brekke

See also: Brekke

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Inherited from Danish brække, from Middle Low German brēken, from Old Saxon brekan, from Proto-Germanic *brekaną (“to break”). In older Danish, the verb had both strong and weak conjugation. While contemporary Danish has generalized the weak forms, Bokmål has followed the opposite tendency.

Verb

brekke (present tense brekker, simple past brakk, past participle brukket, present participle brekkende, passive brekkes, imperative brekk)

1. (intransitive) to break, snap (turn into two or more pieces)

   Synonyms: briste, knekke

2. (transitive) to break, fracture (make into two or more pieces)

   Synonym: bryte

3. (transitive, art) to tint, shade, weaken (a colour by mixing it with another)
4. (reflexive) to gag (have a vomiting reflex)
5. (reflexive, by extension) to vomit

   Synonyms: kaste opp, spy

Verb

brekke (present tense brekker, simple past brekte or brekket or brekka, past participle brekt or brekket or brekka, present participle brekkende, imperative brekk)

1. (dated) alternative inflection of the above verb in the following senses
   1. (art) to tint, shade, weaken
   2. (reflexive) to gag or vomit

Usage notes

• As of 2026, the use of weak forms in the above senses is still treated as obligatory in Bokmålsordboka, even though Språkrådet has admitted that strong conjugation is possible and in fact predominant. The NAOB considers the distinction dated.

Further reading

• “brekke” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “brekke” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

West Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian breka

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbrɛkə/

Verb

brekke

1. to break

Inflection

Strong
infinitive	brekke
3rd singular past	briek
past participle	brutsen
infinitive	brekke
long infinitive	brekken
gerund	brekken n
auxiliary	hawwe
indicative	present tense	past tense
1st singular	brek	briek
2nd singular	brekst	briekst
clitic form	breksto	brieksto
3rd singular	brekt	briek
plural	brekke	brieken
imperative	brek
participles	brekkend	brutsen

• Variant past-tense 1st: bruts
• Variant past-tense 2nd: brutst
• Variant past-tense 3rd: bruts
• Variant past plural: brutsen

Further reading

• “brekke”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011