Old Dutch

Etymology

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

Verb

wesan

1. to be

Conjugation

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: wesen, sijn
  • Dutch: wezen, zijn (was, geweest, etc.)

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwesɑn/

Verb

wesan

1. to be, exist

Usage notes

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 both shared the same past tense forms.

Conjugation

Synonyms

• sēon

Derived terms

• ætwesan ‎(“to be present”)
• forewesan ‎(“to be before”)
• gewesan ‎(“to be together”)
• wist ‎(“being”)

Descendants

• English: be (present am, art, are, is, past was, were, wert)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *wōsijaną. Akin to wōs.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈweːzɑn]

Verb

wēsan

1. to soak; to macerate; to dye
2. to ooze

Conjugation

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Old High German

Etymology

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

Verb

wesan

1. to be, exist

Conjugation

Descendants

• German: sein (war, gewesen, etc.), wesen

Old Saxon

Etymology

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

Verb

wesan

1. to be

Conjugation

Usage notes

The verb "to be" in Old Saxon, as in Old English, Old Dutch and Old High German, was a compound made up of different sources. Wesan and sīn were the two infinitive forms, though wesan was the most common form. Wesan was used in the present tense to express actions while sīn was mostly used to express permanent truths. Preterit forms and participles were the same for both verbs.

Synonyms

• sīn (Etymology 2)

Descendants

• Middle Low German: wesen
  • Low German: wesen

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English white sand.

Noun

wesan

1. sand

Related terms

• nambis