geltend

Geltend is a German word that functions as an adjective and as part of a verb phrase. It is derived from gelten, meaning to be valid or to apply. As an adjective, geltend describes something that is currently in force or applicable, especially in legal or formal contexts. Common collocations include geltende Gesetze, geltende Vorschriften, and die geltende Rechtslage, all referring to rules or situations that apply at the present time.

The phrase geltend machen means to assert or claim something, typically a right or a demand. In this usage, geltend is part of a fixed expression and is often found in sentences like Der Anspruch wurde geltend gemacht or Der Antragsteller macht seinen Anspruch geltend. The related nouns are Geltung, meaning validity or standing, and Geltendmachung, referring to the act of asserting a claim or right. These terms are common in legal, administrative, and bureaucratic language.

Usage notes: geltend is commonly declined to match gender, number, and case in phrases describing laws or rules, for example geltende Regeln or geltende Rechtslage. The term distinguishes the current applicable status of norms (Geltung) from the act of asserting a claim (Geltendmachung). In English, the closest equivalents are “in force” or “applicable” for geltend and “to assert/claim” for geltend machen.