pagare Italian · revision 37819

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1211, Florentine bankers' account book|origins=la pāx}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /paˈɡa.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pagare''' (first-person singular present pàgo, first-person singular past historic pagài, past participle pagàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|pācō|t=to pacify, quieten]], from [[m|la|pāx|t=peace]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) In late and spoken Latin the verb came to mean quieting a creditor with money, and so “to pay”: [[la-med|pagāre]] is recorded from 421 according to DEI and the GDLI (GRADIT gives 1142), and [[m|la-med|pagatio|t=payment]] at Naples in the 10th century.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|2720)^(GDLI)^(GRADIT 2003) The ⟨g⟩ for Latin ⟨c⟩ is a northern voicing, which shows that the word spread through the northern dialects; the learned doublet [[pacare]] keeps the ⟨c⟩.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto 1968)^(DEI|2720)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The same verb is [[fr|payer]], [[oc|pagar]], [[ca|pagar]], [[es|pagar]], [[pt|pagar]], [[sc|pagare]] and [[dlm|pakur]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) The Latin noun goes back to [[ine-pro|*peh₂ḱ-|t=agreement]]; de Vaan relates it to [[m|la|pangō|t=to fix, fasten]], [[got|𐍆𐌰𐌷𐌰𐌽|tr=fāhan|t=to catch]] and [[sa|पाश|tr=pā́śa|t=snare, noose]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is a Florentine bankers' book of 1211, for paying someone the money owed to them.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Nocentini dates the word to the second half of the 12th century.^(Nocentini 2010) In a Sienese letter quoted by the GDLI, some knights “sono pagati primo mese” (have been paid for the first month).^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian also used the verb for “to satisfy, content”, as in Guittone, and Giordano da Pisa (before 1311) has it for “to atone for” and “to reward”.^(Prati 1951|724)^(DELI 1999) The sense “to pay for someone else, to treat” is recorded in 1733, and the absolute use “to pay off, be worthwhile” in 1950, probably modelled on English ''to pay''.^(DELI 1999) ''Pagare di persona'' “to pay in person, bear the consequences oneself” seems to follow French ''payer de sa personne'' (1692).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ''Paga'' “wages” is in Brunetto Latini (before 1294), ''pagamento'' from 1272–1277, and the contracted participle ''pago'' “satisfied” in Guittone.^(DELI 1999) ''Pagherò'' “promissory note” (1673) is the first person of the future, “I will pay”, written on such notes.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Alemannic German borrowed the verb as ''päge''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 421 – Medieval Latin ''pagare'' is first recorded.^(DEI|2720)^(GDLI)

+ * 1211 – A Florentine bankers' book uses ''pagare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1272–1277 – ''Pagamento'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses ''paga''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1673 – ''Pagherò'' “promissory note” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1733 – The sense “to treat someone” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1950 – The sense “to pay off, be worthwhile” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|pay]] a sum, a price or a debt; to pay for something: ''Abbiamo pagato la cena con la carta.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To pay someone, to [[m|en|remunerate]] them for goods or work: ''pagare l'elettricista''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' To [[m|en|treat]], to pay for something for someone else: ''Stasera il gelato lo pago io.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To bribe: ''Ha pagato un funzionario per chiudere un occhio.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To repay, reward, often ironically: ''pagare qualcuno con l'ingratitudine''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To pay for, suffer the consequences of, atone for: ''Pagherà cara la sua arroganza.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(intransitive, figurative)'' To pay off, be worthwhile: ''L'onestà alla lunga paga.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[paga]]

+ * [[pagamento]]

+ * [[pagabile]]

+ * [[pagante]]

+ * [[pagatore]]

+ * [[pagherò]]

+ * [[paghetta]]

+ * [[pago]]

+ * [[appagare]]

+ * [[impagabile]]

+ * [[ripagare]]

+ * [[strapagare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pace]]

+ * [[pacare]]

+ * [[la|pāx]]

+ * [[fr|payer]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The conditional expresses a strong wish: ''quanto pagherei per…'' “what I wouldn't give to…”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) Fixed phrases include ''pagare il fio'' “to pay the penalty”, ''pagare con la stessa moneta'' “to pay back in kind” and ''farla pagare a qualcuno'' “to make someone pay for it”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}