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Grammar | |
Verbs | |
Past Tense | |
Use |
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Past Tense - Use |
You use the Past Tense for:
| 1. | actions or situations finished in the past (single or repeated) | |||
| Example: | Er besuchte seine Mutter letzte Woche. | |||
| Phonetic Script: | [e:ɐ bə'zu:xtə 'zainə 'mʊtɐ 'lɛtstə 'vɔxə] | |||
| English: | He visited his mother last week. | |||
| 2. | a state in the past which is described | |||
| Example: | Sie sprach Deutsch. | |||
| Phonetic Script: | [zi: ʃpra:x dɔytʃ] | |||
| English: | She spoke German. | |||
| 3. | the description of actions and states in written texts in newspapers, magazines and literary works like novels, short stories, fairy tales etc.) | |||
| Example: | Es war einmal ein König und eine Königin, die lebten in Frieden. | |||
| Phonetic Script: | [ɛs va:ɐ ain'ma:l ain 'kø:nɪç ʊnt 'ainə 'kø:nɪgɪn, di: 'le:ptən ɪn 'fri:dən] | |||
| English: | Once upon a time there was a king and a queen who lived in peace. | |||
| Literal translation: | It was once a king and a queen who lived in peace. | |||
| 4. | the report on actions in the past broadcasted by TV or radio stations like the daily news (though it is spoken) | |||
| Example: | Gestern sprach die deutsche Kanzlerin mit dem englischen Premierminister. | |||
| Phonetic Script: | ['gɛstɐn ʃpra:x di: 'dɔytʃə 'kantslərɪn mɪt de:m 'ɛŋlɪʃən prə'mie:mi'nɪstɐ] | |||
| English: | Yesterday the chancellor (female form) talked to the English prime minister. | |||
| Literally: | Yesterday talked the chancellor (female form) with the English prime minister. | |||
| Please note that in the German colloquial or spoken language the Present Perfect is used most of the time. | ||||