vorübergehen

/foːɐ̯ˈʔyːbɐˌɡeːən/
to pass by

Der Zug geht am Bahnhof vorüber.

The train passes by the station.


general

To move past someone or something without stopping.

Sie ging schnell vorüber, ohne mich zu beachten.

She passed by quickly without noticing me.

Can be used both literally and figuratively.

general

To elapse or pass (time).

Die Jahre gingen vorüber, und er wurde älter.

The years passed by, and he grew older.

Often used with time-related nouns like 'Jahre' (years).

Pro Tip

Literal vs. Figurative Use

Remember that 'vorübergehen' can describe both physical movement and the passage of time.

Word Origin

From 'vorüber' (past) + 'gehen' (to go).

Usage Notes

Can be used both literally (physical movement) and figuratively (time passing).

Word Breakdown

vorüber
past
prefix
+
gehen
to go
root
Deutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch