der Zeitablauf
passage of time
The passage of time or the chronological sequence of events and processes.
EXAMPLE
Im Zeitablauf veränderte sich die Stadt immer stärker.
With the passage of time, the city changed more and more.
der Zeitablauf
passage of time / expiration
der Zeitablauf, die Zeitabläufe
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Meanings
der Zeitablauf
expiration
The expiration of a deadline or an agreed period, especially in legal contexts.
EXAMPLE
Der befristete Mietvertrag endet automatisch mit Zeitablauf.
The fixed-term lease ends automatically upon expiration.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Zeitablauf, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Zeitabläufe |
| genitive | des Zeitablaufs |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Zeitablauf | die Zeitabläufe |
| accusative | den Zeitablauf | die Zeitabläufe |
| dative | dem Zeitablauf | den Zeitabläufen |
| genitive | des Zeitablaufs des Zeitablaufes | der Zeitabläufe |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word composition
'Zeitablauf' (passage of time / expiration) consists of 'Zeit' (time) and 'Ablauf' (sequence / course). The component 'Ablauf' helps you connect the word with the question of what happens first and what happens next.
EXAMPLE
Die Polizei rekonstruierte den Zeitablauf des Unfalls.
The police reconstructed the timeline of the accident.
Typical collocations
When organizing events, you can use 'den Zeitablauf planen' (to plan the schedule) or 'den Zeitablauf festlegen' (to set the schedule). You can add a genitive phrase to specify what the schedule is for, such as 'der Veranstaltung' (of the event).
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen den Zeitablauf der Veranstaltung noch festlegen.
We still need to set the schedule for the event.
Describing developments
The phrase 'im Zeitablauf' (over time) often appears with verbs of change, such as 'sich verändern' (to change), 'zunehmen' (to increase), or 'abnehmen' (to decrease). It is particularly common in factual and scientific texts.
EXAMPLE
Die Nachfrage nach diesen Produkten hat im Zeitablauf deutlich zugenommen.
Demand for these products has increased significantly over time.
In real life
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