"late" in seven languages
Meaninglate
Spanish
tarde
/ˈtaɾde/
inherited
As a noun, la tarde is 'the afternoon'.
French
tard
/taʁ/
inherited
Being late for something is être en retard.
Italian
tardi
/ˈtardi/
inherited
Being late for something is essere in ritardo.
Portuguese
tarde
/ˈtahdʒi/
inherited
Romanian
târziu
/tɨrˈziw/
other source · Latin TARDĪVUM 'late, tardy' (from TARDUS, the same root)
Catalan
tard
/taɾt/
inherited
English
late
/leɪt/
native English · Old English læt
English → ItalianlatetardiNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: tardy, retard.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
TARDĒ‘slowly’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
'Slowly' became 'late' everywhere. Spanish then made the late part of the day a noun: buenas tardes, 'good afternoon'.
English relatives: tardy, retard
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- esLlegamos tarde a casa.
- frOn est rentrés tard.
- itSiamo tornati a casa tardi.
- ptChegamos tarde em casa.
- roAm ajuns târziu acasă.
- caVam arribar tard a casa.
- enWe got home late.