erteilte

Erteilen is a German verb meaning to grant, issue, or provide something such as permission, information, or instructions. The form erteilt is present tense, while erteilte is the simple past (Präteritum) form. Therefore, erteilte is used in narratives or formal writing to indicate that someone granted or issued something in the past. It is most common in administrative, legal, or official contexts.

In usage, erteilen typically collocates with objects that are issued or granted. Common examples include Genehmigung (permit), Erlaubnis (permission), Auflage (condition), Auftrag (assignment), and Auskunft (information). For instance: Der Beamte erteilte die Genehmigung. Die Behörde erteilte mir eine Erlaubnis. Der Vorgesetzte erteilte dem Mitarbeiter den Auftrag. While erteilen is widely understood, in everyday speech people may use andere Verben like geben or ausstellen depending on the context.

Etymology and form: erteilen derives from a prefix er- plus teilen, with erteilen carrying the sense of delivering or granting something to someone. The simple past form erteilte is produced by adding the standard Präteritum ending for the third-person singular or first-person singular in regular verb conjugation patterns. This makes erteilte a straightforward marker of a completed action in the past within formal or narrative German.