Unlike in different languages

Unlike in Different Languages

Discover 'Unlike' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 5, 2024

The word 'unlike' is a small but powerful term that holds great significance in the English language. It is used to express a contrast or difference between two things, making it a vital tool in our linguistic toolkit. But what about in other languages? Understanding the translation of 'unlike' in different languages can open up new avenues of communication and cultural understanding.

Throughout history, the concept of contrast has been explored in various philosophical, artistic, and scientific contexts. From the ancient Greek concept of 'enantiodromia' to the modern idea of 'yin and yang', the idea of opposing forces has fascinated humans for centuries. The word 'unlike' captures this essence in a simple yet profound way.

For those interested in language and culture, exploring the translations of 'unlike' can provide fascinating insights. For example, in Spanish, 'unlike' is 'diferente a', while in French, it's 'différent de'. In German, it's 'unterschiedlich zu', and in Japanese, it's ' unlike に比べる'.

Unlike


Unlike in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansanders as
The word "anders as" in Afrikaans has a Germanic origin, deriving from Old High German "anders," meaning "different" or "distinct."
Amharicየማይመሳስል
The Amharic word "የማይመሳስል" not only means "unlike" but also "unique."
Hausasabanin
The word "sabanin" can also mean "except" or "different from".
Igbon'adịghị
N'adịghị also means 'to not be' and is the opposite of 'dị' in Igbo.
Malagasytsy toy ny
In Malagasy, "Tsy toy ny " (unlike) can also mean "not like this" or "not like that"}
Nyanja (Chichewa)mosiyana
"Mosiyana" is derived from the root word "siya," meaning "to be like," and the negative prefix "mo-" to signify a difference or contrast.
Shonakusiyana
The word "kusiyana" can also mean "to differ" or "to be different".
Somalika duwan
Ka duwan is also a negation particle in Somali, similar to
Sesothoho fapana
The word "ho fapana" can also refer to differences in quality, appearance or value
Swahilitofauti
The word "tofauti" derives from the Arabic word "tufāwut" meaning "difference".
Xhosangokungafaniyo
Ngokungafaniyo is a negative prefix word in Xhosa which means 'unlike' or 'without resemblance to', and is often used with nouns or adjectives to express dissimilarity or contrast.
Yorubako dabi
Ko dabi also means different from and it is a combination of "ko" meaning no and "dabi" meaning like.
Zulungokungafani
The word "ngokungafani" in Zulu has additional meanings such as "unequally" and "differently"
Bambaraa tɛ i n’a fɔ
Eweto vovo na ema
Kinyarwandabitandukanye
Lingalana bokeseni na yango
Lugandaobutafaananako
Sepedigo fapana le
Twi (Akan)ɛnte sɛ

Unlike in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicعلى عكس
The Arabic phrase "على عكس" can also be used in a sarcastic tone to imply "quite the opposite", suggesting that the situation is ironic.
Hebrewבניגוד
The word בניגוד (unlike) is derived from the root נ-ג-ד, which means 'to oppose' or 'to go against'.
Pashtoبرعکس
برعکس is also used to mean "back", "on the back", or "backward" in Pashto.
Arabicعلى عكس
The Arabic phrase "على عكس" can also be used in a sarcastic tone to imply "quite the opposite", suggesting that the situation is ironic.

Unlike in Western European Languages

Albanianndryshe nga
The Albanian word "ndryshe nga" can also mean "in a different way" or "differently from".
Basqueez bezala
The word
Catalana diferència
The Catalan phrase "a diferència" can also mean "in comparison" or "on the other hand".
Croatianza razliku
The Croatian word "za razliku" can mean "unlike" in some contexts, and in others, it can mean "in contrast", "on the contrary", "conversely", or "whereas".
Danishi modsætning til
In addition to its literal meaning, "I modsætning til" can also be used to introduce a contrasting statement or opinion.
Dutchin tegenstelling tot
The Dutch phrase "in tegenstelling tot" can be literally translated to "in standing against", and is thus related to the word "standpoint".
Englishunlike
The word 'unlike' also means unique or exceptional.
Frenchcontrairement à
The French word "contrairement à" can also be used in English, specifically in logic to define an antithesis.}
Frisianoars as
The Frisian word "oars as" is a fossilized comparative form of "oar", meaning "different" or "other".
Galicianao contrario
The term 'ao contrario' also means 'contrarily' or 'on the contrary' in Galician.
Germannicht wie
"Nicht wie" in German can be used to indicate a conditional "if not" or to negate "as" or "like."
Icelandicólíkt
The Icelandic word "ólíkt" has the same root as the word "líka" meaning "like" or "likeness".
Irishmurab ionann agus
Italiandiversamente da
The Italian phrase "diversamente da" can also mean "differently from" or "in a different way."
Luxembourgishanescht wéi
The word "anescht wéi" comes from the German "anders als". It refers to the fact that things are not similar.
Malteseb'differenza
The word "b'differenza" in Maltese can also mean "with the exception of"
Norwegiani motsetning til
I motsetning til is literally translated as "in opposition to". The word mot can mean against, contrary or opposite while the suffix -setning means opposition, set-up or placement
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)ao contrário
In Portuguese, "ao contrário" also means "on the contrary", "on the other hand" or "instead".
Scots Gaeliceu-coltach
Spanishdiferente a
"Diferente a" can be used with the meaning of comparison in Spanish, as it is the direct translation of the English phrase "different to", but its most widely-spread use is as the equivalent to the English expression "unlike".
Swedishtill skillnad från
Till skillnad från is an idiom that derives from the archaic verb 'tilla', meaning 'to divide' or 'to separate'.
Welshyn wahanol
"Yn wahanol" is also used to mean "of different kinds" or "varied".

Unlike in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianу адрозненне
The word "у адрозненне" can also mean "on the contrary" or "otherwise".
Bosnianza razliku
The word "za razliku" in Bosnian is a phrase meaning "in distinction".
Bulgarianза разлика
The word "за разлика" can also mean "on the contrary" or "in contrast".
Czechna rozdíl od
The word "na rozdíl od" can also mean "in contrast to" or "as opposed to".
Estonianerinevalt
The word 'erinevalt' is derived from the Estonian word 'erinevus', which means 'difference'. It can also be used as a preposition to mean 'except for' or 'with the exception of'.
Finnishtoisin kuin
The word "toisin kuin" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word *tokse, meaning "different" or "other".
Hungariannem úgy mint
The Hungarian word "nem úgy mint" is etymologically connected to the Finnish word "eimuisti" which also means "unlike".
Latvianatšķirībā no
The Latvian word "atšķirībā no" can also mean "in contrast to" or "in difference to".
Lithuanianskirtingai
It is a compound word from „skirti“ (to differ) and „-ingai“ (indicating a difference).
Macedonianза разлика од
The word "за разлика од" is an adverbial phrase that also means "as opposed to".
Polishw odróżnieniu
The Polish word "w odróżnieniu" means "unlike" or "in contrast". It is an adverb of manner.
Romanianspre deosebire de
The Romanian preposition "spre deosebire de" can also mean "whereas" or "in contrast to."
Russianв отличие
“В отличие” is literally a calque from German word "im Gegensatz”, which can also mean "in opposition", "in disagreement".
Serbianза разлику од
While it primarily means 'unlike', the word 'за разлику од' can also mean 'as opposed to'.
Slovakna rozdiel od
The word "na rozdiel od" in Slovak can also mean "apart from" or "in contrast to".
Slovenianza razliko
The word "za razliko" can also mean "besides" or "in addition".
Ukrainianна відміну від
The Ukrainian phrase "на відміну від" is literally translated as "on difference from" and is synonymous with "unlike" or "in contrast to" in English.

Unlike in South Asian Languages

Bengaliঅসদৃশ
The word অসদৃশ is derived from the Sanskrit words 'a-' (not) and 'sadrisha' (similar), and can also mean 'dissimilar' or 'unequal' in Bengali.
Gujaratiવિપરીત
વિપરીત (viparit) shares a root with the Hindi word 'viprit', which means 'different'. Its literal meaning is 'opposite'.
Hindiभिन्न
Kannadaಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿ
The word 'ಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿ' also has the alternate meaning of 'differently' or 'in a different way'.
Malayalamവ്യത്യസ്തമായി
The word "വ്യത്യസ്തമായി" has a second meaning as "different" when used as an adjective or adverb.
Marathiआवडले नाही
The Marathi word "आवडले नाही" can also be used to express general negative or unfavorable opinions.
Nepaliमनपर्दैन
Punjabiਉਲਟ
The word "ਉਲਟ" also means "to turn upside down" or "to overturn" in Punjabi.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)මෙන් නොව
Tamilபோலல்லாமல்
Teluguకాకుండా
The Telugu word "కాకుండా" can also mean "without" or "except for".
Urduکے برعکس
The Urdu word "ke baraks" has Persian origins and is derived from the prefix "bar" (upon, against) and the word "aks" (opposite).

Unlike in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)不像
"不像" can also mean "pretend not to know".
Chinese (Traditional)不像
In Cantonese, 「不像」 can also be a verb that means "to deceive, to cheat".
Japaneseとは異なり
「とは異なり」という表現は否定的な意味を含んでいることがあります。
Korean같지 않은
The first part of the word '같지 않은' means 'equal' and the second part negates it, creating the meaning 'not equal'.
Mongolianялгаатай
Myanmar (Burmese)မတူတာက

Unlike in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiantidak seperti
The Indonesian word "tidak seperti" literally means "not like" and can also be used to express the idea of "different from" or "unlike" in a more general sense.
Javaneseora kaya
The Javanese word "ora kaya" literally means "not rich"
Khmerមិន​ដូច
The word "មិន​ដូច" in Khmer is the equivalent of "unlike" in English and is made up of the negative prefix "មិន" and the word "ដូច" which means "like".
Laoບໍ່​ມັກ
Malaytidak seperti
In Malay, "tidak seperti" doesn't just mean "unlike" but also "not like" or "except for".
Thaiไม่เหมือน
The word "ไม่เหมือน" literally means "does not resemble" and can also be used to convey the idea of "not being the same".
Vietnamesekhông giống
"Không giống" literally means "no picture," signifying difference in appearance.
Filipino (Tagalog)hindi katulad

Unlike in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanifərqli olaraq
The word "fərqli olaraq" in Azerbaijani can also mean "in contrast" or "on the contrary".
Kazakhайырмашылығы
Kyrgyzайырмаланып
The word "айырмаланып" also means "to be different" or "to be separated" in Kyrgyz.
Tajikбаръакс
Turkmentapawutlylykda
Uzbekfarqli o'laroq
The Uzbek word "farqli o'laroq" comes from the Persian word "farq", meaning "difference", and is often used to introduce a comparison or contrast.
Uyghurئوخشىمايدۇ

Unlike in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianʻokoʻa
ʻOkoʻa also means "different, diverse, uncommon, unequal, extraordinary."
Maorirerekē
Although the word “rerekē” means “unlike” in Māori, it also means “different, particular, special.”
Samoanese
The word "ese" also means "to be afraid" in Samoan.
Tagalog (Filipino)hindi katulad
The word "hindi katulad" can also mean "not like" or "different from" in Tagalog.

Unlike in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarajaniw ukhamäkiti
Guaranindaha’éi ojoguáva

Unlike in International Languages

Esperantomalkiel
The word "malkiel" comes from the Yiddish "mal kiel," meaning "badly" or "poorly."
Latindissimilis
The Latin term dissimilis, from the prefix "dis" (apart or negation) and the root "similis" (like or similar), literally translates as "not similar" or "different."

Unlike in Others Languages

Greekδιαφορετικός
A 2nd-century AD inscription uses 'διαφορετικός' (diaforetikos) in the sense of 'diverse', which is a common meaning in ancient Greek texts.
Hmongtsis zoo li
The word "tsis zoo li" is also used to indicate that something is very unusual or different.
Kurdishbervajî
The word "bervajî" in Kurdish is the past participle of the verb "bervîn" (to compare) and also means "different" or "unequal".
Turkishaksine
Aksine, asıl anlami 'tekrar geri'dir, 'aks' ve 'ine' kelimelerinden olusmustur.
Xhosangokungafaniyo
Ngokungafaniyo is a negative prefix word in Xhosa which means 'unlike' or 'without resemblance to', and is often used with nouns or adjectives to express dissimilarity or contrast.
Yiddishניט ענלעך
The word "nit enlekh" in Yiddish can also mean "not similar" or "not the same"
Zulungokungafani
The word "ngokungafani" in Zulu has additional meanings such as "unequally" and "differently"
Assameseunlike
Aymarajaniw ukhamäkiti
Bhojpuriके विपरीत बा
Dhivehiޚިލާފަށް
Dogriविपरीत
Filipino (Tagalog)hindi katulad
Guaranindaha’éi ojoguáva
Ilocanosaan a kas iti
Krionɔ tan lɛk
Kurdish (Sorani)بە پێچەوانەی...
Maithiliविपरीत
Meiteilon (Manipuri)unlike
Mizoang lo takin
Oromofaallaa ta’e
Odia (Oriya)ଭିନ୍ନ ନୁହେଁ |
Quechuamana hinachu
Sanskritविपरीतम्
Tatarаермалы буларак
Tigrinyaዘይከም
Tsongaku hambana na swona

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