Skip to content

"customs" in seven languages

Meaningcustoms

Spanish

aduana

/aˈdwana/

fem.borrowed · Andalusian Arabic ad-diwána

French

douane

/dwan/

fem.borrowed · Old Italian doana

Italian

dogana

/doˈgana/

fem.borrowed · Arabic dīwān

Portuguese

alfândega

/awˈfɐ̃degɐ/

fem.other source · Andalusian Arabic al-fúnduq 'inn, warehouse'

Romanian

vamă

/ˈvamə/

fem.other source · Hungarian vám 'toll'

Catalan

duana

/duˈanə/

fem.borrowed · Arabic dīwān, probably via Italian doana

English

customs

/ˈkʌstəmz/

other source · Old French costume, from Latin CONSUĒTŪDINEM 'habit'

English → ItaliancustomsdoganaNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: divan, douane.What English and Italian share

The ancestor

Arabic dīwān‘register, government office (from Persian)’

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

The story

The Arabic customs office went into Spanish with its article (ad-) and into Italian through Mediterranean trade. The same dīwān gave the divan you sit on.

English relatives: divan, douane

Learn it

Practice the Travel deckQuiz a friend on it

In a sentence

  • esPasamos la aduana enseguida.
  • frOn a passé la douane rapidement.
  • itAbbiamo passato la dogana in fretta.
  • ptA gente passou pela alfândega rapidinho.
  • roAm trecut repede de vamă.
  • caVam passar la duana de seguida.
  • enWe went through customs quickly.

More in Travel

All Travel words