right of way / precedence
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to let someone go first
To allow another person, out of politeness or because of rules, to go, drive, or do something before oneself.
Er hielt die Tür auf und ließ der älteren Dame den Vortritt.
He held the door open and let the elderly lady go first.
to have right of way
To have the right to go, drive, or act before someone else. This often refers to traffic rules.
An dieser Kreuzung haben Fahrzeuge von rechts den Vortritt.
At this intersection, vehicles from the right have right of way.
to give priority
In an abstract or figurative sense, to give one thing precedence over another; to prioritize something.
Bei der Entscheidung müssen wir der Sicherheit den Vortritt vor wirtschaftlichen Interessen geben.
In making the decision, we must give safety priority over economic interests.
The word consists of 'vor' (in front, before) and 'Tritt' (step). So it literally describes the idea of being allowed to take a step before someone else.
Im Straßenverkehr ist es wichtig zu wissen, wer den Vortritt hat.
In road traffic, it is important to know who has right of way.
In the expression 'jemandem den Vortritt lassen' (to let someone go first), the person you give priority to is always in the dative. This is a fixed grammatical structure.
Der junge Mann ließ mir an der Kasse den Vortritt.
The young man let me go first at the checkout.
The expression 'den Vortritt haben' (to have right of way) is used very often in the context of traffic rules. It is closely connected to the term 'Vorfahrt haben' (to have right of way).
An Kreuzungen ohne Ampel haben die von rechts kommenden Autos den Vortritt.
At intersections without traffic lights, cars coming from the right have right of way.
When you 'einer Sache den Vortritt geben' (give something priority), the concept is transferred to abstract ideas or priorities. The thing being prioritized is in the dative.
Bei diesem Projekt geben wir der Qualität den Vortritt vor der Geschwindigkeit.
In this project, we are giving quality priority over speed.
priority / right of way
Vorrang is the more general and often more formal expression for a higher priority. Vortritt, by contrast, usually emphasizes that a person goes, drives, or acts first out of politeness or according to a rule. Use Vortritt for people, and Vorrang also for abstract goals or tasks.
Am Eingang ließ der Mann der älteren Frau den Vortritt.
At the entrance, the man let the older woman go first.
Bei der Entscheidung hat die Sicherheit Vorrang vor der Bequemlichkeit.
In the decision, safety takes priority over convenience.
