01
vorhaben
to plan
To have the intention or plan to do something specific.
example
Was hast du am Wochenende vor?
What are you planning for the weekend?
vorhaben
to plan
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Meanings
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Vorhaben' (to plan / to intend) is a separable verb. The prefix 'vor' goes to the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive, the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe am Samstag etwas Schönes vor.
I have something nice planned for Saturday.
Two sentence patterns
You can use 'vorhaben' (to plan / to intend) in two ways: either with a direct object, often 'etwas' (something) or 'nichts' (nothing), or with an infinitive clause with 'zu' to describe a specific action.
EXAMPLE
Wir haben für die Ferien eine große Reise vor.
We have a big trip planned for the holidays.
Typical question
The question 'Was hast du vor?' (What are you planning? / What are you up to?) or, politely, 'Was haben Sie vor?' is a very common and natural way to ask about someone's plans, especially for the near future, such as the weekend or the evening.
EXAMPLE
Was hast du heute Abend vor? Wollen wir ins Kino gehen?
What are you planning tonight? Shall we go to the movies?
Word family
The corresponding noun for the verb 'vorhaben' (to plan / to intend) is 'das Vorhaben' (undertaking / plan). It refers to a plan, project, or intention, often in a more formal or larger context.
EXAMPLE
Der Bau der neuen Brücke ist ein teures Vorhaben.
The construction of the new bridge is an expensive undertaking.
Compare with
vorhaben vs planen
to plan
'planen' and 'vorhaben' both talk about something you want to do in the future. 'vorhaben' mainly emphasizes the intention: you want to do something. 'planen' emphasizes more strongly that you have already thought through or prepared the process. That is why you can say: 'Ich habe vor, umzuziehen' (I intend to move), even if nothing has been organized in detail yet. 'Ich plane den Umzug' (I am planning the move) sounds more concrete and prepared. Learners easily confuse the words because both are often used with future actions. As a memory tip: 'vorhaben' is the intention; 'planen' is the intention with more preparation.
vorhaben
Tim hat vor, nach der Arbeit noch joggen zu gehen.
Tim plans to go jogging after work.
planen
Der Lehrer plant für morgen eine Gruppenarbeit.
The teacher is planning a group activity for tomorrow.
In real life
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