Staff in different languages

Staff in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'staff' carries significant meaning beyond just a group of people working in an organization. It represents a collective entity, a team that works in harmony towards a common goal. The concept of a 'staff' is not only professional but also cultural, symbolizing authority, power, and leadership in many societies.

Moreover, the word 'staff' has fascinating historical contexts. In ancient Egypt, a staff was a symbol of authority for pharaohs. In Norse mythology, the staff of the god Odin, known as 'Gungnir,' was a powerful weapon and a symbol of wisdom.

Understanding the translation of 'staff' in different languages can provide unique insights into various cultures. For instance, in Spanish, 'staff' translates to 'personal,' emphasizing the individuality within a team. In German, it's 'Personal,' indicating the human aspect of a staff. In French, 'staff' becomes 'personnel,' highlighting the group's importance.

Explore the translations below to deepen your understanding of the cultural significance of 'staff' in various languages.

Staff


Staff in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaanspersoneel
The word "personeel" in Afrikaans derives from the Dutch word "personeel", which in turn comes from the Latin word "persona" meaning "mask" or "character".
Amharicሠራተኞች
The word "ሠራተኞች" (staff) in Amharic comes from the verb "ሠራ" (to work), and it literally means "those who work."
Hausama'aikata
Ma'aikata, meaning staff, also refers to a group of people working together, such as a team or crew.
Igbomkpara
In the Igbo language, the term 'mkpara' can also refer to a musical instrument consisting of three or more wooden sticks hit against each other, creating a percussive rhythm.
Malagasystaff
In Malagasy, "staff" also means "stick" or "cane".
Nyanja (Chichewa)antchito
The word "antchito" can also refer to a stick or a pole in Nyanja.
Shonavashandi
"Vashandi" also means "helpers" when referring to the staff of a company or organization.
Somalishaqaalaha
"Shaqaalaha" can also refer to a
Sesothobasebetsi
The word 'basebetsi' is derived from the word 'sebetsi', meaning 'work' or 'task', and signifies a group of people who work or serve together.
Swahiliwafanyakazi
The word "wafanyakazi" can also refer to "employees" or "workers" in Swahili.
Xhosaabasebenzi
In Xhosa, 'abasebenzi' also denotes individuals who perform tasks or hold positions within an organisation or institution.
Yorubaosise
The term "osise" also means "to lean on" figuratively, denoting reliance or support.
Zuluabasebenzi
Abasebenzi means both "staff" and "labourers" in Zulu.
Bambarabaarakɛlaw
Ewedᴐwᴐlawo
Kinyarwandaabakozi
Lingalabato ya mosala
Lugandaabakozi
Sepedibašomedi
Twi (Akan)odwumayɛni

Staff in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicالعاملين
العاملين, plural of عامل, can also mean "active" or "effective".
Hebrewצוות
"צוות" can also refer to a group of people working together, such as a medical staff or a team of researchers.
Pashtoکارمندان
The word “کارمندان” is also used to refer to “the employees in an organisation or other group”.
Arabicالعاملين
العاملين, plural of عامل, can also mean "active" or "effective".

Staff in Western European Languages

Albanianstafi
The Albanian word "stafi" can also refer to a person who holds a staff of office, such as a bishop's crosier or a marshal's baton.
Basquelangileak
The Basque word "langileak" can also mean "workers" or "laborers"
Catalanpersonal
In Catalan, "personal" can also refer to the "set of members" of an institution or organization.
Croatianosoblje
The word 'osoblje' comes from the Croatian verb 'opskrbljivati', meaning 'to provide for', and originally referred to a group of people tasked with providing supplies or services.
Danishpersonale
In Danish, "personale" can also mean "personnel" or "staff members of a particular organization."
Dutchpersoneel
The word "personeel" in Dutch shares an etymological root with the English word "persona", derived from the Latin word for "mask".
Englishstaff
In the Middle Ages, a 'staff' was a metal rod, a lance, a pole or an ensign carried by an officer, magistrate, bishop, pilgrim, traveler, etc., for authority, protection, guidance, support, etc.
Frenchpersonnel
In French, 'personnel' also refers to someone's personal belongings and is derived from the Latin 'personalis' (personal).
Frisianpersoniel
The Frisian word "personiel" is ultimately derived from the Latin word "persona", which originally meant "mask".
Galicianpersoal
The word "persoal" in Galician can also refer to a set of clothes worn by a group as a uniform.
Germanmitarbeiter
The word 'Mitarbeiter' is derived from the Middle High German word 'mitarbeiten', meaning 'to work together'.
Icelandicstarfsfólk
The Old Norse word starf means work or a deed to be carried out, indicating that stafsfólk may have referred to both household employees, servants and employees engaged directly in the master's work.
Irishbaill foirne
Baill foirne, meaning "staff" in Irish, may relate to the Proto-Celtic "*baglo-," meaning "stick, staff, branch."
Italianpersonale
The word "personale" comes from the Latin word "persona", which means "mask" or "character."
Luxembourgishpersonal
"Personal" (staff) is an old term in Luxembourgish, meaning "household" in German and French.
Maltesepersunal
Maltese word 'persunal' is derived from Italian 'personale', ultimately from Latin 'personal-is', meaning 'of a person', and also refers to the personnel employed in an organisation.
Norwegianpersonale
The Norwegian word 'personale' can have multiple meanings including: the staff of a business, office or organization, personnel files, and military personnel.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)funcionários
The term "funcionários" is derived from the Latin word "functio", meaning "performance" or "action", and refers to those who fulfill tasks within an organization.
Scots Gaelicluchd-obrach
It is commonly used to mean 'crew' or 'army' as well as 'staff', as in 'luchd-obrach nan Gall' ('an army of Lowlanders').
Spanishpersonal
The word "personal" in Spanish has multiple meanings, including "staff" and "private or belonging to an individual."
Swedishpersonal
“Personal” originally referred to a group of soldiers on a journey or campaign, not to a specific group of workers.
Welshstaff
In Welsh, "staff" is a loan word from English, and can also refer to a group of workers or a department.

Staff in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianперсанал
"Персанал" comes from the Latin "personalis" (personal) and has the alternative meaning of "personnel" in English.
Bosnianosoblje
The word 'osoblje' in Bosnian can also mean 'group of supporters for a specific action' or 'people from a certain origin or class'.
Bulgarianперсонал
In Bulgarian, "персонал" also refers to a staff notation in music.
Czechpersonál
The word "personál" in Czech is derived from the Latin word "persona," meaning "mask" or "character."
Estoniantöötajad
The word "töötajad" in Estonian derives from "töö" ("work") and "taja" ("doer"), and can also refer to "workers", "employees", or "personnel".
Finnishhenkilökunta
In Finnish, "henkilökunta" also refers to a group of people with shared interests or traits, similar to the English "staff" in the phrase "staff of life".
Hungarianszemélyzet
The Hungarian word „személyzet” derives from the verb „személyez” meaning „to personify” and originally referred to the cast of actors in a theater.
Latvianpersonāls
The word "personāls" in Latvian originates from the Latin word "persona", meaning "mask" or "character", referencing the idea of a staff member representing the organization or institution they work for.
Lithuanianpersonalas
The word "personalas" in Lithuanian, although translated as "staff", originally meant "person" and still holds this meaning in some contexts.
Macedonianперсонал
"Персонал" is the Slavic cognate of the Latin "persona" that originally means "mask" in a play or performance.
Polishpersonel
Personel in Polish is derived from the French word 'personnel' and originally referred to a group of servants or employees.
Romanianpersonal
The Romanian word "personal" can also refer to the staff of an organization or a particular person.
Russianсотрудники
In Russian, the word "сотрудники" can also refer to collaborators or accomplices.
Serbianособље
"Особље" can also refer to the personnel of an organization or institution.
Slovakzamestnancov
The Slavic word "zamestnancov" originally meant "people who are occupied with something".
Slovenianosebje
The word 'osebje' in Slovenian also has the meanings of 'personal belongings' and 'clothing'.
Ukrainianперсонал
The Ukrainian слово “персонал,” meaning “staff or personnel,” is a derivative of the French word “personnel.”

Staff in South Asian Languages

Bengaliকর্মী
The word "কর্মী" also means "an employee" or "a worker" in Bengali.
Gujaratiસ્ટાફ
The word "staff" in Gujarati can also mean a bamboo pole used as a support or a rod carried as a symbol of authority.
Hindiकर्मचारी
'कर्मचारी' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'karmachari', which means 'one who performs actions' or 'one who works'.
Kannadaಸಿಬ್ಬಂದಿ
The word "ಸಿಬ್ಬಂದಿ" ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *stebʰ-, meaning "to stand".
Malayalamസ്റ്റാഫ്
In Malayalam, "staff" (സ്റ്റാഫ്) can also refer to a type of traditional Kerala percussion instrument.
Marathiकर्मचारी
Marathi word "कर्मचारी" is derived from Sanskrit word "कर्म" meaning "work" or "action" and "चारी" meaning "one who does" or "agent".
Nepaliकर्मचारी
The word 'कर्मचारी' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'karmachari', meaning 'one who does work'.
Punjabiਸਟਾਫ
The word 'staff' is derived from the French word 'estaffe', meaning 'relay', and the Proto-Indo-European root 'stap', meaning 'to stand' or 'to prop up'.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)කාර්ය මණ්ඩලය
In modern Sinhala, 'කාර්ය මණ්ඩලය' also refers to a group of people working in an office in addition to its original meaning as the long stick-shaped object.
Tamilஊழியர்கள்
The primary meaning of ஊழியர்கள் in Tamil is 'devotees,' as in 'attendants of God or a temple'.
Teluguసిబ్బంది
The word "సిబ్బంది" in Telugu, meaning 'staff', is derived from the Persian word "سپاه", meaning 'army', indicating its initial use as military personnel
Urduعملہ
The word عملہ (amalā) originally meant 'work', 'deed', 'labor', 'service', 'action', 'operation' in Arabic

Staff in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)员工
员工 (yuángōng) literally means "help work."
Chinese (Traditional)員工
"員工" (staff) was originally used to refer to the officials of the imperial court.
Japaneseスタッフ
In Japanese, the word "staff" (スタッフ) comes from the English word "staff," but also has a sense of "assistant" or "technician" in the entertainment業界.
Korean직원
직원 is also used to refer to the personnel of a company or organization
Mongolianажилтнууд
The Mongolian word "ажилтнууд" also means "workers" or "employees" in English.
Myanmar (Burmese)ဝန်ထမ်းများ

Staff in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianstaf
The word "staf" in Indonesian can also mean "stick" or "rod".
Javanesestaf
In Javanese, "staf" can also refer to subordinates in an organization.
Khmerបុគ្គលិក
Laoພະນັກງານ
The word "ພະນັກງານ" is derived from Sanskrit and refers not only to those working at a company but also to those who work at a temple or in civil service.
Malaykakitangan
"Kakitangan" is a Malay word derived from the Arabic word "kafalah", meaning "surety" or "responsibility".
Thaiเจ้าหน้าที่
The term เจ้าหน้าที่ (jâao nâat-thii) is used in a number of Asian languages, with similar meaning.
Vietnamesenhân viên
"Nhân Viên" is derived from the Chinese word "人源" (rén yuán), meaning "human resource". It can also refer to a person's fate or destiny.
Filipino (Tagalog)mga tauhan

Staff in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniheyəti
"Heyəti" can mean "staff" or "faculty" and is derived from the Persian word "heyʾat" meaning "body" or "group".
Kazakhперсонал
The word "персонал" can also mean "personnel" in Kazakh.
Kyrgyzкызматкерлер
Tajikкормандон
The word "кормандон" (staff) is also used in Tajik to refer to a crutch or a stick.
Turkmenişgärler
Uzbekxodimlar
In Uzbek, the word 'xodimlar' can also refer to the employees of an organization or enterprise.
Uyghurخىزمەتچىلەر

Staff in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianlimahana
The word 'limahana' can also refer to a person who holds a staff or a position of authority.
Maorikaimahi
'Kaimahi' comes from the Proto-Polynesian word 'taŋatamaŋahī', meaning 'to take care of people'.
Samoanaufaigaluega
The word "aufaigaluega" can also mean 'work' or 'job' in Samoan, and is derived from "au" (work, labor) and "faigaluega" (work, labor).
Tagalog (Filipino)mga tauhan
"Mga tauhan" (staff) is also used colloquially to refer to a group of people who regularly help or work with someone, such as a politician's staff or an actor's entourage.

Staff in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarapirsunala
Guaranimba'apohára

Staff in International Languages

Esperantopersonaro
An alternative meaning of "personaro" is "personnel".
Latinvirgam
In ancient Rome, 'virgam' also referred to a 'rod' used as a symbol of authority or as a punishment.

Staff in Others Languages

Greekπροσωπικό
"Προσωπικό" in Greek can also refer to a person's face, appearance, or demeanor.
Hmongcov neeg ua haujlwm
The word "cov neeg ua haujlwm" can also mean "the people who are helping".
Kurdishdarik
The word 'darik' is also used to refer to a shepherd's crook or a walking stick.
Turkishpersonel
The Turkish word "personel" is derived from the French word "personnel", which originally meant "relating to persons" or "personal."
Xhosaabasebenzi
In Xhosa, 'abasebenzi' also denotes individuals who perform tasks or hold positions within an organisation or institution.
Yiddishשטעקן
The Yiddish word "שטעקן" can also mean "stick" or "pole".
Zuluabasebenzi
Abasebenzi means both "staff" and "labourers" in Zulu.
Assameseকৰ্মচাৰী
Aymarapirsunala
Bhojpuriकरमचारी
Dhivehiމުވައްޒަފުން
Dogriअमला
Filipino (Tagalog)mga tauhan
Guaranimba'apohára
Ilocanoempleado
Kriowokman
Kurdish (Sorani)ستاف
Maithiliकर्मचारी
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯆꯩꯁꯨ
Mizothawktu
Oromohojjettoota waajjira tokkoo
Odia (Oriya)କର୍ମଚାରୀ
Quechuallamkaqkuna
Sanskritकर्मकरगणः
Tatarперсонал
Tigrinyaሰራሕተኛታት
Tsongavatirhi

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