entfernte

Entfernte is a finite verb form in German, derived from the verb entfernen, which means to remove, take away, or distance. It is the simple past tense (Präteritum) form used with the subject in the first person singular (ich entfernte) and in the third person singular (er entfernte, sie entfernte, es entfernte). This form appears in written narrative and formal contexts; it is not a noun and should not be confused with the past participle entfernt or with adjectival uses.

Usage in context: In standard German narrative, entfernte describes a completed removal in the past. In everyday speech, the Perfekt is more common for talking about past actions, for example ich habe entfernt or er hat entfernt. Example sentences include: "Gestern entfernte ich den Fehler aus dem Dokument," meaning “Yesterday I removed the error from the document,” and "Er entfernte die Schraube," meaning “He removed the screw.”

Etymology and related forms: Entfernen is a separable-prefix verb formed from ent- plus entfernen, where ent- conveys a sense of removal or separation. Related forms include entfernt (the past participle, used in perfect tenses and as an adjective meaning removed) and Entfernung (a noun meaning removal or distance). The form entfernte is specifically the Präteritum 1st-person singular and 3rd-person singular past tense, and it appears in written past narration alongside other Präteritum forms.