wat

Dutch (Brabantic)

/ʋɑt/

pronoun
Definitions
  • (interrogative) what: e.g. (1) asking for a subject complement; (2) asking for a sentence object
  • (relative) what: e.g. (1) as the object of a sentence; (2) ditto
  • (relative) that: e.g. (1) modifying an indefinite pronoun like iets, niets, alles or het enige; (2) modifying an adjective that is used as a noun, usually a superlative
  • (relative) which: e.g. (1) modifying the demonstrative pronouns dat and datgene; (2) referring back to an entire sentence
  • (indefinite) something: e.g. (1) as subject; (2) as subject complement

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Dutch wat (ford) inherited from Old Dutch wat inherited from Proto-Germanic *hwat (what) derived from Proto-Indo-European *kʷód (what), *kʷ-.

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*kʷ-

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms