Before you start
Meet vorkommen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
vor- + kommen
- vor-
- forward or into view
- kommen
- to come
Something comes into view as an event, or comes across to someone in a particular way.
So vorkommen means to happen, occur, or seem.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Verb family
More verbs built on kommen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
- ankommento arrive
- zurückkommento return
- hereinkommento come in
- herauskommento come out
- zukommento come towards, be in store
- herkommento come here
- aufkommento come up, arise, pay for
- entgegenkommento come to meet, accommodate
Separable verb: vor·kommen
In a main clause the prefix vor splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseDas kommt mir bekannt vor.That seems familiar to me.
Subordinate clauseWeil mir das oft vorkommt.Because that often happens to me.
Participle: vorgekommenzu-infinitive: vorzukommen
Forms
How vorkommen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | komme vor | kam vor |
| du | kommst vor | kamst vor |
| er/sie/es | kommt vor | kam vor |
| wir | kommen vor | kamen vor |
| ihr | kommt vor | kamt vor |
| Sie | kommen vor | kamen vor |
Partizip II vorgekommen · Perfekt with sein
Three examples
- 1Der Fehler kommt oft vor.The mistake happens often.prefix goes to the end
- 2Das ist mir seltsam vorgekommen.That seemed strange to me.Perfekt with sein
- 3Es kann vorkommen, dass es regnet.It can happen that it rains.modal verb with infinitive
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
vorkommen + der Fehler
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Say that it happens often.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Thatdas has happened to me before.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When I was a childdas Kind, die Kinder, this storydie Geschichte, die Geschichten seemed very funnylustig to me.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I knowkennen this nameder Name, die Namen because it often appears in my bookdas Buch, die Bücher.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The worddas Wort, die Wörter that appears in this textder Text, die Texte is newneu to me.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
This problemdas Problem, die Probleme can happen again if we are not carefulvorsichtig.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
It seems strangeseltsam to him to eat dinnerdas Abendessen so earlyfrüh.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Has this ever happened to you at workdie Arbeit?
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 9 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
vorkommen + dass
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense of vorkommen.
- 2Add a dass-clause explaining what happens.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
What seems unusual to you in everyday life?
Your challenge
- 1Answer with one sentence using vorkommen.
- 2Say what seems unusual to you.