hängen
German edit
Pronunciation edit
Etymology 1 edit
From a conflation of three interrelated verbs all originally meaning “to hang”, but varying in their transitivity and intransitivity: 1.) Middle High German hāhen (transitive and intransitive), from Old High German hāhan (chiefly transitive [sic]), a strong verb with past forms hieng, gehangan, from Proto-West Germanic *hą̄han, from Proto-Germanic *hanhaną (intransitive). 2.) Middle High German hangen, from Middle High German hangēn (both intransitive). 3.) Middle High German hengen (“to hang, to dangle, to let go, to allow”), from Old High German hengen (“idem”), from Proto-West Germanic *hangijan, from Proto-Germanic *hangijaną (“to hang”, transitive).
Because of various interferences in the inflected forms, due to grammatischer Wechsel, umlaut and Rückumlaut, these three verbs were bound to be intermingled. Verbs 1 and 2 were merged in such a way that the present stem hang- was combined with the strong past forms of hāhen. This development is first attested in the north and seems to have spread from Middle Low German hangen to Central German dialects of Middle High German (14th century). The transitive verb 3 (hängen) was kept separate into the 20th century, at least by prescription, but the present stem is now häng- for all uses. The split is upheld in the past forms, but is not consistently followed outside of formal contexts.
Cognate to Dutch hangen, English hang.
Alternative forms edit
- hangen (generally archaic, but still sometimes in the South)
Verb edit
hängen (class 7 strong or irregular strong, third-person singular present hängt, past tense hing or (nonstandard) hang, past participle gehangen, auxiliary haben or sein)
- (intransitive) to hang; to be suspended
- Synonym: baumeln
- Der Apfel hängt am Baum.
- The apple hangs on the tree.
- (intransitive) to be attached to; to be fond of; to be devoted to; to cling to
- Er hängt sehr an seiner Schwester.
- He is very attached to his sister.
- (intransitive, somewhat informal) to depend on
- Synonym: abhängen
- Es hängt alles daran, wie du dich entscheidest.
- It all depends on what decision you take.
- (transitive, colloquial, otherwise proscribed) to hang something; to suspend
- Ich hab meine Jacke an die Garderobe gehangen.
- I’ve hung my jacket on the hallstand.
Usage notes edit
The most frequent auxiliary with hängen (past participle gehangen) is haben: Der Apfel hat am Baum gehangen. In northern and central Germany, only this form is used. In southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, sein is common in the vernacular and also, alternatively, in standard usage: Der Apfel ist am Baum gehangen.
Conjugation edit
| infinitive | hängen | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| present participle | hängend | ||||
| past participle | gehangen | ||||
| auxiliary | haben or sein | ||||
| indicative | subjunctive | ||||
| singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
| present | ich hänge | wir hängen | i | ich hänge | wir hängen |
| du hängst | ihr hängt | du hängest | ihr hänget | ||
| er hängt | sie hängen | er hänge | sie hängen | ||
| preterite | ich hing ich hang1 |
wir hingen wir hangen1 |
ii | ich hinge2 ich hange1,2 |
wir hingen2 wir hangen1,2 |
| du hingst du hangst1 |
ihr hingt ihr hangt1 |
du hingest2 du hingst2 du hangest1,2 du hangst1,2 |
ihr hinget2 ihr hingt2 ihr hanget1,2 ihr hangt1,2 | ||
| er hing er hang1 |
sie hingen sie hangen1 |
er hinge2 er hange1,2 |
sie hingen2 sie hangen1,2 | ||
| imperative | häng (du) hänge (du) |
hängt (ihr) | |||
1Nonstandard.
2Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.
Derived terms edit
Etymology 2 edit
From Middle High German hengen, that is “verb 3” in etymology 1. See above.
Verb edit
hängen (weak, third-person singular present hängt, past tense hängte, past participle gehängt, auxiliary haben)
- (transitive) to hang something; to suspend
- Antonym: abhängen
- Ich habe meine Jacke an die Garderobe gehängt.
- I’ve hung my jacket on the hallstand.
- (transitive) to hang someone; to execute by hanging
- Synonym: (dated) henken
- Wenn er verurteilt wird, hängen sie ihn.
- If he’s convicted, they’re going to hang him.
- (reflexive) to hang on to; to follow
- Häng dich an deine Schwester, die weiß Bescheid.
- Hang on to your sister, she knows how things work.
Conjugation edit
| infinitive | hängen | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| present participle | hängend | ||||
| past participle | gehängt | ||||
| auxiliary | haben | ||||
| indicative | subjunctive | ||||
| singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
| present | ich hänge | wir hängen | i | ich hänge | wir hängen |
| du hängst | ihr hängt | du hängest | ihr hänget | ||
| er hängt | sie hängen | er hänge | sie hängen | ||
| preterite | ich hängte | wir hängten | ii | ich hängte1 | wir hängten1 |
| du hängtest | ihr hängtet | du hängtest1 | ihr hängtet1 | ||
| er hängte | sie hängten | er hängte1 | sie hängten1 | ||
| imperative | häng (du) hänge (du) |
hängt (ihr) | |||
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.
Usage notes edit
- The verb is generally construed with the preposition an. It is followed by the dative case in intransitive use, and the accusative case in transitive or reflexive use.
Further reading edit
Low German edit
Etymology edit
From Middle Low German hengen, from Old Saxon hengian, from Proto-West Germanic *hangijan. See also hangen.
Verb edit
hängen (third-person singular simple present hängt, past tense häng, past participle hängt, auxiliary verb hebben)
- (transitive) to hang (something); to suspend
- (transitive) to hang (someone), e.g. for a crime
- (reflexive, with “an ...”) to hang on (to something)
- (intransitive) to hang; to be suspended (hangen is usually preferred in this sense)
- (intransitive) to stick; to cling (hangen is usually preferred in this sense)
- (intransitive, figuratively, with an) to be fond of, to feel strongly about (hangen is usually preferred in this sense)
- Bochum, ik häng an di.
- Bochum, I'm fond of you.
Usage notes edit
Hängen has a doublet with nearly the same meaning and usage, hangen. However, hängen is usually preferred in its transitive meaning, while hangen is more commonly used as an intransitive verb.
The strong preterite forms ik hung, du hungst, he hung, ... are sometimes found instead of the normal weak forms ik häng, du hängst, he häng, ... due to confusion with hangen.
Conjugation edit
| infinitive | hängen | |
|---|---|---|
| indicative | present | preterite |
| 1st person singular | häng | häng |
| 2nd person singular | hängs(t) | hängs(t) |
| 3rd person singular | häng(t) | häng |
| plural | hängt, hängen | hängen |
| imperative | present | — |
| singular | häng(e) | |
| plural | hängt | |
| participle | present | past |
| hängen | (e)hängt, gehängt | |
| Note: This conjugation is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects. | ||