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"to offer" in seven languages

Meaningto offer

Spanish

ofrecer

/ofɾeˈθeɾ/

inherited

Built with the -ecer ending (*OFFERESCERE).

French

offrir

/ɔfʁiʁ/

inherited

Also 'to give as a present'.

Italian

offrire

/ofˈfrire/

inherited

Portuguese

oferecer

/ofeɾeˈseh/

inherited

Romanian

oferi

/ofeˈri/

borrowed · French offrir

Catalan

oferir

/ufəˈɾi/

inherited

English

offer

/ˈɔfɚ/

from Latin/French · Old English offrian (Latin OFFERRE), reinforced by French offrir

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

The Latin ancestor

OFFERRE (spoken *OFFERĪRE)‘to bring before (OB + FERRE 'to carry')’

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

The story

OFFERRE was irregular, so spoken Latin made it regular: French and Italian moved it to the -ire class, Spanish gave it the -ecer ending of crecer and conocer.

English relatives: offering, proffer

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In a sentence

  • es¿Te puedo ofrecer un café?
  • frJe peux t'offrir un café ?
  • itPosso offrirti un caffè?
  • ptPosso te oferecer um café?
  • roPot să vă ofer o cafea?
  • caEt puc oferir un cafè?
  • enCan I offer you a coffee?

More in Core verbs

All Core verbs words