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I'm looking for a form of the verb sich ausgehen in the past sense, close to the meaning of

We didn't make it (because of time constraints) yesterday anymore.

I was wondering if I could say something like

Es hat sich gestern nicht mehr (zeitlich) ausgegangen.

Is that correct / should one rather use sein like they write in the dictionary or is this formulation completely wrong and there is a better one?

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"Es geht sich aus" is an Austrian colloquial expression (according to Duden: duden.de/rechtschreibung/ausgehen ) –  splattne Jul 5 '11 at 14:13
@splattne sehr hilfreicher Kommentar - ich dachte schon ich verstehe meine eigene Sprache nicht –  mbx Jul 7 '11 at 8:57
austrian.stackexchange.com? :) –  Jules Feb 3 '12 at 10:22
As you probably know, sein is used to construct the Perfekt of verbs of direction/movement, haben for other verbs. Of course there are cases of doubt. (As a recent non-directional metaphor based on directional (aus-)gehen, sich ausgehen is such a case of doubt.) In these, haben generally wins in the North of Germany and sein generally wins in the Southern German-speaking regions. "Es hat sich nicht ausgegangen" is wrong because it combines an Austriacism with the Northern way of forming the Perfekt. –  Hans Adler Apr 2 at 9:40

3 Answers 3

up vote 12 down vote accepted

The correct form is

Es ist sich gestern nicht mehr ausgegangen.

But note that this is very colloquial and probably not understood outside of Bavaria and Austria.

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somehow that sounded strange to me, but seems the grammar book is right :) i live in austria so it's more than ok if it's understood here ;) –  Thomas Wanner Jul 5 '11 at 9:47
I've never heard "sich ausgehen" in my life. What is that supposed to mean? –  ladybug Jul 5 '11 at 11:11
I lived in Austria for a few years, and I think the claim that sich ausgehen is very colloquial is wrong, at least for Vienna. I heard this all the time, including on television, from employees in shops, and from academics at Vienna University. –  Hans Adler Apr 2 at 9:32
PS: But it is definitely true that most Germans, even from the south-west, will be puzzled at first. Not sure about Bavarians. I have never heard it in Bavaria, but they may have more exposure to Austrian German. –  Hans Adler Apr 2 at 9:41

"sich ausgehen"

this phrase doesn't exist in german.

neither the answer of Stefan Walter is correct.

lsiten to pilif he is absolutely right!

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The phrase definitely exists, even if its now known everywhere. –  Joachim Sauer Jul 5 '11 at 13:53
according to Duden: "Es geht sich aus: österreichisch umgangssprachlich für es reicht gerade." –  splattne Jul 5 '11 at 14:11

I'd translate using "ausreichen":


Es hat gestern (zeitlich) leider nicht mehr gereicht

but even that's more spoken than written language.

Wir haben es leider gestern nicht mehr geschafft

is probably most correct.

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If you were to translate it with "ausreichen", then I'd make the time explicit: "Die Zeit hat gestern leider nicht mehr gereicht." "Es hat nicht gereicht" sounds very strange to me. –  Joachim Sauer Jul 5 '11 at 13:52

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