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"to approach, to come near" in seven languages

Meaningto approach, to come near

Spanish

acercarse

/aθeɾˈkaɾse/

other source · Spanish cerca 'near' (Latin CIRCĀ 'around')

French

s'approcher

/sapʁɔʃe/

inherited

Italian

avvicinarsi

/avvitʃiˈnarsi/

other source · Italian vicino 'near' (Latin VĪCĪNUS 'neighbour')

Portuguese

aproximar-se

/apɾosiˈmah si/

other source · learned, Latin APPROXIMĀRE (PROXIMUS 'nearest')

Romanian

se apropia

/se apropiˈa/

inherited

Catalan

apropar-se

/əpɾuˈpasə/

other source · built on prop 'near' (Latin PROPE)

English

approach

/əˈpɹoʊtʃ/

from Latin/French · Old French aprochier (Late Latin APPROPIĀRE)

English → Italianto approach, to come nearavvicinarsiNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: propinquity; circa (es); vicinity (it).What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

APPROPIĀRE‘to come nearer (from PROPE 'near')’

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

The story

All three build 'to come near' on a word for 'near': French on PROPE (proche), Spanish on CIRCĀ 'around' (cerca), Italian on VĪCĪNUS 'neighbour' (vicino). English approach is the French verb.

English relatives: propinquity; circa (es); vicinity (it)

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In a sentence

  • esEl gato se acercó despacio.
  • frLe chat s'est approché lentement.
  • itIl gatto si è avvicinato lentamente.
  • ptO gato se aproximou devagar.
  • roPisica s-a apropiat încet.
  • caEl gat es va apropar a poc a poc.
  • enThe cat approached slowly.

More in Core verbs

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