The Word “Capital”: Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages
Meaning of “Capital”
The word “capital” has multiple meanings depending on the context in which it is used. Generally, it refers to a central or most important city in a country or region, as well as to assets, wealth, or resources used for investment or business. The term also has metaphorical uses, signifying something that is of great importance or value.
- City or Seat of Government: The capital is typically the primary city where a government’s administrative offices, leaders, and key institutions are located.
- Example: “Paris is the capital of France.”
- Wealth or Financial Assets: Capital also refers to money or resources available for investment, especially in business or economics.
- Example: “The company raised additional capital for expansion.”
- Human or Social Capital: In a metaphorical sense, capital can refer to the value of human skills, knowledge, or networks.
- Example: “Her education and connections are her most valuable capital.”
- Capital Punishment: This refers to the death penalty or legal execution, though this usage is less common in day-to-day language.
- Example: “He was sentenced to capital punishment.”
Usage of “Capital” in Different Contexts
- City or Seat of Government:
“London is the capital of the United Kingdom.” - Financial Assets:
“The investors provided the capital to launch the new business.” - Human or Social Capital:
“The team’s collective skills and experience are a form of capital that will drive future success.” - Capital Punishment:
“The country still practices capital punishment for certain crimes.”
Translations of “Capital” in 30 Languages
The concept of “capital” is found across many cultures and languages, whether referring to the main city of a country, wealth, or even figurative ideas like human capital. Below are translations of “capital” in 30 languages, along with example sentences illustrating its use.
| Language | Translation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| English | Capital | “Paris is the capital of France.” |
| Spanish | Capital | “Madrid es la capital de España.” (Madrid is the capital of Spain.) |
| French | Capitale | “Paris est la capitale de la France.” (Paris is the capital of France.) |
| German | Hauptstadt | “Berlin ist die Hauptstadt von Deutschland.” (Berlin is the capital of Germany.) |
| Italian | Capitale | “Roma è la capitale d’Italia.” (Rome is the capital of Italy.) |
| Portuguese | Capital | “Lisboa é a capital de Portugal.” (Lisbon is the capital of Portugal.) |
| Russian | Столица (Stolitsa) | “Москва — столица России.” (Moscow is the capital of Russia.) |
| Chinese | 首都 (Shǒudū) | “北京是中国的首都。” (Beijing is the capital of China.) |
| Japanese | 首都 (Shuto) | “東京は日本の首都です。” (Tokyo is the capital of Japan.) |
| Korean | 수도 (Sudo) | “서울은 대한민국의 수도입니다.” (Seoul is the capital of South Korea.) |
| Hindi | राजधानी (Rājdhānī) | “नई दिल्ली भारत की राजधानी है।” (New Delhi is the capital of India.) |
| Bengali | রাজধানী (Rājdhānī) | “ঢাকা বাংলাদেশ এর রাজধানী।” (Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh.) |
| Turkish | Başkent | “Ankara, Türkiye’nin başkentidir.” (Ankara is the capital of Turkey.) |
| Dutch | Hoofdstad | “Amsterdam is de hoofdstad van Nederland.” (Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands.) |
| Swedish | Huvudstad | “Stockholm är Sveriges huvudstad.” (Stockholm is the capital of Sweden.) |
| Norwegian | Hovedstad | “Oslo er hovedstaden i Norge.” (Oslo is the capital of Norway.) |
| Greek | Πρωτεύουσα (Protévousa) | “Η Αθήνα είναι η πρωτεύουσα της Ελλάδας.” (Athens is the capital of Greece.) |
| Polish | Stolica | “Warszawa to stolica Polski.” (Warsaw is the capital of Poland.) |
| Czech | Hlavní město | “Praha je hlavní město České republiky.” (Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic.) |
| Finnish | Pääkaupunki | “Helsinki on Suomen pääkaupunki.” (Helsinki is the capital of Finland.) |
| Hungarian | Főváros | “Budapest Magyarország fővárosa.” (Budapest is the capital of Hungary.) |
| Hebrew | בירה (Bira) | “תל אביב אינה בירה של ישראל.” (Tel Aviv is not the capital of Israel.) |
| Thai | เมืองหลวง (Mueang Luang) | “กรุงเทพฯ เป็น เมืองหลวง ของประเทศไทย” (Bangkok is the capital of Thailand.) |
| Indonesian | Ibu Kota | “Jakarta adalah ibu kota Indonesia.” (Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia.) |
| Malay | Ibu Kota | “Kuala Lumpur adalah ibu kota Malaysia.” (Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia.) |
| Vietnamese | Thủ đô | “Hà Nội là thủ đô của Việt Nam.” (Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam.) |
| Ukrainian | Столиця (Stolytsia) | “Київ — столиця України.” (Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine.) |
| Romanian | Capitală | “București este capitala României.” (Bucharest is the capital of Romania.) |
| Swahili | Mji Mkuu | “Nairobi ni mji mkuu wa Kenya.” (Nairobi is the capital of Kenya.) |
| Persian | پایتخت (Pāyṭakht) | “تهران پایتخت ایران است.” (Tehran is the capital of Iran.) |
| Malayalam | തലസ്ഥാനം (Thalāsthānaṁ) | “കൊച്ചി തലസ്ഥാനം അല്ല.” (Kochi is not the capital.) |
| Tamil | தலைநகர் (Talaṉakar) | “சென்னை இந்தியாவின் தலைநகர் ஆகும்.” (Chennai is the capital of India.) |
| Arabic | عاصمة (ʿĀṣima) | “القاهرة هي عاصمة مصر.” (Cairo is the capital of Egypt.) |
The word “capital” is a concept that resonates across cultures and languages, signifying the most important city in a country or region, or representing financial resources essential for investment and business growth. While the word may vary in translation, its essential meaning remains consistent across various fields and is integral to understanding political, economic, and social systems worldwide. Whether referring to a nation’s central city, its wealth, or figurative assets, the importance of “capital” in both literal and metaphorical contexts cannot be overstated.
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