betray

The Word “Betray”: Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

The word “betray” holds a powerful emotional and ethical connotation. It signifies the act of being disloyal or breaking trust, whether in relationships, commitments, or allegiances. This article explores the meaning, usage, and translations of “betray” across 30 different languages, illustrating its universal significance and varied interpretations.


Meaning of “Betray”

  1. Literal Definition:
    • To act against someone who trusts you, often by revealing their secrets, aiding their enemies, or failing to support them.
    • Example: “He betrayed his closest friend by sharing his secrets with others.”
  2. Figurative Use:
    • To unintentionally reveal something about oneself or one’s feelings.
    • Example: “Her smile betrayed her nervousness.”
  3. Contextual Depth:
    • Betrayal often involves themes of deception, disloyalty, and harm, making it one of the most emotionally charged actions.

Common Usages of “Betray” in Sentences

  1. Personal Relationships:
    • “She felt betrayed when her friend broke their promise.”
    • “Betraying trust is one of the hardest things to forgive.”
  2. Political or Allegiance Contexts:
    • “The spy betrayed his country by leaking classified information.”
    • “History remembers leaders who betrayed their people with disdain.”
  3. Unintentional Revelation:
    • “His trembling hands betrayed his fear.”
    • “Her voice betrayed her excitement despite her composed demeanor.”
  4. Moral and Ethical Betrayal:
    • “Betraying one’s principles is akin to losing oneself.”
    • “He regretted betraying his conscience for temporary gain.”

Translations of “Betray” in 30 Languages

Language Translation Example Sentence
Spanish Traicionar “Nunca pensé que me traicionarías.”
French Trahir “Il a trahi la confiance de ses amis.”
German Verraten “Er hat seine Familie verraten.”
Italian Tradire “Non voglio tradire la tua fiducia.”
Portuguese Trair “Ela nunca trairia seus princípios.”
Dutch Verraden “Hij zou nooit zijn land verraden.”
Russian Предать (Predat’) “Он предал своих друзей.”
Chinese (Simplified) 背叛 (Bèipàn) “他背叛了他的国家。”
Japanese 裏切る (Uragiru) “彼は友達を裏切った。”
Korean 배신하다 (Baesinhada) “그는 친구를 배신했다.”
Hindi धोखा देना (Dhokha Dena) “उसने अपने सबसे अच्छे दोस्त को धोखा दिया।”
Bengali বিশ্বাসঘাতকতা করা (Biswāsghātakatā Karā) “সে তার বন্ধুকে বিশ্বাসঘাতকতা করল।”
Turkish İhanet etmek “O, arkadaşlarına ihanet etti.”
Greek Προδίδω (Prodído) “Αυτός πρόδωσε την εμπιστοσύνη μου.”
Hebrew לבגוד (Livgod) “הוא בגד בחברו הטוב ביותר.”
Swedish Förråda “Han förrådde sin vän.”
Norwegian Forråde “Han forrådte sin familie.”
Danish Forråde “Hun ville aldrig forråde sine venner.”
Finnish Pettää “Hän petti ystävänsä.”
Polish Zdradzić “Nie chciał zdradzić swojego kraju.”
Czech Zradit “Zradil důvěru svých přátel.”
Hungarian Elárul “Elárulta a családját.”
Romanian Trăda “Nu voia să-și trădeze prietenii.”
Thai ทรยศ (Thrryt) “เขาทรยศต่อความไว้วางใจของเพื่อน.”
Vietnamese Phản bội “Anh ấy đã phản bội đất nước của mình.”
Indonesian Mengkhianati “Dia mengkhianati kepercayaan temannya.”
Malay Mengkhianati “Dia tidak akan pernah mengkhianati temannya.”
Swahili Kusaliti “Alisaliti nchi yake kwa kutoa siri.”
Filipino Magtaksil “Huwag kang magtaksil sa iyong mga kaibigan.”
Arabic خان (Khān) “لقد خان صديقه المخلص.”
Estonian Reetma “Ta reetis oma sõbra usalduse.”

Additional Examples in Each Language

  1. Spanish:
    • “¿Por qué me traicionaste después de todo lo que hicimos juntos?”
    • “El traidor reveló los planes secretos al enemigo.”
  2. French:
    • “Elle a trahi ses idéaux pour gagner de l’argent.”
    • “Sa voix a trahi son anxiété pendant le discours.”
  3. German:
    • “Der Spion verriet die geheimen Dokumente.”
    • “Seine Augen verrieten, dass er log.”
  4. Japanese:
    • “彼女は信頼を裏切ることはなかった。”
    • “その小さな動きが彼の意図を裏切った。”
  5. Arabic:
    • “الخيانة شيء يصعب نسيانه.”
    • “عندما خانها شعرت بخيبة أمل كبيرة.”

Betrayal is a universal concept that strikes at the heart of trust, integrity, and relationships. Whether through a personal act, a political decision, or even a subconscious reveal, betrayal leaves a profound impact. Understanding its meaning and nuances across languages helps us navigate its complexities and strive for loyalty and honesty in our interactions.

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