Verläufen

Verläufen is the plural noun form of Verlauf in German, meaning course, development, or progression of something over time. The term describes how a process unfolds, including its duration, turning points, and outcomes. The singular form Verlauf denotes the course itself; Verläufe refers to multiple courses.

In medicine, Verläufe describe the progression of a disease in a patient or population, such as cancer or chronic illnesses. Medical documentation often distinguishes acute, subacute, and chronic Verläufe and uses terms like Verlaufsbeobachtung (monitoring the course) and Verlaufsprognose (prognosis of the course).

In science and engineering, Verläufe describe the time evolution of variables, such as temperature, voltage, or growth in a study. Graphically, Verläufe are depicted as Zeitverläufe or Verlaufskurven, i.e., time courses or progression curves.

In geography and hydrology, Flussverlauf denotes the course or path of a river; Verläufe can also refer to routes in planning, such as road networks.

Usage notes: Verläufe is a plural noun used with definite or indefinite articles: der Verlauf, die Verläufe. The term is common in clinical, scientific, and technical German. It conveys both the sequence of events and their timing and is often used in documentation to assess outcomes and compare scenarios.