Which to use
“vorbei” and “vorher” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #627
- “vorbei” frequency rank
- #804
- “vorher” frequency rank
- 1431
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | vorbei | vorher |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | bereits zu einem Ende gekommen, vergangen | vor diesem Zeitpunkt oder Vorgang |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set vorbei and vorher apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. vorbei ([foːɐ̯ˈbaɪ̯]) and vorher ([ˈfoːɐ̯heːɐ̯]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 1431, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
vorbei is recorded at frequency rank #627, classified as anadv, pronounced [foːɐ̯ˈbaɪ̯]. vorher is at rank #804, tagged as anadv, pronounced [ˈfoːɐ̯heːɐ̯].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 1431, this pair ranks #2,004,352 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of vorbei vs vorher
Shared letters: eorv. Private to "vorbei": bi. Private to "vorher": h.
"vorbei" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVV · "vorher" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "vorbei" and "vorher" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "vorbei" or "vorher"?
Remembering vorbei vs vorher
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “vorbei” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable