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previous
Refers to something that came directly before in time or in a sequence; preceding.
Im Vergleich zum vorherigen Jahr sind die Verkaufszahlen deutlich gestiegen.
Compared with the previous year, sales figures have risen significantly.
The adjective 'vorherig' (previous) is derived directly from the adverb 'vorher' (beforehand/before). The ending '-ig' makes it an adjective that literally describes “that which was before.”
Bitte lesen Sie das vorherige Kapitel noch einmal.
Please read the previous chapter again.
'Vorherig' (previous) is used almost exclusively before a noun (attributive use) and must be declined accordingly. Using it alone at the end of a sentence (predicative use) is uncommon and sounds unnatural.
Die vorherige Eigentümerin des Hauses ist nach Spanien gezogen.
The previous owner of the house moved to Spain.
The adjective is often used in contexts that describe a sequence or a chronological order. Common combinations are 'der vorherige Tag' (the previous day), 'die vorherige Seite' (the previous page), 'das vorherige Jahr' (the previous year), or 'der vorherige Besitzer' (the previous owner).
Auf der vorherigen Seite des Buches befindet sich eine wichtige Grafik.
There is an important graphic on the previous page of the book.
last
'letzt' and 'vorherig' can both refer to something that came directly before. 'letzt' is very common in everyday language, especially with time expressions like 'letzte Woche' (last week) or 'letztes Mal' (last time). 'vorherig' sounds a bit more precise and often more formal. It fits well when comparing a step, an appointment, or a version with the one directly before it. The two can be similar, but 'letzt' sounds more natural in normal conversation, while 'vorherig' points more strongly to the sequence before a specific point.
Im vorherigen Gespräch hatte der Kunde noch andere Wünsche.
In the previous conversation, the customer still had other requests.
Am Wochenende habe ich den letzten Brief von meiner Vermieterin noch einmal gelesen.
At the weekend, I reread the last letter from my landlady.