"son" in seven languages
Meaningson
Spanish
hijo
/ˈixo/
masc.inherited
Plural hijos also means 'children'.
French
fils
/fis/
masc.inherited
From the nominative FĪLIUS: the s is said, the l is silent.
Italian
figlio
/ˈfiʎʎo/
masc.inherited
Portuguese
filho
/ˈfiʎu/
masc.inherited
LI became lh [ʎ], as in Italian figlio.
Romanian
fiu
/fiw/
masc.inherited
plural: fii
Catalan
fill
/fiʎ/
masc.inherited
English
son
/sʌn/
native English · Old English sunu
English → ItaliansonfiglioNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: filial, affiliate.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
FĪLIUM‘son’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
One word, two textbook laws: Spanish turned initial F into a silent h and LI into j (hijo); Italian made LI into gli (figlio).
English relatives: filial, affiliate
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- esTienen dos hijos.
- frIls ont deux fils.
- itHanno due figli.
- ptEles têm dois filhos.
- roAu doi fii.
- caTenen dos fills.
- enThey have two sons.