hinten

Hin­ten is a German adverb that denotes location at or toward the rear of something, i.e., behind or at the back. It is used to describe where something is in relation to a reference point and contrasts with vorne, meaning in front.

In everyday language, hinten can modify a verb or be part of a prepositional phrase. Examples: Der Garten liegt hinten am Haus. Bitte setz dich hinten ins Auto. In conversations about progress or order, the expression hinten dran is common, as in Ich bin heute etwas hinten dran, meaning I’m a bit behind schedule.

The term also appears in idiomatic constructions. By itself, hinten conveys a spatial sense, while phrases like hinter dem Haus or hinten im Flur specify more exact positions. The phrase hinten dran can refer to being physically at the back or to being delayed relative to others or to a plan.

Etymologically, hinten is formed from the directional particle hin- (toward/there) with a suffix that yields a locative adverb. It is not capitalized when used as a common adverb.

See also: vorne, hinter, hinteres, adjektive forms related to location. In other Germanic languages, cognates exist with similar meanings, reflecting a common linguistic heritage of expressing relative position. Note that as a lowercase common noun, hinten is not used; as a proper noun, it could appear as a place name in German-speaking regions, but such usage is distinct from the general adverb.