Stuff in Different Languages
Discover 'Stuff' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'stuff' is a small but powerful part of our everyday vocabulary. It's a versatile term that can refer to a wide range of items, from physical objects to abstract concepts. In essence, 'stuff' represents the things that make up our lives, our experiences, and our world.
The cultural importance of 'stuff' cannot be overstated. Our possessions often define us, reflecting our values, interests, and personal histories. Moreover, the exchange of 'stuff' has been a fundamental aspect of human society since time immemorial, shaping trade, commerce, and diplomacy.
Understanding the translation of 'stuff' in different languages can offer fascinating insights into how different cultures perceive and value the things around them. For instance, in Spanish, 'stuff' translates to 'cosas' (pronounced: KOH-thahs), while in German, it's 'Sachen' (ZAH-ken). In French, 'stuff' becomes 'des choses' (dez SHoz), and in Japanese, it's '物' (pronounced: mono).
Explore the many translations of 'stuff' and delve into the rich cultural contexts they reveal. Stay tuned for a comprehensive list of 'stuff' translations in various languages, providing you with a unique perspective on global perspectives and values.
Stuff
Stuff in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | dinge | ||
| "Dinge" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word "dingen," which also means "things" or "items," but can also refer to a legal summons or an agreement. | |||
| Amharic | ነገሮች | ||
| The word "ነገሮች" can also refer to "things" or "matters" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | kaya | ||
| In English, one of the meanings of "kaya" is "the edible pulp of a fruit". The word is also used as an exclamation to express surprise, excitement, or dismay. | |||
| Igbo | ngwongwo | ||
| 'Ngwongwo' means 'stuff' in Igbo, but can also refer to a type of soup or a person who is always involved in other people's business. | |||
| Malagasy | zavatra | ||
| "Zavatra" comes from the root "-vatra", which means "inside" or "substance" in Proto-Malayo-Polynesian. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zinthu | ||
| The word "zinthu" can also refer to "things" or "possessions" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | zvinhu | ||
| The word "zvinhu" can also refer to wealth or possessions. | |||
| Somali | walax | ||
| The word "walax" can also mean "thing" or "object". | |||
| Sesotho | sepakbola | ||
| The word "sepakbola" has a different meaning and etymology in the Sesotho language compared to English. | |||
| Swahili | vitu | ||
| The Swahili word "vitu" has a Proto-Bantu origin from the word "*bidi," meaning "things" or "property." | |||
| Xhosa | izinto | ||
| The word "izinto" in Xhosa can also mean "things" or "beings". | |||
| Yoruba | nkan na | ||
| The word "nkan na" can also mean "thing" or "item" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | izinto | ||
| In Zulu, 'izinto' can refer to objects, abstract concepts, or even personal attributes. | |||
| Bambara | fɛn | ||
| Ewe | nuwo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ibintu | ||
| Lingala | makanisi | ||
| Luganda | ebintu | ||
| Sepedi | kitela | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adeɛ | ||
Stuff in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | أمور | ||
| Etymology of the Arabic word "أمور" is from the root "أ م ر" meaning "to command, or order", suggesting "stuff" is whatever is "commanded" or "ordered". | |||
| Hebrew | דברים | ||
| Hebrew "דברים" can also mean "words" or "things." | |||
| Pashto | توکی | ||
| The Pashto word توکی ultimately derives from the Sanskrit root *tukk-, meaning "to pierce, to strike". | |||
| Arabic | أمور | ||
| Etymology of the Arabic word "أمور" is from the root "أ م ر" meaning "to command, or order", suggesting "stuff" is whatever is "commanded" or "ordered". | |||
Stuff in Western European Languages
| Albanian | gjëra | ||
| "Gjëra" in Albanian is derived from Slavic "gjë", a generic loan from Proto-Indo-European, meaning "living being", "creature", and is cognate to English "deer", "dear" (adj.), "beast", "bear" (animal). | |||
| Basque | gauzak | ||
| The Basque word "gauzak" has two possible etymologies: “gau” meaning "night" and “zak” meaning "bag", or “gau" meaning "thing" and “zak” meaning "heap". | |||
| Catalan | coses | ||
| The Catalan word "coses" derives from the Latin "causa" (cause, thing), and it can also refer to physical objects or intellectual matters. | |||
| Croatian | stvari | ||
| The Croatian word “stvari” (plural) can also mean "things," and even “matters” when used with a plural ending like in “u stvarima" (as in matters). | |||
| Danish | ting og sager | ||
| The phrase "ting og sager" literally means "things and matters" in Danish and is often used to refer to a miscellaneous collection of objects or belongings. | |||
| Dutch | spullen | ||
| Spullen shares its etymology with the English word "spoil" and originally meant "plunder". | |||
| English | stuff | ||
| The English noun 'stuff' can also refer to a substance such as fabric or a drug and can also mean the personal baggage of a traveller. | |||
| French | des trucs | ||
| Although the French phrase "des trucs" literally means "of the things," it is commonly used to refer to unspecified or miscellaneous items. | |||
| Frisian | guod | ||
| The Frisian word "guod" is likely derived from Old Saxon "gôd" (good), referring to the usefulness of possessions. | |||
| Galician | cousas | ||
| The word "cousas" in Galician is derived from the Latin word "causa" and originally meant "thing" or "matter". | |||
| German | zeug | ||
| 'Zeug' as a loanword from Low German, originally denoting 'equipment' or 'tool,' was then applied figuratively to the totality of one's equipment and also its quality, so 'poor Zeug' was 'inferior equipment'. | |||
| Icelandic | dót | ||
| The Icelandic word 'dót' can also refer to a small animal, particularly a rabbit or a hare. | |||
| Irish | rudaí | ||
| The Irish word "rudaí" can also mean "affairs" or "matters" in the context of law or politics. | |||
| Italian | cose | ||
| The Italian word "cose" derives from the Latin verb "conserere," meaning "to sow together" or "to plant," and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ser-," meaning "to join" or "to connect. | |||
| Luxembourgish | saachen | ||
| In Luxembourgish, 'Saachen' originally meant 'things' but is now commonly used for 'stuff'. | |||
| Maltese | affarijiet | ||
| The Maltese word "affarijiet" is derived from the Italian word "affari" (meaning "business") and originally referred to one's material possessions. | |||
| Norwegian | ting | ||
| The word "ting" can also refer to a legislative assembly or an assembly of gods in Norse mythology. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | coisa | ||
| In Brazil, 'coisa' can also mean 'thing' or 'matter', while in Portugal it can additionally mean 'object', 'item', or 'affair'. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | stuth | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, "stuth" can also refer to "goods" or "property". | |||
| Spanish | cosas | ||
| "Cosas" in Spanish is derived from Latin "causa" (cause), suggesting that stuff is a collection of related things. | |||
| Swedish | grejer | ||
| The word 'grejer' may have an origin in Danish dialectal usage, possibly from the Middle Low German word 'gerë' meaning 'utensil' or 'implement'. | |||
| Welsh | stwff | ||
| The word "stwff" in Welsh is etymologically related to the English word "stuff" which means 'material' | |||
Stuff in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | рэчы | ||
| The Belarusian word “рэчы” has additional meanings, such as “property” or “suitcase”, stemming from the Old Church Slavonic word “рьчь” meaning "speech, talking". | |||
| Bosnian | stvari | ||
| The Bosnian word "stvari" derives from the Slavic word "stvоr", meaning "creature" or "being" | |||
| Bulgarian | неща | ||
| The word "неща" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "вещь" meaning "thing" or "object". | |||
| Czech | věci | ||
| The Czech word "věci" has Proto-Slavic roots, likely originating from the Proto-Indo-European base word *weik-, which also gave rise to the Latin "vicus" (neighborhood) and the English "wick" (village, farm). | |||
| Estonian | värk | ||
| The word "värk" can also refer to a device, tool, or mechanism in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | tavaraa | ||
| The word "tavaraa" can also mean "goods" or "merchandise" in Finnish. | |||
| Hungarian | dolog | ||
| The word "dolog" can also refer to "things" or "matters" in a general sense. | |||
| Latvian | sīkumi | ||
| In Latvian, the word "sīkumi" can also refer to small details, trifles, or minutiae. | |||
| Lithuanian | daiktai | ||
| The word "daiktai" in Lithuanian is derived from the Slavic word "daikati", meaning "to bestow" or "to give", and originally referred to the act of giving a gift. | |||
| Macedonian | ствари | ||
| "Ставари" might be derived from the Slavic verb "stavariti" ("to put"), which originally meant "things put together, baggage," as can be inferred from the usage of "stavariti" in other Slavic languages. | |||
| Polish | rzeczy | ||
| The Polish word "rzeczy" is cognate with the English word "real" and the Russian word "veshch" | |||
| Romanian | chestie | ||
| The Romanian word "chestie" is derived from the Hungarian word "csövest" and originally referred to a type of drinking vessel or tool. | |||
| Russian | вещи | ||
| The word "вещи" also refers to things that belong to somebody, such as personal belongings or property. | |||
| Serbian | ствари | ||
| The word "ствари" (stuff) in Serbian is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "сътворити" (to create), and can also refer to "belongings" or "property" | |||
| Slovak | veci | ||
| The word "veci" can also refer to "things", "issues", or "business" in the context of law. | |||
| Slovenian | stvari | ||
| "Stvari" is a homograph, meaning both "stuff," and "things" in the sense of phenomena or creations | |||
| Ukrainian | речі | ||
| The Ukrainian word «речі» is cognate with the Czech «řeč» and Polish «rzecz», all of which derive ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European word for «speech». | |||
Stuff in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | জিনিসপত্র | ||
| The word "জিনিসপত্র" is derived from the Sanskrit word "द्रव्य" (dravya), meaning "substance" or "material." | |||
| Gujarati | સામગ્રી | ||
| The word "samagri" in Gujarati has its origins in Sanskrit and can also refer to "materials", "ingredients", or "equipment". | |||
| Hindi | सामग्री | ||
| The Hindi word सामग्री (sāmagri) is derived from Sanskrit and can also mean 'ingredients', 'materials', or 'content'. | |||
| Kannada | ವಿಷಯ | ||
| The word 'ವಿಷಯ' in Kannada also means 'topic' or 'subject' and is derived from the Sanskrit word 'विषय' (vishaya), which has the same meanings. | |||
| Malayalam | സ്റ്റഫ് | ||
| The word "സ്റ്റഫ്" in Malayalam can also refer to "people" or "persons" in addition to its primary meaning of "stuff" or "material" | |||
| Marathi | सामग्री | ||
| "सामग्री" can also mean "material", "content" and "ingredients". | |||
| Nepali | सामान | ||
| The word 'सामान', or 'samaan', in Nepali originally meant 'things brought from a distant land', but now generally refers to any type of goods or belongings. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਮਾਨ | ||
| The word "ਸਮਾਨ" can also mean "equipment" or "materials" in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | දේවල් | ||
| In Sinhala, "දේවල්" (stuff) is also used figuratively to refer to someone's personal belongings or property | |||
| Tamil | பொருள் | ||
| Telugu | విషయం | ||
| "విషయం" (viṣayam) comes from the Sanskrit word "viṣaya" meaning "subject, topic, matter, substance". | |||
| Urdu | چیزیں | ||
| The Urdu word چیزیں is derived from the Persian word "čīz" and ultimately from Old Turkic "šīš" , meaning "thing" or "object. | |||
Stuff in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 东西 | ||
| 东西, in its original usage, was also a philosophical term that signified matter or material existence | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 東西 | ||
| In Chinese tradition, 東西 can also refer to the cardinal directions east and west, respectively. | |||
| Japanese | もの | ||
| The word "mono" (pronounced "moh-noh") in Japanese originally referred to "things" or "objects" but has since expanded to include more abstract concepts like "stuff" or "things that you have a lot of". | |||
| Korean | 물건 | ||
| The word "물건" can also refer to an object or thing in general, or to an item or article, especially one that is owned or used. | |||
| Mongolian | эд зүйлс | ||
| The word "stuff" is also used as a mass noun referring to the contents of a container or place, such as the stuff in a bag or the stuff in a room. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပစ္စည်းပစ္စယ | ||
Stuff in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | barang | ||
| The Indonesian word "barang" derives from the Portuguese word "barang" meaning "trade goods" or "possessions." | |||
| Javanese | barang | ||
| The word 'barang' in Javanese also has a separate meaning, 'something that is brought', suggesting a connection to trade and exchange. | |||
| Khmer | វត្ថុ | ||
| The term "វត្ថុ" (vatthu) in Khmer is derived from Sanskrit, meaning "substance, material, or thing". | |||
| Lao | ສິ່ງຂອງ | ||
| Malay | barang | ||
| The word "barang" in Malay is derived from the Sanskrit word "vranga" meaning "crowd" or "flock", and the Portuguese word "barang" meaning "trade goods". | |||
| Thai | สิ่งของ | ||
| The Thai word "สิ่งของ" can also mean "thing","object", or "belongings". | |||
| Vietnamese | đồ đạc | ||
| "Đồ đạc" is a Sino-Vietnamese compound word derived from the Chinese "家什", meaning furniture, or "家當", meaning household effects. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bagay | ||
Stuff in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | şeylər | ||
| "Şeylər" is also used to refer to "things" or "matters" | |||
| Kazakh | заттар | ||
| The word 'заттар' can also mean 'matter' or 'substance' in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | нерселер | ||
| The word "нерселер" also means "things" or "objects" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | ашё | ||
| The word "ашё" in Tajik can also mean "material", "substance", or "matter". | |||
| Turkmen | zatlar | ||
| Uzbek | narsalar | ||
| The word "narsalar" is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "nar" meaning "thing" and the plural suffix "-lar". | |||
| Uyghur | نەرسە | ||
Stuff in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mea | ||
| The word "mea" in Hawaiian also means "thing" or "property". | |||
| Maori | mea | ||
| The word "mea" can also refer to "property", "possession", "belongings", "value" and "matter." | |||
| Samoan | mea | ||
| Mea is also used to refer to a person's possessions, or to a general collection of things. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | bagay-bagay | ||
| The Tagalog word "bagay-bagay" can refer to physical objects, but also to abstract concepts like emotions or ideas. | |||
Stuff in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | yä | ||
| Guarani | mba'e | ||
Stuff in International Languages
| Esperanto | aĵoj | ||
| The word "aĵo" comes from the Old English word "ealh," and is also related to the German word for "stuff," which is also "zeug." | |||
| Latin | supellectilem | ||
| The Latin word "supellectilem" not only means "stuff," but also refers specifically to "household furniture." | |||
Stuff in Others Languages
| Greek | υλικό | ||
| The word "υλικό" derives from the Ancient Greek "ὕλη", meaning "matter" or "material", and can also refer to the substance or composition of something. | |||
| Hmong | os | ||
| The Proto-Hmong-Mien word */ʔɔ́/ 'substance' likely originates from a verb expressing the notion of 'becoming' that also exists in other Southeast Asian languages, particularly Mon-Khmer. | |||
| Kurdish | caw | ||
| "Caw" in Kurdish also means "what" or "what thing." | |||
| Turkish | şey | ||
| The Turkish word "şey" can also mean "thing" or "object," and is related to the Arabic word "shay'" meaning "something." | |||
| Xhosa | izinto | ||
| The word "izinto" in Xhosa can also mean "things" or "beings". | |||
| Yiddish | שטאָפּן | ||
| The Yiddish word "שטאָפּן" can also mean "to fill up" or "to clog up". | |||
| Zulu | izinto | ||
| In Zulu, 'izinto' can refer to objects, abstract concepts, or even personal attributes. | |||
| Assamese | বস্তু | ||
| Aymara | yä | ||
| Bhojpuri | सामान | ||
| Dhivehi | ތަކެތި | ||
| Dogri | समग्गरी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bagay | ||
| Guarani | mba'e | ||
| Ilocano | ipempen | ||
| Krio | tin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | شت | ||
| Maithili | भरनाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯣꯠꯂꯝ | ||
| Mizo | hnawh | ||
| Oromo | wanta | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଷ୍ଟଫ୍ | ||
| Quechua | imakuna | ||
| Sanskrit | द्रव्यम् | ||
| Tatar | әйберләр | ||
| Tigrinya | እኩብ | ||
| Tsonga | xilo | ||