Verbs of speaking and thinking in the past tense (based on German language data)

Abstract

The study aims to identify tendencies related to the use of the past tense forms with verbs of speaking and thinking in the German language. The article examines the types of contexts that influence the choice of a past tense form (Perfekt and Präteritum) when using certain verbs of speaking and thinking. The conditions influencing the choice of tense form were analyzed and the characteristics of situations in which the corresponding tense form is used were described. The scientific novelty of the research lies in revealing the factors influencing the choice of the past tense form when using verbs of speaking and thinking in the German language. As a result, through the use of descriptive, statistical, comparative, and transformational methods, it is shown that the choice of tense form is determined by the semantics of the verb, as well as by what needs to be emphasized in the utterance – the fact of a speech/thinking action being carried out by a certain person acting as a source of information or the content of what is said. The Perfekt form of verbs of speaking and thinking is evidential and serves to highlight the source of the reported information, while the Präteritum allows shifting attention from the source of information to the reported fact.

Research materials

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About this article

Publication history

• Received: August 23, 2025.
• Published: September 12, 2025.

Keywords

• прошедшее время в немецком языке
• глаголы говорения
• глаголы мышления
• перфектные формы
• претеритальные формы
• past tense in German
• verbs of speaking
• verbs of thinking
• Perfekt forms
• Präteritum forms

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