"some, a few" in seven languages
Meaningsome, a few
Spanish
/alˈɡunos/
inherited
fem.: algunas
Singular algún / alguna: algún día 'some day'. Unos does a similar job.
French
/kɛlk/
other source · quel 'which' (Latin QUĀLEM) + que
The same for both genders: quelques amis, quelques amies.
Italian
/alˈkuni/
inherited
fem.: alcune
Qualche says the same with a singular noun: qualche amico.
Portuguese
/awˈɡũs/
inherited
fem.: algumas
Romanian
/kɨˈtsiva/
other source · cât 'how many' (Latin QUANTUM) + the indefinite ending -va
fem.: câteva
Niște is the plain unstressed 'some': niște prieteni.
Catalan
/əlˈɡuns/
inherited
fem.: algunes
English
/sʌm/
native English · Old English sum
The Latin ancestor
*ALICŪNUM (ALIQUEM ŪNUM)‘some one’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
Spoken Latin fused 'some' and 'one' into *alicunus, which gave Spanish algunos and Italian alcuni. French built quelques from 'which' instead, and its own heir of *alicunus, aucun, now means 'none'.
Learn it
In a sentence
- esTengo algunos amigos en Roma.
- frJ'ai quelques amis à Rome.
- itHo alcuni amici a Roma.
- ptTenho alguns amigos em Roma.
- roAm câțiva prieteni la Roma.
- caTinc alguns amics a Roma.
- enI have some friends in Rome.