vorfahre

[ˈfoːɐ̯ˌfaːʁə]

/[ˈfoːɐ̯ˌfaːʁə]/ verb

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

The verdict

“vorfahre” is an uncommon German word, ranked #78,724 in German word frequency and used as a verb.

#78,724
frequency rank, German
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv der Nebensatzkonjugation des Verbs vorfahren

Key facts for vorfahre
PropertyValue
Headwordvorfahre
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈfoːɐ̯ˌfaːʁə]
Letters8
Frequency rank#78,724
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “vorfahre” sits in German frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). vorfahre lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for vorfahre is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈfoːɐ̯ˌfaːʁə]. Corpus data places it at rank #78,724 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for vorfahre, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is vorfahre, spelled V-O-R-F-A-H-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    1. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv der Nebensatzkonjugation des Verbs vorfahren
  2. 2
    1. Person Singular Konjunktiv I Präsens Aktiv der Nebensatzkonjugation des Verbs vorfahren
  3. 3
    3. Person Singular Konjunktiv I Präsens Aktiv der Nebensatzkonjugation des Verbs vorfahren

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 German corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "vorfahre"?
"vorfahre" is spelled V-O-R-F-A-H-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈfoːɐ̯ˌfaːʁə].
What does "vorfahre" mean?
As a verb, "vorfahre" means: 1. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv der Nebensatzkonjugation des Verbs vorfahren
How do you pronounce "vorfahre"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "vorfahre" is [ˈfoːɐ̯ˌfaːʁə]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "vorfahre" come from?
"vorfahre" 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 “vorfahre”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is V-O-R-F-A-H-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈfoːɐ̯ˌfaːʁə] (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list