"pig" in seven languages
Meaningpig
Spanish
cerdo
/ˈθeɾdo/
masc.other source · from cerda 'bristle', itself of debated origin
Puerco and cochino are common too; in Latin America chancho is frequent.
French
cochon
/kɔʃɔ̃/
masc.other source · uncertain, probably from a call used to summon pigs
Italian
maiale
/maˈjale/
masc.other source · Latin MAIĀLEM, a pig sacrificed to the goddess Maia
Portuguese
porco
/ˈpohku/
masc.other source · Latin PORCUM 'pig'
Romanian
porc
/pork/
masc.other source · Latin PORCUM 'pig'
Catalan
porc
/pɔrk/
masc.other source · Latin PORCUM 'pig'
English
pig
/pɪɡ/
native English · Old English *picga
English → ItalianpigmaialeNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh.What English and Italian share
The story
Three totally unrelated words — but Latin PORCUM still lives in all three (puerco, porc, porco) and gave English pork.
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In a sentence
- esEl granjero tiene tres cerdos.
- frLe fermier a trois cochons.
- itIl contadino ha tre maiali.
- ptO fazendeiro tem três porcos.
- roFermierul are trei porci.
- caEl pagès té tres porcs.
- enThe farmer has three pigs.