Etymologically
Log in

dann

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 20 October 2026 at 18:49. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

Forms

dann (adverb)[1][2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle High German danne, inherited from Old High German danna, inherited from Proto-Germanic *þan (“then”).[3][1] Like Old Frisian thana and Old English þonne, it is the time adverb Proto-Germanic *þan extended with an n-particle; Old Saxon thanna is the same word, and Old Norse þá continues the simple form.[3][4] Today the same word is Dutch dan and English then and than.[4][5]

The Germanic adverb was formed with a temporal n-suffix from the demonstrative stem Proto-Indo-European *to- of der and da;[3][4] Wiktionary calls the details unclear.[1] The Grimms derived it from an accusative of the demonstrative, comparing Latin tum (“then”), and the form Old High German denne from the accusative den;[6] the EWA calls the latter untenable.[7] The umlauted form denn is originally the same word.[3][4][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Old High German danna, danne is recorded from the 8th century; its oldest uses are as a comparative particle “than” and as a temporal conjunction and adverb “then, when”.[3][7] The EWA lists the senses “then, thereupon, further, moreover, at that time” and, as a conjunction, “when, while, since”.[7]

Semantic evolution

Until the 18th century dann and denn were used without a difference in meaning, most writers preferring one of them: Luther wrote only denn, while Steinhöwel and Fischart preferred dann.[3][6][9] In the second half of the 18th century the written language divided the functions: dann kept the adverbial uses “afterwards” and “in that case”, while denn took over the conjunction and the comparative.[8][4] English separated than and then at about the same time.[4]

The dialects did not follow this division: Rhenish, South Hessian and Palatinate German use dann in all functions, while East Central German and Low German have no dann and use denn for everything.[7][8] The formula dann und wann “now and then” was considered a Brandenburg word by the poet Canitz, but Adelung found it common in Upper Saxony as well.[10]

Timeline

  • 8th century – Old High German danna, danne is recorded.[3][4]
  • 9th century – thanne noh “still at that time”, the source of dennoch, is recorded.[4]
  • 16th century – Luther writes only denn, for all functions.[6]
  • Second half of the 18th century – The written language separates dann and denn.[8][4]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. then, afterwards: erst spielten sie, dann stritten sie sich.[2][1]
  2. Then, next in a row or in rank: an der Spitze eine Kapelle, dann eine Trachtengruppe.[2]
  3. Then, in that case, under that condition: lehnt die Firma ab, dann klagen wir.[2][1]
  4. Moreover, besides: und dann kommt noch die Steuer hinzu.[2]
  5. At a certain later time: bis dann! “see you then”;[2] dann und wann “now and then”.[2]
  6. (regional, in exclamations) So, well then: dann mach doch!.[2]
  7. (archaic) Than, for: as denn.[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 181
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Pfeifer, Wolfgang, et al. (1993), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen, 2nd ed., Berlin: Akademie-Verlag; digital revised version in the DWDS, dwds.de
  5. ^ Duden. Das Herkunftswörterbuch: Etymologie der deutschen Sprache (2020), 6th ed., Duden vol. 7, Berlin: Dudenverlag
  6. ^ a b c Grimm, Jacob; Grimm, Wilhelm (1854–1961), Deutsches Wörterbuch, 16 vols. in 32, Leipzig: Hirzel; digital: Wörterbuchnetz, Trier Center for Digital Humanities, p. 2, 740
  7. ^ a b c d Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. 2, 528
  8. ^ a b c d Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob Grimm und Wilhelm Grimm, Neubearbeitung (1965–2018), ed. Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften and Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, 9 vols. (A–F), Leipzig / Stuttgart: Hirzel, p. 6, 240
  9. ^ Paul, Hermann (2002), Deutsches Wörterbuch: Bedeutungsgeschichte und Aufbau unseres Wortschatzes, 10th ed., ed. Helmut Henne, Heidrun Kämper and Georg Objartel, Tübingen: Niemeyer
  10. ^ Adelung, Johann Christoph (1793–1801), Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart, 2nd ed., 4 vols., Leipzig: Breitkopf