regeerde

Regeerde is the simple past tense of the Dutch verb regeren, meaning to govern or rule. It is used to describe that a person, a ruler, a government, or an administrative body held power over a state or territory during a specified period. The form is common in historical narratives and literary Dutch to convey governance in the past.

Etymology and forms: Regeren derives from older Dutch forms linked to the Latin regere, meaning to direct or rule. In modern Dutch, the present tense is regeer for stem forms like ik regeer, jij regeert, hij regeert. The simple past singular is regeerde (ik/jij/hij regeerde), while the simple past plural is regeerden (wij/regerden). The past participle is geregeerd, used with hebben in perfect tenses, as in de regering heeft geregeerd.

Usage notes: Regeerde often appears in historical writing to indicate who governed a kingdom, republic, colony, or empire at a given time. It can also appear in literary contexts to describe power or authority in the past. In contemporary language, it is common to contrast with het heden regeren (to govern currently) or with other verbs such as heersen (to rule, often with force) or besturen (to administer/manage), depending on nuance.

See also: regeren, regering, regeerperiode, heersen, besturen. These related terms cover the act of governing, the institution of government, and related nuances of power and administration in Dutch.