"ice" in seven languages
Meaningice
Spanish
hielo
/ˈʝelo/
masc.other source · Latin GELU 'frost'
The h- is only spelling, marking the ie diphthong at the start of the word.
French
glace
/glas/
fem.inherited
Also 'ice cream' and 'mirror'.
Italian
ghiaccio
/ˈgjattʃo/
masc.inherited
Ice cream is gelato — from Latin GELU, Spanish's word.
Portuguese
gelo
/ˈʒelu/
masc.other source · Latin GELU 'frost'
Romanian
gheață
/ˈge̯atsə/
fem.inherited
Catalan
gel
/ʒɛl/
masc.other source · Latin GELU 'frost'
English
ice
/aɪs/
native English · Old English īs
English → ItalianiceghiaccioNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: glacier, glacial (GLACIĒS); gel, jelly, congeal (GELU).What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
GLACIEM (nom. GLACIĒS)‘ice’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
French and Italian kept GLACIĒS; Spanish chose GELU 'frost' — the word Italian uses for its ice cream, gelato.
English relatives: glacier, glacial (GLACIĒS); gel, jelly, congeal (GELU)
Learn it
In a sentence
- es¿Quieres hielo en la bebida?
- frTu veux de la glace dans ta boisson ?
- itVuoi del ghiaccio nella bibita?
- ptQuer gelo na bebida?
- roVrei gheață în băutură?
- caVols gel a la beguda?
- enDo you want ice in your drink?