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"to lead (be in charge of)" in seven languages

Meaningto lead (be in charge of)

Spanish

dirigir

/diɾiˈxiɾ/

learned

Liderar, from English leader, is common in journalism.

French

diriger

/diʁiʒe/

learned

Italian

dirigere

/diˈridʒere/

learned

Portuguese

dirigir

/dʒiɾiˈʒih/

learned

In Brazil dirigir also means 'to drive a car'.

Romanian

conduce

/konˈdutʃe/

other source · Latin CONDŪCERE 'to lead together' (a modern borrowing, after French conduire)

Catalan

dirigir

/diɾiˈʒi/

learned

English

lead

/lid/

native English · Old English lǣdan

English → Italianto lead (be in charge of)dirigereNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: direct, director, direction, address.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

DĪRIGERE‘to set straight, direct’

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

The story

To lead a team, the sisters 'direct' it: a learned verb whose g took each language's soft sound (x, ʒ, dʒ). Its participle DĪRĒCTUM went the popular way: Spanish derecho, French droit, Italian diritto 'straight; right'.

English relatives: direct, director, direction, address

Sound laws at work

Initial I- (J-) and G before E, I

Learn it

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In a sentence

  • esDirige un equipo de diez personas.
  • frElle dirige une équipe de dix personnes.
  • itDirige una squadra di dieci persone.
  • ptEla dirige uma equipe de dez pessoas.
  • roConduce o echipă de zece oameni.
  • caDirigeix un equip de deu persones.
  • enShe leads a team of ten people.

The Latin family

DĪRIG-, DĪRĒCT-· set straight, guide

DĪRĒCTUM 'set straight' became the everyday Romance word for 'straight', 'right' and 'law' (spoken *DERECTU → derecho, droit, diritto). The learned doublet directo, direct, diretto kept the sense 'without detour'. French also built a verb on it that English borrowed as dress and address. Romanian drept 'straight; right; law' shows the Eastern -CT- → -pt-.

  • DĪRĒCTUMstraight; right; law

    esderechofrdroititdirittoptdireitorodreptcadret

  • DĪRĒCTUMdirect (learned)

    esdirectofrdirectitdirettoptdiretorodirectcadirecteendirect

  • DĪRĒCTIŌNEMa straightening, guiding

    esdirecciónfrdirectionitdirezioneptdireçãorodirecțiecadireccióendirection

  • DĪRIGEREto set straight, steer

    esdirigirfrdirigeritdirigereptdirigirrodirijacadirigir

  • *DĪRĒCTIĀREto set straight

    esaderezarfrdresseritdrizzareptendereçarcaadreçarendress

Explore all Latin families

More words from the same Latin

More in Core verbs

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