GermanSentence

A2 Tense

Preterite

Präteritum

The simple past is the written narrative past. In speech it survives mainly in sein, haben and the modals, where hatte and war are far commoner than the perfect forms.

Sentences that use it(30 of 78)

Real sentences from the lexicon. The marked words are what show the rule.

  • central to this sentence B2

    2024 waren es den Angaben zufolge noch 10.358 Menschen.

    In 2024, according to the figures, there were still 10,358 people.

    The past state is expressed with the simple preterite of sein, standard for sein and in written style.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence C1

    Schon 2025 war die geförderte freiwillige Rückkehr von ausreisepflichtigen Ausländern dem Bericht zufolge deutlich angestiegen.

    According to the report, the state-promoted voluntary return of foreigners obliged to leave the country had already risen markedly by 2025.

    Written narrative/reporting style prefers the simple preterite of sein plus participle over the perfect.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence C1

    Die Zahl der Bewerbungen für eine Stelle bei der Bundeswehr lag in diesem Juli mit rund 47.300 um 26 Prozent über dem Wert des Vorjahresmonats.

    The number of applications for a position with the Bundeswehr in this July was, at around 47,300, 26 percent above the value of the same month last year.

    News reports typically use the simple preterite rather than the perfect for past events.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence C1

    Er reagierte damit auf einen SPD-Vorstoß, eine neue "Gemeinschaftsaufgabe Klimaanpassung und Naturschutz" im Grundgesetz zu verankern.

    With this, he was responding to an SPD proposal to anchor a new 'joint task of climate adaptation and nature conservation' in the Basic Law.

    Written narrative past tense, typical of news reporting.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence C1

    Das ist die Idee an dieser Stelle: hybride Bedrohung als Erosionstreiber des Staatsvertrauens", warnte Dobrindt. Am Standort des Deutschen Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) sollen Technologien zur sicheren Nutzung sowie zur Erkennung und Abwehr von Drohnen entwickelt und erprobt werden.

    "That is the idea at this point: hybrid threats as a driver of erosion of trust in the state," warned Dobrindt. At the site of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), technologies for secure use as well as for detection and defence against drones are to be developed and tested.

    The reporting verb uses the simple preterite, standard in written news German.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence C1

    Und dann, Anfang des Jahres, zerlegte sich die BSW-Fraktion im Landtag von Brandenburg und damit die Regierungsbeteiligung des BSW in Potsdam.

    And then, at the start of the year, the BSW faction in the Brandenburg state parliament fell apart – and with it the BSW's participation in government in Potsdam.

    Written narrative style favours the simple preterite over the perfect for reporting past events.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence A2

    Fast alle gingen später wieder zurück.

    Almost all of them went back again later.

    Narrative past is expressed with the simple preterite of 'gehen' rather than the perfect.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence C1

    Am Wochenende wurde ein Papier öffentlich, das zudem einen groben Rahmen für mehr Hitze- und Klimaschutz umreißt.

    At the weekend, a paper became public that also outlines a rough framework for more heat and climate protection.

    Written narrative style uses the preterite of werden rather than the perfect.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence B2

    Der bisherige Höchstwert wurde 2018 mit etwa 9.000 hitzebedingten Todesfällen verzeichnet. Vor allem für ältere Menschen sind Hitzeperioden riskant.

    The previous record high was recorded in 2018 with about 9,000 heat-related deaths. Heat periods are especially risky for older people.

    Written narrative past used for reporting a past statistic.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence C1

    Damit gab es in den ersten sieben Monaten dieses Jahres bereits mehr Todesfälle in Zusammenhang mit Hitze als in jedem einzelnen Gesamtjahr zuvor.

    As a result, there had already been more heat-related deaths in the first seven months of this year than in any single full year before.

    'Es gab' is the past form of 'es gibt', used for reported facts about earlier periods.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence C1

    Bis zum 9. August gab es demnach mindestens 14.000 Todesfälle in Zusammenhang mit hohen Temperaturen, wie aus dem Wochenbericht des Instituts hervorgeht.

    By 9 August, there had consequently been at least 14,000 deaths in connection with high temperatures, as emerges from the weekly report of the institute.

    'Es gab' is the standard preterite form used to state that something existed in the past.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence B2

    Sieben Bewohnerinnen und Bewohner, Überlebende des Holocausts, wurden getötet.

    Seven residents, survivors of the Holocaust, were killed.

    Written narrative and news style uses the preterite of 'werden' rather than the perfect to form the passive.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence B2

    Das war etwas weniger als noch 2024, wie der Medizinische Dienst der Krankenkassen mitteilte.

    That was somewhat less than still in 2024, as the Medical Service of the Health Insurance Funds announced.

    Both verbs are simple past forms, typical of written news reports.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence B2

    97 von ihnen hatten tödliche Folgen, zeigt eine aktuelle Statistik.

    97 of them had fatal consequences, as current statistics show.

    'hatten' is the simple past of 'haben', the normal narrative tense in written reports.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence B2

    Im Interview mit tagesschau24 schaut Politikwissenschaftlerin Lena Partzsch auf den Stand der deutschen Klimapolitik. tagesschau24: Frau Partzsch, die vergangenen Wochen waren geprägt von Hitze, Dürre, Waldbränden und Niedrigwasser.

    In an interview with tagesschau24, political scientist Lena Partzsch looks at the state of German climate policy. tagesschau24: Ms Partzsch, the past weeks were marked by heat, drought, forest fires and low water levels.

    Written narrative style uses the preterite of 'sein' plus the past participle to describe a past state.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence B2

    Für Notfallsanitäter Bastian Metzinger hieß das in den letzten Wochen: rausfahren und helfen, auch bei weit über 30 Grad.

    For paramedic Bastian Metzinger, that meant in recent weeks: going out and helping, even at well over 30 degrees.

    The simple past of the strong verb 'heißen' is used in written narrative style.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence B2

    Der Vorfall ereignete sich Behördenangaben zufolge am Morgen nach dem Unwetter.

    According to the authorities' statements, the incident occurred on the morning after the storm.

    Written narrative reports of events use the simple past rather than the perfect.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence B2

    Mindestens zwei Menschen kamen ums Leben.

    At least two people lost their lives.

    Reported events such as deaths are narrated in the simple past rather than the perfect.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence C1

    "Das Cannabisgesetz von 2024 war im Kern eine Entkriminalisierung der Konsumenten, inklusive des legalen Eigenanbaus und des gemeinsamen legalen Eigenanbaus in Anbauvereinigungen", erklärt Wurth.

    "The Cannabis Act of 2024 was essentially a decriminalisation of consumers, including the legal home growing and the joint legal home growing in cultivation associations," explains Wurth.

    'Sein' uses its preterite form 'war' rather than the perfect to describe a past state.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence B2

    Dafür wurden 11,8 Milliarden Euro ausgegeben, 2,9 Prozent mehr als 2024. Ihr Anteil an den gesamten Sozialhilfeausgaben sank allerdings im dritten Jahr in Folge und lag bei 54,9 Prozent.

    €11.8 billion was spent on this, 2.9 percent more than in 2024. However, their share of total social assistance expenditure fell for the third year in a row and stood at 54.9 percent.

    Written narrative/report style favours the simple preterite over the perfect.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence C1

    Die Sozialhilfeträger zahlten netto rund 21,5 Milliarden Euro und damit 6,1 Prozent mehr als im Vorjahr, teilte das Statistische Bundesamt mit. Der größte Posten blieb die Grundsicherung im Alter und bei Erwerbsminderung.

    The social welfare agencies paid out around 21.5 billion euros net, and thus 6.1 percent more than in the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office reported. The largest item remained basic security in old age and in cases of reduced earning capacity.

    Written news reports use the preterite rather than the perfect for past events.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence B1

    Sie erhöhten sich um 13,3 Prozent auf sechs Milliarden Euro.

    They rose by 13.3 percent to six billion euros.

    The simple past form 'erhöhten' reports a completed past development, typical of written news style.

    tagesschau.de
  • central to this sentence A2

    Von Peter Allgaier und Oliver Christa, BR "Mein Ehering oder die schöne Kette, alles war auf einmal weg", sagt Gisela Urban.

    By Peter Allgaier and Oliver Christa; BR: "My wedding ring or the pretty necklace — everything was suddenly gone," says Gisela Urban.

    'War' is the preterite of sein, the usual written form for sein unlike perfect-tense habit verbs.

    tagesschau.de
  • C1

    Ob Joggen vor 7 Uhr oder große Reformpläne - die Kabinettsklausur in Schloss Neuhardenberg sollte Tatkraft ausstrahlen.

    Whether jogging before 7 a.m. or major reform plans - the cabinet retreat at Schloss Neuhardenberg was meant to radiate energy and drive.

    Modal verbs are commonly used in the preterite rather than the perfect.

    tagesschau.de
  • B2

    "Und das wollen wir jetzt anpacken." Dabei appellierte der SPD-Politiker in den tagesthemen auch an die Geschlossenheit bei bevorstehenden schwierigen Entscheidungen.

    And that is what we want to tackle now." In the tagesthemen news programme, the SPD politician also called for unity in the face of upcoming difficult decisions.

    Written reporting prefers the simple preterite over the perfect for past events.

    tagesschau.de
  • B2

    Und das alles in einer sehr, sehr schwierigen internationalen Lage", sagte er.

    "And all of that in a very, very difficult international situation," he said.

    Written narrative reporting uses the simple preterite 'sagte' rather than the perfect.

    tagesschau.de
  • C1

    "Wir wollen den Aufbruch, das ist auf dieser Klausur nochmal deutlich geworden", sagte der Vizekanzler im Interview mit den tagesthemen. Es gehe jetzt darum, das Land wirtschaftlich wieder stärker zu machen.

    "We want a fresh start – that became clear once again at this retreat," said the vice-chancellor in an interview with the tagesthemen news programme. He said the task now was to make the country economically stronger again.

    Written reporting characteristically uses the Präteritum rather than the perfect.

    tagesschau.de
  • C1

    In den tagesthemen appellierte der SPD-Chef auch an die Geschlossenheit der Koalition: Es gehe jetzt darum, das Land wieder stärker zu machen.

    In the Tagesthemen news programme, the SPD leader also appealed for unity within the coalition: the country, he said, now needed to be made strong again.

    Written narrative reporting typically uses the simple preterite rather than the perfect.

    tagesschau.de
  • C1

    Das "deutsche Volk" im Sinne der Verfassung, "das sind auch Deutsche, die hinzugekommen sind“, sagte der Bundespräsident zur Eröffnung einer Podiumsdiskussion.

    "The German people" in the sense of the constitution "also includes Germans who have come to join it", said the Federal President at the opening of a panel discussion.

    Written narrative reporting uses the simple preterite 'sagte' rather than the perfect.

    tagesschau.de
  • C1

    Deutschland gehöre "allen, die rechtmäßig hier leben", sagte er in Berlin. Der Bundespräsident warnte vor einem Rückfall in völkisches Denken.

    'Germany belongs to all who live here lawfully,' he said in Berlin. The Federal President warned against a relapse into völkisch (ethno-nationalist) thinking.

    Written narrative German prefers the simple preterite for past events.

    tagesschau.de

Next in tense