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"kiss" in seven languages

Meaningkiss

Spanish

beso

/ˈbeso/

masc.inherited

French

baiser

/beze/

masc.inherited

The noun is fine but literary; the verb baiser is now vulgar. Say embrasser, un bisou, faire la bise.

Italian

bacio

/ˈbatʃo/

masc.inherited

Portuguese

beijo

/ˈbejʒu/

masc.inherited

Romanian

sărut

/səˈrut/

neut.other source · Latin SALŪTĀRE 'to greet'

A greeting became a kiss; intervocalic -l- turned into -r-. Informally, pupic.

Catalan

petó

/pəˈto/

masc.other source · of uncertain origin

The inherited bes survives in writing.

English

kiss

/kɪs/

native English · Old English cyssan

English → ItaliankissbacioNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

BĀSIUM‘kiss’

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

The story

Catullus asked Lesbia for a thousand BĀSIA. The SI cluster went three ways: Spanish s (beso), French is (baiser), Tuscan tʃ (bacio, like camicia 'shirt'). In French, mind the verb: it has become a crude word for sex.

Learn it

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In a sentence

  • esDame un beso.
  • frFais-moi un bisou.
  • itDammi un bacio.
  • ptMe dá um beijo.
  • roDă-mi un sărut.
  • caFes-me un petó.
  • enGive me a kiss.

More in Greetings & courtesy

All Greetings & courtesy words