bejahen
German
editEtymology
edit16th century, equivalent to be- + ja (“yes”) + -en (with -h- as orthographic hiatus breaker). While the verb may have been derived directly from the interjection ja, an alternative possibility is that it is a reinterpretation of Middle High German bejëhen (“to acknowledge, admit”), from jëhen (“to say”). The according spelling bejähen is indeed attested in the 17th century.
Pronunciation
editVerb
editbejahen (weak, third-person singular present bejaht, past tense bejahte, past participle bejaht, auxiliary haben)
- to affirm, approve, answer something in the affirmative
- Antonym: verneinen
Conjugation
editinfinitive | bejahen | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
present participle | bejahend | ||||
past participle | bejaht | ||||
auxiliary | haben | ||||
indicative | subjunctive | ||||
singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
present | ich bejahe | wir bejahen | i | ich bejahe | wir bejahen |
du bejahst | ihr bejaht | du bejahest | ihr bejahet | ||
er bejaht | sie bejahen | er bejahe | sie bejahen | ||
preterite | ich bejahte | wir bejahten | ii | ich bejahte1 | wir bejahten1 |
du bejahtest | ihr bejahtet | du bejahtest1 | ihr bejahtet1 | ||
er bejahte | sie bejahten | er bejahte1 | sie bejahten1 | ||
imperative | bejah (du) bejahe (du) |
bejaht (ihr) |
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.