"back" in seven languages
Meaningback
Spanish
espalda
/esˈpalda/
fem.other source · Latin SPATULAM 'shoulder blade'
French
dos
/do/
masc.other source · Latin DORSUM 'back'
Italian
schiena
/ˈskjɛna/
fem.other source · Lombard *skina 'shinbone, splint'
Portuguese
costas
/ˈkɔstɐs/
fem.other source · Latin COSTAS 'ribs, sides'
Always plural: as costas.
Romanian
spate
/ˈspate/
neut.other source · Latin SPATHAM 'broad blade' (the shoulder blade)
Catalan
esquena
/əsˈkɛnə/
fem.other source · Germanic *skina 'shinbone, splint'
The same Germanic word as Italian schiena.
English
back
/bæk/
native English · Old English bæc
English → ItalianbackschienaNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: spatula (es); dorsal (fr).What English and Italian share
The story
Unrelated: Spanish espalda is the SPATULA that gave French épaule 'shoulder' (its t'l became ld); French dos is Latin DORSUM; Italian schiena is Germanic.
English relatives: spatula (es); dorsal (fr)
Learn it
In a sentence
- esMe duele la espalda.
- frJ'ai mal au dos.
- itMi fa male la schiena.
- ptEstou com dor nas costas.
- roMă doare spatele.
- caEm fa mal l'esquena.
- enMy back hurts.