dürfen

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German

Etymology

From Middle High German dürfen, durfen, from Old High German durfan, from Proto-West Germanic *þurban, cognate with Ancient Greek τέρπω (térpō, I delight, please), English tharf.

Pronunciation

  • (most of Germany) IPA(key): /ˈdʏrfən/, ,
  • (parts of southern Germany; Austria, Switzerland) IPA(key): /ˈdʏrfən/, , ,
  • Audio (Austria):(file)
  • Audio:(file)

Verb

dürfen (preterite-present, third-person singular present darf, past tense durfte, past participle gedurft, past subjunctive dürfte, auxiliary haben)

  1. (auxiliary, infinitive replaces past participle) to be allowed (to do something); to be permitted (to do something); may
    • 1930, “act 2, scene 2”, in Bertolt Brecht (lyrics), Kurt Weil (music), Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny:
      Erstens, vergesst nicht, kommt das Fressen, / zweitens kommt der Liebesakt, / drittens das Boxen nicht vergessen, / viertens Saufen, laut Kontrakt. / Vor allem aber achtet scharf, dass man hier alles dürfen darf.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    Darf ich gehen?May I go?
    Ich habe gehen dürfen.I was allowed to go.
  2. (intransitive or transitive, past participle as above) to be allowed or permitted to do something implied or previously stated; may
    Ja, du darfst.Yes, you may.
    Ich habe es gedurft.I was allowed it.
  3. (subjunctive II, auxiliary) expresses a prediction with mild doubt, that something is estimated or probable
    Der Zug dürfte in ein paar Minuten ankommen.
    The train should (will probably) be here in a few minutes.
    • 1934, Walther Kabel (as Max Schraut), Der Bluffer, Verlag moderner Lektüre, page 54:
      Die Wohnungen dürften ein wenig hellhörig sein.
      The walls of the apartments are probably a bit thin.
  4. (colloquial) to must, to have to
    Und ich darf dann wieder hinter euch aufräumen.
    And I can clean up after you once again then.
  5. (obsolete, transitive, with genitive) to need, to require
    Synonym: bedürfen
    • 1545, Martin Luther, et al. (translators), Biblia, Hans Lufft, 1 Cor. 12:21
      ES kan das Auge nicht sagen zu der Hand / Jch darff dein nicht. Oder widerumb das Heubt zu den Füssen / Jch darff ewer nicht.
      And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again, the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

Conjugation

Descendants

  • Ido: darfar

See also

Further reading