Trade in Different Languages
Discover 'Trade' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Trade: it's a concept as old as civilization itself, and one that has shaped the course of history. The exchange of goods and services has been a cornerstone of human interaction, fostering cooperation and interdependence among communities and nations. From the ancient Silk Road to modern-day e-commerce, trade has been a driving force behind cultural exchange, economic growth, and social progress.
But what does 'trade' mean in different languages, and how does the translation of this word shed light on the cultural importance of exchange in various societies? Understanding the nuances of this term in different languages can offer fascinating insights into the values, beliefs, and traditions of people around the world.
For example, in Spanish, 'trade' is 'comercio', a term that reflects the close relationship between trade and commerce. In German, 'trade' is 'Handel', which conveys a sense of skill and craftsmanship. And in Japanese, 'trade' is 'boeki', a word that emphasizes the reciprocal nature of exchange.
In this article, we explore the many translations of 'trade' in different languages, offering a glimpse into the rich cultural tapestry of human experience. Join us on this journey of linguistic and cultural discovery!
Trade
Trade in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | handel dryf | ||
| The Afrikaans word "handel dryf" has its roots in the Dutch word "handel drijven," meaning to "carry on trade." | |||
| Amharic | ንግድ | ||
| The word "ንግድ" also means wealth, fortune, and riches in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | kasuwanci | ||
| The word 'kasuwanci' in Hausa is derived from the Arabic word 'kasb', meaning 'to acquire' or 'to earn'. | |||
| Igbo | ahia | ||
| The Igbo word 'ahia' can also refer to 'market' or 'marketplace' in addition to its primary meaning of 'trade'. | |||
| Malagasy | ara-barotra | ||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | malonda | ||
| The word Malonda is derived from the Proto-Bantu verb '-ronda' meaning 'to buy or sell' but it also refers to a market or shop. | |||
| Shona | kushambadzira | ||
| Kushambadzira is a word that can have a variety of meanings. In addition to its most literal meaning of 'trade,' it can also refer to sharing or exchanging information or items. | |||
| Somali | ganacsi | ||
| In Somali, "ganacsi" can also refer to "business" or "commerce". | |||
| Sesotho | khoebo | ||
| The word "khoebo" in Sesotho is also used to refer to the act of exchange or barter, suggesting its broader meaning beyond just trade. | |||
| Swahili | biashara | ||
| The Swahili word "biashara" also has the alternate meaning of "work". | |||
| Xhosa | urhwebo | ||
| Urhwebo is the Xhosa word for trade, but may also refer to a particular type of agreement or a specific commercial transaction. | |||
| Yoruba | isowo | ||
| The word 'isowo' can also refer to the act of exchanging goods or services for other goods or services without the use of money or any other form of currency. | |||
| Zulu | ukuhweba | ||
| The word 'ukuhweba' also carries the connotations of 'exchange' and 'reciprocity'. | |||
| Bambara | feere | ||
| Ewe | asitsatsa | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubucuruzi | ||
| Lingala | mombongo | ||
| Luganda | obusuubuzi | ||
| Sepedi | kgwebo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | dwadie | ||
Trade in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | التجارة | ||
| In Arabic, "التجارة" (at-tijaarah) derives from the root "جر" (jar), meaning "to draw" or "to move," suggesting the act of exchanging goods or services. | |||
| Hebrew | סַחַר | ||
| The word "סַחַר" also means "crescent moon" in Hebrew, as it resembles the shape of the moon in its first quarter. | |||
| Pashto | سوداګري | ||
| In Pashto, the word "سوداګري" originates from the Persian word "سودا" meaning "profit" or "gain". | |||
| Arabic | التجارة | ||
| In Arabic, "التجارة" (at-tijaarah) derives from the root "جر" (jar), meaning "to draw" or "to move," suggesting the act of exchanging goods or services. | |||
Trade in Western European Languages
| Albanian | tregtia | ||
| The Albanian word "tregtia" derives from Illyrian "treg" (market) by adding the Latin suffix -ia. | |||
| Basque | merkataritza | ||
| "Merkataritza" is derived from the Basque word "merkatu," which means "market," and the suffix "-aritza," which means "action or activity." | |||
| Catalan | comerç | ||
| The verb 'comerçar' is closely related to 'commercium', meaning 'exchange, market', in Medieval Latin and Late Latin. | |||
| Croatian | trgovina | ||
| The Croatian word "trgovina" also means "shop" or "store". | |||
| Danish | handle | ||
| Danish "handle" has two other meanings, "business" and "to trade". | |||
| Dutch | handel | ||
| The word "handel" in Dutch is thought to derive from the Old High German word "hantalo", meaning "hand" or "action". | |||
| English | trade | ||
| The word "trade" derives from the Middle English term "treden," meaning "to tread or walk," suggesting its original connection to the exchange of goods through physical travel. | |||
| French | commerce | ||
| Frisian | handel | ||
| In Frisian, "handel" also means "action" or "behavior". | |||
| Galician | comercio | ||
| In Galician, "comercio" can be used to refer to a commercial district or the shops in a town. | |||
| German | handel | ||
| Handel, meaning trade in German, is derived from the Proto-Germanic word *handus, meaning a hand. | |||
| Icelandic | viðskipti | ||
| The Old Norse root of viðskipti also means "knowledge" or "information." | |||
| Irish | trádáil | ||
| The Irish word 'trádáil' can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root *treǵh-, meaning 'to travel' or 'to go' | |||
| Italian | commercio | ||
| The noun "commercio" is derived from Latin "commercium" meaning "intercourse, commerce", and is also used in Italian to indicate "conversation, relations". | |||
| Luxembourgish | handel | ||
| The word "Handel" in Luxembourgish can also mean "deal" or "transaction". | |||
| Maltese | kummerċ | ||
| The word 'kummerċ' is derived from the Italian word 'commercio' and the French word 'commerce', and can also refer to 'business' or 'commerce'. | |||
| Norwegian | handel | ||
| The word "handel" can also mean "action" or "behavior" in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | comércio | ||
| The word "comércio" in Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) derives from the Latin word "commercium," meaning "intercourse, traffic, trade." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | malairt | ||
| The word 'malairt' in Scots Gaelic can also mean 'bargain' or 'exchange'. | |||
| Spanish | comercio | ||
| In the early 17th century, 'comercio' also meant 'conversation', a meaning it has retained in Portuguese. | |||
| Swedish | handel | ||
| The term 'handel' can also refer to 'actions', 'dealings', or 'affairs' as in 'foreign affairs'. | |||
| Welsh | masnach | ||
| "Masnach" also refers to a merchant or a type of ship. | |||
Trade in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | гандаль | ||
| The word "гандаль" is cognate with the Polish word "handel", which also means "trade". | |||
| Bosnian | trgovina | ||
| The word 'trgovina' is also used to refer to stores or shops in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | търговия | ||
| The Slavic word "търговия" (trade) is related to the verbs "to run" and "to travel," indicating its association with movement and exchange. | |||
| Czech | obchod | ||
| The word "obchod" shares the same root with the word "chodit" (to walk or move), indicating the dynamic and circulatory nature of trade. | |||
| Estonian | kaubandus | ||
| The word “kaubandus” may also refer to merchandise such as a commodity or goods.} | |||
| Finnish | käydä kauppaa | ||
| In addition to its meaning of 'trade,' the verb 'käydä kauppaa' can also mean 'to haggle' or 'to negotiate.' | |||
| Hungarian | kereskedelmi | ||
| The Hungarian word "kereskedelmi" can also refer to "commercial", "trading", or "mercantile" in English. | |||
| Latvian | tirdzniecība | ||
| "Tirdzniecība" derives from "tirds" meaning "market" or "fair", suggesting its historical association with marketplaces. | |||
| Lithuanian | prekyba | ||
| The word "prekyba" in Lithuanian is related to the word "prekiauti", which means to sell or trade. | |||
| Macedonian | трговија | ||
| The word "трговија" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "трьго" meaning "exchange of goods". | |||
| Polish | handel | ||
| The word "handel" in Polish is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*gъděti" meaning "to speak, to say". | |||
| Romanian | comerț | ||
| The Romanian word "comerț" comes from the Latin word "commercium" which means "intercourse or trading." | |||
| Russian | сделка | ||
| The word сделка originally meant "a meeting of two parties to discuss business," and later came to mean "a contract" and then "a trade." | |||
| Serbian | трговина | ||
| The word "трговина" can also refer to a store or marketplace in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | obchod | ||
| The word "obchod" can also mean "shop" or "business" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | trgovina | ||
| Slovenian 'trgovina' is related to 'terg', 'trg', 'trguvati' (all meaning marketplace), which in turn is likely derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'tъrgъ' (market). | |||
| Ukrainian | торгівля | ||
| The Ukrainian word "торгівля" is derived from the Old Slavic root "торг", meaning "market," and also has the alternate meaning of "commerce" in Ukrainian. | |||
Trade in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বাণিজ্য | ||
| In Indian music, the word "বাণিজ্য" also refers to a genre of classical songs characterized by a specific style and ornamentation. | |||
| Gujarati | વેપાર | ||
| વેપાર can also mean the exchange of goods for goods, in addition to its usual meaning of buying and selling | |||
| Hindi | व्यापार | ||
| The word व्यापार originally meant 'to cover', 'to enclose', 'to surround'. | |||
| Kannada | ವ್ಯಾಪಾರ | ||
| The word "ವ್ಯಾಪಾರ" can also mean "affair" or "transaction" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | വ്യാപാരം | ||
| The word "വ്യാപാരം" is derived from the Sanskrit word "व्यापार" (Vyāpāra) and it means "activity, profession, exchange of goods" | |||
| Marathi | व्यापार | ||
| The word "व्यापार" (trade) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "व्यापृ" meaning "to undertake"} | |||
| Nepali | व्यापार | ||
| The word "व्यापार" can also mean "occupation" or "profession" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਵਪਾਰ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වෙළඳ | ||
| The word 'වෙළඳ' ('trade' in Sinhala) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'व्यापार' ('commerce') and also means 'business' in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | வர்த்தகம் | ||
| "Varthagam" comes from the Sanskrit root "vrt" meaning to turn or circulate. | |||
| Telugu | వాణిజ్యం | ||
| The Telugu word "వాణిజ్యం" also refers to professional discourse or literature, and originates from the Sanskrit word "वाणिज्य" (vāṇijya), which holds both meanings. | |||
| Urdu | تجارت | ||
| The word "تجارت" can also mean "commerce" or "business" in Urdu. | |||
Trade in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 贸易 | ||
| 贸易 can also mean 'deal', 'business transaction', or 'profession'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 貿易 | ||
| In Chinese, "貿易" also means "exchange of goods or services between countries or regions". | |||
| Japanese | トレード | ||
| The word "トレード" can also refer to "exchange" or "deal" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 무역 | ||
| Derived from "물 (mul)" (water) and "역 (yeok)" (station), "무역" (trade) originally referred to the exchange of goods along rivers and canals. | |||
| Mongolian | худалдаа | ||
| The word "худалдаа" can also refer to the exchange of goods or services for other goods or services, without involving money. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကုန်သွယ်ရေး | ||
Trade in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | perdagangan | ||
| In Indonesian, the word "perdagangan" originates from "dagang" (to trade) and the prefix "per-," denoting a process or activity. | |||
| Javanese | dagang | ||
| The word "dagang" is also used to refer to a person who sells goods in a market or shop. | |||
| Khmer | ពាណិជ្ជកម្ម | ||
| Lao | ການຄ້າ | ||
| Malay | perdagangan | ||
| The word 'perdagangan' can also mean 'commerce' or 'business' | |||
| Thai | การค้า | ||
| Vietnamese | buôn bán | ||
| "Buôn bán" (trade) comes from the ethnic minority Katu language, from which it was borrowed with a meaning of "exchange." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kalakalan | ||
Trade in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ticarət | ||
| The word "ticarət" likely originated from the Persian word "tajir" meaning "merchant". | |||
| Kazakh | сауда | ||
| "Сауда" also means "bargain" or "commercial transaction" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | соода | ||
| Originally 'соода' meant 'exchange', or 'barter' and still retains this meaning in some rural areas. | |||
| Tajik | савдо | ||
| The word савдо may be derived either from Sanskrit स्वप्यत (svapyata, "bought") (via Sanskrit-Pali, cf. Hindi svapta) or Sanskrit क्रय (kr̥ya, "purchase or sale"). | |||
| Turkmen | söwda | ||
| Uzbek | savdo | ||
| The word "savdo" can also mean "commerce" or "business". | |||
| Uyghur | سودا | ||
Trade in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kālepa | ||
| The word "kālepa" also means "to exchange property" and "to barter" in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | tauhokohoko | ||
| The term 'tauhokohoko' also signifies 'exchange of gifts' and 'hospitality' in Maori culture. | |||
| Samoan | fefaatauaiga | ||
| The Samoan word "fefaatauaiga" also means "relationship" or "exchange of goods or services", highlighting the interconnectedness of commercial and social interactions in traditional Samoan society. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kalakal | ||
| The root "kal" in "kalakal" has meanings of "exchange" or "transfer", which are closely related to trading. | |||
Trade in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | aljawi | ||
| Guarani | ñemurenda | ||
Trade in International Languages
| Esperanto | komerco | ||
| The Esperanto word "komerco" can also refer to the act of carrying on or engaging in business, or to a business transaction. | |||
| Latin | artis | ||
| Artificer and artisan evolved from the Latin word 'artis', which also refers to 'branches of literature'. | |||
Trade in Others Languages
| Greek | εμπορικές συναλλαγές | ||
| The Greek word "εμπορικές συναλλαγές" has a root in the word "εμπόριον" (emporion) meaning "trading post" and can also refer to "trade routes" or "commercial activities". | |||
| Hmong | kev lag luam | ||
| The term "kev lag luam" in Hmong is also used to refer to business establishments or companies. | |||
| Kurdish | bazirganî | ||
| Historically, "bazirganî" also referred to an exchange of goods rather than solely a monetary transaction. | |||
| Turkish | ticaret | ||
| The Turkish word "Ticaret" is a loanword from Persian, and originally referred to a caravan or trading expedition consisting of more than three men. | |||
| Xhosa | urhwebo | ||
| Urhwebo is the Xhosa word for trade, but may also refer to a particular type of agreement or a specific commercial transaction. | |||
| Yiddish | האַנדל | ||
| The Yiddish word 'האַנדל' (handel) is derived from the German word 'handeln', meaning 'to act' or 'to do business'. | |||
| Zulu | ukuhweba | ||
| The word 'ukuhweba' also carries the connotations of 'exchange' and 'reciprocity'. | |||
| Assamese | বাণিজ্য | ||
| Aymara | aljawi | ||
| Bhojpuri | व्यापार | ||
| Dhivehi | ވިޔަފާރި | ||
| Dogri | बपार | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kalakalan | ||
| Guarani | ñemurenda | ||
| Ilocano | isukat | ||
| Krio | bay ɛn sɛl | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بازرگانی | ||
| Maithili | व्यापार | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯂꯣꯟ ꯤꯇꯤꯛ | ||
| Mizo | sumdawntawnna | ||
| Oromo | daldala | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବାଣିଜ୍ୟ | ||
| Quechua | qatuna | ||
| Sanskrit | व्यापार | ||
| Tatar | сәүдә | ||
| Tigrinya | ንግዲ | ||
| Tsonga | ntirho | ||