währen
to last
To continue or exist over a certain period of time. It is a rather formal or elevated word for 'dauern' (to last).
EXAMPLE
Die Stille nach dem Sturm währte nur kurz.
The silence after the storm lasted only briefly.
währen
to last
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Meanings
was lange währt, wird endlich gut
all's well that ends well
A proverb expressing that something that took a lot of time and effort leads to a good result in the end.
EXAMPLE
Nach fünf Jahren Bauzeit ist die Brücke endlich fertig – was lange währt, wird endlich gut.
After five years of construction, the bridge is finally finished—all's well that ends well.
Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'währen' (to last) is the root of the very common preposition 'während' (during/while). Both words express duration. The word 'Währung' (currency) is also related and describes something that retains its value over time.
EXAMPLE
Die Friedensverhandlungen währten mehrere Wochen.
The peace negotiations lasted several weeks.
Elevated style
The verb 'währen' (to last) belongs to elevated written language and is often used in literary or formal texts. It is rarely heard in everyday German.
EXAMPLE
Sein Glück sollte nicht lange währen.
His happiness was not to last long.
Use in the preterite
In narratives and reports, 'währen' (to last) is very often used in the past tense, the preterite (e.g. 'währte', 'währten'), to describe a completed duration in the past.
EXAMPLE
Die Freude über den Sieg währte bis in die späten Abendstunden.
The joy over the victory lasted into the late evening hours.
Proverb
The expression 'Was lange währt, wird endlich gut' (all's well that ends well) is a well-known German proverb. It is used to express that patience and a long wait have paid off in the end.
EXAMPLE
Nach zehn Jahren Planung wurde das Museum eröffnet. Was lange währt, wird endlich gut.
After ten years of planning, the museum was opened. All's well that ends well.
Compare with
währen vs dauern
to last
Dauern and währen can both express how long something lasts. Dauern is the neutral choice for many processes and situations. Währen sounds noticeably elevated or formal and is used especially with states or periods of time.
währen
Im offiziellen Bericht steht, dass der Festakt drei Stunden währte.
The official report states that the ceremony lasted three hours.
dauern
Lea erzählt, dass der Festakt drei Stunden dauerte.
Lea says that the ceremony lasted three hours.
In real life
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