From late Middle High German zanken, of unclear origin, not having been recorded in earlier periods. Perhaps from the root of Zinke (“prong, sharp point”), if the original sense was "to be pointed."[1]
zanken (weak, third-person singular present zankt, past tense zankte, past participle gezankt, auxiliary haben)
infinitive | zanken | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
present participle | zankend | ||||
past participle | gezankt | ||||
auxiliary | haben | ||||
indicative | subjunctive | ||||
singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
present | ich zanke | wir zanken | i | ich zanke | wir zanken |
du zankst | ihr zankt | du zankest | ihr zanket | ||
er zankt | sie zanken | er zanke | sie zanken | ||
preterite | ich zankte | wir zankten | ii | ich zankte1 | wir zankten1 |
du zanktest | ihr zanktet | du zanktest1 | ihr zanktet1 | ||
er zankte | sie zankten | er zankte1 | sie zankten1 | ||
imperative | zank (du) zanke (du) |
zankt (ihr) |
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.