befördern

Befördern is a German verb with several related meanings. It commonly means to carry, convey, or transport someone or something from one place to another. It can refer to physical movement by means of transport such as ships, trains, trucks, or airplanes, or to the conveyance of goods, packages, or passengers in logistics and public transport. In everyday usage one speaks of “Güter befördern” or “Personen befördern” and of the entity that performs the transport, for example “das Unternehmen befördert Güter weltweit.” The noun form is Beförderung, meaning transportation, shipment, or carriage.

In addition to the transport sense, befördern also denotes promoting or advancing someone in rank or position. A supervisor might “einen Mitarbeiter befördern” to a higher position, or a military officer might “zum Leutnant befördern.” The noun Beförderung is then used for the act or result of promotion, as in “eine Beförderung erhalten” or “eine Beförderung in den höheren Dienstgrad.”

Usage notes: befördern is a standard, neutral verb appropriate for formal and neutral contexts. It is often paired with terms like Güter, Personen, Sendungen for transport, and with Rang, Dienstgrad, oder Position for promotion. The related noun Beförderung covers both transport-related and career-related meanings, and its exact interpretation depends on context.

Etymologie: Das Präfix be- verbindet sich mit dem Verb fördern; daraus entsteht befördern, das wörtlich „vorwärts bringen“ bedeutet.