wezen

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋeː.zə(n)/

• Audio:

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• 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

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.

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.

Synonyms

• (standard) zijn
• (dialectal; obsolete in standard Dutch) bennen

Derived terms

• gewezen
• wegwezen

 

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

• bankwezen
• geldwezen
• leenwezen
• opperwezen
• vetewezen
• wezenlijk
• wezenloos
• zeewezen

 

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