Paddelte

Paddelte is the simple past tense form of the German verb paddeln, meaning to paddle, typically with a paddle on water in boats such as canoes or kayaks. The noun paddel denotes the implement used to propel a boat, and paddeln as a verb describes the action of using one or more paddles to move through water. In the Präteritum, the verb is conjugated as follows: ich paddelte, du paddeltest, er paddelte, wir paddelten, ihr paddeltet, sie paddelten. The past participle is gepaddelt, which forms the perfect tense with haben (ich habe gepaddelt).

Usage and style notes: paddelte is most common in written German, especially in narratives, reports, or literature, where the simple past is preferred. In everyday spoken German, speakers typically use the present perfect form (ich habe gepaddelt) to describe past paddling activity. Regional variations may affect the frequency of the Präteritum in speech, with some dialects using it more often in conversation than standard High German.

Etymology and related forms: paddeln is derived from the noun paddel (paddle). Paddelte is the corresponding simple past form, while gepaddelt is the past participle. Related terms include paddel and the verb paddeln in other tenses and moods, such as paddelt (present) and paddelte (subjunctive or narrative past in certain contexts).

Example sentences: Gestern paddelte er zwei Kilometer auf dem See. Sie paddelte den Fluss hinunter, bis die Dämmerung einsetzte. Wir paddelten den ganzen Nachmittag, bevor wir einen Rastplatz fanden.

See also: paddeln, gepaddelt, Paddel.