wassen

See also: Wassen, Wassén, and Waßen

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋɑ.sə(n)/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑsən

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch wasschen, from Old Dutch wascan, from Proto-West Germanic *waskan, from Proto-Germanic *waskaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wed- (“water, wet”).

Alternative forms

• wasschen (obsolete spelling)

Verb

wassen

1. (transitive) to wash, to clean

   Ik ga mijn kleren wassen in de wasmachine. ― I am going to wash my clothes in the washing machine.

   Vergeet niet je handen te wassen voor het eten. ― Don't forget to wash your hands before eating.

   Ik moet de auto even wassen voordat we op reis gaan. ― I need to clean the car before we go on a trip.

Conjugation

Conjugation of wassen (weak with strong past participle)
infinitive	wassen
past singular	waste
past participle	gewassen
infinitive	wassen
gerund	wassen n
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	was	waste
2nd person sing. (jij)	wast, was2	waste
2nd person sing. (u)	wast	waste
2nd person sing. (gij)	wast	waste
3rd person singular	wast	waste
plural	wassen	wasten
subjunctive sing.1	wasse	waste
subjunctive plur.1	wassen	wasten
imperative sing.	was
imperative plur.1	wast
participles	wassend	gewassen
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

Derived terms

• afwassen
• bewassen
• de oren wassen
• glazenwassen
• opwassen
• uitwassen
• verwassen
• was
• wasbeurt
• wasgelegenheid
• wasmachine
• waswater
• witwassen
• zakkenwasser

Descendants

• Afrikaans: was
• Berbice Creole Dutch: wasi
• Negerhollands: wasch, was
• Skepi Creole Dutch: was
• →? Sranan Tongo: wasi
  • → Aukan: wasi
  • → Saramaccan: wási

Etymology 2

From Middle Dutch wassen, from Old Dutch wassan, from Proto-Germanic *wahsijaną (“to increase”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂weg- (“to increase”).

Verb

wassen

1. (intransitive, archaic) to grow, to rise, to increase, to become higher and/or bigger, to wax

   de wassende maan ― the waxing moon

Conjugation

Conjugation of wassen (strong class 7)
infinitive	wassen
past singular	wies
past participle	gewassen
infinitive	wassen
gerund	wassen n
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	was	wies
2nd person sing. (jij)	wast, was2	wies
2nd person sing. (u)	wast	wies
2nd person sing. (gij)	wast	wiest
3rd person singular	wast	wies
plural	wassen	wiesen
subjunctive sing.1	wasse	wiese
subjunctive plur.1	wassen	wiesen
imperative sing.	was
imperative plur.1	wast
participles	wassend	gewassen
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

Derived terms

• aanwassen
• bewassen
• gewas
• uit de kluiten gewassen
• uitwassen
• verwassen
• volwassen
• wasdom
• wassenaar

Etymology 3

From was +‎ -en.

Adjective

wassen (not comparable)

1. made of wax, waxen

   De wassen kaarsen hebben een aangename geur. ― The wax candles have a pleasant scent.

   De wassen vloer glansde in het zonlicht. ― The waxen floor glistened in the sunlight.

Declension

Declension of wassen
uninflected	wassen
inflected	wassen
comparative	—
		positive
predicative/adverbial		—
indefinite	m./f. sing.	wassen
	n. sing.	wassen
	plural	wassen
definite		wassen
partitive		—

Derived terms

• wassen neus

Etymology 4

From was +‎ -en.

Verb

wassen

1. (transitive) to rub wax on, to wax

   Ik ga de houten tafel wassen met een laagje bijenwas. ― I am going to wax the wooden table with some beeswax.

   De meubelmaker heeft de antieke kast netjes gewast met een speciale was. ― The furniture maker carefully waxed the antique cabinet with a special wax.

   Voordat je de vloer gaat boenen, moet je eerst de tegels wassen. ― Before you start scrubbing the floor, you need to rub wax on the tiles.

Conjugation

Conjugation of wassen (weak)
infinitive	wassen
past singular	waste
past participle	gewast
infinitive	wassen
gerund	wassen n
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	was	waste
2nd person sing. (jij)	wast, was2	waste
2nd person sing. (u)	wast	waste
2nd person sing. (gij)	wast	waste
3rd person singular	wast	waste
plural	wassen	wasten
subjunctive sing.1	wasse	waste
subjunctive plur.1	wassen	wasten
imperative sing.	was
imperative plur.1	wast
participles	wassend	gewast
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

Derived terms

• bewassen
• verwassen

Low German

Etymology

From Old Saxon wahsan, from Proto-Germanic *wahsaną.

Verb

wassen

1. to wax, grow

Conjugation

Conjugation of wassen (class 7 strong verb)

infinitive	wassen
	present	preterite
1st person singular	wass	wuss
2nd person singular	wasss(t)	wusss(t)
3rd person singular	wass(t)	wuss
plural	wasst, wassen	wussen
	imperative
singular	wass
plural	wasst
	present	past
participle	wassen	(e)wussen, gewussen

Note: This conjugation is one of many.
Neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch wassan, from Proto-West Germanic *wahsan, from Proto-Germanic *wahsijaną (“to increase”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂weg- (“to increase”).

Verb

wassen

1. to grow, to wax
2. to increase

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms

• utewassen

Descendants

• Dutch: wassen
  • Afrikaans: was

Further reading

• “wassen (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “wassen (III)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page III