From Low German fuddeln (“to work negligently”) and Central Franconian fuddele (“to work negligently; to cheat; to use contraception”). The verb may be derived from Low German Fudde, Central Franconian Fudd, Fuddel, all “rag, old cloth” (compare Dutch vod); plausibly through a sense “to brush superficially with a rag”, as there existed a particular association with houseworkers. However, the verb reaches much further south along the Rhine than does the noun and many forms require an underlying long vowel. Many dialects also have several forms alongside. Therefore the above seems to have been influenced by or merged with one or more other verbs, including perhaps one from Old French faute (“fault, misbehaviour”). Compare Luxembourgish fuddelen, fautelen, pautelen, all “to cheat”.
fudeln (weak, third-person singular present fudelt, past tense fudelte, past participle gefudelt, auxiliary haben)
| infinitive | fudeln | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| present participle | fudelnd | ||||
| past participle | gefudelt | ||||
| auxiliary | haben | ||||
| indicative | subjunctive | ||||
| singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
| present | ich fudle ich fudele ich fudel |
wir fudeln | i | ich fudele ich fudle |
wir fudeln |
| du fudelst | ihr fudelt | du fudelest du fudlest |
ihr fudelet ihr fudlet | ||
| er fudelt | sie fudeln | er fudele er fudle |
sie fudeln | ||
| preterite | ich fudelte | wir fudelten | ii | ich fudelte1 | wir fudelten1 |
| du fudeltest | ihr fudeltet | du fudeltest1 | ihr fudeltet1 | ||
| er fudelte | sie fudelten | er fudelte1 | sie fudelten1 | ||
| imperative | fudle (du) fudel (du) fudele (du) |
fudelt (ihr) | |||
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.