begannen

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begannen

1. first/third-person plural preterite of beginnen

From Middle High German beginnen, from Proto-West Germanic *biginnan (“to begin”). The original conjugation was like spannen, wannen etc. A strong past participle is still attested on the German side of the border.

• IPA^(key): [bəˈɡɑnən]

begannen (third-person singular present begannt, past participle begannt, auxiliary verb hunn)

1. (reflexive) to bestir oneself, to take action (with the undertone that someone is or was sluggish)

   Synonym: sech oprappen

2. (reflexive) to hurry

   Synonym: sech tommelen

• ufänken