Old Dutch [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ]

From Proto-West Germanic *wesan, from Proto-Germanic *wesaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes-.

Verb [ edit ]

wesan

to be

Inflection [ edit ]

wesan (irregular, Conjugation of(irregular, suppletive infinitive wesan indicative present past 1st person singular bim was 2nd person singular bis bist wāri 3rd person singular ist was 1st person plural sīn wārun 2nd person plural sīt wārut 3rd person plural sint wārun subjunctive present past 1st person singular sī wāri 2nd person singular sīs sīst wāris wārist 3rd person singular sī wāri 1st person plural sīn wārin 2nd person plural sīt wārit 3rd person plural sīn wārin imperative present singular wes plural wesat participle present past wesandi geweson

Descendants [ edit ]

Middle Dutch: wēsen Dutch: wezen



Further reading [ edit ]

“wesan”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek , 2012

Old English [ edit ]

Alternative forms [ edit ]

Etymology 1 [ edit ]

From Proto-West Germanic *wesan, from Proto-Germanic *wesaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes-. The simple present forms originate from Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- (“to be”), which had no infinitive or past tense in Proto-Germanic, but had already formed a single paradigm with *wesaną supplying the infinitive and past tense.

Pronunciation [ edit ]

Verb [ edit ]

wesan

to be, exist

Usage notes [ edit ]

The verb “to be” in Old English was suppletive, and used forms from at least three different roots. There were two distinct present stems, for which wesan and bēon were the two infinitive forms. The present bēon was used to express permanent truths (the “gnomic present”), while wesan was used for the present participle and the preterite. They shared the same past tense forms.

Conjugation [ edit ]

wesan (irregular) Conjugation of infinitive wesan wesenne indicative present past 1st-person singular eom wæs 2nd-person singular eart wǣre 3rd-person singular is wæs plural sind sindon wǣron subjunctive present past singular sīe wǣre plural sīen wǣren imperative singular wes plural wesaþ participle present past wesende —

Synonyms [ edit ]

Derived terms [ edit ]

ætwesan ( “ to be present ” )

forewesan ( “ to be before ” )

ġewesan ( “ to be together ” )

wist ( “ being ” )

Descendants [ edit ]

Middle English: been ( partly ) English: be (present am , art , are , is , past was , were , wert ) Scots: be ( partly )



Etymology 2 [ edit ]

From Proto-Germanic *wōsijaną.

Pronunciation [ edit ]

Verb [ edit ]

wēsan

to soak; to macerate; to dye to ooze

Conjugation [ edit ]

Old High German [ edit ]

Alternative forms [ edit ]

sīn ( less common infinitive, but became common over time )

Etymology [ edit ]

From Proto-West Germanic *wesan, from Proto-Germanic *wesaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes-.

Verb [ edit ]

wesan

to be, exist

Conjugation [ edit ]

wesan (irregular, Conjugation of(irregular, suppletive infinitive wesan indicative present past 1st person singular bim was 2nd person singular bist wāri 3rd person singular ist was 1st person plural sum sumes wārum wārumes 2nd person plural sīt wārut 3rd person plural sint wārun subjunctive present past 1st person singular sī wāri 2nd person singular sīs sīst wāris wārist 3rd person singular sī wāri 1st person plural sīm sīmes wārim wārimes 2nd person plural sīt wārit 3rd person plural sīn wārin imperative present singular wes plural wesit participle present past wesanti giwesan

Descendants [ edit ]

Old Saxon [ edit ]

Synonyms [ edit ]

sīn ( rare infinitive )

Etymology [ edit ]

From Proto-West Germanic *wesan, from Proto-Germanic *wesaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes-. The forms in b- derive from Proto-Germanic *beuną (“to be, exist, become”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to grow, become, appear”).

Verb [ edit ]

wesan

to be

Conjugation [ edit ]

wesan (irregular, Conjugation of(irregular, suppletive infinitive wesan indicative present past 1st person singular bium biun bion was 2nd person singular bist bis *wāri 3rd person singular ist is was plural sind sindun sindon sundon wārun subjunctive present past 1st person singular sī wāri 2nd person singular sīs wāris 3rd person singular sī wese wāri plural sīn wārin imperative present singular wes wis plural wesad wesat wesath participle present past wesandi giwesan

Descendants [ edit ]

Middle Low German: wēsen Low German: wesen German Low German: wesen , ween



Tok Pisin [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ]

From English white sand.

Noun [ edit ]

wesan