־ען

See also: ען

Yiddish

Suffix

־ען • (-en)

1. Alternative form of ־ן (-n)

Usage notes

• This form is used in Standard Yiddish when the suffix follows an unstressed ־ר (-r), ־ם (-m), ־ן (-n), or a vowel. In Daytshmerish orthography, it is used instead of ־ן in all cases.
• In some cases, it is used to differentiate what would otherwise be homophones, for example בעקען (beken), a Slavic borrowing, and בעקן (bekn), an inherited Germanic term. It is especially common to replace the Slavic verb suffixes -аць (-acʹ), -ać, -ать (-atʹ), or -ати (-aty) with this ending for verbs borrowed from Slavic.

Derived terms

Yiddish terms suffixed with ־ען