"garlic" in seven languages
Meaninggarlic
Spanish
ajo
/ˈaxo/
masc.inherited
French
ail
/aj/
masc.inherited
Italian
aglio
/ˈaʎʎo/
masc.inherited
l'aglio
Portuguese
alho
/ˈaʎu/
masc.inherited
Romanian
usturoi
/ustuˈroj/
masc.other source · of uncertain origin
Catalan
all
/aʎ/
masc.inherited
English
garlic
/ˈgɑɹlɪk/
native English · Old English gārlēac 'spear-leek'
English → ItaliangarlicaglioNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: allium.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
ALIUM (also ALLIUM)‘garlic’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
A perfect LI example: the l + y cluster became Spanish j, French ill (here -il), Italian gli — just as in FOLIA → hoja, feuille, foglia.
English relatives: allium
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- esSin ajo, por favor.
- frSans ail, s'il vous plaît.
- itSenza aglio, per favore.
- ptSem alho, por favor.
- roFără usturoi, vă rog.
- caSense all, si us plau.
- enWithout garlic, please.
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