bevorstehen
to be imminent
Indicates that an event or situation will occur in the near future. It is often used impersonally.
EXAMPLE
Den Schülern stehen die Abschlussprüfungen bevor.
The students' final exams are imminent.
bevorstehen
to be imminent
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The verb is made up of 'be-', 'vor' (in front of), and 'stehen' (to stand). You can picture it visually: an event 'stands before' you in time.
EXAMPLE
Uns steht eine lange Reise bevor.
A long journey lies ahead of us.
Inseparable verb
The prefix 'be-' is inseparable. This means that 'bevor' is never separated from the verb stem 'stehen', even in a main clause.
EXAMPLE
Eine wichtige Entscheidung bevorsteht dem Management.
An important decision is imminent for the management.
Sentence structure with dative
The person or group affected by the event is in the dative. The upcoming event itself is the subject in the nominative.
EXAMPLE
Dem Team steht ein schwieriges Spiel bevor.
A difficult game is imminent for the team.
Register
This verb belongs more to formal or written language. It is often found in news reports, reports, or official announcements.
EXAMPLE
Der Firma stehen große Veränderungen bevor.
Major changes are imminent for the company.
Compare with
bevorstehen vs drohen
to threaten
Drohen and bevorstehen can both refer to a negative event in the near future. Bevorstehen only describes that it will happen soon, whereas drohen additionally emphasizes the danger or feared possibility. Bevorstehen is appropriate for a neutral reference to time; drohen adds a warning or negative evaluation.
bevorstehen
Wegen der dunklen Wolken steht der Stadt ein schweres Unwetter bevor.
Because of the dark clouds, a severe storm is imminent for the city.
drohen
Wegen der dunklen Wolken droht der Stadt ein schweres Unwetter.
Because of the dark clouds, the city is threatened by a severe storm.
In real life
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