voor

Voor is a versatile Dutch word that functions mainly as a preposition and as an adverb. It covers a range of related meanings that in English map to for, before, in front of, or in support of, depending on context. It also appears as a prefix in compounds to signal precedence or purpose.

As a preposition, voor governs the noun or pronoun that follows it: "voor jou" (for you); "voor het huis" (in front of the house); "voor de deur" (in front of the door). It marks recipient or beneficiary: "Dit cadeau is voor jou." It can indicate purpose or intended use: "Dit boek is bestemd voor training." It can express temporal relations such as deadlines or points in time: "voor maandag" (before Monday) or "voor 3 uur" (by 3 o’clock). In political or civic contexts it marks support: "stemmen voor" (to vote for).

In addition, voor appears in fixed phrases and compounds. For example, "voor zover" means "as far as," and "van tevoren" means "in advance." It also forms a productive prefix in some words, such as voorgerecht (starter) and in other words where the sense of "before" or "ahead" underlies the formation.

Etymology: Voor derives from Proto-Germanic roots related to the English for and German vor, and is attested in Old Dutch. The word has remained a common and productive element in modern Dutch grammar, with wide applicability across spatial, temporal, and semantic domains. See also Dutch prepositions and Dutch language.