Sammelte

Sammelte is the simple past tense form (Präteritum) of the German verb sammeln, meaning to collect or gather. It is used to describe a completed past action and corresponds to phrases such as “he collected” or “I collected,” depending on the subject (ich sammelte, er sammelte, etc.). In everyday spoken German, the Präteritum is less common for such actions, with the Perfekt form habe gesammelt more often used (ich habe gesammelt). The Präteritum, including sammelte, is more typical in written narration, formal writing, and historical or descriptive contexts.

Usage notes include that sammelte functions transitively with objects like Münzen, Briefmarken, Unterschriften, oder Dinge one collects as a hobby. The form itself does not change meaning with different subjects beyond the standard person endings: ich sammelte, du sammeltest, er/sie/es sammelte, wir sammelten, ihr sammeltet, sie sammelten. It often appears in narrative passages, reports, or historical accounts where past actions are described.

Examples:

- Er sammelte Münzen aus aller Welt.

- Sie sammelte Unterschriften für die Petition.

- Wir sammelten Erfahrungen während des Projekts.

See also:

- sammeln, the infinitive meaning to collect

- Sammlung, the collection

- Sammler, the collector

Etymology generally traces sammeln to Germanic roots meaning to bring together, aligning with related terms in German and other Germanic languages.