Trouble in Different Languages
Discover 'Trouble' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'trouble' is a small but powerful term, holding significance in many cultures and languages around the world. Often associated with hardship, adversity, or challenging situations, it's a word that transcends borders and unites us in our shared human experiences. But how do we convey this concept in different languages? Understanding the translation of 'trouble' in various tongues can provide us with a unique cultural perspective and enrich our global communication.
For instance, in Spanish, 'trouble' translates to 'problema', while in French, it becomes 'ennui' or 'difficulté', depending on the context. In German, 'trouble' is 'Schwierigkeit', and in Japanese, it's 'proberu' or 'nayami'. Each of these translations offers a glimpse into the linguistic and cultural nuances of the word 'trouble'.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a world traveler, or simply curious about the world around you, exploring the translations of 'trouble' can be a fascinating journey. Join us as we delve into the many shades of meaning behind this universal term.
Trouble
Trouble in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | moeilikheid | ||
| Moeilikheid derives from the Dutch word 'moeilijkheid' and can also refer to difficulty or complexity. | |||
| Amharic | ችግር | ||
| "ችግር" is a loanword from the Arabic word "شغور" which means "vacancy, unoccupied space". | |||
| Hausa | matsala | ||
| The Hausa word "matsala" is also used to refer to a "problem", "issue", or "difficulty". | |||
| Igbo | nsogbu | ||
| The Igbo word "nsogbu" is etymologically related to the word "gbogbo","meaning to disturb"} | |||
| Malagasy | natoky | ||
| The word "NATOKY" in Malagasy can also refer to a painful event or a situation that causes distress. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | vuto | ||
| The word "vuto" originates from the Proto-Bantu word "*βútó", meaning "difficulty, misfortune, adversity". | |||
| Shona | dambudziko | ||
| The word "dambudziko" is derived from the root "damba," meaning "to desire," and the suffix "-dziko," indicating a state or condition, suggesting the idea that trouble stems from unfulfilled desires. | |||
| Somali | dhibaato | ||
| Dhibaato, a Somali word for trouble, shares its root with the Arabic word 'dhib' which means 'damage', 'harm', or 'affliction'. | |||
| Sesotho | khathatso | ||
| The word "khathatso" in Sesotho also refers to a commotion or disturbance, signifying a deviation from the norm. | |||
| Swahili | shida | ||
| "Shida" has a wider meaning in Swahili, referring to any issue, problem, or difficulty. | |||
| Xhosa | inkathazo | ||
| The word 'inkathazo' can also mean 'to bother' or 'to disturb'. | |||
| Yoruba | wahala | ||
| The Yoruba word "wahala" has alternate meanings such as "difficulty" and "hardship" and is etymologically related to the Hausa word "wahala" meaning "disorder." | |||
| Zulu | inkathazo | ||
| The Zulu word 'inkathazo' is also a traditional dance and a traditional garment made of cow skin. | |||
| Bambara | kɔnɔnafilila | ||
| Ewe | kuxi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ingorane | ||
| Lingala | mobulu | ||
| Luganda | ennaku | ||
| Sepedi | bothata | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔhaw | ||
Trouble in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مشكلة | ||
| The word "مشكلة" is derived from the root word "شكل" which means "shape" or "form". It can also mean "puzzle" or "problem". | |||
| Hebrew | צרה | ||
| The word "צרה" (trouble) in Hebrew derives from the Akkadian word "ṣarru" (king, lord, master). | |||
| Pashto | ستونزه | ||
| The word "ستونزه" comes from the Persian word "ستوه" which means "oppression" or "distress." | |||
| Arabic | مشكلة | ||
| The word "مشكلة" is derived from the root word "شكل" which means "shape" or "form". It can also mean "puzzle" or "problem". | |||
Trouble in Western European Languages
| Albanian | telashe | ||
| The word "telashe" (trouble) in Albanian derives from the Proto-Albanian word *telash-, meaning "fear" or "trembling". | |||
| Basque | arazoak | ||
| The word "arazoak" is the plural form of "arazo", which originally meant "sickness" or "pain". | |||
| Catalan | problemes | ||
| The Catalan word "problemes" derives from the Greek "problema," meaning "something thrown forth," or "obstacle." | |||
| Croatian | nevolja | ||
| Serbo-Croatian word 'nevolja' comes from a Proto-Slavic word that originally meant 'slavery', 'imprisonment', or 'oppression'. | |||
| Danish | problemer | ||
| "Problemer" derives from the old Danish word "problemær", meaning either "difficult" or "objectionable". | |||
| Dutch | probleem | ||
| The Dutch word "probleem" has its origins in the Middle Dutch "proeflike", which means "examination". | |||
| English | trouble | ||
| The word 'trouble' is derived from the Old French word 'troubler', meaning 'to disturb' or 'to stir up'. It can also be used to describe a feeling of unease or anxiety. | |||
| French | difficulté | ||
| “Difficulté” derives from the Latin “difficultas,” meaning “hardness,” and relates to words such as “difficulty,” “defile,” and “difficult.” | |||
| Frisian | lijen | ||
| The word "lijen" can also refer to "mischief" or "annoyance" in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | problema | ||
| Problema is of Greek origin and its literal meaning is "something thrown forward." | |||
| German | ärger | ||
| The word "Ärger" is derived from the Middle High German word "erge" meaning "anger, annoyance, wrath". | |||
| Icelandic | vandræði | ||
| Vandræði means 'difficulty' and 'trouble', but historically it could also mean 'effort' and 'hardship'. | |||
| Irish | trioblóid | ||
| The word "trioblóid" in Irish is derived from the Latin word "tribulatio", meaning "affliction" or "distress". | |||
| Italian | guaio | ||
| "Guaio" can also mean cry, howl, lament, sorrow, or whine. | |||
| Luxembourgish | ierger | ||
| "Ierger" is derived from the Old French word "engregier", meaning to aggravate or intensify. | |||
| Maltese | inkwiet | ||
| In Maltese, "inkwiet" can also refer to a commotion or disturbance, especially in a public setting. | |||
| Norwegian | trøbbel | ||
| The word 'trøbbel' can also refer to a type of fishing net or a group of fish caught in a net. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | problema | ||
| The Portuguese word "problema" derives from the Greek word "πρόβλημα", meaning "thing thrown forward" or "a question to be solved". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | trioblaid | ||
| The Gaelic noun 'trioblaid' derives from the verb 'triobailladh', meaning to 'molest' or 'harass'. | |||
| Spanish | problema | ||
| The Spanish word 'problema' ultimately derives from the Greek 'problēma' meaning 'something thrown forward' or 'an obstacle'. | |||
| Swedish | problem | ||
| The Swedish word "problem" derives from the Greek word "problema", meaning "question" or "obstacle". | |||
| Welsh | drafferth | ||
| The word "drafferth" is sometimes also used to refer to a sudden loss or mishap. | |||
Trouble in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | бяда | ||
| "Бяда" can be synonymous with "disaster," "misfortune," or "sorrow" in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | nevolja | ||
| "Nevolja" is a Slavic word that originally meant "unfreedom" or "slavery". | |||
| Bulgarian | неприятности | ||
| The word "неприятности" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "неприязнь" (literally "unpleasantness") and is cognate with the Russian word "неприятность" (literally "unpleasantness"). | |||
| Czech | problémy | ||
| In Czech, "problémy" also means "problems". | |||
| Estonian | häda | ||
| The word "häda" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*hajota" meaning "to separate, to ruin". | |||
| Finnish | ongelmia | ||
| Finnish word 'ongelmia' (trouble) probably derives from a Slavic word for 'fear'. | |||
| Hungarian | baj | ||
| Hungarian 'baj' is cognate with the Slavic word for 'fear' or 'terror', and may also have meant that in Proto-Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | nepatikšanas | ||
| The Latvian word "nepatikšanas" is a cognate of the Lithuanian "nepatogumai" ("inconvenience") and is also related to the Old Prussian word "nepatis" ("discord"). | |||
| Lithuanian | bėda | ||
| Lithuanian "bėda" has various roots - one possibly originating in Proto-Indo-European *bhend-, referring to seizing or grabbing, while another, "badas", meaning hunger, has likely been borrowed from Middle Low German. | |||
| Macedonian | неволја | ||
| The word "неволја" is a compound word derived from "не" (meaning "not") and "воља" (meaning "will"). Thus, "неволја" literally means "not willing" or "unwillingly" and implies a feeling of reluctance or constraint. | |||
| Polish | kłopot | ||
| "Kłopot" in Polish has roots in the Germanic word "klappa", meaning "a blow" or "a slap", which later evolved into "klapot" in Old Polish to mean "a commotion" or "upheaval". | |||
| Romanian | necaz | ||
| The word "necaz" in Romanian is derived from the Latin word "necāre", meaning "to kill" or "to cause pain or distress." | |||
| Russian | беда | ||
| The Russian word "беда" originates from the Proto-Indo-European word "bʰedʰ-", meaning "to split, divide, separate". | |||
| Serbian | невоља | ||
| The Serbian word "невоља" originally meant "slavery" and still has this meaning in some dialects. | |||
| Slovak | problém | ||
| The Slovak word "problém" originates from the Greek "problema," meaning "obstacle" or "question." | |||
| Slovenian | težave | ||
| The word "težave" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*tęgъ", meaning "difficult" or "heavy", and is also related to the Russian word "тяжело" (tyazhelo), meaning "difficult". | |||
| Ukrainian | біда | ||
| The word "біда" ("trouble") in Ukrainian is also used to refer to a misfortune or a serious problem. | |||
Trouble in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ঝামেলা | ||
| The word 'ঝামেলা' (trouble) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'जमाल' (jamal), meaning 'knot' or 'difficulty'. | |||
| Gujarati | મુશ્કેલી | ||
| The Gujarati word "મુશ્કેલી" is derived from the Sanskrit word "muṣkala," meaning "pain" or "affliction." | |||
| Hindi | मुसीबत | ||
| "मुसीबत" (trouble) is cognate with "misery" which comes from the Latin "miser" (wretched, poor) and the suffix "-ia" (condition), meaning literally, "condition of unhappiness." | |||
| Kannada | ತೊಂದರೆ | ||
| The Kannada word "ತೊಂದರೆ" can also refer to "distress", "affliction", or "difficulty" | |||
| Malayalam | കുഴപ്പം | ||
| The word "കുഴപ്പം" can also refer to a mathematical problem or a knotty issue. | |||
| Marathi | त्रास | ||
| The word "त्रास" (trās) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "त्रस" (trasa), meaning "fear", and also refers to "harassment" or "annoyance". | |||
| Nepali | समस्या | ||
| The Nepali word "समस्या" (trouble) also means "riddle" or "puzzle". | |||
| Punjabi | ਮੁਸੀਬਤ | ||
| The word "मुसीबत" is derived from the Arabic word "مصیبت" which means "calamity, disaster, affliction". The word can also be used to describe a difficult or challenging situation. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කරදර | ||
| කරදර (karadhara) is a Sinhala word originating from Sanskrit, meaning burden/tax/tribute or difficulty/hardship. | |||
| Tamil | சிக்கல் | ||
| The word "சிக்கல்" in Tamil can also refer to a problem or difficulty in mathematics. | |||
| Telugu | ఇబ్బంది | ||
| The word "ఇబ్బంది" in Telugu can also mean "embarrassment" or "difficulty". | |||
| Urdu | پریشانی | ||
| پریشانی is also used to describe mental anguish, confusion, or disorder | |||
Trouble in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 麻烦 | ||
| 麻烦 (māfan) literally means "to bother others," and can also refer to something being bothersome or inconvenient. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 麻煩 | ||
| The word 麻煩 also has other meanings including "bother" and "difficult," depending on context. | |||
| Japanese | トラブル | ||
| トラブル is derived from the English word "trouble", meaning not only "trouble," but also "efforts" or "struggles" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 수고 | ||
| The word "수고" can also mean "hard work" or "effort" in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | асуудал | ||
| The Mongolian word "асуудал" can also refer to a problem, issue, or difficulty. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပြ.နာ | ||
Trouble in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | masalah | ||
| "Masalah" derives from the Arabic word "mas'alah" meaning "question, matter, issue". | |||
| Javanese | masalah | ||
| "Masalah" can also mean "situation" or "circumstance" in the Javanese language. | |||
| Khmer | បញ្ហា | ||
| "បញ្ហា" (panha) is derived from the Sanskrit word "praśna" meaning "question" and can also refer to "issues" or "difficulties". | |||
| Lao | ບັນຫາ | ||
| Malay | masalah | ||
| **The word "masalah" derives from the Arabic word "mas'alah", meaning "question" or "issue"** | |||
| Thai | ปัญหา | ||
| The Thai word "ปัญหา" also means "question" and is cognate with the Lao word "ปัญหา" which has the additional meaning "riddle". | |||
| Vietnamese | rắc rối | ||
| The Vietnamese word "rắc rối" can also mean "thorny" or "difficult to solve". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gulo | ||
Trouble in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | narahatlıq | ||
| "Narahatlıq" is a word in the Turkic languages that originally referred to a disturbance of the peace, but in Azerbaijan it specifically means problems, worries or inconvenience | |||
| Kazakh | қиындық | ||
| The Kazakh word "қиындық" (trouble) derives from the Persian word "qeyd" (bond, limitation), signifying a state of constraint or difficulty. | |||
| Kyrgyz | кыйынчылык | ||
| Tajik | душворӣ | ||
| The word "душворӣ" is used to describe both physical and emotional distress, as well as difficulty or hardship. | |||
| Turkmen | kynçylyk | ||
| Uzbek | muammo | ||
| The word "muammo" is derived from the Arabic word "ma'mūmah" which means "difficult thing" or "vexation." | |||
| Uyghur | ئاۋارىچىلىق | ||
Trouble in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pilikia | ||
| Although pilikia typically means "trouble" in Hawaiian, variations of the word can refer to work, a task, business, difficulties or obstacles, and various negative experiences. | |||
| Maori | raru | ||
| The word "raru" also means "knot" or "tangle" in Maori, suggesting a connection between trouble and entanglements. | |||
| Samoan | faʻalavelave | ||
| Samoan word "faʻalavelave" is a compound of "faʻa" (to cause) and "lāvelave" (difficult) | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | gulo | ||
| Gulo is also the name of a genus including wolverines, which are known for their aggression and fierce nature. | |||
Trouble in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jan walt'a | ||
| Guarani | apañuãi | ||
Trouble in International Languages
| Esperanto | problemo | ||
| The Esperanto word 'problemo' originates from the Slavic languages, where it often refers to a 'burden' or 'affliction'. | |||
| Latin | tribulatio | ||
| The Latin word "tribulatio" can also refer to threshing or the instrument used for threshing, highlighting the hardship from which the meaning of "trouble" is derived. | |||
Trouble in Others Languages
| Greek | ταλαιπωρία | ||
| Τallaiporia's other meanings also refer to physical distress: hardship, affliction, disease, or weakness | |||
| Hmong | teeb meem | ||
| The word "teeb meem" is a reduplicative term that originated from another Hmong word meaning "bad". | |||
| Kurdish | astengan | ||
| The word "astengan" in Kurdish has a root meaning of "a heavy burden," suggesting the weight of problems. | |||
| Turkish | sorun | ||
| "Sorun" is a cognate of the English word "search" and originally meant "that which is to be sought or asked". | |||
| Xhosa | inkathazo | ||
| The word 'inkathazo' can also mean 'to bother' or 'to disturb'. | |||
| Yiddish | צרה | ||
| The Yiddish "tsore" which also means "trouble" comes from the word for "narrow" because something narrow can restrict and therefore cause trouble. | |||
| Zulu | inkathazo | ||
| The Zulu word 'inkathazo' is also a traditional dance and a traditional garment made of cow skin. | |||
| Assamese | সমস্যা | ||
| Aymara | jan walt'a | ||
| Bhojpuri | दिक्कत | ||
| Dhivehi | މައްސަލަ | ||
| Dogri | परेशानी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gulo | ||
| Guarani | apañuãi | ||
| Ilocano | riri | ||
| Krio | plaba | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کێشە | ||
| Maithili | तकलीफ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯨꯗꯣꯡꯊꯤꯕ | ||
| Mizo | buaina | ||
| Oromo | rakkoo | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅସୁବିଧା | ||
| Quechua | sasachakuy | ||
| Sanskrit | समस्या | ||
| Tatar | проблема | ||
| Tigrinya | ፀገም | ||
| Tsonga | hlupha | ||