English

Verb

gern ‎(third-person singular simple present gerns, present participle gerning, simple past and past participle gerned)

1. (obsolete) To grin.
2. (obsolete) To yawn.
   • Spenser

     [He] gaped like a gulf when he did gern.

German

Alternative forms

• gerne (both forms are roughly equally frequent)

Etymology

From Old High German gerno, from Proto-Germanic *gernô ‎(“willingly, gladly”), an adverbial form of *gernaz ‎(“eager, willing”). Akin to English yern, Swedish gärna, Danish gerne.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡɛʁn/, [ɡɛʁn], [ɡɛɐ̯n]
• Rhymes: -ɛʁn

Adverb

gern ‎(comparative lieber, superlative am liebsten)

1. willingly; gladly

   Hans fährt gern Fahrrad.‎

   Hans enjoys biking.

Usage notes

Gern is often used with the verbs haben or mögen and translated into English using a construction with like or enjoy.

Ich habe Musik gern.‎

I like/enjoy music.

Old High German

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *gernaz, whence Old English ġeorn.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡern/

Adjective

gern

1. willing, eager

Derived terms

• gerno

Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *gernaz, whence Old English ġeorn.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɣɛrn/

Adjective

gern (comparative gernoro, superlative gernost)

1. eager

Declension

Adverb

gern

1. willingly