Short Forms Without the First e
Some short words start with an e that people often do not say. For these words, both forms are correct: elo / lo (now), erëm / rëm (again), esou / sou (so). The short form has no apostrophe.
How It Works
1. The official list
- elo / lo: now
- esou / sou: so, like this
- eraus / raus: out
- eran / ran: in
- erëm / rëm: again, back
- ewech / wech: away, gone
- eréischt / réischt: only, not until
- ewéi / wéi: like, as
- ewell / well: already, now
The first form is the main variant, the second the secondary variant. Both are correct in writing, and the main variant is the safer choice in formal texts.
2. No apostrophe
The missing e is not replaced by anything: write lo, not 'lo.
3. Only these words
In other words the unstressed e is written in normal texts, even if you hardly hear it: zeréck (back), héieren, interessant. Only when you want to show fast everyday speech may you leave it out, and again without an apostrophe: zréck. The words et and ze are different: they can lose their e with an apostrophe, as in 't and z', mostly in informal writing. See Informal Short Forms: 't and z'.
4. Watch the n-rule
The short forms start with a consonant, so a word ending in -n before them usually loses its n. Before sou, keeping or dropping the n are both allowed. See n-rule.
- Ech kommen elo. (n stays before the vowel e)
- Ech komme lo. (n drops before l)
5. Two short forms that look like other words
The short wéi (like) looks like wéi (how), and the short well (already) looks like well (because). The sentence tells you which one is meant.
6. In longer words
The dictionary lists verbs with these prefixes in their full form: erausgoen, ewechgoen, erëmkommen. Use the full form there. See Direction Prefixes.
Examples (6)
- Ech kommen elo.
I'm coming now.
The main variant elo. Kommen keeps its n before the vowel.
- Ech komme lo.
I'm coming now.
The secondary variant lo. Komme loses its n before l.
- Hatt ass rëm krank.
She is ill again.
Rëm is the short form of erëm.
- Sou geet dat net!
That's not how it works!
Sou is the short form of esou.
- Mäi Vëlo ass wech!
My bike is gone!
Wech is the short form of ewech.
- Hien ass eréischt um zéng Auer komm.
He didn't come until ten o'clock.
The main variant eréischt; réischt is also correct.
Common Mistakes
Writing an apostrophe for the missing e.
Ech komme 'lo.Ech komme lo.The short forms are written without an apostrophe.
Keeping the n before the short form.
Ech kommen lo.Ech komme lo.Lo starts with l, so the n-rule removes the n of kommen. With elo, the n stays: Ech kommen elo.
Writing an apostrophe for an e dropped inside a word.
Ech sinn z'réck.Ech sinn zeréck.Zeréck is not on the list, so its e is written in normal texts. To show fast speech you may write zréck, but never with an apostrophe.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Short Forms Without the First E, learn The N-Rule (Eifeler Regel).
Related Patterns
- Accepted Spelling Variants
The short forms are one kind of officially accepted spelling variant.
Level 5 - Informal Short Forms: 't and z'
Et and ze are shortened differently, with an apostrophe, mostly in informal writing.
Level 4 - Direction Prefixes: eran- / eraus- / erop- / erof-Direction Prefixes: Eran-, Eraus-, Erop-, Erof-
Verbs with eran-, eraus- and similar prefixes keep the full form in the dictionary.
Level 4 - One Official Spelling
The list of short forms is part of the 2019 official spelling.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Short Forms Without the First e in Bubblegum
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