defer - Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

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

The word “defer” is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. It carries multiple meanings, ranging from delaying or postponing something to showing respect for someone’s opinion or decision. In this article, we will explore the different meanings and uses of the word “defer” and provide translations across 30 languages to see how the concept is conveyed worldwide.

Meaning and Usage of “Defer”

To Postpone or Delay
The most common use of “defer” is in the context of postponing or delaying an event, action, or decision. This usage can be applied in various scenarios, such as deferring a meeting or deferring payment.
- Example: “We decided to defer the meeting until next week.”
  (In this case, “defer” means to delay or put off the meeting to a later time.)
To Show Respect or Yield to Someone Else’s Opinion
“Defer” can also mean to yield or submit to someone else’s opinion, judgment, or decision, often out of respect or deference.
- Example: “I will defer to my colleague’s expertise on this matter.”
  (Here, “defer” means to show respect by allowing someone else’s opinion or decision to take precedence.)
To Postpone an Obligation (e.g., in legal or financial contexts)
In legal or financial contexts, “defer” may also refer to postponing a payment or responsibility until a later date. This is often used in situations like student loans, taxes, or rent payments.
- Example: “The student loan company agreed to defer my payments for six months.”
  (In this case, “defer” refers to delaying the payment obligation.)
To Hand Over or Delegate
“Defer” can sometimes imply delegating a decision or action to someone else. This is often seen in hierarchical organizations or situations where someone is considered more experienced or knowledgeable.
- Example: “The manager will defer the decision to the board of directors.”
  (Here, “defer” means to hand over the responsibility of making a decision to a higher authority.)

Translations of the Word “Defer” in 30 Languages

Below is a table showing the translation of the word “defer” in 30 different languages, along with example sentences in each language.

Language	Translation	Example Sentence (in the target language)	English Translation of Example
English	Defer	“We decided to defer the meeting until next week.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Spanish	Aplazar	“Decidimos aplazar la reunión hasta la próxima semana.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
French	Différer	“Nous avons décidé de différer la réunion jusqu’à la semaine prochaine.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
German	Verschieben	“Wir haben beschlossen, das Treffen auf nächste Woche zu verschieben.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Italian	Rinviare	“Abbiamo deciso di rinviare l’incontro alla prossima settimana.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Portuguese	Adiar	“Decidimos adiar a reunião até a próxima semana.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Russian	Отложить (Otlozhit’)	“Мы решили отложить встречу до следующей недели.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Chinese (Simplified)	推迟 (Tuīchí)	“我们决定将会议推迟到下周。”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Japanese	延期する (Enki suru)	“会議を来週に延期することに決めました。”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Korean	연기하다 (Yeongi hada)	“우리는 회의를 다음 주로 연기하기로 결정했습니다.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Hindi	टालना (Taalna)	“हमने बैठक को अगले सप्ताह तक टालने का निर्णय लिया।”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Bengali	স্থগিত করা (Sthagit Kora)	“আমরা সভাটি পরবর্তী সপ্তাহে স্থগিত করার সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়েছি।”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Urdu	ملتوی کرنا (Multavi Karna)	“ہم نے ملاقات کو اگلے ہفتے تک ملتوی کرنے کا فیصلہ کیا۔”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Turkish	Ertelemek	“Toplantıyı gelecek haftaya ertelemeye karar verdik.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Dutch	Uitstellen	“We besloten de vergadering tot volgende week uit te stellen.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Greek	Αναβάλλω (Anavallo)	“Αποφασίσαμε να αναβάλουμε τη συνάντηση για την επόμενη εβδομάδα.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Swedish	Skjuta upp	“Vi bestämde oss för att skjuta upp mötet till nästa vecka.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Danish	Udsætte	“Vi besluttede at udsætte mødet til næste uge.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Finnish	Siirtää	“Päätimme siirtää kokouksen ensi viikkoon.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Norwegian	Utssette	“Vi bestemte oss for å utsette møtet til neste uke.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Polish	Odroczyć	“Postanowiliśmy odroczyć spotkanie do przyszłego tygodnia.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Czech	Odložit	“Rozhodli jsme se odložit schůzku na příští týden.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Hungarian	Halasztani	“Elhatároztuk, hogy a találkozót jövő hétre halasztjuk.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Hebrew	לדחות (Lidhot)	“החלטנו לדחות את הפגישה לשבוע הבא.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Thai	เลื่อน (Luean)	“เราตัดสินใจเลื่อนการประชุมไปจนถึงสัปดาห์หน้า”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Vietnamese	Hoãn	“Chúng tôi quyết định hoãn cuộc họp đến tuần tới.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Indonesian	Menunda	“Kami memutuskan untuk menunda pertemuan hingga minggu depan.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Filipino	Ipagpaliban	“Nagpasya kaming ipagpaliban ang pulong hanggang sa susunod na linggo.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Malay	Tangguhkan	“Kami memutuskan untuk menangguhkan mesyuarat hingga minggu depan.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Swahili	Kuchelewesha	“Tuliamua kuchelewesha mkutano hadi wiki ijayo.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)
Arabic	تأجيل (Tajil)	“قررنا تأجيل الاجتماع إلى الأسبوع المقبل.”	(We decided to defer the meeting until next week.)

The word “defer” is used in a variety of contexts, often relating to the act of delaying, postponing, or yielding to someone else’s opinion or decision. It can apply to situations ranging from business meetings and legal obligations to showing respect and deference to others. By examining how “defer” is translated across multiple languages, we can see that while each language expresses this idea differently, the core meaning remains consistent: to delay or to show respect by allowing someone else to take charge or make a decision.