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"paper" in seven languages

Meaningpaper

Spanish

papel

/paˈpel/

masc.borrowed · Catalan paper

French

papier

/papje/

masc.inherited

Italian

carta

/ˈkarta/

fem.other source · Latin CHARTAM 'sheet of papyrus', from Greek chártēs

Portuguese

papel

/paˈpɛw/

masc.borrowed · Catalan paper

Romanian

hârtie

/hɨrˈtie/

fem.other source · Modern Greek chartí(on), from the family of chártēs 'papyrus sheet'

Catalan

paper

/pəˈpe/

masc.inherited

Catalan lent its word to Spanish (papel) and Portuguese.

English

paper

/ˈpeɪpɚ/

from Latin/French · Anglo-French papir

English → ItalianpapercartaNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: paper, papyrus; card, chart, charter (Italian's source).What English and Italian share

Watch out: false friends

  • carta (Spanish) means “letter (mail); menu” · carta (Italian) means “paper; card”

    Both from Latin CHARTAM 'sheet of papyrus'. Italian kept the material; Spanish the thing written on it. French carte is 'card, map, menu'.

All false friends

The Latin ancestor

PAPȲRUM‘papyrus (from Greek pápyros)’

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

The story

Spanish and French named paper after the Egyptian reed; Italian after the sheet. Spanish papel also means 'role' (hacer un papel). Italian carta also gives cartolina, a postcard.

English relatives: paper, papyrus; card, chart, charter (Italian's source)

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In a sentence

  • esNecesito una hoja de papel.
  • frJ'ai besoin d'une feuille de papier.
  • itMi serve un foglio di carta.
  • ptPreciso de uma folha de papel.
  • roAm nevoie de o foaie de hârtie.
  • caNecessito un full de paper.
  • enI need a sheet of paper.

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