betrieben

Betrieben is the past participle of the German verb betreiben, meaning to operate, run, or manage a business, facility, or activity. In everyday use it can function as a participial adjective describing something that is operated or in operation, such as a machine or facility, or as part of a passive or perfect construction. For example, eine betriebene Anlage refers to an operated facility, and die Anlage wird betrieben means the facility is being operated. In perfect tenses, German typically uses haben with betreiben: wir haben die Anlage betrieben.

Etymology and sense development: betreiben is formed with the prefix be- added to treiben (to drive or propel). The sense extends from driving or pushing forward to running or managing an enterprise or equipment. The past participle betrieb(en) retains this core meaning and is used across technical, industrial, and general contexts to indicate operational status.

Usage notes: As an attributive adjective, betriebene or betriebenen Anlagen are declined according to German adjective endings based on case, gender, and definiteness. Common collocations include betriebsbezogene (operational) terms and phrases like mit Solarenergie betrieben (powered by solar energy). The term is widespread in technical writing, maintenance documentation, and business reports to denote items that are not merely static but actively operated.

Related terms: betreiben (to operate), Betrieb (operation, business), Betreiber (operator), betriebswirtschaftlich (operational/economical). In Swiss German, Betreibung is a separate legal term meaning debt collection or enforcement, which is unrelated to the sense of operating a machine or facility.

See also: Betreiben; Betrieb; Betreiber; Betriebserlaubnis.