überwandst

überwandst is the second-person singular form of the German verb überwinden in the Präteritum (simple past). It translates as “you overcame” or “you surmounted.” The infinitive überwinden means to overcome, surmount, or prevail over an obstacle, difficulty, or challenge. The form appears in narrative or direct speech when the subject is du.

Conjugation: ich überwand, du überwandst, er/sie/es überwand; wir überwandten, ihr überwandtet, sie überwandten. In contrast to the present tense, this Präteritum form is primarily used in written narrative or formal contexts; everyday spoken German often uses the perfect tense: du hast überwunden.

Etymology: überwinden combines the prefix über- “over, above” with winden (to wind) and developed a sense of surpassing or overcoming obstacles. The semantic range has broadened to include overcoming mental as well as physical barriers.

Usage: The Präteritum form überwandst appears in literary prose, historical texts, or regional dialects, and is more commonly found in formal or older texts than in casual speech. In modern standard German, speakers frequently prefer the Perfekt (du hast überwunden) in ordinary conversation, reserving Präteritum for narration or formal writing.

See also: überwinden, Präteritum, German verb conjugation.