verheißen

Verheißen is a German verb meaning to promise or to bode/foretell. In its primary sense it denotes an assurance that something will happen or that a future event will occur. It can take a direct object indicating what is promised to whom: der Präsident hat dem Volk bessere Zeiten verheißt. It can also be used impersonally to mean that something appears to promise or portend a particular outcome: Es verheißt eine bessere Zukunft. In older or literary usage, verheißen can mean to foretell or prophesy, especially in the sense of a divine or prophetic forecast.

Etymology and forms: Verheißen is formed with the prefix ver- attached to heißen ('to mean' or 'to be called'); the sense is 'to declare in advance' or 'to promise beforehand.' The noun derived from it is die Verheißung, meaning a promise or, in religious or literary contexts, a divine promise. An accompanying adjective is verheißenvoll, meaning promising or auspicious, though more common is the related form verheiße[n] in phrases and poetry.

Usage notes: Verheißen is more frequent in formal, ceremonial, or literary language; in everyday speech, verbs such as versprechen or zusagen are typically used to express a promise. Verheißen can also appear with impersonal constructions, as in Es verheißt Gutes, or with a dative recipient: Der Staat hat dem Bürger verheißen, Vorteile zu bringen. The choice between verheißen and versprechen depends on nuance and register, with verheißen often conveying a sense of solemn or prophetic assurance.