zèinan

Cimbrian

Alternative forms

• zeinan, soin, sain

Etymology

From Middle High German sein, sīn, from Old High German sīn (“to be”). Cognate with German sein. An extra -an is added when the verb would only have one syllable.

Past subjunctive forms are from Middle High German werden, from Old High German wërdan (“to be, become, happen”), from Proto-West Germanic *werþan (“to become”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Verb

zèinan (irregular, third-person singular present indicative ist, past participle gabéest, auxiliary zèinan) (Sette Comuni)

1. to be
2. (auxiliary) With a past participle, forms the preterite tense of some intransitive verbs:

   Ich pin ganghet. ― I went. (NOT: I have gone.)

3. (auxiliary) Forms the past and present continuous tense, with the adverb darnaach (“after”):

   Ich pin darnaach ghéenan so misse.

   I am going to Mass.

   Ich pin gabéest darnaach sraiban.

   I was writing.

Conjugation

References

• “zèinan” in Martalar, Umberto Martello, Bellotto, Alfonso (1974) Dizionario della lingua Cimbra dei Sette Communi vicentini, 1st edition, Roana, Italy: Instituto di Cultura Cimbra A. Dal Pozzo