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"to dig" in seven languages

Meaningto dig

Spanish

cavar

/kaˈbaɾ/

inherited

French

creuser

/kʁøze/

other source · creux 'hollow', of uncertain origin (perhaps Gaulish)

Italian

scavare

/skaˈvare/

inherited

From EXCAVĀRE 'to hollow out', the source of English excavate.

Portuguese

cavar

/kaˈvah/

inherited

Romanian

săpa

/səˈpa/

other source · Late Latin SAPPĀRE, from SAPPA 'hoe'

Catalan

cavar

/kəˈba/

inherited

English

dig

/dɪɡ/

other source · Middle English diggen, of uncertain origin

English → Italianto digscavareNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: excavate, cavity, cave, concave.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

CAVĀRE‘to hollow out (CAVUS 'hollow')’

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

The story

To dig is to make a hollow (CAVUS): cavar, scavare, cavar. French also digs a hollow, creux, from a different word; Romanian săpa works with a hoe, Late Latin SAPPA.

English relatives: excavate, cavity, cave, concave

Sound laws at work

B and V merge in Spanish

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In a sentence

  • esEl perro está cavando un hoyo en el jardín.
  • frLe chien creuse un trou dans le jardin.
  • itIl cane sta scavando una buca in giardino.
  • ptO cachorro está cavando um buraco no quintal.
  • roCâinele sapă o groapă în grădină.
  • caEl gos està cavant un forat al jardí.
  • enThe dog is digging a hole in the garden.

More in Core verbs

All Core verbs words