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"to command, be in charge of" in seven languages

Meaningto command, be in charge of

Spanish

mandar

/manˈdaɾ/

other source · Latin MANDĀRE 'to entrust, order' (the unprefixed verb)

Comandar exists, but mostly for military command.

French

commander

/kɔmɑ̃de/

inherited

Also 'to order' in a shop or restaurant: commander un café.

Italian

comandare

/komanˈdare/

inherited

Portuguese

comandar

/komɐ̃ˈdah/

borrowed · probably French commander

Romanian

comanda

/komanˈda/

borrowed · French commander

Catalan

comandar

/kumənˈda/

borrowed · probably French commander or Spanish comandar

English

command

/kəˈmænd/

from Latin/French · Old French comander

English → Italianto command, be in charge ofcomandareCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

*COMMANDĀRE (spoken Latin)‘to entrust, order (COMMENDĀRE reshaped after MANDĀRE)’

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

The story

Spoken Latin remodelled COMMENDĀRE 'to entrust' on MANDĀRE 'to order'. French and Italian kept the prefixed verb; Spanish everyday mandar is the bare one. Careful: French commander is also how you order food (Spanish pedir, Italian ordinare).

English relatives: commander, commandment, mandate, demand

Sound laws at work

French vowel + nasal becomes a nasal vowel

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In a sentence

  • esEl coronel manda un regimiento.
  • frLe colonel commande un régiment.
  • itIl colonnello comanda un reggimento.
  • ptO coronel comanda um regimento.
  • roColonelul comandă un regiment.
  • caEl coronel comanda un regiment.
  • enThe colonel commands a regiment.

More in Core verbs

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