Vorhersehen

Vorhersehen is a German transitive verb meaning to foresee, anticipate, or forecast something before it happens. It covers both the act of predicting likely developments and the related idea of planning in advance based on these expectations. In professional contexts such as economics, politics, technical forecasting, or risk assessment, vorhersehen denotes forming expectations about future events in order to prepare or respond.

Etymology and related terms: the word is built from the prefix vor- meaning “before” and sehen, “to see.” This combination conveys looking ahead. In usage, it is often distinguished from similar verbs such as voraussehen (to anticipate in a general sense) and vorhersagen (to forecast or predict a specific event). While alle three express some form of future orientation, vorhersehen emphasizes foreseeing possibilities and their implications rather than making a precise prediction about a single outcome.

Usage notes: vorhersehen is typically used with a direct object, indicating what is being foreseen. Examples include sentences like “Die Experten sehen die Entwicklung voraus” or “Es ist schwer, die Zukunft genau vorhersehen zu können.” It is common in discussions of planning, risk management, and strategic assessment to note potential developments and prepare accordingly.

See also and related concepts: related nouns include Vorsicht, Voraussicht (foresight), and Vorausschau. Related verbs include vorausplanen (to plan in advance) and voraussagen (to forecast or predict a specific event). The term sits within a family of German expressions that discuss looking forward, planning, and anticipating outcomes.