Where does “dürfen” come from?

dürfen (German) comes from Middle High German dürfen, from Old High German durfan, from Proto-West Germanic þurban, from Proto-Germanic þurbaną, from Proto-Indo-European terp- — to satisfy.

dürfen (German): to be allowed (to do something); to be permitted (to do something); may

Definitions

  1. to be allowed (to do something); to be permitted (to do something); may

Ancestry of “dürfen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germandürfento need
2Old High Germandurfan—
3Proto-West Germanicþurbanto need
4Proto-Germanicþurbanąto need, to require; to have to
5Proto-Indo-Europeanterp-to satisfy

Words derived from “dürfen”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European terp- →Every word from Proto-Germanic þurbaną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic þurban →