Prefekt vs Präteritum

[zinc forum]

So basically, I'm aware in spoken German varieties the perfect tense is fairly dominant outside of some largely fixed verbs that are preterite dominant in the past tense. However, I'm after reading in this grammar book I have that there also exists in some usages a difference of tense/aspect between them.

Basically the book says that in situations where a progressive sentence would be used in the past (eg. I was going, I was eating, I was reading) the preterite often gets used instead of the perfect. So I'm basically asking to what extent this actually happens in spoken and written German and what are some examples.

[naive dagger]

It´s a bit difficult for me to tell how common it is just off the top of my head, but except the Tennis sentence I can see the other ones used in regular conversations

But I feel like it´d be used more frequently when you´re having to actively try to remember or story that you´re telling or smth

[zinc forum]

Would this extend to all verbs, even the really random ones, or just the usual suspects?

So like let's just say idk, beißen

Während ich schaute nicht, biss der Hund mich

Does this seem feasible in a conversation?

[naive dagger]

nein, mostly because schaute and nicht should be swapped, but even then

something like "Kaum schaute ich weg, kam er angerannt" or something like that would be very feasible

[zinc forum]

So more niche verbs would kinda be avoided?

[zinc forum]

Also which tense would you use when you're describing a progressive action in the past? The book says preterite but I've heard people using perfect for that

[tame yacht]

There isn't really a special tense for that. Präteritum and Perfekt basically have the same meaning.

[zinc forum]

Hmmm what's with the book then

[tame yacht]

Well, my understanding is that, in the past, there used to be more distinction between the implied meaning of the tenses. But in the current state of the language, that distinction doesn't really exist anymore. It's now mostly just a matter of context, like that you use Präteritum in formal writing and Perfekt in speech and things like that. But not really a meaning difference.

It's one of those things where, if you ask some native speakers, they might even tell you that, to them, there's some or other distinction. But this is more like a personal intepretation, not a set feature of the language.

[tame yacht]

I had a quick look in Hammer's regarding that, and it does mention those points, but it specifies that this is something you typically only hear in North Germany.

[zinc forum]

Ahaaaa alright so it's more marked I suppose

Do you think that'd be weird to emulate?

[tame yacht]

I would say to be cautious about blindly applying it. Spend some time seeing how others speak first.

[zinc forum]

Alright thank you!

[cinder wadi]

which book is that?

[zinc forum]

Aktion Grammatik for A level

I can send you the cover when I'm home

[faint lotus]

@zinc forum welche buch ist das? Ist es zuverlaessig? Ich suche fur ein gut gramatik buch.

[zinc forum]

Es heißt aktion gramatik für A Niveau

Und ja sehr zuverlässig

[zinc forum]

@cinder wadi @faint lotus

Here's the cover

[cinder wadi]

Danke schön!

[zinc forum]

Bitte!

[faint lotus]

Vielen Dank

gibt es ein Buch für hoher niveau auch? Ich kann es nicht finden @zinc forum