Thought in different languages

Thought in Different Languages

Discover 'Thought' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

Thought is a powerful word that carries significant meaning across cultures and languages. It represents the mental processes involved in forming ideas, concepts, and judgments, and is a fundamental aspect of human consciousness. The significance of thought is evident in various philosophical, psychological, and spiritual traditions, which have long explored the nature and power of human thought.

Throughout history, thought has been a subject of fascination and inquiry, with many notable thinkers offering their perspectives on its significance and potential. From ancient Greek philosophers like Socrates and Plato to modern-day neuroscientists and psychologists, the study of thought has evolved and expanded, shedding light on its complexities and nuances.

Understanding the translation of thought in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural importance of this concept across the globe. For example, in Spanish, thought is translated as pensamiento, while in French, it is pensée. In German, thought is Gedanke, and in Japanese, it is shiso.

In this list, you will find a comprehensive collection of translations of thought in various languages, offering a unique perspective on the cultural significance of this fundamental human concept.

Thought


Thought in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansgedink
"Gedink" comes from the Dutch word "gedenken", which means "to remember" or "to commemorate."
Amharicአሰብኩ
The verb 'አሰብኩ' (thought) is related to 'ሰበከ' (studied, preached) and has the alternate meaning of 'reasoned out'
Hausatunani
The word 'tunani' in Hausa also means 'to think', 'to remember', and 'to consider'.
Igbochere
The Igbo word 'chere' also signifies opinion, understanding, concept or knowledge.
Malagasyeritreritra
In Malagasy, "eritreritra" can also refer to dreams or daydreams.
Nyanja (Chichewa)ganiza
The word "ganiza" in Nyanja can also mean "idea" or "concept"
Shonakufunga
The Shona noun 'kufunga' also means 'to think' or 'to consider'.
Somaliu maleeyey
As an adjective, 'u maleeyey' can mean 'wise' or 'having wisdom'
Sesothomonahano
The word "monahano" in Sesotho can also refer to a "plan" or "intention".
Swahilimawazo
The Swahili word "mawazo" also means "plans" or "intentions" depending on the context.
Xhosandicinge
"Ndicinge" in Xhosa can also refer to an idea, opinion, or intention.
Yorubaronu
The Yoruba word "ronu" can also refer to a state of worry or anxiety.
Zuluumcabango
"Umkcabango" is a Zulu noun which can also mean "understanding" or "belief".
Bambaramiiriya
Ewebui be
Kinyarwandayatekereje
Lingalalikanisi
Lugandaekirowoozo
Sepedikgopolo
Twi (Akan)dwenee

Thought in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicفكر
The Arabic word "فكر" is derived from the root "ف-ك-ر" which means "to split" or "to distinguish" and carries the connotation of separating ideas or concepts into their constituent parts for analysis and reflection.
Hebrewמַחֲשָׁבָה
The Hebrew word "מַחֲשָׁבָה" can also refer to a device or artifact
Pashtoفکر
The Pashto word "فکر" can also refer to an opinion or an idea.
Arabicفكر
The Arabic word "فكر" is derived from the root "ف-ك-ر" which means "to split" or "to distinguish" and carries the connotation of separating ideas or concepts into their constituent parts for analysis and reflection.

Thought in Western European Languages

Albanianmendimi
The Albanian word "mendim" derives from Proto-Albanian "*mend-im-a", cognate with Proto-Slavic "*mъnz-i-ti", meaning "to consider".
Basquepentsatu
The Basque word "pentsatu" derives from the Latin "pensare," meaning "to weigh," and also carries the connotation of "to consider" or "to ponder."
Catalanpensava
The Catalan word "pensava" derives from the Latin word "pensare", which means "to weigh" or "to consider".
Croatianmisao
The word "misao" is thought to come from the Proto-Indo-European word "*men-/*mn-," meaning "to think, to remember."
Danishtanke
In old Danish, 'tanke' also referred to 'thanks' or 'gratitude', showing the connection between cognition and appreciation.
Dutchgedachte
The word "gedachte" in Dutch is derived from the Old High German word "gidāhti", meaning "something remembered" or "that which is kept in mind".
Englishthought
The word "thought" comes from the Old English word "þoht," which originally meant "mind" or "memory."
Frenchpensée
The French word "pensée" also refers to a type of flower known as a pansy.
Frisiantins
Frisian "tins" is related to English "think" and also means "to appear" or "to seem"
Galicianpensamento
The Galician word "pensamento" also refers to the flower pansy, a symbol of remembrance.
Germanhabe gedacht
The German word "habe gedacht" can also mean "have thought" or "have believed".
Icelandichugsaði
"Hugsa" originally referred to the act of breathing or blowing, later extending to "thoughts" and "opinions" in the 16th century.
Irishshíl mé
The word 'shíl mé' in Irish also means 'it seems to me' or 'I think'.
Italianpensiero
The Italian word "pensiero" comes from the Latin "pensare", meaning "to weigh" or "to consider"}
Luxembourgishgeduecht
Malteseħsibt
The Maltese word "ħsibt" is derived from the Arabic word "حسب" (حسب), meaning "to consider" or "to reckon".
Norwegiantenkte
The word "tenkte" is derived from the Old Norse word "þenkia," which also means "to seem" or "to appear."
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)pensamento
The word 'pensamento' comes from the Latin word 'pensamentum', which means 'a thought, an idea, a reflection'.
Scots Gaelicsmaoineachadh
The Scots Gaelic word "smaoineachadh" for "thought" is etymologically related to both "mind" and "remembering".
Spanishpensamiento
El sustantivo "pensamiento" comparte su raíz con la voz "pender", lo que sugiere una conexión entre el pensamiento y el equilibrio o la ponderación.
Swedishtrodde
The word "trodde" in Swedish is cognate with the English word "troth", which means "faith" or "loyalty".
Welshmeddwl
Welsh 'meddwl' also refers to the location of a person's mind and, archaically, to an object of meditation.

Thought in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianпадумаў
The verb "падумаў" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root "*dumati" meaning "to think, to suppose".
Bosnianmislio
"Mislio," or "thought," also means the act or process of thinking in Bosnian
Bulgarianмисъл
The word 'мисъл' is also derived from the verb 'мисля' which means 'to think', 'to suppose', 'to believe', or 'to judge'.
Czechmyslel
Czech "myslel" originates in the noun "mysl" meaning "mind", from Proto-Slavic "mysli" of uncertain origin.
Estonianmõtles
The Estonian word "mõtles" not only means "thought" but also "intended" or "had in mind."
Finnishajattelin
Finnish "ajattelin" is thought to be a loanword from the Proto-Germanic *þankjanan meaning "to thank".
Hungariangondolat
Gondolat was not originally an abstract term for thought, but a concrete object like a ball or a book that was rolled around (gondol), a 'plaything', later becoming associated with the content of it.
Latviannodomāju
Nodomāju translates to “thought” or “intention” in Latvian, also has a connotation of “assumption” or “guess”.
Lithuanianpagalvojo
The word "pagalvojo" has several etymologies, including the Proto-Indo-European root *peh₂-gh-.
Macedonianмисла
The word "мисла" is cognate with the Latin word "mens" (mind) and the Greek word "μῆνις" (anger).
Polishmyśl
The Polish word "myśl" also refers to a plan or intention.
Romaniangând
"Gând" comes from the Slavic word "dъmа" which means "mind" or "thought".
Russianподумал
The verb "подумал" comes from the Proto-Slavic root *dumati, meaning "to think, to blow".
Serbianмислио
мислио is also a Serbian verb meaning
Slovakpomyslel si
The word "pomyslel si" also means "imagined" in Slovak.
Slovenianrazmišljal
The word 'razmišljal' in Slovenian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'razmyslь', meaning 'to think or consider'.
Ukrainianдумав
The word "думав" derives from Proto-Slavic "domiti", meaning "to think".

Thought in South Asian Languages

Bengaliচিন্তা
Cognate with the word "chinta", a Hindu term for "mark" or "symbol"}
Gujaratiવિચાર્યું
Hindiविचार
"विचार" (vichaar) in Hindi not only means "thought" but also "judgment," "consideration," and "deliberation".
Kannadaವಿಚಾರ
The word "ವಿಚಾರ" can also mean "investigation" or "consideration" in Kannada.
Malayalamചിന്ത
The Malayalam word 'ചിന്ത' (thought) is derived from the Sanskrit 'चिन्ता' (worry, anxiety), sharing a similar etymology with the English word 'concern'.
Marathiविचार
The word "विचार" comes from the Sanskrit root "vicar," meaning "to wander or roam," suggesting its connection to the wandering or exploration of thoughts and ideas.
Nepaliसोच्यो
सोच्यो in Newari also means to think, and it can be a verb or a noun.
Punjabiਸੋਚਿਆ
The word "ਸੋਚਿਆ" can also mean "considered" or "imagined" in Punjabi.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)සිතුවිල්ල
In Sanskrit, the root "cit" means both "thought" and "consciousness".
Tamilசிந்தனை
The word "சிந்தனை" can also mean "anxiety" or "worry" in Tamil.
Teluguఆలోచన
The word "ఆలోచన" also means "consideration" or "reflection" in Telugu.
Urduسوچا
The Urdu word سوچا "thought" can also refer to the mental process of thinking and reasoning.

Thought in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)思想
"思想" can originally mean "to take a bath" while it got its current meaning through a word puzzle
Chinese (Traditional)思想
In Taoist philosophy, **思想** refers to the mind's ability to grasp the ultimate reality.
Japanese思想
The word "思想" in Japanese can also mean "ideology" or "philosophy".
Korean생각
The word "생각" can also mean "idea" or "opinion."
Mongolianгэж бодлоо
The Mongolian word for ``thought`` “rǩē бодлоо” also means ``idea`` and ``notion.``
Myanmar (Burmese)အတွေး
"အတွေး" in Burmese can also refer to an object created for contemplation, e.g. a painting, sculpture or book.

Thought in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianpikir
The Indonesian word 'pikir' can also mean 'to consider' or 'to reflect'.
Javanesemikir
"Mikir" in Javanese derives from Sanskrit "matra" meaning "meter," as thoughts are rhythmic internal whispers.
Khmerគិត
In the context of meditation, "គិត" can also refer to a type of contemplation that focuses on the mind itself and its processes.
Laoຄິດ
The Lao word "ຄິດ" (kit) can also mean "to guess" or "to suppose".
Malayberfikir
The word "berfikir" in Malay also means "to meditate" or "to plan".
Thaiความคิด
The term "ความคิด" can also refer to a person's beliefs, opinions, and mental processes.
Vietnamesenghĩ
"Nghĩ" (thought) can also mean "to meditate" or "to consider".
Filipino (Tagalog)naisip

Thought in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanidüşündüm
Düşündüm is also used in Azerbaijani to express pondering or considering something.
Kazakhой
"Ой" can also mean "mind" or "idea" in Kazakh, highlighting its significance beyond mere contemplation.
Kyrgyzой
In Kyrgyz, the word "ой" ("thought") also means "mind" and "intellect."
Tajikфикр кард
The word "фикр кард" also means "to think" in Tajik.
Turkmenpikir etdi
Uzbekdeb o'yladi
The Uzbek word "deb o'yladi" has roots in Turkish, Mongolian, and Sanskrit, signifying "brain" or "mind."
Uyghurدەپ ئويلىدى

Thought in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianmanaʻo
In Hawaiian, "manaʻo" also refers to intention, purpose, or meaning.
Maoriwhakaaro
The Maori word "whakaaro" also means "idea", "concept", "opinion", or "feeling".
Samoanmafaufau
The word "mafaufau" can also mean "to think intently" or "to ponder".
Tagalog (Filipino)naisip
The Tagalog word "naisip" also means "remembered" or "understood."

Thought in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraamuyu
Guaraniupéicharõ

Thought in International Languages

Esperantopensis
"Pensis" is a loan word from French "pense" and Latin "pendere" and shares a root with Spanish "peso", Italian "pesare", or English "pension".
Latinthought
The Latin word "cogito" is the root of the English word "thought", and also means "I think" in Latin.

Thought in Others Languages

Greekσκέψη
The Greek word "σκέψη" (thought) also shares a root with the word "σκοπός" (purpose), suggesting the interrelatedness of thought and intention.
Hmongkev xav
Kev xav is also used colloquially to refer to the content of a sentence or phrase.
Kurdishpojin
The word 'pojin' in Kurdish can also mean 'opinion', 'intention', or 'idea'.
Turkishdüşünce
"Düşünce" is also used to refer to a "concept" or "idea".
Xhosandicinge
"Ndicinge" in Xhosa can also refer to an idea, opinion, or intention.
Yiddishגעטראכט
"Getrakht" can also refer to an opinion or a way of looking at things.
Zuluumcabango
"Umkcabango" is a Zulu noun which can also mean "understanding" or "belief".
Assameseভাবিছিল
Aymaraamuyu
Bhojpuriसोच
Dhivehiހީކުރީ
Dogriबचार
Filipino (Tagalog)naisip
Guaraniupéicharõ
Ilocanobalabala
Kriotink
Kurdish (Sorani)بیرۆکە
Maithiliविचार
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯋꯥꯈꯜ
Mizongaihtuah
Oromoyaada
Odia (Oriya)ଭାବିଲି |
Quechuaumanchay
Sanskritविचिन्ता
Tatar- дип уйлады
Tigrinyaሓሳብ
Tsongahleketa

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