"main, principal" in seven languages
Meaningmain, principal
Spanish
principal
/pɾinθiˈpal/
learned
French
principal
/pʁɛ̃sipal/
learned
plural: principaux
Italian
principale
/printʃiˈpale/
learned
Portuguese
principal
/pɾĩsiˈpaw/
learned
Romanian
principal
/printʃiˈpal/
learned
Catalan
principal
/pɾinsiˈpal/
learned
English
main
/meɪn/
native English · Old English mægen 'strength'
English → Italianmain, principalprincipaleNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: principal, prince, principle.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
PRĪNCIPĀLEM‘first, chief (from PRĪNCEPS)’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
English says native main, but its learned synonym principal matches all three sisters. French -al plurals in -aux: les points principaux.
English relatives: principal, prince, principle
Learn it
In a sentence
- esEsta es la calle principal.
- frC'est la rue principale.
- itQuesta è la strada principale.
- ptEsta é a rua principal.
- roAceasta este strada principală.
- caAquest és el carrer principal.
- enThis is the main street.