wezen

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word wezen. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word wezen, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say wezen in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word wezen you have here. The definition of the word wezen will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofwezen, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈʋeː.zə(n)/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: we‧zen
  • Rhymes: -eːzən

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch wēsen, from Old Dutch wesan, from Proto-West Germanic *wesan, from Proto-Germanic *wesaną. See zijn.

The noun represents a substantivization of the verb and is attested as such since as early as c. 1100.

Verb

wezen

  1. (only as the infinitive) Synonym of zijn
    Je hoeft echt niet boos te wezen.
    There's really no need to be upset.
  2. (with postpositioned jullie) imperative plural of zijn
    Wezen jullie niet bang!
    Don’t you guys be afraid!
  4. (only as the infinitive, sometimes proscribed) used with an action verb in the infinitive to indicate that the action took place elsewhere and has been concluded
Usage notes
  • All forms of the imperative and past indicative as well as the past participle of zijn were borrowed from wezen through suppletion, contributing to it's irregularity.
  • Generally, the infinitive wezen, the present participle wezend and the present subjunctive weze and wezen are also used in standard Dutch, mostly as optional suppletives of zijn.
  • The forms of u and jullie may be used as special pronominal imperatives of zijn. Thus, weest u!, wezen jullie!, rather than the regular bent u!, zijn jullie!, which are less common.
  • Sense 3 may be interpreted as a perfective and may be contrasted with the imperfective gaan:
Hij is wezen wandelen. ― He went out for a walk (and has since returned).
Hij is gaan wandelen. ― He went out for a walk (and is still walking).
  • Sometimes the archaic form gewezen is used as the past participle, however now being only limited to adjectival usage in the sense of former or late:
De gewezen minister is gisteren overleden. ― The late minister has past away yesterday.
Conjugation
Conjugation of wezen (irregular)
infinitive wezen
past singular was
past participle geweest
infinitive wezen
gerund wezen n
present tense past tense
1st person singular wees was
2nd person sing. (jij) weest, wees2 was
2nd person sing. (u) weest was
2nd person sing. (gij) weest waart
3rd person singular weest was
plural wezen waren
subjunctive sing.1 weze ware
subjunctive plur.1 wezen waren
imperative sing. wees
imperative plur.1 weest
participles wezend geweest
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.
Synonyms
  • (standard) zijn
  • (dialectal; obsolete in standard Dutch) bennen
Derived terms
Descendants
  • Afrikaans: wees
  • Jersey Dutch: wêze
  • Negerhollands: wees, wis

Noun

wezen n (plural wezens, diminutive wezentje n)

  1. a being, creature
  2. (as the second part of a compound noun) system, sector, institution (in an abstract sense)
  3. (used absolutely, with definite article or possessive determiner) the essence of something
    Zijn vloek had haar in haar diepste wezen geraakt. ― His curse had hit her in her deepest core.
Derived terms

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

wezen

  1. plural of wees

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

wezen

  1. inflection of wijzen:
    1. plural past indicative
    2. (dated or formal) plural past subjunctive
Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia