Success in Different Languages
Discover 'Success' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Success is a universal concept that transcends language and culture. It signifies the achievement of a desired outcome or the attainment of wealth, fame, or social status. The significance of success varies across cultures, but its importance remains constant. It is a powerful motivator that drives individuals to strive for their goals and dreams.
Throughout history, success has been associated with notable figures such as Alexander the Great, whose military successes expanded the Greek empire, and Thomas Edison, whose inventions revolutionized modern society. These individuals serve as testaments to the power of success and its potential to change the world.
Understanding the translation of success in different languages can provide valuable insights into how other cultures perceive and pursue this concept. For example, in Spanish, success is translated as 'éxito,' while in French, it is 'succès.' These translations not only reflect linguistic differences but also cultural nuances that shape our understanding of success.
Join us as we explore the translation of success in various languages, shedding light on the cultural significance of this universal concept.
Success
Success in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | sukses | ||
| The word "sukses" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word "succes", which itself comes from the Latin word "successus", meaning "result" or "outcome." | |||
| Amharic | ስኬት | ||
| The noun "ስኬት" "success" derives from the verb "स्कन्दति" meaning "to step" or "to climb" in Sanskrit. | |||
| Hausa | nasara | ||
| The word "nasara" can also refer to "victory" or "triumph". | |||
| Igbo | ihe ịga nke ọma | ||
| The term "ihe ịga nke ọma" is often translated as "success" in English. However, its literal meaning is more nuanced, encompassing not only the attainment of a goal but also the underlying progress and effort involved. | |||
| Malagasy | fety | ||
| FETY can also mean 'accomplishment', 'achievement', or 'victory'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kupambana | ||
| The Nyanja word "kupambana" not only means "success" but also "to fight" or "to struggle." | |||
| Shona | kubudirira | ||
| Kubudirira (success) is derived from the word 'kuvudirira', meaning 'to become prosperous'. | |||
| Somali | guul | ||
| "Guul" is also used in the context of "ripening" or "reaching a state of perfection" | |||
| Sesotho | katleho | ||
| Swahili | mafanikio | ||
| The Swahili word "mafanikio" is derived from the Arabic word "falaha," which means "to succeed," and the Bantu prefix "ma," which forms abstract nouns. | |||
| Xhosa | impumelelo | ||
| "Impumelelo" is related to the word "impumela," which means "to finish." | |||
| Yoruba | aṣeyọri | ||
| The Yoruba word "aṣeyọri" also implies the concept of "completion," denoting that something has been fully accomplished. | |||
| Zulu | impumelelo | ||
| Impumelelo's origin is disputed, it may stem from either "impi" (regiment) or "impume" (buffalo). In Zulu culture, both regiments and buffaloes are symbols of strength. | |||
| Bambara | sanga | ||
| Ewe | dzidzedzekpᴐkpᴐ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | intsinzi | ||
| Lingala | kolonga | ||
| Luganda | okuyita | ||
| Sepedi | katlego | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nkunimdie | ||
Success in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نجاح | ||
| The word "نجاح" also signifies "attaining" or "achieving" in Arabic, highlighting the active pursuit and accomplishment of goals. | |||
| Hebrew | הַצלָחָה | ||
| The Hebrew word "הַצלָחָה" (hatzlacha) originally meant "prosperity" or "well-being" in a physical sense, rather than the abstract notion of "success" that it connotes today. | |||
| Pashto | بریا | ||
| The word is also used figuratively to mean a victory or achievement, particularly in athletics. | |||
| Arabic | نجاح | ||
| The word "نجاح" also signifies "attaining" or "achieving" in Arabic, highlighting the active pursuit and accomplishment of goals. | |||
Success in Western European Languages
| Albanian | sukses | ||
| The Albanian word "sukses" is derived from the Latin word "succedere," meaning "to come after" or "to follow," implying a sequence of events leading to a positive outcome. | |||
| Basque | arrakasta | ||
| "Arrakasta" (success) means "harvest" in Basque. When someone had a plentiful harvest, they "succeeded". | |||
| Catalan | èxit | ||
| The word "èxit" in Catalan also has the alternate meaning of "outcome", as in the outcome of an event or action. | |||
| Croatian | uspjeh | ||
| The word 'uspjeh' has the same root as 'uspeti', which means 'to achieve, succeed, accomplish' | |||
| Danish | succes | ||
| Succes, a Danish word for "success", also means "a big piece of chocolate" | |||
| Dutch | succes | ||
| In Dutch, "succes" can also refer to a sequence or series, derived from the Latin word "successio". | |||
| English | success | ||
| The word 'success' derives from the Latin word 'succedere,' which means 'to go under' or 'to come after,' indicating a positive outcome following an undertaking or endeavor. | |||
| French | succès | ||
| The word "succès" in French comes from the Latin word "successus", meaning "outcome" or "result", and can also refer to a favourable reception or approval. | |||
| Frisian | sukses | ||
| The Frisian word "sukses" is used as a noun meaning "a successful outcome" and as a verb meaning "to achieve success." | |||
| Galician | éxito | ||
| The word "éxito" in Galician can also refer to a way out or a solution. | |||
| German | erfolg | ||
| Erfolg, a German word for success, is derived from the Middle High German word "erfolgen," meaning "to follow after" or "to achieve." | |||
| Icelandic | árangur | ||
| "Árægnir" is a verb meaning "to succeed" and is related to the noun "árangur" meaning "success". | |||
| Irish | rath | ||
| In Middle Irish, 'rath' was also used to refer to a type of fort or ringfort, a circular enclosure with earthen banks and ditches. | |||
| Italian | successo | ||
| In Italian, "successo" is also colloquial for "incident" or "event". | |||
| Luxembourgish | erfolleg | ||
| Maltese | suċċess | ||
| The Maltese word "suċċess" is derived from the Latin word "successus", meaning "a good outcome". | |||
| Norwegian | suksess | ||
| Suksess comes from the French word 'succès', which itself is derived from Latin 'successus' | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | sucesso | ||
| "Sucesso" has its roots in the Latin word "successus," meaning "a going forward, progress, or result." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | soirbheachas | ||
| The original meaning of the Gaelic word "soirbheachas" was "a favorable omen," and also had associations with the "lucky side" of a hill. | |||
| Spanish | éxito | ||
| The Spanish word "éxito" derives from the Latin word "exitus" which can mean either "exit" or "outcome". | |||
| Swedish | framgång | ||
| Framgång can also mean "advancement" or "progress" in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | llwyddiant | ||
| The word 'llwyddiant' can also refer to a 'blessing' or 'prosperity', and is derived from the Welsh word 'llwyddo', meaning 'to succeed' or 'to prosper'. | |||
Success in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | поспех | ||
| The word "поспех" can mean not only "success" but also "haste" or "hurry" in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | uspjeh | ||
| The Bosnian word "uspjeh" comes from the Old Slavic word "uspeh", which means "progress" or "advancement". | |||
| Bulgarian | успех | ||
| "Успех" in Bulgarian is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "усьпѣхъ", which originally meant "progress" or "achievement". | |||
| Czech | úspěch | ||
| "Úspěch" comes from the verb "spět" which means "to rush" or "to hurry", so it literally means "achievement through hustle". | |||
| Estonian | edu | ||
| The Estonian word "edu" has the same root as the Latin word "edere," meaning "to eat." | |||
| Finnish | menestys | ||
| The Finnish word "menestys" is derived from the verb "mennä" (to go) and the noun "sti" (path) | |||
| Hungarian | siker | ||
| The Hungarian word "siker" ultimately derives from the Turkic word "sïγ" meaning "victory" and "success." | |||
| Latvian | panākumi | ||
| The word 'panākumi' in Latvian is related to the verb 'panākt', meaning 'to achieve' or 'to reach'. | |||
| Lithuanian | sėkmė | ||
| The word "sėkmė" derives from the Baltic word "sekas", meaning "companion" or "luck". | |||
| Macedonian | успех | ||
| "Успех" in Macedonian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *usъpěchъ, which means "attainment". | |||
| Polish | powodzenie | ||
| "Powodzenie" comes from the Polish word "powodzić, " which means "to drive," "to move," "to advance," "to lead," and "to guide." | |||
| Romanian | succes | ||
| succes (n.) < Latin "successus" meaning "result," "outcome," or "progress." | |||
| Russian | успех | ||
| Russian "успех" derives from Old Church Slavonic and means both "to achieve" and "to keep up with". | |||
| Serbian | успех | ||
| The word "успех" can also refer to "good luck" or "fortune". | |||
| Slovak | úspech | ||
| The word "úspech" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "usъpekhъ" meaning "help from God" or "providence". | |||
| Slovenian | uspeh | ||
| In Slovenian, the word "uspeh" derives from the Old Slavic word "uspěti", meaning "to accomplish" or "to achieve". | |||
| Ukrainian | успіху | ||
| The Ukrainian word «успіху» is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *opъxъ, which also meant "good luck". | |||
Success in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সাফল্য | ||
| The word "সাফল্য" (success) is derived from the Sanskrit word "सफल" (saphal), which means "bearing fruit" or "yielding a result". | |||
| Gujarati | સફળતા | ||
| Gujarati word "સફળતા" literally translates to "fruitful completion" or "bearing fruit". | |||
| Hindi | सफलता | ||
| 'सफलता' (success), from 'सत्' (excellence) and 'फल' (result), connotes both achieving a positive outcome and the inherent value of the process. | |||
| Kannada | ಯಶಸ್ಸು | ||
| The Kannada word "ಯಶಸ್ಸು" can also refer to "good fortune" or "winning". | |||
| Malayalam | വിജയം | ||
| The word "വിജയം" (vijayam) in Malayalam is derived from the Sanskrit word "विजय" (vijaya), meaning "victory". It can also refer to "triumph" or "accomplishment". | |||
| Marathi | यश | ||
| The word "यश" in Marathi derives from the Sanskrit word "यशस्" meaning "glory, fame," and "renown." | |||
| Nepali | सफलता | ||
| The word "सफलता" is derived from the Sanskrit root "saha-phal" meaning "with fruit" or "bearing fruit". | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਫਲਤਾ | ||
| The word "ਸਫਲਤਾ" (/səfəltɑː/ "success") is derived from the Sanskrit word "सफलता" (/səfəlɑːtɑː/), which means "the state of having achieved one's goal". It can also mean "prosperity" or "well-being". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සාර්ථකත්වය | ||
| Tamil | வெற்றி | ||
| In Tamil, "வெற்றி" (vetri) also means "white" or "purity", underscoring the association between success and light and goodness. | |||
| Telugu | విజయం | ||
| Telugu "విజయం" ('success') is cognate with Sanskrit "विजय" ('victory'), both deriving from Proto-Indo-European root "weik-" ('to conquer'). | |||
| Urdu | کامیابی | ||
| Derived from the Arabic word "kamiya" meaning "excellence" or "perfection," "kamyabi" can also refer to "attainment" or "fulfillment" in Urdu. | |||
Success in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 成功 | ||
| 成 (chéng) refers to completion or becoming and 功 (gōng) denotes merit or achievement. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 成功 | ||
| Besides the obvious meaning, '成' also means 'complete' and '功' means 'merit', 'achievement' or 'accomplishment' so '成功' can also mean to have made great and honorable achievements in terms of wealth, relationships, academics or a person's talents. | |||
| Japanese | 成功 | ||
| The Kanji "成" originally meant "to come into being" but gradually shifted to its modern meaning "to accomplish". | |||
| Korean | 성공 | ||
| The word "성공" (success) originally meant "to achieve one's goals" or "to accomplish something." | |||
| Mongolian | амжилт | ||
| The word amjilt may also refer to a completed task or achievement | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အောင်မြင်မှု | ||
Success in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | keberhasilan | ||
| Keberhasilan is derived from the Old Javanese word kasil, meaning "outcome" or "result". | |||
| Javanese | sukses | ||
| "Sukses" also means "to finish" or "to end" a task or activity in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ជោគជ័យ | ||
| In Khmer, ជោគជ័យ (choak chey) refers to both 'success' and 'luck', highlighting the intertwined nature of effort and fortune in Cambodian culture. | |||
| Lao | ຄວາມສໍາເລັດ | ||
| Malay | kejayaan | ||
| "kejayaan" (meaning "success" in Malay) is derived from the Sanskrit word "jaya," meaning "conquer" or "be victorious." | |||
| Thai | ความสำเร็จ | ||
| In Thai, the word "ความสำเร็จ" derives from the Sanskrit word "sampatti", meaning "attainment" or "acquisition". It also holds connotations of wealth and prosperity. | |||
| Vietnamese | sự thành công | ||
| In Vietnamese, "thành" means "to become, to attain," and "công" means "work, labor, or task," so "sự thành công" literally means "the attainment of a result from work or effort." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tagumpay | ||
Success in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | uğur | ||
| The word "uğur" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Turkish word "uğur", which means "good luck" or "auspiciousness". | |||
| Kazakh | жетістік | ||
| "Жетістік" (success) is believed to originate from "жету" (to reach), referring to achieving a desired outcome. | |||
| Kyrgyz | ийгилик | ||
| The word "ийгилик" can also refer to a state of prosperity or well-being. | |||
| Tajik | муваффақият | ||
| The word "муваффақият" is derived from the Arabic word "muwāfaqah", which means "agreement" or "conformity". | |||
| Turkmen | üstünlik | ||
| Uzbek | muvaffaqiyat | ||
| The word "muvaffaqiyat" in Uzbek ultimately derives from the Arabic word "muwaffaq", meaning "to agree" or "to be successful", and can also refer to "happiness" or "well-being". | |||
| Uyghur | مۇۋەپپەقىيەت | ||
Success in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kūleʻa | ||
| "Kūleʻa" also means "to be easy" or "not difficult," implying that success should come effortlessly. | |||
| Maori | angitu | ||
| The word 'angitu' can also refer to the act of succeeding or reaching a goal. | |||
| Samoan | manuia | ||
| The Samoan word 'manuia' has a dual meaning beyond 'success', also conveying 'blessing' or 'gift' | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tagumpay | ||
| Tagumpay is derived from the word 'tagum' meaning 'to follow', indicating success as the result of pursuing and achieving a goal. | |||
Success in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kusapana | ||
| Guarani | ñesẽporã | ||
Success in International Languages
| Esperanto | sukceso | ||
| Etymology: from Esperanto sukcesi "to achieve, to succeed", from Latin succedere. | |||
| Latin | victoria | ||
| The Latin word "victoria" is related to "vir", meaning "man," and may have originally referred to the triumph of a conquering warrior. | |||
Success in Others Languages
| Greek | επιτυχία | ||
| The word "επιτυχία" comes from the Greek word "τυγχάνω," meaning "to hit the mark" or "to attain." | |||
| Hmong | kev vam meej | ||
| Kev vam meej can also be translated to 'a good day,' 'good fortune,' or 'luck' | |||
| Kurdish | serketinî | ||
| Kurmanci 'serketinî' (success) originally meant 'having a head' ('serî', head) and referred to completing a task or undertaking with one's head held high. | |||
| Turkish | başarı | ||
| The word "başarı" in Turkish also has the meanings of "step", "rank", and "stage". | |||
| Xhosa | impumelelo | ||
| "Impumelelo" is related to the word "impumela," which means "to finish." | |||
| Yiddish | הצלחה | ||
| הצלחה, in Yiddish, can also mean 'completion' or 'achievement' and is related to the Hebrew word סֵדֶר (seder), meaning 'order' or 'arrangement'. | |||
| Zulu | impumelelo | ||
| Impumelelo's origin is disputed, it may stem from either "impi" (regiment) or "impume" (buffalo). In Zulu culture, both regiments and buffaloes are symbols of strength. | |||
| Assamese | সফলতা | ||
| Aymara | kusapana | ||
| Bhojpuri | सफलता | ||
| Dhivehi | ކާމިޔާބު | ||
| Dogri | कामयाबी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tagumpay | ||
| Guarani | ñesẽporã | ||
| Ilocano | balligi | ||
| Krio | go bifo | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سەرکەوتن | ||
| Maithili | सफलता | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯥꯏ ꯄꯥꯛꯄ | ||
| Mizo | hlawhtling | ||
| Oromo | milkaa'ina | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସଫଳତା | ||
| Quechua | allinmi | ||
| Sanskrit | सफलता | ||
| Tatar | уңыш | ||
| Tigrinya | ዓወት | ||
| Tsonga | humelela | ||