to make progress / move forward
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to make progress
To make progress; to develop further or move closer to a goal. This can refer to work, a project, or a learning process.
Ich komme mit meiner Bachelorarbeit gut voran und werde wohl pünktlich fertig.
I am making good progress with my bachelor's thesis and will probably finish on time.
to move forward
To move forward physically, often against resistance or under difficult conditions.
Im dichten Stau auf der Autobahn kamen die Autos nur schrittweise voran.
In the heavy traffic jam on the highway, the cars only moved forward step by step.
'Vorankommen' (to make progress/move forward) is a separable verb. The prefix 'voran-' comes at the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
Wir kommen heute gut voran.
We are making good progress today.
Since 'vorankommen' (to make progress/move forward) describes a form of movement or change, the perfect tense is always formed with the auxiliary verb 'sein' (to be).
Bist du mit deinen Hausaufgaben gut vorangekommen?
Did you make good progress with your homework?
To say in which area you are making progress, use the preposition 'mit' + dative. Typical adverbs are 'gut' (well), 'schnell' (quickly), 'langsam' (slowly), or 'kaum' (hardly).
Wie kommst du mit deinem Deutschkurs voran?
How are you making progress with your German course?
This meaning is often used to describe movement against resistance. The context is often traffic ('Stau' — traffic jam), weather ('Schnee' — snow, 'Sturm' — storm), or difficult terrain ('Wald' — forest, 'Berge' — mountains).
Im dichten Gedränge der Innenstadt kam man kaum voran.
In the dense crowds downtown, you could hardly move forward.
to get ahead / progress
Both words can express progress on a task. “Weiterkommen” is especially appropriate when a solution or help enables you to overcome a difficulty and continue, while “vorankommen” emphasizes general progress toward a goal. Choose “weiterkommen” when there is an obstacle; otherwise, “vorankommen” is often the better choice.
Mit dem neuen Plan kommen wir bei der Reparatur gut voran.
With the new plan, we are making good progress with the repair.
Mit dem Hinweis des Technikers kommen wir bei der Reparatur endlich weiter.
With the technician’s advice, we are finally making progress with the repair.
