stärkten

Stärkten is the Präteritum (simple past) form of the German verb stärken, meaning to strengthen, reinforce, or increase the strength of something. It is used with the subjects wir and sie, for example: Wir stärkten unsere Position, Sie stärkten die Verteidigung. The corresponding forms for other subjects are stärkst, stärkstest, stärkte, stärkten, stärktet, or, in many contexts, speakers use the perfect tense with gestärkt (ich habe gestärkt, wir haben gestärkt).

Stärken can also function as a noun when capitalized as Stärken, meaning strengths or strong points. The plural noun Stärken is used in phrases such as die Stärken und Schwächen or Sie kennen ihre Stärken. This noun sense is distinct from the verb form and often appears in self-evaluation, personnel discussions, or strategic analyses.

Etymology and usage context: both senses derive from the adjective stark, meaning strong. The verb stärken is used in physical, organizational, economic, or metaphorical contexts to describe increasing power, resilience, or capability. In everyday language, the perfect tense of stärken is hat gestärkt (e.g., Das Projekt hat die Gemeinschaft gestärkt); the Präteritum forms (stärkten, stärkten) appear more in narrative or formal writing.

Notes: The two senses are distinguished by capitalization and usage. As a verb, stärken appears in lowercase and with the appropriate verb endings; as a noun, Stärken is capitalized and refers to capabilities or strengths. The term is primarily used in German-language contexts and often appears in discussions of fitness, defense, policy, business, and personal development.