beter

See also: betér

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch beter. The verb sense is a calque from English better, had better.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɪətər/

Adjective

beter

1. comparative degree of goed

Verb

beter (present beter)

1. had better (used as an auxiliary verb to mean should; must)

   Jy beter versigtig wees.

   You (had) better be careful.

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Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch beter, from Old Dutch betiro, from Proto-Germanic *batizô, comparative of *gōdaz. Cognate with Low German beter, West Frisian better, English better, German besser, Danish bedre, Swedish bättre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbeːtər/

• audio (Netherlands):

  (file)

• audio (Belgium):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eːtər

Adjective

beter

1. (deprecated template usage) Comparative form of goed; better.

Descendants

• Afrikaans: beter

Verb

beter

1. (deprecated template usage) first-person singular present indicative of beteren
2. (deprecated template usage) imperative of beteren

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Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch betera, betiro, from Proto-Germanic *batizô.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛːtər/

Adjective

bēter

1. better; comparative degree of goet

Derived terms

• bēteren

Adverb

bēter

1. better; comparative degree of wel

Synonyms

• bat

Descendants

• Dutch: beter

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Middle English

Adjective

beter

1. Alternative form of bettre

Adverb

beter

1. Alternative form of bettre

Noun

beter

1. Alternative form of bettre

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Old French

Etymology

Probably from Old Norse beita.

Verb

beter

1. to bait

Conjugation

This verb conjugates as a first-group verb ending in -er. The forms that would normally end in *-ts, *-tt are modified to z, t. Old French conjugation varies significantly by date and by region. The following conjugation should be treated as a guide.

    Conjugation of beter (see also Appendix:Old French verbs)

		simple			compound
infinitive		beter			avoir beté
gerund		en betant			gerund of avoir + past participle
present participle		betant
past participle		beté
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	il	nos	vos	il
simple tenses	present	bet	betes	bete	betons	betez	betent
	imperfect	betoie, beteie, betoe, beteve	betoies, beteies, betoes, beteves	betoit, beteit, betot, beteve	betiiens, betiens	betiiez, betiez	betoient, beteient, betoent, betevent
	preterite	betai	betas	beta	betames	betastes	beterent
	future	beterai	beteras	betera	beterons	beteroiz, betereiz, beterez	beteront
	conditional	beteroie, betereie	beteroies, betereies	beteroit, betereit	beteriiens, beteriens	beteriiez, beteriez	beteroient, betereient
compound tenses	present perfect	present tense of avoir + past participle
	pluperfect	imperfect tense of avoir + past participle
	past anterior	preterite tense of avoir + past participle
	future perfect	future tense of avoir + past participle
	conditional perfect	conditional tense of avoir + past participle
subjunctive		que jo	que tu	qu’il	que nos	que vos	qu’il
simple tenses	present	bet	bez	bet	betons	betez	betent
	imperfect	betasse	betasses	betast	betissons, betissiens	betissoiz, betissez, betissiez	betassent
compound tenses	past	present subjunctive of avoir + past participle
	pluperfect	imperfect subjunctive of avoir + past participle
imperative		–	tu	–	nos	vos	–
		—	bete	—	betons	betez	—

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Swedish

Verb

beter

1. (deprecated template usage) present tense of bete.

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Turkish

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish بتر (beter), from Persian بدتر (bad-tar).

Adjective

beter

1. worse