gespielte

Gespielte is a German attributive form of the past participle gespielt, derived from the verb spielen (to play or to perform). It functions as an adjective and describes something that has been played, performed, or enacted in a prior act, such as a role, music, or a scene. The term is common in contexts like theater, film, and music criticism, where the performative aspect of a piece or performance is being highlighted.

Grammatically, gespielte inflects like a normal attributive adjective. Examples include: ein gespielter Mann, eine gespielte Rolle, ein gespieltes Stück. With definite articles, forms such as die gespielte Rolle or die gespielten Rollen are used; with indefinite or no article, forms like ein gespieltes Stück or gespielte Rollen are possible depending on number and case. The inflection follows standard German adjective declension rules: masculine singular typically with -er, feminine singular with -e, neuter singular with -es, and plural often with -en or -e endings depending on article and case.

Usage notes: gespielte emphasizes the performative or enacted nature of the subject, distinguishing it from the bare verb form hat gespielt (has played). It can describe performances (eine gespielte Melodie), roles (eine gespielte Rolle), or pieces and scenes, conveying that they were carried out or presented in a specific performance context. The word itself does not function as a standalone noun; it remains an adjective when used attributively.