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"engagement (to marry)" in seven languages

Meaningengagement (to marry)

Spanish

compromiso

/kompɾoˈmiso/

masc.other source · Latin COMPRŌMISSUM 'mutual promise' (learned)

Also 'commitment, obligation'; compromise is acuerdo.

French

fiançailles

/fjɑ̃saj/

fem.inherited

Always plural; from fiancer 'to pledge', Old French fiance 'trust'.

Italian

fidanzamento

/fidantsaˈmento/

masc.inherited

From fidanzare 'to betroth'; the couple are fidanzati.

Portuguese

noivado

/nojˈvadu/

masc.other source · noivo 'fiancé', from Latin *NOVIUM (NOVUS 'new')

Romanian

logodnă

/loˈɡodnə/

fem.other source · logodi 'to betroth', of Slavic origin

Catalan

prometatge

/pɾuməˈtadʒə/

masc.other source · prometre 'to promise' (Latin PRŌMITTERE)

English

engagement

/ɪnˈɡeɪdʒmənt/

other source · French engager, from gage 'pledge' (Frankish)

English → Italianengagement (to marry)fidanzamentoNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: fiancé, fiancée, confide.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

*FĪDĀRE (Vulgar Latin)‘to trust (FĪDUS 'faithful')’

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

The story

French and Italian betroth by 'trust' (*FĪDĀRE), hence fiancé. Spanish compromiso is a mutual promise. French engagement means commitment, not a ring.

English relatives: fiancé, fiancée, confide

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In a sentence

  • esAnunciaron su compromiso.
  • frIls ont annoncé leurs fiançailles.
  • itHanno annunciato il loro fidanzamento.
  • ptEles anunciaram o noivado.
  • roȘi-au anunțat logodna.
  • caVan anunciar el seu prometatge.
  • enThey announced their engagement.

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