiti | |||
| Latin | carpe | ||
| Carpe, in Latin, comes from the verb carpere, which means "to pluck" or "to gather" and is related to the word carpus, meaning "wrist." | |||
Seize in Others Languages
| Greek | αρπάζω | ||
| "Αρπάζω" is related to the word "άρπη," meaning "hook" or "sickle." | |||
| Hmong | txeeb | ||
| The word "txeeb" in Hmong also means "to catch" or "to hold". | |||
| Kurdish | bidestxistin | ||
| The word bidestxistin comes from the Kurdish word for 'hand' (dest) | |||
| Turkish | kapmak | ||
| "Kapmak" (Türkçe "yakalamak") kelimesi Proto-Hint-Avrupa kökü *kap- ("yakalamak") ile ilgilidir ve Hintçe "kabana" ("yakalamak"), Yunanca "kaptein" ("yakalamak") ve Ermenice "kap'el" ("yakalamak") kelimeleriyle aynı ailedendir. | |||
| Xhosa | bamba | ||
| Bamba derives from the Proto-Bantu root *-pama which also means "to seize". | |||
| Yiddish | אָנכאַפּן | ||
| The Yiddish word "אָנכאַפּן" is the equivalent of the German word "erwischen", meaning to catch someone in the act, or arrest them. | |||
| Zulu | bamba | ||
| The word "bamba" in Zulu also means "to catch" or "to hold onto" something. | |||
| Assamese | জব্দ কৰা | ||
| Aymara | umaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | जब्त कईल | ||
| Dhivehi | ސީޒް | ||
| Dogri | जब्त करना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | sakupin | ||
| Guarani | juru'akua | ||
| Ilocano | alaen | ||
| Krio | kech | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گرتن | ||
| Maithili | क जब्त | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯐꯥꯖꯤꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | man | ||
| Oromo | humnaan qabachuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଧର | ||
| Quechua | hapiy | ||
| Sanskrit | समादा | ||
| Tatar | кулга алу | ||
| Tigrinya | መንጠለ | ||
| Tsonga | tekeriwa nhundzu | ||