das  Vorkommen

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈfoːɐ̯ˌkɔmən/

🌍 What does "das Vorkommen" mean?

Das Vorkommen (noun, neuter) generally describes the presence, existence, or occurrence of something. It can refer to various things:

• Natural resources: The presence of raw materials, minerals, or living beings in a specific area. (e.g., das Erdölvorkommen - the oil deposit, das Wildvorkommen - the game population/occurrence)

• Events or phenomena: The occurrence of a specific event, situation, or condition. (e.g., das häufige Vorkommen von Fehlern - the frequent occurrence of errors, das Vorkommen seltener Krankheiten - the occurrence of rare diseases)

• Abstract concepts: The existence or presence of ideas, words, or patterns in a specific context. (e.g., das Vorkommen bestimmter Begriffe in einem Text - the occurrence of certain terms in a text)

It is a nominalized verb derived from vorkommen (to occur, to exist, to be found).

🚨 Attention: The verb vorkommen has additional meanings (e.g., “to seem/appear to someone”), which are not directly reflected in the noun das Vorkommen.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "das Vorkommen" in Detail

Das Vorkommen is a neuter noun. It follows the strong declension pattern.

📝 Example Sentences

1. Das größte bekannte Goldvorkommen des Landes wurde hier entdeckt.
   (The country's largest known gold deposit was discovered here.)

2. Das häufige Vorkommen von Tippfehlern im Bericht ist ärgerlich.
   (The frequent occurrence of typos in the report is annoying.)

3. Wir untersuchen das Vorkommen seltener Tierarten in diesem Waldgebiet.
   (We are investigating the occurrence of rare animal species in this forest area.)

4. Das Vorkommen dieses Wortes ist in alten Texten belegt.
   (The occurrence of this word is documented in old texts.)

💡 How to use "das Vorkommen"?

Das Vorkommen is used to describe the mere existence or occurrence of something, often in a factual or scientific context.

• Context: Geology, biology, statistics, linguistics, general description of events.

• Typical combinations: natürliches Vorkommen (natural occurrence/deposit), seltenes Vorkommen (rare occurrence), häufiges Vorkommen (frequent occurrence), Vorkommen von Ressourcen (occurrence/deposit of resources), das Vorkommen nachweisen/untersuchen/bestätigen (to prove/investigate/confirm the occurrence).

Distinction from similar words:

• Die Vorkommnisse (plural): Refers more to concrete events or incidents, often unexpected or negative. (e.g., Die seltsamen Vorkommnisse in dieser Nacht. - The strange incidents/occurrences that night.) Whereas das Vorkommen (singular & plural) means the more abstract existence or pattern of occurrence.

• Das Auftreten: Very similar to das Vorkommen, often interchangeable when talking about events or phenomena. However, Vorkommen is more frequently used for natural resources/deposits.

• Die Existenz / Die Präsenz: More abstract than das Vorkommen, emphasizing the pure state of being or being present.

🧠 Mnemonics for "das Vorkommen"

Article Mnemonic: Think of das Ereignis (the event), das Phänomen (the phenomenon), das Material (the material) – all these neutral concepts relate to das Vorkommen. It's something neutral, factual, hence das.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine something comes forth (kommt vor) suddenly. This happening, this coming forth, is its occurrence - das Vorkommen.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: Die Vorkommnisse (plural) is not a direct synonym; it refers to specific incidents or events.

😄 A little Joke

Fragt der Geologe seinen Kollegen: „Glaubst du an das Vorkommen von Humor in unserem Beruf?“
Sagt der andere: „Nur in seltenen Gesteinsschichten!“

Translation:

A geologist asks his colleague: "Do you believe in the occurrence (Vorkommen) of humor in our profession?"
The other replies: "Only in rare rock layers!"

✍️ Poem about Occurrence

Ob Erz im Berg, ob Wort im Satz,
Ob Tier im Wald an seinem Platz,
Ob Fehler, die uns oft geschehen,
Das Vorkommen kann man überall sehen.
Mal selten ist's, mal tritt's gehäuft,
Ein Phänomen, das durch die Zeiten läuft.

Translation:

Whether ore in the mountain, or word in a sentence,
Whether beast in the woods in its place hence,
Whether errors that often happen to us,
The occurrence (das Vorkommen) can be seen everywhere thus.
Sometimes it's rare, sometimes it appears en masse,
A phenomenon that runs through time's pass.

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin da, doch nicht immer sichtbar klar.
Mal bin ich selten, mal in großer Schar.
Geologen suchen mich im tiefen Gestein,
Statistiker zählen mich, ob groß, ob klein.
Ich kann ein Schatz sein oder auch ein Graus.
Wie nennt man mein bloßes Dasein, finde es heraus!

Translation:

I am there, but not always clearly visible.
Sometimes I am rare, sometimes in great swarms divisible.
Geologists seek me in rocks deep below,
Statisticians count me, whether high or low.
I can be a treasure or a dreadful thing.
What is my mere existence called, let the answer ring!

Solution: das Vorkommen (the occurrence / the deposit / the presence)

🧩 Further Details

Word Composition:

Das Vorkommen is a nominalized verb (a verb turned into a noun). It derives from the verb vorkommen, which itself is composed of the prefix vor- (indicating forward movement or something happening) and the verb kommen (to come).

Interesting Note:

In a legal or administrative context, „Vorkommen“ can also refer to a specific incident or event that is being documented, similar to „Vorkommnis“ (incident).