Something in Different Languages
Discover 'Something' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'something' is a small but powerful part of our daily vocabulary. It's a word that allows us to express the existence of a thing, idea, or emotion without specifying exactly what it is. This vagueness gives it a unique power, as it can be used in a variety of contexts and situations. In literature, 'something' is often used to build suspense or create intrigue, leaving readers eager to discover what that 'something' might be.
Moreover, the cultural importance of 'something' goes beyond just the English language. This word is a fundamental building block of communication in many languages and cultures around the world. For example, in Spanish, 'something' is 'algo', in French, 'quelque chose', and in German, 'etwas'. Understanding the translation of 'something' in different languages can help us better connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a world traveler, or just someone looking to expand your vocabulary, learning the translation of 'something' in different languages can be a fun and rewarding experience. Keep reading to discover more about this fascinating word!
Something
Something in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | iets | ||
| "Iets" is derived from the Dutch word "iets" meaning "something". In Afrikaans, "iets" can also refer to a "small amount" or "a little bit" of something. | |||
| Amharic | አንድ ነገር | ||
| The word "አንድ ነገር" can also mean "a thing" or "an object" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | wani abu | ||
| Wani abu can also mean 'property', 'possessions', or 'belongings' | |||
| Igbo | ihe | ||
| The word "ihe" in Igbo can also mean "thing," "object," or "matter." | |||
| Malagasy | misy zavatra | ||
| The phrase misy zavatra can also mean "there is something" or "there is a problem". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | china | ||
| "China" in Nyanja can also mean "China the country" or "porcelain". | |||
| Shona | chimwe chinhu | ||
| "Chimwe chinhu" can also mean "a thing", "an object", "a matter", or "an issue". | |||
| Somali | wax | ||
| "Wax" in Somali (wax) can also refer to a type of traditional cloth, often used in making garments or wrapping gifts. | |||
| Sesotho | ho hong | ||
| The word "ho hong" can also mean "there is something" or "there is someone". | |||
| Swahili | kitu | ||
| "Kitu" means "thing" in Swahili, but can also refer to an event, action, or concept. | |||
| Xhosa | into ethile | ||
| The Xhosa word "into ethile" can also mean "a small amount" or "a little bit" of something. | |||
| Yoruba | nkankan | ||
| The word nkankan in Yoruba can also mean "matter" or "issue". | |||
| Zulu | okuthile | ||
| "Okuthile" is also used to refer to a concept or idea in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | fɛn dɔ | ||
| Ewe | nane | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ikintu | ||
| Lingala | eloko moko | ||
| Luganda | ekintu ekimu | ||
| Sepedi | se sengwe | ||
| Twi (Akan) | biribi | ||
Something in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | شيئا ما | ||
| شيئا ما is a contraction of شيئا من which is a combination of the indefinite article شي and the preposition من meaning "of" or "from". It therefore literally means "a thing of". | |||
| Hebrew | משהו | ||
| The Hebrew word "משהו" (pronounced "mashehu") may derive from the Arabic word "شيء" (`shay`) meaning "thing". The first known use of "משהו" in Hebrew texts dates back to 1200, about 100 years after the Arab conquest of Palestine. | |||
| Pashto | یو څه | ||
| 'یو څه' literally means 'one thing'. It can also refer to an unspecified or indefinite amount or quantity. | |||
| Arabic | شيئا ما | ||
| شيئا ما is a contraction of شيئا من which is a combination of the indefinite article شي and the preposition من meaning "of" or "from". It therefore literally means "a thing of". | |||
Something in Western European Languages
| Albanian | diçka | ||
| "Diçka" is the word for "something" and comes from the Proto-Indo-European root “di-” meaning "two" (in Albanian it's "dy"), so literally it means "something two". | |||
| Basque | zerbait | ||
| The word "zerbait" also has the additional meanings of "anything" and "someone" in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | alguna cosa | ||
| The Catalan word "alguna cosa" literally means "some thing" or "some matter". | |||
| Croatian | nešto | ||
| The term "nešto" is an indeterminate pronoun meaning "a thing," while "ništa" means "nothing," but in colloquial contexts, the two can overlap, e.g.: "I have something for you" can be rendered as "Imam nešto za tebe" and as "Imam ništa za tebe," the latter being closer to "I have a little something for you." | |||
| Danish | noget | ||
| "Noget" derives from Old Norse "nǫkkvið" meaning "something", also related to "nogle" (some) and "nok" (enough). | |||
| Dutch | iets | ||
| The Dutch word "iets" derives from the Old Saxon word "et-hwas" meaning "a little bit", which is still reflected in the diminutive form "ietsje". | |||
| English | something | ||
| The etymology of "something" can be traced back to Old English "sum þing", and it originally meant "a portion" or "a part of a whole". | |||
| French | quelque chose | ||
| The French word 'quelque chose' originally meant 'what thing' but gradually shifted to mean 'something'. | |||
| Frisian | eat | ||
| It is also used to express possession and as a pronoun in its own right. | |||
| Galician | algo | ||
| The word “algo” is derived from the Latin word “aliquid”, meaning “something”. | |||
| German | etwas | ||
| In German, 'etwas' means 'something' but can also refer to a small amount of something or an unspecified quantity. | |||
| Icelandic | eitthvað | ||
| The word "eitthvað" is derived from the Old Norse words "ei" (not) and "hvað" (what), meaning "not something" or "nothing". | |||
| Irish | rud éigin | ||
| "Rud éigin" is the Irish for "something," but literally means "some-thing" with the "thing" being unspecified in either singular or plural. | |||
| Italian | qualcosa | ||
| "Qualcosa" is the Italian equivalent of "something" and literally means "what thing" | |||
| Luxembourgish | eppes | ||
| "Eppes" is cognate with the German word "etwas," which derives from the Proto-Germanic root "*aþ-." | |||
| Maltese | xi ħaġa | ||
| The word 'xi ħaġa' can also mean 'something of little importance' or 'a trifle'. | |||
| Norwegian | noe | ||
| The word "noe" can also mean "now" or "the present moment" in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | alguma coisa | ||
| In Brazilian Portuguese, "alguma coisa" can also refer to "a bit" or "a little" of something, while in Portugal it can mean "anything". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | rudeigin | ||
| The word for "something" in Scots Gaelic, "rudeigin," is of obscure origin, and in the modern spoken language the word for "thing" (`ni`) often replaces it. | |||
| Spanish | alguna cosa | ||
| Although "alguna cosa" literally translates to "some thing" in English, it typically refers to an unspecified or unknown item. | |||
| Swedish | något | ||
| The Swedish word for "something," "något," is also the contraction of two old Norse words which meant "near-what-was" (or "nearby"), with the "-t" denoting neuter gender. | |||
| Welsh | rhywbeth | ||
| The word "rhywbeth" also means "a few", "several" or "some" in Welsh. | |||
Something in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | нешта | ||
| The Belarusian word "нешта" is cognate with the Ukrainian word "щось" and the Russian word "что-то". All three words are derived from the Proto-Slavic word *čьto, which also meant "something". | |||
| Bosnian | nešto | ||
| There is a theory that 'nešto' derives from 'ne-što', which means 'not-nothing', suggesting that 'something' is the opposite of nothingness. | |||
| Bulgarian | нещо | ||
| The word "нещо" in Bulgarian can also refer to an object or a thing, although its most common meaning is "something." | |||
| Czech | něco | ||
| The word "něco" can also mean "a little bit" or "a few". | |||
| Estonian | midagi | ||
| The word "midagi" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*mijjä" meaning "anything" or "something", and is also related to the Finnish word "mitä" meaning "what". | |||
| Finnish | jotain | ||
| The word "jotain" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word *jokā, which also means "someone" or "anyone". | |||
| Hungarian | valami | ||
| Valami ('something') is cognate with Latin 'aliquem' ('anybody') but it is also used as an indefinite pronoun meaning 'some'. | |||
| Latvian | kaut ko | ||
| Kaut ko may also mean "somehow" or "anything". | |||
| Lithuanian | kažkas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "kažkas" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *kʷo-, meaning "who" or "what". | |||
| Macedonian | нешто | ||
| "Нешто" is a cognate of the Latin word "nescio" which means "I don't know" or "I am uncertain". | |||
| Polish | coś | ||
| The word "coś" in Polish can also mean "a bit" or "a little bit". | |||
| Romanian | ceva | ||
| "Ceva" is also used informally to mean "a little bit" and as the name of a Romanian folk dance. | |||
| Russian | что нибудь | ||
| The word "что нибудь" in Russian is derived from the interrogative pronoun "что" (what) and the indefinite pronoun "нибудь" (some). | |||
| Serbian | нешто | ||
| The word "нешто" can also refer to an uncertain or indefinite quantity or quality. | |||
| Slovak | niečo | ||
| The Slovak word "niečo" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *ne-kъto, meaning "nothing" or "a little". | |||
| Slovenian | nekaj | ||
| In the Prekmurje dialect, "nekaj" also means "a few" | |||
| Ukrainian | щось | ||
| The word "щось" can also be used to mean "anything" or "something or other". | |||
Something in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | কিছু | ||
| "কিছু" is also used as an interrogative pronoun, meaning "what" or "which", and as a possessive pronoun, meaning "one's" or "someone's." | |||
| Gujarati | કંઈક | ||
| "કંઈક" (something), from Prakrit "kaṃki" which means "nothing", has an emphatic prefix "ક" (ka) added to it, meaning "something". | |||
| Hindi | कुछ कुछ | ||
| The word "कुछ कुछ" can also be used to describe "more or less" or "to a certain extent" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಏನೋ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಏನೋ" can also be used to mean "maybe" or "perhaps" in some contexts. | |||
| Malayalam | എന്തോ | ||
| The word "എന്തോ" in Malayalam is derived from the Proto-Dravidian word *in-to, meaning "something". Alternatively, it can also mean "why" in certain contexts. | |||
| Marathi | काहीतरी | ||
| The word "काहीतरी" in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "किमचित्", which means "a little bit" or "some amount." | |||
| Nepali | केहि | ||
| "केहि" ultimately came from the Middle Indo-Aryan "kiahi" meaning "a little" | |||
| Punjabi | ਕੁਝ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਕੁਝ" is derived from the Persian word "چيز" meaning "thing, object, or some"} | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | යමක් | ||
| "යමක්" can refer to an indefinite quantity of an item in addition to meaning "something". | |||
| Tamil | ஏதோ | ||
| ஏதோ' means 'something' but can also describe an amount as small, insignificant, or less than expected. | |||
| Telugu | ఏదో | ||
| The word "ఏదో" (pronounced "edho") can also mean "somehow" or "in some way" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | کچھ | ||
| The Urdu word "کچھ" (kuch) can also mean "a little", "slightly", or "a few". | |||
Something in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 某事 | ||
| "某事" can also refer to a certain matter or affair. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 某事 | ||
| **某事** in Traditional Chinese is also used as a placeholder for an unknown person or thing, similar to "某某" or "某人". | |||
| Japanese | 何か | ||
| Although something (何か) literally means "what" (何) + "thing" (-か), it doesn't mean "anything" (何んでも, なんでも), unlike "something" (something) does in English. | |||
| Korean | 어떤 것 | ||
| The Korean word "어떤 것" can also mean "a certain thing" or "anything". | |||
| Mongolian | ямар нэг зүйл | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တစ်ခုခု | ||
| The term "တစ်ခုခု" can also refer to "any" (as in "any person you know") or "some" (as in "take some coffee"). | |||
Something in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | sesuatu | ||
| The word "sesuatu" in Indonesian has a root meaning of "to be" and can also mean "essence" or "substance". | |||
| Javanese | mergo | ||
| "Mergo" in Javanese also means "because" or "the reason why". | |||
| Khmer | អ្វីមួយ | ||
| The word "អ្វីមួយ" can also mean "anything" or "a little bit" in Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ບາງສິ່ງບາງຢ່າງ | ||
| Malay | sesuatu | ||
| The word "sesuatu" is derived from the root word "suatu" which means "one" or "a certain". | |||
| Thai | บางอย่าง | ||
| บางอย่าง is derived from the Proto-Austroasiatic word *baŋ, which also means "thing" or "object". | |||
| Vietnamese | cái gì đó | ||
| The word "cái gì đó" can also be used to refer to an unspecified amount of something. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | isang bagay | ||
Something in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bir şey | ||
| bir sözü ifade etmediğinde, bir şey ya da her şey anlamına gelen sözcük "bir şey" | |||
| Kazakh | бірдеңе | ||
| The word "бірдеңе" in Kazakh originates from the Persian "bir" (one) and "dān" (grain), implying a small amount or an unspecified quantity. | |||
| Kyrgyz | бир нерсе | ||
| The word "бир нерсе" (something) is also used to indicate an indeterminate quantity. | |||
| Tajik | чизе | ||
| Tajik 'чизе' has possible connections to the Sogdian word 'čyz' ('part', 'bit', 'piece') or the Persian word 'čiz' ('thing'). | |||
| Turkmen | bir zat | ||
| Uzbek | nimadur | ||
| The Uzbek word "nimadur" is not commonly used as a stand-alone word but is often part of expressions and phrases such as "nimadir" which means "what is it?" | |||
| Uyghur | مەلۇم بىر نەرسە | ||
Something in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kekahi mea | ||
| Kekahi mea is also a type of sea cucumber in Hawaii, where it is used in various dishes. | |||
| Maori | tetahi mea | ||
| The word "tetahi mea" can also mean "a little bit" or "a few". | |||
| Samoan | se mea | ||
| In some contexts, 'se mea' can also mean 'a person' or 'a thing'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | may kung ano | ||
| 'May kung ano' is used to emphasize the existence of something and to express uncertainty about its specific nature. | |||
Something in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kunsa | ||
| Guarani | mba'e | ||
Something in International Languages
| Esperanto | io | ||
| The Latin term "id est" was contracted to its first and last two letters "io" before entering Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | aliquid | ||
| Aliquid is cognate with the English “elsewhat” and the Ancient Greek ἄλλος (állos), meaning "other." | |||
Something in Others Languages
| Greek | κάτι | ||
| The Greek word “κάτι” not only means “something,” but also “a little” or “a bit.” | |||
| Hmong | ib yam dab tsi | ||
| In Hmong, "ib yam dab tsi" is derived from "ib yam dab" ("a few") followed by "tsi" (classifier for abstract things). | |||
| Kurdish | tiştek | ||
| The word "tiştek" originates from the old Kurdish word "tiş" which means "something unknown" or "hidden". | |||
| Turkish | bir şey | ||
| While the literal translation of the Turkish word "bir şey" is "one thing," it can also mean "anything" or "something in general". | |||
| Xhosa | into ethile | ||
| The Xhosa word "into ethile" can also mean "a small amount" or "a little bit" of something. | |||
| Yiddish | עפּעס | ||
| The Yiddish word "עפּעס" (epes) comes from the German "etwas" (something) and can also mean "maybe" or "a little bit". | |||
| Zulu | okuthile | ||
| "Okuthile" is also used to refer to a concept or idea in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | কিবা এটা | ||
| Aymara | kunsa | ||
| Bhojpuri | कवनो चीजु | ||
| Dhivehi | ކޮންމެވެސް އެއްޗެއް | ||
| Dogri | किश | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | isang bagay | ||
| Guarani | mba'e | ||
| Ilocano | maysa a banag | ||
| Krio | sɔntin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | شتێک | ||
| Maithili | किछु | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯔꯤꯒꯨꯝꯕ ꯑꯃ | ||
| Mizo | engemaw | ||
| Oromo | waanta ta'e | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କିଛି | ||
| Quechua | imapas | ||
| Sanskrit | किञ्चित् | ||
| Tatar | нәрсәдер | ||
| Tigrinya | ዝኾነ ነገር | ||
| Tsonga | xin'wana | ||