Vary in Different Languages
Discover 'Vary' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'vary' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting change, diversity, and transformation. Its cultural importance is evident in various fields, including literature, music, and culinary arts, where the concept of variation adds depth and richness. For instance, in music, a melody can 'vary' to create a new harmony, while in cooking, a recipe can 'vary' to produce a different flavor.
Given the multifaceted nature of the word 'vary', one might be interested in knowing its translations in different languages. This knowledge not only broadens our linguistic abilities but also provides insights into how different cultures perceive and express the concept of variation.
For example, in Spanish, 'vary' translates to 'variar', while in French, it is 'varier'. In German, the word is 'variieren', and in Japanese, it is '異なる' (kotonaru). These translations not only reflect the linguistic diversity of different cultures but also highlight the universal nature of the concept 'vary'.
Vary
Vary in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | wissel | ||
| The South African word "wissel" is derived from the Dutch word "wisselen" and also means "to change" or "to interchange". | |||
| Amharic | ይለያያል | ||
| The verb ' يلي ' in Amharic, while most frequently meaning 'vary', also carries the meaning of 'to be born', 'to beget', or 'to generate' depending on the context of the sentence. | |||
| Hausa | bambanta | ||
| The term may be rooted in the Hausa word "ban"," meaning different or diverse. | |||
| Igbo | iche iche | ||
| "Iche iche" derives from "iche," meaning "a thing" or "a person," and "iche," meaning "many" or "several." | |||
| Malagasy | mitovy | ||
| "Mitovy" was borrowed from the English "to vary." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | zosiyanasiyana | ||
| Shona | zvinosiyana | ||
| Somali | kala duwanaan | ||
| Sesotho | fapana | ||
| The word "fapana" in Sesotho can also mean "to disperse" or "to be scattered". | |||
| Swahili | kutofautiana | ||
| The Swahili word "kutofautiana" originated from the word "tofauti", meaning "difference", and the suffix "ana", indicating a reciprocal or reflexive action. Therefore, "kutofautiana" essentially means "to make or become different from each other". | |||
| Xhosa | ziyahluka | ||
| In Zulu, the alternate meaning of "ziyahluka" is "to differ from others" or "to be unique". | |||
| Yoruba | yatọ | ||
| Yatọ also means 'shuffle' or 'mix' when used in the context of cards or games. | |||
| Zulu | ziyehluka | ||
| The word "ziyehluka" comes from the Zulu root "hluka," which means "to change" or "to differ." | |||
| Bambara | ka yɛlɛ ka jigi | ||
| Ewe | to vovo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | biratandukanye | ||
| Lingala | ekeseni | ||
| Luganda | -aawukana | ||
| Sepedi | fapafapana | ||
| Twi (Akan) | sesa mu | ||
Vary in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تختلف | ||
| تَخَالَفَ or إِخْتَلَفَ means the same thing and can be used with similar rules | |||
| Hebrew | לְהִשְׁתַנוֹת | ||
| The word "לְהִשְׁתַנוֹת" in modern Hebrew has acquired the specific meaning of "to change or alter in the process of developing", which is not found in biblical Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | مختلف | ||
| The word "مختلف" can also mean "other", "diverse", "various", or "changed" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | تختلف | ||
| تَخَالَفَ or إِخْتَلَفَ means the same thing and can be used with similar rules | |||
Vary in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ndryshon | ||
| Basque | aldatu | ||
| The Basque word "aldatu" (to vary) comes from the Proto-Basque root *ald-, meaning "change, transform". | |||
| Catalan | variar | ||
| The Catalan verb "variar" comes from the Latin "varius", "various", and its primary meaning is "to change", while its secondary meaning is "to differ". | |||
| Croatian | varirati | ||
| The root of the word "varirati" is the Proto-Slavic verb "*variti", meaning "to boil". | |||
| Danish | variere | ||
| The Danish word "variere" originally derives from the French "varier" meaning "to change," and thus also means "to alternate" or "to make a variation of something." | |||
| Dutch | variëren | ||
| Variëren can also mean 'paint with more colors' | |||
| English | vary | ||
| "Vary" in French also has the meaning of "ferment." | |||
| French | varier | ||
| The French word | |||
| Frisian | ôfwikselje | ||
| It's cognate with the Dutch afwisselen, the German abwechseln, and the English alternate (change in turn between different things). | |||
| Galician | variar | ||
| "Variar" also means "to change, to modify, to transform" in Galician. | |||
| German | variieren | ||
| The term "variieren" entered the German language in the 16th century from either Middle French or Middle Latin (Latin variare). | |||
| Icelandic | mismunandi | ||
| The original meaning of "mismunandi" was "various," "different" or "diverse," as opposed to "similar" or "alike." | |||
| Irish | athrú | ||
| The word 'athrú' also means 'to change', 'to alter', or 'to exchange' in Irish. | |||
| Italian | variare | ||
| In Italian, "variare" also means "to alternate" and "to be different or diverse" | |||
| Luxembourgish | variéieren | ||
| In Luxembourgish, 'variéieren' also means to make a variation or to be variegated or assorted. | |||
| Maltese | ivarjaw | ||
| "Ivarjaw" is an archaic form of the Maltese word "varja", and it can also mean "change" or "alteration." | |||
| Norwegian | variere | ||
| "Variere" in Norwegian also refers to the process of changing the direction of a boat by adjusting its sails. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | variar | ||
| In Portuguese, "variar" also means "to oscillate" or "to fluctuate". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | eadar-dhealaichte | ||
| Spanish | variar | ||
| In Spanish the verb "variar" also means "to disagree" with another's opinion. | |||
| Swedish | variera | ||
| “Variera” (“vary”) is derived from the Latin word “varius,” meaning “diverse” or “colorful,” and is related to the English word “various.” | |||
| Welsh | amrywio | ||
| "Amrywio" is an ancient word meaning "to wander" but now means "to vary". | |||
Vary in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | вар'іравацца | ||
| Bosnian | variraju | ||
| Bulgarian | варират | ||
| Bulgarian "варират" is derived from the French "varier" and Latin "vаriare" both meaning "change". | |||
| Czech | lišit se | ||
| The word "lišit se" in Czech can also mean "to differ" or "to be different". | |||
| Estonian | varieeruda | ||
| The word "varieeruda" in Estonian is derived from the Latin word "variare", meaning "to change" or "to make different". | |||
| Finnish | vaihdella | ||
| The word "vaihdella" is cognate with "vechseln" in German and "växla" in Swedish, all meaning "to change" or "to exchange". | |||
| Hungarian | változó | ||
| Változó's alternate meaning: a type of function used in mathematics for example y=ax^2 | |||
| Latvian | variēt | ||
| Latvian "variēt" comes ftom German "variieren" which might also mean "to perform different tasks". | |||
| Lithuanian | skirtis | ||
| Lithuanian "skirtis" is derived from "skirti" (to divide), sharing an etymology with "skirtumas" (difference) and "skiriasi" (differ). | |||
| Macedonian | се разликуваат | ||
| Polish | różnią się | ||
| "Różnią się" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "rozděliti", meaning "to divide" or "to distribute". | |||
| Romanian | varia | ||
| In Romanian, "varia" means "different" and is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *werǵ- "to twist, turn, bend, wind, wrap". | |||
| Russian | варьироваться | ||
| "Варьироваться" is derived from the Latin word "varius" (variegated, diverse), and shares the same root as the English word "various". | |||
| Serbian | варирати | ||
| The verb "варирати" comes from the Latin "varius" (various) and can also mean "to fluctuate" or "to be changeable". | |||
| Slovak | líšiť sa | ||
| The root word of "líšiť sa" is "lýtko", which means "calf" in English. | |||
| Slovenian | se razlikujejo | ||
| The Slovenian word "se razlikujejo", meaning "vary" in English, also has the meaning of "differ" or "distinguish". | |||
| Ukrainian | варіюються | ||
| "Варіюються" originates from the Latin word "varius", meaning "different," and is related to the English word "various." | |||
Vary in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পরিবর্তিত হয় | ||
| The word "পরিবর্তিত হয়" also means "to change". | |||
| Gujarati | બદલાય છે | ||
| Hindi | भिन्न | ||
| The word 'भिन्न' (bhinna) in Hindi is derived from the Sanskrit root 'भिद्' (bhid), which means 'to divide' or 'to split'. | |||
| Kannada | ಬದಲಾಗುತ್ತವೆ | ||
| Malayalam | വ്യത്യാസപ്പെടുന്നു | ||
| The word "vary" is derived from the Middle English word "varien," which ultimately comes from the Old French word "varier," meaning "to change" or "to alter." | |||
| Marathi | भिन्न | ||
| भिन्न has its roots in Sanskrit and means "distinguished" or "different", and can also refer to "divided" or "separated" in a mathematical context. | |||
| Nepali | फरक | ||
| "फ़र्क़" (fark) in Nepali means "difference", but can also refer to a "distinction", "contrast" or a "discrepancy". | |||
| Punjabi | ਭਿੰਨ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වෙනස් වේ | ||
| The word 'වෙනස් වේ' ('vary') might originally refer to the act of exchanging goods or currency during trade. | |||
| Tamil | மாறுபடும் | ||
| மாறுபடும் has meanings like change, alter, differ, modify, fluctuate, and deviate. | |||
| Telugu | మారుతూ ఉంటుంది | ||
| Urdu | مختلف ہوتی ہیں | ||
Vary in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 变化 | ||
| “变化”本指生物繁衍的改变，引申为所有事物发展变化的意思。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 變化 | ||
| 變化, '변화'의 어원은 '바꿈'으로, '환'자는 '변화'에서 따온 것으로 보인다. | |||
| Japanese | 変化する | ||
| Korean | 다르다 | ||
| In Middle Korean, 다르다 (dareuda) originally meant 'to separate, be different, be distant', while in Modern Korean it primarily means 'to be different' | |||
| Mongolian | ялгаатай | ||
| "Ялгаатай" means different or varied, however this word also has meanings like "not straight" or "sloped". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကွဲပြားသည် | ||
Vary in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | berbeda | ||
| Indonesian "berbeda" (vary) comes from the Proto-Austronesian word "*bedah", with alternate meanings of "separate" and "distinguish". | |||
| Javanese | beda-beda | ||
| In Old Javanese, "beda" means "different" and "beda-beda" means "miscellaneous". | |||
| Khmer | ខុសគ្នា | ||
| Lao | ແຕກຕ່າງກັນ | ||
| Malay | berbeza-beza | ||
| Berbeza-beza is thought to derive from a Sanskrit word that can also mean "difference," "discrimination" or "contrast". | |||
| Thai | แตกต่างกันไป | ||
| แตกต่างกันไป or vary in Thai can also mean to be different from one another or to be distinct | |||
| Vietnamese | thay đổi | ||
| The term 'thay đổi' originates from the Chinese word '更迭', meaning 'change' or 'alteration'. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | iba-iba | ||
Vary in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dəyişə bilər | ||
| It also carries the meaning of | |||
| Kazakh | әр түрлі | ||
| Kyrgyz | айырмаланат | ||
| Tajik | фарқ мекунанд | ||
| Turkmen | üýtgeýär | ||
| Uzbek | farq qiladi | ||
| The word "farq qiladi" in Uzbek also means "to make a difference" or "to distinguish." | |||
| Uyghur | ئوخشىمايدۇ | ||
Vary in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lauwili | ||
| Lauwili can also refer to a type of Hawaiian kapa (bark cloth) dyed with turmeric. | |||
| Maori | rerekē | ||
| The word "rerekē" can also refer to "difference" or "distinction" as a noun. | |||
| Samoan | eseese | ||
| The word "eseese" can also mean "to be different" or "to distinguish between two things" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | iba-iba | ||
| "Iba-iba" also means "not the same" or "different" in Tagalog and comes from the root word "iba" which means "other". | |||
Vary in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jan kipka | ||
| Guarani | moambue | ||
Vary in International Languages
| Esperanto | varii | ||
| The Esperanto word "varii" has two roots: "vari" (to change) and "i" (to cause). | |||
| Latin | variari | ||
| In medieval Latin, "variari" also meant "to go astray," and in Late Latin, it meant "to differ". | |||
Vary in Others Languages
| Greek | ποικίλλω | ||
| "Ποικίλλω" can mean to adorn, diversify, vary, or embroider. | |||
| Hmong | sib txawv | ||
| "Sib txawv" can also mean "different" or "to change." | |||
| Kurdish | gûherrandin | ||
| The word "gûherrandin" originates from "gûhêrran" (to change) + the nominalising suffix "din" and it also means "alteration, change". | |||
| Turkish | farklılık göstermek | ||
| The verb "farklılık göstermek" is also commonly translated as "to differ" in English. | |||
| Xhosa | ziyahluka | ||
| In Zulu, the alternate meaning of "ziyahluka" is "to differ from others" or "to be unique". | |||
| Yiddish | בייַטן | ||
| The Yiddish word "בייַטן" (''baytn'') is related to the German "bieten" (''offer''), and can also mean "to offer" or "to change". | |||
| Zulu | ziyehluka | ||
| The word "ziyehluka" comes from the Zulu root "hluka," which means "to change" or "to differ." | |||
| Assamese | ভিন্ন | ||
| Aymara | jan kipka | ||
| Bhojpuri | अंतर भईल | ||
| Dhivehi | ތަފާތުވާ | ||
| Dogri | बक्ख होना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | iba-iba | ||
| Guarani | moambue | ||
| Ilocano | agduma | ||
| Krio | difrɛn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | هەمەچەشن | ||
| Maithili | अलग | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯦꯟꯅꯕ | ||
| Mizo | inang lo | ||
| Oromo | adda adda ta'uu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଭିନ୍ନ ଅଟେ | | ||
| Quechua | tikray | ||
| Sanskrit | विक्लृप् | ||
| Tatar | төрле | ||
| Tigrinya | ይፈላለ | ||
| Tsonga | hambana | ||