prägten

prägten is the simple past (Präteritum) form of the German verb prägen. The verb means to imprint, stamp, or shape, and it can be used both literally—such as stamping metal or minting coins—and figuratively—to shape or influence something, such as an era, memory, or public opinion. In the Präteritum, the forms are: ich prägte, du prägtest, er prägte, wir prägten, ihr prägtet, sie prägten. Therefore, the form “prägten” occurs with wir (we shaped) and sie/Sie (they shaped, you formal shaped) as the past tense.

Usage notes:

- In narrative or formal historical writing, prägen is commonly used in the simple past to describe past events or processes.

- In everyday spoken German, many speakers prefer the present perfect haben geprägt (hat geprägt) to express past actions, especially in conversation.

Meanings and nuances:

- Literal sense: to imprint, press, or stamp something; to mint coins.

- Figurative sense: to shape, define, or leave a lasting imprint on something such as culture, memory, or character.

Examples:

- Die Ereignisse prägten das politische Denken jener Generation. (The events shaped the political thinking of that generation.)

- Die Jahre der Krise prägten die Wirtschaftspolitik nachhaltig. (The years of the crisis shaped economic policy in a lasting way.)

Etymology:

- prägen derives from the noun Prägung, meaning an impression or stamp. The past tense forms reflect the historical development of the verb within the German verbal system.

See also:

- prägen, Prägung, geprägte (participle form), Präteritum.