Are you struggling to say SMALL in different languages? You are not alone!
SMALL is universal, describing something compact, little, or minor. While the concept remains constant, how it is expressed differs significantly across languages and cultures.
This post will explore how to say “small” in various languages, why it’s a crucial word to learn, and how it reflects linguistic diversity. Let’s dive right in!
Why Is It Important to Know “Small”?
Understanding and using “small” can enhance your communication skills in any new language. Here’s why:
Descriptive Power: “Small” is one of the most basic adjectives to describe size, quantity, or importance, making it essential for language learners.
Practical Applications: This word has everyday relevance, from asking for smaller portions of food to describing a small town or item.
Cultural Insight: Learning how “small” is expressed across languages can offer a glimpse into the nuances of a culture’s perception of size and scale.
SMALL in European Languages
Western European Languages
English: Small (pronounced smol)
French: Petit (pronounced puh-TEE)
German: Klein (pronounced klahyn)
Spanish: Pequeño (pronounced peh-KEH-nyo)
Italian: Piccolo (pronounced PEE-koh-loh)
Portuguese: Pequeno (pronounced peh-KEH-noh)
Dutch: Klein (pronounced klayn)
Catalan: Petit (pronounced puh-TEET)
Northern European Languages
Swedish: Liten (pronounced LEE-ten)
Danish: Lille (pronounced LEE-leh)
Norwegian: Liten (pronounced LEE-ten)
Finnish: Pieni (pronounced pee-eh-nee)
Icelandic: Lítil (pronounced LEE-til)
Eastern European Languages
Russian: Маленький (pronounced MAH-len-kee)
Polish: Mały (pronounced MAH-wih)
Czech: Malý (pronounced MAH-lee)
Hungarian: Kicsi (pronounced KEE-chee)
Ukrainian: Малий (pronounced MAH-leh)
Celtic Languages
Irish Gaelic: Beag (pronounced byag)
Scottish Gaelic: Beag (pronounced byag)
Welsh: Bach (pronounced bahkh)
Other European Languages
Basque: Txikia (pronounced CHEE-kee-ah)
Maltese: Żgħir (pronounced zheer)
Albanian: I vogël (pronounced ee VOH-guhl)
SMALL in Asian Languages
East Asian Languages
Chinese (Simplified): 小 (pronounced xiǎo)
Chinese (Traditional): 小 (pronounced xiǎo)
Japanese: 小さい (pronounced chīsai)
Korean: 작은 (pronounced ja-geun)
South Asian Languages
Hindi: छोटा (pronounced chhota)
Bengali: ছোট (pronounced chhôṭo)
Tamil: சிறிய (pronounced siṟiya)
Urdu: چھوٹا (pronounced chhota)
Southeast Asian Languages
Thai: เล็ก (pronounced lék)
Vietnamese: Nhỏ (pronounced nyaw)
Indonesian: Kecil (pronounced keh-CHIL)
Malay: Kecil (pronounced keh-CHIL)
Khmer (Cambodian): ទូច (pronounced toch)
SMALL Middle Eastern Languages
Arabic: صغير (pronounced saɣīr)
Hebrew: קטן (pronounced ka-TAN)
Persian (Farsi): کوچک (pronounced koo-čak)
Turkish: Küçük (pronounced koo-chook)
SMALL African Languages
Swahili: Ndogo (pronounced n-DOH-goh)
Zulu: Incane (pronounced in-KAH-neh)
Afrikaans: Klein (pronounced klayn)
Amharic: ትንሽ (pronounced tɨnɨš)
SMALL Austronesian Languages
Filipino (Tagalog): Maliit (pronounced mah-LEET)
Cebuano: Gagmay (pronounced GAHG-my)
Maori: Iti (pronounced ee-tee)
Hawaiian: Liʻiliʻi (pronounced lee-lee-ee)
SMALL Indigenous Languages
Native American Languages
Navajo: Hastiin (pronounced hah-steen)
Pitjantjatjara: Maku (used to indicate small or low status)
Table of Translations & Pronunciations of SMALL in Different Languages
Language
Word for Small
Pronunciation
English
Small
/smɔːl/
Spanish
Pequeño/Pequeña
/peˈkeɲo/ or /peˈkeɲa/
French
Petit/Petite
/pə.ti/ or /pə.tit/
German
Klein
/klaɪn/
Italian
Piccolo/Piccola
/ˈpik.kolo/ or /ˈpik.kola/
Portuguese
Pequeno/Pequena
/peˈke.nu/ or /peˈke.na/
Chinese (Mandarin)
小 (Xiǎo)
/ɕjàʊ/
Japanese
小さい (Chīsai)
/tɕiː.sai/
Korean
작다 (Jakda)
/tɕak̚.ta/
Arabic
صغير (Saghir)
/sa.ɣiːr/
Hindi
छोटा (Chhota)
/tʃʰoː.ʈaː/
Russian
Маленький (Malen’kiy)
/ˈmalʲɪnʲkʲɪj/
Swahili
Ndogo
/ndo.go/
Zulu
Ncane
/nca.ne/
Afrikaans
Klein
/klɛɪn/
Amharic
ትንሽ (Tinishi)
/tɨ.nɨʃ/
Yoruba
Kekere
/ke.ke.re/
Igbo
Obere
/o.be.re/
Hausa
Karami
/ka.ra.mi/
Bengali
ছোট (Chhoto)
/tʃʰoʈo/
Turkish
Küçük
/kyˈtʃyk/
Vietnamese
Nhỏ
/ɲɔ/
Greek
Μικρός (Mikros)
/mi.kros/
Hebrew
קטן (Katan)
/kaˈtan/
Polish
Mały
/ˈma.wɨ/
Thai
เล็ก (Lék)
/lék/
Dutch
Klein
/klɛɪn/
Czech
Malý
/ˈmalɪ/
Malay/Indonesian
Kecil
/kə.tʃil/
Tamil
சிறிய (Siṟiya)
/sɪrɪ.ja/
Telugu
చిన్న (Chinna)
/tʃin.na/
Urdu
چھوٹا (Chhota)
/tʃʰoʈa/
Punjabi
ਛੋਟਾ (Chhota)
/tʃʰoʈa/
Malayalam
ചെറു (Cheru)
/tʃe.ru/
Hungarian
Kicsi
/ˈkitʃi/
Finnish
Pieni
/ˈpie.ni/
Swedish
Liten
/ˈliː.tɛn/
Danish
Lille
/ˈlil.lə/
Norwegian
Liten
/ˈliːtɛn/
Bulgarian
Малък (Malak)
/ˈma.lək/
Serbian
Мали (Mali)
/ˈma.li/
Croatian
Mali
/ˈma.li/
Slovak
Malý
/ma.liː/
Romanian
Mic
/mik/
Persian (Farsi)
کوچک (Koochak)
/kuː.tʃæk/
Pashto
کوچنی (Kochnay)
/ku.tʃʰ.nay/
Kazakh
Кішкентай (Kishkentai)
/kɪʃ.kɛn.taɪ/
Uzbek
Kichik
/ki.tʃɪk/
Georgian
პატარა (Patara)
/pʰɑ.tɑ.rɑ/
Mongolian
Жижиг (Jijig)
/dʒi.dʒɪg/
Tagalog
Maliit
/ma.liːt/
Haitian Creole
Ti
/ti/
Burmese
သေး (Thay)
/θé/
Khmer
តូច (Toch)
/toːc/
Lao
ນ້ອຍ (Noi)
/nɔj/
Gujarati
નાનો (Nano)
/na.no/
Marathi
लहान (Lahan)
/laː.haːn/
Sinhala
පොඩි (Podi)
/po.di/
Tigrinya
ንእሽተይ (Ni’ishtay)
/nɨ.ʔɪʃ.teɪ/
Somali
Yar
/jar/
Maori
Iti
/i.ti/
Hawaiian
Li‘ili‘i
/li.ʔi.li.ʔi/
Irish
Beag
/bʲaɡ/
Welsh
Bach
/baːx/
Scottish Gaelic
Beag
/bʲɛɡʲ/
Language
Word for Small
Pronunciation
Albanian
Vogël
/ˈvo.ɡəl/
Armenian
Փոքր (Poqr)
/pʰɔkʰəɾ/
Azeri
Kiçik
/kitʃik/
Basque
Txiki
/tʃiki/
Belarusian
Маленькі (Malen’ki)
/ˈma.lenʲ.ki/
Bosnian
Mali
/mali/
Catalan
Petit
/pəˈtit/
Cebuano
Gamay
/gaˈmaɪ/
Chichewa
Ang’onoang’ono
/aŋ.o.no.aŋ.o.no/
Corsican
Chjucu
/kju.tʃu/
Esperanto
Malgranda
/malˈgran.da/
Estonian
Väike
/ˈvæi.ke/
Filipino
Maliit
/maˈliːt/
Frisian
Lyts
/lits/
Galician
Pequeno
/peˈke.no/
Hausa
Karami
/ka.ra.mi/
Icelandic
Lítill
/ˈliː.til/
Javanese
Cilik
/tʃilik/
Khmer
តូច (Toch)
/toːc/
Kirundi
Nto
/n.to/
Kurdish
Bchûk
/bə.tʃuk/
Luxembourgish
Kleng
/kleŋ/
Malagasy
Kely
/ke.li/
Maltese
Żgħir
/ʒir/
Maori
Iti
/iti/
Nepali
सानो (Sano)
/sa.no/
Oriya
ଛୋଟ (Chota)
/ʧʰoʈo/
Punjabi
ਛੋਟਾ (Chhota)
/ʧʰoʈa/
Quechua
Ichik
/i.tʃik/
Romansh
Pitschen
/pitʃen/
Samoan
Laiti
/la.iti/
Scots
Wee
/wiː/
Sesotho
Nyane
/ɲane/
Sindhi
ننڍي (Nandi)
/nan.di/
Slovenian
Majhen
/maj.hɛn/
Sundanese
Leutik
/lə.u.tik/
Tajik
Хурд (Khurd)
/kʰuɾd/
Tibetan
ཆུང་ཆུང་ (Chungchung)
/tɕuŋ.tɕuŋ/
Tongan
Si’I
/si.ʔi/
Uyghur
كىچىك (Kichik)
/kitʃik/
Uzbek
Kichik
/kitʃik/
Vietnamese
Nhỏ
/ɲɔ/
Wolof
Ndaw
/n.daw/
Xhosa
Ncinyane
/ncin.jane/
Yoruba
Kekere
/ke.ke.re/
Zulu
Ncane
/nca.ne/
Pronunciation Guide and Cultural Insights for “Small”
Tips for Proper Pronunciation
Use Phonetic Spelling: “Small” is pronounced /smɔːl/ in English. Break it down: “sm-all.”
Listen and Repeat: Use language apps or online platforms to hear native speakers.
Practice Regularly: Repetition will help you get comfortable with the sounds.
Cultural Significance
The word “small” can vary in meaning across different cultures:
1. Language Nuances
In many languages, “small” has literal and metaphorical meanings. For example, in Mandarin Chinese, 小 (Xiǎo) can describe size but also signify youth or minor importance, such as in 小孩 (Xiǎohái), meaning “child.” Similarly, in Japanese, 小さい (Chīsai) not only means “small” but is also associated with humility when referring to oneself.
2. Gendered Variations
Languages like Spanish, French, and Italian use gendered forms for “small,” such as pequeño (masculine) and pequeña (feminine) in Spanish. This reflects the influence of grammatical gender on adjective forms.
3. Cultural Perceptions of Size
In some cultures, “small” is often viewed positively, symbolizing delicacy or refinement. For instance:
In Japanese culture, small and compact objects are celebrated for their craftsmanship, such as bento boxes or origami art.
In Swahili, ndogo is frequently used to describe smaller portions of food, reflecting the communal nature of meals.
Scale and Modesty: “Small” often symbolizes humility and simplicity.
Aesthetic and Design: Smaller items reflect minimalism and elegance in some cultures.
Cultural Values: For instance, in certain Eastern cultures, smallness may convey delicacy or intricate beauty.
Fun Facts About “Small” in Different Languages
Multiple Words for “Small”: Some languages, such as Russian, have multiple words for “small,” each with subtle differences. Маленький (Malen’kiy) is used for physical size, while мелкий (Melkiy) refers to small details or shallow depths.
Figurative Use: The word “small” is often used metaphorically. For example:
In English, “small talk” refers to casual conversation.
In French, “petit à petit” (little by little) means gradual progress.
Combining Words: In Japanese, adding 小 (Chīsai) to other words creates compound terms like 小学校 (Shōgakkō), meaning “elementary school” (literally, “small school”).
Why Learn “Small” in Multiple Languages?
Travel: Describing size is crucial when ordering food, shopping, or asking for directions.
Cultural Appreciation: Understanding how “small” is expressed in different languages deepens your appreciation of linguistic diversity.
Everyday Use: “Small” is a high-frequency word you’ll encounter in countless situations, making it essential for language learners.
Usage Examples of “Small” in Different Languages
Amharic (Ethiopia): ትንሽ (tinish) Usage: ትንሽ ነው እንደገና. (Tinish new endegna.) (Translation: “It is small again.”)
Georgian: პატარა (patara) Usage: პატარა ბავშვი. (Patara bavshvi.) (Translation: “Small child.”)
Mongolian: жижиг (jijig) Usage: Жижиг зүйл байна. (Jijig zuil baina.) (Translation: “There is a small thing.”)
Nepali: सानो (sano) Usage: सानो घर। (Sano ghar.) (Translation: “Small house.”)
The word “small” might seem simple, but its variations across languages reflect the richness of human expression. By learning how to say “small” in different languages, you expand your vocabulary and gain a tool for more nuanced communication.
Start practicing these translations, and remember to explore their cultural context—the small things make a big difference!
