anfängstvsanfängtWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“anfängst” and “anfängt” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#26,745
“anfängst” frequency rank
#7,858
“anfängt” frequency rank
34603
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature anfängst anfängt
Definition 2. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv der Nebensatzkonjugation des Verbs anfangen 3. Person Singular Indikativ Präsens Aktiv der Nebensatzkonjugation des Verbs anfangen

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set anfängst and anfängt apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

8 ch
anfängst
7 ch
anfängt

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. anfängst ([ˈanˌfɛŋst]) and anfängt ([ˈanˌfɛŋt]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 34603, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

anfängst is recorded at frequency rank #26,745, classified as averb, pronounced [ˈanˌfɛŋst]. anfängt is at rank #7,858, tagged as averb, pronounced [ˈanˌfɛŋt].

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 34603, this pair ranks #1,659,494 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of anfängst vs anfängt

Shared letters: afgntä. Private to "anfängst": s. Private to "anfängt": -.

"anfängst" · 8 letters · shape VCCVCCCC  ·  "anfängt" · 7 letters · shape VCCVCCC

Frequency comparison

anfängst#26,745
anfängt#7,858

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "anfängst" and "anfängt" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈanˌfɛŋst] versus [ˈanˌfɛŋt]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "anfängst" or "anfängt"?
"anfängt" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #7,858 in our German list, against #26,745 for "anfängst". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering anfängst vs anfängt

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “anfängst” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list