adjective

vergangen

past · pass

Etwas, das schon passiert ist und nicht mehr in der Gegenwart ist.

Definition & meaning

The word vergangen is primarily used as an adjective describing something that has already happened or is no longer present. It carries a sense of finality, referring to time, events, or states of being that belong to the past.

Past/Bygone: Referring to something that has ended or occurred in the past (e.g., "in vergangener Zeit" - in times past).
Deceased/Late: Used as a formal or respectful way to refer to someone who has died (e.g., "der vergangene Ehemann" - the late husband).
Past participle: It also serves as the past participle of the verb vergehen, meaning to pass away, to vanish, or to expire.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar: As an adjective, it is declined according to the case, gender, and number of the noun it modifies. As a past participle, it is used to form the perfect tenses of the verb vergehen.

Word origin: The word is derived from the Old High German firgangan, which is composed of the prefix ver- (indicating a process of ending or loss) and gangan (to go). It literally describes something that has "gone away" or "passed by."