It’s what we remember, what we learn from, and sometimes what we try to forget. In German, it’s die Vergangenheit. This is your German word of the day, and it’s essential in conversations about time, memory, and history.
The noun Vergangenheit means past, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. Whether you’re talking about your childhood, the last weekend, or centuries gone by, this word helps you frame it.
It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Vergangenheit (need help remembering gender? Our quick video lesson will make it all finally make sense).
Pronunciation
Vergangenheit is pronounced [fer-GANG-en-hite].
Ver like “fair,”
gangen like “GONG-en” with soft g’s,
heit like “height”
Stress is on the second syllable: ver-GANG-en-heit
It flows slowly, like time passing.
Example sentences:
Die Vergangenheit lässt sich nicht ändern.
The past can’t be changed.
Er spricht nie über seine Vergangenheit.
He never talks about his past.
Nuance and usage tips
Vergangenheit refers to:
Personal past – events in one’s life
eine schwierige Vergangenheit – a difficult past
Historical past – broader time periods
die deutsche Vergangenheit – Germany’s past (can carry heavy connotations)
Grammatical past –
Vergangenheitsform – past tense
Präteritum and Perfekt are both forms of the Vergangenheit in grammar
Typical phrases:
in der Vergangenheit – in the past
aus der Vergangenheit lernen – to learn from the past
mit der Vergangenheit abschließen – to make peace with the past
How does this word come up in real conversations?
You’ll hear Vergangenheit in everything from casual stories to serious history lessons:
“Das ist Vergangenheit.” – That’s the past.
“Er hat eine dunkle Vergangenheit.” – He has a dark past.
It also shows up in grammar lessons:
“Im Perfekt beschreiben wir Handlungen in der Vergangenheit.” – In the perfect tense, we describe actions in the past.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Sofia: Kennst du Peters Vergangenheit?
Lea: Ein bisschen. Warum fragst du?
Sofia: Er hat früher in Kanada gelebt.
Lea: Echt? Das wusste ich nicht!
Sofia: Do you know about Peter’s past?
Lea: A bit. Why are you asking?
Sofia: He used to live in Canada.
Lea: Really? I didn’t know that!
Grammatical case examples:
Nominative:
Die Vergangenheit beeinflusst die Gegenwart.
The past influences the present.
Accusative:
Ich möchte die Vergangenheit vergessen.
I want to forget the past.
Dative:
Mit der Vergangenheit hat er abgeschlossen.
He has come to terms with the past.
Genitive:
Die Spuren der Vergangenheit sind noch sichtbar.
The traces of the past are still visible.
Feminine case pattern: die, die, der, der
Word variations and language tidbits
Related words and phrases:
Vergangenheitsbewältigung – coming to terms with the past (often historical or political)
Vergangenheitsform – grammatical past tense
Vergangenheitsangst – fear of past events
die jüngere Vergangenheit – the recent past
die ferne Vergangenheit – the distant past
Fun note: In German, when you say something “ist Vergangenheit”, it’s a polite way of saying it’s over—done and dusted.
📘 Duden entry
🎥 Learn Vergangenheit and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Vergleich means? It could save you from a fight—or start one.
What about Verhalten? That one says a lot without saying anything at all.