Typical in Different Languages
Discover 'Typical' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'typical' is a common term used to describe something that is representative of a particular class or group, or that behaves in a way that is consistent with a certain pattern or expectation. It's a word that we use every day in our conversations, and it's one that helps us to categorize and make sense of the world around us.
But did you know that the word 'typical' has a rich cultural and historical significance? In fact, the concept of 'typicality' has been studied by philosophers, psychologists, and linguists for centuries, and it continues to be a topic of fascination and debate in academic circles today.
Moreover, if you're interested in language and culture, you might be curious to know how the word 'typical' is translated into different languages around the world. After all, what is considered 'typical' in one culture or language might be quite different from what is considered 'typical' in another.
With that in mind, here are some translations of the word 'typical' in a few different languages:
Typical
Typical in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | tipies | ||
| "Tipies" is also a colloquialism for a "typical person". | |||
| Amharic | ዓይነተኛ | ||
| The word "ዓይነተኛ" in Amharic is derived from the root "ዓይን" meaning "eye" and the suffix "-ተኛ," indicating a characteristic or quality, and thus literally means "having the nature of an eye," which is associated with being observant, discerning, and characteristic. | |||
| Hausa | na hali | ||
| The word "na hali" in Hausa can also mean "the same", "usual", or "normal". | |||
| Igbo | ahụkarị | ||
| Malagasy | mahazatra | ||
| The word "mahazatra" also means "usual" or "ordinary" in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wamba | ||
| The word "wamba" in Nyanja is said to be derived from an old word for "chief". This reflects the original connotation of the word as a synonym for "proper" or "correct", as befitting a chief. | |||
| Shona | zvakajairika | ||
| Zvakajairika in Shona comes from the words ‘zvai' (which means 'that which is') and ‘jairika' (which means 'ordinary' or 'usual'), hence meaning 'that which is usual' or 'typical'. | |||
| Somali | caadiga ah | ||
| The word "caadiga ah" can also mean "usual" or "normal" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | tloaelehileng | ||
| The word 'tloaelehileng' comes from the root '-tloaela', meaning 'to be accustomed to' or 'to be usual'. | |||
| Swahili | kawaida | ||
| The word "kawaida" in Swahili can also mean "custom" or "tradition". | |||
| Xhosa | eqhelekileyo | ||
| Xhosa "eqhelekileyo" (typical) comes from "eqhelekile" (to be used to), related to "qheleka" (to lean on; to depend on; to lean; to bend; to incline; to recline). | |||
| Yoruba | aṣoju | ||
| The Yoruba word 'aṣoju' is also used to describe someone who is 'complete' or has good 'character'. | |||
| Zulu | ejwayelekile | ||
| The term "ejwayelekile" also implies a sense of uniqueness or conformity to expected standards within a given context or domain. | |||
| Bambara | gansan | ||
| Ewe | ŋutɔŋutɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | bisanzwe | ||
| Lingala | ya ndenge wana | ||
| Luganda | okulabika nga omuntu omulala | ||
| Sepedi | mohuta o itsego | ||
| Twi (Akan) | taa | ||
Typical in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نموذجي | ||
| The word "نموذجي" has an additional meaning of "normal", as in "normal body temperature". | |||
| Hebrew | אופייני | ||
| The modern Hebrew word אופייני, meaning "typical", is related to אופי, meaning "character". | |||
| Pashto | ځانګړی | ||
| The word "ځانګړی" (typical) in Pashto also means "special" or "peculiar." | |||
| Arabic | نموذجي | ||
| The word "نموذجي" has an additional meaning of "normal", as in "normal body temperature". | |||
Typical in Western European Languages
| Albanian | tipike | ||
| Tipike is an Albanian word derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *tip-, meaning "to cut" or "to divide". | |||
| Basque | tipikoa | ||
| Tipikoa (Basque for "typical") can also mean "folk song" or "traditional dance" in a more specific context. | |||
| Catalan | típic | ||
| The etymology of the word "típic" in Catalan comes from the Greek word "typos" meaning "form, impression" | |||
| Croatian | tipična | ||
| The word "tipična" comes from the Greek word "typos", meaning "impression" or "form". In Croatian, it can also mean "characteristic" or "ordinary". | |||
| Danish | typisk | ||
| The Danish word "typisk" comes from Dutch typisch and originally meant "distinctly printed" but now just means "distinctive" or "usual." | |||
| Dutch | typisch | ||
| "Typisch" in Dutch can also mean "characteristic of a group or type of person", "ordinary", "familiar", "usual", or "everyday". | |||
| English | typical | ||
| Typical comes from the Latin typus, meaning “pattern,” “model,” or “impression,” and the Greek typos, which referred to the imprint left by a blow. | |||
| French | typique | ||
| "Typique" originally meant "emblematic of a group" as well as "characteristic of an individual". In modern usage, it generally connotes "ordinariness", "dullness", or "lack of innovation". | |||
| Frisian | typysk | ||
| Frisian "typysk" can also mean "exceptional" or "remarkable". | |||
| Galician | típico | ||
| In Galician, "típico" also means "ordinary", "simple" or "rustic". | |||
| German | typisch | ||
| 'Typisch' comes from the Greek word 'tupos,' meaning 'form' or 'impression,' and can also indicate 'originality' or 'model' in German. | |||
| Icelandic | dæmigert | ||
| The Icelandic word dæmigert, meaning 'typical,' is derived from the word dæmi, meaning 'example' or 'model.' | |||
| Irish | tipiciúil | ||
| The Irish word "tipiciúil" (typical) comes from the Greek "typikos" (imprinting) and the Latin "typus" (model). | |||
| Italian | tipico | ||
| The word "tipico" in Italian can be used to denote something characteristic of a particular region or community, or something that conforms to a certain type or standard. | |||
| Luxembourgish | typesch | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "typesch" can also refer to a stereotype or an archetype. | |||
| Maltese | tipiku | ||
| The word 'tipiku' is derived from the Italian word “tipico”, meaning 'typical' or 'characteristic', and is used to describe something that is typical or characteristic of a particular place or group. | |||
| Norwegian | typisk | ||
| "Typisk" is derived from the Greek word "typos," meaning "form," and can also mean "stamp" or "impression" in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | típica | ||
| "Típica" (typical) is also used to describe something as usual, expected, or customary. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | àbhaisteach | ||
| Spanish | típico | ||
| "Típico" can also mean "traditional" or "characteristic" in Spanish | |||
| Swedish | typisk | ||
| "Typisk" is a Swedish word that can mean both "typical" and "characteristic", depending on the context. | |||
| Welsh | nodweddiadol | ||
Typical in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | тыповы | ||
| "Тыповы" can also mean "typhus" in Belarusian and comes from "typhus" in Latin. | |||
| Bosnian | tipično | ||
| The word "tipično" can also mean "characteristically" or "usually" | |||
| Bulgarian | типичен | ||
| The Bulgarian word "типичен" is derived from the Greek word "τυπικός", which means "characteristic" or "pertaining to type". | |||
| Czech | typický | ||
| The word "typický" can also mean "archetypal" or "prototypical" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | tüüpiline | ||
| In Estonian, the word "tüüpiline" can also mean "archetypal" or "representative". | |||
| Finnish | tyypillinen | ||
| In Finnish, the word "tyypillinen" can also mean "average" or "standard". | |||
| Hungarian | tipikus | ||
| "Tipikus" is a word derived from the Greek word "typos," meaning "form, type, or pattern." | |||
| Latvian | tipisks | ||
| "Tipiski" is an adjective of "tips" ("type") used to describe something representative of something or somebody. | |||
| Lithuanian | tipiškas | ||
| "Tipiškas" derives from the same Proto-Indo-European root (*tép- "to bind, to fasten") as „topas“ ("to mend, to patch"), „tampa“ ("to seal, to clog"), „tupėti“ ("to squat") and "topurys" ("knot"). In Russian, the cognate «топор» (topor) means "axe". | |||
| Macedonian | типичен | ||
| In English, "typical" derives from Middle French "typique", a loanword from Medieval Latin "typicus" that meant "figurative" and denoted something pertaining to a model, archetype, or norm. | |||
| Polish | typowy | ||
| The word "typowy" in Polish also means "printing error", originating from the term "typographical error". | |||
| Romanian | tipic | ||
| "Tipic" can also mean "pattern" or "canon" in Romanian. | |||
| Russian | типичный | ||
| The word "типичный" can also mean "characteristic" or "stereotypical". | |||
| Serbian | типичан | ||
| The word "типичан" can also mean "standard" or "common" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | typické | ||
| The word "typické" also means "typical" in Czech and "characteristic" in Polish. | |||
| Slovenian | tipično | ||
| The word 'tipično' can also mean 'characteristically' or 'usually'. | |||
| Ukrainian | типовий | ||
| The Ukrainian word "типовий" can also mean "standard", "representative" or "average". | |||
Typical in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সাধারণ | ||
| সাধারণ can also mean "simple" or "ordinary" in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | લાક્ષણિક | ||
| Hindi | ठेठ | ||
| ठेठ (pronounced 'thheth') means 'true' or 'real', and may refer to a characteristic or a place that has maintained its authenticity or tradition. | |||
| Kannada | ವಿಶಿಷ್ಟ | ||
| The word "ವಿಶಿಷ್ಟ" also means "distinguished" or "unique" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | സാധാരണ | ||
| The word 'സാധാരണ' can also mean 'ordinary', 'usual', or 'common'. | |||
| Marathi | ठराविक | ||
| The word 'ठराविक' derives from the Sanskrit word 'sthira' meaning 'fixed' or 'unchanging'. | |||
| Nepali | सामान्य | ||
| The Nepali word "सामान्य" can also refer to someone of the Brahmin caste or the "common man," which reflects its Sanskrit root word, "samanya," meaning "of all, common." | |||
| Punjabi | ਆਮ | ||
| "ਆਮ" also refers to the mango fruit and is etymologically related to the English word "mango" | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සාමාන්යයි | ||
| Tamil | வழக்கமான | ||
| The Tamil word 'வழக்கமான' not only means 'typical', but can also refer to something 'common' or 'usual'. | |||
| Telugu | సాధారణ | ||
| సాధారణ in modern Telugu is often used as a synonym for the English word typical but it originally meant "usual" and is connected to the noun సాయి (sai, 'norm') | |||
| Urdu | عام | ||
| The Arabic-derived word عام can also refer to a “year” or a “common or public” element in Urdu. | |||
Typical in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 典型 | ||
| 典型, as an abbreviation, also means "a typical example". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 典型 | ||
| In Chinese, "典型" (typical) shares its root with "典范" (exemplary), both stemming from "典" (standard) | |||
| Japanese | 典型的な | ||
| 典型的な may also mean "classical", "ideal" or "epitome" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 전형적인 | ||
| The word "전형적인" can also mean "archetypal" or "stereotypical". | |||
| Mongolian | ердийн | ||
| In Mongolian, the word ердийн can also mean 'simple' or 'clear'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပုံမှန် | ||
Typical in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | khas | ||
| The word "khas" in Indonesian also means "special" or "unique". | |||
| Javanese | khas | ||
| The term "khas" can also refer to a distinctive attribute or signature characteristic. | |||
| Khmer | ធម្មតា | ||
| Originally meaning "regular", "normal" or "ordinary", "ធម្មតា" has come to mean "typical" in modern Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ປົກກະຕິ | ||
| The Lao word 'ปกกะติ' ('typical') derives from the Sanskrit word 'prakṛti' ('original nature'). | |||
| Malay | khas | ||
| The word "khas" in Malay can also mean "special" or "exclusive". | |||
| Thai | โดยทั่วไป | ||
| The Thai word โดยทั่วไป literally means "by generality". | |||
| Vietnamese | điển hình | ||
| The word "điển hình" (typical) in Vietnamese is derived from the Chinese word "典型", which originally meant "a model" or "an example". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tipikal | ||
Typical in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | tipik | ||
| The word "tipik" in Azerbaijani, meaning "typical," originates from the Arabic word "tayp," further deriving from the Greek word "typos," meaning "form" or "pattern." | |||
| Kazakh | типтік | ||
| "Типтік" means "typical" in Kazakh, and may also refer to a person with a certain characteristic or trait. | |||
| Kyrgyz | типтүү | ||
| In Kyrgyz, "типтүү" is a compound word consisting of the noun "тип" (type) and the suffix "-үү," which indicates a state or condition. | |||
| Tajik | хос | ||
| The word "хос" in Tajik can also mean "ordinary", "usual", or "commonplace". | |||
| Turkmen | tipiki | ||
| Uzbek | tipik | ||
| Tipik also means "to be proper," "to be suitable" | |||
| Uyghur | تىپىك | ||
Typical in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻano maʻamau | ||
| 'Ano maʻamau' is used to say 'regular' as well as 'boring' or even 'unspectacular'. | |||
| Maori | angamaheni | ||
| In Maori, "angamaheni" also refers to conforming to a specific norm or standard. | |||
| Samoan | masani | ||
| Masani is also used in the phrase 'masani ona,' meaning 'a typical Samoan' | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tipikal | ||
Typical in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kikipa | ||
| Guarani | ymareko | ||
Typical in International Languages
| Esperanto | tipa | ||
| "Tipa" comes from the Russian "типовый", which means "typical" but can also mean "standard" or "usual". | |||
| Latin | typical | ||
| The term 'typical' originates from the Greek word 'typos,' meaning 'impression', which is also the source of 'typography'. | |||
Typical in Others Languages
| Greek | τυπικός | ||
| The word "τυπικός" can also be translated as "ritual" or "ceremonial". | |||
| Hmong | raug | ||
| The word "raug" can also mean "ordinary" or "common" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | mîna | ||
| The word "mîna" can also mean "customs, habits, traditional, usual, way of life, manners, or a particular quality." | |||
| Turkish | tipik | ||
| The Turkish word 'tipik' shares the same etymological root as the French word 'type,' likely derived from the Greek word 'typos,' meaning 'impression' or 'mark,' suggesting its connection to the notion of standard or characteristic traits. | |||
| Xhosa | eqhelekileyo | ||
| Xhosa "eqhelekileyo" (typical) comes from "eqhelekile" (to be used to), related to "qheleka" (to lean on; to depend on; to lean; to bend; to incline; to recline). | |||
| Yiddish | טיפּיש | ||
| The Yiddish word “טיפּיש” (typical) is derived from the Greek word “τύπος” (type, model), which also gave rise to the English word “type”. | |||
| Zulu | ejwayelekile | ||
| The term "ejwayelekile" also implies a sense of uniqueness or conformity to expected standards within a given context or domain. | |||
| Assamese | সাধাৰণ | ||
| Aymara | kikipa | ||
| Bhojpuri | ठेठ | ||
| Dhivehi | އާންމު | ||
| Dogri | चेचा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tipikal | ||
| Guarani | ymareko | ||
| Ilocano | kadawyan | ||
| Krio | nɔmal | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نموونەیی | ||
| Maithili | ठेंठ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯈꯜ ꯑꯃ | ||
| Mizo | thuhmun | ||
| Oromo | addumaan | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସାଧାରଣ | ||
| Quechua | sumaq | ||
| Sanskrit | प्रारूपिक | ||
| Tatar | типик | ||
| Tigrinya | ዝተለመደ | ||
| Tsonga | swantolovelo | ||