Testimony in Different Languages
Discover 'Testimony' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Testimony, a powerful word with significant cultural and historical importance, is often used to describe a firsthand account or affirmation of a fact. Its significance is evident in various cultural and legal contexts, where testimony can serve as a crucial piece of evidence or a means of sharing personal experiences and stories.
Throughout history, testimony has played a vital role in shaping societies and influencing decisions. From religious texts to courtroom dramas, testimony has the power to inspire, convince, and reveal the truth. Its ability to capture the human experience in such a profound way has made it a subject of interest for many, sparking curiosity about how this word is translated in different languages.
For example, in Spanish, testimony is translated as 'testimonio,' while in French, it is 'témoignage.' In German, the word is 'Zeugnis,' and in Japanese, it is 'shōgen.' Understanding these translations can provide insight into how different cultures view and value the concept of testimony.
In this article, we will explore the translations of testimony in various languages, shedding light on the cultural significance of this important word. So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural scholar, or simply curious about the world around you, read on to discover the fascinating translations of testimony in different languages.
Testimony
Testimony in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | getuienis | ||
| The Afrikaans word "getuienis" is derived from the Middle Dutch word "getuuchnis" and the Old French word "tesmoignagne." | |||
| Amharic | ምስክርነት | ||
| The term "ምስክርነት" can also refer to the process of bearing witness or providing evidence. | |||
| Hausa | shaida | ||
| In Hausa, 'shaida' may also refer to a witness or an oath. | |||
| Igbo | akaebe | ||
| Akaebe (testimony) is also the name for the Igbo musical instrument used to accompany the song and dance genre of the same name. | |||
| Malagasy | fijoroana ho vavolombelona | ||
| The Malagasy word Fijoroana ho Vavolombelona originally meant 'an offering to the ancestors' but now means 'testimony'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | umboni | ||
| "Umboni" is derived from the verb "kuumba" (to create) in the sense of providing evidence; in modern usage it is often extended to mean "proof". | |||
| Shona | uchapupu | ||
| The word "uchapupu" in Shona can also mean "evidence" or "proof". | |||
| Somali | markhaati | ||
| The Somali word "markhaati" can also refer to a witness or a proof. | |||
| Sesotho | bopaki | ||
| This word derives from the Zulu word 'bopaki', meaning 'to witness'. | |||
| Swahili | ushuhuda | ||
| "Ushuhuda" can also mean "witness" or "proof" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ubungqina | ||
| 'Ubungqina' is derived from the verb '-ngqina', which means 'to bear witness'. | |||
| Yoruba | ẹrí | ||
| Ẹrí (testimony) can also mean evidence, witness or indication in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | ubufakazi | ||
| Zulu word 'ubufakazi' may also refer to an event or occurrence that provides evidence. | |||
| Bambara | seereya | ||
| Ewe | ɖaseɖiɖi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubuhamya | ||
| Lingala | litatoli | ||
| Luganda | obujulizi | ||
| Sepedi | bopaki | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adansedie | ||
Testimony in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | شهادة | ||
| The word "شهادة" in Arabic can also refer to a "certificate" or a "diploma". | |||
| Hebrew | עֵד | ||
| The Hebrew word "עֵד" ('ed) can also mean "witness," "monument," or "proof." | |||
| Pashto | شهادت | ||
| "شهادت" also holds the meaning of martyrdom in the Pashto language. | |||
| Arabic | شهادة | ||
| The word "شهادة" in Arabic can also refer to a "certificate" or a "diploma". | |||
Testimony in Western European Languages
| Albanian | dëshminë | ||
| The word "dëshminë" in Albanian can also mean "proof" or "evidence". | |||
| Basque | testigantza | ||
| The Basque word "testigantza" comes from the Latin "testimonium", meaning "evidence" or "proof". | |||
| Catalan | testimoni | ||
| Catalan "testimoni" also means the "official document attesting to a birth, marriage, or death". | |||
| Croatian | svjedočanstvo | ||
| "Svjedočanstvo" is a Croatian word derived from the Latin "testis" meaning "witness", and also refers to a birth certificate or a school report. | |||
| Danish | vidnesbyrd | ||
| "Vidnesbyrd" derives from the Old Norse words "vitni" (witness) and "byrð" (burden), referring to the weight and responsibility of bearing witness. | |||
| Dutch | getuigenis | ||
| The word "getuigenis" in Dutch also means "evidentiary material" or "evidence", especially in the context of a legal case. | |||
| English | testimony | ||
| The word 'testimony' derives from the Latin word 'testis', meaning 'witness', and can also refer to a physical object presented as evidence in a legal proceeding. | |||
| French | témoignage | ||
| Témoignage derives from the Latin word 'testimonium', meaning both 'evidence' and 'proof'. | |||
| Frisian | tsjûgenis | ||
| The word "tsjûgenis" in Frisian is related to the German word "Zeugnis" and the English word "witness" | |||
| Galician | testemuño | ||
| In Galician, "testemuño" can also mean "evidence", "proof", or "witness", and it derives from the Latin word "testimonium". | |||
| German | zeugnis | ||
| The word "Zeugnis" in German can also refer to a certificate or diploma, particularly one awarded for educational achievements. | |||
| Icelandic | vitnisburður | ||
| Vitnisburður, a compound of vitni 'witness' and -burður '-bearer,' originally had a concrete meaning, 'the bearers of a corpse.' | |||
| Irish | fianaise | ||
| The word "fianaise" in Irish is derived from the Old Irish word "fianaithe," which means "witness" or "evidence." | |||
| Italian | testimonianza | ||
| The Italian word "testimonianza" originally meant "proof in a legal case" but now also means "evidence" or "account of an event". | |||
| Luxembourgish | zeegnes | ||
| Zeegnes, meaning "testimony" in Luxembourgish, is likely derived from the German word "Zeugnis" ( | |||
| Maltese | xhieda | ||
| The word "xhieda" is derived from the Arabic word "shahāda", which means both "witness" and "martyrdom". | |||
| Norwegian | vitnesbyrd | ||
| The word "vitnesbyrd" is a compound of the words "vitne" (witness) and "byrd" (burden), meaning "the burden of a witness" or "the weight of testimony." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | testemunho | ||
| "Testemunho" is of ecclesiastical origin, being the deposition of witnesses on facts or miracles. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fianais | ||
| The word "fianais" is ultimately derived from the Old Irish word "fían" meaning "warrior" or "band of warriors". | |||
| Spanish | testimonio | ||
| El término 'testimonio' también puede referirse a una declaración o manifestación formal y solemne ante una autoridad. | |||
| Swedish | vittnesbörd | ||
| "Vittne" translates to "witness" in English. "Börd" translates to "burden", so this phrase literally means "the burden of a witness". | |||
| Welsh | tystiolaeth | ||
| The Welsh word 'tystiolaeth' originates from the Latin 'testimonium', meaning 'proof', 'evidence' or 'witness'. | |||
Testimony in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | паказанні | ||
| "Паказанні" is cognate to Russian "показания" (same meaning), both deriving from "показать"/"показаць" – "to point out". In Polish and Czech there's "pokazanie"/"poznání" meaning "knowledge". In Lithuanian it's "pažinti", "to know". Thus the original meaning is not necessarily "to point out" but rather "to know, learn, recognize, become familiar with". | |||
| Bosnian | svjedočenje | ||
| In Bosnian, the word "svjedočenje" can also refer to a statement made under oath in court or a written record of evidence. | |||
| Bulgarian | свидетелство | ||
| The word "свидетелство" can also mean "evidence" or "certificate" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | svědectví | ||
| The word "svědectví" in Czech is a cognate of "witness" in English, both derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *wed- meaning "to know". | |||
| Estonian | tunnistus | ||
| Tunnistus ('testimony') in Estonian originates from the same Proto-Uralic root \*tońć- as 'truth' as well as 'conscience'. | |||
| Finnish | todistus | ||
| Todistus is derived from the Proto-Finnic word *toδi, meaning 'proof' or 'evidence' | |||
| Hungarian | bizonyság | ||
| "Bizonyság" comes from the verb "bizonyít" ("prove"), and is related to the word "bizony" (meaning "surely, certainly"). | |||
| Latvian | liecība | ||
| The word “liecība” can also mean “evidence” or “proof” depending on context. | |||
| Lithuanian | parodymai | ||
| The word is derived from Greek “παράδειγμα”, which means “example, model, pattern”. | |||
| Macedonian | сведоштво | ||
| The Macedonian word "сведоштво" is derived from the Proto-Slavic *svědъstvo, meaning "evidence" or "proof". | |||
| Polish | świadectwo | ||
| "Świadectwo" wywodzi się od prasłowiańskiego słowa "sъvědъ", oznaczającego "świadka" lub "dowód". | |||
| Romanian | mărturie | ||
| "Mărturie" is derived from the Latin word "martyrium", which means "witness" or "evidence given by a witness". | |||
| Russian | свидетельство | ||
| The word "свидетельство" derives from the Old Church Slavonic "свѧдѧ", meaning "witness", and is also used to refer to a document confirming a person's identity or qualifications. | |||
| Serbian | сведочење | ||
| The word "сведочење" ("testimony") in Serbian also means "attestation" or "certification". | |||
| Slovak | svedectvo | ||
| Svedectvo (Slovak "testimony") also means "certificate" and is cognate with the Slovak words "svedok" (witness) and "svedomie" (conscience). | |||
| Slovenian | pričevanje | ||
| Pričevanje is derived from the Slavic root "prič", meaning "to witness" or "to see", and can also refer to a confession or statement from an eyewitness. | |||
| Ukrainian | свідчення | ||
| In Ukrainian, "свідчення" also has a legal sense of "evidence" and a religious sense of "confession". | |||
Testimony in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সাক্ষ্য | ||
| সাক্ষ্য also means "evidence" in English. | |||
| Gujarati | જુબાની | ||
| The word "જુબાની" is derived from the Persian word "जुबानी", meaning "by word of mouth". | |||
| Hindi | गवाही | ||
| The Hindi word "गवाही" comes from the Sanskrit word "सह" ("to bear, carry together") and refers not only to testimony in a court but also to the support or agreement of a group. | |||
| Kannada | ಪುರಾವೆಯನ್ನು | ||
| The term "ಪುರಾವೆಯನ್ನು" in Kannada derives from the root word "ಪುರಾ" meaning "evidence" and "ತನ" meaning "quality" and refers to the act or state of providing evidence. | |||
| Malayalam | സാക്ഷ്യം | ||
| "സാക്ഷ്യം" is related to the Sanskrit word "sakshin," meaning a witness or one who knows. | |||
| Marathi | साक्ष | ||
| The word "साक्ष" in Marathi derives from Sanskrit "साक्षी" meaning "witness" and also connotes "evidence" or "proof". | |||
| Nepali | गवाही | ||
| "गवाही" is a loanword from Urdu meaning both "testimony" and "evidence." | |||
| Punjabi | ਗਵਾਹੀ | ||
| The word "ਗਵਾਹੀ" (testimony) in Punjabi shares the same root as the word "ਗਵਾਹ" (witness), indicating the intertwined nature of witnessing and providing testimony. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සාක්ෂි | ||
| සාක්ෂි (sākskhi) means 'one who sees' and is also used in law to refer to 'evidence' or 'proof'. | |||
| Tamil | சாட்சியம் | ||
| சாட்சியம் can also mean 'evidence' or 'proof', and is derived from the Sanskrit word 'sākṣi', meaning 'witness'. | |||
| Telugu | సాక్ష్యం | ||
| The word "సాక్ష్యం" can also mean "proof" or "evidence" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "साक्ष" which means "to see". | |||
| Urdu | گواہی | ||
| The word "گواہی" is derived from the Arabic word "شاهد" meaning "present" or "witness". | |||
Testimony in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 见证 | ||
| "见证" 可指证人的证言或在场见证事件，也可指见证人或见证事件的记录。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 見證 | ||
| "見證" is a compound word that originally meant "to see with one's own eyes", but now also refers to "bearing witness to an event". | |||
| Japanese | 証言 | ||
| 証言 derives from the same root character as 証拠 (evidence), suggesting a connection between testimony and proof. | |||
| Korean | 고백 | ||
| The word 고백, meaning "testimony", originated from the Chinese word 告白, which also means "confession" or "admission". | |||
| Mongolian | мэдүүлэг | ||
| "Мэдүүлэг" translates as "testimony", but also as "evidence" or a "written statement of facts"} | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သက်သေခံချက် | ||
Testimony in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kesaksian | ||
| The word 'kesaksian' in Indonesian can also mean 'evidence' or 'proof' in legal contexts. | |||
| Javanese | pepenget | ||
| In Javanese, pepenget is the testimony of a witness in a trial, or evidence in a legal case. | |||
| Khmer | ទីបន្ទាល់ | ||
| The word "testimony" derives from the Latin word "testis", meaning "witness", and refers to a statement given under oath or affirmation. | |||
| Lao | ປະຈັກພະຍານ | ||
| Malay | keterangan | ||
| "Keterangan" comes from Sanskrit "ketarangan" ('reason') and also means `explanation`, `detail`, `information`, or `evidence`. | |||
| Thai | คำให้การ | ||
| คำให้การ (testimony) can also refer to a Buddhist scripture or an edict from a sovereign. | |||
| Vietnamese | lời khai | ||
| The word "lời khai" can also mean "confession" or "statement" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | patotoo | ||
Testimony in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | şahidlik | ||
| The word "şahidlik" in Azerbaijani also means "eyewitness account" or "proof". | |||
| Kazakh | айғақтар | ||
| The Kazakh word "айғақтар" can also mean "proof" or "evidence". | |||
| Kyrgyz | күбөлүк | ||
| The word "күбөлүк" is also used in Kyrgyz for "witness", "evidence" and "proof" | |||
| Tajik | шаҳодат | ||
| The word "шаҳодат" in Tajik, meaning "testimony," comes from the Persian word "shahīd," which also means "martyr." | |||
| Turkmen | şaýatlyk | ||
| Uzbek | guvohlik | ||
| The Uzbek word "guvohlik" is also used to mean "evidence", "proof", or "declaration". | |||
| Uyghur | گۇۋاھلىق | ||
Testimony in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hōʻike hōʻike | ||
| The word "hōʻike hōʻike" can also mean "to reveal" or "to show" in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | whakaaturanga | ||
| In Maori, whakaaturanga can also refer to a 'dramatic performance' or a 'display of skill'. | |||
| Samoan | molimau | ||
| The word "molimau" in Samoan is ultimately derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *saksi, meaning "witness". In addition to its primary meaning of "testimony", "molimau" can also refer to a personal experience or firsthand account. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | patotoo | ||
| The word "patotoo" in Tagalog is derived from the root word "too" meaning "evidence" or "proof". | |||
Testimony in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | qhanañchäwi | ||
| Guarani | testimonio rehegua | ||
Testimony in International Languages
| Esperanto | atesto | ||
| The word "atesto" ("testimony") is derived from the Latin word "attestari" ("to call to witness"), and is related to the English word "protest". | |||
| Latin | testimonium | ||
| "Testimonium" also refers to a recommendation letter for a student seeking a teaching or research position; it is the predecessor to the modern academic letter of recommendation. | |||
Testimony in Others Languages
| Greek | μαρτυρία | ||
| In Attic Greek, μαρτυρία also meant the 'penalty paid by an informer for slander, if the accused was acquitted' and 'proof of guilt in a court of law'. | |||
| Hmong | lus pov thawj | ||
| In an alternate sense, 'lus pov thawj' also means 'to make a promise'. | |||
| Kurdish | îfada şahîd | ||
| The Kurdish word "îfada şahîd" can also refer to a statement made in court or to the act of giving evidence. | |||
| Turkish | tanıklık | ||
| Tanıklık, "şahit" ve "bilgi" kelimelerinin birleşiminden oluşan bir kelimedir. | |||
| Xhosa | ubungqina | ||
| 'Ubungqina' is derived from the verb '-ngqina', which means 'to bear witness'. | |||
| Yiddish | עדות | ||
| In Yiddish, "עדות" can also refer to a Jewish community or congregation. | |||
| Zulu | ubufakazi | ||
| Zulu word 'ubufakazi' may also refer to an event or occurrence that provides evidence. | |||
| Assamese | সাক্ষ্য দিয়া | ||
| Aymara | qhanañchäwi | ||
| Bhojpuri | गवाही दिहल गइल बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ހެކިބަސް ދިނުން | ||
| Dogri | गवाही दे दी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | patotoo | ||
| Guarani | testimonio rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | pammaneknek | ||
| Krio | tɛstimoni | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | شایەتحاڵی | ||
| Maithili | गवाही देब | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯥꯛꯁꯤ ꯄꯤꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | thu hriattîrna a ni | ||
| Oromo | ragaa bahuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସାକ୍ଷ୍ୟ | ||
| Quechua | testimonio nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | साक्ष्यम् | ||
| Tatar | шаһитлек | ||
| Tigrinya | ምስክርነት | ||
| Tsonga | vumbhoni | ||