falda

See also: fałda

English

Etymology

From Italian falda, from Lombardic *falda, from Proto-Germanic *faldō, *falþō, related to Middle High German falde, falte (“a fold”). More at English fold.

Noun

falda (plural faldas)

1. A white silk vestment worn by the pope, which is a long skirt, worn over the cassock, extending beneath the hem of the alb, reaching to the ground.

Asturian

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish falda, gradually displacing native saya.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfalda/ [ˈfal̪.d̪a]
• Hyphenation: fal‧da

Noun

falda f (plural faldes)

1. skirt

   Synonym: saya

Catalan

Etymology

From Old Catalan falda, of Germanic origin, from Proto-Germanic *falþō, related to the verb *falþaną (“to fold”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈfal.də]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈfal.da]

Noun

falda f (plural faldes)

1. lap
2. lower slope (of a mountain)

   Synonyms: baldana, faldar

3. (Balearic, Valencia) skirt

   Synonyms: faldilla, faldeta

4. skirt, flank (of an animal)
5. (nautical) foot of a lateen

   Synonyms: faldar, pujament

Derived terms

• faldar
• faldeta
• faldilla
• minifalda

Further reading

• “falda” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
• “falda” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Cimbrian

Etymology

From Middle High German valte, valt, from Old High German falt, from Proto-Germanic *falþō. Cognate with German Falte.

Noun

falda f (plural falden) (Sette Comuni)

1. fold, pleat

   De marzlaan, in dòi sait, zeint gabéest bait un bòlla falden.

   The skirts, at the time, were full of folds.

2. path, way

   Dèar puube hat gasnapt aan an órnen bèg.

   The boy went down a bad path.

Declension

Declension of falda – 6th declension

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	an	de	falda	de	falden
accusative	an	de	falda	de	falden
dative	anara	dar	falden	in	falden

References

• “falda” in Martalar, Umberto Martello, Bellotto, Alfonso (1974) Dizionario della lingua Cimbra dei Sette Communi vicentini, 1st edition, Roana, Italy: Instituto di Cultura Cimbra A. Dal Pozzo

Icelandic

Inherited from Old Norse falda.

Etymology

From faldur (“hem”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfalta/
• Rhymes: -alta

Verb

falda (weak verb, third-person singular past indicative faldaði, supine faldað)

1. to hem, to lay up

Conjugation

falda — active voice (germynd)

infinitive (nafnháttur)		að falda
supine (sagnbót)		faldað
present participle (lýsingarháttur nútíðar)		faldandi
	indicative (framsöguháttur)			subjunctive (viðtengingarháttur)
present (nútíð)	ég falda	við földum	present (nútíð)	ég faldi	við földum
	þú faldar	þið faldið		þú faldir	þið faldið
	hann, hún, það faldar	þeir, þær, þau falda		hann, hún, það faldi	þeir, þær, þau faldi
past (þátíð)	ég faldaði	við földuðum	past (þátíð)	ég faldaði	við földuðum
	þú faldaðir	þið földuðuð		þú faldaðir	þið földuðuð
	hann, hún, það faldaði	þeir, þær, þau földuðu		hann, hún, það faldaði	þeir, þær, þau földuðu
imperative (boðháttur)	falda (þú)	faldið (þið)
	Forms with appended personal pronoun
	faldaðu	faldiði *
* Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

faldast — mediopassive voice (miðmynd)

infinitive (nafnháttur)		að faldast
supine (sagnbót)		faldast
present participle (lýsingarháttur nútíðar)		faldandist ** ** the mediopassive present participle is extremely rare and normally not used; it is never used attributively or predicatively, only for explicatory subclauses
	indicative (framsöguháttur)			subjunctive (viðtengingarháttur)
present (nútíð)	ég faldast	við földumst	present (nútíð)	ég faldist	við földumst
	þú faldast	þið faldist		þú faldist	þið faldist
	hann, hún, það faldast	þeir, þær, þau faldast		hann, hún, það faldist	þeir, þær, þau faldist
past (þátíð)	ég faldaðist	við földuðumst	past (þátíð)	ég faldaðist	við földuðumst
	þú faldaðist	þið földuðust		þú faldaðist	þið földuðust
	hann, hún, það faldaðist	þeir, þær, þau földuðust		hann, hún, það faldaðist	þeir, þær, þau földuðust
imperative (boðháttur)	faldast (þú)	faldist (þið)
	Forms with appended personal pronoun
	faldastu	faldisti *
* Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

faldaður — past participle (lýsingarháttur þátíðar)

strong declension (sterk beyging)	singular (eintala)				plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)		masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	faldaður	földuð	faldað		faldaðir	faldaðar	földuð
accusative (þolfall)	faldaðan	faldaða	faldað		faldaða	faldaðar	földuð
dative (þágufall)	földuðum	faldaðri	földuðu		földuðum	földuðum	földuðum
genitive (eignarfall)	faldaðs	faldaðrar	faldaðs		faldaðra	faldaðra	faldaðra
weak declension (veik beyging)	singular (eintala)				plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)		masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	faldaði	faldaða	faldaða		földuðu	földuðu	földuðu
accusative (þolfall)	faldaða	földuðu	faldaða		földuðu	földuðu	földuðu
dative (þágufall)	faldaða	földuðu	faldaða		földuðu	földuðu	földuðu
genitive (eignarfall)	faldaða	földuðu	faldaða		földuðu	földuðu	földuðu

References

• Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon (1989) Íslensk orðsifjabók, Reykjavík: Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, →ISBN (Available at Málið.is under the “Eldri orðabækur” tab.)
• Kristín Bjarnadóttir, editor (2002–2025), “falda”, in Beygingarlýsing íslensks nútímamáls [The Database of Modern Icelandic Inflection] (in Icelandic), Reykjavík: The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies
• Mörður Árnason (2019) Íslensk orðabók, 5th edition, Reykjavík: Forlagið
• “falda” in the Dictionary of Modern Icelandic (in Icelandic) and ISLEX (in the Nordic languages)

Italian

Etymology

From a Germanic language, probably Frankish *faldā (“a fold”), from Proto-West Germanic *falþan.

Compare German Falte (“fold”), Spanish falda (“skirt”), Old High German faldan (“to fold”), English fold.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfal.da/
• Rhymes: -alda
• Hyphenation: fàl‧da

Noun

falda f (plural falde)

1. layer, stratum
2. brim (of a hat)
3. tails (of a coat)
4. lower slope (of a mountain)
5. snowflake

   Synonym: fiocco

Derived terms

• sfaldare

Further reading

• falda in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Old Norse

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *falþaną, whence also English fold. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pel- (“to fold”).

Verb

falda (singular past indicative felt, plural past indicative feldu, past participle faldinn)

1. to hood

Conjugation

Conjugation of falda — active (strong class 7)

infinitive	falda
present participle	faldandi
past participle	faldinn
indicative	present	past
1st-person singular	feld	felt
2nd-person singular	feldr	felzt
3rd-person singular	feldr	felt
1st-person plural	fǫldum	feldum
2nd-person plural	faldið	felduð
3rd-person plural	falda	feldu
subjunctive	present	past
1st-person singular	falda	felda
2nd-person singular	faldir	feldir
3rd-person singular	faldi	feldi
1st-person plural	faldim	feldim
2nd-person plural	faldið	feldið
3rd-person plural	faldi	feldi
imperative	present
2nd-person singular	fald
1st-person plural	fǫldum
2nd-person plural	faldið

Conjugation of falda — mediopassive (strong class 7)

infinitive	faldask
present participle	faldandisk
past participle	faldizk
indicative	present	past
1st-person singular	fǫldumk	feldumk
2nd-person singular	felzk	felzk
3rd-person singular	felzk	felzk
1st-person plural	fǫldumsk	feldumsk
2nd-person plural	faldizk	felduzk
3rd-person plural	faldask	feldusk
subjunctive	present	past
1st-person singular	fǫldumk	feldumk
2nd-person singular	faldisk	feldisk
3rd-person singular	faldisk	feldisk
1st-person plural	faldimsk	feldimsk
2nd-person plural	faldizk	feldizk
3rd-person plural	faldisk	feldisk
imperative	present
2nd-person singular	falzk
1st-person plural	fǫldumsk
2nd-person plural	faldizk

Descendants

• Danish: folde

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “falda2”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *faldōną. Also ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pel- (“to fold”).

Verb

falda

1. to hood (= falda (etymology 1))
2. to fold, make folds

Conjugation

Conjugation of falda — active (weak class 2)

infinitive	falda
present participle	faldandi
past participle	faldaðr
indicative	present	past
1st-person singular	falda	faldaða
2nd-person singular	faldar	faldaðir
3rd-person singular	faldar	faldaði
1st-person plural	fǫldum	fǫlduðum
2nd-person plural	faldið	fǫlduðuð
3rd-person plural	falda	fǫlduðu
subjunctive	present	past
1st-person singular	falda	faldaða
2nd-person singular	faldir	faldaðir
3rd-person singular	faldi	faldaði
1st-person plural	faldim	faldaðim
2nd-person plural	faldið	faldaðið
3rd-person plural	faldi	faldaði
imperative	present
2nd-person singular	falda
1st-person plural	fǫldum
2nd-person plural	faldið

Conjugation of falda — mediopassive (weak class 2)

infinitive	faldask
present participle	faldandisk
past participle	faldazk
indicative	present	past
1st-person singular	fǫldumk	fǫlduðumk
2nd-person singular	faldask	faldaðisk
3rd-person singular	faldask	faldaðisk
1st-person plural	fǫldumsk	fǫlduðumsk
2nd-person plural	faldizk	fǫlduðuzk
3rd-person plural	faldask	fǫlduðusk
subjunctive	present	past
1st-person singular	fǫldumk	fǫlduðumk
2nd-person singular	faldisk	faldaðisk
3rd-person singular	faldisk	faldaðisk
1st-person plural	faldimsk	faldaðimsk
2nd-person plural	faldizk	faldaðizk
3rd-person plural	faldisk	faldaðisk
imperative	present
2nd-person singular	faldask
1st-person plural	fǫldumsk
2nd-person plural	faldizk

Related terms

• faldr
• -faldr

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “falda1”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive

Old Swedish

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *falþaną, whence also English fold.

Verb

falda

1. to hood

Conjugation

Conjugation of falda (strong)

	present			past
infinitive	falda			—
participle	faldandi, faldande			faldin
active voice	indicative	subjunctive	imperative	indicative	subjunctive
iæk	falder	faldi, falde	—	fælt	fioldi, fiolde
þū	falder	faldi, falde	falt	*fælst	fioldi, fiolde
han	falder	faldi, falde	—	fælt	fioldi, fiolde
vīr	faldum, faldom	faldum, faldom	faldum, faldom	fioldum, fioldom	fioldum, fioldom
īr	faldin	faldin	faldin	fioldin	fioldin
þēr	falda	faldin	—	fioldu, fioldo	fioldin
mediopassive voice	indicative	subjunctive	imperative	indicative	subjunctive
iæk	falts	faldis, faldes	—	fælts	fioldis, fioldes
þū	falts	faldis, faldes	—	*fælsts	fioldis, fioldes
han	falts	faldis, faldes	—	fælts	fioldis, fioldes
vīr	faldums, -oms	faldums, faldoms	—	fioldums, fioldoms	fioldums, fioldoms
īr	faldins	faldins	—	fioldins	fioldins
þēr	faldas	faldins	—	fioldus, fioldos	fioldins

Portuguese

Etymology

See fralda.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈfaw.dɐ/ [ˈfaʊ̯.dɐ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈfaw.dɐ/ [ˈfaʊ̯.dɐ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈfaw.da/ [ˈfaʊ̯.da]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈfal.dɐ/ [ˈfaɫ.dɐ]

• Hyphenation: fal‧da

Noun

falda f (plural faldas)

1. foot, lower slope (of a mountain)
2. border, edge

Related terms

• fralda

Spanish

Etymology

From a Germanic language, probably Frankish *falda (“to fold”), related to Old High German faldan (“to fold”), English fold, all from Proto-West Germanic *falþan. Doublet of halda.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfalda/ [ˈfal̪.d̪a]

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alda
• Syllabification: fal‧da

Noun

falda f (plural faldas)

1. skirt

   Synonym: (South America) pollera

2. (by extension, colloquial, often in the plural, metonymically) woman
3. (slang) bit of skirt (woman as an object of desire)
4. (butchery) brisket (a cut of meat)
5. mountainside

Derived terms

• cosido a sus faldas
• falda de tubo
• falda de vuelo
• falda escocesa
• falda lápiz
• faldero
• faldón
• lío de faldas
• minifalda

Related terms

• enagua
• nagua
• saya

Descendants

• → Cebuano: palda
• → Tagalog: palda

Further reading

• “falda”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10
• falda on the Spanish Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^es