An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/wollen

by Friedrich Kluge

wollen, vb., ‘to wish, be willing, have a mind to, intend,’ from the equiv. MidHG. wollen (węllen), OHG. wellan (węllan); an anomalous vb.; the further details belong to grammar. Comp. OSax. węllian, willian, Du. willen, AS. willan, E. to will, Goth. wiljan. The connection between the Teut. root wel, ‘to wish,’ with which Wahl and wohl are also connected, and the equiv. Lat. velle is apparent; comp. also Sans. vṛ (var), ‘to choose, prefer,’ OSlov. voliti, ‘to be willing.’ Gr. βούλομαι ‘to be willing,’ is, on the other hand, not allied; it is more probably related to Gr. ἐθέλω, θέλω, ‘to wish,’ which, like Sans. hary, ‘to desire,’ points to an Aryan ghel (ghwel), which would produce in Teut. likewise a root wël, ‘to be willing.’