State in Different Languages
Discover 'State' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'state' carries significant meaning and cultural importance across the globe. Derived from the Latin term 'status', it generally refers to the condition or position of something. However, its interpretation varies greatly depending on the context. In political parlance, a state is a sovereign entity with a defined territory, government, and population. Philosophically, it can signify a stage in a process or a manner of being.
Given its wide-ranging implications, understanding the translation of 'state' in different languages is fascinating and useful. For instance, in Spanish, 'state' translates to 'estado', which also means 'stay' or 'stand' in certain contexts. In French, it's 'état', reflecting its Latin roots. Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'state' is '状態' (jouken), a term that also denotes 'situation' or 'condition'.
Delving into these translations offers a glimpse into how diverse cultures perceive and interpret this multifaceted term. Explore the list below to discover more about the word 'state' in various languages and cultures.
State
State in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | staat | ||
| In Afrikaans, "staat" can also refer to a person's status or condition, as in "Hy is in 'n staat van armoede" (He is in a state of poverty). | |||
| Amharic | ግዛት | ||
| Etymology and alternate meanings include 'power, force, or government'. | |||
| Hausa | jihar | ||
| "Jihar" can also mean direction or part of the day (dawn, noon, or evening). | |||
| Igbo | steeti | ||
| The Igbo word 'steeti' also serves as a general term for 'governance'. | |||
| Malagasy | fanjakana | ||
| The word "FANJAKANA" in Malagasy is also used to refer to various forms of social organization, such as the sovereign kingdom of the Merina people of the central highlands of Madagascar and the pre-colonial kingdoms of the Sakalava and the Betsimisaraka. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | boma | ||
| The Nyanja word "boma" also means homestead, fort, and corral. | |||
| Shona | nyika | ||
| The word "nyika" can also mean "field" or "farmland". | |||
| Somali | gobolka | ||
| The word "gobolka" in Somali can also refer to a "region" or "province" | |||
| Sesotho | mmuso | ||
| Swahili | hali | ||
| The word hali can refer to any one of the 50 administrative regions of the United Republic of Tanzania. | |||
| Xhosa | imeko | ||
| The word "imeko" also means "a place where people live" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | ipinle | ||
| The word "ipinle" in Yoruba can also mean "to spread out" or "to disperse". | |||
| Zulu | isimo | ||
| The Zulu word 'isimo' has several meanings, including 'state', 'condition', and 'situation'. | |||
| Bambara | faso | ||
| Ewe | dukɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | leta | ||
| Lingala | etuka | ||
| Luganda | eggwanga | ||
| Sepedi | mmušo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔman | ||
State in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حالة | ||
| حالة (ḥāla) originates from the root ḥ-w-l (حول), meaning 'to move, change, turn, surround or encompass'. | |||
| Hebrew | מדינה | ||
| מדינה (Medinah) derives from the Aramaic/Assyrian root m-d-n (province) | |||
| Pashto | حالت | ||
| حالت "Haalat" can also refer to "condition" or "situation" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | حالة | ||
| حالة (ḥāla) originates from the root ḥ-w-l (حول), meaning 'to move, change, turn, surround or encompass'. | |||
State in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shtet | ||
| The Albanian word "shtet" derives from the Latin "status", meaning "condition, position, or rank", and also shares its root with the Italian "stato" and the French "état" | |||
| Basque | estatu | ||
| The word "estatu" can also refer to the "state of something", such as "health" or "condition". | |||
| Catalan | estat | ||
| The word "estat" in Catalan can also refer to a social class or a particular status. | |||
| Croatian | država | ||
| The word "država" is cognate with the Russian word "держава" which means "power, dominion, sovereignty" and ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *√derǵʰ- meaning "to hold, support". | |||
| Danish | stat | ||
| The Danish word "stat" can also mean "estate" or "manor". | |||
| Dutch | staat | ||
| Dutch 'staat' can also refer to a state in the sense of 'condition' or 'status', e.g. 'de staat van de economie' (the state of the economy). | |||
| English | state | ||
| The word "state" derives from the Latin word "status," meaning "condition" or "position, that which stands." | |||
| French | etat | ||
| In medieval French, 'État' had the sense of a stable and permanent condition. The sense of a 'country or nation' emerged gradually from this. | |||
| Frisian | steat | ||
| In Frisian, "steat" ("state") also refers to a specific piece of land. | |||
| Galician | estado | ||
| In Galician, "estado" can refer to the state of being or to a specific social class. | |||
| German | zustand | ||
| The word "Zustand" can also refer to a person's mental or physical condition. | |||
| Icelandic | ríki | ||
| In Icelandic, 'ríki' can also refer to a kingdom, or to power and authority. | |||
| Irish | luaigh | ||
| It is cognate with the Sanskrit word "lokā", meaning "world". | |||
| Italian | stato | ||
| The Italian word "stato" also refers to a person's "status" or condition | |||
| Luxembourgish | staat | ||
| In its wider sense, "Staat" can mean "nation", "people" or "government". | |||
| Maltese | stat | ||
| The Maltese word "stat" derives from the Italian word "stato" which also means "nation" or "country". | |||
| Norwegian | stat | ||
| The Norwegian word "stat" can also refer to a "farm" or "estate." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | estado | ||
| Portuguese "estado" derives from Latin "status" meaning condition, situation, or political body. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | stàite | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word 'stàite' also refers to a tribe, people, or people of a particular area. | |||
| Spanish | estado | ||
| The word "estado" comes from the Latin word "status," meaning "a standing" or "a condition," and can also refer to an individual's financial situation or social rank. | |||
| Swedish | stat | ||
| Historically it also referred to a landed property of a noble or the place where his/her castle was located. | |||
| Welsh | wladwriaeth | ||
| "Wladwriaeth" derives from the Welsh words "gwlad" (country, nation) and "driaeth" (lordship, dominion), suggesting a sense of territorial control and sovereignty. | |||
State in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | дзяржавы | ||
| The Belarusian word "дзяржавы" is derived from the Slavic word "deržava", which originally meant "possession" or "property", and later came to refer to a political entity. | |||
| Bosnian | država | ||
| The word "država" can also refer to a country or a nation. | |||
| Bulgarian | държава | ||
| In Bulgarian, the word "държава" also means "nation", "country", or "government." | |||
| Czech | stát | ||
| Czech word "stát" comes from verb "stát" (to stand); in Old Slavonic "stati" means "to exist" or "to live". | |||
| Estonian | riik | ||
| The Estonian word "riik" for "state" is cognate with the Finnish word "rike" and the Swedish word "rike", meaning "realm" or "kingdom". | |||
| Finnish | osavaltio | ||
| The word "osavaltio" originally meant "a separate part of the state". | |||
| Hungarian | állapot | ||
| The word "állapot" can also refer to a person's condition or health, often translated as "condition" in English. | |||
| Latvian | valsts | ||
| The Latvian word "Valsts" can also refer to a country or government, and is rooted in Proto-Indo-European "wel" meaning "power" or "strength" | |||
| Lithuanian | valstija | ||
| "Valstybė" is derived from the word "valdyti" (to rule), but can also mean empire or principality. | |||
| Macedonian | држава | ||
| The word "држава" in Macedonian is derived from the Slavic root "dъržati", meaning "to hold" or "to possess". | |||
| Polish | stan | ||
| In Polish, the word "stan" can also refer to a camp or settlement. | |||
| Romanian | stat | ||
| Statul înseamnă şi aşezare, lăcaş (de ex. statul monahal) sau aşezare în timp (de ex. statul vremurilor). | |||
| Russian | штат | ||
| Штат also means a 'staff' or 'personnel' | |||
| Serbian | држава | ||
| The word "држава" derives from the Slavic root "deržati", meaning "to hold", and has additional meanings such as "possession" and "rule". | |||
| Slovak | štát | ||
| "Štát" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "stojat," meaning "to stand" and can also refer to "a way of life". | |||
| Slovenian | država | ||
| "Država" comes from Proto-Slavic *dъrgъ and was originally the word for "rule". | |||
| Ukrainian | держава | ||
| The word "держава" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "дрьжава", meaning "power, dominion". | |||
State in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অবস্থা | ||
| The word "অবস্থা" (abost'ha) shares its etymology with "স্থিতি" (sthiti), meaning "situation" or "condition." | |||
| Gujarati | રાજ્ય | ||
| The term "રાજ્ય" (state) can also refer to a "kingdom" or a "nation" in Gujarati, highlighting its broader political connotations. | |||
| Hindi | राज्य | ||
| राज्य can also refer to the mind, a condition, or the body, in addition to its political meaning of state. | |||
| Kannada | ರಾಜ್ಯ | ||
| The word "ರಾಜ್ಯ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "राज्य", meaning "rule" or "kingdom", and can also refer to the status or condition of being a state. | |||
| Malayalam | സംസ്ഥാനം | ||
| Malayalam's "samasthanam" is derived from Sanskrit, where it meant a "settlement" or "dwelling place." | |||
| Marathi | राज्य | ||
| The word "राज्य" in Marathi can also mean "power", "sovereignty", or "rule". | |||
| Nepali | राज्य | ||
| The Nepali word "राज्य" comes from the Sanskrit word "raajya" which means kingdom or dominion | |||
| Punjabi | ਰਾਜ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਰਾਜ" also has alternate meanings such as "rule" or "government". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | රජයේ | ||
| The word රජයේ derives from the Sanskrit word 'rajan' meaning 'king' and was later extended to refer to a 'state' or 'government'. | |||
| Tamil | நிலை | ||
| The Tamil word "நிலை" also means "position", "condition", "level", or "stage". | |||
| Telugu | రాష్ట్రం | ||
| "రాష్ట్రం" (rāṣṭram), "state," is derived from the Sanskrit word "rashtra," which originally meant "kingdom" or "territory." | |||
| Urdu | حالت | ||
| Urdu "حالت" means "condition" in English and is etymologically related to the Arabic word "حالة" meaning "state", "condition", or "situation". | |||
State in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 州 | ||
| The character 州 originally meant "boundary" or "border" in ancient Chinese, and it was often used to refer to administrative divisions within a larger territory. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 州 | ||
| In Chinese, "州" (pronounced "zhou") can refer to a province, a prefecture, or a county, depending on the context. | |||
| Japanese | 状態 | ||
| The word "状態" can also mean "condition", "situation", or "circumstance". | |||
| Korean | 상태 | ||
| Its Sino-Korean root, 'jeongtae', can also mean 'condition' or 'situation'. | |||
| Mongolian | муж | ||
| The word "муж" (state) is of Turkic origin and can also refer to "power", "government" or "authority." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပြည်နယ် | ||
| Myanmar's "state" has historical roots in Mon and Shan languages, where the word referred to a country or a polity. | |||
State in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | negara | ||
| The word "negara" in Indonesian is derived from the Sanskrit word "nagara", meaning "city" or "village". | |||
| Javanese | negara | ||
| In Javanese, 'negara' originally referred to a 'house', 'hall' or 'building', and only later acquired the meaning of 'state' or 'nation'. | |||
| Khmer | រដ្ឋ | ||
| The Khmer word រដ្ឋ (rŏtdth) can also mean 'reign' or 'government' | |||
| Lao | ລັດ | ||
| Malay | negeri | ||
| The word 'negeri' originated in Old Javanese as 'nagari' meaning 'urban territory', and ultimately from Sanskrit 'nagar' meaning 'village'. | |||
| Thai | สถานะ | ||
| สถานะ also means "status", "condition", or "position" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | tiểu bang | ||
| "Tiểu bang" is a Sino-Vietnamese word derived from the Chinese "省" (shěng), meaning "province" or "administrative division". It can also refer to "state" in a more general sense, as in "the United States" (Tiểu bang Hoa Kỳ). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | estado | ||
State in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dövlət | ||
| The word "dövlət" also means "wealth" or "fortune" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | мемлекет | ||
| The Kazakh word "мемлекет" also refers to an "administrative territory" and a "country" in addition to meaning "state". | |||
| Kyrgyz | мамлекет | ||
| The word "мамлекет" (state) in Kyrgyz is derived from the Arabic word "mamlaka", which can also mean "kingdom" or "country". | |||
| Tajik | давлат | ||
| "Давлат" (state) also means "wealth," "abundance," "prosperity," or "fortune" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | ýagdaýy | ||
| Uzbek | davlat | ||
| In Persian, "davlat" means both "fortune" and "rule over a country". | |||
| Uyghur | ئىشتات | ||
State in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mokuʻāina | ||
| The word "mokuʻāina" means "island" and is also related to the words "moku" (island) and "ʻāina" (land). | |||
| Maori | kāwanatanga | ||
| Kāwanatanga can also refer to a constitution, government or a system of government | |||
| Samoan | setete | ||
| The word "setete" can also mean "position" or "situation". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | estado | ||
State in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | istaru | ||
| Guarani | teko | ||
State in International Languages
| Esperanto | ŝtato | ||
| The Esperanto word “ŝtato” also means “statue.” | |||
| Latin | statum | ||
| The Latin "statum" (state) is cognate with the English "status" and derived from the verb "stare" (to stand). | |||
State in Others Languages
| Greek | κατάσταση | ||
| The word κατάσταση in Greek can also refer to a condition or situation, or to a financial account or statement. | |||
| Hmong | xeev | ||
| The Hmong word "xeev" originates from the Proto-Hmong-Mien word "*ʔ-sɯŋ", meaning "boundary". | |||
| Kurdish | rewş | ||
| The Kurdish word "rewş" also means "mood" or "situation". | |||
| Turkish | durum | ||
| The word "durum" in Turkish has other meanings, such as "situation" or "condition". | |||
| Xhosa | imeko | ||
| The word "imeko" also means "a place where people live" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | שטאַט | ||
| In Yiddish, the word "שטאַט" can also refer to an occasion or an institution. | |||
| Zulu | isimo | ||
| The Zulu word 'isimo' has several meanings, including 'state', 'condition', and 'situation'. | |||
| Assamese | ৰাজ্য | ||
| Aymara | istaru | ||
| Bhojpuri | राज | ||
| Dhivehi | ޙާލަތު | ||
| Dogri | सूबा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | estado | ||
| Guarani | teko | ||
| Ilocano | estado | ||
| Krio | stet | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دۆخ | ||
| Maithili | राज्य | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯣꯏꯔꯤꯕ ꯐꯤꯚꯝ | ||
| Mizo | nihphung | ||
| Oromo | ibsuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ରାଜ୍ୟ | ||
| Quechua | imayna kasqan | ||
| Sanskrit | राज्यम् | ||
| Tatar | дәүләт | ||
| Tigrinya | ግዝኣት | ||
| Tsonga | hlamusela | ||