From Middle Dutch beseffen, from Old Dutch *biseffen, from bi- + *seffen. The latter part is from Proto-Germanic *sabjaną.
beseffen
In prescriptive usage, beseffen is not reflexive, but occasionally it is used reflexively: zich beseffen. This is probably a contamination of realiseren (“to realize”), which has the same meaning, but is reflexive.
Conjugation of beseffen (weak, prefixed) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
infinitive | beseffen | |||
past singular | besefte | |||
past participle | beseft | |||
infinitive | beseffen | |||
gerund | beseffen n | |||
present tense | past tense | |||
1st person singular | besef | besefte | ||
2nd person sing. (jij) | beseft, besef2 | besefte | ||
2nd person sing. (u) | beseft | besefte | ||
2nd person sing. (gij) | beseft | besefte | ||
3rd person singular | beseft | besefte | ||
plural | beseffen | beseften | ||
subjunctive sing.1 | beseffe | besefte | ||
subjunctive plur.1 | beseffen | beseften | ||
imperative sing. | besef | |||
imperative plur.1 | beseft | |||
participles | beseffend | beseft | ||
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion. |
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
beseffen