dürfen

German (Berlin)

/ˈdʏrfən/, /ˈdʏrfən/

verb-irregular
Definitions
  • (auxiliary) To be allowed (to do something); to be permitted (to do something); may.
  • (intransitive) To be allowed or permitted to do something implied or previously stated; may.
  • (subjunctive present) Expresses that something is estimated or probable.
  • (colloquial) to must, to have to

Etymology

Inherited from Middle High German dürfen inherited from Old High German durfan inherited from Proto-Germanic *þurbaną (need, require, must).

Origin

Proto-Germanic

*þurbaną

Gloss

need, require, must

Concept
Semantic Field

Cognition

Ontological Category

Other

Emoji

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms