VorgangvsVorhangWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#6,745
“Vorgang” frequency rank
#10,009
“Vorhang” frequency rank
16754
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Vorgang Vorhang
Definition Ablauf, ein Geschehen ein oder mehrere, gegebenenfalls zusammengenähte, Bahnen aus Textil oder anderem Material ursprünglich zum Davorhängen, zum Bedecken von Raumöffnungen, zum Aufteilen, Abteilen von Räumen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Vorgang and Vorhang apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

7 ch
Vorgang
7 ch
Vorhang

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Vorgang ([ˈfoːɐ̯ˌɡaŋ]) and Vorhang ([ˈfoːɐ̯ˌhaŋ]) 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 a single letter - g in “Vorgang” becomes h in “Vorhang”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 16754, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Vorgang is recorded at frequency rank #6,745, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈfoːɐ̯ˌɡaŋ]. Vorhang is at rank #10,009, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈfoːɐ̯ˌhaŋ].

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 16754, this pair ranks #1,933,239 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Vorgang vs Vorhang

Shared letters: agnorv. Private to "Vorgang": -. Private to "Vorhang": h.

"Vorgang" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVCC  ·  "Vorhang" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Vorgangovrgang · vograng · voragng · vorgagn · vorgangg · vorganng · vorggang · vorgnag
  • Vorhangovrhang · vohrang · vorahng · vorhagn · vorhangg · vorhanng · vorhhang · vorhnag

Frequency comparison

Vorgang#6,745
Vorhang#10,009

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Vorgang" and "Vorhang" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈfoːɐ̯ˌɡaŋ] versus [ˈfoːɐ̯ˌhaŋ]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Vorgang" or "Vorhang"?
"Vorgang" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #6,745 in our German list, against #10,009 for "Vorhang". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Vorgang vs Vorhang

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 “Vorgang” 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list