"fresh" in seven languages
Meaningfresh
Spanish
fresco
/ˈfɾesko/
inherited
Also 'cool' (hace fresco) and 'cheeky'.
French
frais
/fʁɛ/
inherited
fem.: fraîche
Also 'cool' (il fait frais); les frais are 'expenses', a different word.
Italian
fresco
/ˈfresko/
inherited
Also 'cool' (fa fresco).
Portuguese
fresco
/ˈfɾesku/
inherited
Romanian
proaspăt
/ˈpro̯aspət/
other source · of uncertain origin
Catalan
fresc
/fɾɛsk/
inherited
English
fresh
/fɹɛʃ/
from Latin/French · Old English fersc, reinforced by Old French freis (both Germanic)
English → ItalianfreshfrescoCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share
The ancestor
Germanic *frisk-‘fresh’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
A Germanic word all four share. The circumflex in French fraîche marks the s of Old French fresche; a fresco is painted on plaster still fresh.
English relatives: fresco, refresh, refreshment
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- esEste pescado está muy fresco.
- frCe poisson est très frais.
- itQuesto pesce è molto fresco.
- ptEste peixe está muito fresco.
- roPeștele ăsta e foarte proaspăt.
- caAquest peix és molt fresc.
- enThis fish is very fresh.