Betekende

Betekende is a Dutch verb form derived from betekenen, meaning to signify or to mean. It represents the simple past tense (onvoltooid verleden tijd) of betekenen and is used to describe past occasions when something signified or meant something else.

Conjugation in the simple past is typically listed as: ik betekende, jij betekende, hij/zij betekende, wij betekenden, jullie betekenden, zij betekenden. This form appears in narrative or formal writing to convey past states of meaning or signification. In everyday speech, speakers more often use the present tense (betekent) or the present perfect (heeft betekend) to express related ideas.

Usage and nuance: betekende indicates a completed meaning in the past. It can refer to the meaning of a statement, a symbol, an event, or a sign that was true at a past moment. The exact interpretation depends on context, including what is being said or indicated and the surrounding temporal framework.

Relation to other forms: The past participle of betekenen is betekend, which is used with hebben to form the perfect: Dat heeft betekend. The present tense form is betekent, and the infinitive is betekenen. The word betrekt two related senses—semantic meaning and signaling significance—and functions across ordinary, literary, and academic Dutch.

See also: betekenen, betekenis, taalverwant in andere Germaanse talen.