-ung

From Middle High German -ung, -unge, from Old High German -unga, from Proto-West Germanic *-ungu, from Proto-Germanic *-ungō. More at English -ing.

• IPA^(key): /ʊŋ/

• Audio:

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-ung f (genitive -ung, plural -ungen)

1. -ing; forms nouns from verbs, usually describing either an event in which an action is carried out, or the result of that action.

   ‎rechnen (“to reckon”) + ‎-ung → ‎die Rechnung (“the reckoning, the bill”)

   ‎entdecken (“to discover”) + ‎-ung → ‎die Entdeckung (“the discovery”)

   ‎erinnern (“to remind”) + ‎-ung → ‎die Erinnerung (“the reminder, the remembrance, the memory”)

• Note that the -ung suffixed form is different from the gerund which is formed by simply capitalizing the first letter of the verb. The gerund usually refers to the activity in general rather than a specific instance or result. Examples:

  Zeigen Sie mir die Rechnung.

  Show me the bill.

  Rechnen wird in der Schule gelehrt.

  Arithmetic is taught in school.

  Wichtig war die Entdeckung der Radioaktivität.

  The discovery of radioactivity was important.

  Die Wissenschaft schreitet durch Entdecken voran.

  Science progresses by discovery.

  Meine Erinnerung an das Ereignis ist eher vage.

  My memory of the event is rather vague.

  Emotionen machen den Unterschied zwischen Erinnern und Vergessen aus.

  Emotions make the difference between remembering and forgetting.

• -ong (dated)

From Old High German -unga, from Proto-Germanic *-ungō. Cognate with German -ung, English -ing.

• IPA^(key): /uŋ/

-ung

1. used to form nouns from verbs

-ung

1. Alternative form of -ing

From Old Norse -ungr.

-ung m (definite singular -ungen, indefinite plural -ungar, definite plural -ungane)

1. forming demonyms of place names
2. forming derivatives of nouns with sense of ‘belonging to, son of’.

   ‎Surla + ‎-ung → ‎Sturlungane (plural)

From Proto-West Germanic *-ungu, from Proto-Germanic *-ungō.

Cognate with Old Saxon -unga (Low German -inge, -ing), Old Dutch -inga, -unga (Dutch -ing), Old High German -unga (German -ung), Old Norse -ung, -ing (Swedish -ing).

• IPA^(key): /unɡ/, [uŋɡ]

-ung f

1. forming nouns from verbs, denoting verbal action or an instance of it; or denoting a substance involved in the verbal action

• In general, -ung is used with class Ia and II weak verbs, -ing with all other verbs.

• Middle English: -ung, -unge, -unge, -inge, -ing
  • English: -ing