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"healthy" in seven languages

Meaninghealthy

Spanish

sano

/ˈsano/

inherited

Saludable is also common, especially for food and habits.

French

sain

/sɛ̃/

inherited

fem.: saine

Italian

sano

/ˈsano/

inherited

Portuguese

saudável

/sawˈdavew/

other source · saúde 'health' (Latin SALŪTEM) + -ável

São, from SĀNUM with the usual loss of intervocalic -n-, survives in são e salvo 'safe and sound'.

Romanian

sănătos

/sənəˈtos/

other source · Latin *SĀNITŌSUM (from SĀNITĀS 'health')

fem.: sănătoasă

Catalan

sa

/sa/

inherited

fem.: sana

Catalan drops final -n: SĀNUM → sa, but the feminine keeps it: sana.

English

healthy

/ˈhɛlθi/

native English · Old English hǣlþ 'health' + -y

English → ItalianhealthysanoNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: sane, sanity, sanitary.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

SĀNUM‘sound, healthy’

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

The story

English kept SĀNUS only for the mind (sane); the sisters use it for body and diet alike. French nasalized the vowel: sain, saine.

English relatives: sane, sanity, sanitary

Sound laws at work

French vowel + nasal becomes a nasal vowel

Learn it

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In a sentence

  • esSigue una dieta sana.
  • frIl a une alimentation saine.
  • itSegue un'alimentazione sana.
  • ptEle segue uma dieta saudável.
  • roAre o alimentație sănătoasă.
  • caSegueix una dieta sana.
  • enHe follows a healthy diet.

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