vertraulichen

Vertraulichen is the plural attributive form of the German adjective vertraulich, which means confidential or private. It functions as a descriptive word before plural nouns and expresses that the referenced information, documents, or conversations are intended to be kept confidential. In usage, it appears in phrases such as die vertraulichen Informationen or meine vertraulichen Unterlagen, where a definite article or possessive determiner precedes the noun.

Etymology and grammar: vertraulich derives from the prefix ver- applied to the root tied to trust or confidence. The form vertraulichen is the inflected ending used with plural nouns when the determiner requires an -en ending for adjectives. This contrasts with other inflections, such as verlautete Formen ohne bestimmten Artikel, where the ending would differ (for example verlässliche or verlässliche Informationen in non-determined contexts).

Contexts and usage: The term is common in formal, administrative, legal, and corporate German, where confidentiality is a key requirement. It describes how information should be handled or presented, indicating that it must be kept secret or shared only with authorized persons. It does not convey any moral judgment beyond the confidentiality requirement and is typically paired with nouns related to data, documents, discussions, or communications.

Related terms: The base adjective verlässlich, synonymously related with reliability and trust; the noun Vertraulichkeit denotes confidentiality as a concept; related concepts include Datenschutz (data protection) and Geheimhaltung (secrecy).

Notes: Vertraulichen is not a separate lexical item but a grammatical form used to express confidentiality in plural noun phrases. The broader concept is conveyed by vertraulich and its related forms, which appear in many German texts dealing with privacy and information security.