Verb

dürfen

Translation

was allowed to, was permitted to

Als Kind durfte ich nicht lange aufbleiben.

As a child, I was not allowed to stay up late.

Er durfte das Auto seines Vaters benutzen.

He was allowed to use his father's car.

Wir durften im Unterricht nicht sprechen.

We were not allowed to speak in class.

((infinitive)) was allowed to (do sth.) I was allowed to go to the cinema yesterday.

konnte (was able to); Antonyms: musste (had to)

The simple past (Präteritum) form of the modal verb 'dürfen', meaning 'to be allowed to'.

Remember 'dürfen' is for permission. 'durfte' is simply the past tense of that permission: 'was allowed to'.