"to drive (a car)" in seven languages
Meaningto drive (a car)
Spanish
conducir
/konduˈθiɾ/
learned
In Latin America, manejar is usual.
French
conduire
/kɔ̃dɥiʁ/
inherited
Italian
guidare
/gwiˈdare/
other source · Old Provençal guidar, from a Germanic verb
Portuguese
dirigir
/dʒiɾiˈʒih/
other source · learned Latin DĪRIGERE 'to direct'
European Portuguese says conduzir, from CONDŪCERE.
Romanian
conduce
/konˈdutʃe/
learned
Catalan
conduir
/kunduˈi/
learned
English
drive
/dɹaɪv/
native English · Old English drīfan
English → Italianto drive (a car)guidareNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: conduct, conductor, duke, educate.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
CONDŪCERE‘to lead together, to lead’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
Spanish and French drive by 'leading' the car (CONDŪCERE): French conduire is the inherited form, Spanish conducir the learned one. Italian guidare is the word that gave English guide.
English relatives: conduct, conductor, duke, educate
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- es¿Sabes conducir?
- frTu sais conduire ?
- itSai guidare?
- ptVocê sabe dirigir?
- roȘtii să conduci?
- caSaps conduir?
- enDo you know how to drive?
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