The evolution of the verbs "been" in Middle English and "sîn" in Middle High German offers valuable insights into the linguistic transformations that occurred in the Germanic language family during the medieval period. These two verbs, derived from ancient Germanic roots, played crucial roles in shaping the grammatical structures of their respective languages—English and German. The development of "been" in Middle English and "sîn" in Middle High German not only reflects changes in the morphology and syntax of the languages but also serves as a key marker of the broader historical evolution of these languages from Old to Modern forms.

Scholars such as John Algeo and N.S. Chemodanov have highlighted the significance of these verbs in the context of their respective linguistic environments. Algeo emphasizes the pivotal role of "been" in the formation of tense and plural structures in Middle English, marking a departure from its Old English antecedents. Similarly, Chemodanov traces the evolution of "sîn" in Middle High German, noting its transformation from earlier forms in Old High German to its present-day counterpart, "sein".

This article explores the grammatical and morphological changes in both "been" and "sîn", with a focus on their conjugation patterns and the historical context in which they developed. By comparing the forms of these verbs in the present and past tenses, the article highlights both their shared Germanic origins and the distinct paths they took in the evolution of English and German. The insights provided by scholars such as Rastorguyeva, Jirmunskiy, Reznik, and others further illuminate the impact of these verbs on the broader syntactic and morphological shifts in their respective languages. Through a detailed comparison of their conjugation forms, this study aims to deepen our understanding of the linguistic processes that shaped the development of Middle English and Middle High German, ultimately contributing to the formation of Modern English and German.

Important inferences on the evolution of the verbs "been" in Middle English and "sîn" in Middle High German may be made from the viewpoints of John Algeo and N.S.Chemodanov.

According to John Algeo, the Middle English verb "been" changed significantly from Old English. During the Middle English era, this verb was essential to grammar, both in conveying the tense forms of "to be" and in its widespread usage in plural. The Middle English era, which generally lasted from 1150 to 1500, was a time when Old English and Modern English were evolving. The evolution of verbs such as "been" therefore had a substantial impact on the language's morphological and syntactic structures [11; 133].

N.S. Chemodanov asserts that one of the main verbs in Middle High German was "sîn," which conveyed the meaning "to be." The period of its development was roughly between 1050 and 1350. The word "sîn" changed from Old High German forms at this time, impacting contemporary German forms. In Middle High German, the word "sîn" was often employed and evolved from previous verb forms in Old High German. It was the ancestor of the current German verb "sein," demonstrating its historical importance [9; 280].

Rastorguyeva, T.A. said that the verbs "sîn" in Middle High German and "been" in Middle English both had important grammatical functions in their respective languages. In Middle English, "been" evolved as a form of the verb "to be" and helped give rise to new grammatical forms as the language changed. In the meantime, "sîn" served as a fundamental verb in Middle High German, which had a significant influence on the evolution of modern German. Throughout the grammatical shift that occurred in Middle English, which was in use from around 1150 to 1500, the word "been" was essential in forming the English language's structure [15; 162].

Jirmunskiy, V.M. noted that between 1050 and 1350, the verb *"sîn"* was one of the fundamental grammatical elements of Middle High German. Throughout their development, both verbs had a significant influence on how their respective languages changed [2; 28].

According to Reznik, R. V., In both modern English and German, the verbs "been" and "sîn" have left their imprint. Especially in perfect tenses, "been" is still used in modern English [7; 35].

As stated by Zinder, L.R., in contemporary German, "sîn" has been maintained as "sein" and is essential to present and past tense conjugations [4; 81].

Ilyish, B.A. Both verbs had morphological modifications that reflected their development into their current forms. While the Middle High German word *"sîn"* affected the development of other verb forms, the Middle English verb *"been"* helped give rise to new grammatical structures. These verbs' growth during the Middle English and Middle High German eras had a substantial influence on their current forms and provided information about the languages' historical history. The Middle English verb *"been"* and the Middle High German verb *"sîn"* both have strong suppletive conjugations with forms derived from distinct origins [10; 78].

The conjugation of the verb "been" in Middle English:

Present tense:

• 1st person singular: ich am
• 2nd person singular: thou art or beest
• 3rd person singular: he/she/it is or beeth
• 1st person plural: we been or sinden
• 2nd person plural: ye been or sinden
• 3rd person plural: they been or sinden
• Any person in the plural: ar(e)n

Past tense:

• 1st person singular: ich was
• 2nd person singular: thou wast or were
• 3rd person singular: he/she/it was
• 1st/2nd/3rd person plural: we/ye/they were or weren [1; 34].

The conjugation of the verb "sîn" in Middle High German:

Present tense:

• 1st person singular: ich bin
• 2nd person singular: du bist
• 3rd person singular: er/sie/es ist
• 1st person plural: wir sîn
• 2nd person plural: ir sît
• 3rd person plural: sie sînt

Past tense (Preterite):

• 1st person singular: ich was
• 2nd person singular: du wære or was
• 3rd person singular: er/sie/es was
• 1st person plural: wir wâren
• 2nd person plural: ir wâret
• 3rd person plural: sie wâren  [13; 80]

Arakin V. D. said that The forms for the first, second, and third person singular in the present tense are phonetically comparable in Middle English and Middle High German. For example, the first person singular is *"am"* in Middle English and *"bin"* in Middle High German; the second person singular is *"art/beest"* and *"bist"*; and the third person singular is *"is/beeth"* and *"ist"*. The Germanic language family has ancient origins with these variants [1; 56].

In the opinion of Raxmanova, N.I. Middle English has many different forms for the plural present tense, including *"been," *"beeth," *"sinden," and *"ar(e)n."* Middle High German, on the other hand, used words like *"wir sîn," *"ir sît," and *"sie sînt." These variations show how each language's morphology has changed throughout time.  In the past tense, both languages use the form "was" for the 1st and 3rd person singular. This shared form underscores their common Germanic roots [15; 23].

  Smirntistkiy, A.I. noted that in the second person singular, Middle High German has the term "waere," which is comparable to the English form "were." Additionally, "wâren" and "weren," the plural forms, are somewhat similar. The plural form "ar(e)n" in Middle English is equivalent to the contemporary "are." There isn't a comparable form in Middle High German, though. Instead, the present tense "sînt" and the past tense "wâren" are used to represent it. This comparison makes it clear that the verbs *"been"* and *"sîn"*, which have old Germanic origins, have comparable conjugations. Despite the emergence of distinct forms due to historical changes in both languages, there are notable phonetic and morphological similarities between them [8; 50].

The evolution of the verbs "been" in Middle English and "sîn" in Middle High German reveals significant insights into the morphological and syntactic transformations that shaped the trajectory of the English and German languages from their Old Germanic roots to their modern forms. Both verbs, which originated from ancient Germanic roots, played pivotal roles in the development of tense structures and auxiliary verb usage, contributing to the grammatical systems of their respective languages.

Through a comparative analysis of their conjugation forms, this study has highlighted both the similarities and differences in how these verbs evolved. While "been" in Middle English and "sîn" in Middle High German share common features, such as their use in forming tenses and their strong suppletive conjugations, they also reflect unique developments in each language's historical context. The persistence of "been" in modern English, particularly in perfect tense constructions, and the continued use of "sîn" as "sein" in modern German further underscores their lasting impact on their respective languages.

The contributions of scholars like John Algeo, N.S. Chemodanov, and others have provided a deeper understanding of how these verbs were central to the grammatical shifts in Middle English and Middle High German. The comparison of their conjugations across different tenses reveals the ways in which both languages adapted and transformed over time, leading to the formation of the tense systems we recognize in modern English and German. Ultimately, this study demonstrates the significance of "been" and "sîn" in the linguistic evolution of the Germanic language family, emphasizing the role of verb forms in the broader process of language change and the development of grammatical structures. The continued evolution of these verbs in their modern counterparts highlights the dynamic and ongoing nature of language, driven by both historical processes and the internal logic of grammatical systems.