Theater in Different Languages
Discover 'Theater' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Theater, a word that evokes a sense of wonder and excitement, is a significant cultural institution across the globe. It is a platform where stories come alive, emotions are heightened, and societal issues are explored. From the grandeur of ancient Greek amphitheaters to the intimate black box theaters of today, this art form has stood the test of time, continually adapting and evolving to reflect the societies that create it.
Knowing the translation of 'theater' in different languages not only broadens your vocabulary but also deepens your understanding and appreciation of this universal art form. For instance, the German word for theater, 'Theater', reflects its roots in Greek theater, while the French term, 'théâtre', embodies the French flair for the dramatic. In Mandarin, '剧院' (jùyuàn) translates to 'drama house', emphasizing the physical space where performances occur.
Join us as we explore the translations of 'theater' in various languages, shedding light on the cultural nuances and historical contexts that make each one unique.
Theater
Theater in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | teater | ||
| The Afrikaans word "teater" has roots in the Greek word "theatron", meaning "a place for viewing", and the Latin word "theatrum", meaning "a building for public performances and exhibitions." | |||
| Amharic | ቲያትር | ||
| The word "ቲያትር" (theater) is derived from the Greek word "θέατρον" (theatron), which means "a place for viewing". | |||
| Hausa | gidan wasan kwaikwayo | ||
| In Hausa, the word "gidan wasan kwaikwayo" is also used to refer to a cinema or movie theater. | |||
| Igbo | ihe nkiri | ||
| The Igbo word "ihe nkiri" literally translates to "that which is seen". | |||
| Malagasy | theatre | ||
| The Malagasy word for "theatre", "efitra", is derived from the Arabic word "masrah", which means "a place of performance". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zisudzo | ||
| In the Yao language, the word 'zisudzo' also means "a place of gathering". | |||
| Shona | yemitambo | ||
| The word “yemitambo” in Shona is derived from the word “tamba,” meaning “to dance” or “to play.” | |||
| Somali | tiyaatarka | ||
| The word "tiyaatarka" in Somali is derived from the Arabic word "tiyaatir," which means "a place of entertainment where plays are performed." | |||
| Sesotho | lebaleng la liketsahalo | ||
| The word "lebaleng" also means "a place of entertainment or amusement". | |||
| Swahili | ukumbi wa michezo | ||
| 'Ukumbi wa michezo' is derived from 'ukumbi', meaning 'hall', and 'michezo', meaning 'games' or 'sports', reflecting the multiple uses of theaters. | |||
| Xhosa | yeqonga | ||
| The word "yeqonga" is derived from the verb "ukuyiqonga", meaning "to surround" or "to enclose". | |||
| Yoruba | itage | ||
| "Itage" (theatre) also means "a place of gathering" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | yaseshashalazini | ||
| The word "yaseshashalazini" in Zulu originally referred to a place where people watched plays or performances. | |||
| Bambara | ɲɛnajɛyɔrɔ | ||
| Ewe | fefewɔƒe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | theatre | ||
| Lingala | théâtre | ||
| Luganda | katemba | ||
| Sepedi | teatere ya dipapadi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | agoruhwɛbea | ||
Theater in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مسرح | ||
| The word "مسرح" can also mean a place of gathering or assembly. | |||
| Hebrew | תיאטרון | ||
| The Hebrew word "תיאטרון" derives from the Greek word "θέατρον" and literally means "a place for seeing." | |||
| Pashto | تیاتر | ||
| "تیاتر" (theater) is also used to refer to a "stage" or "drama" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | مسرح | ||
| The word "مسرح" can also mean a place of gathering or assembly. | |||
Theater in Western European Languages
| Albanian | teatri | ||
| Teatri in Albanian also referred to a tent where a traveling performance was held or a place where someone put on a show | |||
| Basque | antzerkia | ||
| Antzerkia is derived from the word | |||
| Catalan | teatre | ||
| Despite deriving from the Greek 'theatron', the Catalan word 'teatre' is sometimes also used for a 'platform' or 'dais' in a more general sense. | |||
| Croatian | kazalište | ||
| In Croatian, 'kazalište' is of Italian origin and is likely derived from the word 'castello' (castle). | |||
| Danish | teater | ||
| The Danish word "teater" originates from the Greek word "theatron", which means "a place for viewing". | |||
| Dutch | theater | ||
| The Dutch word "theater" can also refer to a specific type of surgical operating room. | |||
| English | theater | ||
| The term "theater" originates from the Greek word "theatron" which literally means "viewing place" and refers to a building or space for the presentation of dramatic or artistic performances. | |||
| French | théâtre | ||
| The French word "théâtre" originates from the Greek word "théatron" and was originally used to refer to a specific part of a Greek theater used for performances. | |||
| Frisian | teater | ||
| It also refers to the location of the stage in a church. | |||
| Galician | teatro | ||
| The Galician word "teatro" can also refer to a shed, a shelter or a workshop, while in Portuguese it can designate the back and in Asturian the balcony. | |||
| German | theater | ||
| In German, the term "Theater" can also refer to a lecture hall or an assembly room, highlighting its broader connection to performance and public gatherings. | |||
| Icelandic | leikhús | ||
| "Leikhús" is the Icelandic word for "theater," derived from the Old Norse word "leikhus," meaning "house of play." | |||
| Irish | amharclann | ||
| "Amharclann" is an Irish word meaning "theater" that derives from the Greek "amphitheatron" (amphitheater). | |||
| Italian | teatro | ||
| The word "Teatro" is derived from the Greek word "theatron," meaning "seeing place," and originally referred to the part of the ancient Greek theater where the audience sat. | |||
| Luxembourgish | theater | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Theater" can also refer to a cinema or a concert hall. | |||
| Maltese | teatru | ||
| The Maltese word for "theater," "teatru," derives from the Italian word "teatro" and can also refer to a performance or spectacle. | |||
| Norwegian | teater | ||
| The word "teater" comes from the Greek word "theatron", meaning "viewing place". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | teatro | ||
| The Portuguese word 'teatro' can also refer to a surgical operating room. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | theatar | ||
| In Scottish Gaelic, "theatar" can also refer to an outdoor performance venue, or "the place of the spectacle." | |||
| Spanish | teatro | ||
| "Teatro" is derived from the Greek word "theatron," meaning 'viewing place'. | |||
| Swedish | teater | ||
| Swedish "teater" derives from Ancient Greek "theatron", which originally meant "a seeing place". | |||
| Welsh | theatr | ||
| Theatr means 'to look' or 'to appear' in Welsh, hinting at the visual nature of theatre. | |||
Theater in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | тэатр | ||
| The word "тэатр" is derived from the Greek word "theatron", which means "a place for watching". | |||
| Bosnian | pozorište | ||
| The word 'pozorište' comes from the Greek term 'theatron,' meaning 'the place to be seen.' | |||
| Bulgarian | театър | ||
| The Bulgarian word "театър" comes from the Greek word "θέατρον", which means "a place for viewing". | |||
| Czech | divadlo | ||
| Divadlo, derived from the Greek "theatron" (a seeing place), can also refer to a "spectacle" or "performance" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | teater | ||
| In Estonian, "teater" originates from "teaterdaja", meaning "actor" or "pretender", and is distinct from "näitemäng", meaning "play". | |||
| Finnish | teatteri | ||
| Teatteri is derived from the Greek word theatron, meaning "a place for seeing". | |||
| Hungarian | színház | ||
| The word 'színház' is derived from the Greek word 'theatron', which means 'a place for viewing plays'. | |||
| Latvian | teātris | ||
| The word "teātris" is derived from the Greek word "θέατρον" (théatron), meaning "a place for viewing". | |||
| Lithuanian | teatras | ||
| In Lithuanian, the word teatras also refers to a building specifically designed for theatrical performances. | |||
| Macedonian | театар | ||
| Театар originates from the Greek word theatron, which means a place for watching. | |||
| Polish | teatr | ||
| The Polish word "teatr" is derived from the Greek word "theatron," meaning "a place for watching." | |||
| Romanian | teatru | ||
| The word "teatru" comes from Latin "theatrum", which in turn derives from Greek "theatron", meaning "a place for seeing". | |||
| Russian | театр | ||
| The Russian word "театр" (theater) derives from the ancient Greek word "θέατρον" (theatron), which means "a place for viewing spectacles." | |||
| Serbian | позориште | ||
| The word 'позориште' is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *pozorъ, meaning 'view' or 'show'. | |||
| Slovak | divadlo | ||
| The word "divadlo" also means "spectacle" or "show" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | gledališče | ||
| The word 'gledališče' originates from the verb 'gledati', meaning 'to watch', and the suffix '-šče', indicating a place. | |||
| Ukrainian | театр | ||
| The word "театр" comes from the Greek word "θέατρον" (theatron), meaning "a place for viewing". | |||
Theater in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | থিয়েটার | ||
| থিয়েটার (theater) শব্দটি গ্রিক শব্দ "θέατρον" (theatron) থেকে এসেছে, যার অর্থ "দেখার জায়গা" বা "দর্শকদের জায়গা"। | |||
| Gujarati | થિયેટર | ||
| The Gujarati word "થિયેટર" can also refer to a place where public meetings or performances are held. | |||
| Hindi | थिएटर | ||
| The word "थिएटर" (pronounced "tee-aa-tur") is derived from the Greek word "theatron," which means "a place for seeing." | |||
| Kannada | ರಂಗಭೂಮಿ | ||
| Malayalam | തിയേറ്റർ | ||
| The word "തിയേറ്റർ" comes from the Greek word "θέατρον", meaning "a place for viewing". | |||
| Marathi | थिएटर | ||
| In Marathi, "थिएटर" also means "a place where people gather for entertainment" or a "stage". | |||
| Nepali | थिएटर | ||
| In Nepali, तहियहेटर also refers to a type of large-screen entertainment with multiple short segments called पहोनो | |||
| Punjabi | ਥੀਏਟਰ | ||
| The word "ਥੀਏਟਰ" (theater) is derived from the Greek word "θέατρον" (theatron), meaning "a place for viewing". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | රංග ශාලාව | ||
| Tamil | திரையரங்கம் | ||
| Etymology: Derived from the Sanskrit word "dhṛti," meaning "to hold"; suggests a place where events are held and watched. | |||
| Telugu | థియేటర్ | ||
| The word "థియేటర్" in Telugu also refers to an architectural space designed for entertainment, particularly drama and cultural performances. | |||
| Urdu | تھیٹر | ||
| The Urdu word "تھیٹر" is derived from the Greek word "θέατρον" (theatron), meaning "a place for viewing". | |||
Theater in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 剧院 | ||
| The word 剧院 (theater) literally means "playhouse" in Chinese and has existed since before the 6th century. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 劇院 | ||
| 「劇院」一詞在中文裡還有「戲劇」的含義，源自於「劇」和「院」兩個字。 | |||
| Japanese | 劇場 | ||
| The word "劇場" (gekijo) can also refer to a "playhouse" or "concert hall". | |||
| Korean | 극장 | ||
| 극장 is derived via the Sino word 戲場 (희장, theater) and can also refer specifically to puppet theater in its native language. | |||
| Mongolian | театр | ||
| In Mongolian, 'театр' also refers to 'cinema' and is derived from the French word 'théâtre' meaning 'place for watching' | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပြဇာတ်ရုံ | ||
Theater in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | teater | ||
| The word "teater" can also refer to a traditional Javanese theater performance that combines music, dance, and puppetry. | |||
| Javanese | téater | ||
| The Javanese word 'téater' also means 'to imitate', suggesting its connection to performance and representation. | |||
| Khmer | ល្ខោន | ||
| The Khmer word ល្ខោន is cognate with the Thai word ละคร, a form of traditional performing art. | |||
| Lao | ໂຮງລະຄອນ | ||
| Malay | teater | ||
| The word 'teater' in Malay originates from the Sanskrit word 'tyātrā', meaning 'spectacle' or 'performance'. | |||
| Thai | โรงละคร | ||
| The word "โรงละคร" (theater) in Thai is derived from the Sanskrit word "natyashala" (house of dance), indicating its origins in traditional dance performances. | |||
| Vietnamese | rạp hát | ||
| The word 'rạp hát' comes from the Khmer word 'robath', meaning a place with a temporary stage where masked dancers perform. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | teatro | ||
Theater in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | teatr | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "teatr" comes from the Greek "theatron", meaning "place for seeing" and is also related to the verb "theaomai", meaning "to look at" or "to behold". | |||
| Kazakh | театр | ||
| The Kazakh word "театр" comes from the Greek word "θέατρον" (théatron), which originally meant "seeing place" or "viewing place". Another possible origin is the Persian word "تاثر" (tāsir), which means "impression" or "influence". | |||
| Kyrgyz | театр | ||
| The word "театр" is also used to refer to a theatrical performance in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | театр | ||
| The term "театр" comes from the Greek word "theatron," which originally referred to the space where spectators sat to watch performances. | |||
| Turkmen | teatr | ||
| Uzbek | teatr | ||
| The word "teatr" in Uzbek derives from the Greek word "theatron" meaning "a place for seeing," and can also refer to a school or other institution of higher learning. | |||
| Uyghur | تىياتىرخانا | ||
Theater in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hale keaka | ||
| The Hawaiian word 'hale keaka,' or 'theater,' originates from 'hale' (house) and 'keaka' (performers), referring to a gathering place for artistic expression. | |||
| Maori | whare tapere | ||
| The word "whare" means "house" in Maori, and "ta pere" means "to act" or "to perform". | |||
| Samoan | fale mataaga | ||
| Fale mataaga literally translates to 'house for watching' (fale = house, mata = watch, see, look, or show, agaa = action, movement, dance) as it was the venue for the mataaga or the dance theater. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | teatro | ||
| The word "teatro" comes from the Greek word "theatron", meaning "viewing place". | |||
Theater in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | teatro ukan uñacht’ayata | ||
| Guarani | ñoha’ãnga rehegua | ||
Theater in International Languages
| Esperanto | teatro | ||
| The Esperanto word "teatro" is derived from the Greek word "theatron," which originally meant "a place for seeing." | |||
| Latin | theatrum | ||
| The Latin word "theatrum" originally referred to a semicircular or circular space used for public assemblies, performances, or spectacles. | |||
Theater in Others Languages
| Greek | θέατρο | ||
| Etymology-wise, "θέατρο" comes from the words "θεάομαι, θάομαι", which mean "see" and "watch", respectively. | |||
| Hmong | tsev ua yeeb yam | ||
| In the Hmong language, tsev ua yeeb yam also refers to a place where traditional storytelling and music performances take place. | |||
| Kurdish | şano | ||
| The word "şano" in Kurdish derives from the Persian word "şen" and can also mean "noise" or "entertainment". | |||
| Turkish | tiyatro | ||
| "Tiyatro" shares the origin with "theatron," which is a place of presentation in ancient Greece. | |||
| Xhosa | yeqonga | ||
| The word "yeqonga" is derived from the verb "ukuyiqonga", meaning "to surround" or "to enclose". | |||
| Yiddish | טעאטער | ||
| The Yiddish word טעאטער can also refer to a playhouse, or a theatrical performance. | |||
| Zulu | yaseshashalazini | ||
| The word "yaseshashalazini" in Zulu originally referred to a place where people watched plays or performances. | |||
| Assamese | থিয়েটাৰ | ||
| Aymara | teatro ukan uñacht’ayata | ||
| Bhojpuri | रंगमंच के बारे में बतावल गइल बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ތިއޭޓަރެވެ | ||
| Dogri | थिएटर दा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | teatro | ||
| Guarani | ñoha’ãnga rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | teatro | ||
| Krio | teater we dɛn kin ple | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | شانۆ | ||
| Maithili | रंगमंच | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯊꯤꯌꯦꯇꯔꯗꯥ ꯌꯥꯑꯣꯔꯤ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | theatre-ah a awm a | ||
| Oromo | tiyaatira | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଥିଏଟର | ||
| Quechua | teatro nisqapi | ||
| Sanskrit | नाट्यशास्त्रम् | ||
| Tatar | театр | ||
| Tigrinya | ትያትር | ||
| Tsonga | theatre ya mintlangu | ||