bildeten

Bildeten is the simple past tense (Präteritum) of the German verb bilden, used with third-person plural subjects to describe forming, shaping, or constituting something in the past. The verb bilden covers several related senses, including to form a group, to constitute a structure or system, and to educate or train people. In narrative or descriptive text, bildeten appears when referring to past events in which groups or entities were formed or educated.

Usage examples illustrate its range. Sie bildeten eine Koalition aus mehreren Parteien. Die Schüler bildeten eine Arbeitsgruppe zur Lösung des Problems. Im Mittelalter bildeten sich Zunftverbände, um gemeinsamen Interessen nachzugehen. In reflexive constructions it can also mean that a group formed itself, as in: Die Bewohner bildeten sich eine neue Gemeinschaft.

Grammatical notes: The corresponding perfect tense is formed with haben and the past participle gebildet, as in Sie haben gebildet. The adjectivegebildet means educated or cultured, but it is not a synonym for the past tense form bildeten. The verb is common in historical, political, and educational contexts, and its meaning is determined by the object or clause it governs (forming, founding, or educating).