Settlement in Different Languages
Discover 'Settlement' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A settlement is a place where people live and work, typically a community in a rural or isolated area. The significance of settlements stretches back to the dawn of human civilization, as these communities allowed our ancestors to band together, specialize in different tasks, and create the first complex societies. From ancient Mesopotamian cities to modern suburban developments, settlements have been the cradle of human culture and progress.
Understanding the concept of settlement in different languages can offer fascinating insights into how different cultures have approached the idea of community and habitation. For example, in Spanish, a settlement is known as asentamiento, while in German, it is called Ansiedlung. In French, the term is établissement, and in Russian, it is поселение (poselenie).
As you explore the many translations of settlement, you'll uncover a rich tapestry of cultural diversity and historical context. So let's delve into the world of language and learn how different societies have defined and understood this fundamental aspect of human experience.
Settlement
Settlement in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | nedersetting | ||
| The Afrikaans word "nedersetting" (settlement) is derived from the Dutch "nederzetting" and can also refer to a colony or a permanent residence. | |||
| Amharic | ሰፈራ | ||
| The Amharic word "ሰፈራ" not only means "settlement" but also refers to "colonization" and "expatriation" in different contexts. | |||
| Hausa | sulhu | ||
| The word "sulhu" in Hausa can also mean "peace" or "reconciliation". | |||
| Igbo | ndozi | ||
| The word "ndozi" is also used to refer to a group of people living together in a community. | |||
| Malagasy | ponenana | ||
| The Malagasy word "ponenana" is related to the word "poney" (town), but also means "place where one rests" and "place where one stays". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kukhazikika | ||
| The word 'kukhazikika' comes from the verb 'kukhazikiza' which means 'to cause to settle' or 'to establish'. | |||
| Shona | kugadzirisa | ||
| The word "kugadzirisa" in Shona can also mean "to reconcile" or "to resolve a conflict." | |||
| Somali | dejin | ||
| The word "dejin" can also mean "boundary" in Somali, indicating its dual role in defining spatial boundaries. | |||
| Sesotho | ho fedisa | ||
| "Ho fedisa" can also mean "the establishment of a permanent home". | |||
| Swahili | makazi | ||
| The Swahili word "makazi" can also refer to a place of refuge or shelter. | |||
| Xhosa | ukuhlalisa | ||
| The Xhosa word "ukuhlalisa" can also refer to the act of establishing a new village or homestead. | |||
| Yoruba | ibugbe | ||
| The word 'ibugbe' originally meant 'place of dwelling' and is also used to refer to a 'settlement' or a 'temporary shelter' | |||
| Zulu | ukuhlala | ||
| The word 'ukuhlala' also means 'to live', or 'to reside', and is related to the word 'ikhulu', meaning 'place of residence'. | |||
| Bambara | sigikafɔ | ||
| Ewe | nyawo gbɔ kpɔkpɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gutura | ||
| Lingala | kofandisa bato | ||
| Luganda | okusenga | ||
| Sepedi | go dula ga bodulo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | settlement a wɔde siesie nneɛma | ||
Settlement in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مستوطنة | ||
| Hebrew | הֶסדֵר | ||
| The word "הֶסדֵר" can also mean "arrangement" or "order" in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | جوړجاړی | ||
| Arabic | مستوطنة | ||
Settlement in Western European Languages
| Albanian | zgjidhje | ||
| The Albanian word "zgjidhje" comes from the Slavic word "sъžьdati", meaning "to create," "to form," or "to establish". | |||
| Basque | likidazioa | ||
| The word likidazioa also refers to the liquidation or clearance of a balance, debt, or account. | |||
| Catalan | assentament | ||
| The Catalan word "assentament" can also refer to the action of establishing or settling. | |||
| Croatian | naselje | ||
| "Naselje" in Croatian has an etymology related to the word "people". | |||
| Danish | afregning | ||
| "Afregning" is derived from the Danish verb "afregne" meaning "to reckon", "to settle up", or "to balance an account". | |||
| Dutch | regeling | ||
| In Dutch the word "regeling" can be interpreted as "a set of rules and regulations" as well as a "settlement." | |||
| English | settlement | ||
| The word "settlement" can also refer to a colony or community established in a new area, or to the act of establishing such a colony or community. | |||
| French | règlement | ||
| The word "règlement" in French can also mean "regulation" or "rules". | |||
| Frisian | koloanje | ||
| The Frisian word "koloanje" ("settlement") possibly derives from Low German "kolonie" ("colony") or Latin "colonia" ("farmstead"). | |||
| Galician | liquidación | ||
| The Galician word "liquidación" can also refer to the liquidation of a company or the final payment of a debt. | |||
| German | siedlung | ||
| The word "Siedlung" can also refer to a type of housing development in Germany, typically consisting of small, single-family homes or apartments. | |||
| Icelandic | uppgjör | ||
| While "uppgjör" primarily means "settlement" in Icelandic, it can also refer to the act of "making peace" or "resolving a conflict" | |||
| Irish | lonnaíocht | ||
| The term 'lonnaíocht' is thought to have derived from the Old Irish word 'lond' (land), though its use has evolved to also encompass settlements, towns, and even territories. | |||
| Italian | insediamento | ||
| The Italian word 'insediamento' derives from the Latin 'insedere', meaning 'to sit in', indicating a place of establishment. | |||
| Luxembourgish | siidlung | ||
| The etymology of "Siidlung" derives from the "sideland" in Old English. | |||
| Maltese | soluzzjoni | ||
| The word ''soluzzjoni'' derives from the Italian ''soluzione'', meaning ''solution'', and the Latin ''solvi'', meaning ''to loosen or to dissolve''. | |||
| Norwegian | bosetting | ||
| "Bosetting" has the alternative meaning of "housing," which more specifically refers to the building or unit where people live. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | assentamento | ||
| The Portuguese word "assentamento" can also refer to the process of establishing a legal or valid document, such as a deed or contract. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | tuineachadh | ||
| "Tuineachadh" is derived from a compound of the Old Irish words "tuine" (a mound, or hill), and "fotha" (to cover, or hide). | |||
| Spanish | asentamiento | ||
| The word "asentamiento" can also mean a "squatter settlement" or an "informal settlement". | |||
| Swedish | lösning | ||
| Originally, "lösning" meant "redemption" (from Latin "redemptio"), which is still a secondary meaning. | |||
| Welsh | anheddiad | ||
| The Welsh word "anheddiad" can also refer to a place or residence. | |||
Settlement in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | паселішча | ||
| The Belarusian word "паселішча" comes from the Old Slavic word "поселити", meaning "to settle" or "to establish a dwelling." | |||
| Bosnian | naselje | ||
| "naselje" also means neighborhood in Bosnian | |||
| Bulgarian | селище | ||
| "Селище" also refers to a specific type of fortified medieval Slavic villages with one or more earthen ramparts. | |||
| Czech | vyrovnání | ||
| Vyrovnání, a loanword from the French "virement", also means "money transfer" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | asula | ||
| The Estonian word "asula" is also used to refer to an "institution" or a "company". | |||
| Finnish | ratkaisu | ||
| The word "ratkaisu" is also used in Finnish to describe a solution to a problem or a decision. | |||
| Hungarian | település | ||
| The Hungarian word "település" also has the alternate meaning of "stopping point" or "resting place". | |||
| Latvian | norēķinu | ||
| The Latvian word "norēķinu" can also refer to the act of settling a dispute or a transaction. | |||
| Lithuanian | atsiskaitymas | ||
| The word "atsiskaitymas" in Lithuanian can also refer to a financial settlement or payment on an account. | |||
| Macedonian | населба | ||
| The word "населба" is the cognate of the Russian word "посёлок" ( | |||
| Polish | osada | ||
| The word "osada" is also used to refer to a "colony" or a "group of people who live in a specific area." | |||
| Romanian | așezare | ||
| The word "așezare" in Romanian also means "position" or "arrangement" and comes from the verb "așeza" ("to place"). | |||
| Russian | поселок | ||
| The word "поселок" (settlement) in Russian is derived from the verb "посеять" (to sow), indicating its origin as a place where people settled to cultivate land. | |||
| Serbian | поравнање | ||
| The word 'поравнање' in Serbian can also mean 'alignment' or 'leveling', and originates from the verb 'равнати', meaning 'to make even' or 'to level'. | |||
| Slovak | vyrovnanie | ||
| In Slovak, "vyrovnanie" can also mean "offset" or "alignment". | |||
| Slovenian | naselje | ||
| The word "naselje" can also refer to a municipality or town in Slovenia. | |||
| Ukrainian | поселення | ||
| "Поселення" is also a term for the process of settling, or the state of being settled, in Ukrainian. | |||
Settlement in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | নিষ্পত্তি | ||
| In Bengali, "নিষ্পত্তি" can also mean "solution" or "conclusion". | |||
| Gujarati | સમાધાન | ||
| The word "સમાધાન" can also mean "reconciliation" or "compromise" in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | समझौता | ||
| The Hindi word समजहोता ("samjhauta") can also mean "compromise" or "pact". | |||
| Kannada | ವಸಾಹತು | ||
| A colonial settlement. A gathering of immigrants from a common country or culture. | |||
| Malayalam | സെറ്റിൽമെന്റ് | ||
| The word "സെറ്റിൽമെന്റ്" (settlement) in Malayalam is derived from the English word "settle" and has multiple meanings, including a place where people live or a resolution of a dispute. | |||
| Marathi | तोडगा | ||
| The word "तोडगा" can also refer to a solution or a way to end a dispute, showing the multiple meanings it can carry. | |||
| Nepali | बन्दोबस्त | ||
| The word "बन्दोबस्त" can also mean an arrangement or agreement made between two or more parties. | |||
| Punjabi | ਬੰਦੋਬਸਤ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නිරවුල් | ||
| In the past, it also meant 'land tenure' and 'grant of land' | |||
| Tamil | தீர்வு | ||
| In Tamil, "தீர்வு" (tīrvu) originates from the verb "தீர்தல்" (tīrtal), meaning "to come to an end", "to resolve", or "to attain a conclusion". | |||
| Telugu | పరిష్కారం | ||
| Urdu | تصفیہ | ||
| The word تصفیہ (settlement) comes from the Arabic word صفا (purity), and can also refer to the process of purifying or refining something. | |||
Settlement in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 沉降 | ||
| 沉降 in the modern usage mostly refers to settling of soil or rock, rather than sediment deposited by running water, as is suggested by the etymology of the character "降" (fall down). | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 沉降 | ||
| In addition to meaning "settlement", the word 沉降 can also mean "sinking" or "subsidence". | |||
| Japanese | 決済 | ||
| 決済 (kessai) in Japanese can also refer to a transaction made or received through a bank account. | |||
| Korean | 정착 | ||
| "정착" originally meant "to sit down for a long time" and is also used to describe the process of living in a place for an extended period. | |||
| Mongolian | төлбөр тооцоо | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အခြေချ | ||
Settlement in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | penyelesaian | ||
| Penyelesaian can also mean "solution" or a "resolution of a problem or dispute." | |||
| Javanese | pamukiman | ||
| The word 'pamukiman' likely derived from the word 'mukin' which means 'to stay', as a settlement is a place where people stay. | |||
| Khmer | ការទូទាត់ | ||
| The term "ការទូទាត់" can also refer to the settlement of a dispute through negotiation or mediation. | |||
| Lao | ການຕັ້ງຖິ່ນຖານ | ||
| The word "settlement" has several meanings in Lao, including: foundation; a group of buildings where people live; or a village. | |||
| Malay | penyelesaian | ||
| Penyelesaian (settlement) could also refer to completion, solution or resolution of an issue. | |||
| Thai | การตั้งถิ่นฐาน | ||
| The Thai word “การตั้งถิ่นฐาน” (settlement) originated from the Sanskrit word “sthāna” meaning “place”, “abode”, or “dwelling.” | |||
| Vietnamese | giải quyết | ||
| Giải quyết can also mean to solve or to complete something. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kasunduan | ||
Settlement in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qəsəbə | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "qəsəbə" is of Persian origin and is also the Arabic word for "village" (Arabic: قصبة). | |||
| Kazakh | елді мекен | ||
| The Kazakh word 'елді мекен' ('settlement') is derived from the root 'ел' meaning 'people' and 'мекен' meaning 'place', thus denoting a populated area. | |||
| Kyrgyz | отурукташуу | ||
| Its literal meaning is “to make sit down.” | |||
| Tajik | шаҳрак | ||
| The word "шаҳрак" comes from the Persian word "شهرک" (shahrk), meaning "small town" or "district". | |||
| Turkmen | hasaplaşyk | ||
| Uzbek | turar-joy | ||
| "Tura" means "live" and "joy" means "place" in Uzbek, so "turar-joy" literally translates to "a place for living" | |||
| Uyghur | ئولتۇراقلىشىش | ||
Settlement in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | noho ʻana | ||
| The word "noho ʻana" literally means "place of habitation" and can also refer to a district or a residential area. | |||
| Maori | whakataunga | ||
| The word "whakataunga" also has meanings related to reconciliation and resolution. | |||
| Samoan | nofoia | ||
| The Samoan word "nofoia" can also refer to a sleeping place or a dwelling. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pag-areglo | ||
| Alternate meaning of "pag-areglo": mutual understanding or agreement | |||
Settlement in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | utt’ayaña | ||
| Guarani | asentamiento rehegua | ||
Settlement in International Languages
| Esperanto | kompromiso | ||
| Esperanto "kompromiso" comes from French "compromis" via English "compromise", all meaning "a promise", and not "an agreement", as the Esperanto word might suggest by its composition. | |||
| Latin | conlocationem | ||
| The word "conlocationem" in Latin was used to describe various types of settlements, including towns, cities, and military camps. | |||
Settlement in Others Languages
| Greek | επίλυση | ||
| "Επίλυση" can also mean "solution" or "resolution". | |||
| Hmong | hais haum | ||
| In Hmong, 'Hais' means 'home' and 'Haum' means 'stable', so together 'Hais Haum' implies a permanent settlement. | |||
| Kurdish | bicîanînî | ||
| The word "bicîanînî" derives from the words "bicî" (way, manner) and "anîn" (act of bringing), thus referring to the way of establishing or arranging a settlement. | |||
| Turkish | yerleşme | ||
| The Turkish word "yerleşme" can also refer to the act of settling or colonization. | |||
| Xhosa | ukuhlalisa | ||
| The Xhosa word "ukuhlalisa" can also refer to the act of establishing a new village or homestead. | |||
| Yiddish | ייִשובֿ | ||
| In Yiddish, the word "ייִשובֿ" not only denotes a "settlement" but also a "resting place" or "dwelling." | |||
| Zulu | ukuhlala | ||
| The word 'ukuhlala' also means 'to live', or 'to reside', and is related to the word 'ikhulu', meaning 'place of residence'. | |||
| Assamese | বন্দোবস্ত | ||
| Aymara | utt’ayaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | बस्ती के काम हो गइल | ||
| Dhivehi | ވަޒަންވެރިވުމެވެ | ||
| Dogri | बस्ती करना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kasunduan | ||
| Guarani | asentamiento rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | panagtaeng | ||
| Krio | sɛtulmɛnt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نیشتەجێبوون | ||
| Maithili | बस्ती | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯦꯇꯂꯃꯦꯟꯇ ꯇꯧꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | settlement tih a ni | ||
| Oromo | qubsuma | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସମାଧାନ | ||
| Quechua | asentamiento | ||
| Sanskrit | निवेशनम् | ||
| Tatar | торак пункт | ||
| Tigrinya | ሰፈራ ምግባር | ||
| Tsonga | ku tshamiseka | ||