Word in different languages

Word in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

Words are the building blocks of language, the bricks that construct our thoughts and convey our ideas. They hold immense significance in shaping our understanding of the world and facilitating communication. The cultural importance of words is evident in the rich tapestry of languages that exist across the globe, each with its unique vocabulary and expressions.

Understanding the translation of a word in different languages can offer fascinating insights into the cultures they represent. For instance, the word for 'word' in Hebrew is 'davar', which also means 'thing', highlighting the inextricable link between language and reality in Hebrew culture. Similarly, in Japanese, the word for 'word' is 'kotoba', which is derived from a verb meaning 'to speak' or 'to tell'.

Moreover, exploring the translations of 'word' can reveal intriguing historical contexts. For example, in Old English, the word for 'word' was 'word', which is derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'wurdiz', meaning 'secret' or 'mystery'. This historical connection between words and secrecy can still be seen in modern English idioms such as 'the word on the street' or 'spread the word'.

Join us as we delve into the translations of the word 'word' in different languages, and discover the rich cultural and historical significance of this humble yet powerful unit of language.

Word


Word in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaanswoord
"Woord" in Afrikaans ultimately derives from the Proto-West Germanic root *wurduz, meaning "fate, destiny, event," or "speech, statement."
Amharicቃል
Hausakalma
Hausa word 'kalma' derives from Arabic 'kalima,' meaning 'utterance' or 'speech,' and is also used to refer to the Islamic declaration of faith.
Igbookwu
In Igbo, okwu denotes both the general notion of “word” and more specifically, a “matter” or “case”.
Malagasyteny
The word "teny" in Malagasy, originally meant "something which is told" or "discourse."
Nyanja (Chichewa)mawu
As well as its common usage, mawu can mean "proverb" or "riddle" in Nyanja.
Shonashoko
Somalierey
"Erey" also means "language" or "speech" in Somali.
Sesotholentsoe
The word 'lentsoe' in Sesotho derives from the Proto-Bantu root '-lenz-', meaning 'to speak' or 'to say'.
Swahilineno
The Swahili word 'neno' has cognates with similar meaning in various Bantu languages such as the Tsonga word "nhlamulengo" which also means 'word'.
Xhosaigama
The word 'igama' in Xhosa also refers to a person's name or their clan name.
Yorubaọrọ
Ọrọ can also mean 'sound' or an 'expression of opinion'.
Zuluizwi
In Zulu, 'izwi' can refer to an utterance, a matter, or an issue.
Bambaradaɲɛ
Ewenya
Kinyarwandaijambo
Lingalaliloba
Lugandaekigambo
Sepedilentšu
Twi (Akan)asɛmfua

Word in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicكلمة
The word "كلمة" (pronounced "kalima") comes from the Arabic root 'k-l-m,' which means 'to speak' or 'to utter.'
Hebrewמִלָה
The Aramaic word מילתא (compare מלה) also means "thing"
Pashtoټکی
"ټکی" (word) also means "point" or "full stop" in Pashto.
Arabicكلمة
The word "كلمة" (pronounced "kalima") comes from the Arabic root 'k-l-m,' which means 'to speak' or 'to utter.'

Word in Western European Languages

Albanianfjale
The Albanian word "fjale" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰeh₂- meaning "to speak".
Basquehitza
The Basque word
Catalanparaula
The Catalan word "paraula" comes from the Latin "parabola," meaning "parable" or "proverb."
Croatianriječ
In some dialects,
Danishord
In Danish the word "ord" can also be used to refer to a proverb, a commandment or a verdict.
Dutchwoord
In Dutch, the word
Englishword
The word "word" derives from the Old English word "word" which meant "speech, talk, or conversation."
Frenchmot
"Mot" also means "ground" or "foundation" in French, sharing an etymological root with the English word "earth".
Frisianwurd
In Old Frisian, wurd meant 'fate' or 'destiny' and was related to the concept of 'becoming' or 'growth'.
Galicianpalabra
The word "palabra" in Galician can also mean "promise".
Germanwort
Wort is an old word which is used in some other languages, too.
Icelandicorð
In Old Norse, 'orð' also meant 'battle' or 'speech'
Irishfocal
The Irish term focal can also refer to a tribe or a family group.
Italianparola
The word "parola" can also mean "password" or "promise".
Luxembourgishwuert
The word "Wuert" in Luxembourgish is derived from the Old High German word "wort", which originally meant "speech" or "thing said."
Maltesekelma
"Kelma" also means "a story," "a saying," or "a spell or curse"}
Norwegianord
In Old Norse, the word «ord» also referred to a runic letter or a written message, and its root comes from the Proto-Indo-European word «*h₂werǵ-» meaning «work» or «deed».
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)palavra
Palavra is derived from the Latin 'parabola', signifying a 'comparison' or a 'comparison of words'.
Scots Gaelicfacal
The Gaelic word 'facal' can also mean 'speech' or 'language'.
Spanishpalabra
The Spanish word "palabra" comes from the Latin "parabola", meaning "a story" or "a spoken word."
Swedishord
The Swedish word 'ord' also means 'message', 'news', 'speech' and 'order'
Welshgair
The word "gair" in Welsh can also refer to a particular utterance or a set of written or spoken words.

Word in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianслова
Bosnianriječ
The Bosnian word 'riječ' can also mean 'speech', 'language', or 'conversation'.
Bulgarianдума
Bulgarian "дума" (word) comes from Old Bulgarian "дума" (thought). In Russia, дума means "parliament".
Czechslovo
In many Slavic languages, including Czech, “slovo” is etymologically related to “listen,” suggesting the word’s origins are tied to the idea of hearing or listening.
Estoniansõna
The Finnish and Estonian word *sõna* (word) is related to the Indo-European root *wer-, meaning to speak.
Finnishsana
In Old Finnish, sana meant 'news' or 'message' and could also refer to an incantation.
Hungarianszó
The Hungarian word "szó" is cognate with English "sound" and "song" and may have also meant "sentence" originally.
Latvianvārdu
The word "vārdu" in Latvian originated from the Proto-Indo-European root *wér- and *wr̥- meaning 'to speak' or 'to say'
Lithuanianžodis
"Žodis" in Lithuanian also means "promise" and comes from the Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰe-zd-i "to promise, to pray."
Macedonianзбор
The word "збор" also means "collection" or "gathering" in Macedonian.
Polishsłowo
The word 'słowo' can also mean 'promise' in Polish.
Romaniancuvânt
In Romanian, "cuvânt" also means "speech" or "promise".
Russianслово
The word "слово" can also mean "promise" or "speech" in Russian.
Serbianреч
In Russian and Old Church Slavonic, речь ('rech') also means speech.}
Slovakslovo
The Slovak word "slovo" is also related to the verbs "slubovať" (to promise) and "sláviť" (to celebrate), suggesting a connection between language and social bonds.
Slovenianbeseda
The Slovenian word "beseda" shares a common root with the Russian "beseda" (conversation)
Ukrainianслово
The Ukrainian word "слово" (word) is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *slovo, meaning "speech" or "utterance".

Word in South Asian Languages

Bengaliশব্দ
The word "শব্দ" can also refer to sound, noise, or a verbal expression
Gujaratiશબ્દ
The word "shabd" in Gujarati has alternate meanings, including "sound", "language", and "sacred text".
Hindiशब्द
The word 'शब्द' (word) in Hindi derives from Sanskrit 'śabda', meaning sound, noise or language.
Kannadaಪದ
The Kannada word "ಪದ" can also mean "step" or "measure".
Malayalamവാക്ക്
Marathiशब्द
The Marathi word "शब्द" (word) comes from the Sanskrit word "शब्दः" (sound), indicating the connection between words and the sounds they represent.
Nepaliशब्द
The word "शब्द" in Nepali comes from the Sanskrit word "Shabda" which also means "sound".
Punjabiਸ਼ਬਦ
"ਸ਼ਬਦ" in Punjabi can also refer to a sacred hymn, particularly in Sikh scripture.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)වචනය
In Sinhala, the word "වචනය" has alternative meanings including "speech" and "statement"
Tamilசொல்
சொல் (sol) in Tamil can also refer to a promise or an agreement.
Teluguపదం
The word "పదం" (Pada) in Telugu can also refer to a foot, foot-step, a quarter, division, or an infantry unit.
Urduلفظ
In addition to "word," the Urdu word "لفظ" can also refer to the act of uttering or speaking.

Word in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)
"字" also refers to characters in written Chinese that are composed of multiple strokes.
Chinese (Traditional)
The character "字" can also mean "character", "letter", or "script".
Japanese
語 can also refer to the concept of language as a whole or a particular language.
Korean워드
The Korean word "워드" derives from the Middle Chinese word "語" (ngiô), meaning speech or sound.
Mongolianүг
Үг is derived from a Proto-Mongolic word meaning "to say, to speak, to tell."
Myanmar (Burmese)စကားလုံး

Word in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiankata
"Kata" in Indonesian can also mean "promise" or "speech".
Javanesetembung
The Javanese word "tembung" can also refer to a sentence or a topic.
Khmerពាក្យ
While the term "ពាក្យ" primarily refers to words, it also carries additional meanings, including speech, language, and text.
Laoຄຳ
The Lao word "ຄຳ" (kham) also means "gold" or "treasure".
Malayperkataan
The Malay word "perkataan" is derived from the Sanskrit word "prakaraṇa", meaning "section" or "chapter".
Thaiคำ
The Thai word "คำ" can also refer to a piece of poetry or a saying, and is related to the Sanskrit word "karma" meaning "action" or "deed".
Vietnamesetừ ngữ
Tư ngữ in Sino-Vietnamese means "a word in a phrase," and in native Vietnamese is a more general term for "idiom."
Filipino (Tagalog)salita

Word in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanisöz
The word "söz" can also refer to a promise or an oath in Azerbaijani.
Kazakhсөз
The Kazakh word
Kyrgyzсөз
The Kyrgyz word "сөз" also means "opinion" and "speech".
Tajikкалима
In the context of religion, the word "калима" refers to the declaration of faith in Islam.
Turkmensöz
Uzbekso'z
The Uzbek word "so'z" shares etymology with "logos" and originally meant "speech".
Uyghurسۆز

Word in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianʻōlelo
'Ōlelo' also means 'language', 'dialect', 'conversation', 'speech,' and 'communication' in Hawaiian.
Maorikupu
Kupu ('word' in Maori), is also used to refer to a 'sacred or magical spell'
Samoanupu
Despite its current singular meaning, 'upu' traditionally referred to the entire collection of proverbs.
Tagalog (Filipino)salita
Salita also refers to a poem or verse, as well as the act of speaking or uttering words.

Word in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraaru
Guaraniñe'ereko

Word in International Languages

Esperantovorto
"Vorto" means "word" in Esperanto, but it also can mean "talk" or "language".
Latinsermo
**Sermo** initially meant 'conversation' or 'discourse', and later on, in a more general sense, a 'written text'.

Word in Others Languages

Greekλέξη
"Λέξη" can also be an alternative spelling of the word "λέγξη" (female noun) meaning "a saying" or "a proverb".
Hmonglo lus
Lo lus comes from the Proto-Hmong-Mien *rɔŋ¹ lus, which also means 'name' or 'song'.
Kurdishbêje
The word "bêje" also means "thing" or "matter" in Kurdish.
Turkishkelime
The word "kelime" derives from the Arabic word "kalimat" meaning "sentences" or "words and phrases."
Xhosaigama
The word 'igama' in Xhosa also refers to a person's name or their clan name.
Yiddishוואָרט
In Yiddish, 'וואָרט' also refers to an engagement or promise.
Zuluizwi
In Zulu, 'izwi' can refer to an utterance, a matter, or an issue.
Assameseশব্দ
Aymaraaru
Bhojpuriशब्द
Dhivehiބަސް
Dogriशब्द
Filipino (Tagalog)salita
Guaraniñe'ereko
Ilocanosarita
Kriowɔd
Kurdish (Sorani)ووشە
Maithiliशब्द
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯋꯥꯍꯩ
Mizothumal
Oromojecha
Odia (Oriya)ଶବ୍ଦ
Quechuarimay
Sanskritशब्दः
Tatarсүз
Tigrinyaቃል
Tsongarito

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