VorbildvsVorfeldWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“Vorbild” and “Vorfeld” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#3,090
“Vorbild” frequency rank
#5,231
“Vorfeld” frequency rank
8321
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Vorbild Vorfeld
Definition Person oder fiktive Figur, mit der man sich identifizieren kann beziehungsweise die durch ihr beträchtliches Ansehen den Beobachtenden zum Nachahmen einlädt allgemein: der Bereich (Gelände oder Zeitabschnitt), der vor jemand/etwas liegt

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Vorbild and Vorfeld apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
Vorbild
7 ch
Vorfeld

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Vorbild ([ˈfoːɐ̯ˌbɪlt]) and Vorfeld ([ˈfoːɐ̯ˌfɛlt]) 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 8321, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Vorbild is recorded at frequency rank #3,090, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈfoːɐ̯ˌbɪlt]. Vorfeld is at rank #5,231, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈfoːɐ̯ˌfɛlt].

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 8321, this pair ranks #1,984,763 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Vorbild vs Vorfeld

Shared letters: dlorv. Private to "Vorbild": bi. Private to "Vorfeld": ef.

"Vorbild" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVCC  ·  "Vorfeld" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Vorbildovrbild · vobrild · vorbbild · vorbidl · vorbildd · vorbilld · vorblid · voribld
  • Vorfeldovrfeld · vofreld · vorefld · vorfedl · vorfeldd · vorfelld · vorffeld · vorfled

Frequency comparison

Vorbild#3,090
Vorfeld#5,231

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Vorbild" and "Vorfeld" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈfoːɐ̯ˌbɪlt] versus [ˈfoːɐ̯ˌfɛlt]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Vorbild" or "Vorfeld"?
"Vorbild" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,090 in our German list, against #5,231 for "Vorfeld". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Vorbild vs Vorfeld

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 “Vorbild” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list