Silence in Different Languages
Discover 'Silence' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Silence
Afrikaans stilte | ||
Albanian heshtja | ||
Amharic ዝምታ | ||
Arabic الصمت | ||
Armenian լռություն | ||
Assamese নীৰৱতা | ||
Aymara ch'ujtata | ||
Azerbaijani sükut | ||
Bambara kumabaliya | ||
Basque isiltasuna | ||
Belarusian цішыня | ||
Bengali নীরবতা | ||
Bhojpuri चुप्पी | ||
Bosnian tišina | ||
Bulgarian мълчание | ||
Catalan silenci | ||
Cebuano kahilom | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 安静 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 安靜 | ||
Corsican silenziu | ||
Croatian tišina | ||
Czech umlčet | ||
Danish stilhed | ||
Dhivehi ހަމަހިމޭންކަން | ||
Dogri खमोशी | ||
Dutch stilte | ||
English silence | ||
Esperanto silento | ||
Estonian vaikus | ||
Ewe ɖoɖoezizi | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) katahimikan | ||
Finnish hiljaisuus | ||
French silence | ||
Frisian stilte | ||
Galician silencio | ||
Georgian სიჩუმე | ||
German schweigen | ||
Greek σιωπή | ||
Guarani kirirĩ | ||
Gujarati મૌન | ||
Haitian Creole silans | ||
Hausa shiru | ||
Hawaiian hāmau | ||
Hebrew שתיקה | ||
Hindi शांति | ||
Hmong ntsiag to | ||
Hungarian csend | ||
Icelandic þögn | ||
Igbo ịgbachi nkịtị | ||
Ilocano kinaulimek | ||
Indonesian diam | ||
Irish tost | ||
Italian silenzio | ||
Japanese 沈黙 | ||
Javanese meneng | ||
Kannada ಮೌನ | ||
Kazakh тыныштық | ||
Khmer ភាពស្ងៀមស្ងាត់ | ||
Kinyarwanda guceceka | ||
Konkani शांतताय | ||
Korean 침묵 | ||
Krio sɛt mɔt | ||
Kurdish bêdengî | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) بێدەنگی | ||
Kyrgyz жымжырттык | ||
Lao ຄວາມງຽບ | ||
Latin silentium | ||
Latvian klusums | ||
Lingala nye | ||
Lithuanian tyla | ||
Luganda akasiriikiriro | ||
Luxembourgish rou | ||
Macedonian тишина | ||
Maithili शांति | ||
Malagasy mangina | ||
Malay kesunyian | ||
Malayalam നിശ്ശബ്ദം | ||
Maltese skiet | ||
Maori puku | ||
Marathi शांतता | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯇꯨꯃꯤꯟꯅ ꯂꯩꯌꯨ | ||
Mizo reh | ||
Mongolian чимээгүй байдал | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) တိတ်ဆိတ် | ||
Nepali मौन | ||
Norwegian stillhet | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) chete | ||
Odia (Oriya) ନୀରବତା | | ||
Oromo callisa | ||
Pashto چوپتیا | ||
Persian سکوت | ||
Polish cisza | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) silêncio | ||
Punjabi ਚੁੱਪ | ||
Quechua upallay | ||
Romanian tăcere | ||
Russian тишина | ||
Samoan filemu | ||
Sanskrit शांति | ||
Scots Gaelic sàmhchair | ||
Sepedi setu | ||
Serbian тишина | ||
Sesotho khutso | ||
Shona kunyarara | ||
Sindhi خاموشي | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) නිශ්ශබ්දතාව | ||
Slovak ticho | ||
Slovenian tišina | ||
Somali aamusnaan | ||
Spanish silencio | ||
Sundanese tiiseun | ||
Swahili kimya | ||
Swedish tystnad | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) katahimikan | ||
Tajik хомӯшӣ | ||
Tamil ம .னம் | ||
Tatar тынлык | ||
Telugu నిశ్శబ్దం | ||
Thai ความเงียบ | ||
Tigrinya ስቕታ | ||
Tsonga miyela | ||
Turkish sessizlik | ||
Turkmen dymmak | ||
Twi (Akan) dinn | ||
Ukrainian тиша | ||
Urdu خاموشی | ||
Uyghur جىمجىتلىق | ||
Uzbek sukunat | ||
Vietnamese im lặng | ||
Welsh tawelwch | ||
Xhosa cwaka | ||
Yiddish שטילקייט | ||
Yoruba ipalọlọ | ||
Zulu ukuthula |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | The word "stilte" also means "stillness" and "calm" in Afrikaans. |
| Albanian | The word "heshtja" in Albanian is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ḱes-," meaning "to be silent, to sleep." |
| Amharic | The word "ዝምታ" has been found in an Ethiopian royal inscription from the 13th-century referring to the king's "dignity" |
| Arabic | The word "الصمت" (as-samt) shares its root with the word "صمت" (samat), meaning "to make silent" or "to put to silence". |
| Azerbaijani | The word "sükut" in Azerbaijani can also refer to the state of being hidden or unknown |
| Basque | "Isiltasuna" can also mean solitude, emptiness, and tranquility in Basque. |
| Belarusian | The word "цішыня" can also refer to "tranquility" or "serenity" in Belarusian. |
| Bengali | The word "নীরবতা" (silence) in Bengali derives from the Sanskrit word "निरुद्ध" (niruddha), meaning "obstructed" or "blocked". |
| Bosnian | "Tišina" is also a name commonly given to female babies born in the Balkans in the 20th century. |
| Bulgarian | The Bulgarian word "мълчание" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "mlъčati", meaning "to keep silent". In modern Bulgarian, it can also refer to "discretion" or "secrecy". |
| Catalan | Catalan silencis can refer to both a silence as well as a silencing. |
| Cebuano | The term "kahilom" has a second meaning, "slow" or "relaxed." |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 安静 (ānjìng), meaning 'quiet' or 'silent', is derived from the phrase 安心靜氣 (ānxīn jìngqì), which literally means 'peaceful mind and quiet spirit'. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 安靜 (ānjìng) also means 'peaceful' and 'calm' |
| Corsican | Corsican "silenziu" can also be used to mean "peace". |
| Croatian | The word 'tišina' has Slavic origin and is etymologically related to 'to tajiť' ('to hide'). |
| Czech | The word "umlčet" in Czech can also mean "to quiet someone by force" or "to suppress the media" |
| Danish | The Danish word "stilhed" not only means "silence" but also conveys a sense of stillness, tranquility, and harmony. |
| Dutch | The word "stilte" also means "still water" or "calm". |
| Esperanto | The word "silento" in Esperanto is derived from the Latin word "silentium", meaning "silence" or "absence of sound". |
| Estonian | The word "vaikus" also means "solitude" or "peace" in Estonian. |
| Finnish | The Finnish word "hiljaisuus" also has the meanings "quietness" and "tranquility". |
| French | In French, 'silence' can also refer to a 'lack of knowledge' or 'omission of information'. |
| Frisian | "Stilte" also means standstill in Frisian |
| Galician | In Galician, "silencio" is etymologically related to "selva" (forest) and "selvagem" (wild), conveying a sense of untamed, natural quiet. |
| Georgian | The word "სიჩუმე" is also used to refer to the state of being undisturbed or at peace. |
| German | The word "Schweigen" (silence) is derived from the Old High German "swīgan," meaning "to be silent, to keep silent." |
| Greek | The Greek word "σιωπή" shares a root with the word "σιωπώ," which means "to keep quiet" or "to be silent." |
| Gujarati | The Gujarati word "મૌન" also has the alternate meaning of "approval" or "consent" in certain contexts. |
| Haitian Creole | The Haitian Creole word "silans" also means "secrets" or "mystery". |
| Hausa | The word "shiru" can also mean "secret" or "something that is hidden" in Hausa. |
| Hawaiian | In the Hawaiian language, the word "hāmau" also means "to restrain". |
| Hebrew | The Hebrew word "שתיקה" (silence) also means "stillness" or "quiescence". |
| Hindi | In the Rigveda, 'शांति' appears as an adjective to describe the cessation of hostilities or the end of a conflict, but also the tranquility or harmony of nature. |
| Hmong | "Ntsiag to" means "silence." Its root "tsiag to" also carries the meaning of silence and tranquillity. |
| Hungarian | The word "csend" in Hungarian can also refer to a "pause" in music or speech. |
| Icelandic | The Old Norse word þögn, meaning "silence", is also the root of the English word "think". |
| Indonesian | "Diam" means "silence" in Indonesian, but can also mean "to be quiet" or "to stay silent." |
| Irish | The Gaelic word `tost` also means `solemn promise` or `engagement`. |
| Italian | "Silenzio" in Italian comes from the Latin "silentium," meaning "absence of sound," and can also refer to secrecy or discretion. |
| Japanese | Besides its ordinary meaning of silence, "沈黙" also means "sinking". It comes from the kanji '沈' (sink) and '黙' (silence), reflecting the idea of something disappearing into silence. |
| Javanese | "Meneng" is also a shortened form of the word "menengno," which means "to be quiet" or "to keep silent". |
| Kannada | The word "ಮೌನ" (mauna) in Kannada also refers to a spiritual vow of silence undertaken by seekers of enlightenment. |
| Korean | The Korean word "침묵" ("silence") also refers to holding one's tongue in a specific situation to express disagreement or disapproval. |
| Kurdish | The Kurdish word "bêdengî" also means "deafness" and "calmness". |
| Kyrgyz | The word |
| Latin | The Latin word 'silentium' also refers to the Roman goddess of silence, who is identified with the Greek divinity Harpocrates. |
| Latvian | In Old Latvian, “klusums” also meant “a forest thicket”. |
| Lithuanian | The word "tyla" in Lithuanian is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *teu- "to swell, to be silent", and it is related to the Latin word "tumesco" ("to swell"). |
| Luxembourgish | The Luxembourgish word "Rou" can also refer to secrecy or discretion. |
| Macedonian | В отличие от английского слова "silence", "тишина" может ссылаться на тишину или спокойствие. |
| Malagasy | The word "mangina" can also refer to a quiet or uninhabited place. |
| Malay | "Kesunyian" can also mean solitude or loneliness in the Malay language. |
| Malayalam | The word "നിശ്ശബ്ദം" can also mean "inactive" or "not functioning". |
| Maltese | The Maltese word "skiet" derives from the Arabic word "sukūt" signifying "silence". |
| Maori | In Māori, 'puku' also refers to the belly or stomach. |
| Marathi | The term "शांतता" in Marathi also denotes tranquility, calmness, or peace of mind. |
| Mongolian | The Mongolian word "чимээгүй байдал" (silence) originates from the verb "чимэх" (to speak), and thus literally means "a state of not speaking". |
| Nepali | The word 'मौन' (silence) in Nepali is also used to refer to a vow of silence or a period of meditation. |
| Norwegian | The word "stillhet" is also used to describe the calm and peaceful feeling of being alone in nature. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The word 'chete' comes from the root word 'chet-', which means 'to be quiet' or 'to be still' |
| Pashto | The word "چوپتیا" in Pashto also means "a pause in speech" or "a moment of silence". |
| Persian | سکوت can also refer to a "pause" or a "rest" in music or poetry. |
| Polish | In Old Polish, "cisza" meant "whisper" instead of "silence." |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | "Silêncio" can be used as a verb meaning to silence someone. |
| Punjabi | The Punjabi word 'ਚੁੱਪ' is cognate with the Hindi word 'चुप', both of which have a Proto-Indo-Aryan root meaning 'to hide' or 'to be hidden'. |
| Romanian | Derived from Proto-Romance *tacēre; also cognate with French taire, Italian tacere, Portuguese calar, Spanish callar. |
| Russian | The word "тишина" in Russian can also refer to a period of calm or stillness, or a state of mind. |
| Samoan | The Samoan word 'filemu' can also refer to a lull in the weather or a pause in an activity. |
| Scots Gaelic | The Gaelic word "sàmhchair" also has the meanings "calm" and "rest". |
| Serbian | The word "тишина" also means "peace" or "serenity" in Serbian. |
| Sesotho | The word "khutso" can also imply calmness, serenity, or absence of disturbances. |
| Shona | The word "kunyarara" can also refer to the act of hiding or covering something up. |
| Sindhi | In Sindhi, "خاموشي" also refers to a state of tranquility, calmness, or inner peace. |
| Slovak | "Ticho" can also mean "calm", "peace", or "tranquility". |
| Slovenian | The word "tišina" also means "peace" in Slovenian, hence their shared etymological origins. |
| Somali | The word "aamusnaan" has alternate meanings including "peace" and "tranquility" in Somali. |
| Spanish | In Spanish, "silencio" besides meaning "silence", can also be used to refer to the "grave" in a cemetery. |
| Sundanese | The word "tiiseun" in Sundanese also means "to refrain from speaking out of respect for someone or something." |
| Swahili | The word kimya also has a secondary meaning of 'secret' or 'mystery'. |
| Swedish | From Old Norse 'þysja' meaning 'to hush' or 'to quieten'. |
| Tajik | The word "хомӯшӣ" in Tajik also means "submission" or "obedience", and is related to the word "хомӯш", meaning "quiet" or "silent". |
| Tamil | In ancient Tamil literature, "ம .னம்" referred not only to silence, but also to patience, calmness, and restraint. |
| Telugu | This word originated from Sanskrit word "niśśabda", meaning "without sound", and "śabda" meaning "sound". |
| Thai | The word "ความเงียบ" was originally used to refer to the stillness of the jungle, before it came to mean "silence". |
| Turkish | Originally related to the Persian root **sāsān** meaning "praise" and **sâs** meaning "sound". |
| Ukrainian | The word "тиша" also refers to a state of tranquility or peace, and can be used as a euphemism for death. |
| Urdu | In Urdu, "خاموشی" also denotes a sense of tranquillity, stillness, or a quietude that brings inner peace. |
| Uzbek | "Sukunat" originates from the Arabic word "sukūn" and denotes the consonantal diacritic for a voiceless consonant in many Arabic-based scripts, indicating the absence of a vowel after the consonant. |
| Vietnamese | The word "Im lặng" can also mean "to keep a secret" or "to not speak" in Vietnamese. |
| Welsh | The word "tawelwch" in Welsh can also mean "quietness" or "calmness". |
| Xhosa | The Xhosa word "cwaka" also denotes a "secret agreement between friends" or an "agreement to say nothing bad about someone". |
| Yiddish | Originally, "שטילקייט" only referred to "calm weather" or "stillness" in Yiddish, but over time its meaning evolved to include "silence". |
| Yoruba | "Ipalọlọ" also means a "charm that makes someone quiet" or "the state of being without speech" in Yoruba. |
| Zulu | In Zulu, 'ukuthula' can also refer to peace, tranquility, or harmony. |
| English | The word "silence" derives from the Latin word "silentium," which means "absence of sound" or "quiet." |