sprecan
Old English
Alternative forms
- specan (later form)
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *sprekaną (“to speak, make a noise”), from Proto-Indo-European *spreg- (“to make a sound, speak”). Compare Proto-Indo-European *sperHg- (“to make a noise”). Cognate with Old Frisian spreka (West Frisian sprekke), Old Saxon sprekan (Middle Low German spreken), Dutch spreken, Old High German sprehhan (German sprechen), Old Norse spraka (“to crackle, rustle”), Albanian shpreh (“to utter, express, voice”). Related to Old English ġesprecen, Old High German gisprāchi, Old Norse spraki (“rumour, report”), and German Gespräch.
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈsprekɑn/
Verb
sprecan (strong class V)
- to speak
Conjugation
Conjugation of sprecan (strong class V)
| indicative | present | preterite |
|---|---|---|
| 1st-person singular | sprece | spræc |
| 2nd-person singular | spricst | sprǣce |
| 3rd-person singular | spriceþ | spræc |
| plural | sprecaþ | sprǣcon |
| subjunctive | present | preterite |
| singular | sprece | sprǣce |
| plural | sprecen | sprǣcen |
| imperative | ||
| singular | sprec | |
| plural | sprecaþ | |
| participle | present | past |
| sprecende | sprecen | |