Old Frisian is the language Frisians wrote in the Middle Ages. This list gives you 300 Old Frisian words, each with the modern Frisian word it became, its meaning and a spelling that shows how it sounded.
300 words
25 themes
1250 to 1550 when it was written
€0 free course with points
What is Old Frisian?
Old Frisian is the oldest written form of Frisian. Most surviving texts are law texts, written between about 1250 and 1550 in Friesland and East Frisia. It is closely related to Old English, so many words look familiar if you speak English: hūs (house), bōk (book) and kū (cow).
How do you pronounce Old Frisian?
Nobody recorded Old Frisian, so language experts rebuild the sounds from the spelling and from related languages. A line over a vowel (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) marks a long vowel. Each word below has a “Sounds like” spelling, and capital letters show the stressed part.
How different is Old Frisian from Frisian today?
Some words did not change at all: bern, fisk and dei are still bern, fisk and dei. Others moved further. Hwet became wat, thrē became trije and thenka became tinke. If you know some modern Frisian, you can already read a good part of Old Frisian.
Old Frisian, Old English and English side by side
Old Frisian and Old English were close neighbours. Put the words side by side and you see why Frisian is called the closest living relative of English.
Old Frisian Old English English Frisian today hūs hūs house hûs bōk bōc book boek kū cū cow ko fisk fisc fish fisk skēp scēap sheep skiep thrē þrēo three trije tzīse cēse cheese tsiis tzirke cirice church tsjerke
Four tips for reading Old Frisian
ā ē ī ō ū A line over a vowel makes it long. hūs sounds like “hoos”.
th Say it like th in English “thin”. thrē means three.
hw Say the h and the w together, like a breathy wh. hwet means what.
tz Say it like ts in “cats”. tzīse means cheese.
All 300 words by theme
The themes follow the 25 lessons of the free course. Tap a modern word to open it in the Frisian dictionary.
Words you already know
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning hūs Sounds like: hoos hûs house bōk Sounds like: bohk boek book bām Sounds like: bahm beam tree dei Sounds like: day dei day man Sounds like: mahn man man twā Sounds like: twah twa two hund Sounds like: hoond hûn dog tīd Sounds like: teed tiid time weter Sounds like: WEH-ter wetter water drām Sounds like: drahm dream dream wike Sounds like: WIK-uh wike week sunne Sounds like: SOON-nuh sinne sun
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Me, you and us
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning ik Sounds like: ik ik I hit Sounds like: hit it it wī Sounds like: wee wy we hī Sounds like: hee hy he mī Sounds like: mee my me jū Sounds like: yoo jo you (polite) thū Sounds like: thoo dû you him Sounds like: him him him hire Sounds like: HIR-uh har her mīn Sounds like: meen myn my thīn Sounds like: theen dyn your sīn Sounds like: seen syn his
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Little words
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning ūser Sounds like: OO-ser ús our, us is Sounds like: is is is bist Sounds like: bist bist (you) are wesa Sounds like: WEH-sah wêze to be hebba Sounds like: HEB-bah hawwe to have and Sounds like: ahnd en and as Sounds like: ahs as as, if hwant Sounds like: hwahnt want because āk Sounds like: ahk ek also all Sounds like: ahl al all, already noch Sounds like: nokh noch still, yet nū Sounds like: noo no now
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Where, who and when
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning hwet Sounds like: hwet wat what hwēr Sounds like: hwayr wêr where hwā Sounds like: hwah wa who hū Sounds like: hoo hoe how hīr Sounds like: heer hjir here thēr Sounds like: thayr dêr there hiōda Sounds like: HYOH-dah hjoed today morgen Sounds like: MOR-ghen moarn morning, tomorrow āvend Sounds like: AH-vend jûn evening forth Sounds like: forth fuort away nāt Sounds like: naht neat nothing āwet Sounds like: AH-wet eat something
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Small linking words
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning fon Sounds like: fon fan of, from mith Sounds like: mith mei with in Sounds like: in yn in on Sounds like: on oan on for Sounds like: for foar for, before over Sounds like: OV-er oer over uppa Sounds like: OOP-pah op up, on ūt Sounds like: oot út out af Sounds like: ahf ôf off under Sounds like: OON-der ûnder under efter Sounds like: EF-ter efter behind after Sounds like: AHF-ter achter behind
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More little words
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning to Sounds like: toh ta to umbe Sounds like: OOM-buh om around bova Sounds like: BOV-ah boppe above togadera Sounds like: toh-GHAH-deh-rah tegearre together enōch Sounds like: EH-nohkh genôch enough fule Sounds like: FOO-luh folle much, many nā Sounds like: nah nea never self Sounds like: self sels self fir Sounds like: fir fier far ticht Sounds like: tikht ticht closed open Sounds like: OP-en iepen open ēr Sounds like: ayr ier early
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Numbers
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning ēn Sounds like: ayn ien one thrē Sounds like: thray trije three fiūwer Sounds like: FYOO-wer fjouwer four fīf Sounds like: feef fiif five sex Sounds like: seks seis six siūgun Sounds like: SYOO-ghoon sân seven achta Sounds like: AHKH-tah acht eight niūgun Sounds like: NYOO-ghoon njoggen nine tiān Sounds like: tyahn tsien ten twelif Sounds like: TWEH-lif tolve twelve fiūwertīne Sounds like: FYOO-wer-tee-nuh fjirtjin fourteen hunderd Sounds like: HOON-derd hûndert hundred
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Days and sky
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning mōnadei Sounds like: MOH-nah-day moandei Monday tīesdei Sounds like: TEE-es-day tiisdei Tuesday thunresdei Sounds like: THOON-res-day tongersdei Thursday frīadei Sounds like: FREE-ah-day freed Friday sāterdei Sounds like: SAH-ter-day saterdei Saturday jēr Sounds like: yayr jier year sumur Sounds like: SOO-moor simmer summer winter Sounds like: WIN-ter winter winter herfst Sounds like: herfst hjerst autumn mōna Sounds like: MOH-nah moanne moon, month stēra Sounds like: STAY-rah stjer star luft Sounds like: looft loft sky, air
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People
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning bern Sounds like: bern bern child friōnd Sounds like: fryohnd freon friend frowe Sounds like: FROW-uh frou woman, wife sunu Sounds like: SOO-noo soan son famne Sounds like: FAHM-nuh faam girl kening Sounds like: KEH-ning kening king bur Sounds like: boor boer farmer dwerch Sounds like: dwerkh dwerch dwarf friūndskip Sounds like: FRYOOND-skip freonskip friendship keningrīke Sounds like: KEH-ning-ree-kuh keninkryk kingdom rēd Sounds like: rayd ried council noma Sounds like: NOM-ah namme name
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The body
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning hond Sounds like: hond hân hand fōt Sounds like: foht foet foot erm Sounds like: erm earm arm herte Sounds like: HER-tuh hert heart holla Sounds like: HOL-lah holle head nose Sounds like: NOS-uh noas nose āge Sounds like: AH-ghuh each eye āre Sounds like: AH-ruh ear ear hēr Sounds like: hayr hier hair blōd Sounds like: blohd bloed blood bunka Sounds like: BOON-kah bonke bone hnekka Sounds like: HNEK-kah nekke neck
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Body and feelings
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning tāne Sounds like: TAH-nuh tean toe līf Sounds like: leef liif body briast Sounds like: bryahst boarst chest neil Sounds like: nayl neil nail finger Sounds like: FING-er finger finger swēt Sounds like: swayt swit sweat pīne Sounds like: PEE-nuh pine pain siāk Sounds like: syahk siik sick nēd Sounds like: nayd need need fēla Sounds like: FAY-lah fiele to feel liāfte Sounds like: LYAHF-tuh leafde love hlakia Sounds like: HLAH-kee-ah laitsje to laugh
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Animals and farm
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning fisk Sounds like: fisk fisk fish fugel Sounds like: FOO-ghel fûgel bird kū Sounds like: koo ko cow skēp Sounds like: skayp skiep sheep gōs Sounds like: gohs goes goose mūs Sounds like: moos mûs mouse katte Sounds like: KAHT-tuh kat cat barch Sounds like: bahrkh baarch pig hana Sounds like: HAH-nah hoanne rooster horn Sounds like: horn hoarn horn hā Sounds like: hah hea hay gers Sounds like: gers gers grass
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Land and water
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning wald Sounds like: wahld wâld forest bosk Sounds like: bosk bosk forest, wood stēn Sounds like: stayn stien stone sē Sounds like: say see sea strām Sounds like: strahm stream stream, river slāt Sounds like: slaht sleat ditch land Sounds like: lahnd lân land grund Sounds like: groond grûn ground erthe Sounds like: ER-thuh ierde earth berch Sounds like: berkh berch mountain path Sounds like: pahth paad path blōma Sounds like: BLOH-mah blom flower
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Weather and fire
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning snē Sounds like: snay snie snow wind Sounds like: wind wyn wind weder Sounds like: WEH-der waar weather fiūr Sounds like: fyoor fjoer fire brand Sounds like: brahnd brân fire, blaze rēk Sounds like: rayk reek smoke īs Sounds like: ees iis ice thuner Sounds like: THOO-ner tonger thunder liūcht Sounds like: lyookht ljocht light thiūstere Sounds like: THYOOS-teh-ruh tsjuster dark reinia Sounds like: RAY-nee-ah reine to rain wēt Sounds like: wayt wiet wet
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Colours and size
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning rād Sounds like: rahd read red grēne Sounds like: GRAY-nuh grien green blāu Sounds like: blow blau blue hwīt Sounds like: hweet wyt white swart Sounds like: swahrt swart black gris Sounds like: gris griis grey grāt Sounds like: graht grut big ald Sounds like: ahld âld old nī Sounds like: nee nij new gōd Sounds like: gohd goed good long Sounds like: long lang long hāch Sounds like: hahkh heech high
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Describing words
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning kald Sounds like: kahld kâld cold warm Sounds like: wahrm waarm warm herde Sounds like: HER-duh hurd hard fest Sounds like: fest fêst firm, fixed frī Sounds like: free frij free hēl Sounds like: hayl hiel whole wēr Sounds like: wayr wier true lēch Sounds like: laykh leech low kort Sounds like: kort koart short dād Sounds like: dahd dea dead naked Sounds like: NAH-ked neaken naked hlūd Sounds like: hlood lûd loud
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House and things
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning dure Sounds like: DOO-ruh doar door mūre Sounds like: MOO-ruh muorre wall finestre Sounds like: FIN-es-truh finster window bedd Sounds like: bed bêd bed stōl Sounds like: stohl stoel chair bord Sounds like: bord boerd board gles Sounds like: gles glês glass forke Sounds like: FOR-kuh foarke fork skip Sounds like: skip skip ship wein Sounds like: wayn wein wagon, car swerd Sounds like: swerd swurd sword hōd Sounds like: hohd hoed hat
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Food and the kitchen
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning bolla Sounds like: BOL-lah bôle bread tzīse Sounds like: TSEE-suh tsiis cheese flāsk Sounds like: flahsk fleis meat melok Sounds like: MEH-lok molke milk butere Sounds like: BOO-teh-ruh bûter butter biār Sounds like: byahr bier beer salt Sounds like: sahlt sâlt salt mēl Sounds like: mayl miel meal sēd Sounds like: sayd sied seed bodem Sounds like: BOD-em boaiem floor, bottom besma Sounds like: BES-mah biezem broom skōch Sounds like: skohkh skoech shoe
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Town and work
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning stede Sounds like: STEH-duh stêd town strēte Sounds like: STRAY-tuh strjitte street tzirke Sounds like: TSIR-kuh tsjerke church skūle Sounds like: SKOO-luh skoalle school warld Sounds like: wahrld wrâld world jeld Sounds like: yeld jild money werk Sounds like: werk wurk work word Sounds like: word wurd word strīd Sounds like: streed striid fight creft Sounds like: kreft krêft strength kere Sounds like: KEH-ruh kar choice dēl Sounds like: dayl diel part
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Verbs 1: come and go
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning koma Sounds like: KOM-ah komme to come gān Sounds like: gahn gean to go siā Sounds like: syah sjen to see dwā Sounds like: dwah dwaan to do mōta Sounds like: MOH-tah moatte must kunna Sounds like: KOON-nah kinne can skela Sounds like: SKEH-lah sille shall, will willa Sounds like: WIL-lah wolle to want muga Sounds like: MOO-ghah meie may krīgia Sounds like: KREE-ghee-ah krije to get hārkia Sounds like: HAHR-kee-ah harkje to listen helpa Sounds like: HEL-pah helpe to help
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Verbs 2: talk and think
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning sidza Sounds like: SIDZ-ah sizze to say spreka Sounds like: SPREH-kah sprekke to speak thenka Sounds like: THEN-kah tinke to think wita Sounds like: WIT-ah witte to know lēva Sounds like: LAY-vah leauwe to believe fregia Sounds like: FREH-ghee-ah freegje to ask andwordia Sounds like: AHND-wor-dee-ah antwurdzje to answer lesa Sounds like: LEH-sah lêze to read skrīva Sounds like: SKREE-vah skriuwe to write hēra Sounds like: HAY-rah hearre to hear makia Sounds like: MAH-kee-ah meitsje to make wirka Sounds like: WIR-kah wurkje to work
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Verbs 3: daily life
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning eta Sounds like: EH-tah ite to eat drinka Sounds like: DRIN-kah drinke to drink slēpa Sounds like: SLAY-pah sliepe to sleep swimma Sounds like: SWIM-mah swimme to swim rinna Sounds like: RIN-nah rinne to walk rīda Sounds like: REE-dah ride to ride falla Sounds like: FAHL-lah falle to fall stān Sounds like: stahn stean to stand sitta Sounds like: SIT-tah sitte to sit blīva Sounds like: BLEE-vah bliuwe to stay leva Sounds like: LEH-vah libje to live sterva Sounds like: STER-vah stjerre to die
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Verbs 4: give and take
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning wunia Sounds like: WOO-nee-ah wenje to live (somewhere) wennia Sounds like: WEN-nee-ah wenne to get used to finda Sounds like: FIN-dah fine to find sēka Sounds like: SAY-kah sykje to search forliāsa Sounds like: for-LYAH-sah ferlieze to lose winna Sounds like: WIN-nah winne to win jeva Sounds like: YEH-vah jaan to give brenga Sounds like: BRENG-ah bringe to bring brūka Sounds like: BROO-kah brûke to use halda Sounds like: HAHL-dah hâlde to hold kāpia Sounds like: KAH-pee-ah keapje to buy bitalia Sounds like: bi-TAH-lee-ah betelje to pay
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Verbs 5: more actions
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning bīta Sounds like: BEE-tah bite to bite breka Sounds like: BREH-kah brekke to break grava Sounds like: GRAH-vah grave to dig fliāga Sounds like: FLYAH-ghah fleane to fly siunga Sounds like: SYOONG-ah sjonge to sing siātha Sounds like: SYAH-thah siede to boil drīva Sounds like: DREE-vah driuwe to drive lidzia Sounds like: LIDZ-ee-ah lizze to lie, to lay līkia Sounds like: LEE-kee-ah lykje to seem mēna Sounds like: MAY-nah miene to mean, to think forstonda Sounds like: for-STON-dah ferstean to understand wertha Sounds like: WER-thah wurde to become
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A few more
Old Frisian Frisian today Meaning dēd Sounds like: dayd died deed plekk Sounds like: plek plak place gā Sounds like: gah gea region pār Sounds like: pahr pear pair antwerde Sounds like: AHNT-wer-duh antwurd answer gref Sounds like: gref grêf grave thorst Sounds like: thorst toarst thirst ēkworna Sounds like: AYK-wor-nah iikhoarn squirrel wirtel Sounds like: WIR-tel woartel root fethere Sounds like: FEH-theh-ruh fear feather tale Sounds like: TAH-luh taal language thritich Sounds like: THRIT-ikh tritich thirty
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Ready to learn them?
The free Old Frisian course turns these 300 words into 25 short lessons, with the same quizzes, points and streaks as the main Frisian course. It is optional, so it never gets in the way of your main course.
Start lesson 1 Old Frisian word forms come from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0). LearnFrisian reconstructed the pronunciation spellings. More to read: beautiful Old Frisian words
