spreken

Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch sprekan, from Proto-Germanic *sprekaną, from Proto-Indo-European *spreg- (“to make a sound, utter, speak”). Compare Low German spreken, German sprechen, West Frisian sprekke, English speak.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spreː.kə(n)/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

spreken (past singular sprak, past participle gesproken)

1. to speak

Conjugation

Conjugation of spreken (strong class 4)

infinitive	spreken
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	spreek	sprak
2nd person singular	spreekt	sprak
2nd person sing. (gij)	spreekt	spraakt
3rd person singular	spreekt	sprak
plural	spreken	spraken
subjunctive sing.1	spreke	sprake
subjunctive plur.1	spreken	spraken
imperative sing.	spreek
imperative plur.1	spreekt
participles	sprekend	(hebben) gesproken
1) Archaic.

Synonyms

• praten

Derived terms

aanspreken afspreken bespreken gesprek inspreken spraak spreektaal tegenspreken uitspreken vanzelfsprekend vrijspreken

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Low German

Etymology

From Old Saxon sprekan, from Proto-Germanic *sprekaną. Cognate to Dutch spreken, German sprechen, West Frisian sprekke, English speak.

Verb

spreken (past singular sprook, past participle spraken, auxiliary verb hebben)

1. to speak

Conjugation

Conjugation of spreken (class 4 strong verb)

infinitive	spreken
indicative	present	preterite
1st person singular	spreek	sprook
2nd person singular	sprickst	sprookst
3rd person singular	sprickt	sprook
plural	spreekt	sproken
imperative	present	—
singular	spreek
plural	spreekt
participle	present	past
	spreken	spraken

Synonyms

• snacken