German

Noun

Wagen m ‎(genitive Wagens, plural Wagen or Wägen, diminutive Wägelchen n)

1. car, vehicle
   • 1929, Kurt Tucholsky, Das Lächeln der Mona Lisa (Sammelband), Ernst Rowohlt Verlag, page 110:

     Heute haben wir den 28. Juli, der Pariser Autobusführer sitzt vorn am Steuerrad und wendet den schweren, langen Wagen, als ob es ein kleiner Zweisitzer wäre.

     Today is the 28th of July, the Parisian autobus driver sits in front at the steering wheel and turns around the heavy, long vehicle as if it were a small two-seater.

2. trolley, wagon

Usage notes

The plural Wägen is chiefly colloquial and not often seen in written German. It is heard most commonly in southern Germany and Austria. In some parts of central and northern Germany, both plurals are used with Wägen preferred for small trolleys, but Wagen for cars.

Declension

Derived terms

Dutch

Noun

wagen m ‎(plural wagens, diminutive wagentje n)

1. wagon, carriage
2. (mainly the diminutive) cart
3. automobile, car, van
4. sled, moving platform on wheels or rails a heavy machine etc. is mounted on
5. (metonymically) A load filling one of the above vehicles

Synonyms

(wagon):

• wagon

(automobile):

• auto
• automobiel

(load):

• wagenlading

Derived terms

• benenwagen
• bestelwagen
• dienstwagen
• kinderwagen
• lastwagen
• politiewagen
• praalwagen
• vrachtwagen
• winkelwagen
• ziekenwagen

Etymology 2

From Middle Dutch wagen. Cognate with German wagen.

Verb

wagen

1. (intransitive) to venture, take risks
2. (transitive) to dare, presume
3. (transitive) to risk, to jeopardize

Inflection

Synonyms

• durven
• riskeren

Derived terms

• waaghals
• waagstuk
• wie niet waagt, niet wint

Etymology 3

From Middle Dutch wagen, from Old Dutch *wagon, from Proto-Germanic *wagōną.

Verb

wagen

1. (transitive) to move
2. (intransitive) to be moved, literally or figuratively in many senses

Inflection

Derived terms

• wagebaard
• waagboom

Related terms

• gewagen

Etymology 4

Non-lemma forms.

Noun

wagen

1. Plural form of waag

German

Etymology

From Middle High German wāgen, from Old High German wāga ‎(“scales, balance; weight”), in the sense of to venture on a new object's weight. More at Waage.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvaːɡən/, [ˈvaːɡŋ̩]
• Rhymes: -aːɡn̩
• Homophones: Wagen, Waagen
• Hyphenation: wa‧gen

Verb

wagen ‎(third-person singular simple present wagt, past tense wagte, past participle gewagt, auxiliary haben)

1. to venture, dare
2. to risk, jeopardize

Conjugation

Middle Dutch

Alternative forms

• waghen

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwaːɣən/

Etymology 1

From Old Dutch *wagan, from Proto-Germanic *wagnaz.

Noun

wagen m

1. wagon, cart

Declension

Descendants

• Dutch: wagen

Etymology 2

From Old Dutch *wagon, from Proto-Germanic *wagōną.

Verb

wagen

1. to venture

Conjugation

Descendants

• Dutch: wagen