Suit in Different Languages
Discover 'Suit' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A suit is a wardrobe staple that exudes sophistication and professionalism. It's a versatile piece of clothing that can be worn for various occasions, from business meetings to weddings. The significance of a suit extends beyond fashion, as it represents power, authority, and success in many cultures.
Throughout history, suits have been an essential part of men's fashion. In the 17th century, the three-piece suit became popular in Europe, and it has since evolved into different styles and cuts. Today, suits are not only worn by men but also by women, reflecting gender equality and changing fashion trends.
Given the cultural importance of suits, it's no surprise that the word has been translated into different languages around the world. For instance, in Spanish, a suit is called 'traje,' while in French, it's 'costume.' In German, it's 'Anzug,' and in Japanese, it's 'スーツ (suutsu).'
Understanding the translation of 'suit' in different languages can be helpful for travelers, business professionals, and language enthusiasts. It not only broadens your vocabulary but also deepens your appreciation for cultural diversity and fashion history.
Suit
Suit in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | pak | ||
| The root of the Afrikaans word "pak" was borrowed from the Dutch "pak," which may have evolved from the German "pack." | |||
| Amharic | ሻንጣ | ||
| "ሻንጣ" can also mean a bag or case for carrying clothes or other items. | |||
| Hausa | kwat da wando | ||
| "Kwat da wando" can also refer to a protective covering for a book or document. | |||
| Igbo | uwe | ||
| The Igbo word "uwe" also means "clothing" or "dress". | |||
| Malagasy | fitoriana | ||
| The word 'fitoriana' can also mean 'vest' or 'shirt' in Malagasy | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | suti | ||
| In Nyanja, "suti" can also refer to a group of people with similar attire or purpose. | |||
| Shona | sutu | ||
| "Sutu" also means "to sit" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | suud | ||
| "Suud" can also mean "lawsuit" in Somali, highlighting the interconnectedness between attire and legal proceedings. | |||
| Sesotho | sutu | ||
| "Sutu" is a shortened form of the Sesotho word "sesutu" which means "complete set of clothing." | |||
| Swahili | suti | ||
| The Swahili word "suti" can also refer to a type of traditional men's clothing worn in East Africa. | |||
| Xhosa | isuti | ||
| The Xhosa word "isuti" can also refer to a traditional garment worn by amaXhosa women, consisting of a long skirt and a matching top. | |||
| Yoruba | aṣọ | ||
| The Yoruba word "aṣọ" can also mean "dress" or "fabric", depending on the context. | |||
| Zulu | isudi | ||
| Isudi derives from the word 'suda', which means to 'dress' or 'put on clothing'. | |||
| Bambara | ka minɛ | ||
| Ewe | dziwui | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ikositimu | ||
| Lingala | kazaka | ||
| Luganda | suuti | ||
| Sepedi | swanela | ||
| Twi (Akan) | fata | ||
Suit in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | بدلة | ||
| The word 'بدلة' (suit) in Arabic comes from the verb 'بدل' (to change), indicating its original meaning as a 'change of clothes'. | |||
| Hebrew | חליפה | ||
| In addition to its common meaning of 'suit', in Hebrew 'חליפה' (halipa) can also refer to a 'change of clothes', 'garment', or 'outfit'. | |||
| Pashto | سوټ | ||
| In Pashto, the word "سوټ" can also refer to a set of clothes worn by a groom during a wedding ceremony. | |||
| Arabic | بدلة | ||
| The word 'بدلة' (suit) in Arabic comes from the verb 'بدل' (to change), indicating its original meaning as a 'change of clothes'. | |||
Suit in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kostum | ||
| Kostum is an Albanian word that can also mean "uniform" or "disguise". | |||
| Basque | trajea | ||
| Basque "trajea" comes from French "trajet", meaning "journey" or "path". | |||
| Catalan | vestit | ||
| The word "vestit" in Catalan is of Latin origin and comes from the word "vestis", meaning "clothing." | |||
| Croatian | odijelo | ||
| The word "odijelo" in Croatian can also mean "clothing" or "dress". | |||
| Danish | dragt | ||
| The word "dragt" in Danish is derived from the old English word "draghen," meaning "to draw" or "to pull" and refers to the way a suit is put on or worn. | |||
| Dutch | pak | ||
| The word "pak" in Dutch can also refer to a "stack" or a "bundle". | |||
| English | suit | ||
| The word 'suit' also means a legal action, especially a complaint filed in court. | |||
| French | costume | ||
| The French word "costume" derives from the Italian word "costume" meaning "custom". | |||
| Frisian | kostúm | ||
| The Frisian word "kostúm" may originate from the French "costume" or Low German "kostum", and can also refer to a theatrical role or an actor's outfit. | |||
| Galician | traxe | ||
| In Medieval Galician, "traxe" also meant "clothes" or "costume." | |||
| German | passen | ||
| The verb 'passen' additionally means 'to fit' and has the same origin as the English 'to pass', sharing its etymological link to 'to fit'. | |||
| Icelandic | jakkaföt | ||
| The Icelandic word "jakkaföt" comes from the German "jacke" (jacket) and "fot" (foot), referring to a garment that covers the feet like a jacket. | |||
| Irish | oireann | ||
| Etymology: from oire, 'edge or hem' | |||
| Italian | completo da uomo | ||
| The word “completo da uomo” derives from the Latin “complectus”, meaning "complete" or "whole". | |||
| Luxembourgish | kostüm | ||
| The word "Kostüm" in Luxembourgish can also refer to a masquerade ball or a fancy dress party. | |||
| Maltese | libsa | ||
| The word "libsa" in Maltese can also mean attire, dress, or outfit. | |||
| Norwegian | dress | ||
| In Norwegian, "dress" is also used for "uniform" and "costume" | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | terno | ||
| "Terno" can also refer to a group of three or a set of three items. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | deise | ||
| Deise (suit) derives from the Latin word "decisus" meaning "cut off" or "finished". | |||
| Spanish | traje | ||
| The word "traje" can also refer to a traditional costume or attire worn for special occasions. | |||
| Swedish | kostym | ||
| In its alternate meaning, the word "kostym" (like "costume") can refer to a full-body animal outfit worn as a disguise, typically by children. | |||
| Welsh | siwt | ||
| Originally from the Middle French "sute," from the Old French "siute," from the Late Latin "secta," meaning "following." | |||
Suit in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | касцюм | ||
| Bosnian | odijelo | ||
| The noun 'odijelo' can also refer to a person's clothing in general or to a woman's dress. | |||
| Bulgarian | костюм | ||
| Although the Bulgarian word "костюм" is typically used for suits in English, it can also be used for "space suit" and "bathing suit" | |||
| Czech | oblek | ||
| 'Oblek' also means 'garment' more generally, and thus can also refer to a dress. | |||
| Estonian | ülikond | ||
| Ülikond originates from a German word meaning "dress" or "gown". | |||
| Finnish | puku | ||
| The word 'puku' likely comes from the Germanic word 'frock', meaning 'coat' or 'gown'. | |||
| Hungarian | öltöny | ||
| Ölteni literally means "to put on" and the word comes from a Turkic origin (altan). | |||
| Latvian | uzvalks | ||
| Although "uzvalks" may only refer to men's suits in modern English, it derives from the German "Anzug," a more encompassing term for formal, ceremonial outfits and uniform suits. | |||
| Lithuanian | kostiumas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "kostiumas" is cognate with the Russian "костюмъ" (kostyum) and both words ultimately derive from the French "costume". | |||
| Macedonian | тужба | ||
| The word "тужба" can also refer to a complaint or a grievance. | |||
| Polish | garnitur | ||
| Other alternate meanings of the word "garnitur" include a type of embroidery, and a set of utensils or tools necessary for a specific purpose or task. | |||
| Romanian | costum | ||
| The Romanian word "costum" derives from the Latin "consuetudo," meaning "custom" or "habit." | |||
| Russian | подходить | ||
| "Подходить" can mean to "come near", "fit", or "be appropriate". | |||
| Serbian | одело | ||
| The word "одело" in Serbian has a similar root to the word "dress" in English and can also refer to clothing in general. | |||
| Slovak | oblek | ||
| "Oblek" comes from "obleč", which means to dress. It's also used to refer to a piece of clothing that you put on over your regular clothes. | |||
| Slovenian | obleko | ||
| The word "obleko" in Slovenian can also refer to a wedding dress or a uniform. | |||
| Ukrainian | костюм | ||
| The Ukrainian word "костюм" also means "a play or performance" | |||
Suit in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মামলা | ||
| The word "মামলা" can also refer to a legal dispute or lawsuit. | |||
| Gujarati | દાવો | ||
| "દાવો" also means 'claim' or 'demand' in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | सूट | ||
| "सूट" शब्द संस्कृत के "सुत" शब्द से आया है जिसका अर्थ है 'वस्त्र'। | |||
| Kannada | ಸೂಟ್ | ||
| "ಸೂಟ್" ( | |||
| Malayalam | സ്യൂട്ട് | ||
| In Tamil and Malayalam the word "suit", pronounced as "suut", means "to win a court case". | |||
| Marathi | खटला | ||
| In Marathi, "खटला" (suit) also refers to a legal dispute or court case. | |||
| Nepali | सूट | ||
| In Hindi, 'suit' also refers to the suit of cards in English, such as spades and hearts. | |||
| Punjabi | ਮੁਕੱਦਮਾ | ||
| Originating from the same Arabic root as 'muqaddamah' (an introduction or preface), 'mukaddama' may also refer to a dispute or a legal proceeding. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ඇඳුම | ||
| The Sinhala word “ඇඳුම” (suit) also refers to a set of matching clothes worn together, typically by men. | |||
| Tamil | வழக்கு | ||
| The Tamil word "வழக்கு" can also refer to a legal case or lawsuit, or to a custom or practice. | |||
| Telugu | సూట్ | ||
| The word "suit" in English, derived from the French "suit", can refer not only to a set of matching clothes, but also to a legal action or a set of playing cards. | |||
| Urdu | سوٹ | ||
| In Urdu, "سوٹ" (suit) also refers to a gambling bid to trump all other bids. | |||
Suit in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 适合 | ||
| "适合"在英语中除了表示"suit"外，还可以表示"be fit for; accord with"。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 適合 | ||
| 「適合」除了表示「服裝合身」的意思，在日文中還有「符合、適當」的用法，源自於古籍《易經》中的「君子以反身修德，言而後行，成己仁也」。」} | |||
| Japanese | スーツ | ||
| In Japanese, スーツ (suit) can also mean "lawsuit" or "legal action". | |||
| Korean | 소송 | ||
| The word "소송" also means "lawsuit" and it is derived from the Chinese word "訴訟" from the same characters that mean "lawsuit". | |||
| Mongolian | костюм | ||
| In Mongolian, "костюм" can also refer to a male formal attire or a set of clothing worn as a uniform by members of a particular group. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဝတ်စုံ | ||
| The word ဝတ်စုံ (suit) has an alternate meaning of "clothes worn for a specific purpose or occasion." | |||
Suit in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | sesuai | ||
| In Indonesian, "sesuai" can mean "correct, appropriate, fitting", and can be used to express agreement or permission. | |||
| Javanese | klambi | ||
| In the context of clothing, 'klambi' can refer to a specific type of traditional Javanese outfit, or 'beskap'. | |||
| Khmer | ឈុត | ||
| The Khmer word ឈុត also means 'suit' as a group of things matching in style, type or quality. | |||
| Lao | ຊຸດ | ||
| In Lao, "ຊຸດ" is not only used for formal attire but also as a measurement for sets of items, e.g. a set of clothes or a set of cutlery. | |||
| Malay | sesuai | ||
| The word "sesuai" in Malay can also mean "appropriate" or "suitable". | |||
| Thai | สูท | ||
| The word "สูท" can also refer to a set of clothes worn for a specific purpose, such as a sports suit or a diving suit. | |||
| Vietnamese | bộ đồ | ||
| "Bộ đồ" means "outfit" in Vietnamese, and is also used to refer to a full set of clothing worn by a person. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | suit | ||
Suit in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kostyum | ||
| "Kostyum" is one of the oldest garments dating back to the middle ages and meaning "clothing". | |||
| Kazakh | костюм | ||
| In ancient times, the Kazakh word "костюм" meant not only "suit", but also "armor" and "equipment". | |||
| Kyrgyz | костюм | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "костюм" (suit) can refer to a set of matching formal clothes or the entire set of clothes worn in a certain setting. | |||
| Tajik | костюм | ||
| The Tajik word «костюм» is derived from the French «costume» meaning «traditional or theatrical attire», which in turn comes from Italian «costume» meaning «custom». | |||
| Turkmen | kostýum | ||
| Uzbek | kostyum | ||
| The word "kostyum" is ultimately derived from the French word "costume," which originally referred to a theatrical costume or disguise. | |||
| Uyghur | كاستۇم | ||
Suit in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoopii | ||
| The word "hoopii" can also mean "to cover" or "to clothe" in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | hutu | ||
| The word "hutu" can also mean "to dress" or "to cover" in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | suti | ||
| The word "suti" in Samoan can also refer to a set of coordinated garments, such as a matching shirt and pants. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | suit | ||
| "Terno" is also used to refer to the traditional formal attire worn by men in the Philippines, which consists of a long-sleeved shirt and matching pants. | |||
Suit in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | isi | ||
| Guarani | ao kate | ||
Suit in International Languages
| Esperanto | kostumo | ||
| The Esperanto word "kostumo" is derived from the English word "costume" and also means "fancy dress" or "masquerade costume". | |||
| Latin | causa | ||
| In Latin, "causa" can also refer to a legal action, a reason, or a source. | |||
Suit in Others Languages
| Greek | κοστούμι | ||
| The Greek word "κοστούμι" originally referred to a military uniform but now refers to any type of formal attire worn by men. | |||
| Hmong | ce | ||
| In the Black Hmong language, the word "ce" can also mean "to try on clothes." | |||
| Kurdish | qat | ||
| In Kurdish, "qat" is a term for a suit, but in Arabic it is also used to refer to a series of events or a line of descent. | |||
| Turkish | takım elbise | ||
| The word "takım elbise" also means "team uniform" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | isuti | ||
| The Xhosa word "isuti" can also refer to a traditional garment worn by amaXhosa women, consisting of a long skirt and a matching top. | |||
| Yiddish | פּאַסן | ||
| The Yiddish word "פּאַסן" (suit) can also mean "to fit" or "to be suitable". | |||
| Zulu | isudi | ||
| Isudi derives from the word 'suda', which means to 'dress' or 'put on clothing'. | |||
| Assamese | খাপ খোৱা | ||
| Aymara | isi | ||
| Bhojpuri | सूट | ||
| Dhivehi | ކޯޓު ފަޓުލޫނު | ||
| Dogri | पशाक | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | suit | ||
| Guarani | ao kate | ||
| Ilocano | ipagalad | ||
| Krio | klos | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | شیاو | ||
| Maithili | पोशाक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯨꯅꯕ | ||
| Mizo | hmeh | ||
| Oromo | suufii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସୁଟ୍ | ||
| Quechua | pacha | ||
| Sanskrit | उपवासनम् | ||
| Tatar | костюм | ||
| Tigrinya | ሱፍ | ||
| Tsonga | ringanela | ||