Transition in Different Languages
Discover 'Transition' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Transition is a powerful word that signifies the process of changing from one state or condition to another. It's a concept that's universally relevant, as every person, culture, and society experiences transitions in their own way. From personal milestones like graduating from school or starting a new job, to larger societal shifts like political changes or technological advancements, transitions are an integral part of our lives.
The cultural importance of transition cannot be overstated. It's a word that's deeply embedded in our collective consciousness, and it's often used to describe significant moments in history or literature. For example, the transition from feudalism to capitalism, or the transition from adolescence to adulthood in novels like The Catcher in the Rye.
Understanding the translation of transition in different languages can provide valuable insights into how other cultures conceptualize and experience change. Here are a few examples:
- In Spanish, transition is transición.
- In French, it's transition.
- In German, it's Übergang.
- In Mandarin Chinese, it's 过渡 (guòdù).
- In Japanese, it's 移行 (ikyō).
By exploring the many translations of transition, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the richness and diversity of human language and culture.
Transition
Transition in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | oorgang | ||
| The word "oorgang" may also refer to a period of change or adjustment, or to a passageway or opening. | |||
| Amharic | ሽግግር | ||
| The term "ሽግግር" can also refer to a "dispute" or "argument" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | miƙa mulki | ||
| The Hausa word for 'transition', 'miƙa mulki', can also mean 'hand over' or 'surrender' in other contexts. | |||
| Igbo | mgbanwe | ||
| The Igbo word "mgbanwe" also means "to change something from one form to another". | |||
| Malagasy | tetezamita | ||
| In Malagasy, the term 'tetezamita' derives from the verb 'tezitra' meaning 'to jump', connoting a sudden and transformative change. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kusintha | ||
| The word "kusintha" in Nyanja (Chichewa) is also used to refer to the act of moving from one place to another. | |||
| Shona | shanduko | ||
| "Shanduko" also refers to "change", "alternation", or "transformation". | |||
| Somali | kala guur | ||
| "Kala guur" also means "transformation" or "change" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | phetoho | ||
| The word "phetoho" can also mean "change" or "transformation". | |||
| Swahili | mpito | ||
| "Mpito" is also used to refer to a "joining together of two things" | |||
| Xhosa | utshintsho | ||
| Utshintsho, also meaning "crossing", "transformation", or "change", is derived from the verb "ukutshintsha," which means "to change, to replace, to exchange, or to transform." | |||
| Yoruba | orilede | ||
| One of the meanings of "orilede" is "a place of beginning," which is also where the word "ile" (home) derives from. | |||
| Zulu | inguquko | ||
| The Zulu word "inguquko" also signifies a change of political leadership, marking a pivotal moment in society. | |||
| Bambara | furancɛfanga | ||
| Ewe | dodo le eme | ||
| Kinyarwanda | inzibacyuho | ||
| Lingala | kokende esika mosusu | ||
| Luganda | okuyuuka | ||
| Sepedi | phetogo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nsesamu | ||
Transition in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | انتقال | ||
| The word "انتقال" (transition) in Arabic also means "transference" or "assignment". | |||
| Hebrew | מַעֲבָר | ||
| The Hebrew word "מַעֲבָר" can also refer to a passage or a ford. | |||
| Pashto | لیږدول | ||
| In Pashto, the word "لیږدول" also means to transfer, shift, or carry something from one place to another. | |||
| Arabic | انتقال | ||
| The word "انتقال" (transition) in Arabic also means "transference" or "assignment". | |||
Transition in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kalim | ||
| In Arabic, "kalim" also means "word" or "speech". | |||
| Basque | trantsizioa | ||
| "Trantsizioa" comes from the Latin "transire," to cross over. | |||
| Catalan | transició | ||
| It may also refers to a political movement or a period of change in a society or culture. | |||
| Croatian | tranzicija | ||
| The word 'tranzicija' can also mean 'transformation' or 'exchange' in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | overgang | ||
| The word "overgang" in Danish can also refer to a place where two things meet, such as a bridge or a doorway. | |||
| Dutch | overgang | ||
| The Dutch word "overgang" can also refer to menopause. | |||
| English | transition | ||
| The word "transition" originates from the Latin word "transire," meaning "to go across" or "to pass over." | |||
| French | transition | ||
| In French, “transition” can mean a bridge or a passage. | |||
| Frisian | oergong | ||
| The word "oergong" derives from the Proto-West Germanic word "urgeng"," which referred to crossings or passages. | |||
| Galician | transición | ||
| En Galician, "transición" means both "transition" and "passage". | |||
| German | überleitung | ||
| The word "Überleitung" can also mean "transfer" in the context of money, goods, or power. | |||
| Icelandic | umskipti | ||
| The word "umskipti" in Icelandic can also mean "change" or "shift". | |||
| Irish | aistriú | ||
| "Aistriú" also means "translation" in Irish and is used in this sense in many contexts. | |||
| Italian | transizione | ||
| In Italian, 'transizione' can also mean 'passing' or 'crossing', as in 'transizione di frontiera' (border crossing). | |||
| Luxembourgish | iwwergang | ||
| Maltese | transizzjoni | ||
| The word "transizzjoni" in Maltese can also mean "transformation" or "change" | |||
| Norwegian | overgang | ||
| "Overgang" is derived from the Old Norse "yfirtæki," meaning "to go over." It is cognate with the German "Überfahrt." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | transição | ||
| In Portuguese, "transição" derives from the Latin word "transitive" meaning "to pass through" or "to cross over"} | |||
| Scots Gaelic | eadar-ghluasad | ||
| Spanish | transición | ||
| In the context of politics, the Spanish term "transición" specifically refers to the transition from dictatorship to democracy. | |||
| Swedish | övergång | ||
| Övergång in Swedish can also mean crossing, transfer, or a place where the road crosses a railroad. | |||
| Welsh | trosglwyddo | ||
| Welsh trosglwyddo means 'transition', but it also means 'conveyance' and derives from trosglwyddo 'deliver, hand over', ultimately from Latin trans 'across' + globus 'globe'. | |||
Transition in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | пераход | ||
| Bosnian | tranzicija | ||
| Bosnian word "tranzicija" comes from Latin "transitus", which means "passing through" or "crossing over". | |||
| Bulgarian | преход | ||
| The word "преход" also means "ford" and is cognate with the Russian word "переход" (same meaning). | |||
| Czech | přechod | ||
| Despite being derived from the Czech word for "going through," "přechod" also refers to an intersection or crosswalk. | |||
| Estonian | üleminek | ||
| The verb "üleminema" originally meant "to cross". Only since the 18th century, it has also meant "to change from one state/form to another". | |||
| Finnish | siirtyminen | ||
| The Finnish word "siirtyminen" originally meant "change of place" or "movement". | |||
| Hungarian | átmenet | ||
| The word "átmenet" derives from the verb "átmenni" (to go through), indicating a process or period of change or passage. | |||
| Latvian | pāreja | ||
| The Latvian word "pāreja" can also refer to a change in state or condition. | |||
| Lithuanian | perėjimas | ||
| In Lithuanian, "perėjimas" can also refer to a pedestrian crossing or the interval between two phases of a cycle. | |||
| Macedonian | транзиција | ||
| The word "транзиција" can also mean "transitional period" or "transition to a new stage of development" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | przejście | ||
| The Polish word "przejście" can also mean "passage" or "crossing". | |||
| Romanian | tranziție | ||
| The Romanian word "tranziție" also means "fainting" or "passing away". | |||
| Russian | переход | ||
| The word переход in Russian may also refer to a level or stage in a game or task. | |||
| Serbian | прелаз | ||
| In Serbo-Croatian, "prelaz" can also refer to a "railroad crossing" or "border crossing" | |||
| Slovak | prechod | ||
| The Slavic word *prechòd* is related to the Slavic word *choditi* meaning "to walk" and means "a path" or "a way across". | |||
| Slovenian | prehod | ||
| The word "prehod" can also mean "level crossing" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | перехід | ||
| The archaic Slavic word *pere-xod-ъ* meant simply “step, stride” before it came to refer to military attacks. | |||
Transition in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | উত্তরণ | ||
| উত্তরণ (transition) is also used in a religious context to describe the soul's passage from this world to the next. | |||
| Gujarati | સંક્રમણ | ||
| Hindi | transition | ||
| The Hindi word "संगत" (sangata), meaning "transition," also carries connotations of "harmony" and "congruity". | |||
| Kannada | ಪರಿವರ್ತನೆ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಪರಿವರ್ತನೆ" can also refer to a transformation, change, or conversion. | |||
| Malayalam | പരിവർത്തനം | ||
| The word 'പരിവർത്തനം' (transition) can also refer to a change in state or condition, conversion, or transformation. | |||
| Marathi | संक्रमण | ||
| The word "संक्रमण" in Marathi also means "infection" or "transmission of disease". | |||
| Nepali | संक्रमण | ||
| The Hindi word "संक्रमण" also means "infection". | |||
| Punjabi | ਤਬਦੀਲੀ | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "transition," "ਤਬਦੀਲੀ" can also mean "change," "transformation," or "alteration." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සංක්රාන්තිය | ||
| The word සංක්රාන්තිය also means the passage of the sun from one zodiac sign to another, or the change of seasons. | |||
| Tamil | மாற்றம் | ||
| The Tamil word "மாற்றம்" ("transition") also means "change" or "transformation" in English. | |||
| Telugu | పరివర్తన | ||
| The word "పరివర్తన" also means "change", "alteration", "modification", "transformation", and "conversion". | |||
| Urdu | منتقلی | ||
| The word "منتقلی" also has a separate meaning in Urdu, meaning "one who is transferred from one place to another". | |||
Transition in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 过渡 | ||
| 过渡 (guòdù): passage/process from one state, form, style, or place to another. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 過渡 | ||
| 過渡 originally referred to the stages of human life, and can also be used to refer to the transition between seasons. | |||
| Japanese | 遷移 | ||
| "遷移" (ten'i) also means "migratory" in Japanese, referring to organisms that move from one place to another. | |||
| Korean | 전이 | ||
| "전이" can also refer to "transfer", "change" or "assignment." | |||
| Mongolian | шилжилт | ||
| The word “шилжилт” could also means “evolution”, “migration” and, in biology it's “metabolism”. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အသွင်ကူးပြောင်းရေး | ||
| This Burmese term refers to a metamorphosis, a change in form or appearance. | |||
Transition in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | transisi | ||
| In Indonesian, "transisi" also means "change in condition or state". | |||
| Javanese | transisi | ||
| "Transisi" in Javanese can refer to both "transition" and "a period of change or preparation." | |||
| Khmer | ការផ្លាស់ប្តូរ | ||
| Lao | ການຫັນປ່ຽນ | ||
| Malay | peralihan | ||
| "Peralihan" can mean the process of moving from one state to another, or the outcome of such a process. | |||
| Thai | การเปลี่ยนแปลง | ||
| The word "การเปลี่ยนแปลง" can also mean "a change in the way something is done or used". | |||
| Vietnamese | chuyển tiếp | ||
| "Chuyển tiếp" has an extended meaning of "intercourse" from its etymology. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paglipat | ||
Transition in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | keçid | ||
| Another meaning of "keçid" is "passage". | |||
| Kazakh | ауысу | ||
| In Kazakh, "ауысу" also refers to the process of "changing" or "shifting to something new" and can be used in contexts like changing jobs or moving homes. | |||
| Kyrgyz | өткөөл | ||
| The verb "өткөөл" corresponds to the verb "переход" in Russian and to the verb "transition" in English. It describes the passage from one state to another. | |||
| Tajik | гузариш | ||
| The word гузариш (transition) in Tajik is derived from the Persian word گذارش (guzārish) which can also mean "report" or "submission". | |||
| Turkmen | geçiş | ||
| Uzbek | o'tish | ||
| The word "o'tish" can also mean "to pass", "to go over", or "to cross". | |||
| Uyghur | ئۆتكۈنچى | ||
Transition in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hoʻololi | ||
| The word "hoʻololi" can also refer to the act of turning or changing something, or to a change in direction. | |||
| Maori | whakawhitinga | ||
| In Māori mythology, Whakawhitinga refers to the transition from the life of Te Kore (the void) into the life of Te Ao (the world of light). | |||
| Samoan | suiga | ||
| The Samoan word "suiga" also means "bridge, passage, or connection." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | paglipat | ||
| The Tagalog word "paglipat" carries additional meanings such as "alteration" or "change". | |||
Transition in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | majt'ayaña | ||
| Guarani | jehasasapy'a | ||
Transition in International Languages
| Esperanto | transiro | ||
| Esperanto's "transiro" also refers to a musical cadence that modulates from one key to another. | |||
| Latin | transitus | ||
| In Latin, "transitus" also means "death" or "passage to another life." | |||
Transition in Others Languages
| Greek | μετάβαση | ||
| Μετάβαση also means “change of residence” in Greek | |||
| Hmong | kev hloov pauv | ||
| Kev hloov pauv, literally meaning "changing bones," in Hmong refers to a transformation that occurs during adolescence or childhood, when a person's body and mind undergo significant changes. | |||
| Kurdish | derbasbûn | ||
| The word "derbasbûn" in Kurdish also carries the meaning of "change" or "transformation". | |||
| Turkish | geçiş | ||
| "Geçiş" (transition) shares its root with "geçmek" (to pass) and also means "a place where you can pass". | |||
| Xhosa | utshintsho | ||
| Utshintsho, also meaning "crossing", "transformation", or "change", is derived from the verb "ukutshintsha," which means "to change, to replace, to exchange, or to transform." | |||
| Yiddish | יבערגאַנג | ||
| "איבערגאַנג" in Yiddish can also refer to "conversion" or a "crossing". | |||
| Zulu | inguquko | ||
| The Zulu word "inguquko" also signifies a change of political leadership, marking a pivotal moment in society. | |||
| Assamese | স্থানান্তৰ | ||
| Aymara | majt'ayaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | अवस्थांतर | ||
| Dhivehi | ބަދަލުވުން | ||
| Dogri | तबादला | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | paglipat | ||
| Guarani | jehasasapy'a | ||
| Ilocano | agbaliw | ||
| Krio | chenj | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گواستنەوە | ||
| Maithili | संक्रमण | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯣꯡꯕ | ||
| Mizo | inthlakthleng | ||
| Oromo | ce'umsa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସଂକ୍ରମଣ | ||
| Quechua | puriy | ||
| Sanskrit | परिस्थान | ||
| Tatar | күчү | ||
| Tigrinya | መሰጋገሪ | ||
| Tsonga | ku hundzuka | ||