Sign in Different Languages
Discover 'Sign' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'sign' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, encompassing a wide range of meanings from identifying symbols to indications of something to come. Its cultural importance is evident in various forms, from ancient astrological signs to modern-day traffic signs. Understanding the translation of 'sign' in different languages can provide unique insights into how different cultures interpret and interact with this concept.
For instance, in Spanish, 'sign' translates to 'señal', while in French, it's 'signal' and in German, 'Zeichen'. These translations not only reflect the linguistic diversity of the world but also the subtle differences in cultural perceptions and interpretations.
Moreover, exploring the word 'sign' across languages can lead to fascinating discoveries. For example, in Chinese, 'sign' is translated as '迹象' (Jì Xiàng), which also means 'clues' or 'traces'. This dual meaning reflects the ancient Chinese philosophy of observing natural signs to predict future events.
Join us as we delve deeper into the translations of 'sign' in various languages, offering you a captivating journey through language and culture.
Sign
Sign in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | teken | ||
| The Afrikaans word "teken" also means "tick" or "check mark". | |||
| Amharic | ምልክት | ||
| In Amharic, "ምልክት" can also refer to a symptom, mark, clue, or expression | |||
| Hausa | sa hannu | ||
| The word "sa hannu" can also refer to a mark on the body. | |||
| Igbo | ihe ịrịba ama | ||
| Malagasy | sign | ||
| The Malagasy word "sigina" can also mean "evidence" or "proof". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chikwangwani | ||
| The word "chikwangwani" can also refer to a "signal" or a "mark." | |||
| Shona | chiratidzo | ||
| The word "chiratidzo" can also mean "a signal" or "a mark". | |||
| Somali | saxiix | ||
| "Saxiin" also means "mark" or "notice". | |||
| Sesotho | letšoao | ||
| The word letšoao in Sesotho has the same root as the word lešoana, meaning 'mark' or 'scar'. | |||
| Swahili | ishara | ||
| The word "ishara" is also used to refer to gestures or indications that convey a particular meaning. | |||
| Xhosa | uphawu | ||
| 'Iphawu' is related to the isiXhosa word 'phawuza' (to show, indicate, point out). | |||
| Yoruba | wole | ||
| "Wole" has an additional meaning of "enter", as in "to enter a building" or "to enter a country". | |||
| Zulu | uphawu | ||
| The word "uphawu" can also mean "symptom" or "indication". | |||
| Bambara | taamasiyɛn | ||
| Ewe | dzesi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ikimenyetso | ||
| Lingala | elembo | ||
| Luganda | okuteekako omukono | ||
| Sepedi | leswao | ||
| Twi (Akan) | fa nsa hyɛ aseɛ | ||
Sign in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | إشارة | ||
| In Arabic, "إشارة" can also refer to a signal or gesture. | |||
| Hebrew | סִימָן | ||
| The word "סִימָן" (sign) in Hebrew can also mean a mole, a birthmark, or a symptom. | |||
| Pashto | نښه | ||
| The Pashto word "nښه" can also mean "mark", "trace", or "indication." | |||
| Arabic | إشارة | ||
| In Arabic, "إشارة" can also refer to a signal or gesture. | |||
Sign in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shenjë | ||
| "Shenjë" can also refer to an agreement between two parties | |||
| Basque | sinatu | ||
| The word "ziñatu" may have originated from the word "iñatu" meaning "opinion or belief". | |||
| Catalan | signe | ||
| "Signe" comes from the Latin word "signum", which referred to a military banner used as a gathering sign. | |||
| Croatian | znak | ||
| The word "znak" in Croatian can also mean "omen" or "symbol". | |||
| Danish | skilt | ||
| The Danish word "skilt" is derived from the Old Norse word "skilja", meaning "to separate" or "to distinguish", hence its usage for "sign". | |||
| Dutch | teken | ||
| Dutch "teken" (sign) is related to words like "token" (small sign) and "ticket" (sign of permission), from Vulgar Latin *signum*. | |||
| English | sign | ||
| The word "sign" derives from the Latin "signum," meaning "mark, token, or symbol." | |||
| French | signe | ||
| The French word "signe" also means "mark", "miracle", or "omen", and comes from the Latin "signum". | |||
| Frisian | teken | ||
| The word "teken" can also mean "token" or "symbol" in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | asinar | ||
| The Galician word "asinar" can also mean "to sign"} | |||
| German | zeichen | ||
| In linguistics, "Zeichen" can refer to the abstract linguistic sign (Zeichen) as well as to its physical manifestation (Zeichen). | |||
| Icelandic | undirrita | ||
| The Icelandic word "undirritun" (signature) comes from the verb "undirrita" (to sign), which is a combination of "undir" (under) and "rita" (to write). | |||
| Irish | sínigh | ||
| Sínigh (sign) is derived from the Latin word "signum," which can also mean "mark, proof, or indication." | |||
| Italian | cartello | ||
| The Italian word "cartello" comes from the Late Latin word "cartellus, | |||
| Luxembourgish | ënnerschreiwen | ||
| The second part of the word, "schreiwen," derives from the Proto-Indo-European word "*skreibh-" meaning "to scratch," reflecting the origins of writing as a practice of scratching marks onto a surface. | |||
| Maltese | sinjal | ||
| The word "sinjal" in Maltese, meaning "sign," derives from the Latin "signum" through Sicilian and Arabic. | |||
| Norwegian | skilt | ||
| Skilt used to have a broader meaning, including "board" and "fence". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | placa | ||
| In Portugal, "placa" can also refer to a commemorative plaque or a nameplate, while in Brazil, it can mean a license plate or a metal plate used for construction. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | soidhne | ||
| Scots Gaelic soidhne also means "to summon" and comes from Middle Irish "saidhnim," itself from the verbal noun of "siadaim" meaning "to follow, pursue." | |||
| Spanish | firmar | ||
| In Spanish, 'firmar' also means 'to strengthen' and originates from Latin 'firmare' (to make firm). | |||
| Swedish | tecken | ||
| The word "tecken" is derived from an ancient Proto-Germanic root, meaning "observe" or "note", suggesting its primary use in expressing something that is observable or noticeable. | |||
| Welsh | arwydd | ||
| The word "arwydd" in Welsh, meaning "sign", originates from the Proto-Celtic root "*areǵ-," meaning "foretoken", indicating its connection to divination and prophecy. | |||
Sign in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | знак | ||
| The Belarusian word "знак" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*znakъ", which originally meant "mark" or "imprint". | |||
| Bosnian | znak | ||
| The Bosnian word "znak" can also refer to a gesture, a symbol, or a characteristic. | |||
| Bulgarian | знак | ||
| The word "знак" in Bulgarian can also mean "signal", "mark", "symbol", "proof", or "evidence". | |||
| Czech | podepsat | ||
| Czech podepsat, a derivative of psáti("write"), is a Slavic equivalent of the English word "subscribe". | |||
| Estonian | märk | ||
| The word "märk" in Estonian also means "mark" in the sense of a numerical grade or a distinction left by a tool or action, and is related to the word "märkida" (to mark). | |||
| Finnish | merkki | ||
| The Finnish word "merkki" is cognate with the Estonian word "märk", the Hungarian word "jel", and the English word "mark". | |||
| Hungarian | jel | ||
| The noun 'jel' in Hungarian evolved from meanings 'appearance, phenomenon' or 'characteristic, feature' of the verb 'jelent' (< Proto-Finnic *śeljä) which means in Proto-Ugric and Proto-Finno-Ugric 'to appear'. | |||
| Latvian | zīmi | ||
| The term "zīmi" can also refer to a brand, mark, or indication, or even a symbol or characteristic. | |||
| Lithuanian | ženklas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "ženklas" (sign) is cognate with the English word "token" and the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰenǝ-, meaning "to know". | |||
| Macedonian | знак | ||
| "Знак" is etymologically related to "знак" in Russian and "знак" in Serbian, all meaning "sign". | |||
| Polish | znak | ||
| The Slavic root of "znak" means both "mark" and "miracle", the latter because its power in the pre-Christian Slavic script went beyond its visual appearance. | |||
| Romanian | semn | ||
| Semn can also mean "mark" or "omen", a semantic extension from its original meaning of "sign". | |||
| Russian | знак | ||
| The word "знак" can also mean "mark", "indication", or "symbol" in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | знак | ||
| The word "знак" also means "banner", "mark", "gesture", "signal", or "symptom". | |||
| Slovak | podpísať | ||
| The word "podpísať" derives from the Old Church Slavonic root "pisati", meaning "to write". | |||
| Slovenian | znak | ||
| "Znak" also means 'omen' in Polish and a 'character' or 'symbol' in several Slavic languages including Old Church Slavonic. | |||
| Ukrainian | знак | ||
| In astronomy, "знак" can also mean "zodiac sign" and in the context of linguistics it may mean "character" or "letter" | |||
Sign in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | চিহ্ন | ||
| চিহ্ন/ছাপ (Chinha/Chap) means an engraving or stamp, mark on the body, seal on a document, footprint, trace or evidence, a distinguishing feature. | |||
| Gujarati | હસ્તાક્ષર | ||
| The word "હસ્તાક્ષર" in Gujarati comes from the Sanskrit word "हस्ताक्षर" which means "handwritten signature", and in Gujarati it specifically refers to the signature of a person or the autograph of a celebrity. | |||
| Hindi | संकेत | ||
| संकेत also refers to a secret signal or code used by a group of people. | |||
| Kannada | ಚಿಹ್ನೆ | ||
| The word ಚಿಹ್ನೆ is a loanword from English, and it also means a symbol. | |||
| Malayalam | അടയാളം | ||
| In the archaic sense, the term "അടയാളം" refers to one's signature or autography. | |||
| Marathi | चिन्ह | ||
| The Marathi word "चिन्ह" can also mean a mark, token, or symbol. | |||
| Nepali | चिन्ह | ||
| The word "चिन्ह" (sign) is derived from the Sanskrit word "cihna" and can also refer to a mark, symbol, or indication. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸੰਕੇਤ | ||
| The word "ਸੰਕੇਤ" (sign) can also mean "hint" or "indication" in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ලකුණ | ||
| In Sinhala, the word "ලකුණ" ("sign") also signifies a "mark" or "scar" left on the body. | |||
| Tamil | அடையாளம் | ||
| The Tamil word "அடையாளம்" can also refer to an identification mark or characteristic, a symbol or indication of something, or a proof or evidence. | |||
| Telugu | గుర్తు | ||
| The word "గుర్తు" also refers to a "mark", "brand", "trace", "impression", or "memory" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | نشانی | ||
| "نشانی" in Urdu can also mean "address" or "mark". | |||
Sign in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 标志 | ||
| The word "标志" can also refer to a "symbol" or a "mark" that represents something. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 標誌 | ||
| 標誌 can also refer to a flag, banner, or emblem. | |||
| Japanese | 符号 | ||
| "符号" (sign) can also mean "symbol", "code" or "secret code". | |||
| Korean | 기호 | ||
| In Korean, 기호 (giho) is derived from Chinese, where it originally referred to an auspicious object, and can also mean 'symbol' or 'token'. | |||
| Mongolian | гарын үсэг | ||
| "гарын үсэг" (sign) derives from "гар" (hand) and "үсэг" (letter), referring to the act of signing with one's hand like writing. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လက်မှတ်ထိုး | ||
| In ancient Burma, "sign" was also used to refer to the signature of a prince or powerful person used to signify their assent on royal decrees. | |||
Sign in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tanda | ||
| A derivative of the word "tanda" is "penanda" which means "indicator" or "marker". | |||
| Javanese | mlebu | ||
| "Mlebu" also means "to enter" or "to go in" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ចុះហត្ថលេខា | ||
| The word ចុះហត្ថលេខា "sign" can also mean "end" when used at the end of a letter or document, and "press" when used in the context of pressing a button. | |||
| Lao | ເຊັນ | ||
| The word “ເຊັນ” in Lao can mean “to make a mark with a pen or other writing instrument" or "a mark made with a pen or other writing instrument". | |||
| Malay | tanda | ||
| Malay 'tanda', also meaning 'receipt', 'note', 'tally', is from Old Javanese 'tanda' | |||
| Thai | ลงชื่อ | ||
| ลงชื่อ is a Thai word with many meanings, including "sign", "put one's name to", "subscribe", and "endorse". | |||
| Vietnamese | ký tên | ||
| The word "ký tên" in Vietnamese also means "to sign one's name" or "to put one's signature on a document". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tanda | ||
Sign in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | işarəsi | ||
| The word 'işarəsi' can also refer to a gesture or a hint in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | қол қою | ||
| In Kazakh, the verb "қол қою" is an idiom that literally means | |||
| Kyrgyz | белги | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "белги" is also used to refer to a mole or birthmark. | |||
| Tajik | имзо | ||
| The word "имзо" in Tajik is likely derived from the Persian word "امضاء" (emzâ), which means "signature" or "symbol." | |||
| Turkmen | gol | ||
| Uzbek | imzo | ||
| The word "imzo" (sign) in Uzbek originated from the Persian word "imza" which means "signature" or "mark". | |||
| Uyghur | ئىمزا | ||
Sign in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hōʻailona | ||
| Hōʻailona is also a symbol, token, or representation of something else. | |||
| Maori | waitohu | ||
| Waitohu in Māori is also a derivative word referring to a star sign or celestial sign. | |||
| Samoan | saini | ||
| Saini, loosely translated, means 'the physical representation of an idea' | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tanda | ||
| Tanda, meaning "sign" in Tagalog, also refers to a traditional Filipino savings and lending practice. | |||
Sign in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | rixuntaña | ||
| Guarani | mboheraguapy | ||
Sign in International Languages
| Esperanto | signo | ||
| Esperanto's "signo" derives from the Latin signum, meaning "mark, token, or signal". | |||
| Latin | signum | ||
| The Latin word "signum" can also refer to a military standard, a mark of distinction, or a signal. | |||
Sign in Others Languages
| Greek | σημάδι | ||
| "σημάδι" is derived from the Indo-European root "*segh- " meaning "to cut, to mark"} | |||
| Hmong | kos npe | ||
| The Hmong word "kos npe" is etymologically related to the Thai word "s̄an yhān" meaning "sign" and the Chinese word "qì" meaning "trace" or "mark." | |||
| Kurdish | nîşan | ||
| In Kurdish, the word "nîşan" also refers to a marking on the body, such as a birthmark or tattoo. | |||
| Turkish | işaret | ||
| The Turkish word "işaret" is derived from the Arabic word "ishara," meaning "a sign, a mark, a gesture." | |||
| Xhosa | uphawu | ||
| 'Iphawu' is related to the isiXhosa word 'phawuza' (to show, indicate, point out). | |||
| Yiddish | צייכן | ||
| The Yiddish word "צייכן" comes from the German word "zeichnen", which means "to draw" or "to mark". | |||
| Zulu | uphawu | ||
| The word "uphawu" can also mean "symptom" or "indication". | |||
| Assamese | চহী | ||
| Aymara | rixuntaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | चिन्ह | ||
| Dhivehi | ސޮއި | ||
| Dogri | दस्तखत | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tanda | ||
| Guarani | mboheraguapy | ||
| Ilocano | sinyales | ||
| Krio | sayn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نیشانە | ||
| Maithili | हस्ताक्षर | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯨꯠꯌꯦꯛ ꯄꯤꯕ | ||
| Mizo | chhinchhiahna | ||
| Oromo | mallattoo | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଚିହ୍ନ | ||
| Quechua | yupichay | ||
| Sanskrit | चिह्नम् | ||
| Tatar | билге | ||
| Tigrinya | ምልክት | ||
| Tsonga | mfungho | ||