German verb meaning 'to become' or 'to get'; one of the most important auxiliary verbs in German grammar.
From Old High German 'werdan', related to Old English 'weorþan' (to become) and Sanskrit 'vartate' (turns). From Proto-Indo-European 'wert-' meaning to turn or rotate. The concept of becoming was metaphorically linked to turning or changing direction.
This verb is so fundamental to German that it's used to form the future tense, passive voice, and subjunctive mood - making it possibly the hardest working verb in the German language. English lost its equivalent verb 'worth' (to become), making German werden difficult for English speakers to master.
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