medium-term
Loading your saved state.
medium-term
Refers to a period of time in the near to medium future, so it is neither immediately imminent nor very far away. This period often covers several months to a few years.
Mittelfristig planen wir, unser Team um zwei weitere Mitarbeiter zu erweitern.
In the medium term, we plan to expand our team by two more employees.
The word is logically formed: it combines 'mittel' (middle/medium) and 'die Frist' (a specific period of time) with the adjective ending '-ig'. So it literally means 'relating to a medium period of time.'
Das ist keine schnelle Lösung, sondern eher ein mittelfristiges Projekt.
This is not a quick solution, but rather a medium-term project.
'Mittelfristig' (medium-term) belongs to a system of words that describe time periods: 'kurzfristig' (short-term), 'mittelfristig' (medium-term), and 'langfristig' (long-term). All three are formed according to the same pattern and are very useful in planning and business.
Kurzfristig sparen wir Geld, aber langfristig wird es teurer.
In the short term, we save money, but in the long term it will become more expensive.
'Mittelfristig' (medium-term) can be used as an adjective before a noun or as an adverb that describes the whole sentence. As an adverb, it often appears at the beginning of the sentence to define the time frame.
Wir brauchen einen mittelfristigen Plan.
We need a medium-term plan.
This word is often used in the context of planning, business, and politics. Typical combinations are 'mittelfristige Ziele' (medium-term goals), 'eine mittelfristige Lösung' (a medium-term solution), or 'mittelfristig denken' (to think in the medium term).
Was sind Ihre mittelfristigen Karriereziele?
What are your medium-term career goals?
soon / almost
'bald' and 'mittelfristig' both talk about the future, but about different time frames. 'bald' means that something happens in a short time, so relatively soon. 'mittelfristig' refers to a longer planning period: not immediately, but also not only in the very distant future. It is often about months or a few years. Learners may confuse the words because neither says exactly when something happens. The important difference is: 'bald' sounds close and soon, while 'mittelfristig' sounds like planning and more time.
Die Firma möchte mittelfristig mehr Mitarbeiter einstellen.
The company would like to hire more employees in the medium term.
In der Schule beginnt bald die nächste Prüfung.
At school, the next exam starts soon.