prehistory / distant past
die Vorzeit, die Vorzeiten
Loading your saved state.
prehistory
The period before the beginning of written history, especially the time of early humans and early cultures.
In der Vorzeit lebten Menschen bereits als Jäger und Sammler.
In prehistoric times, people already lived as hunter-gatherers.
distant past
A time far back in the past that has long since passed.
Die Vorzeit dieses Ortes ist nur aus wenigen Berichten bekannt.
The distant past of this place is known only from a few accounts.
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Vorzeiten |
| genitive | der Vorzeit |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Vorzeit | die Vorzeiten |
| accusative | die Vorzeit | die Vorzeiten |
| dative | der Vorzeit | den Vorzeiten |
| genitive | der Vorzeit | der Vorzeiten |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
'Vorzeit' (prehistory / distant past) is made up of 'vor' (before) and 'Zeit' (time) and literally refers to a time that comes before a particular or known period. Here, the first part does not indicate a spatial direction but a temporal classification.
Funde aus der Vorzeit geben Hinweise auf frühe Lebensformen.
Finds from prehistoric times provide clues about early forms of life.
When it refers to the period before written records, 'Vorzeit' (prehistory) often appears in historical or archaeological contexts. Evidence of this period can come, for example, from excavations, tools, or the remains of settlements.
Archäologen untersuchen Werkzeuge aus der Vorzeit, um das Leben früher Menschen zu verstehen.
Archaeologists study prehistoric tools to understand the lives of early humans.
The meaning of a distant past often sounds elevated or literary and occurs especially in historical accounts. In everyday speech, 'Vorzeit' (distant past) is used much less often in this sense.
Viele Bräuche aus der Vorzeit sind im Laufe der Jahrhunderte verschwunden.
Many customs from ancient times disappeared over the centuries.
