Vorgängen

Vorgängen is the plural form of the German noun Vorgang and covers a range of related meanings centered on sequence, action, or change. The core sense is an event or step in a chain of activities, but it can also denote a procedural operation or a process unfolding over time. The word derives from vor- (before/forward) and gehen (to go), emphasizing movement forward through a sequence.

In everyday language, Vorgänge describe things that happen or are performed, such as the steps involved in cooking a meal or the events in a given situation. In science and engineering, the term is used for processes or phenomena that develop over time, for example chemical Vorgänge or thermal Vorgänge. In administrative and bureaucratic contexts, Vorgänge often refer to case files, records of actions taken in a matter, or the procedural steps followed in an official procedure.

In information technology, Vorgänge may be used to denote operations or tasks handled by software or the operating system, though Prozessen (processes) is a common synonym in technical texts. The choice between Vorgang and Prozess in German often depends on nuance: Vorgang emphasizes sequence and activity, while Prozess emphasizes the overall mechanism or system-level process. Related terms include Vorgang as a general event or operation and Prozess as a broader, often more stable concept of a process.