The word "holen" is pronounced as /ˈhoːlən/ and is spelled with an "h", followed by an "o" and an "e", and concluded with an "n". The "o" and "e" together form a diphthong, resulting in the long vowel sound of "o". In IPA phonetic transcription, the "o" is represented as /oː/. The "h" at the beginning of the word is pronounced as a voiceless glottal fricative, represented as /h/. The final "n" is pronounced as an alveolar nasal, denoted as /n/.
Holen is a German verb that primarily means "to fetch" or "to get." It is classified as a strong verb, as its stem vowel changes during conjugation. Holen is commonly used in the context of retrieving or bringing objects from one location to another.
The verb holen is regularly conjugated in the present tense as follows: ich hole (I fetch), du holst (you fetch), er/sie/es holt (he/she/it fetches), wir holen (we fetch), ihr holt (you [plural] fetch), and sie/Sie holen (they/you [formal] fetch).
In addition to its core meaning of fetching or getting, holen can also be employed in different idiomatic expressions or phrases. For instance, "Halt die Zeitung holen!" means "Go and get the newspaper!" or "Hast du dein Fahrrad geholt?" translates to "Did you get your bike?" Beyond objects, holen can also denote bringing someone along or picking them up from a specific place. For example, "Ich werde dich um acht Uhr von der Arbeit holen" means "I will pick you up from work at eight o'clock."
Overall, the verb holen encompasses the act of fetching, getting, or bringing something or someone from one location to another, and it is an important term in German vocabulary for expressing actions related to obtaining objects or collecting individuals.
The word "holen" is believed to have originated from the Old English word "hola", which means cavern or hollow. This Old English word later evolved into "holen" in Middle English and eventually became "hole" in modern English. The term "holen" was commonly used to refer to a hollow or excavation in the ground. Over time, "hole" came to encompass a broader range of meanings, including a gap, opening, or cavity in various contexts.