"colleague" in seven languages
Meaningcolleague
Spanish
colega
/koˈlega/
masc.learned
Same form for men and women (el/la colega); colloquially also 'mate, buddy' in Spain.
French
collègue
/kɔlɛg/
masc.learned
Italian
collega
/kolˈlɛga/
masc.learned
Portuguese
colega
/koˈlɛɡɐ/
masc.learned
Romanian
coleg
/koˈleɡ/
masc.borrowed · French collègue, refashioned on Latin COLLĒGA
Catalan
col·lega
/kulˈlɛɡə/
masc.learned
At work Catalans just as often say company de feina.
English
colleague
/ˈkɑliɡ/
from Latin/French · French collègue
English → ItaliancolleaguecollegaCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
COLLĒGAM‘partner in office’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
A collēga was someone chosen (LĒGĀRE 'to depute') together with you; a collegium was the body they formed.
English relatives: colleague, college, delegate
Learn it
In a sentence
- esMis colegas son muy simpáticos.
- frMes collègues sont très sympas.
- itI miei colleghi sono molto simpatici.
- ptMeus colegas são muito legais.
- roColegii mei sunt foarte simpatici.
- caEls meus col·legues són molt simpàtics.
- enMy colleagues are very nice.
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