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"happy" in seven languages

Meaninghappy

Spanish

feliz

/feˈliθ/

learned

Contento and alegre are everyday alternatives.

French

heureux

/øʁø/

other source · Old French heur 'luck' (← AUGURIUM 'omen') + -eux

fem.: heureuse

Italian

felice

/feˈlitʃe/

inherited

Portuguese

feliz

/feˈlis/

learned

An inherited form would have lost the -l- between vowels, as in dor ← DOLŌREM.

Romanian

fericit

/feriˈtʃit/

inherited

Literally 'made happy', from old ferice ← FĒLĪCEM, with the Romanian l → r between vowels.

Catalan

feliç

/fəˈlis/

inherited

Content is the everyday alternative.

English

happy

/ˈhæpi/

other source · hap (Old Norse happ) + -y

Borrowed 'felicity' is the shared word.

English → ItalianhappyfeliceNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: felicity, felicitations, Felix.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

FĒLĪCEM‘fruitful, lucky, happy’

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

The story

Happiness was luck in Latin (FĒLĪX first meant 'fruitful') and stayed luck in French: heureux is 'full of heur', a good omen — compare English happy, from hap 'chance'.

English relatives: felicity, felicitations, Felix

Learn it

Practice the Feelings deckQuiz a friend on it

In a sentence

  • esSoy muy feliz aquí.
  • frJe suis très heureux ici.
  • itSono molto felice qui.
  • ptEstou muito feliz aqui.
  • roSunt foarte fericit aici.
  • caSoc molt feliç aquí.
  • enI'm very happy here.

More in Feelings

All Feelings words