decorate - Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

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

The word “decorate” is a verb that refers to the act of making something more attractive by adding things to it, often in the form of adornment, embellishment, or enhancement. It is widely used in various contexts, from home decoration to celebratory events, and it plays a key role in both aesthetic and functional design. In this article, we will explore the meaning, usage, and translations of “decorate” in 30 different languages, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of how it is applied across different cultures.

Meaning of “Decorate”:

To Enhance the Appearance of Something (by Adding Ornamentation):
- Decorate is most commonly used to describe the process of beautifying or enhancing the appearance of an object or space. This could involve adding visual elements such as flowers, paint, or other embellishments.
- Example: “She decided to decorate her house with festive lights for the holidays.”
To Adorn or Embellish (for a Special Event or Occasion):
- Decorate can also refer to the act of preparing a place for a special occasion or celebration by adding festive or thematic elements, such as during weddings, birthdays, or public holidays.
- Example: “They decorated the hall with balloons and streamers for the wedding reception.”
To Honor Someone (with a Medal or Award):
- Another meaning of decorate is to bestow an honor or medal upon someone in recognition of their achievements or service, often in military or civil contexts.
- Example: “The president decorated the soldier with a medal for bravery.”
To Add Ornamentation (on a Surface):
- In a more technical sense, decorate can refer to adding decorative features to the surface of an object or material, such as in the creation of pottery or artwork.
- Example: “The artisan decorated the vase with intricate patterns.”

Common Uses of “Decorate” in Sentences:

Enhancing the Appearance:
- “She decorated the living room with beautiful curtains and rugs.”
- “They decorate their garden with colorful flowers every spring.”
Adorning for Special Events:
- “The children helped decorate the classroom for the holiday party.”
- “The town square was decorated with flags for the national celebration.”
Honoring with Medals:
- “The general was decorated for his outstanding leadership during the war.”
- “The firefighter was decorated with a prestigious award for bravery.”
Ornamenting a Surface:
- “The pottery was decorated with traditional motifs.”
- “The cake was decorated with frosting and edible flowers.”

Translations of “Decorate” in 30 Languages

Language	Translation	Example Sentence
Spanish	Decorar	“Ella decidió decorar su casa con luces festivas para las vacaciones.”
French	Décorer	“Ils ont décoré la salle avec des ballons et des guirlandes pour la réception.”
German	Dekorieren	“Sie schmückte das Wohnzimmer mit wunderschönen Vorhängen und Teppichen.”
Italian	Decorare	“Hanno decorato la sala con palloncini e festoni per la festa.”
Portuguese	Decorar	“Ela decorou a casa com luzes festivas para o Natal.”
Dutch	Decoreren	“Ze versierden de kamer met bloemen voor de bruiloft.”
Russian	Украшать (Ukrashat’)	“Они украсили зал шарами и гирляндами для свадьбы.”
Chinese (Simplified)	装饰 (Zhuāngshì)	“她决定用节日灯饰装饰房子。”
Japanese	飾る (Kazaru)	“彼女は家を祝日のために飾り付けました。”
Korean	꾸미다 (Kkumida)	“그녀는 집을 휴일 장식으로 꾸몄습니다.”
Hindi	सजाना (Sajanā)	“उसने अपने घर को छुट्टियों के लिए सजाया।”
Bengali	সাজানো (Sājānō)	“তিনি তার বাড়িটি ছুটির জন্য সাজান।”
Turkish	Süslemek	“Onlar düğün için salona balonlar ve süslemeler yerleştirdi.”
Greek	Διακοσμώ (Diakosmó)	“Διακόσμησαν την αίθουσα με μπαλόνια και γιρλάντες για τη δεξίωση.”
Hebrew	לקשט (Lekashet)	“היא קישטה את הבית לקראת החג.”
Swedish	Dekorera	“De dekorerade rummet med blommor för bröllopet.”
Norwegian	Dekorere	“De dekorerte stuen med vakre gardiner og tepper.”
Danish	Dekorere	“De dekorerede rummet med blomster til brylluppet.”
Finnish	Koristella	“He koristelivat huoneen juhlia varten.”
Polish	Dekorować	“Ona udekorowała pokój kwiatami na ślub.”
Czech	Zdobit	“Oni vyzdobili místnost květinami na svatbu.”
Hungarian	Díszíteni	“Ők díszítették a szobát virágokkal az esküvőre.”
Romanian	Decora	“Au decorat camera cu flori pentru nuntă.”
Thai	ตกแต่ง (Toktaeng)	“เธอตกแต่งบ้านด้วยไฟเทศกาลสำหรับวันหยุด.”
Vietnamese	Trang trí	“Cô ấy trang trí nhà cửa với đèn lễ hội cho kỳ nghỉ.”
Indonesian	Mendekorasi	“Mereka mendekorasi ruang dengan bunga untuk pernikahan.”
Malay	Menghias	“Mereka menghias ruang dengan bunga untuk majlis perkahwinan.”
Swahili	Pamba	“Waliipamba nyumba yao kwa taa za sherehe.”
Filipino	Palamutihan	“Pinalamutihan nila ang silid para sa kasal.”
Arabic	يزين (Yuzayyin)	“زينت منزلها بالزينة الاحتفالية للعطلات.”
Tamil	அலங்கரிக்க (Alaṅkarikka)	“அவள் விடுமுறைக்கான பரிசுகளுடன் அவளது வீட்டை அலங்கரித்தாள்.”
Telugu	అలంకరించు (Alaṅkaraṁcu)	“ఆమె సెలవుల కోసం తన ఇంటిని అలంకరించింది.”
Punjabi	ਸਜਾਉਣਾ (Sajā’ūṇā)	“ਉਸਨੇ ਛੁੱਟੀਆਂ ਲਈ ਆਪਣੇ ਘਰ ਨੂੰ ਸਜਾਇਆ।”
Mongolian	Чимэглэх (Chimeglekh)	“Тэр баярын гэрэлтүүлэгээр гэрээ чимэглэсэн.”
Turkmen	Bezeglemek	“Olar toý üçin otagy güller bilen bezediler.”
Japanese	飾る (Kazaru)	“彼女は家を祝日のために飾り付けました。”

Additional Examples:

Spanish:
- “La familia decoró la casa con luces y guirnaldas para las festividades.”
- “Estuvieron decorando el jardín con flores frescas para la boda.”
French:
- “Ils ont décoré la pièce pour l’anniversaire de leur ami.”
- “Nous avons décoré la maison avec des bougies et des fleurs pour Noël.”
Russian:
- “Они украсили комнату для новогоднего праздника.”
- “Мы украсили стол для вечеринки.”

The word “decorate” holds significance in various contexts, from enhancing the appearance of an object to preparing spaces for special events or celebrations. Understanding how “decorate” is used across different languages can enrich our understanding of the ways people beautify and honor places, events, and individuals. By embracing its many meanings and uses, you gain deeper insights into how we express creativity and appreciation for beauty across cultures.