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"driver" in seven languages

Meaningdriver

Spanish

conductor

/kondukˈtoɾ/

masc.learned

fem.: conductora

Chófer for a hired driver; Latin America also says chofer.

French

conducteur

/kɔ̃dyktœʁ/

masc.learned

fem.: conductrice

Italian

autista

/auˈtista/

masc.other source · Italian auto 'car' + -ista

A driver by trade; anyone at the wheel is il guidatore or il conducente.

Portuguese

motorista

/motoˈɾistɐ/

masc.other source · motor + -ista (Latin MŌTŌREM 'mover')

Same form for a woman: a motorista. Condutor is formal.

Romanian

șofer

/ʃoˈfer/

masc.other source · French chauffeur

Catalan

conductor

/kundukˈto/

masc.learned

fem.: conductora

Final -r is silent in Central Catalan.

English

driver

/ˈdɹaɪvɚ/

native English · English drive (Old English drīfan) + -er

English → ItaliandriverautistaNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: conductor, conduct, duct.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

CONDUCTŌREM‘one who leads’

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

The story

A Spanish or French driver 'leads' the car (CONDŪCERE); English conductor took the same word to the orchestra and the train.

English relatives: conductor, conduct, duct

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In a sentence

  • esEl conductor paró en el semáforo en rojo.
  • frLe conducteur s'est arrêté au feu rouge.
  • itL'autista si è fermato al semaforo rosso.
  • ptO motorista parou no sinal vermelho.
  • roȘoferul a oprit la semafor.
  • caEl conductor es va aturar al semàfor vermell.
  • enThe driver stopped at the red light.

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