"to fail" in seven languages

Meaningto fail

Spanish

fracasar

/fɾakaˈsaɾ/

other source · Italian fracassare 'to smash'

Fallar is used for a machine or a shot that fails; suspender for an exam.

French

échouer

/eʃwe/

other source · of uncertain origin; first 'to run aground'

Old faillir survives as 'to almost do': j'ai failli tomber.

Italian

fallire

/falˈlire/

inherited

Also 'to go bankrupt'.

Portuguese

falhar

/faˈʎah/

other source · falha 'flaw', from Vulgar Latin *FALLIA (from FALLERE)

Fracassar is also common for plans.

Romanian

eșua

/eʃuˈa/

other source · French échouer (of uncertain origin)

Catalan

fracassar

/frəkəˈsa/

other source · Italian fracassare 'to smash', via French fracasser

English

fail

/feɪl/

from Latin/French · Old French faillir

English → Italianto failfallireCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

*FALLĪRE (Classical FALLERE)‘to deceive, fall short’

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

Only Italian fails with the Latin verb; Spanish smashes (fracasar) and French runs aground (échouer). English fail and fault came through Old French.

English relatives: failure, fault, false, fallible