kam es

it happened

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phrase Common #4,898

it happened The meaning depends on the construction: „es kam dazu“ means “it happened,” while „es kam mir vor“ means “it seemed to me.” In „Wie kommt’s, dass …?“ it means “How come …?”

GE: Wie kam es dazu, dass du so spät angekommen bist?

EN: How did it happen that you arrived so late?

Zu dem Unfall kam es durch seine Nachlässigkeit.

The accident occurred due to his negligence.

Und kam es zwischen euch beiden zu körperlichen Beziehungen?

And did the two of you have a physical relationship?

— Der große Irrtum (1971)

Wodurch kam es zum Fall der Berliner Mauer?

What led to the fall of the Berlin Wall?

In Tiānjīn kam es zu einer gewaltigen Explosion.

There was a massive explosion in Tiānjīn.

Weil du provoziert hast, kam es so weit.

It came to this because you provoked it.

— Oh Boy (2012)

Durch seine Fahrlässigkeit kam es zu dem Unfall.

The accident occurred due to his negligence.

Und später kam es zur feindlichen Invasion.

And later, there was an enemy invasion.

— Die Frau die singt - Incendies (2010)

Zu dem Unfall kam es durch meine Fahrlässigkeit.

The accident occurred due to my negligence.

Es musste so kommen, und so kam es schließlich auch.

It had to happen this way, and that is how it finally happened.

Der heutigen Zeitung zufolge kam es in der Stadt zu einem Brand.

According to today's newspaper, there was a fire in the city.