fortlaufen

[ˈfɔʁtˌlaʊ̯fn̩]

/[ˈfɔʁtˌlaʊ̯fn̩]/ verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“fortlaufen” is uncommon German (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - sich laufend von einem Ort entfernen

Key facts for fortlaufen
PropertyValue
Headwordfortlaufen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈfɔʁtˌlaʊ̯fn̩]
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fortlaufen” sits in German frequency

fortlaufen falls outside the top-100,000 ranked German words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

fortlaufen is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed [ˈfɔʁtˌlaʊ̯fn̩]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for fortlaufen, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is fortlaufen, spelled F-O-R-T-L-A-U-F-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    sich laufend von einem Ort entfernen
  2. 2
    sich zeitlich fortsetzen

This word in other languages

s'échapper(Français)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "fortlaufen"?
"fortlaufen" is spelled F-O-R-T-L-A-U-F-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈfɔʁtˌlaʊ̯fn̩].
What does "fortlaufen" mean?
As a verb, "fortlaufen" means: sich laufend von einem Ort entfernen
How do you pronounce "fortlaufen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fortlaufen" is [ˈfɔʁtˌlaʊ̯fn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "fortlaufen" come from?
"fortlaufen" is a German word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “fortlaufen”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct German spelling is F-O-R-T-L-A-U-F-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈfɔʁtˌlaʊ̯fn̩] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list