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"permission" in seven languages

Meaningpermission

Spanish

permiso

/peɾˈmiso/

masc.other source · Latin PERMISSUS 'leave, permission'

Con permiso is a polite 'excuse me'.

French

permission

/pɛʁmisjɔ̃/

fem.learned

Italian

permesso

/perˈmesso/

masc.other source · past participle of permettere, from Latin PERMITTERE

Permesso? is what you say entering someone's home.

Portuguese

permissão

/pehmiˈsɐ̃w/

fem.learned

Romanian

permisiune

/permisiˈune/

fem.learned

Catalan

permís

/pəɾˈmis/

masc.other source · Latin PERMISSUS 'leave, permission'

Also a licence: permís de conduir.

English

permission

/pɚˈmɪʃən/

from Latin/French · Latin PERMISSIŌNEM, via Old French

English → ItalianpermissionpermessoNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: permit, permissive, admit, mission.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

PERMISSIŌNEM‘leave, permission (from PERMITTERE 'to let go through')’

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

The story

All from PERMITTERE 'to let through', but only French uses the -tion noun; Spanish and Italian say 'the thing permitted' (permiso, permesso). Italian permesso also means a permit or leave from work.

English relatives: permit, permissive, admit, mission

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In a sentence

  • esSe fue sin pedir permiso.
  • frIl est parti sans demander la permission.
  • itSe n'è andato senza chiedere il permesso.
  • ptEle saiu sem pedir permissão.
  • roA plecat fără să ceară permisiunea.
  • caVa marxar sense demanar permís.
  • enHe left without asking permission.

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