I read that the preterite is apparently dying out in normal speech but is mainly used as a literary tense similar to the situation with French. Is this correct, and do you think this could be because of influence from Frnech or it the other way round, that German influenced French to drop the preterite tense?
The German Pretirite - dying out in speech?
The preterite in German is indeed in decline in normal speech, but used as in French (in press/written).
I do not know if there is a relation between the French and German declines. It may be due to Sprachbunding, mere happenstance, or both.
I do not know if there is a relation between the French and German declines. It may be due to Sprachbunding, mere happenstance, or both.
I don't like it when people use wierd terminoly, can you guys put any examples to know what you're talking about?
in Northern Germany, preterite is still used
in Southern Germany it is never used (except for haben and sein).
Classical Standard German still makes the distinction:
Es hat geregnet. (It has rained. The streets are still wet)
Es regnete. (It rained. The streets are not wet anymore).
So, in Standard German written style, the distinction is still valid (like in Standard written Italian).
in Southern Germany it is never used (except for haben and sein).
Classical Standard German still makes the distinction:
Es hat geregnet. (It has rained. The streets are still wet)
Es regnete. (It rained. The streets are not wet anymore).
So, in Standard German written style, the distinction is still valid (like in Standard written Italian).
<<in Northern Germany, preterite is still used
in Southern Germany it is never used (except for haben and sein).
>>
Also, meanings can be different as well between north and south, but Interl was referring to spoken German, not written
Is the preterit still common in spoken German in the North? I have a hunch that it might
in Southern Germany it is never used (except for haben and sein).
>>
Also, meanings can be different as well between north and south, but Interl was referring to spoken German, not written
Is the preterit still common in spoken German in the North? I have a hunch that it might
I live in Northern Germany.
Even here the use of Preterite is quite scarce.
Aside from war & hatte, verbs like kam, ging, sass, are still used sometimes, but otherwise it's always haben/sein + Partizip II.
For example, "es regnete" is not something you normally say or hear in the spoken language.
Even here the use of Preterite is quite scarce.
Aside from war & hatte, verbs like kam, ging, sass, are still used sometimes, but otherwise it's always haben/sein + Partizip II.
For example, "es regnete" is not something you normally say or hear in the spoken language.
One of my teachers (probably from Köln) seems to prefer
>>in Southern Germany it is never used (except for haben and sein).
this only. I don't know if this is representative of the teaching field.
>>in Southern Germany it is never used (except for haben and sein).
this only. I don't know if this is representative of the teaching field.
Using Preterite in the day to day spoken language may sound a bit unnatural, but it is still much used in the written language (novels, newspapers, magazines, etc.). I guess it saves space. :)
My professor from Hamburg and my friend from Leipzig both said that the simple past is used with frequency in the South, Switzerland, etc. while the present perfect is preferred up North.
And in my experience in Berlin (two months, so not very long) was that they pretty much exclusively used the present perfect except for "haben" and "sein" and, I believe, the modals.
And in my experience in Berlin (two months, so not very long) was that they pretty much exclusively used the present perfect except for "haben" and "sein" and, I believe, the modals.
Yep, I forgot the modals. Most of my learning materials also say it's common not to use the past tense except for auxiliaries and modals. The minority says kam and ging are also ok. Only those focusing on written language, btw, also write about umlauts in the Konjunktiv, such as spräche in the Konjunktiv for sprach/sprechen, and hülfe (?) for half/helfen.
<< My professor from Hamburg and my friend from Leipzig both said that the simple past is used with frequency in the South, Switzerland, etc. while the present perfect is preferred up North. >>
It's the other way around. ;-)
Although even in the North, haben/sein + Partizip II is used much more than Preterite.
It's the other way around. ;-)
Although even in the North, haben/sein + Partizip II is used much more than Preterite.