anstehend

Anstehend is a German adjective meaning that something is pending, upcoming, or imminent and will require attention or action soon. It is used for events, deadlines, tasks, or issues that are scheduled or expected to occur in the near future, rather than those already completed or settled.

In usage, anstehend agrees with the noun it modifies: der anstehende Termin, die anstehenden Aufgaben, das anstehende Problem. It can appear predicatively in phrases like „Der Termin steht an.“ or „Es gibt anstehende Aufgaben.“ The term is common in business, administration, and everyday speech to mark items that are due or forthcoming. A related but distinct term is ausstehend, which often emphasizes that something remains unresolved or unpaid, rather than merely upcoming.

Etymology and nuance: anstehend derives from the prefix an- with stehen (to stand), enabling the sense of “standing near” or “looming.” It conveys proximity in time and a sense of priority or attention required. In English, counterparts include upcoming, pending, forthcoming, or imminent, depending on the context.

Examples: Das anstehende Meeting wurde auf nächste Woche verschoben. Die anstehenden Aufgaben müssen bis Freitag erledigt werden. In den nächsten Monaten stehen mehrere anstehende Wahlen an. These usages illustrate how anstehend signals items that are scheduled or expected to demand action soon.