Hiervoor

Hiervoor is a Dutch adverb used mainly in formal writing. It has two closely related senses. In one sense it refers to something mentioned earlier in the text, as in het hiervoor genoemde beleid, meaning “the aforementioned policy” or “the policy mentioned above.” In another sense it means “for this (purpose)” or “for this matter,” introducing a statement that applies to the current topic or item.

Etymology and form. The word is a compound of hier (here) and voor (for), built into a fixed phrase that functions as an adverb. It is common in legal, administrative, academic, and technical Dutch, where references to prior text or to a specific purpose must be stated concisely.

Usage and examples. In practice, vroeger used phrases like hiervoor geldt, het hiervoor genoemde beleid, or de voorwaarden die hiervoor gelden. For example: “In dit hoofdstuk staan de regels; hiervoor geldt een streng toezicht.” Another example: “Het hiervoor genoemde bedrag dekt de kosten.” These constructions help avoid repetition by tying statements to prior mentions or to a specific purpose.

Variants and related terms. Hiervoor is part of a family of spatial-temporal references such as hierboven (above), hieronder (below), daarvoor (for that), and hierna (hereafter). The choice among them depends on whether the reference points to previous text, a future section, or a distinct purpose. In informal writing, speakers may replace deze aanduidingen with simpler phrasing, but in formal Dutch het hiervoor genoemde is a standard expression.