Skip to content

"switch (light switch)" in seven languages

Meaningswitch (light switch)

Spanish

interruptor

/interupˈtoɾ/

masc.learned

French

interrupteur

/ɛ̃teʁyptœʁ/

masc.learned

Italian

interruttore

/interrutˈtore/

masc.learned

Portuguese

interruptor

/ĩtehupˈtoh/

masc.learned

Romanian

întrerupător

/ɨntrerupəˈtor/

neut.other source · întrerupe 'to interrupt', a calque of French interrompre (între + rupe, Latin RUMPERE)

Catalan

interruptor

/intərupˈto/

masc.learned

English

switch

/swɪtʃ/

other source · of uncertain origin, probably Low German or Dutch

First 'a thin flexible stick'; the electric sense is modern.

English → Italianswitch (light switch)interruttoreNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: interrupt, rupture, abrupt.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

INTERRUMPERE‘to break apart, interrupt’

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

The story

The Romance switch is 'the interrupter': it breaks the circuit. Italian assimilates pt to tt, as in SEPTEM → sette.

English relatives: interrupt, rupture, abrupt

Sound laws at work

Italian assimilates clusters

Learn it

Practice the Home deckQuiz a friend on it

In a sentence

  • esEl interruptor está al lado de la puerta.
  • frL'interrupteur est à côté de la porte.
  • itL'interruttore è accanto alla porta.
  • ptO interruptor fica ao lado da porta.
  • roÎntrerupătorul e lângă ușă.
  • caL'interruptor és al costat de la porta.
  • enThe switch is next to the door.

More in Home

All Home words