Niwenglisc:Unregellice Verbe

Irregular Verbs
These high-frequency verbs are irregular in some way, but must be memorized to be able to use them effectively.

Gan - to go

 * Present: ic ga, þu gæst, he gæþ; wiȝ/ȝiȝ/hje gaþ
 * Past:   ic geng, þu gengst, he geng; wiȝ/ȝiȝ/hje gengen
 * Perfect: ic em gegan...

Haben - to have

 * Present: ic habe, þu hafst, he hafþ; wiȝ/ȝiȝ/hje habeþ
 * Past:   ic hafde, þu hafdest, he hafde; wiȝ/ȝiȝ/hje hafden
 * Perfect: ic habe gehafd...

Hycgen - to think
In this verb, meaning to think about something for a time, think over, the present is pronounced ich hü-jeh, thu hüchst, etc. It uses an ich-laut in the 2nd and 3rd persons. In the past tense, this g sounds like Scottish loch
 * Present: ic hycge, þu hyȝst, he hyȝþ; wiȝ/ȝiȝ/hje hycgeþ
 * Past:   ic hogde, þu hogdest, he hogde; wiȝ/ȝiȝ/hje hogden
 * Perfect: ic habe gehogd...

Libben - to live
This refers to the action of living. The verb to reside in a place is wunen.
 * Present: ic libbe, þu lifst, he lifþ; wiȝ/ȝiȝ/hje libbeþ
 * Past:   ic lifde, þu lifdest, he lifde; wiȝ/ȝiȝ/hje lifden
 * Perfect: ic habe gelifd...

Secgen - to say
This verb is most often used in indirect quotes, i.e., "He said that he was going home..." (He sæȝde þat he to Hus ginge.). For direct quotes, the verb kweðen to say is used, i.e., "You said, 'I bought a new computer.'" (Þu kwaþst, 'ic bohte anen niwen Computer.')

And the past:


 * Perfect: ic habe gesæȝd...

Wesen/Been - to be
Wesen/Been is the only verb with a distinct future tense, as all other verbs use werðen and the infinitive.


 * Perfect: ic em gewesen...


 * Future Perfect: ic bim gebeen...I will have been (in the future past now, but completed in the future at some point)
 * Future Perfect (referring to now): ic bim gewesen...I will have been in the past (now or before now)


 * Future Perfect 1/2: