bewirkte

Bewirkte is the simple past tense (Präteritum) form of the German verb bewirken. Bewirken means to cause, bring about, or effect something. The verb is transitive and typically requires a direct object that is changed or produced by the action.

The prefix be- in bewirken conveys a causative or affective sense, while wirken means to work or to have an effect. Together, bewirken expresses causing a result or bringing about a change in a situation or condition.

In usage, bewirkte appears in narrative and formal past contexts. For example: "Der Beschluss bewirkte eine neue Rechtslage." In contrast, the present perfect form is bewirkt, as in "Der Beschluss hat eine neue Rechtslage bewirkt." The standard Präteritum conjugation is: ich bewirkte, du bewirktest, er/sie/es bewirkte, wir bewirkten, ihr bewirketen, Sie bewirkten.

Etymology traces bewirken to be- plus wirken, a construction common among be-prefix verbs in German, with the prefix modifying the meaning of the base verb. In English, bewirkte is typically translated as "caused" or "brought about." The term is widely used in journalism, politics, history, and formal prose to describe actions, decisions, or events that produced a measurable effect.