STRONG VERBS
The
denominative for string verbs were that there was a vowel shift called 'ablaut'
in the root of the verb. Due to different vowel shifts, strong verbs were
grouped in 6 categories. An additional category were used for reduplicated
verbs.
Germanic Ablaut:
I group (
- 
- i
- )
Gothic (reisan-rais-risum-risans)
I-a-Ø-Ø
btan (to bite), cf.
Swedish 'bita', German 'beißen', Dutch 'bijten'.
lþan
(to go), cf. Swedish 'lida'
(to pass 'time', to suffer).
II group (
o - 
a -
u - o)
bodan (to offer),
cf. Swedish 'bjuda'. Goth.kiusan
kaus kusum kusans I-a-Ø-Ø
cosan (to choose)
ceas curon coren
III group (i, e - a - u -u) sonorant+consonant
*helpan (to help)
helpan healp hulpon holpen,
cf. Swedish 'hjälpa', German 'hilfen', Dutch 'helpen'..
**bindan (to bind) band
bundon bunden,
Goth.bindan
band bundum bundans (i-a-Ø-Ø)
cf. Swedish 'binda', German 'binden', Dutch 'binden'.
IV group (e - æ
- æ -o)
stelan (to steal)
stæl stælon stolen, Goth._stilan stal stelum stulans(i-a-e-l)
cf. Swedish 'stjäla', German 'stehlen', Dutch 'stelen'.
V group (e - æ - æ -e)
cweþan cwæþ cwædon cweden (Verner)
Goth._qiþan qaþ qeþum qiþans
metan (to measure),
cf. Swedish 'mäta', German 'messen', Dutch 'meten'.
VI group X-ABLAUT (a - 
- -
a) Goth_faran fr frum
farans (a---a)
faran fr fron
faren (to go), cf. Swedish 'fara', German 'fahren', Dutch 'faren'.
VII group Goth. letan lailot lailotum letans
OE lætan l
t l
ton læten (long æ)
WEAK VERBS
Weak verbs
form the majority of Old English verbs. They are divided in three classes
according to the endings in the preterite:
Class I
temman
(to tame), cf. Swedish 'tämja'.
dman (to judge),
cf. Swedish 'döma'.
sellan (to sell), cf. Swedish 'sälja'.
Class II
lofian
(to praise), cf. Swedish 'lova'.
Class III
habban (to have) libban (to live) secgan (to say) hycgan (to think) lætan (to let,
allow), cf. Swedish 'låta'.
Preterito present
witan (to know)
þurfan (to need)
mtan (may)
dn (to do)
|
Class |
Usual Form |
Infinitive |
1st Preterite |
2nd Preterite |
Past
Participle |
|
I |
i + one cons.
(scinan) |
i (scinan) |
a (scan) |
i (scinon) |
i (scinen) |
|
II |
eo + one
cons. (creopan) |
eo (creopan) |
ea (creap,
breac) |
u (crupon,
brucon) |
o (cropen,
brocen) |
|
e + two cons. (bregdan) |
e (bregdan) |
æ
(brægd) |
u (brugdon) |
o (brogden) |
|
|
IV |
e + one cons.
(beran) |
e (beran) |
æ
(bær) |
æ
(bæron) |
o (boren) |
|
V |
e + one cons.
(tredan) |
e (tredan) |
æ
(træd) |
æ
(trædon) |
e (treden) |
|
VI |
a+ one cons.
(faran) |
a (faran) |
o (for) |
o (foron) |
a (faren) |
|
VII |
same stem in
inf./past ptc. same stem in
1/2 pret. |
(healdan) (hatan) |
(heold) (het) |
(heoldon) (heton) |
(healden) (haten) |