backen
German
Etymology
From Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value), from Old High German backan, an originally weak verb and geminated variant of an older strong verb: Middle High German bachen, from Old High German bahhan, from Proto-West Germanic *bakan.
The two verbs early on were blended to some degree, each developing both weak and strong forms. Bachen was originally the predominant form in Upper German. Backen prevailed in the modern standard language because it was common in Central German and also in line with Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value) (where *baken is not attested). Cognate with Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value), Dutch bakken, English bake, Danish bage, Swedish baka, and also Ancient Greek φώγω (phṓgō).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbakən/, [ˈbakən], [ˈbakŋ̩]
Audio (file)
Verb
backen (weak or class 6 strong, third-person singular present backt or bäckt, past tense backte or buk, past participle gebacken or gebackt, past subjunctive backte or büke, auxiliary haben)
- (transitive or intransitive) to bake; to roast
- Der Bäcker backt jeden Morgen 30 Laib Brot.
- The baker bakes 30 loaves of bread every morning.
- Ist der Kuchen schon gebacken?
- Is the cake baked yet?
- (transitive or intransitive, colloquial, regional) to fry
- (transitive or intransitive, chiefly pottery) to fire
- Die Tonfigur muss mindestens zwei Stunden im Ofen backen.
- The clay piece must be fired in the oven for at least two hours.
- (intransitive) to stick together; to cake.
- Der Schnee backte gestern besser.
- The snow caked better yesterday.
- Der Schnee backt an meinen Schuhen.
- My shoes are caked with snow.
- (transitive) to stick (something to something else).
Usage notes
The verb Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value) has weak forms (present: du backst, er backt; past: backte; past participle: gebackt) alongside strong forms (du bäckst, er bäckt; buk; gebacken). The contemporary usage is as follows:
- For the past participle, strong gebacken is the normal form.
- Otherwise both weak and strong forms are possible, with probably a certain prominence of the former. For the past tense in particular, the choice is left to personal preference, since neither backte nor buk are commonly heard in vernacular German, which, in several large areas, almost exclusively uses the perfect tense for this verb (and many others).
- Only weak forms are generally used in the sense of “to stick”, except for the past participle, which may be gebacken or gebackt.
Conjugation
Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value)
Synonyms
Further reading
- “backen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “backen” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
- “herstellen, garen” in Duden online
- “backen, Seemannssprache” in Duden online
- “backen” in OpenThesaurus.de
Middle Dutch
Etymology
From Old Dutch *bakkan, *bakan, from Proto-West Germanic *bakan.
Inflection
This verb needs an inflection-table template.
Weak | ||
---|---|---|
Infinitive | backen | |
3rd sg. past | — | |
3rd pl. past | — | |
Past participle | — | |
Infinitive | backen | |
In genitive | backens | |
In dative | backene | |
Indicative | Present | Past |
1st singular | backe | — |
2nd singular | bacs, backes | — |
3rd singular | bact, backet | — |
1st plural | backen | — |
2nd plural | bact, backet | — |
3rd plural | backen | — |
Subjunctive | Present | Past |
1st singular | backe | — |
2nd singular | bacs, backes | — |
3rd singular | backe | — |
1st plural | backen | — |
2nd plural | bact, backet | — |
3rd plural | backen | — |
Imperative | Present | |
Singular | bac, backe | |
Plural | bact, backet | |
Present | Past | |
Participle | backende | — |
Alternative forms
Derived terms
- backelijc
- backere
- backerse
- misbacken
- verbacken
Further reading
- “backen (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
- Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “backen (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I