Englisch
Middle English
Indo-European (Germanic, West) · historical / hidden variety
Middle English (c. 1100–1500 CE) was the language of medieval England following the Norman Conquest of 1066 — the language of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (c. 1387–1400), William Langland's Piers Plowman, the Pearl Poet, and the Wycliffe Bible (1382). It evolved from Old English (Anglo-Saxon) through massive French vocabulary borrowing (~10,000 words from Anglo-Norman, including law, government, food, art) and the loss of most Old English inflections (case, gender). The Great Vowel Shift (c. 1400–1700) marked its transition to Early Modern English. Originally written in a Latin script with the additional letters þ (thorn), ð (eth), and ȝ (yogh).
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Middle English
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Indo-European (Germanic, West)
| Meaning | Middle English | Old Frisian | Old English | Old Saxon | Early Modern English | Middle High German | Geordie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | water /watər/ | wetir /wetir/ | wæter /wæter/ | watar /ˈwatar/ | water /ˈwætər/ | wazzer /ˈwatser/ | water /ˈwɔːtɐ/ |
| Fire | fyr /fyːr/ | fiur /fjuːɾ/ | fȳr /fyːr/ | fiur /fiur/ | fyre /fəir/ | viur /viur/ | fire /faɪə/ |
| Sun | sonne /sɔnːə/ | sunne /sunːe/ | sunne /sunːe/ | sunna /ˈsunːa/ | sunne /sʊn/ | sunne /ˈzunːə/ | sun /sʊn/ |
| Moon | mone /moːnə/ | mōna /moːnɑ/ | mōna /moːnɑ/ | māno /ˈmaːno/ | moone /muːn/ | mâne /ˈmaːnə/ | moon /muːn/ |
| Star | sterre /ˈstɛrːə/ | stera /ˈstɛra/ | steorra /ˈsteorːɑ/ | sterro /ˈsterro/ | star /staːɹ/ | sterne /ˈstɛrnə/ | star /staː/ |
| Night | night /nixt/ | nacht /naxt/ | niht /niçt/ | naht /naxt/ | night /naɪt/ | naht /naxt/ | night /naɪt/ |
| Rain | reyn /rɛin/ | rein /rɛin/ | regn /rejn/ | regan /reɣan/ | rain /reːn/ | regen /ˈreɡən/ | rain /ɹeːn/ |
| Snow | snow /snɔu/ | snē /sneː/ | snāw /snɑːw/ | snēo /ˈsneːo/ | snow /snoː/ | snē /sneː/ | snow /snəʊ/ |
| Wind | wind /wind/ | wind /wind/ | wind /wind/ | wind /wind/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wint /wɪnt/ | wind /wɪnd/ |
| Earth | erthe /ɛrθə/ | irthe /irθe/ | eorðe /eorðe/ | ertha /erθa/ | earth /ɛːrθ/ | erde /ˈɛrdə/ | earth /ɜːθ/ |
| Stone | ston /stɔːn/ | stēn /steːn/ | stān /stɑːn/ | stēn /steːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stein /stɛin/ | stone /stɔːn/ |
| Mountain | mountayne /ˈmuːntain/ | berch /berx/ | beorg /beorɡ/ | berg /berɡ/ | mountaine /ˈməuntɪn/ | berc /bɛrk/ | mountain /ˈmuːntɪn/ |
| Sea | see /sɛː/ | sē /seː/ | sǣ /sæː/ | seo /ˈseːo/ | sea /seː/ | mer /mɛr/ | sea /siː/ |
| Mother | moder /moːdər/ | moder /moːdeɾ/ | mōdor /moːdor/ | modar /ˈmoːdar/ | mother /ˈmʊðər/ | muoter /ˈmuoːtər/ | mother /ˈmʊðɐ/ |
| Father | fader /faːdər/ | feder /fedeɾ/ | fæder /fæder/ | fader /ˈfadər/ | father /ˈfɑːðər/ | vater /ˈfatər/ | father /ˈfaːðɐ/ |
| Daughter | doughter /ˈdouxtər/ | dochter /ˈdoxteɾ/ | dohtor /ˈdoxtor/ | dohtar /ˈdoxtar/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtər/ | tohter /ˈtoxtər/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtɐ/ |
| I | I /iː/ | ik /ik/ | ic /itʃ/ | ik /ik/ | I /əi/ | ich /ix/ | I /aɪ/ |
| You | thou /θuː/ | thū /θuː/ | þū /θuː/ | thu /θuː/ | thou /ðou/ | dû /duː/ | you /juː/ |
| We | we /weː/ | wī /wiː/ | wē /weː/ | wī /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | wir /wir/ | we /wiː/ |
| Name | name /ˈnaːmə/ | nama /ˈnama/ | nama /ˈnɑma/ | namo /ˈnamo/ | name /neːm/ | name /ˈnamə/ | name /neːm/ |
| Person | man /man/ | — | mann /mɑnn/ | man /man/ | person /ˈpɛrsən/ | mensch /mɛnʃ/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ |
| Head | hed /hɛːd/ | hāved /ˈhaːved/ | hēafod /ˈhæːɑvod/ | hōbid /ˈhoːβid/ | head /hɛd/ | houbet /ˈhoubət/ | head /hɛd/ |
| Eye | eye /iːə/ | āge /aːɣe/ | ēage /æːɑɣe/ | ōga /ˈoːɡa/ | eye /əi/ | ouge /ˈouɡə/ | eye /aɪ/ |
| Ear | ere /ɛːrə/ | are /ˈaːrə/ | ēare /æːɑre/ | ōra /ˈoːra/ | ear /eːr/ | ōre /ˈoːrə/ | ear /ɪə/ |
| Nose | nose /nɔːzə/ | nose /nozə/ | nosu /nozu/ | nasa /nasa/ | nose /noːz/ | nase /nazə/ | nose /niəz/ |
| Mouth | mouth /muːθ/ | mūth /muːθ/ | mūþ /muːθ/ | mūth /muːθ/ | mouth /muːθ/ | munt /munt/ | mouth /muːθ/ |
| Tooth | tooth /toːθ/ | tōth /toːθ/ | tōþ /toːθ/ | tand /tand/ | tooth /tʊθ/ | zan /tsan/ | tooth /tʊθ/ |
| Tongue | tonge /ˈtɔŋɡə/ | tunge /ˈtuŋɡe/ | tunge /ˈtuŋɡe/ | tunga /ˈtuŋɡa/ | tongue /tʊŋ/ | zunge /ˈtsuŋɡə/ | tongue /tʊŋ/ |
| Hand | hand /hand/ | hond /hond/ | hand /hɑnd/ | hand /hand/ | hand /hand/ | hant /hant/ | hand /hand/ |
| Foot | fot /foːt/ | fōt /foːt/ | fōt /foːt/ | fōt /foːt/ | foot /fʊt/ | vuoz /ˈvuo̯s/ | foot /fʊt/ |
| Heart | herte /hɛrtə/ | herte /heɾte/ | heorte /ˈheorte/ | herta /ˈherta/ | heart /hɛrt/ | herze /ˈhertsə/ | heart /haːt/ |
| Bone | bon /bɔːn/ | bēn /beːn/ | bān /bɑːn/ | bēn /beːn/ | bone /boːn/ | bein /bein/ | bone /bɔːn/ |
| Blood | blood /bloːd/ | blōd /bloːd/ | blōd /bloːd/ | blōd /bloːd/ | blood /bluːd/ | bluot /bluot/ | blood /blʊd/ |
| Poop | tord /tord/ | — | tord /tord/ | — | turd /tɜːrd/ | schîze /ʃiːtsə/ | poo /puː/ |
| Love | love /ˈluvə/ | minne /minːe/ | lufu /luvu/ | minnea /ˈminːea/ | loue /lʊv/ | minne /ˈminːə/ | love /lʊv/ |
| Tree | tre /treː/ | bām /baːm/ | trēow /treːow/ | bōm /boːm/ | tree /triː/ | boum /boum/ | tree /tɹiː/ |
| Dog | hound /huːnd/ | hund /hund/ | hund /hund/ | hund /hund/ | dogge /dɔɡ/ | hunt /hunt/ | dog /dɒɡ/ |
| Cat | catte /katːə/ | katte /katːe/ | catt /kɑtt/ | katta /ˈkatːa/ | cat /kat/ | katze /ˈkatsə/ | cat /kat/ |
| Fish | fisch /fiʃ/ | fisk /fisk/ | fisc /fisk/ | fisk /fisk/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | visch /viʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | brid /brid/ | fugel /ˈfuɡəl/ | fugol /ˈfuɣol/ | fugal /ˈfuɡal/ | bird /bɪrd/ | vogel /ˈfoɡəl/ | bird /bɜːd/ |
| Butterfly | buterflie /ˈbutərfliː/ | — | butorflēoge /ˈbutorfleːoɣe/ | — | butterfly /ˈbʊtərfləi/ | vīvalter /ˈfiːfalter/ | butterfly /ˈbʊtəflaɪ/ |
| Egg | ey /ɛiː/ | ei /ɛi/ | ǣġ /æːj/ | ei /ɛi/ | egge /ɛɡ/ | ei /ɛi/ | egg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bere /ˈbɛːrə/ | — | bera /ˈbera/ | bero /ˈbero/ | bear /beːr/ | ber /bɛr/ | bear /bɛə/ |
| Horse | hors /hɔrs/ | hors /hors/ | hors /hors/ | hros /hros/ | horse /hɔrs/ | ros /rɔs/ | horse /hɔːs/ |
| House | hous /huːs/ | hūs /huːs/ | hūs /huːs/ | hūs /huːs/ | house /huːs/ | hûs /huːs/ | house /huːs/ |
| Milk | milk /milk/ | melok /ˈmelok/ | meoluc /ˈmeoluk/ | miluk /ˈmiluk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milch /milç/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | hony /ˈhɔni/ | hunich /ˈhunix/ | hunig /ˈhunij/ | huneg /ˈhunɛɣ/ | honey /ˈhʊni/ | honec /ˈhonɛk/ | honey /ˈhʊni/ |
| Salt | salt /salt/ | salt /salt/ | sealt /sæɑlt/ | salt /salt/ | salt /salt/ | salz /salts/ | salt /sɔːlt/ |
| Wine | wyn /wiːn/ | wīn /wiːn/ | wīn /wiːn/ | wīn /wiːn/ | wine /wəin/ | wīn /viːn/ | wine /waɪn/ |
| Rice | rys /riːs/ | — | — | — | rice /rəis/ | rīs /riːs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ |
| Iron | iren /ˈiːrən/ | īsern /ˈiːsern/ | īsern /ˈiːsern/ | īsarn /ˈiːsarn/ | iron /ˈəirən/ | īsen /ˈiːzən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ |
| Wheel | whel /hweːl/ | hwēl /hweːl/ | hwēol /ˈhweːol/ | rath /raθ/ | wheel /ʍiːl/ | rat /rat/ | wheel /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silk /silk/ | — | seolc /seolk/ | — | silke /sɪlk/ | sîde /ˈsiːdə/ | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | bok /boːk/ | bōk /boːk/ | bōc /boːk/ | bōk /boːk/ | booke /buːk/ | buoch /buox/ | book /bʊk/ |
| Eat | eten /eːtən/ | eta /etɑ/ | etan /etɑn/ | etan /ˈetan/ | eate /eːt/ | ezzen /ˈetsən/ | eat /iːt/ |
| Drink | drinken /ˈdrinkən/ | drinka /dɾinkɑ/ | drincan /drinkɑn/ | drinkan /ˈdrinkan/ | drinke /driŋk/ | trinken /ˈtrinkən/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | slepen /ˈslɛːpən/ | slēpa /ˈsleːpa/ | slǣpan /slæːpɑn/ | slāpan /ˈslɑːpan/ | sleepe /sliːp/ | slāfen /ˈslɑːfən/ | sleep /sliːp/ |
| One | oon /oːn/ | ān /aːn/ | ān /aːn/ | ēn /eːn/ | one /oːn/ | ein /ein/ | one /wʊn/ |
| Two | two /twɔː/ | twā /twaː/ | twā /twɑː/ | twēne /ˈtweːne/ | two /tuː/ | zwei /tsweɪ/ | two /tuː/ |
| Three | thre /θreː/ | thrē /θreː/ | þrī /θriː/ | thrie /θriː/ | three /θriː/ | drî /driː/ | three /θɹiː/ |
| Four | four /four/ | fiuwer /ˈfiuwer/ | fēower /ˈfeːower/ | fiuwar /ˈfiuwar/ | four /foːr/ | vier /fiːr/ | four /fɔː/ |
| Five | fyve /fiːvə/ | fīf /fiːf/ | fīf /fiːf/ | fīf /fiːf/ | fiue /fəiv/ | vünf /fynf/ | five /faɪv/ |
| Hundred | hundred /ˈhundrəd/ | hundred /hundred/ | hund /hund/ | hund /hund/ | hundred /ˈhʊndrəd/ | hundert /ˈhundərt/ | hundred /ˈhʊndɹəd/ |
| Hello | hail /hɛːl/ | heil /heil/ | wes hāl /wes haːl/ | heil /heil/ | good den /ɡuːd dɛn/ | gegrüezet /ɡəˈɡryːətsət/ | hello /həˈloː/ |
| Thank you | thank /θank/ | thank /θank/ | þanc /θɑnk/ | thank /θaŋk/ | gramercy /ɡraˈmɛrsi/ | danc /daŋk/ | thanks /θaŋks/ |
| Good | good /ɡoːd/ | gōd /ɡoːd/ | gōd /ɡoːd/ | gōd /ɡoːd/ | good /ɡʊːd/ | guot /ɡuoːt/ | good /ɡʊd/ |
| New | newe /ˈniuə/ | nī /niː/ | nīwe /ˈniːwe/ | niuwi /ˈniuwi/ | new /nɪu̯/ | niuwe /ˈniuwə/ | new /njuː/ |
| Red | reed /reːd/ | rād /raːd/ | rēad /ræːɑd/ | rōd /roːd/ | red /rɛd/ | rôt /roːt/ | red /ɹɛd/ |
| White | whit /hwiːt/ | hwīt /hwiːt/ | hwīt /ʍiːt/ | hwīt /hwiːt/ | white /ʍəit/ | wīz /viːts/ | white /waɪt/ |
| Black | blak /blak/ | swart /swart/ | blæc /blæk/ | swart /swart/ | black /blak/ | swarz /svarts/ | black /blak/ |
| Green | grene /ɡreːnə/ | grēne /ˈɡreːne/ | grēne /ɡreːne/ | grōni /ˈɡroːni/ | greene /ɡriːn/ | grüene /ɡryənə/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ |
| Blue | bleu /blɛu̯/ | — | hǣwen /hæːwen/ | — | — | blā /blaː/ | blue /bluː/ |
| Cuckoo | cuccu /ˈkukuː/ | — | ġēac /jæːɑk/ | — | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | gouch /ˈɡou̯x/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ |
| Computer | rekenere /ˈrɛkənɛːrə/ | — | — | — | computer /kɔmˈpiu̯tər/ | — | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ |
| Sushi | stokfish /ˈstɔkfiʃ/ | — | — | — | stockfish /ˈstɒkfɪʃ/ | stocvisch /ˈstɔkfiʃ/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ |
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Word order compared
Compare with major world languages
Middle English
I
wolde
assayen
a cote
that
I
saugh
in
a shoppe
over agaynst
the hostelrie
I
want to
try on
a suit
I
saw
in
a shop
across from
the hotel
Ich
möchte
einen Anzug
anprobieren
den
ich
in einem
Geschäft
gegenüber vom
Hotel
gesehen habe
मैं
होटल
के सामने
एक दुकान
में
देखा
सूट को
पहनकर देखना
चाहता हूँ
私は
ホテルの
向かいの
お店
で
見た
スーツを
試着
したいです
我
想
试穿
酒店
对面的
商店
里
看到的
那套西装
أنا
أريد
أن أجرب
بدلة
رأيتها
في
محل
مقابل
الفندق
Я
хочу
примерить
костюм
который
я увидел
в
магазине
напротив
отеля
Middle English
My
name
is
Tanaka
My
name
is
Tanaka
Mein
Name
ist
Tanaka
मेरा
नाम
तनाका
है
私の
名前は
田中
です
我的
名字
是
田中
اسمي
هو
تاناكا
Моё
имя
—
Танака
Middle English
I
ete
brekefast
every morwe
at seven of the clokke
I
eat
breakfast
every morning
at 7 o'clock
Ich
frühstücke
jeden Morgen
um 7 Uhr
मैं
हर सुबह
7 बजे
नाश्ता
करता हूँ
毎朝
7時に
朝ごはんを
食べます
我
每天早上
七点
吃
早饭
أتناول
أنا
الإفطار
كل صباح
الساعة السابعة
Я
завтракаю
каждое утро
в 7 часов
Middle English
Wher
is
the nexte
stacioun
Where
is
the nearest
station
Wo
ist
der nächste
Bahnhof
सबसे नज़दीकी
स्टेशन
कहाँ
है
一番近い
駅は
どこ
です
か
最近的
车站
在
哪里
أين
تقع
أقرب
محطة
Где
находится
ближайшая
станция
Middle English
This
coffe
is
ful
delicious
This
coffee
is
very
delicious
Dieser
Kaffee
ist
sehr
lecker
यह
कॉफ़ी
बहुत
स्वादिष्ट है
この
コーヒーは
とても
おいしいです
这
咖啡
很
好喝
هذه
القهوة
لذيذة
جداً
Этот
кофе
очень
вкусный
Middle English
I
studie
Iaponese
at the universitee
I
study
Japanese
at university
Ich
studiere
Japanisch
an der Universität
मैं
विश्वविद्यालय में
जापानी
पढ़ता हूँ
私は
大学で
日本語を
勉強しています
我
在大学
学
日语
أنا
أدرس
اللغة اليابانية
في الجامعة
Я
изучаю
японский язык
в университете
Middle English
To-morwes
weder
shal be
sonny
Tomorrow's
weather
will be
sunny
Morgen
wird
das Wetter
sonnig
sein
कल
मौसम
धूप वाला
होगा
明日の
天気は
晴れ
でしょう
明天
天气
会
晴天
سيكون
الطقس
غداً
مشمساً
Завтра
погода
будет
солнечной
Middle English
My moder
maketh
soper
every day
My mother
cooks
dinner
every day
Meine Mutter
kocht
jeden Tag
Abendessen
मेरी माँ
हर रोज़
रात का खाना
बनाती है
お母さんは
毎日
夕食を
作ります
我妈妈
每天
做
晚饭
تطبخ
أمي
العشاء
كل يوم
Моя мама
готовит
ужин
каждый день
Middle English
I
wolde
gon
to
Iapon
next
yeer
I
want to
go
to
Japan
next
year
Ich
möchte
nächstes
Jahr
nach
Japan
fahren
मैं
अगले
साल
जापान
जाना
चाहता हूँ
私は
来
年
日本
に
行き
たいです
我
明
年
想
去
日本
أنا
أريد
أن أذهب
إلى
اليابان
العام
القادم
Я
хочу
поехать
в
Японию
в следующем
году
Middle English
Canst
thou
speken
Englisshe
Can
you
speak
English
Können
Sie
Englisch
sprechen
आप
अंग्रेज़ी
बोल
सकते हैं
あなたは
英語が
話せ
ます
か
你
会
说
英语
吗
هل
تستطيع
التحدث
باللغة الإنجليزية
Вы
умеете
говорить
по-английски
Compare with languages in the same classification
I
möcht
an Anzug
anprobieren
den
i
in am
Gschäft
gegenüber vom
Hotel
gsehn hob
I
want to
try on
a suit
I
saw
in
a shop
across from
the hotel
Middle English
I
wolde
assayen
a cote
that
I
saugh
in
a shoppe
over agaynst
the hostelrie
I
want tae
try on
a suit
I
saw
in
a shop
across frae
the hotel
Je
veux
essayer
un costume
que
j'
ai vu
dans
un magasin
en face de
l'hôtel
Mei
Nama
is
Tanaka
My
name
is
Tanaka
Middle English
My
name
is
Tanaka
My
name
is
Tanaka
Mon
nom
c'est
Tanaka
I
frühstück
jeden Morgen
um 7 Uhr
I
do be eating
breakfast
every morning
at 7 o'clock
Middle English
I
ete
brekefast
every morwe
at seven of the clokke
I
eat
breakfast
every morning
at 7 o'clock
Je
mange
le petit-déjeuner
chaque matin
à 7 heures
Wo
is
die nächste
Station
Where
is
the nearest
station
Middle English
Wher
is
the nexte
stacioun
Whaur
is
the nearest
station
Où
se trouve
la gare
la plus proche
Der
Kaffee
is
sehr
guat
This
coffee
is
grand and
delicious
Middle English
This
coffe
is
ful
delicious
This
coffee
is
awfy
braw
Ce
café
est
très
bon
I
studier
Japanisch
an der Uni
I
study
Japanese
at university
Middle English
I
studie
Iaponese
at the universitee
I
study
Japanese
at the university
Je
fais des études de
japonais
à l'université
Morgen
wird
des Wetter
sonnig
sein
Tomorrow's
weather
will be
sunny
Middle English
To-morwes
weder
shal be
sonny
The morn's
weather
will be
sunny
Le temps
de demain
va être
ensoleillé
Mei Mutti
kocht
jeden Tag
des Abendessen
My mother
cooks
dinner
every day
Middle English
My moder
maketh
soper
every day
My mither
cooks
dinner
every day
Ma maman
prépare
le repas du soir
chaque jour
I
möcht
nächstes
Jahr
noch
Japan
foan
I
want to
go
to
Japan
next
year
Middle English
I
wolde
gon
to
Iapon
next
yeer
I
want tae
go
tae
Japan
next
year
Je
veux
aller
au
Japon
l'année
prochaine
Können
Sie
Englisch
reden
Can
you
speak
English
Middle English
Canst
thou
speken
Englisshe
Can
ye
speak
English
Tu
parles
anglais
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