Concepts
Concepts is a translation game run by /u/lanerdofchristian on /r/conlangs in September 2015, though a single-day test run was done one week before on August 27^t h^. It was adapted from the 1940 reference book Semantic Frequency List by Helen S. Eaton, published by The University of Chicago Press in Chicago, Illinois.
The rules are simple: translate the following concepts into your conlang. Don't be afraid to play with semantic drift (please don't translate every concept one-for-one). If you can, please provide an IPA transcription and a simple definition. If you are unsure of what a term means, please check Wiktionary.
Disclaimer: This list is from Semantic Frequency List by Helen Eaton, published in 1940. Some terms may be out-of-date.
Listed below are the tables for each day. All threads may be found here.
At the time of this writing, not all material has yet been adapted. A clerical note has been added to the bottom of this page to provide reference to the next row in the book.
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Day 1:
English French German Spanish a, an un ein un, uno able, can pouvoir können, vermögen poder about (concerning) de, (touchant) von, über, betreffend de about (approximately) environ, (à peu près) etwa, (ungefähr) como, cerca be about to (être sur le) point (n.) de (im) Begriff sein, (bevorstehen) estar a punto de, estar para -
Day 2:
English French German Spanish above (over) au-dessus de, supérieur à über, darüber arriba de, sobre, encima above (overhead) supérieur oben arriba above all, especially surtout, avant tout besonders, hauptsächlich, insbesondere, namentlich sobre todo, especialmente accept accepter annehmen aceptar account, bill compte Rechnung cuenta -
Day 3:
English French German Spanish across, over there en face, de l'autre côté gegenüber al otro lado, frente a act (take action) agir handeln, wirken proceder act (behave) se conduire handeln, sich tragen, such führen conducir se act (action) acte, action Handlung, Tat acto, hecho, acción (be) afraid, fear craindre, avoir peur fürchten temer, tener miedo -
Day 4:
English French German Spanish after, (hereafter) après nach, nachdem después, tras again encore wieder de nuevo, otra against contre gegen, dagegen contra age (years old) âge Alter edad ago il y a vor ha, hace -
Day 5:
English French German Spanish air air Luft aire all (adv.), quite tout, tout à fait all, ganz, durchaus, gar todo, completamente, enteramente all, in no way (pas du) tout überhaupt nicht nada de eso, de ningún modo all right bien gut, schön bien, bueno allow, let permettre, laisser erlauben, gestatten, lassen permitir, dejar -
Day 6:
English French German Spanish almost presque fast casi alone seul allein solo already déjà schon, bereits ya also, too aussi, également auch, ebenfalls también, igualmente although, though bien que obgleich, wenn auch aunque, aun cuando -
Day 7:
English French German Spanish always, ever toujours immer, stets siempre among (amid) parmi, entre unter, zwischen entre amount somme Anzahl, Menge, Summe, Betrag cantidad and et und e, y another un autre andere otro -
Day 8:
English French German Spanish another's d'un autre eines anderen ajeno (to) answer, reply répondre antworten, erwidern responder, contestar any, some quelque, en einige, welche, etwas alguno any (whatever) n'importe irgend cualquier(-a) anything, something quelque chose etwas algo, alguna, cosa -
Day 9:
English French German Spanish appear (come into view) paraître, apparaître erscheinen, vorkommen aparecer, asomar appear, look, seem sembler, paraître scheinen parecer arm bras Arm brazo arm (weapon) arme Waffe arma art art Kunst arte -
Day 10:
English French German Spanish as, since puisque da, denn pues, puesto que as, like comme wie, gleich como as (e.g., I was walking) comme als, indem al, (a) medida as for, as to quant à (in) Bezug (auf), (mit) Rücksicht (auf) en cuanto a, (en) atención (a), respecto as soon as dès que sobald tan pronto como -
Day 11:
English French German Spanish ask (a question) demander fragen preguntar ask (a favor) prier bitten pedir, rogar at à an, zu, daran a, en away, off loin fort, ab lejos, fuera in back of, behind derrière hunter tras, detrás -
Day 12:
English French German Spanish bad mauvais schlecht mal to be être sein estar, ser bear, stand souffrir, supporter, subir ertragen sufrir, sostener beat (in a game), win battre, gagner schlagen, gewinnen ganar beautiful beau schön bello, hermoso -
Day 13:
English French German Spanish because, for parce que, car weil, denn, da porque, pues because of, on acount of à cause de wegen a causa de become, get, grow devenir werden hacer se, llegar (a ser) before (time) avant, avant de vor, ehe, vorher antes, anteriormente before (in front of) devant vor delante, frente -
Day 14:
English French German Spanish begin, start commencer, se mettre à beginnen, in Angriff nehmen, anfangen empezar, comenzar begin again, (resume) recommencer being être Wesen ser believe croire glauben creer belong, (pertain) appartenir gehören pertenecer -
Day 15:
English French German Spanish beside auprès de, à côté de neben, bei, nächt al lado de, junto best meilleur, mieux besser mejor between entre zwischen, unter entre big, large grand, gros groß gran (de) black noir schwarz negro -
Day 16:
English French German Spanish blood, (gore) sang Blut sangre body corps Körper, (Leib) cuerpo book livre Buch libro (be) born naître (né [adj.]) geboren nacer both l'un et l'autre beide ambos -
Day 17:
English French German Spanish bottom fond, bas Boden, Grund fondo (be) brave avoir du courage, (être) brave Mut haben (ser) valiente, (bravo) bring apporter, amener bringen traer brother frère Bruder hermano business affaire Geschäft, Handel asunto, negocio -
Day 18:
English French German Spanish busy occupé beschäftigt ocupade but mais aber, sondern mas, pero, sino by (agent-instrument) de, par von, durch por by (according to) selon, suivant nach según call appeler rufen llamar -
Day 19:
English French German Spanish care soin Sorge cuidado (take) care (of), mind, attend prendre, avoir soin de pflegen atender, cuidar carry porter tragen, bringen cargar, llevar carry out, carry through, (accomplish) remplir, (accomplir) erfüllen, ausführen, (zur) Ausführung cimplir case cas Fall caso -
Day 20:
English French German Spanish (in any) case (en tout) cas jedenfalls modos, caso cause cause Grund, Ursache causa, motivo cause, make causer, faire lassen, machen hacer, causar center, middle milieu, (centre) Mitte, Mittelpunkt medio, centro chance, (opportunity) occasion, chances Gelenheit ocasión -
Day 21:
English French German Spanish character caractère Charakter carácter chief, head, (principal) cjef, principal hauptsächlich mayor, principal child enfant Kind, Kleine niño choose, pick choisir wählen escorger church église Kirche iglesia -
Day 22:
English French German Spanish city, town ville, (cité) Stadt ciudad, (villa) class classe Klasse clase clean net, (propre) rein limpio clear, plain, (distinct) clair, net, (distinct) klar, deutlich claro close, shut fermer schließen cerrar -
Day 23:
English French German Spanish cold froid kalt frío color couleur Farbe color come venir kommen venir come from venir de enstehen, kommen venir de, nacer company, firm société Gesellschaft compañia, sociedad -
Day 24:
English French German Spanish complete, whole, entire tout, complet, entier ganz, gesamt, sämtlich, völlig, vollkommen completo, entero complete, (conclude) achever vollenden concluir condition condition Zustand, Umstand, Bedingung condición contain contenir enthalten contener, encerrar continue continuer dauren continuar -
Day 25:
English French German Spanish count compter rechnen contar count on compter sur, (avoir) confiance (en) rechnen auf, (sich) verlassen auf contar con country (geographical) pays Land país, tierra country (not town) campagne Land campo (of) course bien sûr, naturellement natürlich, nämlich, gewiß por supuesto, naturalment, claro, seguro -
Day 26:
English French German Spanish court (royal) cour Hof corte court (woo) faire la cour Hof machen hacer la corte, enamorar cover couvrir deeken cubrir cross, go across traverser über ... gehen cruzar, atravesar crowd (throng) foule Menge, Masse gente -
Day 27:
English French German Spanish cry, shout, yell crier rufen gritar dare oser wagen atraverse dark sombre dunkel obscuro daughter fille Tochter hija day jour, journée Tag día -
Day 28:
English French German Spanish (the) day (after) lendemain (der nächste) Tag el día siguiente dear (in affection) cher lieb, teuer querido death mort Tod muerte decide décider entscheiden, beschließen, bestimmen decidir deep, (profound) profond tief profundo -
Day 29:
English French German Spanish delight, joy joie Freude alegría demand réclamer fordern, verlangen, (in) Anspruch (nehmen) exigir desire (wish) désir, envie Wunsch deseo desire (want) désirer, vouloir wünschen desear, querer die, (expire) mourir sterben morir -
Day 30:
English French German Spanish different, (various) autre, différent, divers anders, verscheiden vario, diferente direct, (boss) diriger richten, weisen dirigir direct, straight droit gerade, direkt, unmittelbar derecho direction (toward) sens, (direction) Ruchtung dirección do faire machen, tun, leisten hacer, cimplir -
Day 31:
English French German Spanish do (auxiliary) (within the verb) (within the verb) (within the verb) doctor, (physician) médicin, (docteur) Doktor, (Arzt) doctor, (médico) door porte Tür puerta doubt doute Zweifel duda (without) doubt, (doubtless) sans doute ohne Zweifel sin duda -
Day 32:
English French German Spanish down en bas nieder, unten abajo drive, ride aller en voiture, se promener en voiture fahren ir drive (car, etc.) conduire fahren conducir drive (horse) conduire treiben conducir drive (tr. verb, force) pousser treiben echar -
Day 33:
English French German Spanish drop laisser tomber fallen lassen dejar caer during pendant, (durant) während durante duty (obligation) devoir Pflicht deber each (adj.) chaque jeder cada each (pronoun) chacun jeder cada uno -
Day 34:
English French German Spanish each other, one another se, l'un l'autre sich, einander se, el uno al otro earth, soil terre, sol Erde, Boden tierra, suelo easy facile leicht fácil either (conj.) ou entweder o either (one) l'un ou l'autre der eine oder der andere el uno o el otro -
Day 35:
English French German Spanish end, finish finir, terminer fertig machen, schließen acabar, terminar end, (conclusion) fin, bout, terme Ende, Schluß fin, término, cabo enemy ennemi Feind enemigo enough assez genug bastante (be) enough, (suffice) suffire genügen, langen bastar -
Day 36:
English French German Spanish enter emtrer, rentrer, pénétrer eintreten, eingehen entrar, penetrar equal égal gleich, ebenso igual (equally) également ebenfalls por igual evem (adv.) même selbst aun, aún evening soir Abend tarde -
Day 37:
English French German Spanish expect attendre erwarten aguardar, esperar extend étendre, tendre reichen, langen extender eye œil (yeux) Auge ojo face (part of head) figure, visage, face Gesicht cara, rostro fact fait Tatsache hecho -
Day 38:
English French German Spanish (in) fact (en) effet, (de) fait, (en) fait (in der) Tat (en) efecto fall tomber fallen caer family familie Familie familia far loin weit, fern lejos fast, quick, rapid vite, vif, rapide schnell, rasch pronto, vivo, rápido -
Day 39:
English French German Spanish father père Vater padre feel sentire, éprouver fühlen, empfinden sentir feeling, (emotion) sentiment, émotion Gefühl, Gemüt sentimiento, sentir (a) few peu, plusieurs, quelques wenige, einigel pocos field champ Feld campo -
Day 40:
English French German Spanish figure, form, shape forme, taille Figur, Form, Gestalt figura, forma find trouver, retrouver finden hallar, encontrar fine (not course) fin fein fino fire feu Feuer fuego first, (foremost) premier erste primero -
Day 41:
English French German Spanish (at) first d'abord, (en) premier lieu zuerst, (am) Anfang primero, (al) principio (be) fit (for), suit convenir such eignen convenir, caber five cinq fünf cinco follow suivre folgen seguir foot pied Fuß pie -
Day 42:
English French German Spanish for (prep.), (therefor) pour für, dafür para, por for, (in) favor (of) pour, (en) faveur (de) für, dafür por, (a) favor (de) force, (oblige) obliger, forcer zwingen obligar force, strength force, (vigeur) Macht, Kraft, Gewalt, (Stärke) fuerza, (vigor) forest, wood bois Wald monte -
Day 43:
English French German Spanish forget oublier vergessen olvidar form (vb.) former bilden formar former celui, ceux, celle, celles jener aquél forth en avant hervor adelante four quatre vier cuatro -
Day 44:
English French German Spanish free libre frei libre friend ami Freund amigo from de aus, von de full plein voll lleno, (pleno) gain, win gagner gewinnen, erwerben, verdienen ganar -
Day 45:
English French German Spanish general (adj.) général allgemein general (in) general, usually (en) général, d'habitude, d'ordinaire, generaltement gewöhnlich gentleman monsieur Herr caballero get, recieve recevoir annegmen, erhalten, bekommen, empfangen recíbir, admitir, cobrar girl, (maid) jeune fille, (vierge) junges Mädchen, (Jungfrau) muchacha, chica -
Day 46:
English French German Spanish give donner geben dar glad, happy heureux, content glücklich, gern, sich freuen feliz, alegre, contento glass (drinking) verre Glas vaso go aller fahren, gehen ir go up, mount, (ascend) monter, remonter steigen subir, (ascender) -
Day 47:
English French German Spanish go with accompagner mit ... gehen, begleiten accompañar gold or Gold oro good bon, brave gut buen grant, (bestow) accorder gestatten conceder great, (huge) grand, énorme groß gran(de) -
Day 48:
English French German Spanish great (a man) grand groß gran(de) ground (n.) terre, sol Erde, Grund, Boden suelo, (terreno) guard garder schützen guardar hair cheveu Haar pelo half (adj.) demi halb medio -
Day 49:
English French German Spanish half (n.) moitié Hälfte mitad hand (n.) main Hand mano happen, (occur) arriver, se passer geschehen suceder, ocurrir hard (not soft) dur hart duro hard (difficult) difficile schwer difícil -
Day 50:
English French German Spanish have avoir haben haber, tener have (to do with), (concern) regarder, (concerner) betreffen, (anghen) importar, (interesar) he, him il, le, lui er, etc. él, etc. head (part of body) tête Kopf, (Haupt) cabeza hear entendre hören oír -
Day 51:
English French German Spanish heart cœur Herz corazón heaven, sky ciel Himmel cielo Heavens! mon Dieu! ach Gott! ¡dios! heavy lourd schwer pesado help aider helfen ayudar -
Day 52:
English French German Spanish her (adj.) son ihr su here ici, voici hier, her acá, aquí hide cacher verbegen esconder hide, (lurk) high, (lofty) haut hoch alto -
Day 53:
English French German Spanish higher supérieur höher superior his (adj.) son sein su hold tenir halten, fassen tener (at) home chez, à la maison bei, zu Hause, nach Hause en casa honor honneur Ehre honor -
Day 54:
English French German Spanish hope (v.) espérer hoffen esperar hope (n.) espoir Hoffnung esperanza horse cheval Pferd caballo hour heur Stunde hora house mains, hôtel Haus casa, (hotel) -
Day 55:
English French German Spanish how comment wie como, cómo however, still, yet cependant, pourtant doch, jedoch, dennoch, jedenfalls sin embargo husband mari Mann esposo, marido I, me je, moi, me ich yo if si wenn si -
Day 56:
English French German Spanish important important wichtig, erheblich importante in, (wherein) dans, en in, darin en indeed en effet ja, zwar, wirklich, allerdings verdaderamente instead (of) au lieu (de) statt (en) lugar (de) interest, (concern) intérêt Interesse, (Anklang) interés -
Day 57:
English French German Spanish interest, (percent) intérêt, pour cent Interessen, Prozent, (Dividende) intereses into dans in, hinein en, dentro it il es lo, etc. its son sein su join, (connect), (fasten) attacher, (joindre), (accrocher) verbinden añadir, juntar -
Day 58:
English French German Spanish journey, trip voyage Reise viaje, (jornada) judge (v.) juger richten, befinden juzgar just (past time) venir de, (à l')instant, (justement) eben, gerade acabar de, (hace) poco keep, save garder, retenir, conserver erhalten, behalten guardar, conservar kind, sort sorte, espèce, genre Art, (allerlei), (Gattung) clase, especie, género -
Day 59:
English French German Spanish kind, (thoughtful) (avoir) bon cœur, bon, (bienfaisant) freundlich, (gnädig), (gütig) bueno, (bondadoso) king roi König rey know, (be acquainted with) connaître kennen conocer know, (have knowledge of) savoir wissen saber (let) know, (inform) faire part, prévenir, (aviser) wissen lassen, mitteilen, (verkünden) advertir, (avisar) -
Day 60:
English French German Spanish (not) know ignorer (nicht) wissen desconocer, ignorar lady dame Dame señora, dama land (not sea) terre Land tierra last (adj.) dernier letzte último (at) last, (finally) enfin, (finalement) endlich, (zum) Beschluß, schließlich, zuletzt al fin, por fin, por último, al cabo, (a la postre) -
Day 61:
English French German Spanish late, tardy tard spät tarde laugh (v.), chuckle rire lachen reír law, statute loi Gesetz ley lay coucher legen echar, poner lead, (conduct) conduire, mener, amener führen, leiten llevar, conducir -
Day 62:
English French German Spanish learn apprendre lernen erfahren least (le) moins, moindre geringste (gering), wenigste (wenig), mindeste (minder) (lo) menos (at) least (au) moins wenigstens a lo menos, al menos, siquiera leave, (quit) laisser, quitter lassen, überlassen dejar leave, (desert), (abandon) abandonner verlassen abandonar -
Day 63:
English French German Spanish left (adj/adv) gauche, (à gauche) linke, links izquierdo, (siniestro) less, (lesser) moins weniger, minder menos letter lettre Brief carta lie (v.), lay être couché liegen echar se life vie Leben vida, ser -
Day 64:
English French German Spanish (full of) life, (lively) vif, (vivant [adj.]) lebhaft vivo lift, raise, (elevate) élever, lever, relever, dresser, soulever erheben, heben, (erhöhen) levantar, alzar, elevar, (erigir) light (n.) lumière Licht luz light (adj., weight) léger leicht ligero like, care for, (be fond of) aimer gern haben, mögen gustar, querer -
Day 65:
English French German Spanish like (adj.), (alike) pareil, semblable gleich, ähnlich semajante (look) like, (resemble) ressembler ähnlich sein parecer se line ligne Linie línea little, small petit, (mignon) gering, klein pequeño, chico little (n.), bit peu wenig poco, poquito