"easy" in seven languages
Meaningeasy
Spanish
fácil
/ˈfaθil/
learned
French
facile
/fasil/
learned
Italian
facile
/ˈfatʃile/
learned
Portuguese
fácil
/ˈfasiw/
learned
Romanian
ușor
/uˈʃor/
other source · of uncertain origin
Also means 'light (not heavy)'.
Catalan
fàcil
/ˈfasil/
learned
English
easy
/ˈizi/
other source · Old French aisié 'at ease'
English → ItalianeasyfacileNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: facile, facility, facilitate.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
FACILEM‘doable, easy (from FACERE 'to do')’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
'Easy' is literally 'doable' — FACILIS comes from FACERE. All three are learned words taken from written Latin, which is why they look so alike.
English relatives: facile, facility, facilitate
Sound laws at work
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In a sentence
- esEl examen fue fácil.
- frL'examen était facile.
- itL'esame era facile.
- ptA prova foi fácil.
- roExamenul a fost ușor.
- caL'examen va ser fàcil.
- enThe exam was easy.