paaien

Dutch

Etymology

The sense "to coax, sweet-talk" is inherited from Middle Dutch payen, which derives from Old French paiier (“to pay; to satisfy”). The sense "to spawn" is probably etymologically identical, but the details are uncertain.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpaːi̯ə(n)/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: paai‧en
• Rhymes: -aːi̯ən

Verb

paaien

1. (intransitive, of fish) to spawn

   Haringen paaien in de nazomer en herfst. ― Herrings spawn during late summer and fall.

2. (transitive) to sweet-talk, coax, placate

   Hij paait klanten met mooie praatjes voordat hij ze naait. ― He coaxes clients with smooth talk before screwing them over.

Conjugation

Conjugation of paaien (weak)
infinitive	paaien
past singular	paaide
past participle	gepaaid
infinitive	paaien
gerund	paaien n
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	paai	paaide
2nd person sing. (jij)	paait, paai2	paaide
2nd person sing. (u)	paait	paaide
2nd person sing. (gij)	paait	paaide
3rd person singular	paait	paaide
plural	paaien	paaiden
subjunctive sing.1	paaie	paaide
subjunctive plur.1	paaien	paaiden
imperative sing.	paai
imperative plur.1	paait
participles	paaiend	gepaaid
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

Derived terms

• paaigrond
• paaitijd

 

Further reading

• paaien on the Dutch Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^nl