Story in Different Languages
Discover 'Story' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Stories are the lifeblood of cultures, the threads that weave together communities, and the glue that binds generations. From ancient myths and legends to modern-day novels and movies, stories have the power to captivate, inspire, and transport us to new worlds. They help us make sense of the world around us, and they provide a window into the human experience.
The significance of stories is universal, yet the words we use to describe them can vary greatly from one language to another. For example, in Spanish, the word for story is 'historia', while in French, it's 'histoire'. In German, the word for story is 'Geschichte', and in Russian, it's 'история' (istoriya).
Understanding the translation of story in different languages can help us appreciate the richness and diversity of global cultures. It can also help us connect with others on a deeper level, as we share our own stories and learn from those of others.
In the following list, you'll find the translation of story in over 50 languages, from Arabic to Zulu. We hope this list inspires you to explore new stories, languages, and cultures.
Story
Story in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | storie | ||
| In Afrikaans, "storie" can also refer to a rumour or a complaint. | |||
| Amharic | ታሪክ | ||
| The term "ታሪክ" also refers to a particular type of traditional Amharic narrative, known as a maṣḥǝft ḥǝzb, which encompasses a wide range of genres, including religious and secular stories, chronicles, and oral traditions. | |||
| Hausa | labari | ||
| The Hausa word "labari" derives from the Arabic word "khabar", meaning "news" or "intelligence." | |||
| Igbo | akụkọ | ||
| The term 'akụkọ' in Igbo can also refer to traditional folklore or narratives that convey cultural or historical significance. | |||
| Malagasy | tantara | ||
| The word "tantara" also means "legend" or "mythology" in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | nkhani | ||
| Nkhani can also mean 'a court case' | |||
| Shona | nyaya | ||
| The word "nyaya" also means "case" or "lawsuit" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | sheeko | ||
| The word "sheeko" in Somali can also refer to a folktale, legend, or narrative. | |||
| Sesotho | pale | ||
| Pale means both "story" and "mythology" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | hadithi | ||
| The word "hadithi" also means "news" or "recent event" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ibali | ||
| The Xhosa word "ibali" can also mean "news" or "information". | |||
| Yoruba | itan | ||
| "Itan," meaning story in English, is also the Yoruba name for "History." Historically, story-telling was an integral part of the education of the young, as it preserved and passed down the cultural and religious beliefs and practices of the Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | indaba | ||
| The word 'indaba' also refers to a gathering of people called to discuss or settle an important issue. | |||
| Bambara | tariki | ||
| Ewe | ŋutinya | ||
| Kinyarwanda | inkuru | ||
| Lingala | lisolo | ||
| Luganda | olugero | ||
| Sepedi | kanegelo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | abasɛm | ||
Story in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | قصة | ||
| The word "قصة" (story) in Arabic can also refer to a "piece" or "portion" of something, as well as a "fault" or "defect". | |||
| Hebrew | כַּתָבָה | ||
| The Hebrew word "כַּתָבָה" ("story") derives from the root "כת" (tav-kaf), meaning "to write." It has a secondary meaning referencing an object to be recorded by writing, as in "כתבי הקודש," the "Writings" of the Hebrew Bible. | |||
| Pashto | کيسه | ||
| کیسه also means "a bag or sack". | |||
| Arabic | قصة | ||
| The word "قصة" (story) in Arabic can also refer to a "piece" or "portion" of something, as well as a "fault" or "defect". | |||
Story in Western European Languages
| Albanian | histori | ||
| In Albanian, histori is both a story and the singular form of stories, and is cognate with English history. | |||
| Basque | istorioa | ||
| The Basque word for 'story' ('istorioa') derives from the word 'isturu', meaning 'source' or 'origin'. | |||
| Catalan | història | ||
| The Catalan word "història" derives from the Greek word "historia," which originally meant "investigation" or "inquiry." | |||
| Croatian | priča | ||
| The word "priča" is a diminutive of "pripovijedača" (female), meaning "the narrator". | |||
| Danish | historie | ||
| The Danish word "historie" derives from the Greek word "historia", meaning "inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation". | |||
| Dutch | verhaal | ||
| The Dutch word "verhaal" derives from Middle Dutch, and shares an origin with "verhoor" (hearing, interrogation) and "verhelen" (to conceal). | |||
| English | story | ||
| "story" comes from Old English word "stær," meaning "history." | |||
| French | récit | ||
| An alternate meaning of the word "récit" is "musical passage played by a soloist who is accompanied by an orchestra." | |||
| Frisian | ferhaal | ||
| In Old Frisian, 'ferhaal' referred to events rather than narratives, a meaning still found in the German cognate "Verhandlung". | |||
| Galician | historia | ||
| Galician "historia" also means "historical novel". | |||
| German | geschichte | ||
| "Geschichte" derives from an Old High German root meaning "happen" or "occur". Other German words with similar roots include "geschehen" (to happen) and "Schicksal" (fate). | |||
| Icelandic | saga | ||
| In Old Norse, the word "saga" referred to any narrative, whether historical, legendary, or mythological. | |||
| Irish | scéal | ||
| The Irish word "scéal" is derived from the Proto-Celtic word "*skētlos," meaning both "story" and "shadow," suggesting a connection between narrative and the realm of the unseen. | |||
| Italian | storia | ||
| The Italian word "storia" derives from the Latin "historia," meaning "inquiry, research, or account of past events." | |||
| Luxembourgish | geschicht | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Geschicht" comes from the French word "histoire," and in addition to its basic meaning of "story" can also mean "background" or "event." | |||
| Maltese | storja | ||
| The Maltese word "storja" likely originates from the Italian word "storia", which in turn comes from the Latin word "historia", meaning "inquiry" or "investigation". | |||
| Norwegian | historie | ||
| In Norwegian, "historie" also refers to historical events and academic disciplines. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | história | ||
| The word "história" derives from the Greek "ἱστορία" (historia), which originally meant "inquiry" or "investigation". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | sgeulachd | ||
| The word "sgeulachd" can also refer to news, gossip, or a fictional tale. | |||
| Spanish | historia | ||
| "Historia" derives from Greek "ἱστορία" (historia), meaning "inquiry" or "knowledge acquired by investigation" | |||
| Swedish | berättelse | ||
| The word "berättelse" derives from the Old Norse word "bera," meaning "to bear" or "to carry," and originally referred to a story that was borne or carried by a person. | |||
| Welsh | stori | ||
| The Welsh word "stori" also means "history" and "report". | |||
Story in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | гісторыя | ||
| In the past, “гісторыя” could refer to the history of a person or the world. | |||
| Bosnian | priča | ||
| In Bosnian, the word "priča" also refers to a conversation or a joke, suggesting a broader sense of storytelling as exchange and entertainment. | |||
| Bulgarian | история | ||
| The word история in Bulgarian comes from the Greek word ἱστορία, meaning "inquiry" or "research." | |||
| Czech | příběh | ||
| The Czech word "příběh" derives from the Proto-Slavic root "*pribēgъ", meaning "coming, arrival". | |||
| Estonian | lugu | ||
| The word 'lugu' also means 'counting' and 'reading' in Estonian, derived from a Proto-Finnic word for 'number' and 'calculate'. | |||
| Finnish | tarina | ||
| "Tarina" is etymologically related to the Proto-Indo-European root "*tere-," meaning "to cross over" or "to pass through." | |||
| Hungarian | sztori | ||
| The Hungarian word "sztori" has origins in the Ottoman Turkish word "hikaye" (story). | |||
| Latvian | stāsts | ||
| The Latvian word "stāsts" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *steh₂-, meaning "to stand", and is related to the English word "stead" and the German word "Stadt" (city). | |||
| Lithuanian | istorija | ||
| The English word “history” comes from the Greek “istoria,” meaning “inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation. | |||
| Macedonian | приказна | ||
| The word "приказна" comes from the Proto-Slavic noun *prikazna, which means "tale, story, narrative" | |||
| Polish | fabuła | ||
| Fabuła is related to 'fabric' (Polish 'fabryka') as stories are often woven together like a tapestry. | |||
| Romanian | poveste | ||
| The word "poveste" in Romanian is derived from the Latin word "posita", meaning "placed", and can also refer to a tale, legend, or fiction. | |||
| Russian | сказка | ||
| The word "сказка" (story) in Russian is derived from the verb "сказывать" (to tell), implying that it is a narrative that is told or passed down. | |||
| Serbian | прича | ||
| "Прича" also means "communion" and is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "причастие." | |||
| Slovak | príbeh | ||
| The word "príbeh" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *pribēgъ, meaning "arrival" or "coming to a place". | |||
| Slovenian | zgodba | ||
| The Slovene word 'zgodba', derived from 'zgoditi' ('to happen'), originally implied something that happened, and only later acquired the more specific meaning of 'story'. | |||
| Ukrainian | історія | ||
| The word "історія" in Ukrainian shares its root with the Greek word "ἱστορία" (historia), meaning "inquiry" or "knowledge acquired through investigation." | |||
Story in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | গল্প | ||
| The word "গল্প" (story) can also mean "rumor" or "tale" in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | વાર્તા | ||
| "વાર્તા" means "story" in both Sanskrit and Gujarati, as well as a form of religious poetry in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | कहानी | ||
| The word 'कहानी' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'कथन', meaning 'telling' or 'narrating'. | |||
| Kannada | ಕಥೆ | ||
| The word 'ಕಥೆ' (kathe) has an alternate meaning of 'statement of claim' in the context of law and court proceedings. | |||
| Malayalam | കഥ | ||
| The Malayalam word "കഥ" can also mean "conversation", "speech", or "narration". | |||
| Marathi | कथा | ||
| कथा derives from the Sanskrit word 'kathā', meaning 'narrative' or 'conversation'. | |||
| Nepali | कथा | ||
| Kathā can also mean a Buddhist or Jain philosophical narrative. | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਹਾਣੀ | ||
| The word "ਕਹਾਣੀ" originates from the Sanskrit word "कथा" (katha), which means "to speak" or "to tell". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කතාව | ||
| කතාව, which originally meant “a word” or “speech”, also means “an event, or an account of an event”, or “a narrative or a story” | |||
| Tamil | கதை | ||
| "கதை" can mean 'story', 'speech', 'tradition', 'proverb' or 'myth'. | |||
| Telugu | కథ | ||
| The word "కథ" can also mean "a narration" or "a report". | |||
| Urdu | کہانی | ||
| Urdu 'کہانی' originates from the Sanskrit word 'कथा' ('katha'), meaning 'discourse, conversation, or narrative'. | |||
Story in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 故事 | ||
| 故事, from 古事, originally means ancient events and gradually evolved to mean 'story'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 故事 | ||
| 故事 (“story”) in Chinese shares the same roots as 历史 (“history”) and 往事 (“past events”), highlighting the connection between storytelling and the preservation of historical events. | |||
| Japanese | 物語 | ||
| 物語 literally means 'to tell' ('物') 'things' ('語'); the suffix 'がたり' suggests the act is done for entertainment. | |||
| Korean | 이야기 | ||
| The word '이야기' (story) can also mean 'conversation' or 'talk'. | |||
| Mongolian | түүх | ||
| In Mongolian, the word "түүх" also refers to history, or the study of the past. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဇာတ်လမ်း | ||
| The Myanmar word "ဇာတ်လမ်း" (story) is derived from the Pali word "jātaka", which means "a story about a previous life or incarnation." | |||
Story in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | cerita | ||
| Selain berarti 'cerita', 'cerita' juga dapat merujuk pada 'perkara' atau 'hal'. | |||
| Javanese | crita | ||
| The word "crita" in Javanese can also refer to a "narrative" or a "legend". | |||
| Khmer | រឿង | ||
| One Khmer word for 'story,' 'រឿង' ('rueang') has alternate meanings: 'business,' 'affair,' and 'thing, matter or object.' | |||
| Lao | ເລື່ອງ | ||
| Malay | cerita | ||
| In Indonesian, "cerita" not only refers to a story, but also to a piece of writing, news, or an account of events. | |||
| Thai | เรื่องราว | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "story," "เรื่องราว" can also refer to "affairs" or "details." | |||
| Vietnamese | câu chuyện | ||
| In Vietnamese, the word 'câu chuyện' originally referred to a string of words connected to a specific event or topic. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kwento | ||
Story in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | hekayə | ||
| The word "hekayə" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Persian word "hikāyat", meaning "narrative", "tale", or "anecdote." | |||
| Kazakh | оқиға | ||
| 'Оқиға' also means 'event' or 'incident' in Kazakh and comes from the Turkic root 'oq-' meaning 'to read' or 'to narrate'. | |||
| Kyrgyz | окуя | ||
| The word "окуя" is also used to refer to myths, legends, or historical narratives. | |||
| Tajik | ҳикоя | ||
| The word "ҳикоя" is also related to the Persian word "حکایت" (hekayat), which means "story" or "anecdote". | |||
| Turkmen | hekaýa | ||
| Uzbek | hikoya | ||
| The word "hikoya" (story) in Uzbek also refers to a narrative or tale that is typically shorter than a novel. | |||
| Uyghur | ھېكايە | ||
Story in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | moʻolelo | ||
| "Moʻolelo" is derived from the word "ʻolelo," meaning "word," and thus originally meant "to speak." | |||
| Maori | korero | ||
| The word "korero" can also refer to a conversation, a meeting, or a speech in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | tala | ||
| The word "tala" also means "to speak" or "to tell | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kwento | ||
| The word "kwento" in Tagalog can also refer to a piece of gossip or hearsay. | |||
Story in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | isturya | ||
| Guarani | tembiasa | ||
Story in International Languages
| Esperanto | rakonto | ||
| The Esperanto word "rakonto" derives from the French "raconter" (to tell a tale). | |||
| Latin | fabula | ||
| The Latin word "fabula" also referred to the plot of a play | |||
Story in Others Languages
| Greek | ιστορία | ||
| "Ιστορία" derives from the Greek verb "ιστάναι" (to make to stand), thus conveying the idea of an "account of an event that makes it stand out" | |||
| Hmong | zaj dab neeg | ||
| "Zaj dab neeg" is an expression used to refer to a "myth" in the Hmong language. | |||
| Kurdish | çîrok | ||
| The word "Çîrok" also means "fate" in Kurdish, suggesting that storytelling is seen as a way to shape or understand one's destiny. | |||
| Turkish | hikaye | ||
| The word hikaye in Turkish derives from the Arabic word hikaya, meaning "an account, a narrative, a tale." | |||
| Xhosa | ibali | ||
| The Xhosa word "ibali" can also mean "news" or "information". | |||
| Yiddish | דערציילונג | ||
| The Yiddish word "דערציילונג" is derived from the German word "erzählen", which means "to tell" or "to narrate." | |||
| Zulu | indaba | ||
| The word 'indaba' also refers to a gathering of people called to discuss or settle an important issue. | |||
| Assamese | কাহিনী | ||
| Aymara | isturya | ||
| Bhojpuri | कहानी | ||
| Dhivehi | ވާހަކަ | ||
| Dogri | क्हानी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kwento | ||
| Guarani | tembiasa | ||
| Ilocano | istorya | ||
| Krio | stori | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | چیرۆک | ||
| Maithili | खिस्सा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯋꯥꯔꯤ | ||
| Mizo | thawnthu | ||
| Oromo | seenaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କାହାଣୀ | ||
| Quechua | willarina | ||
| Sanskrit | कथा | ||
| Tatar | хикәя | ||
| Tigrinya | ዛንታ | ||
| Tsonga | xitori | ||