ge-

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[edit] Afrikaans

[edit] Prefix

ge-

  1. used to form the past participle
    Ek het die koek geeet — I have eaten the cake.

[edit] Derived terms


[edit] Dutch

[edit] Etymology

From unstressed Germanic prefix *ga-, Old Saxon gi-. Cognate with Old High German ga- (German ge-), Old English ge-, Gothic 𐌲𐌰- (ga-).

[edit] Prefix

ge-

  1. Used for forming a past participle.
  2. Used with a verb stem to create a neuter uncountable noun referring to an action or its result, seen as a single collective whole. Comparable to English -ing (although that forms countable nouns, as it does in Dutch).
  3. Used in combination with the suffix -te to make a neuter uncountable noun which refers to a collection of objects, each one of which is an instance of the original noun (the stem).

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] See also


[edit] Esperanto

[edit] Etymology

From German ge- for neuter collective nouns.

[edit] Prefix

ge-

  1. used with the plural to indicate both sexes together
    examples

[edit] Usage notes

Occasionally used in the singular with masculine roots to indicate unspecified gender: gefrato sibling. Used in slang to indicate (hetero)sexual activity: gedormi to sleep together.

[edit] Derived terms


[edit] German

[edit] Etymology

From unstressed Germanic prefix *ga-, Old High German ga-. Cognate with Old Saxon gi- (Dutch ge-), Old English ge-, Gothic 𐌲𐌰- (ga-).

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Prefix

Ge-

  1. Forms collective nouns, almost always neuter gender. Whenever possible, the root vowel is modified as well: Ader/Geäder, Ast/Geäst, Berg/Gebirge, Busch/Gebüsch, Rippe/Gerippe, Stein/Gestein, Strauch/Gesträuch, Wasser/Gewässer, Wolke/Gewölk.
  2. With verbal nouns, it denotes repetition or continuation. All of these nouns are neuter and have no plural. For example: ächzen/Geächze, heulen/Geheul, reden/Gerede, seufzen/Geseufze.

[edit] Prefix

ge-

  1. Forms past participles of some irregular verbs: essen/gegessen, sehen/gesehen, sprechen/gesprochen. Nouns are frequently made from the past participle.

[edit] Synonyms

  • ge- -t (for regular verbs and some irregular verbs)
  • -t (for verbs with an unstressed prefix)

[edit] Ido

[edit] Prefix

ge-

  1. used with the plural to indicate both sexes together

[edit] Derived terms


[edit] Limburgish

[edit] Etymology

Older Limburgish gè-. From unstressed Germanic prefix *ga-, Old High German ga-. Cognate with Old Saxon gi- (Dutch ge-), Old English ge-, Gothic 𐌲𐌰- (ga-).

[edit] Prefix

ge-

  1. When used in combination with the suffix -dje it creates a neuter noun which refers to a collection of objects, each one of which is an instance of the original noun (the stem) stein/gesteindje.
  2. With verbal nouns, it denotes repetition or continuation. All of these nouns are neuter and have no plural. For example: kalle/gekal.
  3. Forms past participles of verbs: wèrke/gewèrk.
  4. Used as an intensifier of verbs. wèrke/gewèrke.

[edit] Old English

[edit] Etymology

From unstressed Germanic prefix *ga-. Cognate with Old Saxon gi- (Dutch ge-), Old High German ga- (German ge-), Gothic 𐌲𐌰- (ga-).

[edit] Pronunciation

  • IPA: /je/, /jə/

[edit] Prefix

ġe-

  1. as an intensifier of verbs
  2. forming nouns or adjectives of association or similarity
  3. forming nouns and verbs with the sense of ‘result’ or ‘process’
  4. forming past participles or participle adjectives from verbs

[edit] Descendants