erfuhren

Erfuhren is a verb form in German. It is the simple past (Präteritum) of the verb erfahren, which means to experience or to learn about something. When used as erfuhren, it indicates that someone or a group learned or came to know something in the past, often through events or discovery. In contemporary speech, the simple past is less common for this verb; the present perfect "haben erfahren" is typically used instead to describe past knowledge or discoveries.

Usage and notes

Erfuhren is generally found in written or formal contexts, such as narratives, reports, or historical accounts. It is conjugated with plural subjects as wir erfuhren and sie erfuhren, as well as with archaic forms like du erfuhrest or ihr erfuhret in older texts. Common modern usage tends to prefer the perfect tense: Wir haben erfahren, dass..., Sie haben erfahren, dass... The verb can take a direct object referring to the information learned (e.g., die Neuigkeit, die Nachricht) and is often complemented by clauses introduced by dass or by a subordinate clause expressing the new knowledge.

Etymology and related forms

Erfahren originates from the prefix er- combined with fahren (to travel or go), yielding a sense of coming to know something through experience. The noun form Erfahrung means experience, and related forms include the adjective erfahren (experienced) and the past participle erfahren, used in perfect constructions (Ich habe erfahren). The noun Erfahrung contrasts with Erlebnis, which refers to an event or experience as a specific occurrence.

See also: erfahren, Erfahrung, Erlebnis.