Verschwendeten

Verschwendeten is a German word form that can function as both a finite verb form and as a past participle used attributively. As a finite form, verschwendeten is the Präteritum (Imperfekt) third-person plural form of the verb verschwendet (to waste or squander). It appears in sentences such as, for example, Sie verschwendeten das Geld. In this role it conveys a simple past narrative meaning, typically found in written or formal language; in spoken German, the Perfekt form Gesellschaftlich often replaces it (Sie haben das Geld verschwendet).

As a past participle used attributively, verschwendeten also appears in phrases like die verschwendeten Ressourcen, meaning “the wasted resources.” In this usage, the word acts like an adjective and receives the corresponding strong ending -en for plural nouns after a definite article. It can also appear predicatively in combination with a form of sein (e.g., Die Ressourcen waren verschwendet), though this construction is less common in everyday speech.

Etymology and relation to related terms: verschwendeten derives from the verb verschwendet, which itself uses the prefix ver- added to the stem verschwend- of verschwend- to convey the sense of squander or waste. The noun Verschwendung (waste or squandering) is closely related and often discussed in economic, environmental, or philosophical contexts.

See also: Verschwendung, verschwendet, Verschwendungsbegriff. Usage notes: Verschwendeten as a finite form is primarily literary or formal; in contemporary spoken German, the Perfekt (Sie haben verschwendet) is more common for past events.