die
Vorbesprechung
🎯 What Exactly is a Vorbesprechung?
The German word die Vorbesprechung is a feminine noun referring to a meeting held before a main meeting or event. Its purpose is usually to prepare for this main event, coordinate the agenda, distribute tasks, or exchange initial information. You could call it a preliminary meeting, pre-meeting, or briefing.
Because the base word "die Besprechung" (the meeting/discussion) is feminine, the compound word "die Vorbesprechung" is also feminine. There are no exceptions or common mistakes regarding the article here. 🚨 Always remember: die Besprechung → die Vorbesprechung.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ung → always feminine.
There are many -ung words, we won't list them all. There are only a few exceptions.
🧐 Grammar in Detail: die Vorbesprechung
The word "Vorbesprechung" is a feminine noun. Here is its declension:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | die | Vorbesprechung |
| Genitive (Whose?) | der | Vorbesprechung |
| Dative (To whom?) | der | Vorbesprechung |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | die | Vorbesprechung |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Vorbesprechungen |
| Genitive | der | Vorbesprechungen |
| Dative | den | Vorbesprechungen |
| Accusative | die | Vorbesprechungen |
💡 Example Sentences
- Die Vorbesprechung für das Projekt findet morgen um 10 Uhr statt.
(The preliminary meeting for the project takes place tomorrow at 10 AM.) - Wir müssen die Ergebnisse der Vorbesprechung noch zusammenfassen.
(We still need to summarize the results of the pre-meeting.) - In der Vorbesprechung haben wir die wichtigsten Punkte geklärt.
(In the preliminary meeting, we clarified the most important points.) - Können wir bitte kurz eine Vorbesprechung abhalten?
(Can we please hold a brief pre-meeting?) - Viele kurze Vorbesprechungen sind manchmal effektiver als eine lange Hauptbesprechung.
(Many short preliminary meetings are sometimes more effective than one long main meeting.)
🗣️ How to Use "Vorbesprechung"?
The term "Vorbesprechung" is primarily used in professional or organizational contexts. Typical use cases include:
- Project Management: To plan next steps, clarify roles, or prepare for an important project meeting.
- Event Planning: To coordinate details for an event, conference, or presentation.
- Team Coordination: As a quick briefing before an important task or client appointment.
Compared to a normal "Besprechung" (meeting), a "Vorbesprechung" always implies a preparatory character for something that follows. A "Meeting" (often used in German too) is a more general term. A "Briefing" (also used in German) is similar but often emphasizes one-way information transfer.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Article Mnemonic: The word ends in "-ung". Many German nouns ending in "-ung" are feminine and take the article "die". Think of: die Besprechung (the meeting) → die Vorbesprechung.
Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine you have an important meeting (Besprechung). What do you do beVORehand (VORher)? You hold a small preparatory meeting – a Vorbesprechung! The prefix "Vor-" means "pre-" or "before".
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms for Vorbesprechung
Same or Similar Meaning (Synonyms):
- Vorgespräch (das): Very similar, often slightly more informal (preliminary talk).
- Briefing (das): Emphasizes information transfer, often short and concise.
- Vorbereitendes Treffen (das): Directly describes the purpose (preparatory meeting).
- Abstimmung (die): Focuses on coordinating opinions or plans (coordination).
Opposite Meaning (Antonyms):
- Nachbesprechung (die): Takes place after an event, for analysis or reflection (debriefing, follow-up meeting).
- Hauptbesprechung (die): The actual, central meeting (main meeting).
- Abschlussbesprechung (die): A meeting at the end of a process or project (final meeting, wrap-up meeting).
⚠️ Similar but Different Words:
- Besprechung (die): The general term; can be a pre-meeting, main meeting, or post-meeting.
- Diskussion (die): Emphasizes the exchange of arguments, often less structured than a Besprechung (discussion).
😂 A Little Joke
Warum nehmen Geister keine Vorbesprechungen ernst?
(Why don't ghosts take preliminary meetings seriously?)
Weil sie eh durch alles durchschauen!
(Because they see right through everything anyway!)
✍️ Poem about the Vorbesprechung
Die Uhr zeigt kurz vor neun,
die Hauptbesprechung naht – o Grauen?
Nein, schnell ins kleine Zimmer rein,
zur Vorbesprechung, kurz und fein.
Wer macht was, und wie und wann?
Das klären wir im schnellen Plan.
So geht’s dann vorbereitet, klar,
ins große Meeting, wunderbar!
The clock shows just before nine,
the main meeting nears – oh, the dread divine?
No, quickly into the small room we fly,
for the pre-meeting, short and spry.
Who does what, and how and when?
We clarify in the quick plan then.
So prepared we go, it's clear,
to the big meeting, banishing fear!
❓ A Little Riddle
Ich komme vor dem großen Akt,
hab' einen klaren Plan im Takt.
Ich sorge dafür, dass nichts schiefgeht,
bevor die Hauptversammlung tagt und steht.
Wer bin ich?
(I come before the main event,
Have a clear plan, time well spent.
I make sure nothing goes astray,
Before the main assembly holds its sway.
What am I?)
Lösung (Solution): Die Vorbesprechung
🧩 Word Components
The word "Vorbesprechung" is composed of:
- Vor-: A preposition and prefix meaning 'before', 'pre-', or 'in front of'. Here, it signals the timing before the actual meeting.
- Besprechung: Derived from the verb "besprechen" (to discuss, to confer). The suffix "-ung" turns it into a noun.
Together, the meaning is therefore: a meeting that takes place before something else.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Vorbesprechung?
The word "Vorbesprechung" is always feminine. Therefore, the correct article is exclusively die: die Vorbesprechung (singular) and die Vorbesprechungen (plural).