Which to use
“vorbei” and “vorüber” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #627
- “vorbei” frequency rank
- #10,968
- “vorüber” frequency rank
- 11595
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | vorbei | vorüber |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | bereits zu einem Ende gekommen, vergangen | an etwas oder jemanden vorbei |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set vorbei and vorüber apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. vorbei ([foːɐ̯ˈbaɪ̯]) and vorüber ([foˈʁyːbɐ]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 11595, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
vorbei is recorded at frequency rank #627, classified as anadv, pronounced [foːɐ̯ˈbaɪ̯]. vorüber is at rank #10,968, tagged as anadv, pronounced [foˈʁyːbɐ].
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 11595, this pair ranks #1,969,005 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of vorbei vs vorüber
Shared letters: beorv. Private to "vorbei": i. Private to "vorüber": ü.
"vorbei" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVV · "vorüber" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- vorbei ← ovrbei · vobrei · vorbbei · vorbie · vorebi · vorrbei · vrobei · vvorbei
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "vorbei" and "vorüber" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "vorbei" or "vorüber"?
Remembering vorbei vs vorüber
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