Theory in Different Languages
Discover 'Theory' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'theory' holds immense significance in our vocabulary, denoting a set of principles or ideas intended to explain facts or events. From scientific theories like Einstein's Theory of Relativity to philosophical ones such as Marx's Dialectical Materialism, theories have shaped human understanding of the world.
The term's cultural importance is undeniable. It's not just about having an opinion; it's about constructing a well-reasoned, supported argument. Theories are tested, refined, and sometimes discarded, but they always push the boundaries of knowledge and understanding.
Ever wondered how different cultures interpret this crucial concept? Let's explore some translations of 'theory' in various languages, offering a fascinating glimpse into global perspectives on this key concept.
In Spanish, 'theory' becomes 'teoría', in French, 'théorie', and in German, 'Theorie'. Each language lends its unique flavor to the term, reflecting different cultural nuances and historical contexts.
Theory
Theory in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | teorie | ||
| The word "teorie" in Afrikaans can also refer to a hypothesis or conjecture, rather than a well-established principle. | |||
| Amharic | ቲዎሪ | ||
| "ቲዎሪ" comes from the Greek word "theoreein" meaning "to look at," "to speculate," and "to view". | |||
| Hausa | ka'idar | ||
| The word "ka'idar" in Hausa has Arabic origins, and also means "law" or "rule". | |||
| Igbo | tiori | ||
| The word tiori, meaning "theory", can also mean "belief" or "principle" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | -kevitra | ||
| The Malagasy word "-kevitra" is derived from the Sanskrit word "kalpavitra," meaning "a sacred object or formula." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chiphunzitso | ||
| Chiphunzitso means 'interpretation' and 'guess' in Nyanja and is also used figuratively in a philosophical context. | |||
| Shona | dzidziso | ||
| The word "dzidziso" in Shona is thought to have originated from the word "dzi" meaning "to know" and "dzo" meaning "to try". It also means "conjecture". | |||
| Somali | aragti | ||
| Araguti derives from the Arabic word "nazar ("نظر), which means "study" or "view". | |||
| Sesotho | khopolo | ||
| Khopolo is a word used in Sesotho as a translation for "theory" and also means "a reason". | |||
| Swahili | nadharia | ||
| "Nadhi'a" also means "belief" and "speculation" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ithiyori | ||
| The word "ithiyori" can also refer to a plan or scheme, or to a set of principles or beliefs. | |||
| Yoruba | yii | ||
| The Yoruba word 'yii' can also refer to a 'pattern' or a 'way' that someone does something. | |||
| Zulu | inkolelo | ||
| The Zulu word 'inkolelo' ('theory') also refers to a 'pattern of movement' or 'a guiding principle'. | |||
| Bambara | kɛ cogo | ||
| Ewe | agbalẽmenya | ||
| Kinyarwanda | inyigisho | ||
| Lingala | liteya | ||
| Luganda | okukkiriza | ||
| Sepedi | teori | ||
| Twi (Akan) | tiɔri | ||
Theory in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نظرية | ||
| The word نظرية is derived from the root word نظر, meaning "to look." It has connotations of speculation, conjecture, and abstract thought. | |||
| Hebrew | תֵאוֹרִיָה | ||
| The Hebrew word תֵאוֹרִיָה can also refer to a legal theory or a system of thought. | |||
| Pashto | تیوري | ||
| The Pashto word 'تیوري' has Persian origins, and also means 'idea' or 'opinion'. | |||
| Arabic | نظرية | ||
| The word نظرية is derived from the root word نظر, meaning "to look." It has connotations of speculation, conjecture, and abstract thought. | |||
Theory in Western European Languages
| Albanian | teoria | ||
| The Albanian word "teoria" can also mean "opinion" or "doctrine" | |||
| Basque | teoria | ||
| Teoria, in Basque, is also used to refer to a book or a notebook. | |||
| Catalan | teoria | ||
| The word 'teoria' in Catalan can also refer to a hypothesis, a conjecture, or a speculative explanation. | |||
| Croatian | teorija | ||
| The word "teorija" can also mean "thesis" or "hypothesis" in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | teori | ||
| Danish “teori” has the more specialised meaning of “dramatic theory” or “dramatic principles”. | |||
| Dutch | theorie | ||
| The Dutch word "theorie" can also refer to a hypothesis, a doctrine, or a system of ideas. | |||
| English | theory | ||
| The English word "theory" comes from the Greek word "theorein", meaning "to contemplate or to look at." | |||
| French | théorie | ||
| In French, "théorie" can mean either an explanation or a hypothesis, a subtlety often lost in translation. | |||
| Frisian | teory | ||
| The Frisian word "teory" can also refer to a discussion or debate, or a set of principles or rules. | |||
| Galician | teoría | ||
| A palabra "teoría" en galego ten orixe etimolóxica na palabra grega "θεωρία", que significa "contemplación" ou "observación". | |||
| German | theorie | ||
| It derives from Greek theorein (θεωρεῖν), meaning "to observe" or "to speculate". | |||
| Icelandic | kenning | ||
| In Icelandic, the word "kenning" also refers to a type of metaphorical poetic device employed in verse. | |||
| Irish | teoiric | ||
| The Irish word "teoiric" originates from the Greek word "theoria", meaning "contemplation" or "speculation". | |||
| Italian | teoria | ||
| "Teoria" in Italian can also mean "thesis" or "principle." | |||
| Luxembourgish | theorie | ||
| Theorie can also mean "doctrine" | |||
| Maltese | teorija | ||
| Derived from French “theorie” via Italian, and ultimately from Greek “theorein” meaning “to observe, contemplate, speculate”. | |||
| Norwegian | teori | ||
| Teori comes from the Greek word theorein, meaning 'to observe' or 'to contemplate'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | teoria | ||
| In Portuguese, "teoria" can also mean "hypothesis" or "conjecture". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | teòiridh | ||
| In Gaelic, the word "teòiridh" can also refer to a speculation or a conjecture. | |||
| Spanish | teoría | ||
| In Spanish, "teoría" can also mean "hypothesis" or "doctrine". | |||
| Swedish | teori | ||
| .. | |||
| Welsh | theori | ||
| The Welsh word 'theori' can also refer to a sermon or lecture, reflecting its Latin root 'theoria' meaning 'contemplation' or 'speculation'. | |||
Theory in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | тэорыя | ||
| "Тэорыя" (Belarusian for "theory") also means "speculation" or "hypothesis". | |||
| Bosnian | teorija | ||
| In Bosnian, the word "teorija" also refers to a "scientific discipline". | |||
| Bulgarian | теория | ||
| In modern Bulgarian "теория" has gained the additional meaning of "rumor or gossip" | |||
| Czech | teorie | ||
| The Czech word "teorie" can also be understood in a less formal sense, referring to a wild guess or speculation. | |||
| Estonian | teooria | ||
| The word "teooria" in Estonian is derived from the Greek word "theoría," meaning "investigation, contemplation, speculation". | |||
| Finnish | teoria | ||
| In Finnish, "teoria" can also mean "opinion" or "hypothesis" | |||
| Hungarian | elmélet | ||
| The word "elmélet" comes from the Greek word "theoria," meaning "to observe" or "to contemplate." | |||
| Latvian | teorija | ||
| The word 'teorija' can also mean 'hypothesis' or 'doctrine' in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | teorija | ||
| The term "teorija" derives from the ancient Greek "theorein," meaning "to contemplate" or "to speculate." | |||
| Macedonian | теорија | ||
| In Macedonian, "теорија" also means a hypothesis or assumption. | |||
| Polish | teoria | ||
| In Polish, teoria also means belief or dogma. | |||
| Romanian | teorie | ||
| The Romanian word "teorie" is derived from the Greek word "theoria," which means "contemplation" or "speculation." | |||
| Russian | теория | ||
| In Russian, 'теория' (theory) also refers to a speculative hypothesis or concept, or a systematic body of knowledge. | |||
| Serbian | теорија | ||
| The term "teorija" in Serbian can also refer to a hypothesis, a set of principles, or a system of thought. | |||
| Slovak | teória | ||
| The word "teória" can also mean "opinion" or "opinion poll" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | teorija | ||
| In Bosnian "teorija" also has another meaning: exercise book. | |||
| Ukrainian | теорія | ||
| "Теорія" in Ukrainian can also mean "a set of principles governing a particular activity". | |||
Theory in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | তত্ত্ব | ||
| The Sanskrit root of "তত্ত্ব" (tattva) is "tattva," meaning "principle," "reality," or "thatness." | |||
| Gujarati | સિદ્ધાંત | ||
| `સિદ્ધાંત` ('theory') traces its roots to the Sanskrit 'siddhānta,' which also carries the meaning of 'conclusion'. | |||
| Hindi | सिद्धांत | ||
| The Hindi word 'सिद्धांत' derives from Sanskrit, and literally translates to 'established principle' | |||
| Kannada | ಸಿದ್ಧಾಂತ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಸಿದ್ಧಾಂತ" can also mean "principle", "doctrine", or "creed". | |||
| Malayalam | സിദ്ധാന്തം | ||
| Marathi | सिद्धांत | ||
| The word "सिद्धांत" comes from the Sanskrit words "सिद्ध" (proven) and "अंत" (end) and also means "premise" or "doctrine." | |||
| Nepali | सिद्धान्त | ||
| The Sanskrit root of सिद्धान्त (siddhānta) is composed of two morphemes: सिद्ध (siddha), meaning "proven" or "accomplished", and अन्त (anta), meaning "end," "goal," or "conclusion." | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਿਧਾਂਤ | ||
| The word "ਸਿਧਾਂਤ" ("theory") in Punjabi also carries the connotation of "principle" or "doctrine." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | න්යාය | ||
| The word "න්යාය" ("theory") in Sinhala is derived from the Sanskrit word "न्याय" (Nyāya), which originally meant "justice" or "right conduct". | |||
| Tamil | கோட்பாடு | ||
| கோட்பாடு ( theory) also means 'belief' or 'faith' in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | సిద్ధాంతం | ||
| In Telugu, సిద్ధాంతం can also refer to a philosophical or religious doctrine, an established principle or rule, or a hypothesis. | |||
| Urdu | نظریہ | ||
| The Urdu word "نظریہ" is derived from the Arabic word "نظر" meaning "opinion" or "viewpoint" and can also refer to a "hypothesis" or " conjecture" | |||
Theory in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 理论 | ||
| 理论 (lìlùn) originally meant to weave threads together on a loom. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 理論 | ||
| The simplified character "论" in the word for "theory" also means to discuss or to debate | |||
| Japanese | 理論 | ||
| The word "理論" (theory) in Japanese has a broader meaning than in English, referring not only to scientific theories but also to philosophies, doctrines, and principles. | |||
| Korean | 이론 | ||
| It is derived from the Greek word theoria, which means "to see, to look at, to consider." | |||
| Mongolian | онол | ||
| In addition to "theory", "онол" also means "doctrine", "principle", and "law" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သီအိုရီ | ||
Theory in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | teori | ||
| Teori's alternate meaning is 'opinion' in Javanese, which it adopted through Arabic, but has a more scientific connotation in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | teori | ||
| In Javanese, "teori" can also refer to a plan or a strategy. | |||
| Khmer | ទ្រឹស្តី | ||
| The Khmer word "ទ្រឹស្តី" can also refer to a hypothesis, principle, or doctrine. | |||
| Lao | ທິດສະດີ | ||
| Malay | teori | ||
| The Malay word "teori" is not of Malay origin, but is borrowed from the Greek word "theorein" meaning "to behold" or "to contemplate". | |||
| Thai | ทฤษฎี | ||
| The word "ทฤษฎี" (theory) in Thai can also refer to a proposition, principle, or doctrine. | |||
| Vietnamese | học thuyết | ||
| The Vietnamese word "học thuyết" can also mean "doctrine" or "dogma". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | teorya | ||
Theory in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | nəzəriyyə | ||
| In some contexts, "nəzəriyyə" can also refer to a "doctrine" or "principle". | |||
| Kazakh | теория | ||
| In Kazakh, “теория” also means “hypothesis”. | |||
| Kyrgyz | теория | ||
| Kyrgyz теорйа ("теория") is a borrowing from Russian теория ("theory"), which in turn comes from Greek θεωρία ("contemplation, speculation"). | |||
| Tajik | назария | ||
| In Persian, "naẓariya" means "look" or "view", and in Arabic, it means "something that is seen" or "a spectacle". | |||
| Turkmen | nazaryýeti | ||
| Uzbek | nazariya | ||
| "Nazariya" also means "outlook" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | نەزەرىيە | ||
Theory in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kumumanaʻo | ||
| 'Kumumanaʻo,' meaning 'theory' or 'concept', is a compound of the Hawaiian words 'kumu' (base, source, root) and 'manaʻo' (thought, idea). | |||
| Maori | ariā | ||
| In Māori, "ariā" also refers to a traditional chant or formula for remembering knowledge and reciting whakapapa (genealogical lines). | |||
| Samoan | talitonuga | ||
| The Samoan word "talitonuga" derives from "tali" (string) and "tonuga" (to pull). | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | teorya | ||
| The Tagalog word "teorya" originally meant "pattern" or "example" but gained its current meaning through Spanish influence. | |||
Theory in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | qillqataki | ||
| Guarani | kuaapy | ||
Theory in International Languages
| Esperanto | teorio | ||
| The word "teorio" is derived from the Greek "theoria," meaning "contemplation" or "speculation." | |||
| Latin | doctrina | ||
| "Doctrina " in Latin also means "teaching" or "instruction." | |||
Theory in Others Languages
| Greek | θεωρία | ||
| In Greek, "θεωρία" can also refer to a contemplation, spectacle, or a religious or philosophical doctrine. | |||
| Hmong | kev tshawb xav | ||
| Kev tshawb xav is derived from the Hmong word "xav," meaning "to think or to figure out," and "kev," meaning "the act of doing something." | |||
| Kurdish | dîtinî | ||
| The word "dîtinî" also means "hypothesis" or "idea" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | teori | ||
| 'Teori' sözcüğü Osmanlıca 'te'vîl' sözcüğünden gelir ve 'yorum' anlamına da gelir. | |||
| Xhosa | ithiyori | ||
| The word "ithiyori" can also refer to a plan or scheme, or to a set of principles or beliefs. | |||
| Yiddish | טעאריע | ||
| The Yiddish word "טעאריע" (teorie) can also refer to a hypothesis, a supposition, or an assumption. | |||
| Zulu | inkolelo | ||
| The Zulu word 'inkolelo' ('theory') also refers to a 'pattern of movement' or 'a guiding principle'. | |||
| Assamese | তত্ত্ব | ||
| Aymara | qillqataki | ||
| Bhojpuri | सिद्धांत | ||
| Dhivehi | ތިއަރީ | ||
| Dogri | सिद्धांत | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | teorya | ||
| Guarani | kuaapy | ||
| Ilocano | teoria | ||
| Krio | wetin pɔsin tink | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گریمانە | ||
| Maithili | सिद्धांत | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯨꯝꯃꯤ ꯈꯟꯅꯕ ꯋꯥꯔꯣꯜ | ||
| Mizo | thu | ||
| Oromo | yaad-rimee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସିଦ୍ଧାନ୍ତ | ||
| Quechua | teoría | ||
| Sanskrit | सिद्धांत | ||
| Tatar | теория | ||
| Tigrinya | ሓሳብ | ||
| Tsonga | xianakanyiwa | ||