Thinking in Different Languages
Discover 'Thinking' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Thinking is a fundamental human ability that allows us to process information, make decisions, and solve problems. It is the foundation of our consciousness and our capacity to learn and grow. Throughout history, great thinkers have shaped the course of human civilization, from philosophy and science to art and politics. The word 'thinking' has been translated into countless languages, reflecting the diversity and richness of human cultures around the world.
For example, in Spanish, 'thinking' is 'pensando', while in French, it is 'pensant'. In German, the word for 'thinking' is 'denkend', and in Chinese, it is '思考' (sīkǎo). These translations not only convey the meaning of the word but also capture something of the cultural and linguistic nuances of the languages themselves.
Understanding the translations of thinking in different languages can help us appreciate the beauty and complexity of human language and culture. It can also deepen our empathy and understanding of people from different backgrounds and experiences.
Thinking
Thinking in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | dink | ||
| The word "dink" in Afrikaans can also refer to an opinion, an idea, or a thought. | |||
| Amharic | ማሰብ | ||
| The word "ማሰብ" can also refer to "consideration" or "reflection". | |||
| Hausa | tunani | ||
| The Hausa word "tunani" has cognates in other Chadic languages and is a reflex of Proto-Chadic *tuna, which possibly meant "to know, to understand". | |||
| Igbo | na-eche echiche | ||
| The term "na-eche echiche" translates literally to "to eat thought". | |||
| Malagasy | mieritreritra | ||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuganiza | ||
| The word "kuganiza" is derived from the verb "-ganiza" meaning "to weave" or "to build". It also has the alternate meaning of "to plan" or "to intend" in Nyanja (Chichewa). | |||
| Shona | kufunga | ||
| In Shona, the verb 'kufunga' has a broader meaning encompassing 'contemplation', 'reflection', and 'reasoning'. | |||
| Somali | fikirka | ||
| The Somali word "fikirka" is derived from the Arabic word "fikra," which means "idea" or "thought." | |||
| Sesotho | ho nahana | ||
| Ho nahana' in Sesotho also refers to the process of washing one's body or taking a bath. | |||
| Swahili | kufikiri | ||
| The Swahili word "kufikiri" is derived from the Arabic word "fikr" (thought), and also means "to consider" or "to imagine". | |||
| Xhosa | ukucinga | ||
| "Ukucinga" is derived from the word "ingcinga," meaning "thought or reflection." | |||
| Yoruba | lerongba | ||
| The Yoruba word 'lerongba' also refers to the act of meditating or contemplating. | |||
| Zulu | ecabanga | ||
| The Zulu word 'ecabanga' also means 'meditation' or 'reflection'. | |||
| Bambara | miirili | ||
| Ewe | tamebubu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gutekereza | ||
| Lingala | kokanisa | ||
| Luganda | okulowooza | ||
| Sepedi | go nagana | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adwene a wɔde susuw nneɛma ho | ||
Thinking in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | التفكير | ||
| The root of the word التفكير is ف ك ر, which can also mean 'to contemplate', 'to remember', or 'to recall'. | |||
| Hebrew | חושב | ||
| The Hebrew word "חושב" shares a root with the word "חשבון" (account), which reflects its original meaning of "calculating". | |||
| Pashto | فکر کول | ||
| "فکر کول" is derived from the Persian word "fikr", meaning "a thought, an idea, or a plan." | |||
| Arabic | التفكير | ||
| The root of the word التفكير is ف ك ر, which can also mean 'to contemplate', 'to remember', or 'to recall'. | |||
Thinking in Western European Languages
| Albanian | duke menduar | ||
| The word "duke menduar" has a literal translation of "while thinking" and is used to indicate that something is happening simultaneously with the act of thinking. | |||
| Basque | pentsatzen | ||
| The word "pentsatzen" in Basque is derived from the Latin "pensare", meaning "to weigh" or "to consider". | |||
| Catalan | pensant | ||
| In Catalan, the word "pensant" originates from the Latin verb "pensare" with the additional suffix "-ant", denoting an ongoing action. | |||
| Croatian | razmišljajući | ||
| "Razmišljajući" in Croatian is related to "razum," which means "reason" or "understanding." | |||
| Danish | tænker | ||
| The word "tænker" also means "inkwell" in Danish, originating from the Middle Dutch "tenkere" (small container). | |||
| Dutch | denken | ||
| The Dutch word "denken" is derived from the Old German "thankjan", meaning "to give thanks" or "to consider". | |||
| English | thinking | ||
| The word "thinking" is derived from the Old English word "thencan," meaning "to consider" or "to remember." | |||
| French | en pensant | ||
| In French, the expression "en pensant" has the additional meaning of "intending" or "planning to do something"} | |||
| Frisian | tinke | ||
| In Frisian, "tinke" also means "to seem" or "to seem to be". | |||
| Galician | pensando | ||
| In Galician, "pensando" can also mean "leaning" or "suspecting". | |||
| German | denken | ||
| Denken derives from the Old High German word 'denkan,' meaning 'to remember' or 'to know.' | |||
| Icelandic | að hugsa | ||
| The word "að hugsa" can also mean "to consider" or "to have in mind". | |||
| Irish | ag smaoineamh | ||
| The Irish word | |||
| Italian | pensiero | ||
| The Italian word "pensiero" derives from the Latin verb "pensare," meaning to "weigh" or "ponder," indicating the act of careful consideration. | |||
| Luxembourgish | denken | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "denken" can also refer to "remembering" or "counting". | |||
| Maltese | ħsieb | ||
| The Maltese word 'ħsieb' is also used to refer to an 'opinion' or 'belief'. | |||
| Norwegian | tenker | ||
| (In Norwegian, "tenker" also means "a thinker." This is a person who thinks deeply or who has ideas or opinions.) | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | pensando | ||
| In Brazilian Portuguese "pensando" can also mean "almost". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | smaoineachadh | ||
| Spanish | pensando | ||
| "Pensando" comes from the Latin "pendere" ("to hang"), and can still be used with the connotation of "to ponder" or "to weigh"} | |||
| Swedish | tänkande | ||
| The word 'tänkande' has a more formal and sophisticated connotation, being used in academic and philosophical contexts. | |||
| Welsh | meddwl | ||
| The Welsh word meddwl derives from Proto-Celtic *med-to and is related to Irish meath, Scottish Gaelic meadh and Breton pred "thought, idea". | |||
Thinking in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | мысленне | ||
| The Belarusian word "мысленне" (thinking) comes from the Old Belarusian word "мыслити," which means "to think" or "to consider." | |||
| Bosnian | razmišljanje | ||
| The word "razmišljanje" comes from the verb "razmišljati", which means "to think" or "to contemplate". | |||
| Bulgarian | мислене | ||
| The Bulgarian word "мислене" derives from the verb "мисля" (to think), which itself is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *mysl-, meaning "thought" or "mind". | |||
| Czech | myslící | ||
| The word "myslící" originates from the verb "myslet" and its alternative meanings include "meaningful" and "reasonable". | |||
| Estonian | mõtlemine | ||
| The word "mõtlemine" is derived from the verb "mõelda" which means "to think", "to consider", or "to reflect". | |||
| Finnish | ajattelu | ||
| The verb "ajaa" can mean "drive" or "run" in the context of vehicles, machinery and liquids | |||
| Hungarian | gondolkodás | ||
| In Hungarian, the word "gondolkodás" comes from the word "gondol", meaning "to care" or "to worry". | |||
| Latvian | domāšana | ||
| "Domāšana" derives from the same root as the word "domāt" (to think), but also shares its root with words of a similar meaning, like the Lithuanian "dumoti" (ponder, think), Slavic "dumat'" (think, reflect), Albanian "mendoj" (think), and even Persian "dānestan" (knowing) | |||
| Lithuanian | mąstymas | ||
| The word "mąstymas" is derived from the verb "mąstyti", which means "to think", and is related to the noun "mąstysena", which means "way of thinking" or "mindset". | |||
| Macedonian | размислување | ||
| "Размислување" comes from the Proto-Slavic verb "razmysliti", meaning "to think, to ponder". | |||
| Polish | myślący | ||
| "Myślący" (thinking) comes from the same root as "myśl" (thought), which in turn comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *men- (to think). | |||
| Romanian | gândire | ||
| The Romanian word "gândire" ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰen- ("to strike") | |||
| Russian | мышление | ||
| The Russian word "мышление" can also mean "opinion" or "disposition". | |||
| Serbian | размишљајући | ||
| The Serbian word "размишљајући" can also refer to "contemplating" and "meditating". | |||
| Slovak | premýšľanie | ||
| The Slovak word "premýšľanie" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *prěmysliti, which also meant "to ponder" and "to deliberate" | |||
| Slovenian | razmišljanje | ||
| The Slovenian word "razmišljanje" can also mean "reflection" or "consideration". | |||
| Ukrainian | мислення | ||
| The word "мислення" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *men- meaning "mind" or "think". | |||
Thinking in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | চিন্তা | ||
| "চিন্তা" also means "worry" or "anxiety" in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | વિચારવું | ||
| Hindi | विचारधारा | ||
| "विचारधारा" originally meant "a stream of thought," and is related to the word "विचार," meaning "thought". | |||
| Kannada | ಆಲೋಚನೆ | ||
| The word "ಆಲೋಚನೆ" can also refer to a thought or idea, or the act of thinking or considering. | |||
| Malayalam | ചിന്തിക്കുന്നതെന്ന് | ||
| Marathi | विचार | ||
| The Marathi word 'विचार' can also refer to a 'reflection' or 'consideration'. | |||
| Nepali | सोच्दै | ||
| "सोच्दै" can also refer to "thinking of" | |||
| Punjabi | ਸੋਚ | ||
| The word "ਸੋਚ" in Punjabi has its roots in the Sanskrit word "chinti," meaning "to think, reflect, or contemplate." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සිතීම | ||
| The Sinhala word "සිතීම" can also refer to the process of planning or making up one's mind about an action. | |||
| Tamil | சிந்தனை | ||
| Telugu | ఆలోచిస్తూ | ||
| The word 'ఆలోచిస్తూ' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'चिन्ता'. It can also mean 'worrying' or 'meditating'. | |||
| Urdu | سوچنا | ||
| The word "सोचना" (sochana) in Urdu is derived from the Sanskrit word "चिन्ता" (chinta), which means "thought" or "worry". | |||
Thinking in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 思维 | ||
| The character 思 (si) in "思维" (thinking) can also mean "yearn for" or "miss". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 思維 | ||
| "思維" is pronounced "sīwéi" in Mandarin; it was used in ancient China to refer to "the movement of the mind" or "the flow of thoughts". | |||
| Japanese | 考え | ||
| The kanji used in the word 考え 'kangaeru' ('thinking') also means 'view', giving it the alternate meaning of 'opinion'. | |||
| Korean | 생각 | ||
| "생각" also means 'worry' and 'worrying about'. | |||
| Mongolian | бодох | ||
| The word "бодох" likely derives from the Mongolian verb "бод- " to think and also carries the connotation of "opinion" or "belief." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စဉ်းစား | ||
Thinking in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | berpikir | ||
| Berpikir, or 'thinking' in Indonesian, comes from the root word 'pikir', which can also mean 'mind' or 'idea'. | |||
| Javanese | mikir | ||
| In Javanese, "mikir" can also refer to the process of solving a problem. | |||
| Khmer | ការគិត | ||
| The Khmer word "ការគិត" can also mean "belief", "opinion", or "concept." | |||
| Lao | ຄິດ | ||
| "ຄິດ" can also mean "guessing" or "estimating". | |||
| Malay | berfikir | ||
| The word 'berfikir' is derived from the Proto-Austronesian root '*pikir', which also means 'to consider' or 'to estimate'. | |||
| Thai | ความคิด | ||
| The word "ความคิด" (khwam-kheet) in Thai can also mean "idea", "opinion", or "thought process" | |||
| Vietnamese | suy nghĩ | ||
| "Suy nghĩ" is a Vietnamese word composed of "suy" (consider) and "nghĩ" (think). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | iniisip | ||
Thinking in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | düşünmək | ||
| The word "düşünmək" in Azerbaijani shares its etymological roots with the Persian word "اندیشیدن" (andisheedan), meaning "to think" or "to contemplate". | |||
| Kazakh | ойлау | ||
| "Ойлау" also means "to meditate" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | ой жүгүртүү | ||
| The word "ой жүгүртүү" in Kyrgyz can also mean "to plan" or "to ponder". | |||
| Tajik | фикр кардан | ||
| фикр кардан происходит аз старофарси жизни «фикр» до слова фарси «придыхать», «удумать», «заботить» | |||
| Turkmen | pikirlenmek | ||
| Uzbek | fikrlash | ||
| The Uzbek word "fikrlash" also refers to the concept of meditation, contemplation, and introspection. | |||
| Uyghur | تەپەككۇر | ||
Thinking in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | manaʻo | ||
| "Manaʻo" can also mean "thought, intention, purpose, spirit." | |||
| Maori | whakaaro | ||
| Whakaaro derives its semantic significance from its root meaning 'to set in order' | |||
| Samoan | mafaufau | ||
| The word "mafaufau" also means "to create; to imagine; to plan". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | iniisip | ||
| The word "iniisip" in Tagalog can also refer to a preoccupation or something that is on one's mind. | |||
Thinking in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | amuyt’aña | ||
| Guarani | opensávo | ||
Thinking in International Languages
| Esperanto | pensante | ||
| "Pensante" also means "thinking person" or "scientist". | |||
| Latin | cogitare | ||
| The origin of 'cogitare' is uncertain, but it might stem from the PIE root *koǵ- ('to know'). | |||
Thinking in Others Languages
| Greek | σκέψη | ||
| The word σκέψη (thinking) shares the same root with a range of terms expressing thought and reflection, including σκοπός (goal), σκιά (shadow), εποπτεία (supervision), and επισκοπία (inspection). | |||
| Hmong | xav | ||
| The word "xav" can also be a verb that means "to consider", "to ponder", or "to reflect upon". | |||
| Kurdish | difikirin | ||
| The Kurdish word "difikirin" is also used to describe mental processes such as cognition, understanding, and reasoning. | |||
| Turkish | düşünme | ||
| In Turkish, 'düşünme' also refers to a state of trance or daydream, a meaning absent in English. | |||
| Xhosa | ukucinga | ||
| "Ukucinga" is derived from the word "ingcinga," meaning "thought or reflection." | |||
| Yiddish | טראכטן | ||
| טראכטן can also mean 'to desire', from the German word 'trachten' with the same meaning. | |||
| Zulu | ecabanga | ||
| The Zulu word 'ecabanga' also means 'meditation' or 'reflection'. | |||
| Assamese | চিন্তা কৰি থকা | ||
| Aymara | amuyt’aña | ||
| Bhojpuri | सोचत बानी | ||
| Dhivehi | ވިސްނަމުންނެވެ | ||
| Dogri | सोचते हुए | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | iniisip | ||
| Guarani | opensávo | ||
| Ilocano | agpampanunot | ||
| Krio | we yu de tink | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بیرکردنەوە | ||
| Maithili | सोचैत | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯋꯥꯈꯜ ꯈꯅꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | ngaihtuah chungin | ||
| Oromo | yaaduu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଚିନ୍ତା | ||
| Quechua | yuyaywan | ||
| Sanskrit | चिन्तयन् | ||
| Tatar | уйлау | ||
| Tigrinya | ምሕሳብ | ||
| Tsonga | ku ehleketa | ||