vorgelesen

Vorgelesen is the past participle of the German verb vorlesen, meaning to read aloud. It can also function as an adjective describing something that has been read aloud, as in eine vorgelesene Passage (a passage that has been read aloud).

Vorglesen is a separable verb. In present tense forms, the prefix is separated, for example: Ich lese dir eine Geschichte vor. In the perfect tense, the past participle is used with helfen: Ich habe dir eine Geschichte vorgelesen. The passive form is Es wurde vorgelesen. The construction sich etwas vorlesen lassen means to have something read aloud to oneself: Ich lasse mir ein Buch vorlesen.

Etymology and usage notes: The prefix vor- conveys that the action of lesen (to read) is performed aloud for someone else or in front of someone. The term is common in education, storytelling, and media contexts, such as parents reading to children or teachers reading a text aloud to a class. As an attributive adjective, vorgelesen is written with the noun it describes, for example: eine vorgelesene Geschichte.

Related terms and distinctions: Verlesen, a cognate with a different meaning, can mean to misread or to read out of order, rather than to read aloud correctly. Understanding the distinction helps in contexts where accuracy of reading is important, such as exams or performances.

In summary, vorgelesen denotes both the act of reading aloud (as a verb form) and the state of having been read aloud (as an adjective), with common usage across everyday speech and formal writing.