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"ahead, forward" in seven languages

Meaningahead, forward

Spanish

adelante

/adeˈlante/

other source · a + delante, from Latin DĒ + IN ANTE 'in front'

¡Adelante! also means 'come in!' or 'go ahead!'.

French

en avant

/ɑ̃navɑ̃/

inherited

Avant alone is 'before'.

Italian

avanti

/aˈvanti/

inherited

Avanti! is also 'come in!'.

Portuguese

para frente

/ˈpaɾɐ ˈfɾẽtʃi/

other source · frente 'front', from Latin FRONTEM 'forehead'

Spoken pra frente.

Romanian

înainte

/ɨnaˈinte/

inherited

From IN + AB ANTE, the same build as French en avant.

Catalan

endavant

/əndəˈban/

inherited

English

ahead

/əˈhɛd/

native English · a- 'on' + head (Old English hēafod)

English → Italianahead, forwardavantiNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: advance, advantage, vanguard (all via French avant).What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

AB ANTE‘from in front’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Late Latin glued AB to ANTE: French avant, Italian avanti. Spanish built its word on the same ANTE with other little words in front.

English relatives: advance, advantage, vanguard (all via French avant)

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In a sentence

  • esDio un paso adelante.
  • frIl a fait un pas en avant.
  • itHa fatto un passo avanti.
  • ptEle deu um passo para frente.
  • roA făcut un pas înainte.
  • caVa fer un pas endavant.
  • enHe took a step forward.

More in Little words

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