erzählten

Erzählten is a finite verb form of the German verb erzählen, meaning to tell or narrate. It represents the Präteritum (simple past) for plural subjects, and is used to describe past events in narrative or formal writing. In English, it corresponds to “told” or “narrated,” depending on the subject.

Conjugation and usage details: In the Präteritum, weak verbs such as erzählen take the endings of the simple past. For erzählen, the forms include ich erzählte, du erzähltest, er/sie/es erzählte, wir erzählten, ihr erzähltet, sie erzählten, Sie erzählten. The specific form erzählten occurs with plural subjects (wir, sie, Sie). Examples: Wir erzählten eine Geschichte. Sie erzählten von ihren Reisen. In everyday speech, the Perfekt (haben erzählt) is more common for past events, while Präteritum is frequently used in written narration or journalism.

Relation to the base verb and other tenses: Erzählten is not the infinitive or the past participle; it is a conjugated form. The present tense would be erzählt (he/she tells) or erzählen (to tell, in general). The Präteritum of the singular forms includes erzählte (ich/er/sie/es), whereas the plural form Erzählen in the past uses erzählten.

Etymology and notes: Erzählten derives from erzählen, with the prefix er- and the standard Präteritum endings for weak verbs. The prefix er- often signals a completion or a version of the action in German verb formation. The form is a standard part of German grammar and appears across literary and formal prose as a narrative past.