wenan

Breton

Noun

wenan

1. Soft mutation of gwenan.

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wēnijaną. Cognate with Old Frisian wēna, Old Saxon wānian, Old High German wānen (German wähnen), Old Norse væna, Gothic 𐍅𐌴𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽 (wēnjan).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈweː.nɑn/

Verb

wēnan

1. to think (be of a certain opinion)

   Iċ wēne swā.

   I think so.

   Iċ wēne þæt iċ wite hwǣr þīna cǣġa sīen.

   I think I know where your keys are.

   Hwæt wēnaþ ġē be þām þe wē ealle hwǣrhwugu ġemēten?

   What do you guys think of us all meeting up somewhere?

2. to expect (+ genitive)
   • Early 11th century, Wulfstan, "Secundum Lucam"

     Uton helpan ūre selfra þā hwīle þe wē magon, þȳ lǣs wē forweorðen þonne wē lǣst wēnen.

     Let us help ourselves while we can, lest we perish when we least expect it.

3. (poetic) to hope

Usage notes

A following verb expressing what is thought or expected is usually in the subjunctive mood: Iċ wēne þæt þū sīe lēoflīċ ("I think you're lovely").

Conjugation

Conjugation of wēnan (weak class 1)

infinitive	wēnan	wēnenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	wēne	wēnde
second person singular	wēnest, wēnst	wēndest
third person singular	wēneþ, wēnþ	wēnde
plural	wēnaþ	wēndon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	wēne	wēnde
plural	wēnen	wēnden
imperative
singular	wēn
plural	wēnaþ
participle	present	past
	wēnende	(ġe)wēned

Derived terms

• forwēnan

Related terms

• wēn (“expectation”)
• wēna (“opinion”)

Descendants

• Middle English: wenen
  • Scots: wen, wene, ween
  • English: ween