vorwärts
/ˈfoːr.vɛrts/
The English phrase moving forward can be translated into German as vorwärts.
vorwärts is used to describe moving in a physical direction toward the front. Beyond physical movement, you can use vorwärts as an exclamation to encourage someone to hurry up or to make progress. While vorwärts describes the direction, you might also use the phrase nach vorne to specifically mean towards the front in a physical context.
What does it mean word for word?
The word vorwärts is composed of the prefix vor (meaning before or front) and the adverb wärts (meaning towards).
Which one should you use?
vorwärts refers to physical movement or progress, whereas Zukünftig is used when you mean moving forward in a future-oriented, metaphorical sense. If you want to say "let's move forward" in an informal setting, you would use Weiter geht's and for a casual way to say "moving forward" (meaning "from now on"), you can use Ab jetzt.
How does it change in a sentence?
vorwärts is an adverb and does not change its form based on gender, number or case.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈfoːr.vɛrts/. The stress is on the first of two syllables.
Did you know?
- Using vorwärts as a command to a person can sound like a harsh military drill rather than a polite suggestion.
- The opposite of vorwärts is rückwärts, which is also the standard term used for playing audio or video in reverse.
- The suffix -wärts in vorwärts is a cognate of the English suffix '-ward' as seen in 'forward' or 'afterward'.
Examples in context
- Im Weiteren Verlauf dieser Präsentation werden wir auf wichtige Punkte eingehen.Moving forward in this presentation, we will address crucial points.
- Zukünftig werden wir verstärkt auf Nachhaltigkeit achten.Moving forward, we will increasingly focus on sustainability.
- Wir setzen unseren Fokus zukünftig verstärkt auf digitale Innovationen.Moving forward, we will increasingly focus on digital innovations.
- Ab jetzt werden wir uns öfter treffen.From now on, we'll meet more often.
- Ich möchte mich verbessern und gehe daher ab jetzt regelmäßig zum Deutschkurs.I want to improve, so I'm starting regular German classes from now on.
- Ab sofort werden wir die neuen Richtlinien strikt befolgen.From now on, we will strictly adhere to the new guidelines.
- Gehen Sie bitte nur vorwärts.Please just walk forward.
- Wir müssen jetzt vorwärts gehen.We have to walk forward now.
- Der Wagen bewegt sich langsam vorwärts.The car moves forward slowly.
Example conversation
Sarah and Julian are hiking through a dense forest.
- SarahJulian, schauen wir nur vorwärts?Julian, are we only looking forward?
- JulianJa, wir müssen vorwärts gehen, um den Weg zu finden.Yes, we have to walk forward to find the path.
- SarahAlles klar, ich gehe vorwärts.All right, I am walking forward.
- JulianGut, so bleiben wir auf dem Pfad.Good, that way we stay on the path.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry vorwärts, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vorwärts, CC BY-SA 4.0.
