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"approximately" in seven languages

Meaningapproximately

Spanish

aproximadamente

/apɾoksimadaˈmente/

learned

Más o menos is the everyday option.

French

approximativement

/apʁɔksimativmɑ̃/

learned

Environ is far more common.

Italian

approssimativamente

/approssimativaˈmente/

learned

Circa is the everyday word.

Portuguese

aproximadamente

/apɾosimadaˈmẽtʃi/

learned

Romanian

aproximativ

/aproksimaˈtiv/

borrowed · French approximatif

Catalan

aproximadament

/əpɾuksimadəˈmen/

learned

English

approximately

/əˈpɹɑksəmətli/

from Latin/French · approximate (Late Latin APPROXIMĀTUS) + -ly

English → ItalianapproximatelyapprossimativamenteCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

APPROXIMĀRE‘to come near (from PROXIMUS 'nearest')’

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

The story

Italian turns x into ss even in learned words (approssimativamente, like PROXIMUM → prossimo). In speech all three prefer a short word: más o menos, environ, circa.

English relatives: proximity, proximate

Sound laws at work

Adverbs in -mente / -mentItalian assimilates clusters

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In a sentence

  • esEl viaje dura aproximadamente tres horas.
  • frLe trajet dure approximativement trois heures.
  • itIl viaggio dura approssimativamente tre ore.
  • ptA viagem dura aproximadamente três horas.
  • roCălătoria durează aproximativ trei ore.
  • caEl viatge dura aproximadament tres hores.
  • enThe trip takes approximately three hours.

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