Appendix:German cognates with English/Regular cognates with differing consonant values/Proto-Germanic Voiced Stop Consonants

Proto-Germanic Voiced Stop Consonants

Proto-Germanic *b

German b ~ English ∅

Standard German cognate	Modern English cognate	Meaning of German cognate	Old English Cognate	Old Norse Cognate	Proto-Germanic root
Habich(t) [m]	hawk	hawk		haukr	*habukaz
wirbeln; wirbelte; (ge)wirbelt	whirl; whirled; whirled	to swirl, to whirl			*hwirbilōną

German b ~ English f, ff

German word-internal b has two main correspondences. The first is English f, always in cases at the end of a word:

Standard German cognate	Modern English cognate	Meaning of German cognate	Old English Cognate	Old Norse Cognate	Proto-Germanic root
ab	of	off	æf, af, of	af	*ab
ab	off	off	æf, af, of	af	*ab
halb	half	half	healf	halfr	*halbaz
ob	if	if	ġif	ef, if	*jabai
taub	deaf	deaf	dēaf	daufr	*daubaz
weiblich	wifely	female, feminine	wīflīċ

German b ~ English v

In other cases, German b corresponds to English v. This correspondence always occurs between vowels (though in English, this may be only an orthographic silent e). English f and v are therefore in complementary distribution, and have developed from the same source.

Standard German cognate	Modern English cognate	Meaning of German cognate	Old English cognate	Old Norse cognate	Proto-Germanic root
berauben; beraubt; beraubt	bereave; bereft/bereaved; bereft/bereaved	to deprive, to rob, to bereave	berēafian		*biraubōną
Biber [m]	beaver	beaver	beofor		*bebruz
eben	even	even (flat and smooth)	efen	jafn	*ebnaz
geben; gab; (ge)geben	give; gave; given	to give		gefa	*gebaną
Grab [n]	grave	grave	græf	gröf	*grabą
haben; hatte; (ge)habt	have; had; had	to have		hafa	*habjaną
heben; hob; (ge)hoben	heave; hove/heaved; hove/hoven/heaved	to lift		hafa	*habjaną
Herbst [m]	harvest	autumn	hærfest		*harbistaz
kerben; kerbte; (ge)kerbt	carve; carved; carved	to notch, to nick	ceorfan		*kerbaną
leben; lebte; (ge)lebt	live; lived; lived	to live		lifa	*libjaną
Leber [f]	liver	liver	lifer	lifr	*librō
Liebe [f]	love	love	lufu		*lubō
loben; lobte; (ge)lobt	love; loved; loved	to praise, to compliment so.	lofian	lofa	*lubōną
Nabel [m]	navel	navel	nafela	nafli	*nabalô
ober- (prefix); ober(halb)	over	upper, senior, chief; over, above	ofer		*uber
Rabe [m]	raven	raven	hræfn	hrafn	*hrabnaz
Salbe [f]	salve	ointment, salve	sealf		*salbō
schaben; schabte; (ge)schabt	shave; shaved; shaved	to scrape, to shave	sċafan		*skabaną
schieben; schob; (ge)schoben	shove; shoved; shoved	to push, to shove	sċūfan		*skeubaną
Sieb [n]	sieve	sieve
sieben	seven	seven	seofon		*sebun
Silber [n]	silver	silver	seolfor	silfr	*silubrą
sterben; starb; (ge)storben	starve; starved; starved	to die	steorfan		*sterbaną
Taube [f]	dove	pigeon, dove	*dūfe	dúfa	*dūbǭ
übel	evil	bad, evil, sick	yfel		*ubilaz
über	over	above, about, over	ofer		*uber
weben; wob/webte; (ge)woben/(ge)webt	weave; wove/weaved; woven/weaved	to weave	wefan	vefa	*webaną

German b ~ English f : v

That the two above correspondences have the same source is further demonstrated by words where English f (word-final) alternates with v (word-medial) in inflection.

Standard German cognate	Modern English cognate	Meaning of German cognate	Old English cognate	Old Norse cognate	Proto-Germanic root
Dieb [m]; Diebe	thief; thieves	thief	þēof	þjófr	*þeubaz
Kalb [n]; Kälber	calf; calves	calf	cælf	kalfr	*kalbaz
Laib [m]; Laibe	loaf; loaves	loaf	hlāf	hleifr	*hlaibaz
Laub [n]	leaf; leaves	foliage	lēaf	lauf	*laubą
Leib [m]; Leiber	life; lives	body	līf	líf	*lībą
Lieb; Lieber	lief	lovable, dear, darling, sweet, good-hearted, kind	leof	ljúfr	*leubaz
Schaub; Schäube	sheaf; sheaves/sheafs	sheaf	sċēaf		*skauba-
Stab [m]; Stäbe	staff; staves/staffs	staff	stæf	stafr	*stabaz
Weib [n] (dated, or derog.); Weiber	wife; wives	woman	wīf	víf	*wībą

German f ~ English v

Standard German cognate	Modern English cognate	Meaning of German cognate	Old English cognate	Old Norse cognate	Proto-Germanic root
Efeu	ivy	ivy	īfiġ		*ibahs
Hafen [m]	haven	harbor	hæfen	hǫfn	*habnō

Proto-Germanic *d

German dt, t, tt ~ English d, dd

Stadard German cognate	Modern English cognate	Meaning of German cognate	Old English cognate	Old Norse cognate	Proto-Germanic root
alt	old	old	eald, ald		*aldaz
Bart [m]	beard	beard	beard		*bardaz
behalten; behielt; behalten	behold; beheld; beholden/beheld	to keep, to maintain, to retrain	behealdan		*bihaldaną
(be)reit	ready	ready	rǣde
(Ge)bet [n]	bead	prayer	bedu		*bedō
Bett [n]	bed	bed	bedd		*badją
Bitte [f]	bead	request	bedu		*bedō
bitten; bat; (ge)beten	bid; bid/bade; bid/bidden	to ask, to request	biddan		*bidjaną
Blatt [n]	blade	blade	blæd		*bladą
Braut [f]	bride	bride	brȳd		*brūdiz
breit	broad	broad	brād		*braidaz
Brot [n]	bread	bread	brēad		*braudą
Brut [f]	brood	brood	brōd		*brōduz
Draht [m]	thread	wire	þrǣd		*þrēduz
eitel	idle	vain, conceited	īdel		*īdalaz
Flut [f]	flood	flood	flōd		*flōduz
Furt	ford	ford	ford		*furduz
Futter [n]	fodder	fodder	fōdor		*fōdrą
gelten; galt; (ge)golten	yield; yielded; yielded	to be effective, to count (be valid)	ġieldan		*geldaną
glatt	glad	smooth; slick; slippery	glæd		*gladaz
glatt	glade	smooth; slick; slippery	glæd		*gladaz
gleiten; glitt; (ge)glitten	glide; glid/glided; glid/glided	to glide	glīdan		*glīdaną
Gott [m]	god	god	god		*gudą
Gürtel [m]	girdle	belt	gyrdel		*gurdilaz
gut	good	good	gōd		*gōdaz
gütlich	goodly	friendly	gōdlīċ		*gōdalīkaz
halten; hielt; (ge)halten	hold; held; holden/held	to hold	healdan	halda	*haldaną
hart	hard	hard	heard		*harduz
Hort [m]	hoard	refuge, shelter, day care	hord		*huzdą
hundert	hundred	hundred	hundred		*hundaradą
Hut [m]	hood	hat	hōd		*hōdaz
hüten; hütete; (ge)hütet	heed; heeded; heeded	to beware (of) so./sth., to tend (a herd/flock)	hēdan		*hōdijaną
kalt	cold	cold	cald	kaldr	*kaldaz
leiten; leitete; (ge)leitet	lead; lead; lead	to guide, to lead, to run sth.	lǣdan		*laidijaną
Leiter [f]	ladder	ladder	hlǣder		*hlaidrijō
Leiter [m]	leader	leader	lǣdere
Lot [n]	lead (metal)	perpendicular, plummet, solder, sounding lead	lēad		Proto-West Germanic *laud
Matte [f]	meadow	mountain pasture	mǣd		*mēdwō
Mehltau [m]	mildew	mildew			*milidawwaz
Met	mead	mead	medu		*meduz
mit	mid	with	mid		*midi
Mittel [n] (noun); mittel (adj.)	middle	means, median (average value); middle	middel		*midlą
Mut [m]	mood	courage	mōd		*mōdaz
mutig	moody	courageous	mōdiġ		*mōdagaz
nackt	naked	naked	nacod		*nakwadaz
Not [f]	need	need	nīed		*naudiz
Otter [f]	adder	adder, viper	nǣdre		*nadrǭ
raten; riet; (ge)raten	read; read; read	to guess, to advise	rǣdan		*rēdaną
reiten; ritt; (ge)ritten	ride; rode; ridden	to ride (an animal)	rīdan		*rīdaną
retten; rettete; (ge)rettet	rid; rid; rid	to save	hreddan		*hradjaną
rot	red	red	rēad		*raudaz
Saat [f]	seed	sowing, seed	sǣd, sēd		*sēdiz
satt	sad	full, lush, to be full (food)	sæd		*sadaz
Schatte(n) [m]	shade	shadow	sċeadu		*skadwaz
Schatte(n) [m]	shadow	shadow	sċeadu		*skadwaz
Schatte(n) [m]	shed	shadow	sċeadu		*skadwaz
Schulter [f]	shoulder	shoulder	sċuldra
Schrot [m, n]	shred	crushed grain, small shot	scrēad		*skraudō
Schwert [n]	sword	sword	sweord		*swerdą
Seite [f]	side	side	sīde		*sīdǭ
Stadt [f]	stead	city	stede		*stadiz
stetig	steady	steady, continuous
Stute [f]	stud (horse)	mare	stōd		*stōdą
Tag [m]	day	day	dæġ		*dagaz
tagen; tagte; (ge)tagt	dawn; dawned; dawned	to meet; to dawn	dagian		*dagāną
täglich	daily	daily	dæġlīċ
Tal [n]	dale	valley	dæl	dalr	*dalą
tapfer	dapper	brave, plucky		dapr	*dapraz
tarnen; tarnte; (ge)tarnt	darn; darned; darned	to camouflage, to disguise, to hide, to cover	diernan		Proto-West Germanic *darnī
Tat [f]	deed	deed	dǣd, dēd		*dēdiz
Tau [m]	dew	dew	dēaw		*dawwaz, *dawwą
taub	deaf	deaf	dēaf	daufr	*daubaz
tauchen; tauchte; (ge)taucht	duck; ducked; ducked	to dive			*dūkaną
Taube [f]	dove	pigeon, dove	*dūfe	dúfa	*dūbǭ
Tenne [f]	den	threshing floor, barn for threshing	denn, denu
Teich [m]	ditch	pond	dīc, dīċ		*dīkaz
Teig	dough	dough	dāh		*daigaz
Teil [m]	dole	part, fraction	dāl		*dailą
teilen; teilte; (ge)teilt	deal; dealt; dealt	to divide, to share	dǣlan	deila	*dailijaną
tief	deep	deep	dēop	djúpr	*deupaz
Tier [n]	deer	animal	dīor, dēor	dýr, djór	*deuzą
Tochter [f]	daughter	daughter	dohtor		*duhtēr
Tod [m]	death	death	dēaþ	dauðr	*dauþuz
tödlich	deadly	deadly	dēadlīċ
toll	dull	amazing, great; crazy (obs.)	dol		*dulaz
Tor [n]	door	gate	duru	dyrr	*durz
tot	dead	dead	dēad		*daudaz
treten; trat; (ge)treten	tread; trod/tread; trodden/tread	tread	tredan		*trudaną
Tropfe(n) [m]	drop	drop	dropa	dropi	*drupô
tropfen; tropfte; (ge)tropft	drip; dripped; dripped	to drop; to drip
tröpf(el)n; tröpf(el)te; (ge)tröpf(el)t	drip; dripped; dripped	to drip
tüchtig	doughty	efficient, capable, hard, competent, big	dyhtiġ
tun; tat; (ge)tan	do; did; done	to do	dōn		*dōną
Tür [f]	door	door	duru	dyrr	*durz
unter	under	under	under	undir	*under
Urteil [n]	ordeal	judgement, verdict	ordāl		*uzdailiją
walten; waltete; (ge)waltet	wield; wielded; wielded	to preside over sth., to prevail, to rule	wealdan	valda	*waldaną
warten; wartete; (ge)wartet	ward; warded; warded	to wait, to maintain	weardian		*wardāną
waten; watete; (ge)watet	wade; waded; waded	to wade	wadan		*wadaną
weit	wide	wide	wīd		*wīdaz
Welt [f]	world	world	weorold, worold, woruld	verǫld	*weraldiz
wetten; wettete; (ge)wettet	wed; wed/wedded; wed/wedded	to bet, to wager	weddian		*wadjōną
Witwe [f]	widow	widow	widewe, wuduwe		*widuwǭ
Zeit [f]	tide	time	tīd		*tīdiz
zeitig	tidy	seasonal, timely

Proto-Germanic *g

German g ~ English Ø, y

Standard German cognate	Modern English cognate	Meaning of German cognate	Old English cognate	Old Norse cognate	Proto-Germanic root
Auge [n]	eye	eye	ēage		*augô
belegen; belegte; belegt	belay; belaid/belayed; belaid/belayed	to cover, to occupy, to belay	beleċġan
dröge	dry	dull	drȳġe, drīġe		*drūgiz
einig- (det.)	any	some	ǣniġ, āni		*ainagaz
Fliege [f]	fly (animal)	fly (animal)	flēoġe		*fleugǭ
fliegen; flog; (ge)flogen	fly; flew; flown	to fly			*fleuganą
flüchtig	flighty	fleeting, superficial, fleeing
fügen; fügte; (ge)fügt	fay; fayed; fayed	to connect	fēġan		*fōgijaną
gähnen; gähnte; (ge)gähnt	yawn; yawned; yawned	to yawn	ġinian		*ginōną
Garn [n]	yarn	yarn	ġearn, ġern		*garną
Garte(n) [m]	yard	garden, yard	ġeard		*gardaz
gelb	yellow	yellow	ġeolu		*gelwaz
Geld [n]	yield	money	ġild		*geldą
gelten; galt; (ge)golten	yield; yielded; yielded	to be effective, to count (be valid)	ġieldan		*geldaną
heilig	holy	holy	hāliġ		*hailagaz
Honig [m]	honey	honey	huniġ		*hunagą
hungrig	hungry	hungry	hungriġ		*hungragaz
kräftig	crafty	strong, sturdy, vigorous	cræftiġ
legen; legte; (ge)legt	lay; laid; laid	to lay	leċġan		*lagjaną
liegen; lag; (ge)legen	lie; lay; lain	to lie			*ligjaną
lügen; log; (ge)logen	lie; lied; lied	to lie			*leuganą
mächtig	mighty	powerful, mighty	mihtiġ		*mahtīgaz
Magd [f]	maid; maid(en)	maidservant	mæġden		*magaþs
milchig	milky	milky
mögen; mochte; (ge)mocht	- (may); might; might	to like			*maganą
pflegen; pflegte; (ge)pflegt	play; played; played	to groom; to nurse, to tend so./sth.	plēon; pleġan		*plehaną
Roggen [m]	rye	rye	ryġe		*rugiz
saftig	sappy	juicy	sæpiġ
sagen; sagte; (ge)sagt	say; said; said	to say	seċġan		*sagjaną
sandig	sandy	sandy	sandiġ
schäbig	shabby	shabby
sonnig	sunny	sunny	*sunniġ
stetig	steady	steady, continuous
Tag [m]	day	day	dæġ		*dagaz
täglich	daily	daily	dæġlīċ
tüchtig	doughty	efficient, capable, hard, competent, big	dyhtiġ
traurig	dreary	sad	drēoriġ		*dreuzagaz
Weg [m] (nom.); weg- (prefix)	way	path, way	weġ		*wegaz
witzig	witty	funny, humorous	wittiġ
zeitig	tidy	seasonal, timely
Zeug [n]	toy	stuff, things			*teugą

German g ~ English ∅, gh /∅/

Standard German cognate	Modern English cognate	Meaning of German cognate	Old English cognate	Old Norse cognate	Proto-Germanic root
biegen; bog; (ge)bogen	bow; bowed; bowed	to bend, to bow	būgan		*beuganą
Bogen [m]	bow	bow	boga	bogi	*bugô
Bug [m] (biology; gastronomy)	bough	shoulder joint (animal)	bōh		*bōguz
eigen	own	own, proper	āgen	eiginn	*aiganaz
Ellboge(n)	elbow	elbow	elboga	ǫlbogi	*alinabugô
Ellenboge(n)	elbow	elbow	elboga	ǫlbogi	*alinabugô
Pflug [m]	plough/plow	plow	plōh		*plōgaz
Säge [f]	saw	saw	sagu, saga	sǫg	*sagō
tagen; tagte; (ge)tagt	dawn; dawned; dawned	to meet; to dawn	dagian		*dagāną
Teig	dough	dough	dāh		*daigaz
tragen; trug; (ge)tragen	draw; drew; drawn	to carry, to bear, to wear	dragan	draga	*draganą
Trog [m]	trough	trough, trench	trog	trog	*trugaz
wägen; wog/wägte; (ge)wogen/(ge)wägt	weigh; weighed; weighed	to weigh	wegan		*weganą