lecken
German
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈlɛkŋ̩/, /ˈlɛkn̩/
Audio (file) Audio (file)
Etymology 1
From Middle High German lëcken, from Old High German lecchōn, from Proto-West Germanic *likkōn, from Proto-Germanic *likkōną, from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵʰ-.
Cognate with Dutch likken, English lick, Latin lingo, Ancient Greek λείχω (leíkhō).
Verb
lecken (weak, third-person singular present leckt, past tense leckte, past participle geleckt, auxiliary haben)
- (transitive or intransitive, also with an + dative) to lick (strike with the tongue)
- Der Hund leckte sein Fell. ― The dog licked its fur.
- Der Hund leckte an seinem Fell. ― The dog licked its fur.
- (transitive or intransitive) to lick (perform cunnilingus)
- Mein Freund leckt total gerne.
- My boyfriend totally enjoys licking.
Conjugation
infinitive | lecken | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
present participle | leckend | ||||
past participle | geleckt | ||||
auxiliary | haben | ||||
indicative | subjunctive | ||||
singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
present | ich lecke | wir lecken | i | ich lecke | wir lecken |
du leckst | ihr leckt | du leckest | ihr lecket | ||
er leckt | sie lecken | er lecke | sie lecken | ||
preterite | ich leckte | wir leckten | ii | ich leckte1 | wir leckten1 |
du lecktest | ihr lecktet | du lecktest1 | ihr lecktet1 | ||
er leckte | sie leckten | er leckte1 | sie leckten1 | ||
imperative | leck (du) lecke (du) |
leckt (ihr) |
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.
Derived terms
- leck mich (idiomatic, offensive)
- sich die Wunden lecken
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Middle Low German lecken, from Old Saxon *lekkian, from Proto-West Germanic *lakkjan, from Proto-Germanic *lakjaną, originally a causative of the verb Proto-Germanic *lekaną (“to leak”), related to English leak. The same in Dutch lekken (“to leak”).
Verb
lecken (weak, third-person singular present leckt, past tense leckte, past participle geleckt, auxiliary haben)
Conjugation
infinitive | lecken | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
present participle | leckend | ||||
past participle | geleckt | ||||
auxiliary | haben | ||||
indicative | subjunctive | ||||
singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
present | ich lecke | wir lecken | i | ich lecke | wir lecken |
du leckst | ihr leckt | du leckest | ihr lecket | ||
er leckt | sie lecken | er lecke | sie lecken | ||
preterite | ich leckte | wir leckten | ii | ich leckte1 | wir leckten1 |
du lecktest | ihr lecktet | du lecktest1 | ihr lecktet1 | ||
er leckte | sie leckten | er leckte1 | sie leckten1 | ||
imperative | leck (du) lecke (du) |
leckt (ihr) |
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.
Middle Dutch
Etymology 1
From Old Dutch leccon, from Proto-West Germanic *likkōn, from Proto-Germanic *likkōną.
Inflection
This verb needs an inflection-table template.
Alternative forms
- licken
Etymology 2
From Old Dutch *lekken, from Proto-West Germanic *lakkjan.
Inflection
This verb needs an inflection-table template.
Descendants
- Dutch: lekken
Further reading
- “lecken”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
- Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “lecken (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I
- Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “lecken (III)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page III