Updated on March 6, 2024
The word sensitive holds great significance in our daily lives, often describing an emotional or physical awareness that goes beyond the surface level. It's a term that transcends cultural boundaries and is valued in various societies for its association with empathy, intuition, and adaptability.
Throughout history, sensitive individuals have been revered for their ability to understand and respond to the subtle nuances of their surroundings. From ancient philosophers to modern-day therapists, the concept of sensitivity has been a cornerstone of human connection and personal growth.
Understanding the translation of sensitive in different languages can open doors to new perspectives and cultural insights. For instance, the Spanish translation, sensible, not only refers to one's capacity to feel but also emphasizes the importance of being reasonable and wise. Meanwhile, the French translation, sensible, highlights the idea of being perceptive and open to impressions.
Stay tuned to explore more translations of the word sensitive and deepen your appreciation for the richness and diversity of human languages and cultures.
Afrikaans | sensitief | ||
The word "sensitief" in Afrikaans can also refer to a person who is easily offended or upset. | |||
Amharic | ስሜታዊ | ||
The word "ስሜታዊ" (sensitive) originates from the root word "ስሜት" (feeling) and can also imply an emotional or sentimental connotation | |||
Hausa | m | ||
**Hausa** *m* is a cognate of **Yoruba** *mọ* and **Bantu** *-mu* "sensitive (to touch)" | |||
Igbo | enwe mmetụta ọsọ ọsọ | ||
Malagasy | mora | ||
The word "mora" in Malagasy shares the same root "mor" as the word "fo" meaning "to touch" or a "touch", alluding to this sense when describing someone or something as "mora". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | tcheru | ||
The word "tcheru" in Nyanja (Chichewa) is derived from the Bantu root "*tsel-", which also means "to be afraid" or "to be cautious". | |||
Shona | nzwisisa | ||
The word "nzwisisa" in Shona is derived from the root "zwisa", meaning "to hang" or "to be suspended". | |||
Somali | xasaasi ah | ||
The word "xasaasi ah" in Somali can also mean "sensitive" in the sense of being easily offended or upset. | |||
Sesotho | nahanela | ||
Swahili | nyeti | ||
The word "nyeti" in Swahili has other meanings such as "shy" or "hesitant". | |||
Xhosa | uvakalelo | ||
"Uvakalelo" is also used to denote sensitivity to certain foods or drinks. | |||
Yoruba | kókó | ||
The word "kókó" also means "a very sensitive or touchy person" in Yoruba. | |||
Zulu | ebucayi | ||
The Zulu word 'ebucayi' derives from the verb 'ukunca' (to feel), denoting a state of heightened emotional perception. | |||
Bambara | ɲɛ́namisɛn | ||
Ewe | sea nu | ||
Kinyarwanda | byoroshye | ||
Lingala | ya ntina | ||
Luganda | kyamugasonyo | ||
Sepedi | kgwathegago maikutlo | ||
Twi (Akan) | wɔ atenka | ||
Arabic | حساس | ||
The word "حساس" in Arabic originally meant "sensitive to touch", but has since expanded to mean "sensitive" in a more general sense. | |||
Hebrew | רָגִישׁ | ||
The Hebrew word רגיש (ragish) comes from the root רגש (ragash), meaning "to feel, to touch, to perceive". | |||
Pashto | حساس | ||
The word "حساس" in Pashto can also mean "fragile" or "delicate". | |||
Arabic | حساس | ||
The word "حساس" in Arabic originally meant "sensitive to touch", but has since expanded to mean "sensitive" in a more general sense. |
Albanian | i ndjeshem | ||
The Albanian word 'i ndjeshëm' comes from the Latin word 'sensus', which means 'sense', 'feeling' or 'perception' | |||
Basque | sentikorra | ||
The word "sentikorra" in Basque literally translates to "having a heart that feels". | |||
Catalan | sensible | ||
In Catalan, "sensible" also means "reasonable" or "judicious". | |||
Croatian | osjetljiv | ||
In Croatian, the word "osjetljiv" can also mean "fragile", "delicate", or "vulnerable." | |||
Danish | følsom | ||
The Danish word "følsom" can also mean "quick-witted" or "sharp-tongued". | |||
Dutch | gevoelig | ||
The Dutch word "gevoelig" derives from the Old Dutch "gevoel" meaning "sensation" and can also refer to "touchy" or "delicate". | |||
English | sensitive | ||
"Sensitive" derives from Latin "sentire," meaning to perceive, and shares a root with "sentiment" and "consent". | |||
French | sensible | ||
Sensible comes from the Latin verb sentire, which means "to perceive" or "to feel." | |||
Frisian | gefoelich | ||
The West Frisian word "gefoelich" also means "sentimental" or "touchy". | |||
Galician | sensíbel | ||
The Galician word "sensíbel" derives from the Latin adjective "sensibilis", meaning "perceptible by the senses" and shares its meaning with the English "sensible", while in Spanish "sensible" means "reasonable, prudent". | |||
German | empfindlich | ||
The word "empfindlich" in German originally referred to physical pain rather than emotional sensitivity. | |||
Icelandic | viðkvæmur | ||
The Icelandic "viðkvæmur" originates from two Old Norse terms, one meaning "forest" and the other "painful". It may therefore originally have meant "easily hurt". | |||
Irish | íogair | ||
Historically also used as a name; may come from the root "í" meaning "noble" and "garr" of uncertain meaning, or possibly the Gaulish "garros" or "garrus" meaning "fierce". | |||
Italian | sensibile | ||
In Italian, "sensibile" can also mean "reasonable" or "aware" rather than just "sensitive" in English. | |||
Luxembourgish | sensibel | ||
"Sensibel" in Luxembourgish can also refer to the quality of being aware of and reacting to one's surroundings. | |||
Maltese | sensittiv | ||
The Maltese word “sensittiv” derives from the Italian word “sensitivo”, which, in turn, derives from the Latin word “sensus”, meaning "a sense". | |||
Norwegian | følsom | ||
"Følsom" etymologically relates to "feel" (ta og føle på) in English, and has a broader meaning than just "sensitive", including a connotation of sensitivity to touch. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | sensível | ||
The Portuguese word "sensível" (sensitive) derives from "sensus" (the senses) and is used to also indicate someone easily offended. | |||
Scots Gaelic | mothachail | ||
The word "mothachail" in Scots Gaelic comes from the Old Irish word "mothacholl", meaning "weak" or "timid". | |||
Spanish | sensible | ||
In Spanish, 'sensible' also means 'rational' or 'prudent', as it comes from Latin 'sensus', meaning 'sense' or 'reason'. | |||
Swedish | känslig | ||
The word känslig also means "discriminating, perceptive" and is related to the word "senses". | |||
Welsh | sensitif | ||
The word "sensitif" in Welsh can also mean "delicate" or "easily damaged". |
Belarusian | адчувальны | ||
"АДЧУВАЛЬНЫ" is used to describe someone perceptive or considerate, but also describes a physical sensation, e.g. to heat or cold. | |||
Bosnian | osjetljiv | ||
The word "osjetljiv" in Bosnian can also mean "touchy" or "oversensitive". | |||
Bulgarian | чувствителен | ||
ЧУВСТВИТЕЛЕН - освен 'sensitive', 'сензитивен', в миналото значи 'умен', 'съобразителен' | |||
Czech | citlivý | ||
The word "citlivý" in Czech derives from the verb "cítit" ("to feel") and is related to the word "cit" ("feeling", "emotion") | |||
Estonian | tundlik | ||
"Tundlik" is thought to be related to the word "tunda", or to feel something, but also to "tung", to feel something heavily, as when lifting weights. | |||
Finnish | herkkä | ||
The word "herkkä" is also used to describe something that is delicate or fragile. | |||
Hungarian | érzékeny | ||
"Érzékeny" can also mean "delicate", "fragile" or "touchy", and derives from the Proto-Ugric term *ärćäŋk, meaning "to get pain". | |||
Latvian | jūtīgs | ||
The Latvian word "jūtīgs" also means "responsive" and "impressionable" in English. | |||
Lithuanian | jautrus | ||
The Lithuanian word "jautrus" can also mean "ticklish" or "easily affected by outside influences". | |||
Macedonian | чувствителни | ||
The word "чувствителни" can also mean "touchy" or "sentimental" in Macedonian. | |||
Polish | wrażliwy | ||
"Wrażliwy" can also mean "choosy" or "demanding" in Polish, a meaning not present in English. | |||
Romanian | sensibil | ||
In Romanian, "sensibil" comes from Latin "sensibel" and can also mean "touchy", "easily hurt" or "susceptible". | |||
Russian | чувствительный | ||
"Чувствительный" is derived from "чувство" (feeling) and means "able to feel or sense". | |||
Serbian | осетљив | ||
Serbian "осетљив" comes from the same stem as "os" meaning "axis" and "senzor" meaning "a device which detects changes". | |||
Slovak | citlivý | ||
The word "citlivý" originates from the Proto-Slavic word "*čutiti", meaning "to feel" or "to perceive". | |||
Slovenian | občutljiv | ||
The word 'občutljiv' can also mean 'fragile' or 'delicate' | |||
Ukrainian | чутливий | ||
The Ukrainian word "чутливий" can also mean "susceptible" to outside influences or stimuli. |
Bengali | সংবেদনশীল | ||
The word "সংবেদনশীল" derives from the Sanskrit word "संवेदनशील" (samvedanashīla), which means "susceptible to feeling" or "impressionable." | |||
Gujarati | સંવેદનશીલ | ||
Hindi | संवेदनशील | ||
The Hindi word संवेदनशील comes from the Sanskrit word संवेदना, meaning "sense" or "feeling", and is also used to describe someone who is easily offended or upset. | |||
Kannada | ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮ | ||
"ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮ" has an alternate meaning of "delicate", meaning it can be easily damaged or broken. | |||
Malayalam | സെൻസിറ്റീവ് | ||
The word "സെൻസിറ്റീവ്" is derived from the Latin word "sentire", meaning "to feel" or "to perceive". | |||
Marathi | संवेदनशील | ||
The Marathi word "संवेदनशील" ("sensitive") is derived from the Sanskrit word "संवेदन" ("feeling") and refers to someone who is responsive to stimuli, perceptive, or easily affected by emotions. | |||
Nepali | संवेदनशील | ||
The Sanskrit word "संवेदनशील" (samvednaśīla) literally translates to "able to receive sensation", further implying sensitivity, compassion, or susceptibility. | |||
Punjabi | ਸੰਵੇਦਨਸ਼ੀਲ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සංවේදී | ||
The Sinhala word සංවේදී is derived from the Sanskrit word संवेद, meaning "sensation, feeling, or perception." | |||
Tamil | உணர்திறன் | ||
உணர்திறன் refers to the physical senses and the ability to respond to stimuli, or it relates to emotions, denoting a quick ability to feel or be affected, also signifying delicacy, fineness, or sensibility. | |||
Telugu | సున్నితమైన | ||
The word "సున్నితమైన" can be translated as "sensitive" in English, but it also has other meanings such as "delicate", "tender", and "refined". | |||
Urdu | حساس | ||
حساس ('ḥassās') is a word in Urdu meaning both 'sensitive' and 'assassin' and is etymologically unrelated in meaning to the English word 'sensitive'. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 敏感 | ||
"敏感" also relates to 'to touch' to 'to move' and 'quick.' | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 敏感 | ||
敏感 is also used as an adjective to refer to certain topics that may be considered taboo or controversial. | |||
Japanese | 敏感 | ||
The Japanese word "敏感" (kanbi) is derived from the Chinese words "感" (kan, meaning "to feel") and "敏" (min, meaning "quick"). | |||
Korean | 민감한 | ||
The word 민감한 is derived from the Chinese characters 敏感, meaning 'feeling easily touched or offended', and is often used to refer to physical sensations or emotional vulnerability. | |||
Mongolian | мэдрэмтгий | ||
Мэдрэмтгий means "sensitive" as in having keen senses, but can also refer to "perceptive". | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | အထိခိုက်မခံ | ||
The full meaning of "အထိခိုက်မခံ" translates to "not accepting to be touched/hurt", but it is used with a nuanced meaning closer to "sensitive" in English. |
Indonesian | peka | ||
The Indonesian word "peka" comes from the Proto-Austronesian root word *paka-*, which means "to be touched or felt". | |||
Javanese | sensitif | ||
"Sensitif" in Javanese also means "shy" or "easily embarrassed." | |||
Khmer | ប្រកាន់អក្សរតូចធំ | ||
Lao | ທີ່ລະອຽດອ່ອນ | ||
Malay | peka | ||
The word "peka" in Malay is related to the word "peka" in Javanese, which means "to be aware or sensitive". | |||
Thai | อ่อนไหว | ||
The word "อ่อนไหว" also means "fragile" or "vulnerable" in Thai. | |||
Vietnamese | nhạy cảm | ||
In Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary, "nhạy cảm" can also mean "quick-tempered" or "easily blushing". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | sensitibo | ||
Azerbaijani | həssas | ||
"Həssas" also means "accurate, meticulous, keen" in Azerbaijani. | |||
Kazakh | сезімтал | ||
"Сезімтал" is also a term in classical music used to indicate sensitivity and expressiveness. | |||
Kyrgyz | сезимтал | ||
This Kyrgyz word derives ultimately from Arabic "hiss" (sense) which in turn comes from an ancient Semitic root meaning "perception by smell". | |||
Tajik | ҳассос | ||
The word "ҳассос" is derived from the Arabic word "حساس" (haṣṣās), which means "sharp" or "sensitive to touch". It can also refer to a person who is easily offended or upset. | |||
Turkmen | duýgur | ||
Uzbek | sezgir | ||
The word "sezgir" also means "touchy" in Uzbek. | |||
Uyghur | سەزگۈر | ||
Hawaiian | ikehu | ||
The word "ikehu" in Hawaiian also means "to be ticklish". | |||
Maori | tairongo | ||
The Māori word "tairongo" can also refer to a person who is easily embarrassed or shy. | |||
Samoan | maaleale | ||
Samoan word 'maaleale,' meaning 'sensitive,' also refers to delicate coral, implying vulnerability. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | sensitibo | ||
The word “sensitibo” was derived from Spanish and has the same meaning in Tagalog, although “sensitibo” in Tagalog can also refer to being easily offended or annoyed. |
Aymara | jisk'a chuyma | ||
Guarani | andukuaa | ||
Esperanto | sentema | ||
Esperanto 'sentema' derives from Latin 'sentiens' meaning 'feeling' or 'perceiving'. | |||
Latin | sensitivo | ||
Sensitivo in Latin can also refer to a plant or animal's sensory or reactive abilities. |
Greek | ευαίσθητος | ||
In Greek, the word "ευαίσθητος" not only means "sensitive" but also "touchy" and "irascible." | |||
Hmong | rhiab tsawv | ||
The Hmong word "rhiab tsawv" can also refer to a person with a fragile constitution. | |||
Kurdish | pêketî | ||
The word `pêketî` derives from the root `pêkê` that means `to cover` or `to wrap`, referring to how something sensitive is often protected or hidden. | |||
Turkish | hassas | ||
The Turkish word "hassas" means "sensitive" and is cognate with the Persian "hass" meaning "special". | |||
Xhosa | uvakalelo | ||
"Uvakalelo" is also used to denote sensitivity to certain foods or drinks. | |||
Yiddish | שפּירעוודיק | ||
Spirrevedik originates from the German word "spürbar," meaning "perceptible." | |||
Zulu | ebucayi | ||
The Zulu word 'ebucayi' derives from the verb 'ukunca' (to feel), denoting a state of heightened emotional perception. | |||
Assamese | সংবেদনশীল | ||
Aymara | jisk'a chuyma | ||
Bhojpuri | संवेदनशील | ||
Dhivehi | ސެންސިޓިވް | ||
Dogri | भावक | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | sensitibo | ||
Guarani | andukuaa | ||
Ilocano | sensitibo | ||
Krio | ɔmbul | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | هەستیار | ||
Maithili | संवेदनशील | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯇꯣꯞꯄꯒꯤ ꯑꯄꯥꯝꯕ ꯈꯪꯕ | ||
Mizo | hriatna tha | ||
Oromo | salphaatti kan itti dhaga'amu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ସମ୍ବେଦନଶୀଳ | | ||
Quechua | sensible | ||
Sanskrit | संवेदनशील | ||
Tatar | сизгер | ||
Tigrinya | ኣብ ቀረባ ዘሎ | ||
Tsonga | twela | ||