vorläufige

Vorläufige is a German adjective meaning provisional or temporary, indicating that something is not final and may be changed. The term is used across legal, administrative, scientific, and everyday language to express pending status. Common collocations include vorläufige Entscheidung (provisional decision), vorläufiges Ergebnis (preliminary result), vorläufige Maßnahme (temporary measure), and vorläufige Aufenthaltsgenehmigung (temporary residence permit). As a noun, das Vorläufige can occasionally refer to the provisional aspect itself; the plural Die Vorläufigen is uncommon and appears mainly in explicit rhetorical or formal contexts.

Etymology: vorläufig derives from vor- (before, earlier) and lauf- (from laufen, to run), conveying something that is in effect before the final version. Grammatically, vorläufig follows standard German adjective declension: der vorläufige Plan, die vorläufige Entscheidung, das vorläufige Büro.

Nuance: While synonyms exist, such as provisorisch or behelfsmäßig, vorläufig emphasizes pending status rather than improvised temporary nature; provisorisch often implies something makeshift or provisional by necessity. In journalism and administration, vorläufige Ergebnisse signals early findings pending confirmation.

Examples: a vorläufige Genehmigung grants temporary approval; a vorläufige Lösung is a stopgap rather than a permanent fix.