An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/kommen

by Friedrich Kluge

kommen, verb, from the equivalent Middle High German komen, Old High German chuëman, ‘to come,’ a common Teutonic verb. The proper form of the initial k is qu, as is proved by Modern High German bequem, and hence Old High German quëman is the base; the w of an initial hw is frequently suppressed in High German (compare keck and kirr) before e and o (not before a). Gothic qiman, Anglo-Saxon cuman, English to come, Old Saxon cuman, Old Icelandic koma. The primary Teutonic verb qeman, ‘to come,’ thus deduced has a remoter history; it is identical with the Indian and Zend root gam, ‘to come,’ and allied to Latin vĕnio for *gvĕmio, Greek βαίνω for *βανjω (for *gvĕmiô); compare bequem and Kunst. The assumed Aryan root is gem. The evolution of a v after the g is normal; compare Gothic qinô with Greek γυνή and Indian gnã (*gánâ), ‘woman’; Gothic qiwa-, Latin vivus (Greek βίος, substantive), Indian jîvá (see keck; compare the similar evolution of a kv akin to Teutonic hw from Aryan k under wer and welcher).