Smart in Different Languages
Discover 'Smart' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'smart' is more than just a term to describe intelligence or quick-wittedness. It's a cultural phenomenon that represents innovation, progress, and the ability to adapt to an ever-changing world. From smartphones to smart homes, this term has become a symbol of modern technology and its impact on our daily lives. But what does 'smart' mean in different languages, and how does it reflect cultural differences around the world?
Understanding the translation of 'smart' in various languages can provide insight into how different cultures view intelligence, technology, and progress. For example, in Spanish, 'smart' translates to 'inteligente,' while in German, it's 'schlau.' Meanwhile, in Chinese, the word for 'smart' is '聪明' (cōngmíng), which also carries connotations of wisdom and understanding.
By exploring the many translations of 'smart,' we can gain a new appreciation for the cultural significance of this word and the values it represents. Keep reading to discover more fascinating translations of 'smart' in different languages.
Smart
Smart in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | slim | ||
| The Afrikaans word "slim" can also mean "clever" or "cunning" and is related to the Dutch and German words "slim," meaning "crafty" or "sly." | |||
| Amharic | ብልህ | ||
| It can also mean “knowledgeable” or “erudite”. | |||
| Hausa | wayo | ||
| The word "wayo" in Hausa has alternate meanings such as wisdom, cunning, and deceit. | |||
| Igbo | mara ihe | ||
| Mara ihe is a versatile expression that can also mean 'quick' or 'agile' depending on context. | |||
| Malagasy | manan-tsaina | ||
| "Manan-tsaina" also means "knowing well" or "well-informed" in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wanzeru | ||
| The word "wanzeru" can also mean "well-behaved" in Nyanja (Chichewa). | |||
| Shona | akangwara | ||
| The word "akangwara" can also mean "intelligent" or "wise" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | caqli badan | ||
| The Somali word "caqli badan" is derived from the Arabic word "عاقل" (ʿāqil) meaning "wise" or "prudent". | |||
| Sesotho | bohlale | ||
| "Bohlale" derives from the verb "bohlala", meaning "to be bright or clever". | |||
| Swahili | werevu | ||
| "Werevu" in Swahili can also refer to 'cleverness', 'intelligence', or 'wisdom' | |||
| Xhosa | krelekrele | ||
| The word "krelekrele" can also refer to "being alert or watchful" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | ọlọgbọn | ||
| "Ọlọgbọn" means "smart" or "intelligent" in Yoruba and can also refer to a "wise person" or "sage". | |||
| Zulu | uhlakaniphile | ||
| "Uhlakaniphile" derives from the Zulu word "hlakanipha" meaning "to sharpen," also relating to "cleverness" or "intelligence." | |||
| Bambara | kegun | ||
| Ewe | zãzɛ̃ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umunyabwenge | ||
| Lingala | mayele | ||
| Luganda | okulabika obulungi | ||
| Sepedi | botse | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nyansa | ||
Smart in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ذكي | ||
| In Arabic, the word "ذكي" (smart) can also refer to someone who is "sharp-witted" or "clever". | |||
| Hebrew | לִכאוֹב | ||
| The Hebrew word "לִכאוֹב" can also refer to "pain" or "grief". | |||
| Pashto | هوښیاره | ||
| The word "هوښیاره" can also mean "clever" or "intelligent" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | ذكي | ||
| In Arabic, the word "ذكي" (smart) can also refer to someone who is "sharp-witted" or "clever". | |||
Smart in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i zgjuar | ||
| The word "i zgjuar" in Albanian originally meant "awake" or "alert". | |||
| Basque | argia | ||
| The word 'argia' can also be used to mean 'calm', 'slow' or even 'lazy' depending on the context. | |||
| Catalan | intel·ligent | ||
| In Catalan, the word "intel·ligent" also means "clear" and "perspicuous." | |||
| Croatian | pametan | ||
| The word 'pametan' also means 'mindful' and comes from the Proto-Slavic word 'pamiťь', which means 'memory'. | |||
| Danish | smart | ||
| The Danish word "smart" can also mean pain, grief, or sorrow, and is related to the German word "Schmerz", meaning pain. | |||
| Dutch | slim | ||
| The Dutch word "slim" is derived from the Proto-Germanic root *slimaz, which also gave rise to the English word "sly". | |||
| English | smart | ||
| The word "smart" has evolved from its original meaning of "painful" or "stinging" to include connotations of intelligence and cleverness. | |||
| French | intelligent | ||
| The French word | |||
| Frisian | tûk | ||
| Frisian "tûk" also denotes a sudden noise (onomatopoeia) or the twitch of a muscle during sleep. | |||
| Galician | intelixente | ||
| The Galician word "intelixente" derives from the Latin word "intelligere", meaning "to understand" or "to comprehend". | |||
| German | clever | ||
| The German word "clever" originates from the Middle High German "klieben," meaning "to stick," suggesting a person's ability to "cling" to ideas and solve problems. | |||
| Icelandic | klár | ||
| In Icelandic, "klár" can also mean "ready" or "prepared." | |||
| Irish | cliste | ||
| The Irish word "cliste" also means "skillful" or "expert", and is related to the word "cleas", meaning "trick" or "feat." | |||
| Italian | inteligente | ||
| The Italian word "intelligente" originally meant "understandable" and derives from the Latin "intellegere" meaning "to understand". | |||
| Luxembourgish | schlau | ||
| The word "schlau" can also mean "cunning" or "sly" in Luxembourgish. | |||
| Maltese | intelliġenti | ||
| The Maltese word "intelliġenti" originates from the Latin "intelligere", meaning "to understand" or "to comprehend" | |||
| Norwegian | smart | ||
| Norwegian "smart" can refer to feeling physical pain and to "hurt". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | inteligente | ||
| The Portuguese word "inteligente" is derived from the Latin word "intellegere", meaning "to understand." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | spaideil | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word 'spaideil' can also mean 'swift', 'rapid' or 'quick'. | |||
| Spanish | inteligente | ||
| Inteligente also means "well behaved" or "diligent," which is related to being astute but also being polite and hardworking. | |||
| Swedish | smart | ||
| In Swedish, "smart" can also mean "pain" or "ache". | |||
| Welsh | craff | ||
| The Welsh word "craff" also means "crafty" and "skillful". | |||
Smart in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | разумны | ||
| The word "разумны" in Belarusian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*razumъ", meaning "understanding" or "intelligence". | |||
| Bosnian | pametno | ||
| The word “pametno” can also mean “mindful” or “thoughtful” in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | умен | ||
| Bulgarian умен can also mean 'deft' or 'crafty', reflecting its Proto-Slavic root, *ǫmъ, or 'strong'. | |||
| Czech | chytrý | ||
| The word "chytrý" in Czech is derived from the Proto-Slavic root "*khitrъ", which also means "cunning" or "sly". | |||
| Estonian | tark | ||
| The word “tark” has been used to describe someone who is clever, insightful, or cunning since at least the 16th century. | |||
| Finnish | fiksu | ||
| The word “fiksu” can also be translated as “clever”, “prudent”, “ingenious” or “sensible” depending on its usage | |||
| Hungarian | okos | ||
| In Hungarian, "Okos" also means "clever", "intelligent", and "witty". | |||
| Latvian | gudrs | ||
| The word "gudrs" in Latvian is derived from the Proto-Baltic word "gudro" and has the alternate meaning of "wise". | |||
| Lithuanian | protingas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "protingas" is etymologically related to "protasū̃", meaning "mind" or "intellect, | |||
| Macedonian | паметни | ||
| "Паметни" може да значи и мудър, досетлив. | |||
| Polish | mądry | ||
| The word "mądry" can also mean "wise" or "sensible" in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | inteligent | ||
| In Romanian, "inteligent" shares a root with "lege," meaning "law," suggesting a connection between intelligence and the ability to discern right and wrong. | |||
| Russian | умная | ||
| The Russian word "умная" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *umъ, meaning "mind" or "intelligence," and is related to the Latin word "mens," meaning "mind" or "intellect." | |||
| Serbian | оштроуман | ||
| The word "оштроуман" is also used to describe a person who is clever and witty. | |||
| Slovak | chytrý | ||
| The Slovak word "chytrý" also means "cunning", highlighting the dual nature of intelligence. | |||
| Slovenian | pametno | ||
| The word "pametno" can also refer to "mindful", "conscious", or "prudent" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | розумний | ||
| The word "розумний" can also mean "reasonable" or "intelligent". | |||
Smart in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | স্মার্ট | ||
| In Bengali, 'স্মার্ট' can mean 'beautiful' in addition to 'smart' or 'intelligent'. | |||
| Gujarati | સ્માર્ટ | ||
| "સ્માર્ટ" (smart) comes from the Old English word "smerte," meaning "painful" or "sharp," and the Old French word "esmerir," meaning "to sharpen." | |||
| Hindi | होशियार | ||
| The word 'होशियार' in Hindi has its origins in the Sanskrit word 'हूश' (vigilance) and ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *keus-, meaning 'to perceive'. | |||
| Kannada | ಸ್ಮಾರ್ಟ್ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಸ್ಮಾರ್ಟ್" is derived from the English word "smart," which can also mean "stylish" or "clever. | |||
| Malayalam | സ്മാർട്ട് | ||
| The term 'സ്മാർട്ട്' also refers to a community within various sects of Hinduism | |||
| Marathi | हुशार | ||
| "हुशार" is also related to the Sanskrit word "हुँकार", meaning a sound that is made by a lion or other animal, used to scare away the enemy animals. This shows the aspect of aggression and alertness associated with the word "हुशार". | |||
| Nepali | स्मार्ट | ||
| The word "स्मार्ट" in Nepali, like its English cognate, carries connotations of both intelligence and elegance. | |||
| Punjabi | ਚੁਸਤ | ||
| The word 'ਚੁਸਤ' can also refer to alertness, agility, or cleverness. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | දක්ෂයි | ||
| The Sinhala word “දක්ෂයි” can also refer to cleverness, skill, ability, quick-wittedness, or intelligence. | |||
| Tamil | புத்திசாலி | ||
| The word புத்திசாலி also refers to one who has acquired knowledge and skills through education or experience. | |||
| Telugu | స్మార్ట్ | ||
| The word "స్మార్ట్" is derived from the English word "smart", which originally meant "painful" or "stinging". | |||
| Urdu | ہوشیار | ||
| The Urdu word "হুশিয়ার" ultimately derives from the Arabic word "شعار" (shi'ar), meaning a sign. Hence "হুশিয়ার" can have the alternative meaning of "cognizant". | |||
Smart in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 聪明 | ||
| The Chinese word 聪 (cōng) in '聪明' (cōngming) originally referred to hearing, while 明 (míng) meant vision. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 聰明 | ||
| 聰明 comes from 聰, meaning to hear, and 明, meaning bright. It originally meant perceptive, then intelligent. | |||
| Japanese | スマート | ||
| スマート (suma-to) may also refer to an old unit of measurement for length and area. | |||
| Korean | 똑똑한 | ||
| The Korean word "똑똑한" can also mean "sharp" or "quick-witted" depending on the context. | |||
| Mongolian | ухаалаг | ||
| The Mongolian word "ухаалаг" is derived from the verb "ухах" meaning "to think, to understand", and also refers to intelligence in a specific domain. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စမတ် | ||
| The word စမတ် in Myanmar comes from the English word "smart" and also has the alternate meaning of "cool". | |||
Smart in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pintar | ||
| The Indonesian word "pintar" also has a secondary meaning of "clever" or "skillful", which aligns with its Latin root "pinctura", meaning "painting". | |||
| Javanese | pinter | ||
| The Javanese word "pinter" can also refer to being physically agile or having a good memory. | |||
| Khmer | ឆ្លាត | ||
| ឆ្លាត originates from Sanskrit meaning 'bright', referring to a sharp mind and quick-wittedness. | |||
| Lao | ສະຫຼາດ | ||
| Malay | pintar | ||
| "Pintar" also means "to paint" or "to draw" in Malay. | |||
| Thai | ฉลาด | ||
| The word "ฉลาด" also means "alert," "watchful," or "clever." | |||
| Vietnamese | thông minh | ||
| The Vietnamese word "thông minh" also means "quick-witted" and "clever". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | matalino | ||
Smart in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ağıllı | ||
| Although "ağıllı" means "smart" in Azerbaijani, it can also mean "with common sense" or "sensible." | |||
| Kazakh | ақылды | ||
| The word "ақылды" in Kazakh shares its root with the word "ақыл" (wisdom, intelligence), suggesting that intelligence is derived from an abundance of wisdom and knowledge. | |||
| Kyrgyz | акылдуу | ||
| The word "акылдуу" in Kyrgyz can also mean "sensible" or "wise". | |||
| Tajik | оқилона | ||
| Turkmen | akylly | ||
| Uzbek | aqlli | ||
| The word "aqlli" can also refer to a person who is clever or cunning | |||
| Uyghur | ئەقىللىق | ||
Smart in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | akamai | ||
| "Akamai" also means "cunning" or "resourceful". | |||
| Maori | atamai | ||
| The Maori word "atamai" can also refer to a person's intellect or intelligence. | |||
| Samoan | atamai | ||
| The word 'atamai' can also refer to a type of fish found in the waters of Samoa. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | matalino | ||
| The Tagalog word "matalino" may also refer to the sharpness of a tool or a cutting edge. | |||
Smart in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jiwaki | ||
| Guarani | arandu | ||
Smart in International Languages
| Esperanto | inteligenta | ||
| "Inteligenta" also means "intelligence" or "intellect" in Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | captiosus | ||
| The Latin word "captiosus" also denotes a fallacy in argumentation known as a "fallacy of equivocation". | |||
Smart in Others Languages
| Greek | έξυπνος | ||
| The word 'έξυπνος' is derived from the ancient Greek word 'ξύω', which means 'to scrape' or 'to polish', suggesting that being smart involves the refinement and sharpening of one's intellect. | |||
| Hmong | ntse | ||
| "Ntse" can also mean "to guess" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | baqil | ||
| The word "baqil" in Kurdish also means "to remain" or "to stay". | |||
| Turkish | akıllı | ||
| In Turkish, 'akıllı' is also a folk belief, referring to evil spirits of water or trees | |||
| Xhosa | krelekrele | ||
| The word "krelekrele" can also refer to "being alert or watchful" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | קלוג | ||
| The Yiddish word "קלוג" originates from the Middle High German word "kluoc," meaning "prudent" or "wise." | |||
| Zulu | uhlakaniphile | ||
| "Uhlakaniphile" derives from the Zulu word "hlakanipha" meaning "to sharpen," also relating to "cleverness" or "intelligence." | |||
| Assamese | স্মাৰ্ট | ||
| Aymara | jiwaki | ||
| Bhojpuri | बनल ठनल | ||
| Dhivehi | ވިސްނުންތޫނު | ||
| Dogri | सन्हाकड़ा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | matalino | ||
| Guarani | arandu | ||
| Ilocano | nasirib | ||
| Krio | gɛt sɛns | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ژیر | ||
| Maithili | बुद्धिमान | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯩꯁꯤꯡꯕ | ||
| Mizo | chengvawng | ||
| Oromo | qaxalee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସ୍ମାର୍ଟ | ||
| Quechua | yachayniyuq | ||
| Sanskrit | पटु | ||
| Tatar | акыллы | ||
| Tigrinya | ንቁሕ | ||
| Tsonga | ntlharhi | ||