verschwunden
gone / disappeared
No longer present or findable; lost or gone.
EXAMPLE
Mein Schlüssel ist spurlos verschwunden, ich kann ihn nirgends finden.
My key has disappeared without a trace; I can't find it anywhere.
verschwunden
gone / disappeared
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Meanings
Usage tips
Participle as adjective
'Verschwunden' (gone / disappeared) is the past participle of the verb 'verschwinden' (to disappear). It is very often used like a normal adjective to describe a state.
EXAMPLE
Das Auto ist über Nacht einfach verschwunden.
The car simply disappeared overnight.
Use with "sein"
Since 'verschwunden' (gone / disappeared) comes from the verb 'verschwinden' (to disappear), which describes a change of state, it is always combined with the auxiliary verb 'sein' (to be). So you say 'er ist verschwunden' (he has disappeared) or 'sie war verschwunden' (she had disappeared / she was gone).
EXAMPLE
Als ich zurückkam, war meine Tasche verschwunden.
When I came back, my bag was gone.
Typical combinations
Common adverbs that intensify 'verschwunden' (gone / disappeared) are 'spurlos' (without leaving a trace), 'plötzlich' (suddenly), or the idiom 'vom Erdboden verschwunden' (vanished from the face of the earth).
EXAMPLE
Der Dieb war spurlos mit dem Geld verschwunden.
The thief had disappeared without a trace with the money.
Compare with
verschwunden vs verloren
lost
Both words say that something can no longer be found. „Verloren“ suggests that the owner no longer has the item, while „verschwunden“ states that it is absent and leaves the cause open. If the loss is known, „verloren“ is appropriate; for unexplained absence, „verschwunden“ is the better fit.
verschwunden
Meine Schlüssel sind verschwunden, und ich weiß nicht, wo ich sie gelassen habe.
My keys have disappeared, and I don't know where I left them.
verloren
Meine Schlüssel sind verloren, weil ich sie im Zug liegen ließ.
I lost my keys because I left them on the train.
In real life
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