Where does “är du snäll” come from?

är du snäll (Swedish) comes from Swedish snäll, from German schnell, from Middle High German snel, from Old High German snel, from Proto-West Germanic *snël, from Proto-Germanic snellaz, from Proto-Indo-European snedʰlos.

är du snäll (Swedish): please (in polite requests)

Definitions

  1. please (in polite requests)

Ancestry of “är du snäll”, step by step

är du snäll traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Swedish snäll

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishsnällkind, nice; obedient; fast
2Germanschnellquick, fast; quickly; again; quick
3Middle High Germansnel—
4Old High Germansnelnimble, brave, quick, lively; warlike, lively,...
5Proto-West Germanic*snël—
6Proto-Germanicsnellazactive, bold, quick
7Proto-Indo-Europeansnedʰlos—

via Swedish år

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishåra year
2Frencharean are
3Latināreaa piece of level ground, a vacant place (esp. in the town)
4Proto-Italicāzeā—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eHs-e-yeh₂—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eHs-to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth

via Swedish du

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishduyou; thou
2Old Swedishþuthou
3Old Norseþúyou
4Proto-Germanic*þū—
5Proto-Indo-Europeantúh₂you, thou
Every word from Proto-Indo-European snedʰlos →Every word from Proto-Germanic snellaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *snël →