From vlinder (“butterfly”) + -en. The senses "move like a butterfly" and "observe butterflies" are simple denominative formations (compare vogelen); the swimming sense however is based on vlinderslag. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term. Todo: elucidate the origin of the "smooth with a trowel" sense?
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vlinderen
| Conjugation of vlinderen (weak) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| infinitive | vlinderen | |||
| past singular | vlinderde | |||
| past participle | gevlinderd | |||
| infinitive | vlinderen | |||
| gerund | vlinderen n | |||
| present tense | past tense | |||
| 1st person singular | vlinder | vlinderde | ||
| 2nd person sing. (jij) | vlindert, vlinder2 | vlinderde | ||
| 2nd person sing. (u) | vlindert | vlinderde | ||
| 2nd person sing. (gij) | vlindert | vlinderde | ||
| 3rd person singular | vlindert | vlinderde | ||
| plural | vlinderen | vlinderden | ||
| subjunctive sing.1 | vlindere | vlinderde | ||
| subjunctive plur.1 | vlinderen | vlinderden | ||
| imperative sing. | vlinder | |||
| imperative plur.1 | vlindert | |||
| participles | vlinderend | gevlinderd | ||
| 1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion. | ||||