bedurfte

Bedurfte is a German word that functions as the past tense (Präteritum) of the verb bedürfen. The verb bedürfen means "to need," "to require," or "to be in need of." Therefore, "bedurfte" translates to "needed," "required," or "was in need of."

For example, in the sentence "Das Projekt bedurfte vieler Anstrengungen" (The project required much effort), "bedurfte" indicates that the project was in a state of needing those efforts in the past. Similarly, "Er bedurfte einer Erklärung" means "He needed an explanation."

The word is relatively formal and less commonly used in everyday spoken German compared to "brauchen" (to need/use). While "brauchen" is more versatile and can be used in many situations where "bedürfen" might apply, "bedürfen" often carries a nuance of a more fundamental or essential need. It can also be followed by the genitive case, although this is also becoming less frequent in modern German. For instance, "Sie bedurfte der Hilfe" (She was in need of help) uses the genitive "der Hilfe." In contemporary usage, it is more common to hear or read "Sie brauchte Hilfe."

The concept of "bedürfen" can imply a lack or a deficiency that must be fulfilled. It's a term often found in more formal writing, legal texts, or philosophical discussions where precise language regarding necessity is important. The conjugation of "bedürfen" in the present tense is also somewhat irregular, further contributing to its less common usage compared to regular verbs.