Shift in Different Languages
Discover 'Shift' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'shift' holds a significant place in our daily lives, denoting change, transformation, or movement from one state to another. Its cultural importance is evident in various contexts, from the shift change in a factory to the changing of gears in a car. The word has also been used metaphorically to describe paradigm shifts in society and technology.
Given its significance, it's no surprise that people might want to know its translation in different languages. For instance, in Spanish, 'shift' translates to 'cambio,' while in French, it's 'changement.' In German, 'shift' is translated as 'verschiebung,' and in Japanese, it's 'shift' itself, reflecting the influence of English in modern Japanese vocabulary.
Moreover, the word 'shift' has a rich historical context. In the medieval period, a 'shift' referred to a woman's undergarment, symbolizing a change in attire. In the modern era, the word has taken on new meanings and connotations, reflecting the ever-evolving nature of language and culture.
Join us as we explore the translations of 'shift' in various languages, shedding light on the fascinating world of linguistic and cultural diversity.
Shift
Shift in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | verskuiwing | ||
| "Verskuiwing" originates from the Dutch word "verschuiving," meaning "displacement" or "movement." | |||
| Amharic | ሽግግር | ||
| The word "ሽግግር" (shift) in Amharic can also mean a "change" or "alteration." | |||
| Hausa | matsawa | ||
| It is also used to refer to a type of loose-fitting trousers worn by Yoruba men. | |||
| Igbo | ịgbanwee | ||
| Ịgbanwee is also the Igbo word for 'change' and is often used to describe a 'change of clothes'. | |||
| Malagasy | fiovàna | ||
| The etymology of "fiovàna" is likely to be from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian /*pi.u-/ "to turn" or Proto-Austronesian /*pUt/ "to twist". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kusintha | ||
| The word "kusintha" can also mean "to move something from one place to another". | |||
| Shona | chinja | ||
| The Shona word 'chinja' also means 'to change' or 'to alter'. | |||
| Somali | wareejin | ||
| The word "wareejin" in Somali might also refer to a traditional type of skirt worn by women. | |||
| Sesotho | phetoho | ||
| Phetoho shares a root with the word 'phela' ('to begin') and it can also mean 'to be first'. | |||
| Swahili | kuhama | ||
| "Kuhama" comes from the root word "-hama," meaning to move, and can also mean to carry, remove, or transport something. | |||
| Xhosa | utshintsho | ||
| Utshintsho's alternate meaning in Xhosa is a sudden shock or change, likely arising from the sudden and dramatic nature of a shift. | |||
| Yoruba | ayipada | ||
| The Yoruba word "ayipada" can also mean "to escape," "to avoid," or "to dodge." | |||
| Zulu | shift | ||
| The Zulu word "shift" comes from the English word and is still pronounced in the English manner. | |||
| Bambara | ka yɛlɛma | ||
| Ewe | te yi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | shift | ||
| Lingala | ekipe | ||
| Luganda | okusenguka | ||
| Sepedi | šuthiša | ||
| Twi (Akan) | pini | ||
Shift in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تحول | ||
| The Arabic word "تحول" can also mean "change", "transformation", or "development". | |||
| Hebrew | מִשׁמֶרֶת | ||
| The word "מִשׁמֶרֶת" ("shift") in Hebrew can also refer to a "watch" or a "guard". | |||
| Pashto | شفټ | ||
| The Pashto word "شفټ" (shift) is derived from the English word "shift" and can also mean "turn" or "change". | |||
| Arabic | تحول | ||
| The Arabic word "تحول" can also mean "change", "transformation", or "development". | |||
Shift in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ndërrim | ||
| "Ndërrim" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*newh-o-", also related to the English word "new" and the French word "nouveau". It signifies a change from one state to another and can be used in various contexts, including time, location, or perspective. | |||
| Basque | txanda | ||
| "Txanda" comes from the French word "tour", meaning turn or rotation. | |||
| Catalan | torn | ||
| The Catalan word "torn" also means "turn" and, in the context of a game, "chance" or "opportunity". | |||
| Croatian | smjena | ||
| The Croatian word "smjena" can also mean "change", "replacement", or "alteration." | |||
| Danish | flytte | ||
| In Danish, the word "flytte" also means "to move" or "to change residence". | |||
| Dutch | verschuiving | ||
| Verschuiving shares the Germanic root with the English word 'shear', meaning to cut, and can also mean 'shear' in architectural terms | |||
| English | shift | ||
| The verb "shift" derives from Middle English "shiften," meaning "to move or change"} | |||
| French | décalage | ||
| It can also mean a difference or gap, as in 'un décalage horaire' (a time difference). | |||
| Frisian | ferskowe | ||
| The word "ferskowe" has its origin in the Proto-Indo-European root *twerǵ-, meaning "to turn" or "to twist." | |||
| Galician | quenda | ||
| The word "quenda" possibly derives from "cenda," but this etymology is debated, as the word may instead derive from the Latin "covinna." | |||
| German | verschiebung | ||
| In quantum physics, “Verschiebung” also means the “displacement” of a quantum mechanical object, such as an electron, from its initial position due to the absorption or emission of a photon. | |||
| Icelandic | vakt | ||
| The Icelandic word "vakt" also refers to a "guard", "watch", "vigil", or "sentry". | |||
| Irish | aistriú | ||
| The Irish word "aistriú" is also a verbal noun which means "changing", "a transfer", or "a translation". | |||
| Italian | cambio | ||
| Cambio (pronounced [ˈkambjo]) also means "exchange" in Italian, which is why foreign exchange companies are often called "cambio". | |||
| Luxembourgish | verréckelung | ||
| Maltese | bidla | ||
| The word "bidla" is also used to refer to the act of exchanging clothes, especially between children. | |||
| Norwegian | skifte | ||
| The word "skifte" can also refer to a division of inherited property or a change in workforce. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | mudança | ||
| "Mudança" in Portuguese also means "change" or "move". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | gluasad | ||
| The Gaelic word "gluasad" comes from the Old or Middle Irish word "gluaised," meaning "to move." | |||
| Spanish | cambio | ||
| "Cambio" is the Spanish word both for "shift" and for "currency exchange". | |||
| Swedish | flytta | ||
| The verb 'flytta' can also refer to moving furniture. | |||
| Welsh | shifft | ||
| The Welsh word "sifft" can also mean "a change" or "a turn". | |||
Shift in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | зрух | ||
| In some Slavic languages, like Polish and Slovak, the word "zruch" means "move (away)", while in Czech it means "skill". | |||
| Bosnian | smjena | ||
| The word 'smjena' also means a replacement for a period or term of duty. | |||
| Bulgarian | смяна | ||
| The same word “смяна” is also used in Bulgarian to refer to a replacement or change, as in the phrase “смяна на маслото” (“oil change”). | |||
| Czech | posun | ||
| The Czech word "posun" can mean either "shift" or "movement" and comes from the Proto-Slavic word *posunъ* with the same meanings. | |||
| Estonian | vahetustega | ||
| "Vahetustega" (shift) in Estonian can alternate between two things or change the direction in which something moves. | |||
| Finnish | siirtää | ||
| The verb "siirtää" is related to the words "siirtyä" (to move), "siirto" (transfer), and "siirtymä" (transition). | |||
| Hungarian | váltás | ||
| In Hungarian, "váltás" also refers to a change in government or regime. | |||
| Latvian | maiņa | ||
| Latvian "maiņa" can also mean "exchange" or "change". | |||
| Lithuanian | pamainą | ||
| The word "pamainą" (shift) in Lithuanian is derived from the Old Prussian word "paimaine" (time), indicating the passing of time during a work shift. | |||
| Macedonian | смена | ||
| In Macedonian, "смена" can also refer to the change of seasons or the substitution of an actor in a play. | |||
| Polish | zmiana | ||
| The word "Zmiana" in Polish can also mean "change" or "transformation". | |||
| Romanian | schimb | ||
| The word "schimb" in Romanian can also refer to the act of exchanging something or the result of such an exchange. | |||
| Russian | сдвиг | ||
| The word "сдвиг" can also mean "displacement", "deviation", or "distortion". | |||
| Serbian | смена | ||
| The word 'смена' in Serbian also refers to a 'change' or 'substitution' in a variety of contexts.} | |||
| Slovak | posun | ||
| The Slovak word "posun" can also mean "delay", "advance", or "movement" | |||
| Slovenian | premik | ||
| The word "premik" originates from the Proto-Slavic term "*premъkati" meaning "to move" or "to change". | |||
| Ukrainian | зміна | ||
| The word «зміна» is homonymous and can mean either «shift» or «change». | |||
Shift in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | শিফট | ||
| শিফট (shift) শব্দটির আসল অর্থ 'পাল্টানো' এবং এটি ল্যাটিন শব্দ 'शिफ्टस' (shiftus) থেকে এসেছে, যার অর্থ 'স্থানান্তরিত'। | |||
| Gujarati | પાળી | ||
| The Gujarati word "પાળી" can also refer to a row or turn in a game or activity. | |||
| Hindi | खिसक जाना | ||
| The Hindi word `खिसक जाना` can also be used to mean to slip or move away | |||
| Kannada | ಶಿಫ್ಟ್ | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning, "ಶಿಫ್ಟ್" can also mean "a change of clothing" or "a group of workers who work different hours" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ഷിഫ്റ്റ് | ||
| "ഷിഫ്റ്റ്" originated from the English word "shift", meaning a change in position, direction, or gear. | |||
| Marathi | शिफ्ट | ||
| In Marathi, "शिफ्ट" (shift) can also refer to a change in position or direction. | |||
| Nepali | सिफ्ट | ||
| In English, "shift" comes from the Old English "sciftan" meaning "to divide" or "to arrange in order. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸ਼ਿਫਟ | ||
| "Shift" (ਸ਼ਿਫਟ) can refer to a work schedule or a change in position, but its literal meaning in Punjabi is "the action of moving something slightly," related to the word "shift" (ਸਿਫ਼ਤ) meaning "a slight movement." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මාරුව | ||
| The word "මාරුව" can also mean "change" or "substitution" in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | மாற்றம் | ||
| The Tamil word "மாற்றம்" can also mean 'transformation' or 'alteration', and is similar to the Sanskrit word "विपरिवर्तन" ('vipari-vartam'), which also implies change. | |||
| Telugu | మార్పు | ||
| The word "మార్పు" derives from the Sanskrit word "मार्ग" (mArga) meaning "path" or "direction." | |||
| Urdu | شفٹ | ||
| In Urdu, "shift" can also refer to a change in time or place, or to a change in one's position or stance. | |||
Shift in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 转移 | ||
| 转移 ('shift') has another meaning 'metastasis' in medicine. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 轉移 | ||
| In Chinese, the character 轉移 (zhuǎnyí) means 'shift' and can also refer to the transfer of property rights or responsibilities. | |||
| Japanese | シフト | ||
| シフト can also mean 'team' or 'work schedule'. | |||
| Korean | 시프트 | ||
| The word "시프트" can also mean "to change" or "to move" in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | ээлж | ||
| The word "ээлж" can also refer to a unit of time, such as a watch or shift. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပြောင်းသည် | ||
Shift in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bergeser | ||
| The Indonesian word "bergeser" comes from Sanskrit and means "to slide" | |||
| Javanese | pepindhan | ||
| "Pepindhan" can also mean "removal" or "exemption" in Indonesian, showing its connection to the Javanese root "pindhah" (to move). | |||
| Khmer | ផ្លាស់ប្តូរ | ||
| ផ្លាស់ប្តូរ shares an etymological root with words meaning 'to change' or 'to turn' across many Austroasiatic languages, indicating an ancient linguistic connection. | |||
| Lao | ປ່ຽນ | ||
| In Lao, "ປ່ຽນ" (shift) can also refer to a change of direction, a replacement, or a transmission of power. | |||
| Malay | pergeseran | ||
| The word "pergeseran" in Malay can also refer to a change in position or direction, or a displacement. | |||
| Thai | กะ | ||
| In the archaic Thai language, "กะ" also meant "to wait" or "to expect". | |||
| Vietnamese | sự thay đổi | ||
| The word "sự thay đổi" in Vietnamese also means "change" or "transformation". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | shift | ||
Shift in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | növbə | ||
| In Azerbaijani, the word "növbə" originally meant "turn" or "order", and is related to the Persian word "naubat" with the same meaning. | |||
| Kazakh | ауысым | ||
| "Ауысым" (shift) has another meaning in Kazakh language: replacing. | |||
| Kyrgyz | жылыш | ||
| "Жылыш" is also the Kyrgyz name for the Milky Way galaxy | |||
| Tajik | баст | ||
| The word "баст" in Tajik is derived from the Persian word "بست" (bast) meaning "bound" or "tied". | |||
| Turkmen | çalşyk | ||
| Uzbek | siljish | ||
| The word siljish comes from the Persian word سیل ( سیل), which means flood, and is also used to mean change or transformation. | |||
| Uyghur | shift | ||
Shift in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoʻoneʻe | ||
| The word "hoʻoneʻe" can also refer to "transferring property to another person," "removing," or "displacing." | |||
| Maori | neke | ||
| The word "neke" in Maori has a broader meaning than simply "shift," as it can also refer to a movement or change in position. | |||
| Samoan | sifi | ||
| The Samoan word "sifi" is cognate with the Hawaiian word "hiki", meaning "to move". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | paglilipat | ||
| In Philippine martial arts, "paglilipat" refers to footwork to outmaneuver an opponent, particularly in the escrima stick-fighting system. | |||
Shift in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | turnu | ||
| Guarani | ha'arõkuaa | ||
Shift in International Languages
| Esperanto | movo | ||
| "Movo" can also mean "move" or "emotion", from the Latin word "movere". | |||
| Latin | subcinctus | ||
| Subcinctus is the Latin word for "a rolled up dress" or "short tunic," hence the alternate meaning of "shift". | |||
Shift in Others Languages
| Greek | μετατόπιση | ||
| The Greek word "μετατόπιση" has two meanings: "shift, displacement" and "stress, emphasis". | |||
| Hmong | hloov | ||
| Hmong word hloov means both 'to shift' and 'to change'. | |||
| Kurdish | tarloqî | ||
| The Kurdish word "tarloqî" is derived from the Greek word "τέκτον" (tekton), meaning "carpenter" or "builder". | |||
| Turkish | vardiya | ||
| Vardiya, which means shift in Turkish, is also used to refer to the time period during which a specific task or duty is carried out. | |||
| Xhosa | utshintsho | ||
| Utshintsho's alternate meaning in Xhosa is a sudden shock or change, likely arising from the sudden and dramatic nature of a shift. | |||
| Yiddish | יבעררוק | ||
| The word "יבעררוק" ("shift") in Yiddish also has the alternate meaning of "overcoat". | |||
| Zulu | shift | ||
| The Zulu word "shift" comes from the English word and is still pronounced in the English manner. | |||
| Assamese | স্থানান্তৰ কৰা | ||
| Aymara | turnu | ||
| Bhojpuri | बदलल | ||
| Dhivehi | ބަދަލުވުން | ||
| Dogri | शिफ्ट | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | shift | ||
| Guarani | ha'arõkuaa | ||
| Ilocano | umakar | ||
| Krio | chenj | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گۆڕین | ||
| Maithili | पारी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯣꯛꯕ | ||
| Mizo | sawn | ||
| Oromo | jijjiiruu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଶିଫ୍ଟ | ||
| Quechua | tikray | ||
| Sanskrit | विहरति | ||
| Tatar | смена | ||
| Tigrinya | ምቕያር | ||
| Tsonga | cinca | ||