Mochten

Moachten? The correct headword is mochten, the Präteritum (simple past) form of the verb mögen. It expresses that someone liked something in the past or was fond of it. It is distinct from möchten, the present-subjunctive form used to express wishes (would like).

Conjugation and forms: In Präteritum, the endings are: ich mochte, du mochtest, er mochte, wir mochten, ihr mochtet, sie mochten. The past participle is gemocht and is used with haben for perfect tenses: Ich habe es gemocht. The present tense of mögen shows the contrast: ich mag, du magst, er mag, wir mögen, ihr mögt, sie mögen.

Usage and nuance: Mochten appears mainly in narration or formal writing to describe past preferences or experiences. In everyday speech, speakers often prefer other constructions to convey past liking, such as using hat gemocht for a general past experience or relaying it with context. It can describe ongoing dispositions in the past or specific past events, e.g., “Gestern mochte ich den Film,” “Als Kind mochte sie Eis.”

Examples: Gestern mochte ich den Film. Als Kind mochte er Kaffee. Wir mochten das Konzert, obwohl es lang war. Ich habe den Film gemocht.

Relation to other forms: Moeten you differentiate mochten from möchten; letztere is the present subjunctive of mögen and expresses a wish or polite desire (er möchte), not past liking. Etymology traces mögen to Germanic roots; mochten is the standard Präteritum form of that verb.