erbarmen

See also: Erbarmen

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛrˈbɑrmə(n)/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: er‧bar‧men

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch erbarmen, from Old High German irbarmēn, with two prefixes ir- +‎ ab- +‎ armēn. The base verb derives from Proto-Germanic *armāną (“to pity”), from *armaz (“poor”) (modern arm). The word ontfermen derives from the same source, with a different prefix.

Verb

erbarmen

1. (intransitive) to have mercy, to take pity

Inflection

Conjugation of erbarmen (weak, prefixed)
infinitive	erbarmen
past singular	erbarmde
past participle	erbarmd
infinitive	erbarmen
gerund	erbarmen n
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	erbarm	erbarmde
2nd person sing. (jij)	erbarmt, erbarm2	erbarmde
2nd person sing. (u)	erbarmt	erbarmde
2nd person sing. (gij)	erbarmt	erbarmde
3rd person singular	erbarmt	erbarmde
plural	erbarmen	erbarmden
subjunctive sing.1	erbarme	erbarmde
subjunctive plur.1	erbarmen	erbarmden
imperative sing.	erbarm
imperative plur.1	erbarmt
participles	erbarmend	erbarmd
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

Derived terms

• erbarmelijk
• erbarming

Etymology 2

Gerund of the verb erbarmen.

Noun

erbarmen n (uncountable)

1. mercy, pity

Synonyms

• erbarming

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German

Etymology

Most likely related to archaic German Barm (“bosom”) and has the sense of "cherishing in one's bosom".

Alternatively, from Middle High German erbarmen, irbarmen, from Old High German irbarmēn (“to take pity, have mercy on”) from Proto-Germanic *armāną (“to take pity”).

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

1. (reflexive) to take pity on, to have mercy for

   Herr, erbarme Dich unser.

   Lord, have mercy on us.

   Wer wird sich meiner armen Bücher erbarmen?.

   Who will take pity on my poor books?

Usage notes

• In formal standard German, the verb is used with a genitive object (as above).
  In the colloquial language, but occasionally in writing, the preposition über + accusative may be used instead: Er hat sich über den alten Mann erbarmt. This is however not generally accepted.
• This verb can be avoided by using the widely synonymous construction Erbarmen haben mit (→ Hab Erbarmen mit uns.).

Further reading

• “erbarmen” in Duden online
• “erbarmen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• Template:R:Canoo