01
zurückliegend
past
Refers to a time or event that took place in the past.
example
In den zurückliegenden Monaten hat sich die wirtschaftliche Lage verbessert.
In recent months, the economic situation has improved.
zurückliegend
past / set back
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
'Zurückliegend' is the present participle of the verb 'zurückliegen'. This verb literally means 'to lie behind something' or, figuratively, 'to lie in the past'.
EXAMPLE
Das Ereignis liegt nun schon einige Jahre zurück.
The event already took place several years ago.
Context clue
The noun that 'zurückliegend' describes reveals the meaning. If it refers to time (e.g., 'Jahr' (year), 'Monat' (month)), it is about the past. If it refers to a place (e.g., 'Garten' (garden), 'Gebäude' (building)), it is about spatial position.
EXAMPLE
Das zurückliegende Jahr war für die Firma sehr erfolgreich.
The past year was very successful for the company.
Typical collocations
In the time-related meaning, the word is often combined with nouns such as 'Woche' (week), 'Monat' (month), 'Jahr' (year), 'Zeitraum' (period), or 'Geschäftsjahr' (fiscal year).
EXAMPLE
Wir analysieren die Verkaufszahlen des zurückliegenden Quartals.
We are analyzing the sales figures from the past quarter.
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The time-related use of 'zurückliegend' is typical of written language, especially in reports, news, or formal summaries.
EXAMPLE
In der zurückliegenden Sendung haben wir über dieses Thema berichtet.
In the previous broadcast, we reported on this topic.
Compare with
zurückliegend vs vergangen
past
'vergangen' and 'zurückliegend' mean almost the same thing in this context: something lies in the past. Both words are used for times, events, or experiences that have already happened. 'vergangen' is very common in everyday language, especially in expressions like 'vergangene Woche' (last week) or 'im vergangenen Jahr' (in the past year / last year). 'zurückliegend' sounds a bit more factual and fits well in reports or more precise descriptions.
zurückliegend
Die zurückliegenden Monate waren für das Team sehr anstrengend.
The past few months were very exhausting for the team.
vergangen
In der vergangenen Woche hatte mein Kollege viele Termine.
Last week, my colleague had many appointments.
In real life
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