Where does “nên” come from?
nên (Vietnamese) comes from Dutch neen, from Middle Dutch neen, from Old Dutch nēn, from Old Dutch ne, from Proto-Germanic nē, from Proto-Germanic aiwaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey- — vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning.
nên (Vietnamese): to develop into; to change into; should; ought...
Definitions
- to develop into; to change into; should; ought...
Ancestry of “nên”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | neen | no; stressed or formal form of nee |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | neen | — |
| 3 | Old Dutch | nēn | none, not one |
| 4 | Old Dutch | ne | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | nē | not |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | aiwaz | long time, age, eternity |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyu- | vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ey- | vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning |