befristete

Befristete is a German adjective meaning time-limited or temporary. It describes things that have a defined end date, such as contracts, positions, permits, or agreements. The form befristete appears when the adjective stands before a noun and carries the appropriate ending to match gender, number, and case (for example, befristeter Vertrag, befristete Stelle, befristetes Arbeitsverhältnis, befristete Verträge). The base adjective befristet comes from the word Frist (deadline or time limit) with the prefix be-, indicating a setting or imposition of a time limit.

In usage, befristete is common in legal and employment contexts. Examples include befristete Arbeitsverträge (fixed-term employment contracts), befristete Stellen (temporary positions), and befristete Aufenthaltserlaubnisse (temporary residence permits). Predicative use is also possible: Der Vertrag ist befristet. When declined, the endings follow standard German adjective declension: der befristete Vertrag, die befristete Stelle, das befristete Verhältnis; plural die befristeten Verträge.

The term is frequently encountered in the German labor law framework. Fixed-term contracts are regulated by the Teilzeit- und Befristungsgesetz (TzBfG). Without a justifyable reason, such contracts may be limited to a defined period, typically up to two years, with possibilities for renewals. For reasons like temporary replacement, project work, seasonal demand, or limited funding, longer befristete arrangements can be permissible. If a fixed-term contract exceeds allowed durations or renewals without sufficient justification, it may be treated as a permanent (unbefristet) contract. This regulatory context shapes how and when befristete arrangements are used in practice.

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