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"companion, mate (classmate, workmate)" in seven languages

Meaningcompanion, mate (classmate, workmate)

Spanish

compañero

/kompaˈɲeɾo/

masc.inherited

Built on Old Spanish compaña 'company'.

French

compagnon

/kɔ̃paɲɔ̃/

masc.inherited

For a classmate French says camarade or copain.

Italian

compagno

/komˈpaɲɲo/

masc.inherited

Portuguese

colega

/koˈlɛɡɐ/

masc.other source · Latin COLLĒGAM 'colleague' (learned)

Same form for both sexes (o/a colega); companheiro, from *COMPĀNIŌNEM, means 'companion, partner'.

Romanian

coleg

/koˈleɡ/

masc.other source · French collègue / Latin COLLĒGA

Catalan

company

/kumˈpaɲ/

masc.inherited

From the nominative *COMPĀNIŌ, like Old French compain.

English

companion

/kəmˈpænjən/

from Latin/French · Old French compaignon

English → Italiancompanion, mate (classmate, workmate)compagnoCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

*COMPĀNIŌNEM‘one who shares bread (COM- + PĀNIS)’

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

The story

A companion is literally 'one you share bread with', a Late Latin calque of a Germanic word. Its NI became ñ and gn; French copain 'pal' is the Old French nominative compain.

English relatives: companion, company, accompany

Sound laws at work

NN, GN and N + yod

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In a sentence

  • esEs mi compañero de clase.
  • frC'est mon copain de classe.
  • itÈ il mio compagno di classe.
  • ptEle é meu colega de classe.
  • roE colegul meu de clasă.
  • caÉs el meu company de classe.
  • enHe's my classmate.

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