sƿefan
To sleep in Old English is expressed as sƿefan or slæpan.
Meaning: to rest in state of reduced consciousness (verb)
Ways to say it
| Old English | IPA |
|---|---|
| sƿefan | |
| slæpan | /ˈslæː.pɑn/ |
The phrase refers to the act of resting in a state of reduced consciousness. While slæpan is the common verb used for this action, sƿefan is a distinct and much rarer verbal form that is also related to the state of sleep.
Which one should you use?
While slæpan is the common verb for sleep, sƿefan is a distinct, though much rarer, verbal form related to the state of sleep. Additionally, the noun for 'sleep' is slǣp, which is closely related to the verb slæpan.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive slæpan becomes slǣpþ in the third-person singular present (he sleeps).
Did you know?
- The character ƿ in sƿefan is called a 'wynn' and was used specifically to represent the 'w' sound before the Latin 'w' was adopted.
- The rare verb sƿefan is not just a synonym for resting, but is also the ancestor of our modern English word 'sweven', which refers to a vision or a dream.
- The word slæpan is a cognate of the modern German word 'schlafen'.
Examples in context
- Vera ne cann slæpan.Vera can't sleep.This sentence shows how to use the form slæpan to express an inability to sleep.Tatoeba #12253758 by JameezTranslates, translation #12249300 by ddnktr
- Hē mæġ sƿefan her.He may sleep here.
- Ic wille nū sƿefan.I want to sleep now.
Example conversation
Osric and Wulfrun are tired after a long day of work.
- OsricEart þu werig, Wulfrun?Are you tired, Wulfrun?
- WulfrunĠēa, iċ wille sƿefan.Yes, I want to sleep.
- OsricIc eac sƿefan wille.I want to sleep too.
- WulfrunSlǣp wel, Osric.Sleep well, Osric.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleep” translations and entries slæpan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries slæpan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
