konnte

**Konnte**

Konnte is a German verb derived from the past participle of the auxiliary verb *können*, meaning "to be able to" or "to be capable of." It is used in the past tense to express ability, permission, or possibility, often in combination with the main verb in the infinitive form. The conjugation of *konnte* follows the regular past participle pattern of strong verbs in German, where the stem vowel changes slightly.

In sentences, *konnte* typically appears in the auxiliary construction with *haben* or *sein*, depending on the context. For example, *"Ich konnte nicht kommen"* (I couldn’t come) uses *haben*, while *"Er konnte nicht laufen"* (He couldn’t run) also uses *haben*, though the meaning differs subtly. The construction *"Er konnte laufen"* (He could run) is more common for expressing ability.

The past tense of *konnte* is often used in narratives, past events, or hypothetical scenarios. It contrasts with the present tense *kann* (can) and the future tense *können* (will be able to). In some dialects, especially in southern Germany, *konnte* may also appear in informal speech, though it is generally considered standard in written German.

Understanding *konnte* is essential for mastering German verb conjugations, particularly those involving auxiliary verbs. It is commonly tested in language learners due to its frequent appearance in past-tense constructions.