־ען

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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