From Middle High German smetern (“to chatter, rattle”). In several dialects the word also means “to make a smacking sound”, which is perhaps the original meaning. Probably related with English smatter, Swedish smattra, though in all languages the word is attested rather late. Compare also German schnattern.
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schmettern (weak, third-person singular present schmettert, past tense schmetterte, past participle geschmettert, auxiliary haben)
infinitive | schmettern | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
present participle | schmetternd | ||||
past participle | geschmettert | ||||
auxiliary | haben | ||||
indicative | subjunctive | ||||
singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
present | ich schmettre ich schmettere ich schmetter |
wir schmettern | i | ich schmettere ich schmettre |
wir schmettern |
du schmetterst | ihr schmettert | du schmetterest du schmettrest |
ihr schmetteret ihr schmettret | ||
er schmettert | sie schmettern | er schmettere er schmettre |
sie schmettern | ||
preterite | ich schmetterte | wir schmetterten | ii | ich schmetterte1 | wir schmetterten1 |
du schmettertest | ihr schmettertet | du schmettertest1 | ihr schmettertet1 | ||
er schmetterte | sie schmetterten | er schmetterte1 | sie schmetterten1 | ||
imperative | schmettre (du) schmetter (du) schmettere (du) |
schmettert (ihr) |
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.