Topic in Different Languages
Discover 'Topic' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'topic' holds significant importance in our daily conversations and written communications. It refers to a subject or issue being discussed or presented, providing a focal point for exchanging ideas and information. The cultural importance of topics is evident in various traditions, rituals, and art forms worldwide, where specific themes are explored and celebrated.
Understanding the translation of 'topic' in different languages can broaden our perspectives and enhance our cross-cultural communication skills. For instance, the Spanish translation of 'topic' is 'tema', while in German, it is 'Thema'. In French, the translation is 'sujet', and in Japanese, it is ' Shiryo' or 'Topic'. These translations not only help us grasp the word's meaning in various languages but also offer insights into the unique ways different cultures approach and express similar concepts.
Explore the list below to discover more translations of the word 'topic' and deepen your appreciation for the richness and diversity of global languages and cultures.
Topic
Topic in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | onderwerp | ||
| In Middle Dutch "onderwerp" meant "subject to" and "subject matter". | |||
| Amharic | ርዕስ | ||
| The word "ርዕስ" in Amharic has its origins in the Ge'ez language, where it meant "a head" or "a beginning." | |||
| Hausa | take | ||
| The word 'take' in Hausa also means to receive, assume, or occupy a position or role. | |||
| Igbo | isiokwu | ||
| Isiokwu can mean "the main point" or "the truth" in Igbo, depending on the context. | |||
| Malagasy | lohahevitra | ||
| "Lohahevitra" likely derives from the Malay "loha" meaning "metal", but it has been proposed that it originally referred to the thin metal plates on which letters were inscribed. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mutu | ||
| The word "mutu" also means "head" in Nyanja, suggesting a connection between the head and the topic of discussion. | |||
| Shona | musoro wenyaya | ||
| The word "musoro" can also mean "pile" or "rubbish", and "wenyaya" can mean "of matter". | |||
| Somali | mawduuca | ||
| The word mawduuca is derived from the Arabic word 'mawdu' (موضوع), meaning 'subject' or 'theme'. | |||
| Sesotho | sehlooho | ||
| Swahili | mada | ||
| The Swahili word "mada" can also mean "matter" or "affair". | |||
| Xhosa | isihloko | ||
| "Isihloko" originates from the verb "saka", meaning "to say" or "to tell", indicating the primary role of a topic as a subject or matter that is spoken about. | |||
| Yoruba | koko | ||
| 'Kòkó' in Yoruba also refers to a kind of snack or food. | |||
| Zulu | isihloko | ||
| The Zulu word 'isihloko' is also used for a noun or a story that is told informally and often without preparation. | |||
| Bambara | dakun | ||
| Ewe | nyati | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ingingo | ||
| Lingala | moto ya likambo | ||
| Luganda | omulamwa | ||
| Sepedi | hlogotaba | ||
| Twi (Akan) | atifi asɛm | ||
Topic in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | موضوع | ||
| The Arabic word "موضوع" also means "subject," "theme," "matter," or "object of discussion." | |||
| Hebrew | נוֹשֵׂא | ||
| The Hebrew word "נוֹשֵׂא" also means "subject" or "burden". | |||
| Pashto | سرلیک | ||
| The word "سرلیک" in Pashto can also refer to a "headline" or a "subject line" in writing. | |||
| Arabic | موضوع | ||
| The Arabic word "موضوع" also means "subject," "theme," "matter," or "object of discussion." | |||
Topic in Western European Languages
| Albanian | tema | ||
| The word "tema" can also refer to a "thesis" or a "theme" in the musical sense. | |||
| Basque | gai | ||
| The word 'gai' in Basque can also mean 'matter' or 'substance'. | |||
| Catalan | tema | ||
| The Catalan word "tema" originates from the Greek "θέμα", meaning "subject", "theme", or "foundation". | |||
| Croatian | tema | ||
| The word "tema" is also used to refer to a musical theme or motif. | |||
| Danish | emne | ||
| The word "emne" is derived from the old Norse word "emni", meaning "subject, concern, or occupation" | |||
| Dutch | onderwerp | ||
| The Dutch word "onderwerp" also literally translates to "under-throw", possibly referring to a discussion topic being laid out onto a table. | |||
| English | topic | ||
| The word "topic" derives from the Greek word "topos," meaning "place" or "subject." | |||
| French | sujet | ||
| Sujet can also mean 'subject' and originates from the Latin word 'subiectum'. | |||
| Frisian | ûnderwerp | ||
| The Frisian word "ûnderwerp" comes from the Dutch word "onderwerp", which originally meant "that which is thrown under something else" and "what is dealt with or discussed". | |||
| Galician | tema | ||
| Tema derives from the Latin 'thema', meaning a proposition or subject of discussion. | |||
| German | thema | ||
| The word 'Thema' is derived from the Greek word 'θέμα' (thema), meaning 'subject, topic, proposition'. | |||
| Icelandic | umræðuefni | ||
| Originally meant "conversation" in Old English | |||
| Irish | ábhar | ||
| The word "ábhar" in Irish derives from the Proto-Celtic word *abaro-, meaning "edge" or "border". | |||
| Italian | argomento | ||
| "Argomento" derives from Latin, "argumentum", originally "proof". | |||
| Luxembourgish | thema | ||
| "Thema" also means "theme" in the German sense of the word (i.e. an essay). | |||
| Maltese | suġġett | ||
| The word 'suġġett' in Maltese derives from the Italian word 'soggetto', which means 'subject' in the sense of a topic under discussion or an entity undergoing an action. | |||
| Norwegian | emne | ||
| The word "emne" is derived from the Old Norse word "emni", meaning "leisure" or "rest"} | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | tema | ||
| "Tema" also refers to a religious sermon in Portuguese. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cuspair | ||
| The Gaelic word "cuspair" comes from the Latin "corpus," meaning "body" or "whole," suggesting that a topic is a complete and unified concept. | |||
| Spanish | tema | ||
| "Tema" is a cognate word, deriving ultimately from the Greek word "τίθημι" (tithemi), which means "to put" or "to place." | |||
| Swedish | ämne | ||
| The Swedish word "ämne" can also refer to a substance or a subject of study. | |||
| Welsh | pwnc | ||
| In Welsh, "pwnc" can also refer to a discussion, a point, or a theme. | |||
Topic in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | тэма | ||
| Belarusian "тэма" also means "a thesis, a dissertation". | |||
| Bosnian | temu | ||
| "Temu" also means "to you" in an archaic sense. | |||
| Bulgarian | тема | ||
| In Bulgaria, "тема" can also signify "the most essential part in a conversation/story" from Greek via Russian. | |||
| Czech | téma | ||
| The Czech word "téma" has its origin in the Greek word "thema" meaning "subject" or "proposition". | |||
| Estonian | teema | ||
| In addition to "topic", "teema" has been used in Estonian to mean "theme" since 1923 and "subject" since 1927. | |||
| Finnish | aihe | ||
| A related verb *aiha-*, meaning "to intend" or "to aim" is found in certain Uralic languages, such as in Hungarian *ajh*. | |||
| Hungarian | téma | ||
| In Hungarian the word 'téma' has also the meaning of 'subject matter' and can be translated to 'theme'. | |||
| Latvian | temats | ||
| Etymology unknown, thought to be possibly related to "teme" (subject) or "temats" (theme) in Lithuanian or other Indo-European languages. | |||
| Lithuanian | tema | ||
| In Lithuanian, the word "tema" comes from the Greek word "thema" meaning "subject" or "proposition." | |||
| Macedonian | темата | ||
| The word "темата" in Macedonian also means "theme" or "subject". | |||
| Polish | temat | ||
| In Polish, 'temat' (topic) derives from the Ancient Greek 'thema' (basis, foundation), used in medieval Latin as the subject of a theological treatise or scientific work. | |||
| Romanian | subiect | ||
| The Romanian word "subiect" has the same Latin root as "subject" and can also mean "citizen". | |||
| Russian | тема | ||
| The word "тема" is also used in Russian to refer to a "theme park". | |||
| Serbian | тему | ||
| The word "тему" can also mean "subject" or "matter". | |||
| Slovak | téma | ||
| "Téma" in Slovak also means "weight" or "load" as in physics and mechanics. | |||
| Slovenian | temo | ||
| The word "temo" in Slovenian has additional meanings, including "theme" and "subject matter." | |||
| Ukrainian | теми | ||
| The word "теми" (temi) can also refer to a "theme" or a "subject". | |||
Topic in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বিষয় | ||
| Gujarati | વિષય | ||
| The Gujarati word "વિષય" can also refer to a subject or a theme in literature, art, or music. | |||
| Hindi | विषय | ||
| "विषय" is also a Sanskrit word that literally translates as "object". It is also a word used in Yoga and Tantra to describe the experience or subject matter of a meditative or spiritual practice. | |||
| Kannada | ವಿಷಯ | ||
| The word ವಿಷಯ also means 'subject' or 'content' in Kannada, derived from Sanskrit 'vishaya' meaning 'the object of knowledge' or 'a matter of concern' | |||
| Malayalam | വിഷയം | ||
| The word "विषयम्" also means "subject", "theme", or "matter" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | विषय | ||
| The term विषय/vishaya, meaning 'object' or 'content' in Marathi, has etymological roots in the Sanskrit word 'vişaya', which refers to the 'realm of experience' or 'range of perception'. | |||
| Nepali | विषय | ||
| "विषय" can also mean 'body of knowledge, science, or discipline'; 'matter discussed or considered'; or 'aim or object'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਵਿਸ਼ਾ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මාතෘකාව | ||
| In ancient Sinhalese, "මාතෘකාව" also meant a series of letters or syllables used in grammar. | |||
| Tamil | தலைப்பு | ||
| In Sanskrit, 'tala' translates to 'crown' and 'p' in Tamil signifies 'to place'; thus, in Tamil, its original meaning translates to 'crown-placing'. | |||
| Telugu | అంశం | ||
| "అంశం" also means "part, share, portion, ingredient, or component" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | موضوع | ||
| The Urdu word "موضوع" is derived from the Arabic word "وضع," meaning "to place" or "to put," and can also refer to "content" or "material." | |||
Topic in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 话题 | ||
| 话题 derives from 话头(huà tóu), which refers to the starting line of a Buddhist sūtra and, by extension, the topic or theme of a discussion. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 話題 | ||
| 話題 can also refer to a hot debate, trending news, or a topic of conversation. | |||
| Japanese | トピック | ||
| The word トピック (topic) can also refer to a Japanese style of garden that features a collection of rocks and trees. | |||
| Korean | 이야기 | ||
| The Korean word '이야기' ('topic') also means 'story' or 'speech', reflecting its origins in the verb '말하다' ('to speak'). | |||
| Mongolian | сэдэв | ||
| Mongolian "сэдэв" can also refer to the subject of a discussion, a theme, or an issue. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ခေါင်းစဉ် | ||
Topic in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tema | ||
| The word "tema" originates from the Greek word "thema," meaning "a proposition to be proved". | |||
| Javanese | topik | ||
| In Javanese, "topik" means "subject", but can also refer to a "thread" (as in a discussion) or a "part" of something. | |||
| Khmer | ប្រធានបទ | ||
| ប្រធានបទ is also the title of a 1998 book of essays in French by French-Cambodian physician and writer Jean-Marie Voignier. | |||
| Lao | ຫົວຂໍ້ | ||
| Malay | topik | ||
| In Malay, "topik" can also mean "theme" or "heading". | |||
| Thai | หัวข้อ | ||
| หัวข้อ originally meant "head" and still means "head" in some contexts | |||
| Vietnamese | đề tài | ||
| "Đề tài" derives from Sino-Vietnamese ( đề 题 'subject, theme' & tài tài 才 'ability, talent') | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paksa | ||
Topic in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | mövzu | ||
| "Mövzu" is derived from the Arabic word "mavzu"," meaning "something that is placed or put forth" | |||
| Kazakh | тақырып | ||
| The word „TakyrĹp“ originated from the Persian language and means „subject”, „theme.” The Kazakh word „baianu takyrĹbyna kelu,” means to "get down to basics." | |||
| Kyrgyz | тема | ||
| "Тема" is derived from the Turkish "teme" or Mongolian "teme" and can also mean "foundation" or "basis" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | мавзӯъ | ||
| The word "мавзӯъ" (mavzū) in Tajik originates from the Arabic word "موضوع" (Mawḍūʿ), meaning "placed", "put", or "object." | |||
| Turkmen | mowzuk | ||
| Uzbek | mavzu | ||
| The word "mavzu" (topic) in Uzbek is derived from the Arabic word "mawdu"' (subject). | |||
| Uyghur | تېما | ||
Topic in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kumuhana | ||
| The word "kumuhana" in Hawaiian also refers to a "foundation" or "base". | |||
| Maori | kaupapa | ||
| The Maori word "kaupapa" can also mean "project" or "objective". | |||
| Samoan | autu | ||
| The word "autu" also means "car" or "vehicle" in Samoan, reflecting its role as a central theme or subject matter in a conversation or discourse. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | paksa | ||
| The word "paksa" in Tagalog can also refer to a side or a party in a dispute or argument. | |||
Topic in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | tima | ||
| Guarani | ñe'ẽrã | ||
Topic in International Languages
| Esperanto | temo | ||
| Esperanto's "temo" also means "theme" in music, an association lost in English. | |||
| Latin | topic | ||
| In Latin, "topicus" can also mean "figurative" or "metaphorical", derived from Greek "topos" meaning "place" or "subject matter." | |||
Topic in Others Languages
| Greek | θέμα | ||
| The word "θέμα" also refers to a Byzantine province and a musical theme. | |||
| Hmong | ntsiab lus | ||
| The Hmong word "ntsiab lus" literally means "head of the speech". | |||
| Kurdish | mijar | ||
| "Mijar" also means "subject" and has roots in the Parthian language. | |||
| Turkish | konu | ||
| The Turkish word "konu" derives from the Arabic term "qawl," a noun meaning "saying, speech, or word." | |||
| Xhosa | isihloko | ||
| "Isihloko" originates from the verb "saka", meaning "to say" or "to tell", indicating the primary role of a topic as a subject or matter that is spoken about. | |||
| Yiddish | טעמע | ||
| The word "טעמע" in Yiddish is ultimately derived from Ancient Greek "θέμα" (thema), meaning "proposition, subject" | |||
| Zulu | isihloko | ||
| The Zulu word 'isihloko' is also used for a noun or a story that is told informally and often without preparation. | |||
| Assamese | বিষয় | ||
| Aymara | tima | ||
| Bhojpuri | विषय | ||
| Dhivehi | މައުޟޫއު | ||
| Dogri | बिशे | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paksa | ||
| Guarani | ñe'ẽrã | ||
| Ilocano | maad | ||
| Krio | tɔpik | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بابەت | ||
| Maithili | विषय | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯤꯔꯝ | ||
| Mizo | thupui | ||
| Oromo | mataduree | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବିଷୟ | ||
| Quechua | rimay | ||
| Sanskrit | विषय | ||
| Tatar | тема | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣርእስቲ | ||
| Tsonga | nhlokomhaka | ||