common - Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

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

The word “common” is a versatile adjective that is used in a variety of contexts. It typically refers to something that is frequent, widespread, or shared by many people or things. Whether describing something that is ordinary, habitual, or mutual, “common” plays an essential role in both casual and formal language.

This article explores the different meanings of “common”, its various uses in sentences, and how it is translated into 30 different languages. By understanding its meanings and translations, one can better grasp the broad usage of this term in various cultural and linguistic contexts.

Meaning of “Common” in Different Contexts

1. Ordinary or Usual (Adjective)

The most common use of “common” refers to something that is ordinary, usual, or frequently encountered. It often implies that something is not special or unique.

Example: “It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.”
(In this case, “common” means that it is a usual or normal practice.)

2. Shared by Many (Adjective)

“Common” is also used to describe something that is shared by a group of people or things. This usage often refers to ideas, interests, resources, or responsibilities that are collectively held or used.

Example: “The two countries share a common border.”
(Here, “common” refers to something that is mutually shared — the border.)

3. Frequent or Widespread (Adjective)

When something is “common”, it can mean that it occurs frequently or is widespread. This usage typically indicates that something is seen or encountered often.

Example: “It’s common to see people walking their dogs in the park.”
(In this context, “common” means that seeing people walking dogs in the park is a frequent occurrence.)

4. Lower in Quality (Adjective)

Sometimes, “common” refers to something that is of lower quality, less refined, or basic in comparison to something more sophisticated or expensive.

Example: “This is just a common brand of cereal, not a premium one.”
(In this case, “common” suggests that the cereal is standard or not special.)

5. Public or Shared Resources (Noun)

In some contexts, “common” is used as a noun to refer to a public area or space that is shared by a community. For example, a “common” might refer to a communal park or area used by local residents.

Example: “The village common is a great place for children to play.”
(Here, “common” refers to a shared community space.)

6. Commonality (Noun)

“Common” can also be used in the form of “commonality” to describe the state of being shared or mutual between two or more entities.

Example: “The commonality between the two cultures is their respect for family values.”
(In this example, “commonality” refers to shared traits or values between the cultures.)

Translations of the Word “Common” in 30 Languages

Below is a table showing how the word “common” is translated into 30 different languages, along with example sentences for each.

Language	Translation	Example Sentence (in the target language)	English Translation of Example
English	Common	“It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Spanish	Común	“Es una práctica común saludar a las personas al entrar en una habitación.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
French	Commun	“C’est une pratique commune de saluer les gens en entrant dans une pièce.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
German	Gemeinsam	“Es ist eine gängige Praxis, Menschen beim Betreten eines Raumes zu begrüßen.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Italian	Comune	“È una pratica comune salutare le persone quando si entra in una stanza.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Portuguese	Comum	“É uma prática comum cumprimentar as pessoas ao entrar em um cômodo.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Russian	Общий (Obshchiy)	“Это обычная практика — здороваться с людьми при входе в комнату.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Chinese (Simplified)	常见 (Chángjiàn)	“进入房间时问候他人是一种常见的做法。”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Japanese	一般的 (Ippanteki)	“部屋に入るときに人々に挨拶するのは一般的な習慣です。”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Korean	일반적인 (Ilbanjeogin)	“방에 들어갈 때 사람들에게 인사하는 것은 일반적인 관행입니다.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Hindi	सामान्य (Sāmānya)	“कमरे में प्रवेश करते समय लोगों का अभिवादन करना एक सामान्य अभ्यास है।”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Bengali	সাধারণ (Sādāraṇ)	“কক্ষে প্রবেশ করার সময় মানুষের প্রতি অভিবাদন জানানো একটি সাধারণ অভ্যাস।”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Urdu	عام (Ām)	“کمرے میں داخل ہوتے وقت لوگوں کا خیرمقدم کرنا ایک عام رواج ہے۔”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Turkish	Yaygın	“Odaya girerken insanlara selam vermek yaygın bir uygulamadır.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Dutch	Algemeen	“Het is een algemene gewoonte om mensen te begroeten wanneer je een kamer binnenkomt.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Greek	Κοινό (Koinó)	“Είναι κοινή πρακτική να χαιρετάς τους ανθρώπους όταν μπαίνεις σε ένα δωμάτιο.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Swedish	Vanlig	“Det är en vanlig vana att hälsa på människor när man går in i ett rum.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Danish	Almindelig	“Det er en almindelig praksis at hilse på folk, når man går ind i et rum.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Finnish	Yleinen	“On yleinen käytäntö tervehtiä ihmisiä huoneeseen astuessa.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Norwegian	Vanlig	“Det er en vanlig praksis å hilse på folk når du går inn i et rom.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Polish	Powszechny	“To powszechna praktyka witać ludzi po wejściu do pokoju.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Czech	Běžný	“Je běžnou praxí pozdravit lidi při vstupu do místnosti.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Hungarian	Közönséges	“Szokásos gyakorlat, hogy köszönünk az embereknek, amikor belépünk egy szobába.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Hebrew	נפוץ (Nafots)	“זו פרקטיקה נפוצה לברך אנשים כשנכנסים לחדר.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Thai	ทั่วไป (Thûa pai)	“มันเป็นการปฏิบัติทั่วไปในการทักทายผู้คนเมื่อเข้ามาในห้อง”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Vietnamese	Thông thường	“Đó là một thói quen thông thường để chào hỏi mọi người khi vào phòng.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Indonesian	Umum	“Itu adalah kebiasaan umum untuk menyapa orang saat memasuki ruangan.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Filipino	Karaniwan	“Ito ay isang karaniwang gawain na magbigay-galang sa mga tao kapag pumasok sa isang silid.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Malay	Umum	“Ia adalah amalan umum untuk menyapa orang apabila memasuki bilik.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Swahili	Kawaida	“Ni desturi ya kawaida salamu kwa watu unapokuwa unaingia chumbani.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)
Arabic	شائع (Shā’iʿ)	“من الشائع تحية الناس عند دخول الغرفة.”	(It’s a common practice to greet people when entering a room.)

Conclusion

The word “common” is one of the most frequently used terms in the English language. It can refer to something that is ordinary, shared, frequent, or even less refined in quality, depending on the context. Its adaptability in different contexts — from social practices to physical traits and shared resources — makes it an essential word in both everyday conversations and formal discourse.

The translations of “common” in various languages reveal how universally the idea of shared, frequent, or ordinary things is understood across cultures. Whether referring to shared resources, common practices, or simple occurrences, “common” bridges language and culture, making it a central concept in communication.