What are the past forms of the verb in “Klarheit schaffen”?

Question

In the phrase _Klarheit schaffen_, translated as _clarify_, what are the past forms of the verb _schaffen_? Are these _schuf_, _geschaffen_ or _schaffte_, _geschafft_?

Answer 1

The very dissatisfying answer is ... all of the above.

Schaffen is one of those words that made it through the two orthography reforms by becoming a twin. So, in the Präteritum (single-word past) schaffen can be both "schuf" and "schaffte" (1. or 3. pers. sing. as example). If that were not confusing enough, it was decided that both of the participles are allowed also: geschaffen and geschafft.

However, context will clarify which version to use. While "geschaffen" and "schuf" is mostly used for the meaning of "creation" (i.e. "Und am sechsten Tag schuf Gott den Meschen." / "And on the sixth day God created man."), "geschafft" and "schaffte" are mostly used for the meaning of "completion" ("Wir haben es rechtzeitig geschafft." / "We made it on time.")

HTH

Armin