Vorlegt

Vorlegt is a form related to the German verb vorlegen, which means to present, submit, or lay before someone for consideration. The primary sense is to place something in front of an audience, authority, or decision-maker so that it can be examined or decided upon. In standard German, vorlegen is a separable prefix verb; in the present tense its typical form is two words: er legt vor, sie legt vor. The single-string form vorlegt is not the conventional present-tense form, but may appear as a past participle (vorgelegt) or in misspellings or non-standard usage.

Grammatical notes and tenses: The simple past of vorlegen is legte vor, and the present perfect is hat vorgelegt. Because vorlegen is separable, the prefix is displaced in main clauses (for example, Er legt dem Gericht Beweise vor). In subordinate clauses or with modal verbs, the structure remains two words, with the prefix attached to the finite verb as appropriate by syntax.

Etymology and nuance: The prefix vor- adds notion of placing something forward or in front for others to inspect. Combined with legen (to lay), vorlegen carries the sense of submitting or presenting material for review, approval, or consideration.

Usage and contexts: Vorlegen is common in legal, bureaucratic, business, and academic language. It governs concrete objects such as Beweise (evidence), Unterlagen (documents), Vorschläge (proposals), or Gesetzesentwürfe (bill proposals). Examples include: Der Angeklagte legt dem Gericht Beweise vor; Die Firma legt dem Aufsichtsrat einen Vorschlag vor; Der Minister legte dem Parlament einen Gesetzesentwurf vor.

Related terms: Vorlage (the act of presenting or a template/template document), einreichen (to submit), vorführung (showing). See also Vorlage (noun) and vorgelegte Beweise.