overleefde

Overleefde is the simple past tense form of the Dutch verb overleven, meaning to survive. It indicates that someone or something endured or got through a dangerous or difficult situation. The verb overleven is formed from the prefix over- and leven (to live). The past tense forms are: ik overleefde, jij overleefde, hij/zij/het overleefde; wij/jullie/zij overleefden.

The past participle of overleven is overleefd, which is used with the auxiliary hebben to form the present perfect and other compound tenses, as in Hij heeft het overleefd. The spelling mirrors the regular pattern for this class of verbs, and the word is commonly used in news reporting, history, and literature to convey survival through adversity.

Examples of usage include: Hij overleefde de ramp, ondanks de ernst van de verwondingen. De onderneming overleefde de economische recessie dankzij een efficiënte herstructurering. In these contexts, overleefde emphasizes endurance and continuity despite hardship.

Related terms are overleven (to survive) and overlevende (survivor, a person who has survived). The concept of overleven and its past tense overleefde are part of everyday Dutch and appear in narratives about events such as disasters, conflicts, or long-term challenges.