Learn Romanian › spate
spate
back (the body part) /ˈspa.te/
noun#259 most common
Also: backstroke (înot pe spate), back/rear side of an object
Example sentences
Mă doare spatele.
My back hurts.
El duce copilul în spate.
He carries the child on his back.
Ea stă cu spatele la fereastră.
She sits with her back to the window.
Preferă înotul pe spate.
He prefers backstroke swimming.
Nu-i plăcea să vorbească de cineva pe la spate.
He did not like to talk about someone behind their back.
Durerea spatelui s-a agravat din cauza orelor petrecute la birou.
The back pain worsened because of the hours spent at the desk.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | spate / spatele | spate / spatele |
| Genitive | spate / spatelui | spate / spatelor |
| Accusative | spate / spatele | spate / spatele |
| Vocative | spate | spate |
Word family
spătarbackrest, chair back
spătosbroad-backed, broad-shouldered
a întoarce spatele (cuiva)to turn one's back on someone, to abandon
pe la spatebehind someone's back, secretly
spate în spateback to back
Etymology
Spate comes from Latin spatha, a broad flat blade or sword, itself borrowed from Greek spáthē. In Vulgar Latin the word shifted to name the flat shoulder blade, and Romanian extended it further to cover the whole back. Sister languages kept different pieces of the same shift: Italian spalla and French épaule stayed with 'shoulder,' while Spanish espalda moved to 'back' like Romanian did.
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