English Words from Other Languages

Many English words come from other languages. People bring words into English when they travel, buy and sell things, or learn together.

"Piano" comes from Italian. A piano is a large thing with black and white keys for making music. You can make soft or loud sounds on it. In written music,"piano" can also mean "play softly."

"Kindergarten" comes from German. A kindergarten is a school for young children. The German word means "children's garden." But a kindergarten does not need to have a garden. The children's ages can be different in different countries.

"Ballet" comes from French. Ballet is a kind of dance. In English, we do not say the "t" at the end.

Words can change when people use them in a new language. People may make them shorter or say them differently. Learning where words come from can help us remember them. These words show how English grows through people's lives with others.