spreken

Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch sprekan, from Proto-Germanic *sprekaną, from Proto-Indo-European *spreg- (“to make a sound, utter, speak”). Compare Low German spreken, German sprechen, West Frisian sprekke, English speak.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /spreː.kə(n)/

Verb

spreken

1. to speak

Conjugation

Conjugation of spreken (strong class 4)

infinitive	spreken
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	spreek	sprak
2nd person singular	spreekt	sprak
2nd person sing. (gij)	spreekt	spraakt
3rd person singular	spreekt	sprak
plural	spreken	spraken
subjunctive sing.1	spreke	sprake
subjunctive plur.1	spreken	spraken
imperative sing.	spreek
imperative plur.1	spreekt
participles	sprekend	(hebben) gesproken
1)Archaic.

Synonyms

• praten

Derived terms

aanspreken afspreken bespreken gesprek inspreken spraak spreektaal tegenspreken uitspreken vanzelfsprekend vrijspreken

---

Low German

Etymology

From Old Saxon sprekan, from Proto-Germanic *sprekaną, from Proto-Indo-European *spreg- (“to make a sound, utter, speak”). Compare Dutch spreken, German sprechen, West Frisian sprekke, English speak.

Verb

sprêken

1. (Low saxon) to speak

Conjugation

Conjugation of spreken

indicative	present	preterite
1st person singular	spreak	sprak
2nd person singular	sprikst	sprakst
3rd person singular	sprikt	sprak
plural	spreakt	sprâken
subjunctive	present	past
1st person singular	sprêke	sprâke
2nd person singular	sprêkest	sprâkest
3rd person singular	sprêke	sprâke
plural	sprêken	sprâken
imperative	present	—
singular	spreak
plural	spreakt
participle	present	past
	sprêkend	(e)sproken