"to worry" in seven languages
Meaningto worry
Spanish
preocuparse
/pɾeokuˈpaɾse/
learned
French
s'inquiéter
/sɛ̃kjete/
other source · Latin INQUIĒTĀRE 'to disturb' (learned)
Se préoccuper exists but is more formal.
Italian
preoccuparsi
/preokkuˈparsi/
learned
Portuguese
preocupar-se
/pɾeokuˈpahsi/
learned
Romanian
se îngrijora
/se ɨnɡriʒoˈra/
other source · grijă 'care' ← Slavic griža
Catalan
preocupar-se
/pɾəukuˈpaɾsə/
learned
English
worry
/ˈwɝi/
native English · Old English wyrgan 'to strangle'
English → Italianto worrypreoccuparsiNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: preoccupy, occupy; disquiet, quiet (from QUIĒS).What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
PRAEOCCUPĀRE‘to seize beforehand’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
Spanish and Italian worry by being 'occupied in advance'; French by being 'un-quiet'. All three are reflexive: you worry yourself.
English relatives: preoccupy, occupy; disquiet, quiet (from QUIĒS)
Learn it
In a sentence
- es¡No te preocupes!
- frNe t'inquiète pas !
- itNon preoccuparti!
- ptNão se preocupe!
- roNu-ți face griji!
- caNo et preocupis!
- enDon't worry!
More in Feelings
- proudorgullosofierorgogliosoorgulhosomândruorgullós
- surprisesorpresasurprisesorpresasurpresasurprizăsorpresa
- to be afraidtener miedoavoir peuravere paurater medose temetenir por
- angryenfadadofâchéarrabbiatobravosupăratenfadat
- concern (worry)preocupaciónpréoccupationpreoccupazionepreocupaçãoîngrijorarepreocupació
- relief (from worry or pain)aliviosoulagementsollievoalívioușurarealleujament