Silent in different languages

Silent in Different Languages

Discover 'Silent' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'silent' holds a profound significance in our daily lives, often acting as a reminder to appreciate the quiet moments amidst the noise. Its cultural importance is evident in various art forms, such as literature and film, where it can convey deep emotions and nuanced meanings. For instance, Harper Lee's novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' uses silence as a powerful tool to explore racial injustice.

Moreover, understanding the translation of 'silent' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how diverse cultures perceive and express quietness. For example, the Spanish translation of 'silent' is 'silencioso', while in French, it is 'silencieux'. In German, the word for silent is 'still', which also means calm, further emphasizing the tranquility associated with silence.

Delving into the translations of 'silent' not only enriches our vocabulary but also deepens our appreciation for the unique ways different cultures communicate and perceive the world around them.

Silent


Silent in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansstil
"Stil" in Afrikaans can also mean "quiet", "calm" or "still".
Amharicዝም
The Amharic word "ዝም" can also refer to a type of traditional bread or to the sound of a bell.
Hausashiru
The word "shiru" derives from the Proto-West-Atlantic root "-shir" meaning "to be numb, paralyzed, or dead," suggesting a figurative extension from the state of physical silence to the state of figurative silence.
Igbonkịtị
Igbo "nkịtị" also refers to a mute or deaf-mute individual, and may derive from "kpịtị" (to make dumb or deaf) or "kwịtị" (to be dumb or mute).
Malagasymangina
The word 'mangina' can also mean 'deaf' or 'dumb' in Malagasy.
Nyanja (Chichewa)chete
The word "chete" in Nyanja (Chichewa) can also mean "only" or "just".
Shonanyarara
The Shona word "nyarara" also means "to be patient" or "to wait."
Somaliaamus
"Aamus" also refers to an omen and a type of dance in Somali.
Sesothokhutsa
In Sesotho, the word "khutsa" also refers to the act of silencing someone or remaining silent.
Swahilikimya
The word "kimya" in Swahili shares its root with the word "chema" in Luganda, which means "something sacred or mysterious."
Xhosacwaka
The Xhosa word cwaka has no literal meaning, but is often used to describe a state of quiet or stillness.
Yorubaipalọlọ
The Yoruba word "ipalọlọ" also refers to a type of dance associated with masquerades.
Zuluathule
Athule is also derived from Zulu words for peace, tranquility, and solitude.
Bambaradotugu
Ewezi ɖoɖoe
Kinyarwandaceceka
Lingalanye
Lugandaokusirika
Sepedihomotšego
Twi (Akan)dinn

Silent in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicصامتة
The word "صامتة" has a number of meanings besides its most common meaning of "silent": it can also mean "consonant" or "dumb".
Hebrewשקט
"שקט" can also refer to a time of death or repose. This meaning has likely roots in a parallel meaning in Aramaic: 'cessation, rest'. Some suggest it might be linked to its similar sounding Sanskrit cognate: 'shama, śānta.'
Pashtoغلی
The word "غلی" can also refer to a type of cloth or fabric.
Arabicصامتة
The word "صامتة" has a number of meanings besides its most common meaning of "silent": it can also mean "consonant" or "dumb".

Silent in Western European Languages

Albaniani heshtur
The Albanian word "i heshtur" can also mean "the silent one" or "the one who is silent".
Basqueisilik
This word may ultimately trace back to an Indo-European root that also gave rise to the Proto-Indo-European word for "night".
Catalanen silenci
(Catalan) The noun "silèncis" (plural form of "silènci") may also refer to musical rests in compositions.
Croatiannijemo
Croatian 'nijemo' is related to 'mute' and to 'dumb' and derives from the root 'nem-' meaning 'not' or 'lacking'.
Danishstille
The word "stille" in Danish, derived from the Germanic "stilan" or "stillare," carries the primary meaning of "calm" or "tranquil" and can also refer to the "cessation of movement," encompassing concepts beyond mere absence of sound.
Dutchstil
The Dutch word "stil" can also refer to a style, fashion, or manner.
Englishsilent
The term 'silent' can also be used figuratively, to refer to something that is suppressed or concealed.
Frenchsilencieux
Derived from the Latin word "silere" meaning "to be silent" or "to keep silent", the French word "silencieux" maintains the primary meaning of "silent" while also carrying the meaning of "muffler" or "silencer".
Frisianstil
The Frisian word "stil" also means "still" or "calm".
Galicianen silencio
In Galician, "en silencio" can also mean "discreetly" or "without making a fuss"
Germanleise
The word is sometimes used as a prefix meaning "softly" or "gently".
Icelandicþegjandi
The same word in Icelandic, "þegjandi," derives from a word in Old Norse with the same meaning but which also meant "patient".
Irishadh
"Adh" can also mean "oath" or "vow".
Italiansilenzioso
In Italian, 'silenzioso' can also refer to a person or thing that is 'calm' or 'peaceful'.
Luxembourgishroueg
The word "roueg" originates from the Old High German word "rowig", meaning "restful" or "quiet".
Maltesesiekta
The word "siekta" is of Arabic origin, and it also means "calm" or "peaceful".
Norwegianstille
In Old Norse, stille means "to stand," reflecting the stillness associated with silence.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)silencioso
"Silencioso" can also mean "peaceful" or "quiet" in Portuguese.
Scots Gaelicsàmhach
The Gaelic word `sàmhach` originally referred to a calm sea, and also means 'lonely' or 'peaceful'.
Spanishsilencio
The word "silencio" in Spanish shares the same root as "syllabus" and "syllable" and originally referred to the written text of a speech or other vocal performance.
Swedishtyst
"Tyst" also means "quiet" or "dull" in Swedish, and derives from the Germanic word "thustaz," meaning "silent" or "dark."
Welshdistaw
"Distaw" means "silent" in Welsh, and its etymology suggests a hidden or secret sound.

Silent in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianмаўчаць
The word "маўчаць" also means "to withhold information" or "to be silent about something" in Belarusian.
Bosniannijemo
The word 'nijemo' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'němъ', which originally meant 'speechless' or 'mute'.
Bulgarianмълчи
The word "мълчи" is also used in Bulgarian to mean "to be quiet" or "to keep a secret".
Czechtichý
The word "tichý" can also mean "calm" or "peaceful" in Czech.
Estonianvaikne
The Estonian word "vaikne" is cognate with the Finnish "vaikenea" and Hungarian "hallgat", all meaning "to be silent".
Finnishhiljainen
The word 'hiljainen' is etymologically related to 'hiljaisuus', which means 'silence or stillness', and 'hiljastyä', which means 'to grow silent'.
Hungariancsendes
The word "csendes" also means "calm" or "peaceful" in Hungarian.
Latviankluss
The word 'kluss' has also been used in Latvian to describe something 'not worth mentioning' since 1783.
Lithuaniantyli
Originating from the word "tylus", "tyli" is also an Old Church Slavonic loanword and is related to words such as "tyly" (back), "tylus" (quiet), and "tylu" (peace).
Macedonianмолчи
Another meaning of the word "молчи" is "the silence".
Polishcichy
In Old Polish, the word "cichy" also meant "hidden" or "invisible".
Romaniantăcut
The Romanian word "tăcut" (silent) is related to the Albanian "të qetë" (peaceful), the Bulgarian "тих" (calm), and the Hungarian "csendes" (peaceful).
Russianтихий
The word "тихий" can also mean "calm", "peaceful", or "gentle" in Russian.
Serbianћути
Ћути comes from the Proto-Slavic word *kotъ, meaning “cat”, and is related to the word “ћућорити”, meaning “to purr”.
Slovakticho
"Ticho" can also refer to a Czech folk music, similar to polka.
Sloveniantiho
Derived from Proto-Slavic, "tiho" is also used figuratively to describe the quality of something that does not make sound.
Ukrainianмовчазний
"Мовчазний" in Ukrainian can also mean "speechless" or "mute".

Silent in South Asian Languages

Bengaliনীরব
The Bengali word "নীরব" is derived from Sanskrit "नीरव" (nir-rava, without sound) and also means "still" or "motionless".
Gujaratiમૌન
The Sanskrit word “mšuna”, meaning 'dumb,' is the root of the Gujarati word “māun”, meaning 'silent,' which also has the alternate meaning of 'dumb' or 'mute.'
Hindiमूक
Kannadaಮೂಕ
The Kannada word "ಮೂಕ" has an alternate meaning of "mute", as someone incapable of speaking.
Malayalamനിശബ്ദത
Marathiशांत
The word 'शांत' also means 'peaceful' or 'calm' in Marathi.
Nepaliमौन
The word "मौन" also means "vow of silence" in a religious context.
Punjabiਚੁੱਪ
Sinhala (Sinhalese)නිහ .යි
The word 'නිහ .යි' in Sinhala can also mean 'not talking' or 'at rest'.
Tamilஅமைதியாக
The Tamil word "அமைதியாக" can also refer to the quality of being calm or peaceful.
Teluguనిశ్శబ్దంగా
Urduخاموش
The word خاموش (silent) can also refer to a type of musical pause used in qawwali performance.

Silent in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)无声
无声 (wúshēng) also means 'quietly' or 'without speaking'.
Chinese (Traditional)無聲
無聲 is also used to describe a musical instrument with no sound or a weapon that makes no noise.
Japaneseサイレント
'サイレント' is also a loanword meaning 'cyclone', written with different kanji (サイクロン).
Korean조용한
"조용한" was originally used to describe a place surrounded by trees and was later used to mean "quiet".
Mongolianчимээгүй
The word "чимээгүй" in Mongolian can also mean "unresponsive" or "without sound".
Myanmar (Burmese)တိတ်ဆိတ်

Silent in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiandiam
The word "diam" is derived from the Old Javanese word "di-am" which means "to stop speaking".
Javanesemeneng wae
In Javanese, "meneng wae" also means "do nothing" or "be idle".
Khmerស្ងាត់
Laoງຽບ
The word
Malaysenyap
The root word of "senyap" is "yap" which means noise, its opposite meaning is denoted by the negative prefix "se-".
Thaiเงียบ
The word "เงียบ" is derived from the Proto-Austroasiatic language, likely meaning "to rest" or "to be calm".
Vietnameseim lặng
"Im lặng" can also be translated as "be quiet" in English.
Filipino (Tagalog)tahimik

Silent in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanisəssiz
The word "səssiz" in Azerbaijani can also mean "calm" or "peaceful."
Kazakhүнсіз
"Үнсіз" is also used to refer to the voiceless consonants in linguistics.
Kyrgyzүнсүз
"үнсүз" means "consonant" in the phonetic sense (as opposed to "vowel"), which is not immediately obvious from its literal meaning "without sound/voice".
Tajikхомӯш
The word "хомӯш" in Tajik can also mean "to keep a secret" or "to be quiet and reserved."
Turkmendymdy
Uzbekjim
In Uzbek, "jim" also refers to a silent letter in the Arabic alphabet.
Uyghurجىمجىت

Silent in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianhāmau
The word hāmau can also mean "to quench thirst" or "to relieve hunger".
Maoripuku
In Maori, "puku" can also refer to a large stomach, a full bladder, or a swollen area.
Samoanfilemu
In Samoan, "filemu" also refers to something hidden or concealed
Tagalog (Filipino)tahimik
Tahimik is also a term used in Philippine martial arts which can mean both a state of being silent as well as the act of silencing an opponent.

Silent in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraamukiña
Guaranikirirĩme

Silent in International Languages

Esperantosilenta
Esperanto's "silenta" originates from Latin, meaning "a forest" and "sylvan."
Latintacet
Tacet in Latin can also refer to a section of a musical score where a voice or instrument is silent.

Silent in Others Languages

Greekσιωπηλός
In Ancient Greek, "σιωπηλός" also meant "calm sea"
Hmonguas ntsiag to
In the Hmong Daw script, the word "uas ntsiag to" can be interpreted to also mean "deaf" or "mute".
Kurdishbêdeng
The word 'bêdeng' also means 'deaf' or 'mute' in Kurdish.
Turkishsessiz
"Sessiz" can also mean "soundless" or "still" in Turkish.
Xhosacwaka
The Xhosa word cwaka has no literal meaning, but is often used to describe a state of quiet or stillness.
Yiddishשטיל
In Yiddish, 'שטיל' can also mean 'calm', 'tranquil', or 'unmoving'.
Zuluathule
Athule is also derived from Zulu words for peace, tranquility, and solitude.
Assameseনীৰৱ
Aymaraamukiña
Bhojpuriखामोश
Dhivehiއަޑުމަޑު
Dogriखमोश
Filipino (Tagalog)tahimik
Guaranikirirĩme
Ilocanonaulimek
Krionɔ de tɔk
Kurdish (Sorani)بێدەنگ
Maithiliमूक
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯇꯨꯃꯤꯟꯅ ꯂꯩꯕ
Mizoreh
Oromocallisaa
Odia (Oriya)ଚୁପ୍
Quechuaupallalla
Sanskritशांत
Tatarэндәшми
Tigrinyaፀጥታ
Tsongamiyela

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