nõrgen

Nõrgen is an Estonian verb meaning to become weaker or to weaken. It is the first-person singular present indicative form of the intransitive verb nõrgenema, indicating a shift toward reduced strength. The root comes from nõrk, meaning weak, with the -en suffix used in some Estonian verb conjugations to mark present tense.

In usage, nõrgen describes a decline in strength or intensity, applied to physical state (health or stamina), to the performance of a machine or system, or to more abstract things such as influence, morale, or an argument. It is used intransitively, without a direct object, whereas the related verb nõrgestama means to weaken something when a direct object is specified. The noun forms associated with this semantic field include nõrkus (weakness) and nõrgenemine (the process or act of weakening).

Related terms include nõrk, which means weak, as well as nõrgestama (to weaken something) and nõrgenemine (the act of weakening). In linguistic and semantic discussions, nõrgen is discussed as part of a set of Estonian verbs that describe diminishing strength or intensity, with usage spanning health, mechanics, and metaphorical contexts.