"wife" in seven languages
Meaningwife
Spanish
/esˈposa/
fem.other source · Latin SPŌNSAM 'promised, betrothed'
Also mujer: mi mujer.
French
/fam/
fem.other source · Latin FĒMINAM 'woman'
Italian
/ˈmoʎʎe/
fem.other source · Latin MULIER 'woman' (nominative)
Portuguese
/isˈpozɐ/
fem.other source · Latin SPŌNSAM 'betrothed'
Mulher 'woman' is just as common: minha mulher.
Romanian
/soˈtsie/
fem.other source · from soț 'husband' ← Latin SOCIUM 'companion'
Catalan
/ˈdɔnə/
fem.other source · Latin DOMINAM 'lady of the house'
Dona is also 'woman', as with French femme; esposa is formal.
English
/waɪf/
native English · Old English wīf
plural: wives
The story
Each sister reused a word: Spanish esposa is the 'betrothed' (SPŌNSA, whence English spouse), French simply says 'woman', and Italian moglie is the Latin nominative MULIER — the same word as Spanish mujer.
English relatives: spouse (es)
Sound laws at work
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In a sentence
- esEsta es mi esposa, Clara.
- frVoici ma femme, Claire.
- itQuesta è mia moglie, Chiara.
- ptEsta é a minha esposa, Clara.
- roEa e soția mea, Clara.
- caAquesta és la meva dona, la Clara.
- enThis is my wife, Clara.