"to take" in seven languages
Meaningto take
Spanish
/toˈmaɾ/
other source · of uncertain origin (Corominas)
In Spain coger is the everyday 'take' (coger el tren); in much of Latin America coger is vulgar and tomar is used.
French
/pʁɑ̃dʁ/
inherited
Italian
/ˈprɛndere/
inherited
Portuguese
/peˈgah/
other source · Latin PICĀRE 'to coat with pitch', hence 'to stick, grab'
Brazilian everyday 'take'; in Portugal apanhar o autocarro.
Romanian
/luˈa/
other source · Latin LEVĀRE 'to lift'
Catalan
/əgəˈfa/
other source · of uncertain origin
Prendre, PREHENDERE's heir, is used for food and drink (prendre un cafè).
English
/teɪk/
native English · Old Norse taka
Watch out: false friends
pegar (Spanish) means “to hit; to stick, glue” · pegar (Portuguese) means “to take, grab; to catch (a bus, a cold)”
Both from Latin PICĀRE 'to coat with pitch', hence 'to stick'. Spanish went on to 'strike' (a blow that lands); Portuguese to 'take hold of' — pegar o ônibus is 'catch the bus'.
The Latin ancestor
PREHENDERE (spoken *PRENDERE)‘to seize’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
French and Italian kept PREHENDERE for everyday taking. Spanish has prender too, but only for catching, arresting or lighting (prender fuego); its everyday 'take' is tomar, whose origin is still unsolved.
English relatives: apprehend, comprehend, prehensile, prison, prize
Learn it
In a sentence
- esTomo el autobús todos los días.
- frJe prends le bus tous les jours.
- itPrendo l'autobus tutti i giorni.
- ptPego o ônibus todo dia.
- roIau autobuzul în fiecare zi.
- caAgafo l'autobús cada dia.
- enI take the bus every day.