Vorbehalt

Vorbehalt is a German noun (der Vorbehalt) meaning reservation, proviso, or caveat. It denotes a qualification attached to a statement, decision, or agreement that limits its scope or imposes conditions. In everyday language, something can be accepted with a Vorbehalt, for example “Ich stimme dem Plan vorbehaltlich weiterer Informationen” meaning “I agree subject to further information.” The term also denotes the right to reserve rights or claims that may be invoked later.

Etymology: from vor- meaning before and behalten meaning to retain, historically referring to a preliminary retention or a condition attached in advance.

Legal and formal usage: In contracts and official decisions, a Vorbehalt signals that the obligation is accepted only under specified conditions. Phrases such as “mit Vorbehalt der Genehmigung” (subject to approval) or “unter Vorbehalt” (with reservations) are common. In international law, a Vorbehalt is a treaty reservation—a unilateral declaration by a state that modifies or excludes the legal effect of certain treaty provisions for that state, within the rules of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

See also: caveat, proviso, reservation, condition, Einschränkung.