Vorgenommen

Vorgenommen is the past participle of the German verb vornehmen, which means to undertake, to perform, or to plan to do something. In everyday language it is most often found in the construction sich etwas vornehmen, meaning to set oneself a goal or resolution. The standard perfect form is ich habe mir etwas vorgenommen, which translates to I have intended to do something or I have resolved to do something.

Grammar and usage: vornehmen is a verb with a reflexive pronoun in the common expression sich vornehmen, where the thing to be done is expressed as the object (etwas). The reflexive pronoun marks the person who makes the resolution (mir, dir, sich, etc.). In subordinate clauses you may see phrases like ich habe mir vorgenommen, morgen früh aufzustehen. The infinitival clause after vornehmen often uses a to-infinitive form in standard German, as in vornehmen, etwas zu tun or morgen früh aufzustehen.

Meaning and nuance: vornehmen conveys a personal commitment or determination to carry out a future action. It implies more than a mere intention; it signals a resolved plan or a self-imposed objective. It can describe both concrete actions (e.g., exercise every day) and more general goals (e.g., to be more punctual).

Related terms: another related verb is vorhaben, meaning to intend. Its past participle is vorgehabt, not vorgenommen, and it governs different constructions. Vorgenommen can also function attributively as a past participle describing planned or intended measures or goals, e.g., vorgesehene Ziele, though this usage is less common than the verb form.