From Middle High Germanwellen, from Old High Germanwellen, and thus originally the same word as וועלן(veln, “to want”). The discrepant conjugations may be simple alternative forms grammaticalized in the pattern of the auxiliary. The Middle High German verb had -i- in the singular forms and -e- in the plural. Compare also in Middle High German the attested contraction witt for wilt (2nd person singular), and in later dialectal German willt for will (3rd person singular). However, a conflation with forms of ווערן(vern, “to become”) seems very likely. Both verbs (wellen and werden) were used to form the future tense in late Middle High German.
