vertrauten

Vertrauten is a German word form that can serve two related but distinct grammatical roles: as a finite verb form and as an inflected adjective form. It is derived from the verb vertrauen, meaning to trust or to have confidence in someone or something.

As a verb form, vertrauten is the Präteritum (simple past) for the first-person plural and third-person plural of vertrauen. In other words, wir vertrauten and sie vertrauten are correct simple past constructions meaning “we trusted” and “they trusted.” The verb governs a dative object, as in Wir vertrauten der Quelle (We trusted the source) or Sie vertrauten dem Zeugen (They trusted the witness).

As an adjective, vertrauten appears when the adjective is inflected before a plural noun with a definite article. For example, die vertrauten Freunde means “the trusted/familiar friends.” Here the ending -en reflects the weak inflection pattern after a definite article in the plural. The same root appears in the related noun Vertrautheit (familiarity) and in the adjective form vertraut, which in singular can mean “familiar” or “trusted” depending on context.

Usage notes: Vertrauten may be confused with vertraut, the base adjective, which is used more commonly to describe familiarity or trustworthiness in general terms. Vertrauten as a verb form is limited to past tense, while as an adjective it requires agreement with number and case.

Translations: in verb form, “trusted” or “trusted in”; as an adjective, “trusted,” “familiar,” or “well-known,” depending on context.