vernahm

Vernahm is the simple past tense form of the German verb vernehmen. It can mean to hear or perceive something by listening, and in a legal or formal context it can also mean to question or interrogate someone. In everyday language, vernehmen is more commonly expressed with other verbs such as hören or erfahren, while vernehmen appears in literary, historical, or formal prose.

Etymology and meanings

Vernehmen combines the prefix ver- with nehmen (to take). Historically, it broadens from the sense of taking in information by perception to include the act of questioning or interrogating someone in formal or judicial settings. The past tense form vernahm is used with first-person singular (ich vernahm) and third-person singular (er vernahm), with other forms following regular conjugation: du vernahmst, wir vernahmen, ihr vernahmt, sie vernahmen.

Usage and examples

Common senses include perceiving sounds or information: Ich vernahm ein Flüstern im Garten. The phrase can also mean to learn of something: Er vernahm Gerüchte über den Vorfall. In legal contexts, vernehmen can mean to interrogate a witness: Die Polizei vernahm den Verdächtigen. In this sense, the past tense can be used in narrative: Die Zeugen vernahmen den Verdächtigen.

Related forms

The noun form Vernehmung refers to a hearing or interrogation, often in legal contexts. The past participle vernommen is used to form perfect tenses: Ich habe vernommen. The verb is relatively formal; synonyms include hören, erfahren, or wahrnehmen depending on nuance.