Vorhanden

Vorhanden is a German adjective meaning existing or available. It describes something that exists, is present, or is at one’s disposal. The term is commonly used to express the presence or availability of objects, information, or conditions in a given context. In everyday language, it appears in sentences such as “Es sind ausreichend Mittel vorhanden” or “Die Unterlagen sind vorhanden.”

In usage, vorhanden often connotes practical availability, especially for things that can be accessed or used. It is closely related to, but not always interchangeable with, verfügbar (available in a broader sense) and Vorrat (stock). A similar contrast exists with vorliegen, which emphasizes that facts or documents exist or are in possession at a given moment; vorliegen is often used in formal or reporting contexts, while vorhanden highlights the state of being present or at hand.

Etymology broadly traces vorhanden to the prefix vor- (“in front of, before”) and a historical form related to hand or being at hand. The sense has developed in German to indicate something that is present, real, or ready for use.

Related terms include Vorhandensein (existence or presence), Verfügbarkeit (availability), verfügbar (available), and Vorrat (inventory or stock). Vorhanden is widely used in business, administration, and everyday speech to note that something exists or can be accessed.

See also: Verfügbarkeit, Vorhandensein, Vorliegen, Vorrat.