wann
German
Etymology
From Middle High German wanne, Old High German wanne, from Proto-West Germanic *hwannā, *hwan, from Proto-Germanic *hwan. Cognate with English when.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /van/
Audio: (file) Audio: (file) - Rhymes: -an
Adverb
wann
- (interrogative, standard) when
- Wann kommt er?
- When will he arrive?
- Ich weiß nicht, wann er kommt.
- I don’t know when he’ll arrive.
- (indefinite, colloquial) sometime
- Synonym: irgendwann
- Das sollten wir mal wann besprechen, wenn alle da sind.
- We should discuss this sometime that everybody’s present.
Derived terms
Conjunction
wann
Derived terms
- wann immer (“whenever”) (standard)
See also
Further reading
- “wann” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “wann” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
- Friedrich Kluge (1883) “wann”, in John Francis Davis, transl., Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, published 1891
Hunsrik
Alternative forms
- wan (Wiesemann spelling system)
Etymology
From Middle High German and Old High German wanne, from Proto-West Germanic *hwan, from Proto-Germanic *hwan. Compare German wann, English when.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /van/
Adverb
wann
- (interrogatory) when
- Wann gehm-mer fort?
- When are we leaving?
Further reading
Low German
Etymology
From Middle Low German wan, from Old Saxon hwan (“when”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwan, from Proto-Germanic *hwan (“when”).
Related to wannehr and wenn, Dutch wanneer and wen, High German wann and wenn, English when.
Pronunciation
Conjunction
wann
- when (wannehr is sometimes used with this meaning as well)
- Ik weet nich, wann he kamen deit.
- I don't know when he'll come.
Luxembourgish
Alternative forms
- wa (before non-alveolar consonants)
Etymology
From Middle High German wan, wanne, from Old High German wanne, from Proto-West Germanic *hwan, from Proto-Germanic *hwan.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /vɑn/
- Rhymes: -ɑn
- Homophone: Wann
Conjunction
wann
- if
- Luxembourgish translation of Matthew 4:6:
- Hie sot zu him: "Wann s du dem Herrgott säi Jong bass, da gehei dech hei erof! Et steet nämlech geschriwwen: Wéinst denger gëtt hien sengen Engelen den Uerder, an si droen dech op den Hänn, fir datt s du dir de Fouss net un engem Stee stéiss."
- He said to him: "If you are the Son of God, then throw yourself down! For it is written: He will give his angels charge concerning you, and they will bear you in their hands, so that you do not strike your foot on a stone."
- Luxembourgish translation of Matthew 4:6:
- when
- as soon as, when
Synonyms
Related terms
Old English
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /wɑnn/, [wɑn]
Etymology 1
From Proto-West Germanic *wann (“dark”), of uncertain origin, possibly related to Proto-Germanic *wanōną (“to lessen”).[1] Cognate with Old Frisian wann, wonn (“dark”).
Adjective
wann
- dark
- Beowulf, ll. 702-3:
- Com on wanre niht / scriðan sceadugenga.
- The shadow-walker came slithering from the dark night.
- Beowulf, ll. 702-3:
- blue-black
Declension
Singular | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | wann | wann | wann |
Accusative | wanne | wanne | wann |
Genitive | wannes | wanre | wannes |
Dative | wannum | wanre | wannum |
Instrumental | wanne | wanre | wanne |
Plural | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
Nominative | wanne | wanna, wanne | wann |
Accusative | wanne | wanna, wanne | wann |
Genitive | wanra | wanra | wanra |
Dative | wannum | wannum | wannum |
Instrumental | wannum | wannum | wannum |
Descendants
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Verb
wann
- first/third-person singular past indicative of winnan
References
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “wan”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Pennsylvania German
Etymology 1
From Middle High German and Old High German wanne, from Proto-West Germanic *hwan, from Proto-Germanic *hwan. Compare German wann, English when.
Adverb
wann
Etymology 2
Conjunction
wann