verlangden

Verlangden is the simple past tense form of the Dutch verb verlangen, meaning to long for or to desire. It indicates that someone longed for something in the past and is used with a plural subject; the singular past tense form is verlangde.

Etymology and related forms: verlangen comes from Old Dutch and is related to the German verb verlangen, both derived from Germanic roots connected to longing and desire. The word is built from a stem related to lang (long) with the prefix ver-, which in Dutch can denote intensity or reference to a completed action in some conjugations. The past participle of verlangen is verlangd, used in perfect tenses, while the noun het verlangen refers to an emotional state of longing.

Usage and examples: Verlangden is common in narrative or formal writing when describing past feelings or attitudes. Examples include: Zij verlangden naar vrijheid en naar het thuisgevoel. (They longed for freedom and the sense of home.) Tijdens de reis verlangden zij naar familie en rust. (During the journey they longed for family and rest.) In colloquial speech, speakers may prefer present or other past forms depending on tense and aspect.

Distinctions: Verlangden should not be confused with verlangd, the past participle used in compound tenses such as heeft verlangd (has longed). The noun form, verlangen or het verlangen, expresses the concept of longing itself, not a specific past action.

See also: verlangen, verlangens, verlangend, verlangen in literature and historical texts.