Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'set' is a small but mighty one, with a vast range of meanings and uses in the English language. It can refer to a group of things that belong together, the act of putting something in a particular place, or the process of making something ready for use. Sets are also a fundamental concept in mathematics, and the word has even made its way into popular culture through expressions like 'set and match' and 'that's the way the cookie crumbles.'
Given its significance and cultural importance, it's no wonder that people around the world may want to know how to say 'set' in different languages. Whether you're a language learner looking to expand your vocabulary, a traveler preparing for a trip, or a cultural enthusiast curious about the nuances of different languages, understanding the translation of common words like 'set' can be a fascinating and rewarding endeavor.
Here are just a few examples of how 'set' translates in different languages, from the Romance languages of Spanish and French to the East Asian languages of Japanese and Chinese:
Afrikaans | stel | ||
The Afrikaans word "stel" originates from the Dutch word "stel" meaning a set, group, or pair, but also refers to a proposition or plan. | |||
Amharic | አዘጋጅ | ||
The Amharic word "አዘጋጅ" (set) originates from the Proto-Semitic root "*ṯ-ġ-ġ", which means "to lay down, establish, or fix". | |||
Hausa | saita | ||
Saita may also mean "to tie"} | |||
Igbo | set | ||
Igbo word "set" also means a group of things considered as a unit, similar to the English word "set". | |||
Malagasy | napetraka | ||
The Malagasy word "napetraka" is derived from the verb "apetraka", meaning "to lay out" or "to spread out." | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | khazikitsani | ||
The word "khazikitsani" has alternate meanings in Nyanja, including "to establish" and "to appoint." | |||
Shona | set | ||
In Shona, "set" has alternate meanings including "a group of people" and "to put in place." | |||
Somali | dhigay | ||
The word "dhigay" can also mean "to place" or "to put" something in Somali. | |||
Sesotho | sete | ||
'Sete' can also mean 'place' or 'position' in an abstract sense, as in 'sete sa hae' ('in a good place'). | |||
Swahili | kuweka | ||
Swahili 'kuweka' originates from the verb 'weka', meaning 'to place' or 'to put'. | |||
Xhosa | setha | ||
"Setha" can be used to refer to the time of day as well as the act of setting something down. | |||
Yoruba | ṣeto | ||
The word "ṣeto" also means "prepare" or "make ready" in Yoruba. | |||
Zulu | setha | ||
In Zulu, 'setha' also means 'to place' or 'to put'. | |||
Bambara | ka kɛ | ||
Ewe | ɖoe | ||
Kinyarwanda | gushiraho | ||
Lingala | kotya | ||
Luganda | biggate | ||
Sepedi | sehlopha | ||
Twi (Akan) | hyehyɛ | ||
Arabic | جلس | ||
The word "جلس" in Arabic is related to the notion of "resting on the ground," and is cognate with the Hebrew word "ישב" (yashav) and the Aramaic word "יתב" (yethav), both meaning "to sit." | |||
Hebrew | מַעֲרֶכֶת | ||
מַעֲרֶכֶת can also refer to a system, an assembly, or an arrangement. | |||
Pashto | سيټ | ||
The Pashto word "سيټ" has alternate meanings derived from Arabic like "place" and Persian such as "position" or "method". | |||
Arabic | جلس | ||
The word "جلس" in Arabic is related to the notion of "resting on the ground," and is cognate with the Hebrew word "ישב" (yashav) and the Aramaic word "יתב" (yethav), both meaning "to sit." |
Albanian | vendosur | ||
The word "vendosur", meaning "set", is derived from the Latin word "vendo", meaning "to sell". | |||
Basque | multzoa | ||
The word "multzoa" can also mean "crowd" or "group" in Basque. | |||
Catalan | conjunt | ||
The Catalan word "conjunt" also means "ensemble" or "group" in French. | |||
Croatian | postaviti | ||
The word 'postaviti' also means 'to appoint' or 'to nominate' in Croatian. | |||
Danish | sæt | ||
The Danish word "sæt" originally meant "to put" or "to place," and is related to the English word "seat." | |||
Dutch | set | ||
"Zet" is also used in Dutch to refer to a "bet", as in a gamble or wager. | |||
English | set | ||
"Set" can also mean "to become rigid or fixed in place" or "a downward trend in price or value." | |||
French | ensemble | ||
In French, "ensemble" also means "together" or "combined." | |||
Frisian | set | ||
In Frisian, "set" can also mean "to put" or "to place." | |||
Galician | conxunto | ||
The Galician word "conxunto" is a cognate of the Portuguese word "conjunto", both derived from the Latin word "coniunctus" meaning "joined together". | |||
German | einstellen | ||
The word 'einstellen' can also mean 'to hire' or 'to adjust' | |||
Icelandic | setja | ||
The word "setja" can also mean "to put" or "to place" in Icelandic. | |||
Irish | leagtha | ||
"Leagtha" also means "to make" or "to put," depending on its grammatical context. | |||
Italian | impostato | ||
The Italian word "impostato" also refers to a singing technique where the voice is placed in the mask, or nasal cavity, to produce a resonant and supported sound. | |||
Luxembourgish | astellen | ||
Maltese | sett | ||
The Maltese word "sett" is derived from the Italian "sito," meaning "place," and can also refer to a small village or hamlet. | |||
Norwegian | sett | ||
In Norwegian, "sett" can be a type of seat or a small flat-bottomed boat, with slightly pointed ends and a high, pointed stem and stern. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | conjunto | ||
The word 'conjunto' can also refer to a group of musicians playing regional Mexican music, especially in Mexico and Texas. | |||
Scots Gaelic | seata | ||
The Scots Gaelic word 'seata' can also mean 'group', 'assembly' or 'company'. | |||
Spanish | conjunto | ||
The word "conjunto" in Spanish can also refer to a musical genre from northern Mexico and Southern Texas consisting of small bands playing accordions, bajo sextos, and drums. | |||
Swedish | uppsättning | ||
The word "uppsättning" can also refer to a stage play or performance, or to a series of related items. | |||
Welsh | set | ||
The Welsh word 'set' may derive from the Middle English word 'sett', meaning a young salmon or trout. |
Belarusian | набор | ||
The Belarusian word "набор" (set) comes from the Old East Slavic "набръ" (collection, harvest, or group) | |||
Bosnian | set | ||
Bosnian 'set' also means 'to hit' and 'a fight' | |||
Bulgarian | комплект | ||
The word "комплект" in Bulgarian can also refer to a suit of clothes. | |||
Czech | soubor | ||
The word "soubor" in Czech can also mean "file" or "collection". | |||
Estonian | seatud | ||
The root word of "seatud" has been linked to "saama" ("to get, to receive") | |||
Finnish | aseta | ||
The word "aseta" can also mean "to place" or "to arrange" and is related to the word "asema" (position). | |||
Hungarian | készlet | ||
The Hungarian word "készlet" can also refer to a stock or inventory of goods. | |||
Latvian | komplekts | ||
The Latvian word "komplekts" has Slavic roots, and can also refer to a garment or a suit. | |||
Lithuanian | rinkinys | ||
The word "rinkinys" is related to the verb "rinkti" meaning "to collect, to gather, to assemble". | |||
Macedonian | поставени | ||
The Macedonian word "поставени" can also mean "placed", "put" or "arranged". | |||
Polish | zestaw | ||
The word "zestaw" in Polish can also refer to a "course" (of dishes), a "suit" (of cards), or a "tool kit". | |||
Romanian | a stabilit | ||
In Romanian "a stabili" may mean "to establish" in the sense of creating or founding (an institution etc) or to set (something) in the sense of placing it somewhere. | |||
Russian | набор | ||
The word "набор" in Russian can also mean "recruit" or "levy". | |||
Serbian | комплет | ||
The word 'комплект' also means 'uniform' in Serbian. | |||
Slovak | nastaviť | ||
The word "nastaviť" also means "to aim" in Slovak. | |||
Slovenian | nastavite | ||
The word "nastavite" is derived from the Old Slavic verb *nastati* ("to set up, to erect"), which is cognate with the English word "stand". | |||
Ukrainian | встановити | ||
The word "встановити" in Ukrainian has additional meanings such as "to determine" and "to install". |
Bengali | সেট | ||
In Bengali, 'set' (সেট) is also a colloquial term for 'a clique of friends' or 'a group of people who hang out together'. | |||
Gujarati | સમૂહ | ||
The word “સમૂહ” (“set”) is also used to denote a collection in Gujarati. | |||
Hindi | सेट | ||
The Hindi word 'set' (सेट) can also refer to a group of people or things, or to a particular period of time. | |||
Kannada | ಸೆಟ್ | ||
The Kannada word "ಸೆಟ್" (pronounced set) can also refer to a mathematical set or a group of things that complement or belong together. | |||
Malayalam | സജ്ജമാക്കുക | ||
The Malayalam word "സജ്ജമാക്കുക" literally means "to arrange" or "to put in order" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "सज्ज" (sajj), which means "ready" or "prepared". | |||
Marathi | सेट | ||
The Marathi word 'सेट' can also mean 'a group of people or things that belong together' or 'a collection of items that are used for a specific purpose'. | |||
Nepali | सेट | ||
"सेट" का एक और अर्थ है 'समूह'। | |||
Punjabi | ਸੈੱਟ | ||
The word "ਸੈੱਟ" in Punjabi can also refer to a group of people or things that are associated with each other, or to a particular time or place. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | set | ||
The Sinhala word "set" can also mean "sun" or "year". | |||
Tamil | அமை | ||
The Tamil word "அமை" also means "to establish" or "to fix". | |||
Telugu | సెట్ | ||
The Telugu word "సెట్" has multiple meanings, including "set of things", "group of people", and "a single instance or occurrence". | |||
Urdu | سیٹ کریں | ||
The Urdu word "سیٹ کریں" can be a translation of "to appoint someone to a position." Like Urdu, "set" is a verb in English too. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 组 | ||
The word "组" also refers to a band, a team, or a group of people with a common goal or purpose. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 組 | ||
組 also means 'component' or 'part' in Traditional Chinese. | |||
Japanese | セットする | ||
セットする is a Japanese word derived from the English word | |||
Korean | 세트 | ||
"Set" in Korean may derive from | |||
Mongolian | тогтоосон | ||
"Тогтоосон" is also used to refer to a specific type of Mongolian cheese made from sheep, goat, or camel milk. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | အစုံ | ||
The word "အစုံ" is derived from the Pali word "sacca" meaning "truth" or "reality". |
Indonesian | set | ||
Indonesian "set" is cognate with English "set", both derived from Proto-Indo-European "*sed-" meaning "to sit". | |||
Javanese | atur | ||
"Atur" can also mean "to put in order" and is often used to refer to the arrangement of items in a display or presentation, such as a flower bouquet or a painting. | |||
Khmer | កំណត់ | ||
In Khmer, the word "កំណត់" not only means "set" but also has the connotations of "to define" or "to establish". | |||
Lao | ຕັ້ງ | ||
The word ຕັ້ງ also has the alternate meaning of the base of a structure. | |||
Malay | set | ||
The Malay word "set" can also mean "a group of things that are used together" or "a collection of things that are matched or go together." | |||
Thai | ชุด | ||
The Thai word "ชุด" (set) can also refer to a suit of clothes or a set of utensils. | |||
Vietnamese | bộ | ||
The word "bộ" can also mean "group" or "system" in Vietnamese. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | itakda | ||
Azerbaijani | dəsti | ||
The word "dəsti" in Azerbaijani shares its etymology with the Persian word "dast" meaning "hand" or "set". | |||
Kazakh | орнатылды | ||
The word "орнатылды" in Kazakh can also mean "arranged", "lined up", or "put in order". | |||
Kyrgyz | коюлган | ||
"Койулган" (set) is also used to describe a determined or stubborn person. | |||
Tajik | гузошт | ||
The word "гузошт" derives from the Persian word "گذاشتن" (guzashtan), meaning "to place" or "to put down". | |||
Turkmen | düzmek | ||
Uzbek | o'rnatilgan | ||
The word "o'rnatilgan" can also mean "installed" or "equipped". | |||
Uyghur | set | ||
Hawaiian | hoʻonoho | ||
"Hoʻonoho" can also mean "appoint to an office" or "assign a duty." | |||
Maori | huinga | ||
In Māori astronomy, Huinga is a time of the year when a certain group of stars rises in the east and is observed using a special instrument called a kō. | |||
Samoan | seti | ||
The word "seti" in Samoan is related to the concept of "placement" and can also refer to the base or foundation of something. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | itakda | ||
The word "itakda" likely came from the Proto-Austronesian root word *taqdaŋ, also meaning "establish" or "determine". |
Aymara | utjnuqayaña | ||
Guarani | mohenda | ||
Esperanto | aro | ||
"Aro" can also refer to a plow, a plowshare, or a hearth. | |||
Latin | statuto | ||
The Latin word "statuto" also means "established" or "determined." |
Greek | σειρά | ||
In English, "σειρά" can also mean "series", "row", "order", "turn", or "course". | |||
Hmong | teeb | ||
The Hmong word "teeb" also means "to establish" or "to create." | |||
Kurdish | danîn | ||
"Danîn" is a Kurdish verb meaning "to set" and is also used in mathematics to describe the process of finding a solution to an equation. | |||
Turkish | ayarlamak | ||
Ayarlamak derives from the Arabic word "aydara", meaning "to prepare" or "to make ready." | |||
Xhosa | setha | ||
"Setha" can be used to refer to the time of day as well as the act of setting something down. | |||
Yiddish | שטעלן | ||
The Yiddish word "שטעלן" (pronounced "shteln") can mean "to stand" in addition to "to set". | |||
Zulu | setha | ||
In Zulu, 'setha' also means 'to place' or 'to put'. | |||
Assamese | স্থাপন কৰা | ||
Aymara | utjnuqayaña | ||
Bhojpuri | सेट | ||
Dhivehi | ސެޓް | ||
Dogri | सेट | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | itakda | ||
Guarani | mohenda | ||
Ilocano | iyasmang | ||
Krio | sɛt | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | دانان | ||
Maithili | नियत | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯕꯨꯜ ꯑꯃ | ||
Mizo | ruahman | ||
Oromo | sirreessuu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ସେଟ୍ କରନ୍ତୁ | | ||
Quechua | takyachiy | ||
Sanskrit | दृढः | ||
Tatar | көйләү | ||
Tigrinya | ፅምዲ | ||
Tsonga | vekela | ||