German word of the day: Vorwand

Why do I need to know Vorwand?

Because this useful little word can describe everything from interpersonal interactions to political tactics, and it also happens to be quite easy to remember. 

What does it mean?

Ein Vorwand (pronounced like this) is the same as a pretext in English. It describes the attempt to justify certain actions or beliefs by inventing a slightly disingenuous excuse for them, like telling yourself you'll take the scenic route to work to get some more exercise, when really you're planning on stopping off at that bakery with the unbelievably yummy Strudel. 

As well as these white lies or excuses, ein Vorwand can also be a slightly more sinister thing. In politics, for instance, far-right parties could use the excuse of overburdened public services as a Vorwand for their anti-migrant policies. 

READ ALSO: German word of the day: Abwehrschirm

Literally, the word sounds like a combination of vor (before / pre) and Wand (wall), so the analogy could be that the pretexts we use are a bit like a partition that you have to break through to find the actual weight-bearing wall behind it.

However, in this instance, der Vorwand is actually the noun form of the verb vorwenden, which describes putting something forward or bringing it to the fore.  

Vorwand is also closely related to the word Einwand, which describes an objection or something raised in defence. In this sense, you can think of a Vorwand as a kind of defensive strategy to disguise something you may not want other people to know. 

Use it like this: 

Sein neuer Job hat als Vorwand für die Trennung gedient.

His new job served as a pretext for the breakup.

Bist du sicher, dass das der wahre Grund ist, warum du umziehen willst? Für mich hört sich das nach einem Vorwand an.

Are you sure that's the real reason you want to move? It sounds like a pretext to me.