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"Christmas" in seven languages

MeaningChristmas

Spanish

Navidad

/nabiˈdad/

fem.other source · Latin NĀTĪVITĀTEM 'birth'

Often plural: las Navidades, the Christmas season.

French

Noël

/nɔɛl/

masc.inherited

Italian

Natale

/naˈtale/

masc.inherited

Portuguese

Natal

/naˈtaw/

masc.inherited

Romanian

Crăciun

/krəˈtʃun/

neut.other source · of disputed origin (Latin CREĀTIŌNEM 'creation' has been proposed)

Catalan

Nadal

/nəˈdal/

masc.inherited

English

Christmas

/ˈkɹɪsməs/

native English · Old English Crīstes mæsse 'Christ's mass'

English → ItalianChristmasNataleNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: natal, prenatal; nativity (es).What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

NĀTĀLEM (DIEM)‘birthday’

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

The story

French and Italian kept NĀTĀLIS DIĒS, 'the birthday'; French dropped the t between vowels, as usual. Spanish named the feast after the Nativity itself (NĀTĪVITĀS).

English relatives: natal, prenatal; nativity (es)

Sound laws at work

Voiceless stops between vowels soften

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In a sentence

  • esPasamos la Navidad con mis padres.
  • frNous passons Noël chez mes parents.
  • itPassiamo il Natale con i miei genitori.
  • ptPassamos o Natal com meus pais.
  • roPetrecem Crăciunul cu părinții mei.
  • caPassem el Nadal amb els meus pares.
  • enWe spend Christmas with my parents.

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