pending / dependent
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pending
Describes a legal or administrative case that has been filed with a court or authority but has not yet been decided.
Das Scheidungsverfahren ist bereits seit über einem Jahr bei Gericht anhängig.
The divorce proceedings have already been pending in court for over a year.
The adjective 'anhängig' (pending/dependent) is used almost exclusively predicatively, meaning after a verb such as 'sein' (to be) or 'machen' (to make). Use directly before a noun (attributively) is very rare.
Die Klage ist seit Monaten bei Gericht anhängig.
The lawsuit has been pending in court for months.
This meaning belongs to the technical language of law and administration. You typically find it in connection with words such as 'Verfahren' (proceedings), 'Klage' (lawsuit), 'Antrag' (application/motion), 'Gericht' (court), or 'Behörde' (authority).
Solange das Verfahren anhängig ist, können wir keine weiteren Schritte unternehmen.
As long as the proceedings are pending, we cannot take any further steps.
In the legal meaning, 'anhängig' (pending) is almost always used with the preposition 'bei' to name the place (the court, the authority) where the case is being processed.
Der Antrag ist noch beim Bundesverwaltungsgericht anhängig.
The application is still pending before the Federal Administrative Court.
The meaning 'to be dependent on someone' is outdated and is no longer used in modern German. It is found mainly in historical or literary texts.
Im 19. Jahrhundert war eine Witwe ohne Vermögen oft ihren Verwandten anhängig.
In the 19th century, a widow without assets was often dependent on her relatives.
open
'offen' and 'anhängig' can both mean that a matter has not yet been decided. 'offen' is a normal everyday word and fits many situations: questions, tasks, decisions, or bills can be 'offen'. 'anhängig' is much more specific and is used mainly with courts or authorities. It means that a case has already been filed there, but no decision has been made yet. In everyday language, people usually say 'offen'; 'anhängig' fits only in legal or administrative contexts.
Der Antrag ist bei der Behörde anhängig und wird noch geprüft.
The application is pending with the authority and is still being reviewed.
In seiner E-Mail schreibt er, dass noch zwei Punkte offen sind.
In his email, he writes that two points are still open.