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"gift, present" in seven languages

Meaninggift, present

Spanish

regalo

/reˈgalo/

masc.other source · regalar, of disputed origin (perhaps French régaler 'to entertain')

French

cadeau

/kado/

masc.other source · Old Occitan capdel 'capital letter', from Latin CAPITELLUM

plural: cadeaux

Italian

regalo

/reˈgalo/

masc.other source · probably Spanish regalo

Portuguese

presente

/pɾeˈzẽtʃi/

masc.other source · Latin PRAESENTEM 'present, at hand' (a thing presented)

Romanian

cadou

/kaˈdow/

neut.other source · French cadeau

Catalan

regal

/rəˈgal/

masc.other source · regalar, of disputed origin (like Spanish regalo)

English

gift

/gɪft/

native English · Old English gift, reinforced by Old Norse gipt

English → Italiangift, presentregaloNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: (Latin DŌNUM, behind don, don, dono) donation, donor.What English and Italian share

The story

No shared Latin here: Spanish and Italian share regalo, while French cadeau began as a decorated capital letter in Occitan. The Latin DŌNUM lives on in the more formal don (es, fr) and dono (it).

English relatives: (Latin DŌNUM, behind don, don, dono) donation, donor

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In a sentence

  • es¡Gracias por el regalo!
  • frMerci pour le cadeau !
  • itGrazie per il regalo!
  • ptObrigado pelo presente!
  • roMulțumesc pentru cadou!
  • caGràcies pel regal!
  • enThank you for the gift!

More in Ideas

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