Verb

vor|kommen

Translation

to occur, to happen, to seem, to appear

So etwas ist mir noch nie vorgekommen.

Something like that has never happened to me.

Du kommst mir bekannt vor.

You seem familiar to me.

Dieser Name kommt im Buch oft vor.

This name appears often in the book.

((sth.)) vorkommen sth. occurs/happens An error has occurred.

((sb.dat)) ((adj)) vorkommen to seem ((adj)) to ((sb.)) You seem strange to me.

((in+3)) vorkommen to appear/be found in ((sth.)) The word appears in the text.

Synonyms: geschehen, passieren (to happen); Antonyms: ausbleiben (to fail to happen)

From 'vor-' (before, forth) and 'kommen' (to come). Literally 'to come forth', which leads to the meanings of 'to appear' or 'to occur'.

Imagine something 'coming' (kommen) 'before' (vor) your eyes, meaning it 'occurs' or 'appears'.