"cow" in seven languages
Meaningcow
Spanish
vaca
/ˈbaka/
fem.inherited
French
vache
/vaʃ/
fem.inherited
Italian
vacca
/ˈvakka/
fem.inherited
Everyday Italian prefers mucca; vacca is more rural (and an insult).
Portuguese
vaca
/ˈvakɐ/
fem.inherited
Romanian
vacă
/ˈvakə/
fem.inherited
Catalan
vaca
/ˈbakə/
fem.inherited
English
cow
/kaʊ/
native English · Old English cū
English → ItaliancowvaccaNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: vaccine, vaccinate.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
VACCAM‘cow’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
A vaccine is literally 'from the cow': the first one used cowpox. French turned the -CA into -che, as in vache, mouche, bouche.
English relatives: vaccine, vaccinate
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- esLas vacas dan leche.
- frLes vaches donnent du lait.
- itLe mucche danno il latte.
- ptAs vacas dão leite.
- roVacile dau lapte.
- caLes vaques donen llet.
- enThe cows give milk.