Frühere

Frühere is a German adjective and determiner meaning “former” or “earlier.” It refers to something that existed or occurred before the present reference point. In ordinary use it sits before a noun and agrees with that noun in gender, number, and case. After a definite article, the attributive form is frühere: die frühere Version, der frühere Präsident, das frühere Auto. It can also appear in predicative position with verbs such as sein: Das Auto war das frühere Modell.

Etymology and form: früh is the German word for “early,” related to the English word early. Frühere is the attributive form used with singular nouns after definite articles; in plural contexts the corresponding form is früheren (e.g., in früheren Zeiten). The word also functions as a nominalized noun in some contexts.

Usage and nuances: Frühere is typically used to indicate a contrast with the present or with a later version, person, or time. It is common in contexts such as “frühere Version,” “frühere Generation,” or “in früheren Zeiten.” It is distinct from früher, which is an adverb meaning “earlier” or “in the past.” Synonyms include ehemals, vorherig, and veraltet in certain contexts, though each carries its own nuance.

Nominalization and related forms: The form das Frühere can be used as a noun meaning “the past” or “the former thing,” often in historical or philosophical writing (e.g., Das Frühere hat sich nicht wiederholt). Related compounds and phrases include frühere Ereignisse, frühere Entscheidungen, and in früheren Zeiten.

Translations: In English, frühere corresponds to “former,” “earlier,” or “previous.” The nominal Das Frühere translates roughly as “the past” or “the former thing,” depending on context.