Skip to content

"to throw" in seven languages

Meaningto throw

Spanish

lanzar

/lanˈθaɾ/

inherited

Everyday also tirar and echar.

French

lancer

/lɑ̃se/

inherited

Jeter is 'to throw away'.

Italian

lanciare

/lanˈtʃare/

inherited

Buttare is 'to throw away'.

Portuguese

jogar

/ʒoˈɡah/

other source · Latin IOCĀRE 'to joke, play'

Jogar also means 'to play'; lançar (LANCEĀRE) is more formal.

Romanian

arunca

/arunˈka/

other source · Latin ĒRUNCĀRE 'to weed out'

Catalan

llançar

/ʎənˈsa/

inherited

Catalan turns initial L- into ll-: LANCEĀRE → llançar.

English

throw

/θɹoʊ/

native English · Old English þrāwan 'to twist, turn'

English → Italianto throwlanciareNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: launch, lance.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

LANCEĀRE‘to wield a lance (LANCEA)’

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

The story

Throwing was first done with a lance. The c before e splits three ways: lanzar with θ, lancer with s, lanciare with tʃ. English launch is the same verb via Norman French.

English relatives: launch, lance

Sound laws at work

C before E and I

Learn it

Practice the Core verbs deckQuiz a friend on it

In a sentence

  • es¡Lánzame la pelota!
  • frLance-moi le ballon !
  • itLanciami la palla!
  • ptJoga a bola pra mim!
  • roAruncă-mi mingea!
  • caLlança'm la pilota!
  • enThrow me the ball!

More in Core verbs

All Core verbs words