Working in different languages

Working in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'working' holds immense significance in our daily lives, as it represents the effort and dedication we put into our activities, jobs, and relationships. It's a cultural cornerstone, symbolizing the value of productivity and the pursuit of personal growth. Understanding the translation of 'working' in different languages can open doors to new experiences and connections around the world.

Did you know that the English word 'work' originates from the Old English 'wyrcan,' meaning 'to operate' or 'to perform'? This term has evolved over centuries, maintaining its relevance in various societies and eras. By knowing the equivalent terms in other languages, you demonstrate respect for cultural diversity and foster better communication.

For instance, in Spanish, 'working' translates to 'trabajando.' In French, it's 'travaillant,' while in German, it's 'arbeitend.' These variations showcase the unique linguistic landscapes of different nations, inviting us to explore and appreciate their distinct identities.

Working


Working in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaanswerk
"Werk" can also mean "pain" or "labor (birth)" in Afrikaans.
Amharicመሥራት
Hausaaiki
The word "aiki" in Hausa can also mean "to do" or "to perform" an action.
Igbona-arụ ọrụ
The Igbo word "na-arụ ọrụ" can also refer to "effort" or "activity" in a general sense, not necessarily limited to work-related tasks.
Malagasymiasa
In the Mahafaly dialect it also refers to the process of a young man building up his reputation and prestige in order to marry and form his own household.
Nyanja (Chichewa)kugwira ntchito
Shonakushanda
The word "kushanda" in Shona also means "to be in use, to be employed, or to be engaged in a particular activity."
Somalishaqeeya
In addition to meaning "working," "shaqeeya" can also refer to a type of traditional Somali dance.
Sesothosebetsa
Derived from Proto-Bantu *sɛ́bɛ́tsɑ̀, a term related to 'to make' or 'to create'.
Swahilikufanya kazi
The Swahili word "kufanya kazi" also means "to strive" or "to exert effort".
Xhosaiyasebenza
"Iyasebenza" is rooted in "sebenza" (to work) which in turn comes from the word "ebenza" (work).
Yorubaṣiṣẹ
"Ṣiṣẹ" derives from "iṣẹ," meaning "work" or "task," and is further related to "ṣe," meaning "to do" or "to make."
Zuluukusebenza
In addition to "working," ukusebenza can also mean "to operate" or "to function."
Bambarabaara
Ewele dɔwɔm
Kinyarwandagukora
Lingalakosala mosala
Lugandaokukola
Sepedigo šoma
Twi (Akan)reyɛ adwuma

Working in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicالعمل
The word "العمل" in Arabic can also mean "deed", such as in the phrase "good deeds" (الأعمال الصالحة).
Hebrewעובד
The word 'עובד' can also mean 'servant' or 'worshipper' in Hebrew.
Pashtoکار کول
The Pashto word "کار کول" also has a colloquial meaning of "to carry out a task or mission", with "کار" meaning "deed" or "task" and "کول" meaning "to carry" or "to do".
Arabicالعمل
The word "العمل" in Arabic can also mean "deed", such as in the phrase "good deeds" (الأعمال الصالحة).

Working in Western European Languages

Albanianduke punuar
The Albanian word "duke punuar" can mean either "working" or "while working". It shares an etymology with the preposition "duke" and the verb "punoj".
Basquelanean
The word 'lanean' in Basque can also refer to 'in the path' or 'in the direction of'.
Catalantreball
The Catalan word "treball" originates from the Latin word "tripalium," which referred to a three-legged stool used as a torture device for slaves.
Croatianradeći
"Radeći" can also mean "while" when used as a conjunction in a subordinate clause.
Danisharbejder
The word "arbejder" also has an alternate meaning of "member of the working class" in Danish.
Dutchwerken
In Limburgish and Flemish dialects, 'werken' can also refer to 'cooking'.
Englishworking
The word "working" derives from the Old English word "weorc", meaning "pain" or "suffering".
Frenchtravail
In French,
Frisianwurkje
"Wurkje" is related to the English word "work", but also means "to act" or "to function" in Frisian.
Galiciantraballando
Galician "traballando" comes from Medieval Latin "trabaculare," meaning "to fasten with a bar" or "to secure."
Germanarbeiten
Arbeiten, like other similar words such as 'operari' or 'εργάζομαι' likely stems from Proto-Indo-European roots.
Icelandicað vinna
The Icelandic word "að vinna" can also mean "to gain" or "to acquire," reflecting its Indo-European roots.
Irishag obair
'Ag obair', meaning 'working' in Irish, also derives from the Irish word 'obaid', meaning 'vessel' or 'utensil', and is related to the English word 'operate'
Italianlavorando
«Lavorando» derives from the Latin «laborare», meaning «to toil» or «to suffer».
Luxembourgishschaffen
In Luxembourgish, "schaffen" is a loanword from German, where "schaffen" also means "to create" or "to make".
Maltesexogħol
The term "xogħol" is possibly derived from the Arabic word "shughl" denoting "occupation, concern," or from the Sicilian equivalent " travagghiu", as a possible cognate of the Italian "travail" signifying "toil, labour".
Norwegianjobber
I jobber med noe is a synonym for the more common jeg arbeider med noe.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)trabalhando
Scots Gaelicag obair
"Ag obair" can also be used to refer to "giving birth."
Spanishtrabajando
Trabajar derives from the Latin "tripalium", meaning "instrument of torture," and also refers to the three poles of a tripod.
Swedisharbetssätt
While it is still used in this sense, "arbetssätt" increasingly means "method of work" as well as "working."
Welshgweithio
The word "gweithio" in Welsh also implies "causing to become" or "forming" in some cases.

Working in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianпрацуе
The word "працуе" derives from the Proto-Slavic word *orbota, meaning "service" or "corvée".
Bosnianradi
"Radi" also means "for the sake of" or "because of".
Bulgarianработещ
The word "работещ" in Bulgarian can have an alternate meaning "working class".
Czechpracovní
In addition to "working", pracovni can also mean "business" or "employment, " with the plural "pracovni" meaning "works."
Estoniantöötavad
The Estonian word "töötavad" also means "functional".
Finnishtoimi
Toimi is derived from the Proto-Finnic verb *toime- ('to act, to work') and is cognate with Estonian toimima ('to function').
Hungariandolgozó
Dolgozó is a gerund form of the verb "dolgozni" (to work) and it can also mean "worker" or "employee".
Latvianstrādā
"Strādā" is cognate with the Slavic words for "suffering" and "pain."
Lithuaniandarbo
The word "darbo" in Lithuanian also means "labor" or "workforce".
Macedonianработи
The word 'работи' also has the meaning of 'things'.
Polishpracujący
The word "pracujący" can also refer to a person who is capable of working or fit for work.
Romanianlucru
The alternate meaning for 'lucru', which is uncommon, is 'thing'.
Russianза работой
The phrase "за работой" in Russian can also mean "at work" or "during work."
Serbianрад
Serbian 'рад' also means 'happy' in Russian, the same root being behind the English word 'dear'
Slovakpracujúci
Pracující (literally 'labourers') is also an obsolete name for the working class or organised workers.
Sloveniandelujoče
The word "delujoče" also means "effective" or "producing the desired result".
Ukrainianробочий

Working in South Asian Languages

Bengaliকাজ
The Bengali word 'কাজ' (kaaj) can also refer to a specific task or duty, or to a job or occupation.
Gujaratiકામ કરે છે
Hindiकाम कर रहे
Hindi word "काम कर रहे" can also refer to "operating" or "functioning" in an abstract or practical sense.
Kannadaಕೆಲಸ
The word "ಕೆಲಸ" is also used to describe a task or job, or the act of performing an action.
Malayalamപ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നു
Marathiकाम करत आहे
The Marathi verb "काम करत आहे" not only means "working" but also refers to "doing a task or a job" or "performing an action".
Nepaliकाम गर्दै
The term 'working' may refer to performing assigned tasks but also to putting effort into improving something
Punjabiਕੰਮ ਕਰਨਾ
The word 'ਕੰਮ ਕਰਨਾ' can also be interpreted as 'doing service', emphasizing the value of contributing to society.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)වැඩ කරනවා
Tamilவேலை
"வேலை" can also mean a job or task, or even a role or position within a company or organization.
Teluguపని
The word "పని" is also used to refer to a task, chore, job, or function.
Urduکام کرنا
کام کرنا originates from the Sanskrit word 'karma', meaning 'deeds' or 'actions'.

Working in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)加工
The original meaning of the Chinese character “加工” is “adding something to” and later took the meaning “processing” (as in processing materials and making products).
Chinese (Traditional)加工
加工 is also used in the sense of "processing" or "manufacturing".
Japaneseワーキング
The word "ワーキング" (working) in Japanese can also mean "functioning" or "operating".
Korean
일 can be an abbreviation for 일자리 (job) or 일이요 (work)
Mongolianажиллаж байна
The word "ажиллаж байна" can also mean "to be busy" or "to be engaged in an activity".
Myanmar (Burmese)အလုပ်လုပ်နေတယ်

Working in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiankerja
The Indonesian word
Javanesemakarya
"Makarya" also means "to study" or "to pray" in Javanese.
Khmerធ្វើការ
The Khmer word “ធ្វើការ” also means “performing a function” and is used to describe inanimate objects or abstract concepts doing something.
Laoເຮັດວຽກ
Malaybekerja
The word 'bekerja' originates from Sanskrit, where it meant 'to perform an action'.
Thaiทำงาน
"ทำงาน" can also refer to the process of doing something or creating something, as in "ทำงานศิลปะ" (doing art).
Vietnameseđang làm việc
The verb "đang làm việc" can also mean "in progress" or "under construction".
Filipino (Tagalog)nagtatrabaho

Working in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniişləyir
The word "işləyir" in Azerbaijani can also mean "being in operation", "functioning", or "being active".
Kazakhжұмыс істейді
Kyrgyzиштеп жатат
Tajikкор
The word "кор" (working) is also used to refer to the process of "doing" or "making" something.
Turkmenişlemek
Uzbekishlaydigan
The word "ishlaydigan" has a similar root to "ish", which means "work," and conveys the ongoing or habitual nature of the action.
Uyghurئىشلەۋاتىدۇ

Working in Pacific Languages

Hawaiiane hana ana
Hana can also refer to a particular job, duty, or occupation
Maorimahi
The Maori word "mahi" also means "to strive" or "to exert oneself".
Samoangalue
Galue is related to the word 'galu', meaning 'movement' or 'wave'.
Tagalog (Filipino)nagtatrabaho

Working in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarairnaqkasa
Guaranimba'apokuaa

Working in International Languages

Esperantolaborante
The Esperanto word "laborante" is derived from the Latin word "laborans", meaning "toiling" or "suffering".
Latinworking
The Latin word "working", "opus", also means a literary or musical composition.

Working in Others Languages

Greekεργαζόμενος
The word "εργαζόμενος" also means "doing work" or "having a profession or employment" in Greek.
Hmongua haujlwm
The word "ua haujlwm" in Hmong has alternate meanings such as "to do a job" or "to make a living".
Kurdishdixebitin
The term "dixebitin" may be related to the root "deb," meaning "to strive" or "to exert oneself," indicating the concept of effort involved in labor.
Turkishçalışma
In Ottoman Turkish, "çalışma" meant "to turn, to revolve," and later, "to move, to go."
Xhosaiyasebenza
"Iyasebenza" is rooted in "sebenza" (to work) which in turn comes from the word "ebenza" (work).
Yiddishארבעטן
The Yiddish word “ארבעטן” (arbeiten) comes from the German word “arbeiten,” which itself derives from the Latin “arare” (to plow) and the Proto-Indo-European root “*ar” (to plow, till)
Zuluukusebenza
In addition to "working," ukusebenza can also mean "to operate" or "to function."
Assameseকাম কৰি থকা
Aymarairnaqkasa
Bhojpuriकामकाजी
Dhivehiމަސައްކަތްކުރުން
Dogriनौकरीशुदा
Filipino (Tagalog)nagtatrabaho
Guaranimba'apokuaa
Ilocanoagtar-tarabaho
Kriowokin
Kurdish (Sorani)کارکردن
Maithiliकाम करए बला
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯊꯕꯛ ꯇꯧꯔꯤꯕ
Mizohnathawk
Oromohojjechuu
Odia (Oriya)କାମ କରୁଛି
Quechuallamkay
Sanskritकरोति
Tatarэшләү
Tigrinyaምስራሕ
Tsongaku tirha

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