Many German verbs are present in English in a form nearest their singular second-person imperative in German (that is, the form in which one would issue a command to another person, for example: “Go!”).
Probably this is because the imperative is the simplest form, basically with conjugation endings stripped off (but a more sinister thought would be, perhaps it was the language of people who learned the verbs as commands).
Besides the immediate similarity, another point of interest is that English often preserves the peculiarly germanic irregular (“strong”) conjugations (for example, swim, swam, swum, are the same in both English and German.) While English often loses this grammatical complication, sometimes it preserves an old conjugation lost in German, and sometimes adds a strong conjugation to a verb that was not previously strong. So I have made special note of irregular past tenses and past participles.
| G. | German (modern High German) |
| MHG | Middle High German |
| OHG | Old High German |
| E. | English |
| ME | Middle English |
| OE | Old English |
| Du. | Dutch |
| No. | Norse |
| F. | French |
| MF | Middle French |
| L. | Latin |
| IE | Indo-European |
| n. | noun |
| v. | verb |
| adj. | adjective |
| p.t. | past tense |
| p.p. | past participle |
| conj. | conjugation |
Some everyday words are listed first, followed by the rest.
| English base | German 2nd person imperative |
note |
|---|---|---|
| bathe | bade | |
| begin | beginn | began,begun:begann,begonnen |
| become | bekomm | means 'get'. (interplay between languages here…) |
| bring | bring | brought:brachte |
| thank | danke | |
| think | denke | thought:dachte |
| own | eigne | means 'appertain'; as reflexive means 'be suited' (see 'belong') |
| fall | fall | fall,fell:fällt,fiel |
| find | find | found:fand |
| go | geh | went,gone:ging,gegangen. E. 'went' is from the old past tense of 'wend'. |
| give | gib | gave,given:gab,gegeben |
| have | habe | had:hatte |
| hate | hasse | |
| help | hilf | |
| know | kenne | knew:gekannt. means 'be acquainted with' |
| come | komm | came:kam |
| love | liebe | |
| lie | lieg | lay:lag. intransitive form; as 'lay (oneself) down'. See 'lege' |
| live | lebe | |
| make | mach | made:machte |
| say | sage | said:sagte |
| sleep | schlaf | slept:schlief ? G. has irregular p.t. |
| see | sieh | saw:sah |
| do | tu | did,done,deed:tat,tun,Tat |
| drink | trink | drank,drunk,drink(n.):trank,getrunken.Getränk. Also, drown:ertrinken |
| wash | wasche | |
| ache | ächze | means 'groan' |
| ape | äffe | |
| angle | angle | as 'fish with a line' |
| ogle | äugle | G. relation to 'Auge' ('eye') is clearer |
| bake | back | |
| bear | gebär | bore,born:gebar,geboren. Orig. sense was 'carry'; G. preserves only sense of 'give birth' |
| befall | befall | befell:befiel. G. has secondary meaning 'smite, sieze' |
| bethink | bedenk | E. archaic |
| bed | bette | |
| beg | bettle | akin to 'beten'='pray' |
| ball | balle | a hide sack to hold fluid; akin to 'Balg', 'balgen'='bellows', also: bulge, belly, bolster, ballock |
| bellow | belle | dog or cow call |
| belong | belange | means 'concern or pertain to', now often 'to sue'. OE 'langian' also had sense of 'pertain to', as preserved in 'along with' (G. now uses 'gehören' for ownership) |
| belove | beliebe | means 'prefer'. almost obsolete in E.: only p.p. 'beloved' |
| beget | begatte | means 'copulate'. E. irreg. ('begat,begotten'). See 'gather' |
| beset | besitz | means 'occupy', or 'own' |
| better | bessere | |
| beware | bewahre | means 'keep, preserve'. maybe not exactly cognate, but see 'wahre' |
| bury | birg | means 'to save, conceal' (esp. by burying) G. bergen, berg, barg, geborgen. See 'borge' |
| bite, bait | beiße | bit:biss |
| bow | beuge | as at the knee. means 'bend'. 'verbeugen'='take a bow'. See 'biegen' for the other 'bow' |
| bid | biete | as in an auction. means 'offer', bade,bidden:bot,geboten. akin to 'bitte'='request' |
| bid | bitte | means 'to ask for'. E. archaic I bid thee, bade:bat. Compare 'bettle', 'biete' |
| bind | bind | bound:band,gebunden |
| bend | " | to bend by binding with string, as a bow |
| blast | blas | in sense of wind, blew:blies. Works best as 2nd per. Maybe mixed up with blähen |
| blow | blähe | see also 'blast' |
| burst | bürste | |
| brew | braue | |
| burn | brenne | burnt:gebrannt. See 'brand' |
| break, breach | brich | broke,broken:brach,gebrochen. |
| breathe | brodle | means 'bubble,seathe'. original meaning was 'steam, vapour' |
| blind | blende | |
| blink | blinke | |
| bleach | bleich | |
| bore | bohre | as 'to drill a hole' |
| bolt | bolze | as 'to fasten with a bolt'. other meanings stem from original 'projectile of a crossbow' |
| brand | brand | |
| brush | bürste | |
| butter | buttern | means 'churn butter' |
| dam | dämme | |
| damp, dim | dämpfe " | |
| deck | decke | as 'cover'. Compare deck the halls |
| thin | dehne | means 'stretch thin'. adj. 'dünn' |
| dock | docke | from Du. in both E. and G. |
| doze | döse | |
| throng | dränge | |
| thresh | dresche | |
| drift | drifte | from Du. in both E. and G. |
| drill | drille | from Du. in both E. and G. |
| drone | dröhne | |
| dowel | düble | |
| duck | ducke | as duck for cover; bird got its name in OE from the v., an intensive form of 'tauche'='dive' |
| dust | dunste | means 'vaporize'; n. is 'Staube' |
| dung | dünge | only v. in G.; n. is 'Mist' |
| thirst | durste | also 'dörren'='to dry', 'dürr'='arid' |
| ebb | ebbe | 'abebben': 'abate' |
| egg | egge | as 'harrow'. Akin to 'ecke' |
| end | ende | |
| earth | erde | |
| earn | ernte | means 'harvest' |
| fable | fable | |
| fell | fälle | as a tree |
| fare | fahre | means 'travel'. interesting etymology. also 'ford' |
| fart | furze | |
| fetch | fasse | means 'seize, catch' |
| fast | faste | as 'abstain from food' |
| fight | ficht | fight,fought:fechten,focht. means 'to fence with swords', originally meant 'pluck out' as wool or hair |
| fetter | fessle | |
| fold | falte | |
| foul | faule | means 'lazy' |
| feather | fedre | |
| fire | feure | |
| file | feile | as with wood |
| fuck | ficke | |
| fiddle | fiedle | probably early loan from L., mod. G. is 'geigen' |
| finger | fingere | |
| fish | fische | |
| flutter | flattre | |
| flicker | flackre | |
| fly | flieg | flew,flown:flog,geflogen |
| flee | flieh | flew,flown:floh,geflohen also gives 'Flucht' 'flight' |
| flow | fließ | G. p.t. 'floss' |
| flood | flute | |
| follow | folge | |
| further | fördre | |
| freeze | friere | froze,fror; G. lost the 's' sound |
| frost | fröstle | means 'shiver with cold' |
| frolic | frölocke | my dictionary says E. is from 'frölich', but I'm going with this. |
| feel | fühle | felt:fühlte |
| fumble | fummle | from Du. in both E. and G. |
| fear | fürchte | |
| fart | furze | |
| foot | fuße | means 'be based upon' |
| furrow | furche | |
| feed | füttre | |
| gable | gable | |
| gaggle cackle | gackerne | |
| yawn | gähne | |
| gape | gaffe | |
| yield | gelte | means 'be worth' |
| gather | gatte | means 'come together'. Rare ('sammeln' is more common). See 'beget'. Also 'Gatt-e -in'='spouse'. |
| gush | gieß | means 'pour' |
| believe | glaube | a stretch, but: G. lost the 'e' in 'ge'; 'ge' became 'be' in E. |
| glimmer | glimmre | means 'glow'. see also 'flimmer' |
| glide | gleite | as on ice; not as a bird |
| luck | glücke | |
| glow | glühe | |
| grey | graue | |
| grip | greif | |
| grin | grinse | |
| growl | grolle | means 'grumble'. E. via F.? |
| grunt | grunze | |
| greet | grüße | |
| gurgle | gurgle | G. sound is somehow bigger |
| girdle | gürte | means 'belt', see also 'gird', 'gurten' |
| hack | hacke | |
| halt, hold | halt | held:hielt |
| hammer | hämmre | |
| handle | handle | |
| harm | härme | v. rare in G., but n. is Harm |
| harbor | herberge | v. obsolete in G. but n. is still used. Also harbinger, but via F. |
| hark | horch | harken:horchen; E. obsolete |
| howl | heule | |
| ask | heische | means 'demand' |
| hinder | hindre | |
| hex | hexe | |
| handle | handle | |
| hang | häng | hung:hing; E. hinge is related. G. has both weak and strong forms conjugated differently-distinction unclear to me |
| hook | hake | |
| hail | hagle | as in weather |
| hew, hoe | hau " | |
| heap | häufe | |
| hem | hemme | means 'inhibit, clog', compare 'hamper', 'hamlet'. Ultimately, 'home' |
| house | hause | means 'dwell' |
| heave | heb | G. also has 'hieven'; E. also has 'heft' |
| heckle | hechle | |
| heal, hale | heile | also the greeting 'hail' |
| heat | hitze | |
| hoard | hort | related to 'Haut' 'hide' as animal skin; and thence to verb 'hide' as 'to conceal' |
| hope | hoffe | |
| haul | hole | as 'fetch' |
| hop | hopf | |
| hear | höre | |
| hoard | horte | |
| hunger | hungre | |
| hobble | humple | |
| herd | hüte | means generally 'protect'. Noun forms are identical |
| yowl | jaule | |
| calve | kalbe | |
| comb | kämme | |
| chew | kaue | |
| cower | kauere | |
| cough | keuche | means 'gasp, wheeze'. Modern G. is 'husten' |
| clap | klatsche | … not very close… |
| clatter | klappre | |
| cleave | klebe | in sense of 'adhere' |
| clothe | kleide | |
| clamp | klemme | |
| cleave | kliebe | in sense of 'split' |
| climb | klimme | akin to 'clamber'; also 'klettern' |
| knock | klopfe | |
| clump | klumpe | |
| nibble | knabbre | also schnabeln, whence nib. from LG |
| knife | kneif | means 'pinch' |
| knead | knete | |
| kneel | knie | |
| knot | knote | also related to 'knit'; also 'knüpfen'='tie' |
| cook | koche | |
| gnash | knirsche | |
| crack | krache | |
| crow | krähe | |
| croak | krächze | |
| cramp | krampfe | |
| scratch | kratze | |
| creep | krieche | |
| crown | kröne | |
| cool | kühle | |
| kiss | küsse | |
| laugh | lache | |
| lame | lähme | |
| land | lande | |
| leap lope | laufe " | means 'go by foot'; E. preserves better the old meaning of the word. |
| louse | lause | |
| lick | lecke | see also 'schlecken'='to lap up' |
| lay | lege | transitive form, as 'lay something down'. See 'lieg' |
| lean lend | lehne | leant:lehnte. also 'loan' |
| lead | leite | in sense of 'conduct' |
| learn | lerne | |
| light | leuchte | |
| lisp | lisple | |
| lap | löffle | sense of 'lap up'. means 'ladle' |
| loose | lösche | |
| lift loft | lüfte | |
| lie | lüg | as 'tell a lie' |
| lull | lulle | |
| mow | mähe | |
| malt | mälze | |
| mouse | mause | |
| mean | meine | means 'opine' |
| milk | melke | |
| mingle | menge | also gives 'among' |
| mark | merke | in sense of 'notice' |
| meow | miaue | |
| miss | misse | |
| mislead | missleite | |
| murder | morde | |
| moo | muhe | |
| murmur mumble | murmle | also 'murren' |
| may | mag | means 'appreciate'; so: if you like |
| nail | nagle | |
| nestle | nestle | doubt this…confusion about nest and nestle |
| gnaw | nage | and E. 'nag'? |
| near | nähre | means 'approach' |
| nahe | means 'draw near' | |
| name | nenne | n. form identical. an old IE word |
| sneeze | niese | |
| nest | niste | |
| need | nötige | reversal of meaning: means 'impel'; 'benötigen' is 'require' |
| open | öffne | |
| oil | öle | |
| pack | packe | from Du. in E. and G. |
| pawn | pfände | means 'distrain'. 'verpfänden' is 'pawn' |
| pepper | pfeffre | |
| pipe | pfeife | means 'whistle' |
| plant | pflanze | |
| pledge | pflege | means 'cherish, foster'. May have come to E. via L. from G.; n. 'Pflicht'='duty' becomes 'plight' |
| pluck | pflücke | |
| plough | pflüge | |
| peck, pick | picke | |
| peep | piepe | sound of chicks |
| splash | platsche | |
| plunder | plündre | from LG |
| bolster | polstre | in sense of 'cushion'. (dict. says 'upholster' isn't related…) |
| prick, prickle | prickle | |
| pump | pumpe | |
| quack | quake | |
| quell | quäle | means 'torment'. also gives E. 'kill' |
| ram | ramme | from Ramme: male goat. |
| rammle | means 'copulate', esp. of animals | |
| race | rase | means 'rave, rage, dash' |
| rush | rausche | |
| rasp | rasple | |
| read | rate | means 'advise' |
| riddle | rätsle | from 'raten', secondary meaning 'guess' |
| rattle | rassle | |
| rest | raste | |
| reek | rauche | means 'smoke'. sound more like 'rieche', 'to smell' |
| rob | raube | |
| rip | raufe | means 'tear, peel'. also 'reiße', 'rupfe'. E. rend? |
| rake | reche | |
| reckon | rechne | generally, 'count' |
| wrench | renke | means 'twist back and forth'. G. 'verrenken' means 'wrench' |
| rhyme | rime | means 'put in row'. E. spelling imitates L. 'rhythmus' |
| rustle | rausche | but 'raschle' is closer in sound… |
| reach | reiche | |
| rub | reibe | |
| ride | reite | rode:ritt |
| write | reiße | means 'tear'. originally, scratch; Peculiar to E. in not being L. See read. |
| wrest | ?reiße | E. is like O.N…wrestle, wrist? |
| rise | reise | means 'journey', originally 'rise for a journey' |
| run | renne | ran:rannte |
| run | rinn | ran:rann. as does a stream, or a nose. G. p.t 'geronnen' more like E. present |
| rue | reue | |
| reek | rieche | |
| ripple | riffle | |
| ring | ring | may be cheating: G. refers to a an organized fight |
| roll | rolle | |
| roast | röste | |
| rust | roste | |
| rumble | rumple | |
| rumple | rümpfe | |
| sow | säe | |
| sap | saft | means 'juice' |
| saw | säge | as, 'saw wood' |
| salve | salbe | |
| salt | salze | |
| saddle | sattle | |
| seam | säume | also akin to 'sew'. compare 'needle' |
| sour | säure | means 'acidify' |
| suck | saug | note: 'suckle' may derive from 'suckling' 'Säugling' |
| shave | schabe | as with wood |
| shaft | schäfte | means 'to make into a shaft', as by a lathe (would be better discussed as n.) |
| shape | schaffe | sense of 'create, make' |
| shell | schäle | in sense of 'peel' |
| shame | schäme | |
| shudder | schaudre | compare also 'schaure' |
| shadow | schatte | since MHG, the 'w' is lost. mod. use is via the n.: Schatten werfen |
| show | schaue | means 'gaze upon'. E. reverses the perspective |
| shovel | schaufle | |
| scum | schäume | means 'foam' (which is also dial. G.) also 'skim' |
| shed | scheide | E. sense of loss, as of blood or skin; G. sense of separation |
| shine | scheine | E. has irregular past 'shone' |
| scold | schelte | |
| shear | schere | shorn:geschoren. also 'shard' |
| shy | scheue | |
| scour | scheure | |
| shit | scheiße | shat:schiss |
| shift | schichte | means 'stratify'. note 'schiften' is from E. |
| shoot | schieß | shot:schoss |
| ship | schiff | means 'navigate' |
| shimmer | schimmre | from Du. |
| skin | schinde | E. is from O.N., but all common Gmc. |
| slobber | schlabbre | from LG |
| slaughter | schlachte | |
| slay, slug | schlag | means 'strike'. slay,slew,slain:schlag,schlug,geschlagen |
| snake | schlängle | well…not very close |
| slight, sleek, slick | schlichte | as 'smooth, polish', from Du., preserving the old meaning of G. 'schlecht'; as 'to ill-treat' schlecht behandln; also, the adjective meaning 'little, poor' |
| slink | schleiche | |
| sling | schleudere | …not very close. G. is from 16th century, E. maybe through No. There is also 'schlingen' 'to twist' |
| slither, slide, sled, sleigh | schlittre | from LG |
| slit | schlitze | |
| slumber | schlummre | means 'nap' |
| slip, slope | schlüpfe | but 'schleife' is closer in sound… |
| slurp | schlürfe | |
| smack | schmacke | as 'taste': it smacks of pedantry |
| smack | schmatze | as with the lips |
| melt | schmelze | molten:geschmolzen |
| smite | schmeiße | means 'fling'. but smote:schmiss |
| smart | schmerze | means 'give pain': that smarts!; E. meaning 'quick, prompt' from 'biting, smarting' |
| smear | schmiere | or 'grease' |
| smith | schmiede | as 'forge' |
| mud | schmuddeln | akin to 'Moder' (mud), 'moderig' (earthy); also 'Schmutz', so 'smut'. Some related G. words were lost (due to F. 'mode', 'modern'?) |
| smuggle | schmuggle | from LG |
| snap | schnappe | |
| snore | schnarche | |
| snow | schneie | |
| sniff, sniffle, snivel | schniefe | |
| snip | schnipple | |
| sniff | schnüffeln | |
| sniffle, snuffle | schnüffle | |
| snare | schnüre | means 'lace, fasten, tie up with string' |
| shock | schocke | |
| sheen | schöne | means 'sugarcoat'. from the adj. 'schön'='beautiful'. akin to 'schaue' |
| scoop | schöpfe | De. retains connection to schaffen |
| screw | schraube | |
| scream | schreie | or 'cry' |
| stride | schreite | strode:schritt |
| shrill | schrille | |
| scrub | schrubbe | |
| shoulder | schultre | |
| shop | schuppe | means 'put in a shed'. E. prob. via. F. 'eschoppe' |
| shore | schüre | means 'winnow'. E. prob. from N. 'scorða' |
| wobble | schwabble | from LG, akin to 'schwappe' |
| squabble | " | 2nd meaning 'prattle' |
| swab | schwappe | from Du? |
| swap | " | G dial. to swap the ears; E. meaning is recent: strike hands in a bargain? |
| swarm | schwärme | also 'schwirren' |
| swivel, sway | schwebe | means 'waver, float'. in ME was slang for 'copulate' |
| sweep | " | means 'digress'. |
| swerve | schweife | means 'digress'. |
| swallow | schwelge | means 'revel,luxuriate' ('schlucken'='swallow') |
| swell | schwelle | E. has irregular past 'swollen' |
| swim | schwimm | swam,swum:schwamm,geschwommen |
| swindle | schwindle | |
| swing | schwinge, schwenke | swang,swung:schwang,geschungen |
| sweat | switze | |
| swear | schwöre | swore,sworn:schwor,geschworen |
| sail | segle | |
| sinew | sehne | means 'yearn' (as with the sinews of the heart) |
| send | sende | |
| singe | senge | |
| set | setze | transitive form. see 'sit' |
| sigh | seufze | …not very close |
| sickle | sichle | |
| sight | sichte | also means 'sift' |
| sieve | siebe | |
| seethe | siede | |
| seal | siegle | |
| sing | sing | sang,sung |
| sink | sinke | sank,sunk,sunken. (there is also 'senk'='lower') |
| sit | sitz | sat,set:sass,gesessen. see 'sit' |
| sole | sohle | as shoes |
| sun | sonne | |
| sorrow | sorge | |
| spy | spähe | in sense of 'peer' |
| split | spalte | |
| span | spanne | also 'stretch' |
| spare | spare | in sense of 'save' |
| spit, spew | speie | looks more like the 3rd p. form … and E. has spat… |
| spend | spende | means 'donate' |
| spin | spinn | span,spun:spann,gesponnen. as with wool or a web |
| spindle | spindle | |
| splinter | splittre | |
| spur | sporne | |
| speak | sprich | rather special conj. spake,spoke:spricht,sprach,spräche,gesprochen |
| sprout | spriesse | nearer G. p.t. 'spross' |
| sprinkle | sprenkle | refers to dry stuff though |
| spring | spring | sprang,sprung:sprang,gesprungen. Sense of 'jump'. |
| spray | sprühe | |
| spit | spucke | also see 'speie' |
| spool | spule | |
| stalk | stelze | akin to 'steal' |
| steel | stähle | |
| stake | stake | as 'pole' |
| stammer | stammele | |
| stem | stamme | |
| stamp, stomp | stampfe | |
| stare | starre | |
| stow | staue | |
| stun | staune | means 'marvel' |
| stick | steche | stuck:stach,gestochen. as with a knife; compare 'stecke' |
| steal | stiehl | stole,stolen:stahl,gestolen |
| stone | steinige | |
| stall | stelle | means 'set, put in' |
| stamp | stemple | |
| starve | sterbe | means generally 'die'. ('erhungre'='starve') |
| steer | steure | |
| still | stille | means 'quiet', 'breast-feed' |
| stink | stinke | stank,stunk:stank,gestunken |
| stumble | stolperne | |
| stop | stopfe | as with a cork in a bottle |
| " | stoppe | as with traffic |
| stir | störe | means 'disturb' |
| strand | strande | |
| strive | strebe | but E. conj. is irregular (strove,striven:strebt,gestrebt). via OF 'estriver'. Also 'strife' |
| stretch streak | strecke | |
| stroke | streichle | as with a pet |
| stroke | streiche | as with paint. |
| strike | " | means 'delete'. E. meaning 'hit' developed later. strike,struck,stricken:streich,strich,gestrichen |
| stripe | streife | |
| strew | streue | |
| stream | ströme | |
| storm | stürme | |
| seek | suche | |
| tattle | tadele | generally, 'blame' |
| dance | tanze | |
| thaw | taue | |
| dive | taufe | now means 'baptize'. compare 'tief'='deep', G. 'tauchen'='dive' is cognate with 'duck' |
| tar | teere | |
| die | töte | E. p.t. 'died' is more like 3rd p. 'tötet', and 'death' like 'Tod' |
| drag, draught, draw | trage | drew:trug, has come to mean 'carry' |
| trample | trample | |
| dream | träume | dreamt:träumt |
| drive | treibe | E. is irregular, G. not? |
| drip | triefe | drop:getroffen (old G. conjugation) See 'drop' |
| trill | trille | also 'trällern' |
| trip | tripple | this is maybe Du. |
| dry | trockne | in OE, it had a 'g' |
| drum | trommle | |
| dribble | tröpfle | |
| drop | tropfe | as of water. Note E. usage 'drop' as 'let fall' seems not to be common germanic |
| trundle | trudle | |
| tumble | tummle | compare 'taumeln' |
| toot | tute | maybe from Du.; also 'dudeln' |
| forget | vergiss | forgot:vergess vergassen |
| forbid | verbiete | forbade,forbidden:verbot,verboten |
| forgive | vergib | vergebe, vergab. Contrast: 'vorgib'='put forth' |
| forego | vergeh | as 'pass off', 'go by'. Note 'vorgeh'='go ahead' |
| forthcome | vorkomme | meaning 'occur' |
| forewarn | vorwarne | well…that could be easily constructed |
| watch | wache | as 'keep watch' |
| wax | wachse | as the moon. Means generally 'mature'. Though wachsen is much more common in G. than E., 'wane' is no longer used in G. |
| waggle, wiggle | wackele | |
| weigh | wiege | the past is closer in pronounciation: 'wäge' |
| ware | wahre | means 'protect, to keep at a distance'. 'ware' archaic, but there is 'wary'. See 'beware' Compare 'gewahr'='aware'. Also G. 'wahr'='true'. |
| ward | " | |
| walk | walke | means 'full' as in textiles, as cloth or leather. This is a complicated etymology. |
| wander | wandre | means 'hike' |
| warm | wärme | |
| warn | warne | |
| wait | warte | via OF. akin to 'wahre' |
| wade | wate | |
| waddle | watschle | |
| weave | webe | 'weave wove woven' 'webe wob gewoben'. Hence also 'web' |
| well | welle | means 'wave', as in water. sense of 'gush up' or 'boil' is the older meaning |
| wake | wecke | |
| gain | weide | means 'graze'. in E. via F. |
| while | weile | verb form rare in both languages; noun forms are similar |
| whine | weine | means 'weep' |
| wilt | welke | |
| wend | wende | means 'to turn, go'. G. p.t. wandt, E. only p.t. of 'go' and in to wend one's way |
| whet | wetze | |
| welcome | willkomme | |
| whimper | wimmere | |
| wind | winde | as 'to twist'. wound:wand, compare 'wenden' |
| wink | winke | means "to wave, beckon". G. 'zwinke' means 'wink' |
| whirl | wirbele | |
| wipe | wische | this is dubious |
| whisper | wispre | |
| wring | wringe | wrang,wrung:wrang,gewrungen |
| wonder | wundre | |
| wish | wünche | |
| waste | wüste | as 'make a desert of' |
| tame | zähme | |
| teach | zeige | means 'point out'. E. has 'taught' |
| tell | zähle | told:zählte means 'count'; 'erzähle' is 'recount' as recount a tale |
| tear | zerre | dict. says 'tear' is from 'zehren'. maybe both |
| chirp | zirpe | |
| zwitschere |